Access to education is more difficult for children who are part of socially excluded communities or groups, such as low-income families, orphans, refugees, disabled. At institutional level, all countries’ education systems need to be strengthened to scale up inclusive literacy programs and address the challenges of equity, quality, and social justice.
Access to quality education shall be ensured for all students by effectively meeting their diverse needs in a way that is responsive, accepting, respectful and supportive. Marists are at the forefront in implementing child protection policies and a child-rights based approach that could contribute to kickstart a reform of the educational systems in order to embrace a holistic approach where the wellbeing of the children is the priority.
AIM OF THE PROGRAMME:
NEW HORIZONS is under implementation in 21 local schools and communities in Malawi, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Mozambique. 18.334 students, 795 teachers and 469 school staff are involved, with the view to extend outcomes to some other non-Marist Schools to achieve positive, lifelong change, pursuing improvement of school in terms of its capacity to become a place for the safeguarding and empowerment of children.
Keeping school fees affordable and supporting drop-out students (especially girls) with Income Generating Activities (IGA) is one of the ways the Marists want to tackle the poverty issue.
Through the capacity building and sharing best practice at different levels, initiatives will be promoted in each school for the access to education for disadvantaged children and youngsters in the local community. Specific intervention on the Child Rights and inclusive education aim to increase the capacity to respond to vulnerable students’ needs: learners need to be prepared to engage in society, to access meaningful citizenship and to acknowledge the values of human rights, freedom, tolerance and non-discrimination. This will further promote the access to education for vulnerable children and will prevent school dropouts. For what concerns disabilities and gender, teachers will be trained and made aware of children rights and the rights of people with disabilities, increasing their ability to meet their students’ needs.
THE PROGRAMME IN BRIEF:
New Horizons’aim is to increase equal access to quality education for all children in order to promote equity, social justice and inclusion in Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
THE PROGRAMME IN NUMBERS:
12.500 children and girls coming from poor and marginalized families who are enrolled in Marist schools in the 6 countries involved.
770 school leaders and teachers from Marist schools who adopted new educational standards and inclusive teaching methods
16 income generating projects implemented in 4 countries
3 UPR for the defense of child rights sent to the UN
22 stakeholder engaged for extending school policies, good practices advocacy schemes and tools produced to other non-Marist schools
Obiettivi SDG: 4, 5, 10 16
Laudato si gol: 2, 7