Difference between revisions of "Educational NGOs"
From NGO Handbook
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Since the Dakar conference, the coordination group has been set up to ensure, in collaboration with UNESCO, that there are follow-up of activities as well as programs and mechanisms for NGOs under the area of “Education For All”. The Coordination Group is composed of eight representatives of civil society organizations, comprised of five regional organizations, two international organizations, and one representative of the UNESCO/NGO Liaison Committee (CCNGO 2001). <membersonly> | Since the Dakar conference, the coordination group has been set up to ensure, in collaboration with UNESCO, that there are follow-up of activities as well as programs and mechanisms for NGOs under the area of “Education For All”. The Coordination Group is composed of eight representatives of civil society organizations, comprised of five regional organizations, two international organizations, and one representative of the UNESCO/NGO Liaison Committee (CCNGO 2001). <membersonly> | ||
| − | == | + | ==History and Strengths of Educational NGOs== |
NGOs first appeared on the international scene in the nineteenth century (excluding the religious and academic networks from the middle ages) due to a rise in the middle class and their ability to devote time, education, and resources to joining associations. In 1978, The NGO Committee became a permanent committee in the United Nations (Willetts 1996). However, it was only in the 1980s that there was a real rise in international non-governmental organizations (Schafer 1999). The World Development Report in 2007 highlights the need for attention in the education sphere. The theme of this report is youth, ages 12 to 24. Along with the struggle with basic needs that many countries face, the global economy also demands from them more technical and behavioral skills, especially those formed during the ages of 15–24. The report highlights the need for education, as young people need to acquire the right knowledge and skills to become productive workers, good parents, and responsible citizens (World Development Report 2007). Furthermore, overall improvement in education not only leads to economic and social progress, but to a more healthy civil society and democratic processes on all level of societies. In general, the aim of education is not only to acquire practical skills, but to change societal behaviors for a better quality of life, as well as to increase citizens’ participation to community life (CONGAD 2000). | NGOs first appeared on the international scene in the nineteenth century (excluding the religious and academic networks from the middle ages) due to a rise in the middle class and their ability to devote time, education, and resources to joining associations. In 1978, The NGO Committee became a permanent committee in the United Nations (Willetts 1996). However, it was only in the 1980s that there was a real rise in international non-governmental organizations (Schafer 1999). The World Development Report in 2007 highlights the need for attention in the education sphere. The theme of this report is youth, ages 12 to 24. Along with the struggle with basic needs that many countries face, the global economy also demands from them more technical and behavioral skills, especially those formed during the ages of 15–24. The report highlights the need for education, as young people need to acquire the right knowledge and skills to become productive workers, good parents, and responsible citizens (World Development Report 2007). Furthermore, overall improvement in education not only leads to economic and social progress, but to a more healthy civil society and democratic processes on all level of societies. In general, the aim of education is not only to acquire practical skills, but to change societal behaviors for a better quality of life, as well as to increase citizens’ participation to community life (CONGAD 2000). | ||
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This article will outline some of the activities carried out by NGOs in education, including involvement in civic education, gender issues in education, and peace and human rights education. It will then outline the diversity in educational NGO collaborations, specifically partnerships with governments, the private sector, and multiple stakeholders will be examined. | This article will outline some of the activities carried out by NGOs in education, including involvement in civic education, gender issues in education, and peace and human rights education. It will then outline the diversity in educational NGO collaborations, specifically partnerships with governments, the private sector, and multiple stakeholders will be examined. | ||
| − | + | ==Civic Education== | |
| − | + | A civic education program administered by educational NGOs has contributed greatly to democratic processes and more globally and politically-aware populations throughout the developing world. With this awareness, people then become trained in administering justice and ensuring democratic processes (CONGAD 2000). This type of education equips students with knowledge and skills to exercise their rights and responsibilities as citizens. It also allows for people to build a culture of peace, observance of human rights, and a participatory democracy (HURINET 1999). Educational NGOs in Uganda, for example, have focused on civic education and experienced positive results. In the mid-1990s, four separate organizations pooled their resources to develop a civic education manual entitled “Civic Education and Democracy: Towards Free and Fair Elections 1996 and Beyond”, which was later endorsed by six other NGOs (HURINET 1999). This type of initiative increased the population’s awareness during an election period, and also equipped them with the knowledge and resources to perpetuate the democratic process in the future. | |
| − | + | ==Closing the Gender Gap== | |
The education of girls is closely related to social and economic development. It is also linked to reduced fertility rates, improved child survival rates, longer life expectancies, lower death rates, greater provision of basic needs, and more rapid rates of economic growth (Schafer 1999). It appears that gender inequality in education does impede economic growth. A study by Klasen examines South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa and the impact of gender-balanced education on economic growth. The findings show that if these regions had made more balanced educational achievements in 1960, and if they had done more to promote gender-balanced growth in education, their economic growth could have been up to 0.9% per year faster than what actually occurred (Klasen 1999). | The education of girls is closely related to social and economic development. It is also linked to reduced fertility rates, improved child survival rates, longer life expectancies, lower death rates, greater provision of basic needs, and more rapid rates of economic growth (Schafer 1999). It appears that gender inequality in education does impede economic growth. A study by Klasen examines South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa and the impact of gender-balanced education on economic growth. The findings show that if these regions had made more balanced educational achievements in 1960, and if they had done more to promote gender-balanced growth in education, their economic growth could have been up to 0.9% per year faster than what actually occurred (Klasen 1999). | ||
| − | + | Many states have increasingly faced challenges in education, especially in the administering of equal education to female children. Some of these challenges ranged from conflicting views on economic and social outcomes of primary education, to specific school-based issues such as improving the quality of textbooks and improving teachers’ performances, and finally to systemic problems such as reducing the gender gaps in enrollment, retention, and achievement, as well as increasing financing for primary education (Wazir 2000). NGOs have a large part to play in closing the gender gap in education across various countries in the developing world. In Senegal, it was found that women would be the main beneficiaries of programs set up by NGOs. Actions taken by NGOs would focus on combating exclusion, poverty, and ignorance. Specifically, the main actions for women in Senegal were related to building classrooms, women’s homes, kindergartens, reading centers, and libraries. Materials were also developed for this group that included learning guides, audio-visual equipment, a syllabus in national languages, brochures, and films (CONGAD 2000). | |
| − | + | There are a number of actions taken by NGOs that can work to decrease the gender gap. They include: | |
#Raising awareness on the social and economic benefits to educating girls; | #Raising awareness on the social and economic benefits to educating girls; | ||
#Decreasing the cost of girls’ education for parents; | #Decreasing the cost of girls’ education for parents; | ||
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#Using multiple delivery systems ranging from formal to informal to alternative. (Wazir 2000) | #Using multiple delivery systems ranging from formal to informal to alternative. (Wazir 2000) | ||
| − | + | ==Educational NGOS and Their Role in Peace and Human Rights Education== | |
Peace education is a component of a child’s right to education. Section 1(d) of Article 29 of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child addresses this: | Peace education is a component of a child’s right to education. Section 1(d) of Article 29 of the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child addresses this: | ||
Revision as of 10:26, 4 August 2008
Contents
Overview of Educational NGOs
NGOs are civil society actors. They have a specific agenda for the improvement of society, and act on the desire to advance and improve the human condition (Gallin 2000). In 1990, the decade of “Education for All” (EFA) was launched in Jomtien, Thailand. There were six goals set in Jomtien and in 2000 in Dakar, Senegal, these goals were reaffirmed for another 15 years until 2015 (Torres). They are:
- Expanding and improving comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
- Ensuring that by 2015 all children, particularly girls, children in difficult circumstances and those belonging to ethnic minorities, have access to, and complete, free and compulsory primary education of good quality.
- Ensuring that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programs.
- Achieving a 50 percent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015, especially for women, and equitable access to basic and continuing education for all adults.
- Eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005, and achieving gender equality in education by 2015, with a focus on ensuring girls’ full and equal access to and achievement in basic education of good quality.
- Improving all aspects of the quality of education and ensuring excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills (UNESCO 2000).
Since the Dakar conference, the coordination group has been set up to ensure, in collaboration with UNESCO, that there are follow-up of activities as well as programs and mechanisms for NGOs under the area of “Education For All”. The Coordination Group is composed of eight representatives of civil society organizations, comprised of five regional organizations, two international organizations, and one representative of the UNESCO/NGO Liaison Committee (CCNGO 2001).
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