Educational Challenges in the Republic Democratic of Congo

Written by Esther Musau Tshimanga

Background

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the largest sovereign nation in the African continent with a population of over 84 million inhabitants. The DRC is considered one of the richest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in terms of natural resources, however, its population is further away from experiencing its wealth. According to the World Bank, 64% of the population lived under the poverty threshold with less than 2.15$ a day in 2021 (The World Bank, 2015). The DRC is faced with a wide range of political, socio-economic, and health issues coupled with ongoing armed conflict, and the state of the country continues to experience a steady decline following the Covid-19 pandemic (Pinshi 2020; Sasidharan and Dhillon 2021).

The Education system in the DRC is one of the national structures that has suffered the most from the lack of access to that national wealth. The educational system of the DRC has been reported as weak due to the low prosperity level of the country and plagued by poor quality and deep social inequalities. According to USAID, more the 45% of children begin school later, after the age of 6 which is the recommended year to begin primary school (The Global Economy, 2021), of those who successfully enter the first grade, only 67%  will reach the 6th grade (USAID, 2023). The two main challenges hindering the education system in the DRC are poor quality and low coverage on the structural level when national challenges such as war, conflict, gender-based violence, food insecurity, and poverty have major repercussions on accessibility to equal and equitable education.

Figure 1 Image by The World Bank, 2020.

The following article will explore the current educational challenges and experiences in the DRC. An overall description of the DRC education system will be provided, followed by an exploration of their challenges, and will conclude by mentioning recent educational reform and their potential implication on the education system.

The DRC Education System, an Overview.

Due to poverty, military conflicts, and a lack of infrastructure, the school system in the Republic Democratic of Congo (DRC) suffers several difficulties (Education Cannot Wait 2023). Although, the country’s constitution recognizes the right to an education as a fundamental one, numerous youngsters remain out of school as a result of exorbitant tuition fees and subpar instructional materials (USAID 2023). With limited access to intermediate and university education, primary education in the DRC is free but not mandated (Kingiela 2018). An estimated 77.04% of people are literate, however, there is a large gender gap because women are more likely than males to be illiterate (UNESCO 2020). When compared to other African nations, the government’s expenditure on education is small, which causes teachers shortage and subpar classroom facilities (Kingiela 2018). Additionally, the colonial-based curriculum of the nation’s educational system, which disregards regional contexts and cultures, restricts the level of education that can be provided to children.

The education system of the DRC is mainly organized across ideology and social groups, of which the catholic, protestants and unsubsidized schools form 80% of the country’s educational network, furthermore, urban provinces count the highest number of children enrolled in schools, the highest number of girls enrolled in schools and highest number of educators available as high as 20% for each construct, while predominantly rural and provinces affected by armed conflict represent the lowest number of enrolled children, enrolled girls, as well as available educators (Cellule Technique pour les Statistiques de l’Education (CTSE) 2015)

Challenges in the DRC Education System

Poor quality

Inadequate finance is one of the biggest problems facing the DRC’s educational system (Education Cannot Wait 2023). Only a small portion of the total government expenditure on education is spent on raising standards. The government’s investment in education has decreased over time, which has caused a drop in educational quality (Sasidharan and Dhillon 2021). The lack of finance has led to inadequate teacher preparation, a shortage of classroom supplies, and a lack of school infrastructure. UNESCO reports that the government only devotes 2.3% of its Gross Domestic Product to education, which is much less than the 20% suggested by the Dakar Framework for Action (UNESCO 2000, 2020). Due to little funding, education is of poor quality. There were just 16,500 elementary schools and 2,700 secondary schools in the nation in 2013 (Cellule Technique pour les Statistiques de l’Education (CTSE) 2015).

Corruption is another issue that results in insufficient funding. Officials embezzle funds intended for education because corruption is rampant in the country’s educational system making it challenging for schools to deliver high-quality instruction, particularly in rural areas where schools have few resources (Centre de Recherche sur l’anti-corruption 2022).

Low coverage

In the DRC, it can be difficult for children to get access to education, especially if they live in remote areas. About 3.5 million children of primary school age do not attend, with girls being disproportionately impacted (USAID, 2023). Children in remote locations have a tough time getting to school due to a lack of transportation options, including roads (World Bank, 2005). As a result of many youngsters being obliged to labor to support their families, poverty is another big impediment to schooling (Musarandega et al. 2021).

The fact that many institutions offer low-quality education just makes the lack of access to education worse (Kinsala, 2020). The ineffectiveness of instruction is hampered by the shortage of textbooks and other educational tools (World Vision, 2023). Additionally, many teachers lack the necessary credentials and have poor training (Kinsala, 2020).

Lack of infrastructure

The lack of infrastructure is another issue that has hampered education in the DRC. Most schools lack basic amenities such as water, electricity, and proper sanitation facilities (The World Bank 2015). This lack of infrastructure has contributed to the high dropout rates, particularly for girls who have to walk long distances to attend school (Musarandega et al. 2021). In addition, the lack of infrastructure makes it difficult for teachers to deliver quality education.

Impact of Conflict on Education

The ongoing conflict in the DRC has had a significant impact on education in the country. The conflict has disrupted the education system, with many schools being destroyed or closed down (Jones and Naylor 2014). Children have been forced to flee their homes, and some have been recruited as soldiers, denying them access to education. The conflict has also created a sense of insecurity, making it difficult for children to attend school. Many parents fear for their children’s safety and choose to keep them at home, even if they have access to education (Omaamaka 2015). This has contributed to the low enrollment rates in many parts of the country.

Conclusion

Education is essential for the development of any country. In the DRC, however, education faces many challenges, including inadequate funding, limited access to education, inadequate infrastructure and materials, and the impact of the conflict on education(USAID 2023). Addressing these challenges will require a collective effort by the government, civil society, and the international community. This includes increased funding for education, improving access to education, investing in infrastructure and materials, and promoting peace and security in the country. Only by addressing these challenges can the DRC fulfil its potential and provide quality education for all its citizens.

 

References

Cellule Technique pour les and Statistiques de l’Education (CTSE). 2015. “ANNUAIRE STATISTIQUE DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT PRIMAIRE, SECONDAIRE ET PROFESSIONNEL ANNEE SCOLAIRE 2013-2014.”

Centre de Recherce sur l’anti-corruption. 2022. “Using Data to Improve the Quality of Education.” Centre de Recherche Sur l’Anti-Corruption. Retrieved April 13, 2023 (https://anticorruption-center.org/data-from-students-allows-education-authorities-in-the-drc-to-address-educational-quality-and-accountability-issues-in-real-time/).

Corneille Kinsala N’soki. 2020. “Digitalcongo.Net | L’insuffisance d’infrastructures Scolaires Pose Problèmes à La Gratuité de l’éducation de Base.” Digitalcongo.Net. Retrieved April 16, 2023 (https://www.digitalcongo.net/article-en/5e6a3e483135ba0004d1c679/).

Education cannot wait. 2023. “The Democratic Republic of the Congo | Education Cannot Wait.” Education Cannot Wait. Retrieved April 13, 2023 (https://www.educationcannotwait.org/our-investments/where-we-work/democratic-republic-the-congo).

Jones, Amir, and Ruth Naylor. 2014. “The Quantitative Impact of Armed Conflict on Education in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Counting the Human and Financial Costs.”

Kingiela, Jolie Fiata. 2018. “Mini-Dissertation Submitted in Fulfilment of the Requirements for the LLM Degree in Multidisciplinary Human Rights at the Faculty of Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria.”

Musarandega, Reuben, Michael Nyakura, Rhoderick Machekano, Robert Pattinson, and Stephen Peter Munjanja. 2021. “Causes of Maternal Mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Systematic Review of Studies Published from 2015 to 2020.” Journal of Global Health 11:04048. doi: 10.7189/jogh.11.04048.

Omaamaka, Offu Peter. 2015. “The Impact of Armed Conflict on Africa of the Democratic Republic of Congo.”

Pinshi, Christian. 2020. “What Impact Does COVID-19 Have on the Congolese Economy and International Trade?”

Sasidharan, Shibu, and Harpreet Singh Dhillon. 2021. “A Snapshot of Poverty, Diseases and War – the Democratic Republic of the Congo.” Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness 1–4. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2021.227.

The Global Economy. 2021. “Democratic Republic of the Congo School Starting Age, Primary School – Data, Chart.” TheGlobalEconomy.Com. Retrieved April 9, 2023 (https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Democratic-Republic-of-the-Congo/Primary_school_starting_age/).

The World Bank. 2015. “The World Bank in DRC-Overview.” World Bank. Retrieved March 13, 2023 (https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/drc/overview).

UNESCO. 2000. The Dakar Framework for Action. Education for All: Meeting Our Collective Commitments. Dakar: UNESCO.

UNESCO. 2020. “The Congo Literacy Project (The Democratic Republic of Congo) | UIL.” UNESCO. Retrieved April 13, 2023 (https://uil.unesco.org/case-study/effective-practices-database-litbase-0/congo-literacy-project-democratic-republic-congo).

USAID. 2023. “Education | Democratic Republic of the Congo.” U.S. Agency for International Development. Retrieved April 9, 2023 (https://www.usaid.gov/democratic-republic-congo/education).

World Bank. 2005. Education in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Priorities and Options for Regeneration. The World Bank.

World Vision. 2023. “Education.” World Vision. Retrieved April 16, 2023 (https://www.wvi.org/congo/our-work/education).

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2020/06/16/the-new-ambitions-of-congolese-schoolchildren-now-that-school-is-free

Lifelong Learning for Singapore’s Children with Special Needs

Minds centre, kid reading programme – Photo by MINDS Raintree

 

Written by Melissa Sugiarta

With special thanks to Ms. Linda Poh and Ms. Ong Lay Hoon for the insightful conversation

Lifelong learning should not be a privilege. It should be a right.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda to “Leave no one behind” is a reflection of that right. 1To leave no one behind is to ensure that no one lacks the choices and opportunities to participate in and benefit from development, including in learning. Equality and non-discrimination in education environments should, therefore, be the right of every person.

Progressively aligning with the United Nations 2030 Agenda to leave no one behind in terms of education, Singapore has continuously shown its progress in making education a right for children with Special Education Needs (SEN). In 2019, the ministry of education has made it mandatory for children with moderate to severe special needs to attend government-funded Special Education (SPED) schools2, supporting families with special needs children in receiving equal opportunities in education.

Despite the rights to special education schools, there are some blind spots in the quality of learning beyond school as these children reach 18 years of age. The transition period from childhood to adulthood is one phase where we can expect many changes happening in our lives. In their education milestone, a special needs child would experience a change in their learning community from school to training centres for their vocational education. At this stage of vocational education3, the government offers a School-to-Work (S2W) Transition Programme, providing a customised employment training pathway during the child’s final year of school extending for up to 1 year after their graduation.

MINDS Raintree centre – Photo by MINDS Raintree

One of the blind spots in this transition period of school to training centres lies in the transition of profile data of the child. This profile includes any important information that new teachers or training staff need to know about the child such as their communication habits or their eating preparations, and more. In the case that the child needs to have their food cut up in pieces before eating, this serves as important profile data for the staff to help the child do so before serving them their food. Otherwise, the child might choke on the food.

Cases like this have happened before as a result of the child’s data being overlooked in the training centres. Parents of these children are concerned for the safety of their child as to how differently their child was treated in school and in the training centre after 18 years old. This comes down to underpaid staff in the training centres as well as insufficient training for educators and nonteaching staff on the right to inclusive education4. Furthermore, when the profile data of a special needs child is passed on from one learning community to another, it is important to highlight that every child is unique. Therefore, the profile data of each child should be studied carefully and with care for the safety and comfort of the child.

Educational support towards special needs children is impactful when the people supporting them are well-educated themselves. While parents and teachers or learning staff directly interact with these children on a regular basis, the collective attitude of the public influences how these parents and teachers interact with these children. In this sense, everyone plays a part in the level of inclusiveness in special education systems. Therefore, public awareness especially in Singapore’s society is just as important as quality training for staff and educators in the case of special needs education.

What can we do? There are 3 main barriers  we can overcome individually and collectively in our communities. 5 In terms of physical barriers, buildings, transportation, toilets and playgrounds should be accessible for special needs children such as wheelchair users. In communication and information barriers,  textbooks, teaching methods, and other learning materials should be made available in Braille and sign language interpretation. In terms of attitudinal barriers, we can prevent behaviours from others and ourselves that lead to stereotyping, low expectations, pity, condescension, harassment and bullying towards special needs persons. By keeping these 3 points in mind and in practice, we are creating a more righteous learning environment for every special needs child.

Building an inclusive learning environment ensures that these groups of children are not left behind in Singapore’s move towards a society with non-discrimination and equality. The 4th Sustainable Development Goal stands by quality education, meaning lifelong learning opportunities for all. Consistency in the quality of curriculum, staff, teachers, and community is needed for the goal of quality lifelong learning.

Where is your safe space? If you were a special needs child, would your safe space be your school and your training centre? The answer to this question should determine how far Singapore’s special needs education system has come, and how far left it has to go.

 

 References

1 United Nations. (n.d.). Office of the united nations high commissioner for human rights. Maximizing the use of the Universal Periodic Review at country level – PRACTICAL GUIDANCE. Retrieved April 1, 2023, from https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/HRBodies/UPR/UPR_Practical_Guidance.pdf

2 Ming, T. E. (2016, November 16). Moe extends compulsory education to children with special needs. TODAY. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/moe-extends-compulsory-education-special-needs-children

3 SG Enable. (n.d.). Education – disability support: Enabling guide. I’m Looking For Disability Support – Education. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.enablingguide.sg/im-looking-for-disability-support/education

4 United Nations. (2022, October 5). Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Concluding observations on the initial report of Singapore. Universal human rights index – human rights recommendations. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://uhri.ohchr.org/en/document/919c8882-b4cf-4af2-9888-98160afca27f)

5 UNICEF. (n.d.). Children with disabilities. UNICEF – Disabilities. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.unicef.org/disabilities

6 UNICEF. (2021, February 17). SDG goal 4: Quality Education. UNICEF DATA. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://data.unicef.org/sdgs/goal-4-quality-education/

7 Ministry of Education Singapore. (2022, May 10). Understand your child’s special educational needs. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.moe.gov.sg/special-educational-needs/understand

8 Ministry of Social and Family Development. (2022, August 17). Enabling masterplan 2030 – working together towards an inclusive … Enabling Masterplan 2030 – Working Together Towards An Inclusive Singapore. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.msf.gov.sg/media-room/Pages/Enabling-Masterplan-2030-Working-Together-Towards-An-Inclusive-Singapore.aspx

9 Ministry of Education Singapore. (2023, March 8). Special education (SPED) schools. MOE. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://www.moe.gov.sg/special-educational-needs/sped-schools/

10 Ministry of Education Singapore. (2022, March 28). Explore your child’s educational journey. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://www.moe.gov.sg/special-educational-needs/educational-journey

Education in Egypt: Addressing the Barriers to a Better Future

Exams in Egypt – Photo by Egyptian Center for Economic Social Rights

Written by N.Mohamed

Why is it important to educate our children? You have asked the same question before, whether now as a parent or when you were a child asking why should I go to school? Education opens the door to you, it helps you develop the skills needed to live. It widens your horizons and allows you to understand and respect your rights and your duties toward your society, your family, your home and the whole nation.

As an educated person, you become aware of your goals, career and the tools needed to improve your quality of life. We all faced challenges when we were at school and so did our parents, our challenges might not be the same as theirs and what will our children face will also differ from ours but the most important thing is to acknowledge these challenges and work on overcoming them.

The education system in Egypt consists of three phases for children in the age range of 4-14 years old. The first phase is kindergarten for 2 years followed by 6 years in primary then preparatory education for 3 years until secondary education which also lasts for 3 years before the student starts his/her university life.

Statistically and as published by Statista, This graph depicts the literacy rate in Egypt from 2006 to 2021. The literacy rate measures the percentage of people aged 15 and above who can read and write. In 2021, Egypt’s literacy rate was around 73.09 percent. Throughout this article, we will do our best to try and shed some light on the challenges that face education in Egypt, efforts done by the government to try and eradicate them and the image reflected by the local news in the country.

Quality of Education: This is affected by several factors such as the teaching styles considered rigid as it doesn’t encourage the student’s participation throughout the education process. The teacher/student ratio as the density of the pupils in class increased significantly in the past 5 years at the rate of 5.11 per cent between the school years 2015/16 and 2019/20. Adding to this, The infrastructure in some areas especially rural places are not fully prepared for the students. Some of them lack  functional water and sanitation facilities. In addition to what was mentioned above, Egypt now faces a shortage of staff in the educational field which is also considered an important challenge in the quality of education presented to the children.

On the other hand, although the private education sector might not have the same challenges as the public one however it is also of a very high cost that the average Egyptian citizen can’t afford so it is also considered a challenge.

To improve the quality of education and overcome these problems, UNICEF since 1992 is supporting the Ministry of education in Egypt in improving the education journey. This cooperation led to many projects that are helping the education process in Egypt to become better. For example, the Community-Based Education project which is by the help of UNICEF provides access to education to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children by adopting and scaling up a Community-based Education model.

Also, the government together with the ministry is working on a plan to take efficient decisions. As an example of this that was mentioned in a local newspaper in Egypt, a recent program was issued by the ministry to train 150 thousand teachers to be hired in the next five years as a means to decrease the shortage of staff and improve the teachers/student ratio. Also, in the past few years, the education system in Egypt and under the influence of Corona has transitioned to electronic education out of paper-based education. This will be discussed in more detail later in the article as this is also created a new challenge to education in Egypt that we need to highlight in more detail.

Dropout Rates in Education: Unicef defines dropout as follows “Children who are of educational age do not enrol in school or leave it without completing the educational stage in which they are studying, whether by their desire or as a result of other factors, as well as failure to attend regularly for a year or more.”

Most of the students in Egypt and as you can see in this graph were enrolled in general primary schooling during 2020/2021 about 13.4 million. On the contrary, you can see that a significantly lower number were enlisted in preparatory and general secondary education. This indicates that some students drop out and don’t continue their education after or even during the general primary phase.

The problem of dropouts is considered a major challenge to education. It has negative effects on the family, the society and the nation overall. In my opinion, increasing dropout rates are a consequence of the challenges mentioned in the quality of education however this is not the only factor.

Many studies have been performed to evaluate and understand the main reasons behind this challenge in the education process. These studies also provided general characteristics for the students who drop out of school and these characteristics are Children with limited mental abilities, Students with difficult economic conditions, Children who live in families suffering from social disintegration, Children who are competent but have problems with their teachers or colleagues, Children with special behaviour as a result of social and economic conditions that lead them to be aggressive towards their teachers and classmates.

By looking at data and statistics issued by the Ministry of Education and contained in the Annual Statistics Book 2021/2022. There are several indicators that we need to highlight to better understand this challenge and search for the possible causes. These causes can be summarised as follows:

1- Percentages of school dropouts: The percentage of school dropouts at the primary level in the period from 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 was about 0.2%, of whom 0.17% were girls and 0.23% were boys, compared to 0.25%, including 0.20% for girls, and 0.29% for boys in the period from 2018/2019 and 2019/2020.

The percentage of school dropouts in the preparatory stage in the period from 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 was about 0.87%, of whom 1.10% were girls and 0.66% were boys, compared to 1.73%, including 2.07% girls, and 1.40% boys in the period from 2018/ 2019 and 2019/2020.

Even though the dropout rates are declining and getting better but they still exist. But what we can notice from the graph that shows the dropout rates in the preparatory education phase, the percentage of girls dropping out is near twice that of boys. While it is quite the opposite in the primary education phase. This is an indication that due to social and economic needs, some families force children to work and leave their education so they can help with the income for the whole family. While in the preparatory stage, many families encourage the early marriage of the girls to get rid of their expenses and economic burdens.

This is a very important challenge and several reasons contribute to its increase and these causes are:

  • Economic factors are considered the primary cause of this phenomenon as the lack of the parent’s capability of providing for their children their needs force them to take such actions and harm their future.
  • Social factors reflect the family and the environment that the child lives in which plays an important role, for example some old social customs such as prioritizing boys’ education over girls and early marriage for girls.
  • Educational factors which are already mentioned in the quality of education part at the beginning of this article.

This makes us think, why is dropping out of school considered a challenge or a bad phenomenon that we try to eradicate? What is its impact on society? So to answer this question we will have to look at it from several axes.

  • Economic repercussions as the government spend money and this money is wasted on the students dropping out since the outcome that is expected can’t be achieved since the student is no longer being educated.
  • Educational implications: Education’s role in society is not just about teaching how to read, write and do simple maths. Its main goal is also to reform and impede the social change that is desirable for individuals.
  • Social repercussions: when a child is not in school and at this critical age is being left in the street he is being transformed into a dangerous version that may lead him to do crimes and acts of violence.

The government in Egypt is aware of this issue and is working on getting it to vanish at the soonest as I would like to highlight some of the efforts done by the government to help with this phenomenon eradicated.

  • The 2014 Constitution: Article 19 of the 2014 Constitution expands the right to free education mentioned in previous constitutions, as it states that education is a right for every citizen, and it aims to build the Egyptian character, preserve national identity, and instil the values ​​of citizenship, tolerance and non-discrimination, and the state is committed to.
  • Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 (Education Axis) which we will discuss in detail in the next part of the article.
  • The elaboration of a strategic plan to declare Egypt free of illiteracy by 2030.
  • Expanding the construction of public schools to reduce the density of classes.
  • An online tele-learning platform created by the General Authority for Adult Education during the coronavirus pandemic.

The transition from paper-based to technology-based education in Egypt:

Although the coronavirus pandemic was a disaster on all levels to the whole world, one can’t deny the impact it made on the countries both negative and positive. It was a tough time but at the same time, it was a great opportunity so everyone can stop and think about these questions. How can I keep going when everything around me, stops? How can I continue working/eating/learning/exercising and do everything just like nothing happened? How can I walk out of the pandemic a winner and not a loser?

These questions must have crossed your mind during the past 2 and a half years as the coronavirus and the lockdown was a blessing for some companies and economies for example the e-commerce field and it was not a blessing for others such as the retail stores that still don’t have online stores and depends only on the physical stores. This was also a start for education to move into a technology-based one since learning is essential and even during lockdowns or pandemics it’s important to continue the learning process as education and building the next generation is important for society and the country overall.

In Egypt, the e-learning process started as an execution of the government’s vision that by 2030 education should be of high and international standards and quality, should release a highly up-to-date and skilled member for the society and use technology to implement education and communication between both the teacher and the student. This has been seen by using tablets instead of paper books and using more advanced technologies to deliver the information by the teacher to the student. Although this is considered a huge step however it does create a lot of challenges for the teachers, parents and students which also creates a bigger challenge for the government and the ministry of education.

The system will eradicate the old education system’s ailments by turning the pupils from passive recipients into active participants in the educational process,” said Ahmed Khairy, a spokesman for Egypt’s Ministry of Education, “We are going for a total change of the educational process, instead of introducing minor changes,” he said.

Some local journals considered these challenges an indication of the failure of the whole experiment and some considered this as a challenge to the ministry and that we still need to work on this to consider this a fully successful transition. In any transition period, you see challenges and burdens and that is not considered a failure but opportunities to work on making this better. I will add a few examples below about the challenges that were created during this transition period for clarification.

  • So from the school side, the facilities in Egypt are not fully equipped and prepared for this transition yet as you can see many struggles when it comes to the network quality and the presence of fully trained technicians to deal with when the network is down.
  • The system itself still has a lot of errors that are causing stress to both teachers and students as an example of this is when for any reason the system stops while the student is having an exam there’s a high chance that the student won’t be able to recover his answers that he typed before the system stops or even restart the timer he can rewrite his answers once more.
  • Teachers are not trained or have the required access to control any challenge that the students may face as they’re using their tablets to do the exams.
  • Internet access is still not available in all educational facilities which make these facilities still depend on paper-based approaches with their students.
  • Parents also complained about the type of questions given to the students as it differs from one student to another which is not fair to all students
  • A local paper also mentioned that the same student took advantage of this to cheat on there which will not help provide an accurate evaluation of this experiment to better work on its negatives.

The general secondary exams, which are considered the most important exams in the life of an Egyptian student, are a major burden in this experiment. These exams serve as the sole means of determining a student’s university path. Because this is an important stage, the parents definitely expressed their concerns about implementing the technological approach, believing that it would seriously damage their children’s future and could be the reason that their children’s dreams were not achieved. Due to the importance of this in the life of an Egyptian student, the government extended it to all preuniversity years except general secondary exams. This year, students in this phase will take exams that consist of 85% MCQs and 15% essays. The correction process will be based on new tech to reduce the human factor (and thus reduce human errors during the correction process) and will rely on technology to correct the exams and provide the final grade. According to the Ministry of Education, the exams will be held in June 2023, so we will have to wait and see how things go this year in the hopes that the students will have a fair chance to achieve their dreams and choose the career path they want and prefer.

At the end of this article, I would like to say that it is essential that we emphasize the challenges we face in education, specifically because education is so crucial to shaping the future of the entire world. An educated individual who we assist today will be tomorrow’s doctor, engineer, worker, and every other significant human being who contributes to a better future for our children and ourselves. Investing in our children has always had a positive influence on society and our lives. We, everyone, want to see a better tomorrow, and we should all work together to make that happen. We must make sure that the next generation inherits a healthy environment.

References:

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  • Importance of Education. (2022, November 11). Leverage Edu. https://leverageedu.com/blog/importance-of-education/
  • Egypt – Literacy rate 2021 | Statista. (n.d.). Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/572680/literacy-rate-in-egypt/
  • التعليم: بدء برنامج التأهيل التربوى للمعلمين الناجحين بمسابقة 30 ألف معلم 13 مارس الجارى ولمدة 4 أيام.. وتؤكد: تدريب لياقة ذهنية وبدنية بالمحافظات من خلال الجامعات المختصة.. واستلام العمل بعد الحصول على الدورات – اليوم السابع. (2023, March 6). اليوم السابع. https://www.youm7.com/story/2023/3/6/التعليم-بدء-برنامج-التأهيل-التربوى-للمعلمين-الناجحين-بمسابقة-30-ألف/6105332
  • منصة التعليم في مصر | التعليم في مصر. (2015, September 17). https://www.egyptianeducation.com. http://www.egyptianeducation.com/ar/article.aspx?AID=13110&CID=0&WID=56
  • تجربة التعليم الإلكتروني. (2020, November 9). وكـالـة مـعـا الاخـبـارية. https://www.maannews.net/articles/2018028.html
  • التعليم والتدريب – مصر2030. (n.d.). مصر http://sdsegypt2030.com/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d8%b9%d8%af-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d8%ac%d8%aa%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b9%d9%8a/%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d8%b9%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%85/
  • Egypt’s new education system to focus on technology, research | Amr Emam | AW. (n.d.). AW. https://thearabweekly.com/egypts-new-education-system-focus-technology-research
  • تجربة التعليم الإلكتروني. (2020, November 9). وكـالـة مـعـا الاخـبـارية. https://www.maannews.net/articles/2018028.html
  • بعد انتهاء امتحان آخر العام لأولى ثانوى.. التجربة الإلكترونية تحت مجهر أولياء الأمور والطلاب: واجهتنا مشكلات فى التعامل مع السيستم.. ونطالب بتوحيد الأسئلة.. ومصادر مسئولة: فرق التطوير تسعى لإزالة المعوقات – اليوم السابع. (2019, June 1). اليوم السابع. https://www.youm7.com/story/2019/6/1/بعد-انتهاء-امتحان-آخر-العام-لأولى-ثانوى-التجربة-الإلكترونية-تحت/4267857
  • Cover Photo by aboodi vesakaran on Unsplash

Educational Challenges in Nigeria

Written by Emmanuel Ayoola

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa[i] is plagued with serious educational challenges. With over 10.5 million out-of-school children, Nigeria takes the spot as the country with the highest number of out-of-school children in the world. In fact, out of every five out-of-school children in the world, one is a Nigerian.[ii] In every sense, the situation is a crisis.

The factors responsible for the educational challenges in Nigeria are numerous and hydra-headed. From weak legislations to the scourge of conflicts and terrorism, to socio-cultural challenges, lack of inclusive policies and inadequate commitment from the government, the list is almost endless.

To start with, there is a fundamental problem with the Nigerian Constitution vis-à-vis the right to education. Despite the fact that Nigeria has ratified some of the several international instruments that provide for the right to education, its own grundnorm – the 1999 constitution (as amended) however, makes the right to education non-justiciable. Section 18 of the constitution provides that the:

  • Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels.
  • Government shall promote science and technology
  • Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy; and to this end Government shall as and when practicable provide:
  1. free, compulsory and universal primary education; b) free secondary education; c) free university education; and d) free adult literacy programme.

While the above provision may appear sufficient, however under the constitution, it is provided for as principles of state policy under chapter 2. In effect, the right to education although aptly provided for, lacks the force of law as it is not justiciable. In other words, it cannot be enforced by law. This disguised immunity that protects the government from being held accountable by right holders for the protection of the right to education contributes to the crises at hand.

Another of the challenges that education in Nigeria suffer from involves acts of terrorism that are targeted directly at educational institutions and those that are targeted at communities which in turn, impacts access to education in such communities.

Reports show that in north-east Nigeria between 2009 and 2022, more than 2,295 teachers were killed in attacks by insurgents which saw 19,000 people displaced and over 910 schools destroyed.[iii]

man in white crew neck t-shirt sitting beside man in white t-shirt

Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash

In 2021 alone, 25 schools were attacked and 1,440 students were abducted and 16 children killed. Attacks of this nature no doubt led to the closure of some schools. At least 619 schools were shut down in 6 states in northern Nigeria over fears of attack and this resulted into over 600,000 children losing access to education.[iv] This has been one of the most severe challenges that has confronted access to education in Nigeria.

More also, cultural and social implications impact access to education in Nigeria. Most affected in this regard, are young girls. The girl-child in Nigeria often has to contend with lack of access to education. For instance, in the north of Nigeria, practices like forced and early marriages deprive girls of access to education. Girls in the south of Nigeria, in like manner also contend with cultural practices that limits their access to education.[v] Boys suffer their own share too as they experience a high drop-out rate –especially boys in south – eastern Nigeria.[vi]

Another group of people who similarly suffer a disadvantage of lack of access to education in Nigeria are persons living with disability (PWDs). Although, Nigeria has ratified the United Nations Convention on rights of Persons with Disabilities which expressly provides that schools must be inclusive and accessible to all children living with disabilities, Nigeria has failed to meet required standards for the protection of this right. This unfortunately continues to happen in the face of its National Policy on Education and the Universal Basic Education Act which provides for inclusive and free education for all school children. PWDs suffer a lack of inclusion because most schools are not designed and managed in a manner that will be inclusive and accessible for them.[vii]

The challenges Nigeria suffer as a country cannot be discussed in isolation of the government’s responsibility and obligation to committing resources to education. Nigeria still spends below the recommended benchmark[viii] of between 15-20 percent of annual budgets on education.  In its 2022 budget, Nigeria increased its budgetary allocation for education to 7.2 percent from 5.7 percent in the previous year. While this is commendable, a lot still needs to be done by devoting more resources to educational infrastructure and generally funding education in Nigeria as a lot of schools lack infrastructure like; conducive classrooms, laboratories, libraries, toilets, electricity and  proper learning environment.[ix]

Recommendations

In order to address the educational challenges in Nigeria, the government must be committed to the following;

  1. Resolving the legal barrier that makes the right to education non-justiciable. The government should amend the constitution to make the right to education enforceable.
  2. In its response to armed conflicts and terrorism, the government should implement approaches that will ensure the protection of educational institutions and secure access to education for children in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and in post-conflict settlements and communities. Strategies aimed at securing education for all should form part of the government’s overall response to such conflicts and attacks.
  3. Agencies of the government like the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Ministry of Information and Culture needs to do more in addressing the socio-cultural nuances that exclude children from access to education in some parts of the country. Nation-wide campaigns that target remote parts of the country where these cultural practices may be entrenched will go a long way in ensuring that children are able to access education.
  4. Persons living with disabilities have a right to education. Therefore, in protecting their right, the government must develop inclusive policies, programs and infrastructure that will make education both accessible and inclusive for them.

In order to improve the quality of education and make it accessible for all, the government must commit adequate resources to education in the country. A good way to start will be by implementing the UNESCO recommendation on spending 15 -20 percent of national annual budget on education.

[i] https://www.statista.com/statistics/1121246/population-in-africa-by-country/ last accessed 9March 2023

[ii] UNICEF https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/press-releases/unicef-warns-nigerian-education-crisis-world-celebrates-international-day-education last accessed 9 March 2023

[iii] https://www.arise.tv/more-than-2295-teachers-killed-in-north-east-nigeria-attacks-19000-displaced-910-schools-destroyed-says-teachers- last accessed 9 March 2023

[iv] Supra 2

[v] Mohammed S.S.I (2000). Female and Girl-child education in Nigerian. In Federal Republic of Nigeria (ed), Abuja: Federal Ministry of Education.

[vi] The National Human Rights Commission < https://www.nigeriarights.gov.ng/focus-areas/right-to-education.html> last accessed 9 March 2023

[vii] https://www.jonapwd.org/Factsheet%20inclusive%20Education.pdf last accessed 9 March 2023

[viii] https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-member-states-unite-increase-investment-education last accessed 9 March 2023

[ix] https://guardian.ng/features/education/public-schools-in-throes-of-poor-infrastructure-learning-facilities/ last accessed 9 March 2023

Cover Photo by Emmanuel Ikwuegbu on Unsplash

Educational challenges in Somalia

Written by Belise Hirwaboy in blue and white plaid shirt reading book

Photo by Ismail Salad Osman Hajji dirir on Unsplash

Somalia formerly Somaliland, which has as its capital city Mogadishu, is a small country located in the horn of Africa. Over the years, Somalia has been involved in intrastate conflicts.  For instance, clannism and clan differences are a main source of conflict used to divide Somalis, including fuel clashes over resources and power. These differences have also been used to mobilize militia, and make broad-based reconciliation very difficult to achieve. This results in political leaders manipulating clannism for their own purposes. No emerging government has been able to establish a successful peaceful coexistence among the Somalis. It has been noted that in most communities they have set up their own traditional peace means to regain a peaceful state which has been quite significant. These challenges have posed serious concerns to education in the country. Specifically, some of the challenges that the country faces in relation to access to education are discussed below.

Terrorism

The formation of Al-shabaab is a major contributor to the educational challenges experienced in Somalia. The terrorist group is composed of a lot of Somalia’s young citizens who ought to be students in schools. During combats, Al-shabaab sends these young people on the front line where they are easily killed due to the very little training that has been offered them. Also arising out of this, are cases of rape resulting to early marriages and teenage pregnancies. Overall, terrorism affects the educational systems in Somalia.

Frequent wars and overcrowded classrooms

Another main problem Somali pupils suffer from is the problem of overcrowded classrooms. Even the lucky ones that make it to school cannot really benefit from it fully. It is truly hard to have quality education in overcrowded spaces, but there are even more problems. Frequent civil wars majored by the 1991 civil war are major factors that has caused poor educational systems in Somalia. This has posed a setback to students going back to schools because of their displacements in different locations. Students also in the process, lost their schooling items when their classes were invaded, this makes it difficult for them to continue their education.

The challenges associated with Covid-19

Covid-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China and later on spread to most parts of the world. Africa at large was affected. In Somalia there are still challenges where the advent of the virus continues to affect the daily activities of students. Especially in higher education departments where students had adopted online learning, hence there is an uneven and confused students’ attendance in these institutions. Over all, this affects the quality of the experience student are able to get out of the schools.

Insecurity

Somalia is a country that has been facing intra security problems for the past 3 decades continuously. This has not only affected the migration formula of the Somalis but has also largely affected their education system. Closed roads, explosions and violence are common factors that hinder the free movement of students and these results to families sending children to nearby schools regardless of the quality of education those school offer, all in a bid to prioritize the safety of their children. More also, the teachers are affected as they barely get paid their salaries frequently due to unexpected attacks. The salaries received by the teachers are also limited.

Lack of parental guidance and language barrier

Many parents in Somalia barely have formal education and as such, cannot give proper guidance and support to their children with regards to schoolwork. Language barrier is also another problem that Somalis face, and it remains a challenge for teachers, parents and students. Arabic and Somali are the official languages, therefore, in a case where most textbooks are in English language, a language barrier problem will arise.

Inadequate learning programs and lack of uniformity

Most schools have inadequate learning programs that caters only to theoretical learning without providing practical learning as well. In Somalia, most students get the theory experience with no results of the practical experience. This results to inadequate knowledge of most subjects. Lack of a similar syllabus is also another challenge that is affecting the country’s educational system.

Academic dishonesty and corruption

There are wide spread reports of corruption among teachers in Somalia. This includes cases of teachers demanding bribes for admission of new students, tendering false documents e.g. certificates, and giving bribes to acquire promotions. All these acts of corruption including the issue of nepotism poses challenges to education in Somalia.

Financial Instability

In Somalia many citizens are living as IDPs due to harsh security means. As a result, they cannot afford to pay for school or tuition fee, transport, uniform and books. Majority of the less privileged are left unattended and have no access to education.

Recommendations

  1. Regional blocs that Somalia has acquired membership of should support Somalia by all means to reduce the growth of Al-Shabaab which continues to threaten education in the country.
  2. The ministry of health and ministry of education should collaborate for regular tests for covid 19 as it is still within the country. Through regular checkups and distribution of the appropriate materials, the scourge of the virus can be curbed in the schools.
  3. The government of Somalia should organize and create more spaces for classes, starting with the lower level to the tertiary levels of education. This will reduce the number of students attending classes in small spaces.
  4. Security is of importance, especially in educational institutions. The government of Somalia should ensure tight security at all levels. This will motivate parents to take their children to schools. Special security arrangements should be made to protect schools, teachers and students.
  5. Parents-teachers relationship should be advanced through frequent visits of parents to their teachers, this will result to mutual growth and connection of the students. The creation of parents-teachers associations should be highly encouraged too.
  6. Students, especially those in secondary schools should be exposed to knowledge of the theory and practical aspects of certain majors (sciences). Schools should be committed to admitting students by the accurate numbers of practical apparatus available. The practical studies should also be taught on a very regular basis for effectiveness.
  7. Teachers’ trainings institutes in the government of Somalia should work under a similar board in order to build the capacity of teachers.
  8. Adequate funding should be done in Somalia’s educational systems. The government should engage in donations and distribution of, for instance textbooks and exercise books. The government should also commit to building new schools and rebuilding the ones that have come under attacks.

  

References

  1. Ahmed, H., Allaf, M., & Elghazaly, H. (2020). COVID-19 and Medical Education. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 20, 777-778.
  2. Bao, W. (2020). COVID-19 and Online Teaching in Higher Education: A Case Study of Peking University. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2, 113-115.
  3. Barre, A. G. (2020). Somalia Education Sector COVID-19 Response Plan.
  4. Abdifatah Abdiaziz Dahie
  5. Somalia Education Cluster Note on COVID-19 Preparedness and Response 11 (2020).
  6. Cover Photo by Ismail Salad Osman Hajji dirir on Unsplash

Sinai schools turned into military bases by the Egyptian Army

Written by Ivel Sestopal

 

The right to education of children is being compromised by the Egyptian forces. It has been announced by several media and rights groups that the Egyptian military has taken approximately 37 schools and transformed them into bases.[i] This is presumed to be one of their main actions to create pressure on militants affiliated with the Islamist State group in a 10-year war. The testimonies along with witnessing and satellite images created evidence of these intrusions. Not only were the schools were taken but also the opportunity of hundreds of children to have access to their human right to education is being taken away.

The background of this fight can be seen since 2011 when the Egyptian revolution took place, and Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s first democratically elected president was overthrown in a military coup in which Egyptian forces battled an Islamic State insurgency in the Sinai Peninsula. This created not only a heavy economic crisis but also a deeply divided nation. In 2013 Gen Abdel Fatah al-Sisi replaced Morsi and Egypt entered a period of temporary stability through military use and with several prisoner camps in which the military wanted to search any Morsi or Muslim supporters, but the civilians continued expressing their discomfort. This escalated in August 2013 when the army and security forces attacked a manifestation in Plaza Rabaa al – Adayiya and killed over 1,000 Morsi supporters along with massive trials and sentences for those arrested. They also prohibited the Islamic Movement and declared it a terrorist organization by the government.[ii]

These attacks have continued for 10 years, perpetrating attacks in civilian places but evading truistical ones to evade global attention. This new attack on schools was with the idea to use schools as sniper bases due to schools being two or three stories high and the use of the radio towers to use as a sort of fort with bricks built in the surrounding area according to the Guardian.[iii]

The problem with this besides the lack of infrastructure for schools is that the children are forced to end their education as there is no replacement institutions offered in place to the ones being occupied by the military, a lack of organization of the government to relocate them but also because the political attention is focused on the crimes and military actions. It is heartbreaking to see how easy it is to break a blackboard and desks when they represent tools for education and resources for the future of the children which we can comment have nothing to do with the political situation of their country, when “a growing body of international law and UN security council resolutions have led to a consensus that schools should be protected from military use during armed conflict.”[iv]

Besides the great gravity of the Egyptian military actions against civil society and the ongoing war between them, we cannot expect coherence of actions when a democratically elected government was changed by one through a coup d’état. It is a much more complex problem since there are several parties involved who pull the force of power or armed or contracted groups or even international interests. What is clear is the violation of human rights that has been done to the citizens and even more important to the children who become victims of this misuse of power.

 

Sources 

[i] Holmes, O. (2023). Egyptian army has turned Sinai schools into military bases, says rights group. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/egyptian-army-has-turned-sinai-schools-into-military-bases-says-rights-group

[ii] Al Tahhan, Z. (2018). Egyptian society being crushed five years after military coup. Aljazeera Retrieved from: https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2018/7/2/egyptian-society-being-crushed-five-years-after-military-coup

[iii] Holmes, O. (2023). Egyptian army has turned Sinai schools into military bases, says rights group. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/mar/30/egyptian-army-has-turned-sinai-schools-into-military-bases-says-rights-group

[iv] Middle East Observer. (2023). Egypt: Army turned Sinai schools into military bases, says Watchdog. Retrieved from: https://www.middleeastobserver.org/2023/03/30/egypt-army-turned-sinai-schools-into-military-bases-says-watchdog/

Photo Source: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20190521-egyptian-security-forces-kill-16-suspected-militants-in-sinai/

Educational challenges in Mexico: Access to education where inequality and discrimination deepens, and violence floods the social space

Written by Ivel Sestopal

Source: https://www.lavozdelafrontera.com.mx/local/el-lunes-inician-clases-de-educacion-basica-1938336.html

Mexico is facing an educational crisis; it is well known in Mexican society that many things are lacking inside the educational system. Besides the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) demanding better institutions to attend to the educational reality of the country, there has been a lot of pressure from other Institutions to attend to the issue. It is a country in development that depends economically on other countries and has a difficult social reality where corruption and drug dealing are a reality and it has been normalized in society.

The main issues in Mexican education have to do with poor quality, insufficient coverage at some levels, and high dropout rates in levels beyond primary[i]. For instance, Mexico is a country that has a lot of cultural diversity as well as socio-economic issues that have created a huge gap between social classes. This reality has forced children to drop out of school and help their family, in some cases, forced to work with cartels creating dropouts and breaking the educational dynamic for children and youth which is problematic due to the fact that upper secondary attainment is a minimum qualification for most of the labor market. 44% of young adults left school without an upper secondary qualification in comparison with the 14% of the OECD partner countries.[ii]

This article highlights four major challenges to education that are seen in Mexico.

Education coverage and diversity

Source: https://medium.com/a-remarkable-education/mexicos-rural-school-teachers-have-little-and-give-lots-a5e218344a80

One of the main challenges is that Mexico doesn’t guarantee education to most of the citizens. With 43.9% of the population living in poverty,[iii] it has become a challenge for people living in marginalized zones to access education due to a lack of transport, materials, and health problems.

Most indigenous communities often have to travel for hours to reach the nearest school further highlighting the issue that there haven’t been enough schools built in these rural areas, putting rural and indigenous students at a disadvantage since they have to leave their communities and encounter many difficulties to further their education[iv].

Since public education is funded by the federal state, the budget given to states is not always coherent with the necessities of each one. For example, a state with less infrastructure and bigger demand if books might have less budget than one that is located at the center of a city which deepens the inequality of education between states with respective needs or considerations[v]. For example, the state of Baja California and Mexico State contributes 40% of the total education budget through state funds[vi], being a clear example of budget inequality.

Gender and Indigeneity Inequality

Source: https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/politica/Educacion-en-Mexico-insuficiente-desigual-y-la-calidad-es-dificil-de-medir-20181225-0028.html

Mexican culture especially in the most marginalized places is attached to the belief of women confining themselves to their homes taking care of the children and other home related tasks because of which Mexican girls are more likely than boys to drop out of school denying them not only access to basic levels of education but also to access higher levels of education.

Child marriage is still a custom in most Mexican communities and 83% of married Mexican girls leave school[vii].

There is also an existing inequality in the access to education for indigenous communities in which the system and programs are not designed for their customs or even language. Some of the courses are not even suitable for the way of life of these children as it does not take into consideration the different backgrounds that these children come from.

Management inside the educational system

Source: https://www.e-consulta.com/nota/2020-09-14/virales/sabes-donde-puedes-descargar-los-libros-de-la-sep

School in Mexico is organized by public and private education, the public is based on state authority and school administrators but there are no decisions that involve the important stakeholders such as parents and students. There is an institution called SEP (Secretary of Public Education) that sets all major guidelines about public schools and is characterized by a lack of transparency and accountability for the correct application of financial resources[viii], limiting the access to information and analysis of the development of public schools.

Parents and teachers have been protesting against the institution and demanding an investigation due to the sale of plazas and acts of corruption. The sale of plazas is the action of one teacher selling his position to another person in exchange for money, due to the lack of efficiency in registration for being a teacher in public schools and due to the corrupted system people can buy their place into the school.

In some cases, these people are not even qualified to teach. Teachers who aspire to be assistant principals, directors, pedagogical technical advisors, and general supervisors understand that they have three ways to achieve these. Buying the place. By influences. Or through the political favor of the current ruler.[ix]

Lack of resources or investment in educational infrastructure

Source: https://cnnespanol.cnn.com/radio/2019/05/23/educacion-hay-cada-vez-mas-alumnos-en-escuelas-publicas/

Schools located in marginalized places and even public schools located in the city present unfavorable conditions and infrastructure which diminishes the well-being and the opportunities for knowledge denying the right to quality education for the students. There is also a lack of surveys conducted for schools, teachers, and alumni on basic education indicators to improve infrastructure based on the deficits identified[x]. This causes a backlash for the students to grow with their educational level and creates a more distinguished barrier between public and private schools.

Another example is the lack of classrooms for students, especially in schools located in rural areas which are mainly indigenous students with present a higher number of students than classrooms[xi].

In terms of learning materials, only 43.3% of schools count libraries or spaces with scholarly books whereas only 22% of indigenous schools have these materials. And this is not only seen in public schools, but it can also surprise us that almost one-third of all private schools in Mexico lack a library[xii].

It poses a challenge for children and young people to learn with an absence of basic materials for education and becomes difficult for them to keep evolving in their education when there is no access to technologies in such a globalized world where 1.7% of them have access to the Internet and only 7% have a computer.[xiii]

 

The Mexican education system cannot develop and strengthen itself if it keeps having corrupted individuals working within the educational system. In addition, the difference of education between private and public, rural and urban creates more bridges between access and quality of education. It is going to deepen and cause more inequality between individuals in Mexican society.

We can see clear evidence between the budget that is being expended in some states for education in comparison with the ones that are more centralized to the city. However, access to technologies and materials for everyone regardless of their environment is essential. Mexico will have to assess these issues in order to show better results with the international community as well as with the obligation it has to its citizens for access to free and quality education for all.

 

 

[i] Santibanez, L., Vernez, G., Razquin, P. (2005). Education in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities. RAND Corporation. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB480.html

[ii] OECD (2022), “Mexico”, in Education at a Glance 2022: OECD Indicators, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/a842076d-en

[iii] CONEVAL (2020). Medición de la Pobreza. Retrieved from: https://www.coneval.org.mx/Medicion/Paginas/PobrezaInicio.aspx

[iv] Santibanez, L., Vernez, G., Razquin, P. (2005). Education in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities. RAND Corporation. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB480.html

[v] Santibanez, L., Vernez, G., Razquin, P. (2005). Education in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities. RAND Corporation. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB480.html

[vi] Santibanez, L., Vernez, G., Razquin, P. (2005). Education in Mexico: Challenges and Opportunities. RAND Corporation. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/pubs/documented_briefings/DB480.html

[vii] International Community Foundation. (2022). 4 Barriers to quality educatoin in the Mexico School System. Retrieved from: https://icfdn.org/barriers-quality-education-mexico/

[viii] Mejia Guevara, I., Giorguli Saucedo, S. (2014). Public Educatoin in Mexico: Is all the spending for the benefit of children?. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269402290_Public_Education_in_Mexico_Is_all_the_Spending_for_the_Benefit_of_Children

[ix] Noticias Reportero. (2021) Corrupción en la SEP, ascensos al mejos postor. Retrieved from: https://noticiasreportero.com.mx/2021/10/18/corrupcion-en-sep-ascensos-al-mejor-postor/

[x] Miranda Lopez, F. (2018). Infraestructura escolar en México: brechas traslapadas, esfuerzos y límites de la política pública. Perfiles educativos, 40(161), 32-52. Retrieved from: http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-26982018000300032&lng=es&tlng=es.

[xi] Miranda Lopez, F. (2018). Infraestructura escolar en México: brechas traslapadas, esfuerzos y límites de la política pública. Perfiles educativos, 40(161), 32-52. Retrieved from: http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-26982018000300032&lng=es&tlng=es.

[xii] Miranda Lopez, F. (2018). Infraestructura escolar en México: brechas traslapadas, esfuerzos y límites de la política pública. Perfiles educativos, 40(161), 32-52. Retrieved from: http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-26982018000300032&lng=es&tlng=es.

[xiii] Miranda Lopez, F. (2018). Infraestructura escolar en México: brechas traslapadas, esfuerzos y límites de la política pública. Perfiles educativos, 40(161), 32-52. Retrieved from: http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-26982018000300032&lng=es&tlng=es.

Educational challenges in Paraguay: socioeconomic inequality as key to educational progress

Written by Agnes Amaral

Introduction

Paraguay is a South American country that contains a diverse amount of ethnical and racial population. In number, more than half of the country is mestizo, 30% of white people, and almost 3% indigenous. These numbers are important in a way to create policies that embrace all people[1]. Another important factor about Paraguay is the role religion plays in this society. According to Latinobarometro data[2], almost 90% of the Paraguayan population is Catholic. This means religion plays a very strong role in people’s decisions and ethical behavior. Cultural decisions based on religion tend to define distinct roles between genders and races. The population is also divided between urban and rural, with almost 40% of the rural and farm population. This generates a diversity of actions that accentuate gender inequality and prejudice linked to the fate of certain groups in that society.

Marked by a sequence of authoritarian governments and complex development processes, Paraguay has immense social inequalities that mirror education. These factors are relevant for analyzing the educational situation and the challenges faced in the country. When asked about fairness in access to education, 47.5% state an “unfair” access while 32% mention a “very unfair” access[3]. This leads us to ask: why is the access to education in Paraguay considered very unfair by the majority of the population?

Digital education efforts in Paraguay – UNICEF

Social Inequality and Covid-19 Pandemic

The first big problem that impacts education is inequality. Data from 2020 reveals that the discussion about the problems in the country is related to poverty, financial problems, and educational challenges[4]. This is something that affects not only Paraguay, but all of Latin America and the Caribbean. For instance, during the Covid-19 pandemic, there is what they call an “educational blackout”[5].

Due to the closing of the schools, education took place online. The problem in this situation is that access to the Internet is limited by equipment, good network quality, and digital skills. Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) data report that, among students under 18 years old, about 60% had no Internet access in Paraguay. This became a challenge to education during the two years of remote education. However, considering the connected reality in which we live, this can still be considered a palpable problem for the country and the region.

Unequal access to education affects education rates long before the pandemic. In 2019, for example, when checking the performance of elementary school students, the result is that Paraguayan students had lower levels of performance in mathematics. About the low progress, the Director of the Regional Bureau for Education in Latin America and the Caribbean (OREALAC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Claudia Uribe mentions the need to take urgent governmental measures to achieve the 2030 Agenda[6].  This school exclusion affects some groups more sharply. Students from indigenous peoples, afro-descendants, and migrants encounter disadvantages.

Indigenous Girls & Women

The creation of the country was based on the exclusion of indigenous peoples. For this reason, it is possible to note the social impacts suffered by these groups to this day. It is a large ethnic diversity. The right to be involved, political participation, and access to education are essential to mitigate these inequalities. There are constitutional advances in this sense, such as the 1992 Constitution, which recognizes and guarantees the rights of indigenous peoples in Paraguay:

ARTICLE 66 – EDUCATION AND ASSISTANCE

The State shall respect the cultural peculiarities of the indigenous peoples, especially with regard to formal education. Attention shall also be paid to their defense against demographic regression, depredation of their habitat, environmental pollution, economic exploitation, and cultural alienation.  (Artículos de la Constitución Nacional)[7]

However, the reality is indigenous people dealing with exclusion and poverty. This affects the educational indicators of the indigenous population, which worsen when we consider the reality of the indigenous female population. In Paraguay, free and mandatory schooling lasts nine years (basic education)[8]. Considering this, Indigenous men stay in education for a little less than five years, while Indigenous women about 3.5 years. A big difference in the amount of education guaranteed. Data from the Permanent Continuous Household Survey (EPHC)[9] shows three main reasons for these school leavings.

The first is for family reasons. About 20% of indigenous women dropped out of their studies because they had too many domestic activities to do. The second reason involves economic aspects. In this case, more than 25% of the indigenous men dropped out of school because they needed to get a job. And the third reason is the lack of sufficient educational institutions. Especially an education in which their culture and their views are considered, as mentioned in Constitutional Article[10]. The way of life of many indigenous communities is still based on hunting and gathering customs. A school that adapts to this reality is necessary and, for this, the government needs to invest in this type of proposal beyond a constitutional vision[11].

This is a reality of racial-ethnic inequalities, but also of gender inequalities. A reality that has been propagated since colonial times, in which indigenous women and girls were kidnapped by colonizers to occupy positions of domestic maintenance and procreation. The colonizing process impacted the economic system of these traditional peoples, which is not seen as productive enough. The role of indigenous women, then, shifts within this reality. This is why their socio-economic status has such an impact on the achievement of education. Almost 70% of indigenous women are in poverty. Many of them are considered “economically inactive” because they only perform domestic activities[12]. Some authors mention that “being an indigenous woman” in this society implies triple discrimination: ethnic, gender, and class.

The guarantee of the right to education for this part of the Paraguayan population is urgent. Although progress has been made, a better institutionalization of these rights is needed. This must be done while respecting and strengthening the specific culture of each indigenous group.

Conclusion

The lines of hope for improving the educational challenges faced by Paraguay need to be directed at mitigating socioeconomic inequality.  A more inclusive, equitable, and safe school structure is needed. Above all, universalization of access to secondary education. The use of digital transformation in favor of educational progress is also urgent since it is useful and essential learning for the contemporary reality we live in. Investing in education is one of the keys to sustainable development.

These impacts of inequality are also directly linked to the reality of indigenous women. However, more than policies to improve and actions to combat this inequality, it is necessary to give these women the power to make decisions. The issues of poverty and education are just some of the problems faced by this group. Violence is high, and several indigenous women are organizing themselves in the form of activism to combat violence[13]. In this sense, the activism and organization of these peoples are continuously advancing to fight for the guarantee of indigenous peoples’ rights. However, increasing opportunities for political positions and placing them as creators of specific public policies seems to be the most appropriate action.

Although the constitutional right to education exists for every citizen of Paraguay, it is important to point out the distinction that exists between the prerogative of a right and the reality of a quality education. For all.

 

References

[1] Soto, C., & Soto, L. (2020). POLÍTICAS ANTIGÉNERO EN AMÉRICA LATINA: PARAGUAY (S. Correa, Ed.; Género & Politica em América Latina, Trans.) [Review of POLÍTICAS ANTIGÉNERO EN AMÉRICA LATINA: PARAGUAY]. Observatorio de Sexualidad y Política (SPW). https://sxpolitics.org/GPAL/uploads/Ebook-Paraguai%202020203.pdf

[2] Latinobarómetro Database. (2020). Www.latinobarometro.org. https://www.latinobarometro.org/latOnline.jsp

[3] Latinobarómetro Database. (2020). Www.latinobarometro.org. https://www.latinobarometro.org/latOnline.jsp

[4] Latinobarómetro Database. (2020). Www.latinobarometro.org. https://www.latinobarometro.org/latOnline.jsp

[5] Caribe, C. E. para a A. L. e o. (2022, November 29). Seminario web “La transformación de la educación como base para el desarrollo sostenible.” Www.cepal.org. https://www.cepal.org/pt-br/node/57919

[6] https://plus.google.com/+UNESCO. (2021, November 30). Resultados de logros de aprendizaje y factores asociados del Estudio Regional Comparativo y Explicativo (ERCE 2019). UNESCO. https://es.unesco.org/news/resultados-logros-aprendizaje-y-factores-asociados-del-estudio-regional-comparativo-y

[7] Artículos de la Constitución Nacional. Secretaría Nacional de Cultura. (2011, August 17). Retrieved April 7, 2023, from http://www.cultura.gov.py/2011/08/articulos-de-la-constitucion-nacional/#:~:text=ART%C3%8DCULO%2066%20%E2%80%93%20DE%20LA%20EDUCACI%C3%93N%20Y%20LA%20ASISTENCIA&text=Se%20atender%C3%A1%2C%20adem%C3%A1s%2C%20a%20su,econ%C3%B3mica%20y%20la%20alienaci%C3%B3n%20cultural.

[8] SOUZA, K. R., & BUENO, M. L. M. C. (2018). O direito à educação básica no Paraguai. Revista Ibero-Americana de Estudos Em Educação, 13(4), 1536–1551. https://doi.org/10.21723/riaee.unesp.v13.n4.out/dez.2018.11759

[9] Principales Resultados Anuales de la Encuesta Permanente de Hogares Continua (EPHC) 2017 y 2018. (n.d.). Www.ine.gov.py. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.ine.gov.py/resumen/MTA0/principales-resultados-anuales-de-la-encuesta-permanente-de-hogares-continua-ephc-2017-y-2018

[10] INE::Instituto Nacional de Estadística. (n.d.). Www.ine.gov.py. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.ine.gov.py/publicacion/31/poblacion-indigena

[11] Situación educativa de las niñas y mujeres indígenas en Paraguay. (n.d.). Www.observatorio.org.py. https://www.observatorio.org.py/especial/30

[12]  Situación educativa de las niñas y mujeres indígenas en Paraguay. (n.d.). Www.observatorio.org.py. https://www.observatorio.org.py/especial/30

[13] Por nuestros derechos y contra toda violencia, una reflexión contra la violencia de género con las mujeres indígenas en Paraguay – FIIAPP. (n.d.). Www.fiiapp.org. Retrieved April 7, 2023, from https://www.fiiapp.org/noticias/derechos-toda-violencia-una-reflexion-la-violencia-genero-las-mujeres-indigenas-paraguay/

EDUCATIONAL CHALLENGES IN PORTUGAL: challenges of mitigating socio-economic inequalities

Written by Agnes Amaral

Introduction

At the end of the 1990s, the educational discussion in Portugal was about the need of a school for all people which involved moving towards a more intercultural education. This made bilingual schools a famous model that has grown in the country for the past years. For the 21st century, the discussions involved the direction of children’s education within a social policy and developing beyond the school space. For example, guarantee assistance offered from 11 months of age, put education as a priority in everyone’s life, and adopt a paradigm of lifelong education. In addition, there were actions to prevent early school leaving. The conference held in 2007 by Portugal’s Department of Education[1] was relevant in highlighting these and other challenges of the period. The government priority has become a more smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth in education. To achieve social security, such as guaranteeing jobs. Creating a redirection toward student-centered learning, to make them able to meet the challenges of competitiveness and the use of new technologies. Although there has been an increase in the ranking of elementary school attendance and literacy from 2021 to 2022 Global Gender Gap Report, inequality in access to education is still a reality. Since in Portugal, the socio-economic background of students has a significant impact on their academic opportunities.

woman in black long sleeve shirt holding white face mask

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Covid aftermath:

Due to COVID there has been an increase in anxious and vulnerable students due to non-face-to-face teaching causing less social interaction among students. The National Council of Education (CNE) reports that 23% of students may not have participated regularly in school activities during distance learning. This mainly affected students who already had less financial or social resources. One of the problems faced was the lack of access to digital platforms and the mediums to access these.

Asylum seekers:

There are some educational requirements imposed by the Government of Portugal that complicate the participation of asylum seekers into education. It is necessary to develop pedagogical activities for the specific needs of these students. It is possible to observe the difference in results for those students with a less privileged background, such as immigrants.[1] The language barrier is also considered a challenge in these situations. There is data showing that foreign students repeat courses in primary and secondary school more often than their peers[2].

According to the DGEEC (2020) report, School Profile of Roma Communities 2018/2019, retention and dropout rates are higher among Roma students than for the general population (15.6% in primary education and 12.6% in secondary vs 3.7% and 12.9% for the whole student population).[3]

Higher education:

According to OECD, Portugal has one of the lowest percentages of 25–64-year-olds with at least a higher education completed. This number becomes even smaller when there is a comparison between genders. While in the natural sciences the number of female undergraduates has increased, in the fields of business, management, and law where the number remains low.[4]

Unemployment and educational attainment:

Compared to other countries, Portugal has a high unemployment rate for those with a bachelor’s degree[5]. The proportion of adults who have been unemployed for at least a year among all unemployed adults with below upper secondary education is relatively high.[6] They face less opportunities due to the lack of labor market to contract qualified people. However, the government tries to improve this reality with programs like Qualifica,[7] which has the main objective of improving the qualification levels of adults, contributing to the progression of the population’s qualifications and improving the employability of individuals. But this is not yet the reality in the country, which seeks to reach the European Union’s employability target (60%) by 2030.

Conclusion

We can conclude that Portugal has many results in its favor. For instance, it has shown an increase of students in university education which is supported by the Adult Impulse Program and the Young Impulse STEAM program, which demonstrates effectiveness in actions.[8] Nevertheless, the economic and social background of the students is still an issue that directly impacts their opportunities of accessing to higher education. However, as mentioned before, the government has taken efforts to mitigate these inequalities specifically in higher education such as the initiative to sign a tripartite agreement to support students in technological areas in 2021[9] and in early childhood education. Another initiative was to create a care plan which plans to expand access to education for all children from the age of 3, with mandatory schooling. The increase in the number of teachers in this area can be considered an efficient factor for the evolution of the project. Nevertheless, there are still some regions that receive more support than others[10] which Portugal needs to address in order to mitigate a clearer fracture in the educational dynamic of the country.

Cover photo – https://pixabay.com/photos/school-draw-drawing-education-1974369/

[1] Leite, C. (n.d.). DESAFIOS QUE SE COLOCAM À ESCOLA EM PORTUGAL [Review of DESAFIOS QUE SE COLOCAM À ESCOLA EM PORTUGAL]. https://repositorio-aberto.up.pt/bitstream/10216/132320/2/444121.pdf

[1] Carreirinho, I. (2021). Country Report: Portugal (ECRE, Ed.) [Review of Country Report: Portugal]. European Council on Refugees and Exiles. https://asylumineurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/AIDA-PT_2021update.pdf

[2] Education and Training Monitor 2022. (n.d.). Op.europa.eu. https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eac/education-and-training-monitor-2022/en/country-reports/portugal.html

[3] Direção-Geral de Estatísticas da Educação e Ciência. (n.d.). Direção-Geral de Estatísticas Da Educação E Ciência. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.dgeec.mec.pt/np4/97/

[4] Education GPS – Portugal – Overview of the education system (EAG 2019). (n.d.). Gpseducation.oecd.org. https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=PRT&treshold=10&topic=EO

[5] Education GPS – Portugal – Overview of the education system (EAG 2019). (n.d.). Gpseducation.oecd.org. https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=PRT&treshold=10&topic=EO

[6] Education GPS – Portugal – Overview of the education system (EAG 2019). (n.d.). Gpseducation.oecd.org. https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=PRT&treshold=10&topic=EO

[7] +eficaz. (n.d.). Portal Qualifica. Www.qualifica.gov.pt. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.qualifica.gov.pt/#/

[8] Education and Training Monitor 2022. (n.d.). Op.europa.eu. https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eac/education-and-training-monitor-2022/en/country-reports/portugal.html

[9] ESTEL – Escola Profissional de Tecnologia e Eletrónica – Vídeos – E-volui. (n.d.). Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://e-volui.pt/estel-videos/?dc=VideoEstel112

[10] Education and Training Monitor 2022. (n.d.). Op.europa.eu. https://op.europa.eu/webpub/eac/education-and-training-monitor-2022/en/country-reports/portugal.html

Educational challenges in Madagascar

Written by Belise Hirwa

Edited by Adekanmi Adediran

Introduction

In the early 90’s, Malagasy form of education was highly decorated with the low management and demoralization that was portrayed by both teachers and parents. Public schools were mainly affected by being closed hence interference with the normal schooling program. The political coup that was faced in Madagascar in 2009 is among the factors that decreased international aid hence affecting the economic states. Considering as Education provides humankind with information, knowledge, skills and ethics to know, understand and respect our duties towards society, families and nation, and helps us progress further.  Education is a way of life where one can learn and share knowledge with others. As quoted by the late Nelson Mandela “Education is the great engine of personal development.

It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. The current educational system in Madagascar is composed of five mandatory years in primary school and an extension of seven years in secondary school which is divided into two, the junior year of four years and three senior years.File:Students doing group work with slates in Antsiranana Madagascar.JPG

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Lemurbaby – Photo source

Among the challenges that the education system in Madagascar experience are,

Covid-19 aftermath

The virus resulted to poor educational development across the globe. In Madagascar it was no exceptional, school dropouts was recorded highly during the pandemic. UNESCO reported that the number of dropouts in Madagascar were at a higher rise within the pandemic. Senior secondary being the most affected group.

Gender Inequality

Boys are rated to drop out of schools especially in primary schools, meanwhile girls have been recorded to drop out starting at the age of fifteen and older. This is caused by poverty among the households of these children. Other households are faced with either disabilities or orphans’.

Extreme poverty

Madagascar is one of the poorest countries globally. Due to poor economic growth most Malagasy children have not set foot in classrooms. This has forced most children to grow up being responsible for their families at early ages.

Most of these children grow up as herders and engaging in agricultural activities especially among boys. Early marriages is experienced at high levels, girls are set up for unexpected marriages hence early pregnancies.File:Ecoles Afrique Madagascar 1.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Anthere – Photo source

Low qualification of teachers

One of the core causes of the poor quality of education in Madagascar is the low quality of teachers due to the teacher recruitment process, which does not focus on selecting professional education personnel but instead on meeting the demands of civil servants.

Existence of community teachers paid by parents have a significant influence on non-enrollment and dropout of students. In 2016 UNESCO Institute for statistics presented a ratio of 7 qualified teachers among 40 students. Teachers tend to lack formal education in especially public schools.

According to World Bank four out of ten pupils in primary schools drops out before completing the last stage in that level.

Poor Educational Facilities and Infrastructure

Poor school facilities and infrastructure quality are also part of Madagascar’s education challenges. The schools that do exist are unable to cope with the demand for places, and often lack basic water or hygiene facilities and even furniture.

Uneven access to the internet, and discrepancy in teacher qualifications and education quality, appeared as the biggest challenges in implementing distance learning. Remote learning for young children and the diversity of the country’s digital access levels cause further inequalities for marginalized children.

Conclusion

Focused development initiatives can strive to ensure access to quality education for all, provide a bright future for Madagascar’s youngest generation, and strengthen continuing education opportunities.

References