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Islamic Dawah Primary Kumrabai Junction Kholifa Mabang GPE Project. Photo: Charlotte Woellwarth/Concern WorldwideIslamic Dawah Primary Kumrabai Junction Kholifa Mabang GPE Project. Photo: Charlotte Woellwarth/Concern WorldwideIslamic Dawah Primary Kumrabai Junction Kholifa Mabang GPE Project. Photo: Charlotte Woellwarth/Concern Worldwide

Education

Education

Why education? Education is at the heart of development and is key to breaking the poverty cycle, and improving health, nutrition, income and opportunities for all children. In 2019, Concern’s education programming supported over 200,000 people directly and over 800,000 people indirectly.

Key focus areas

Three key focus areas of our work on education are:

  • Increasing access to education
  • Improving the quality of teachers and learning literacy, in particular, literacy through the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) tool
  • Improving child well-being by providing safe and encouraging learning environments.
Concern is working in Sierra Leone with children to access inclusive learning.
Concern is working in Sierra Leone with children to access inclusive learning.
Patience Ilunga Jolie teaches women the alphabet in Manono, Tanganyika. Photo: Pamela Tulizo/Panos/Concern Worldwide
Patience Ilunga Jolie teaches women the alphabet in Manono, DRC. Photo: Pamela Tulizo/Panos/Concern Worldwide
Skills training courses facilitated by Concern Worldwide
Skills training courses facilitated by Concern Worldwide
Women learn the alphabet in Manono, DRC. Photo: Pamela Tulizo/Panos/Concern Worldwide
Women learn the alphabet in Manono, DRC. Photo: Pamela Tulizo/Panos/Concern Worldwide
Girls learn how to protect people from covid-19 in their school in Pakistan
Girls learn how to protect people from Covid-19 in their school in Pakistan
Students in Sierra Leone learn about numerical place values.
Students in Sierra Leone learn about numerical place values.

A closer look at our education programmes

We aim to contribute to lasting improvements in the lives of extremely poor people through the implementation of high-quality, multi-dimensional education programmes. Here we spotlight two of our approaches.

Improving literacy with EGRA

At least 250 million school-age children worldwide currently do not know the basics in reading and mathematics. This poor level of literacy drives school drop-out and exam failure and blocks students from progressing to secondary school. Ultimately, it puts millions of children at a cruel disadvantage for the rest of their lives. In order to accurately assess, improve and monitor literacy levels, Concern has refined and expanded the sector-leading Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) tool among the most vulnerable communities.

Our EGRA tool – a series of short oral tests taken in the early grades of primary school – allows us to assess and then address children’s learning needs at an early age. It also allows us to identify knowledge gaps, gather robust data and monitor progress so we can accurately evaluate the success of programmes over time. 

Safe Learning Model

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