Imagine you can't read, write, or count. Imagine how this can hold you back.
A basic education gives us the opportunity for a better future. Yet today, more than 80 million children in the developing world – the majority of them girls – are going without one.
This is a global disaster. Why? Because these children may never learn the skills that represent their own best chance of escaping poverty. So we’re doing all we can to change things – supporting schools and communities worldwide, and campaigning for funds and better policies from governments. We’re working hard to help every child get the education they have a right to. The future of millions depends on it. Join us – help get education for all. Making education for all a realityOxfam believes every single child – that means girls as well as boys – has the right to a free, good-quality primary education. Why? Because school helps children develop the skills they need to make themselves heard in the world, to make positive changes in their lives, and finally break free from poverty. Yet basic education in poor countries is in crisis.
Why are so many missing out?The reasons children miss school vary, but the main one is poverty. School fees, uniforms and books amount to more than many parents can afford. Communities may not have the money to run a school – or children may simply live too far from one. And girls are losing out the most. The explanation for girls’ exclusion isn’t simple, but different cultural values often mean boys get priority when it comes to education. Girls may also be kept home to help with childcare, may have to work, or may be more restricted in their movement than boys. Whatever the reasons, poverty and inequality only worsen when girls miss school. Start locallyUnderstanding the enormous challenge of getting every child a primary education, Oxfam works in different ways, at different levels, with different allies, in a broad worldwide programme. Sometimes we help people buy bricks and mortar to build a school, and then equip it. Or we might support people as they demand from governments what is rightfully theirs. For example, in the village of Baazing, in Ghana, people were struggling to get a bigger school. Oxfam decided to support a local organisation, PRONET, which had already helped many poor children get an education – and backed their work helping villagers to call for government action. Many delegations and meetings later, the community got the new school it needed. Act globallyDevelopment projects like this are vital to getting more children into school. But getting education for all means influencing decision-makers, and changing policies too. So Oxfam also lobbies and campaigns on several fronts to achieve its aims. Oxfam is an active member of the Global Campaign for Education, and works with to influence funding and push for better access to schools – particularly to ensure that girls benefit as much as boys. And we lobby for specific changes too, through powerful initiatives like our Health and Education campaign. Oxfam wants world leaders to deliver aid to train two million new teachers for poor countries – a move that would help a whole generation learn the skills they need to beat poverty. Latest27 April 2007This week, millions of children, teachers and parents are joining together to form the world's longest chain to urge rich country leaders to give the promised money for every child to go to school and be taught by a qualified teacher. US, Japan, Germany and Italy are the most miserly of the rich countries, collectively giving just 10% of what is needed to address the global education crisis.
20 April 2007Everyone has the right to an education. But there are 80 million children out of school and almost 1 billion adults who cannot read or write. We need you to JOIN UP! to make sure every child goes to school. Be part of the world's longest chain, and make sure your voice is heard! By joining the chain you will be sending a message to world leaders, asking them to spend more on education.
27 April 2006We’ve come a long way since the Global Campaign for Education started in 1999. School fees have been dropped in many countries, millions more children can now go to school and the UK has just pledged $15 billion to education, which gives real promises that education for all might become a reality. But, we still need at least 15 million more teachers, if every child is to have the chance of a good quality education.
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Article from Oxfam International:
http://www.oxfam.org/en/programs/campaigns/education/index.htm
Published:
04
April
2004
