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Holistic approaches to enabling learning environments in Africa: elevating the voices of children, youth and local stakeholders

Wed, March 13, 2:45 to 4:15pm, Hyatt Regency Miami, Floor: Terrace Level, Hibiscus B

Group Submission Type: Formal Panel Session

Proposal

It is estimated that 244 million children and youth between the ages of six and 18 worldwide were out of school in 2021 (UNESCO, 2022). Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region with the most children and youth out of school, with a total of 98 million children, and the only region where this number is increasing (UNESCO, 2022). Violence in and around schools (VIAS) is widespread globally, with sub-Saharan Africa having some of the highest prevalence rates (Wodon et al. 2021). Gender and income are key determinants of out-of-school children; the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated already existing inequalities in education and had wide-ranging impacts felt far beyond education, depriving children of the benefits provided by schools to their safety, health, nutrition and overall well-being (UNICEF, 2022).
We have a call to action through the sustainable development goals to transform education, by improving the quality of education, promoting a safe, enabling environment where all students can continue their education, feel protected and thrive, particularly children who are the most marginalized. A multi-faceted approach is required to ensure that the most vulnerable groups of children, who are either out of school or remain at high-risk of dropping out, are in school and are learning. There is a need for dissemination of evidence-based holistic approaches, collective advocacy and action at school, community, local and national levels for responsive, sustained and quality education services for all students, especially those most vulnerable to drop out.
This panel features programs from four organizations in five countries – Liberia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Gambia and Sierra Leone - that are working within the education ecosystem to promote safe and enabling learning environments by shifting attitudes, social norms and practices, working with teachers and caregivers, and supporting student agency to advance gender equality and improve attendance and learning outcomes for rural children.
Liberia: The presenter will share preliminary findings and the process of developing a pilot social behavior change approach targeting knowledge, perceptions, and practices around key themes in the Teacher Code of Conduct (TCOC). The intervention aims to shift social norms around harmful behaviors at school, which persist despite the code’s existence. An ‘edutainment’ strategy was developed, comprising a series of stories that address the themes in the TCOC, including corporal punishment; humiliating language, sexual violence; discrimination; and attendance; drug and alcohol use; fraud and theft. The typical stories, set in a local, relatable context are shared via radio and in-person to teachers, students and parents. After the story, guiding questions reinforce the key messages. The relevant text in the TCOC is referenced, and suggested actions in the case of a violation are outlined.
Mozambique: This presentation will highlight the socio-cultural norms and structural barriers that drive girls’ drop out according to our baseline survey in 2022. We will focus on the importance of using an adolescent girl-focused approach that addresses the ecosystem around the girl. The presentation will conclude by presenting preliminary results in enhancing equitable access to sexual and reproductive health services, improving the link between the school and community, and gender-based violence multisectoral response services. We will also highlight the positive shifts in knowledge, attitudes and practices by local leaders and how adolescent girl mentors are amplifying their voices to transform their education opportunities and life outcomes.
Gambia and Sierra Leone: As a high percentage of teachers lack the minimum required qualifications and training, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (1 in 3) (UNESCO, 2021), they are often ill-equipped to manage large classrooms, use alternative methods to corporal punishment, and address peer to peer violence. School closures highlighted the need for teachers and caregivers to form collaborative relationships and to equip caregivers with the skills to support their children’s education to promote enabling learning ecosystems at home and at school.
This presentation will share preliminary qualitative research findings from implementation of a program in Gambia and Sierra Leone focused on education for protection and wellbeing. The program uses a holistic approach to foster safe and supportive learning environments for children ages six to twelve through the positive development of children’s behavioral patterns, social emotional learning (SEL) and self-protection skills, and a cognitive-behavioral skills training component for teachers and caregivers, developed by clinical psychologists and prevention scientists. The program also places a specific emphasis on enhancing the relationships between caregivers, teachers, and children.
The presenter will highlight the voices of caregivers, children, and educators participating in the program in rural villages and share strategies used for greater sustainability, which have contributed to higher school attendance rates for rural children and increased parental engagement. Finally, the presenter will discuss the challenges of culturally contextualizing the program while maintaining fidelity to the intervention.

Zimbabwe: The presentation will discuss key lessons learned from a holistic, child-centered project that delivered cross-sectoral interventions such as community-based education and vocational training, mentor/ peer/ family support, childcare support, and financial solutions in working with adolescent mothers, survivors of gender-based violence, and girls in religious Apostolic households who faced several barriers to continue their education. The presentation highlights how pregnant and parenting girls are protesting cultural norms and practices through ‘safe spaces’ created in schools and communities, and how these spaces enable them to amplify their voices and engage with multiple stakeholders and duty bearers, resulting in fostering a deeper understanding of their often hidden but lived realities. The presentation highlights how the centrality of girls’ voices, their agency, and aspirations guided project interventions, resulting in positive transition outcomes for the girls, be it returning to formal education, accessing flexible learning and (or) gaining vocational and life skills training.
Through this multi-country panel, we seek to address the complexities of protest, by unpacking the transformative pedagogies, norms and protective mechanisms that embrace, empower, and build local capacity to promote holistic approaches that enable learning and elevate the voices of children and youth.

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