UNGEI Good Practices Fund Study: A Holistic Approach to Girls Education in Guinea

• In Event: Gender Equity and Inclusion: Ensuring access to quality education for all

Proposal

From 2014 - 2016 the ‘UNGEI Good Practice Fund’ supported 17 organizations and local governments from across the globe to shed light on best practices and lessons learnt in gender focused education initiatives. This presentation will provide insight into programming implemented in Guinea under this fund.

Although the links between girls’ education and improved quality of life and economic growth are well-known, school-age girls in Guinea continue to face conditions that limit school success. In addition to the systemic impediments that all children face, such as shortages of qualified teachers, resources, and materials, girls are also affected by several cultural factors that affect their access to education. These include girls’ household duties, the practice of early marriage, and fears of unplanned pregnancies, as well as beliefs about the roles of women and girls that can affect how their families support their educations. As a result, many female students leave school before completing the primary school cycle. Specifically, less than half of school-age girls in Guinea regularly participate in primary school (47.7 percent ) and only 25.9 percent enroll in secondary school, compared to 54.9 percent of boys enrolled in primary school and 40.5 percent in secondary school (UNICEF 2013).
The Girls’ Education Program (GEP) seeks to address barriers to girls’ education through the GEP and, more broadly, through its integrated model of support called the Whole Child Model. The Whole Child Model addresses three areas of support simultaneously— education, health, and engagement— so that children can enjoy quality and inclusive education in a healthy environment with supportive and engaged communities.
The presentation will provide an overview of a case study examining how the GEP supported girls by improving education, health, and engagement while addressing factors that hindered girls’ success in school. The study to be presented focused on three domains in girls’ lives: 1) the learning environment at school, 2) the home environment, and 3) perceptions of the role of women and girls in Guinean society. This presentation will highlight important results and challenges, as well as lessons for good practice.

Authors

• Claire Wasserman, School-to-School International

• Hetal Thukral, School-to-School International