FOOD AND WATER
What specific problem do students have in Africa?
This is the major problem
facing students in Africa.
Africa being the only
continent, been characterized
by severe poverty.
Poverty has been the result of
forcing many of the African
students to drop their studies
and end their dreams and make
students engage in another way
to support them.
The focus of the educational system, therefore, needs not only to bring more children into school but also to improve the quality of the educational system itself. Here are five ways to improve education in developing countries:
1. Reduce the Cost of
Education
Several African countries have
abolished their school fees.
Each time, the move has
triggered a large increase in
primary school enrollment. For
example, enrollment
increased by 12
percent in Ghana, 18 percent in
Kenya, 23 percent in Ethiopia
and 51 percent in Malawi after
the abolition of school fees.
2. School Lunch Programs
It’s been proven that
malnourished children learn
poorly. However, according to
the World Food Programme in
2009, 66 million
school children are
hungry.
Providing food during school will alleviate these children’s hunger during class as well as encourage regular school attendance. School lunch programs have been shown to increase math scores, student concentration and general achievement. For example, providing iron-fortified vitamin pills to children in rural China, many of whom have anemia, had an immediate positive impact on learning.
3. Educating Parents
A parent’s investment in
education is crucial for the
success of their children.
However, 759
million adults are
illiterate and do not have the
awareness necessary to improve
both their living conditions and
those of their children.
Providing parents with information on the value of education will be crucial to increasing and maintaining school enrollment. In Madagascar, for instance, this can be achieved for as little as $2.30 per child, and the benefits could equal 600 times the cost.
4. A New Educational Model
Investing in test scores and
achievement is no longer a
useful way to focus on
education, according to the
Stanford Social Innovation
Review. A new educational model
should combine traditional
content with important
financial, health and
administrative skills.
Students should practice teamwork, leadership and critical thinking. They should also gain exposure to entrepreneurship projects such as identifying and exploiting market opportunities through business ideas such as community recycling. This shift away from standardized learning will prepare students to make a positive impact on the social and economic wellbeing of their communities.
5. Improved Resources for
Teachers
Computer-assisted learning will
inevitably improve education in
developing countries and enhance
the educational experience of
both teachers and students. The
computers should have
age-appropriate learning
software and a technically
educated staff that knows how to
maintain them.
These methods to improve education in developing countries will continue to encourage student enrollment, and most importantly, will ensure that children stay in school and learn more while they are there.
