How do you solve a problem like Maria’s lack of education? Sandra Graham of Link Education International explores what it really takes to support girls to succeed in the classroom.
According to UNICEF, 129 million girls worldwide are out of school. It’s a shocking figure, and yet perhaps not all that surprising to many people. After all, the problem has garnered a lot of global attention. Figures like Malala Yousafzai have inspired millions of us to take up the fight for all girls’ rights to quality education. Our own Prime Minister has stated that he believes girls’ education is the best way to tackle poverty in “developing countries”.
Whilst there is mounting evidence that girls’ education really does have a significant multiplier effect on many aspects of global development, from health to climate change, we must be careful not to lose sight of the fact that education is a basic human right, in and of itself, and deserves its own focus. Nor must we give in to the temptation to ignore the deep-seated roots of the issue itself.
The truth is that there is no individual reason why girls are being left behind, and therefore no singular quick fix. This is a core pillar of our work at Link. Our programmes are carefully designed to work at every level of the education system to provide a network of support and shift community attitudes to empower girls in the long term.
In 2017, Link began a new stage in our ongoing journey to break down the multiple barriers girls in rural Ethiopia face to completing their education. Working with government, schools, and communities, the project helps girls make the transition from primary to secondary education. Now, halfway through the project, we look at what has helped to make the biggest difference to girls.
Confidence and community
For girls to succeed, it’s vital that they have the support of their parents and community. In fact, 92% of girls in our programme told us that parental support was a large factor in preventing them from dropping out. Link has worked with communities to encourage them to prioritise their daughters’ learning, and also their safety. By strengthening reporting mechanisms and working to change attitudes, girls are no longer afraid to speak out.
“Girls know about violence and how to report it. Hence, the confidence of female students increases, and whatever it is, they can express without shame” – School Cluster Supervisor.
We also worked to increase girls’ confidence through emotional support, delivered through peer support groups and counselling. This gives girls the self-esteem boost they need to keep pursuing their educational goals. 72% of our girls now say they feel confident to answer questions in class and want to keep studying.
Girls are now coming to classes with the confidence and support they need to learn effectively.
Schools that meet girls’ needs
Of course, there was also work to be done to make sure that the schools were properly set up to support girls effectively. 88% of our girls said that girl-friendly schools helped to keep them from dropping out.
We worked with school leaders at every level, from headteachers to district government staff, to ensure that education systems were set up to promote inclusive teaching methods and make schools safe spaces for girls. 94% of teachers now report that school leaders are responsive to girls’ needs, increased from 67%.
In classrooms, we provided training to teachers to help them create lesson plans and teaching methods that give girls an equal chance. Since the project began, there has been a 30% increase in teachers who say they now take gender into account when teaching.
“Since teachers started implementing active learning methodology in the past two years, female students’ academic achievement has improved, and girls’ self-confidence and self-awareness have developed” – School Cluster Supervisor
Key Lessons
Change is not possible overnight. It can feel like an uphill battle to change systems that for too long have disadvantaged and discarded girls’ rights. However, by working with communities and schools to believe in girls and by supporting individual learners, we can tackle the root causes that leave girls behind.