Fortunately, you can read this. Millions cannot. Undeniably, the numbers are devastating: 262 million children and youth are out of school; 617 million are unable to read and do basic mathematics even when in school; and 750 million adults lack foundational literacy skills, resulting in lower earning power and difficulty in negotiating… Read more →←
Topic: Experts speak
Do you remember playing? Do you remember playing with a favorite toy? Do you remember playing with friends? Early childhood education in its best form gives opportunities for children to learn through playing. It brings their ideas to life, builds relationships and broadens their world. It sets in motion a positive cycle of learning… Read more →←
E kore au e ngaro, he kākano i ruia mai i Rangiātea. — Māori proverb, meaning: I will never be lost, for I am a seed sown in Rangiātea Rangiātea is the origin of Māori migration, representing the wider world, and marking the start and the end of the journey of potential. The concept of he kakano portrays the child as a seed ready… Read more →←
The future depends on what we do in the present. Mahatma Gandhi’s words floated through my mind as my flight landed in Beijing. I had a full schedule ahead of me, focused on initiatives that could make the current global sanitation crisis a thing of the past. There’s a toilet revolution in China and it’s not difficult to understand… Read more →←
Part 1 Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand has been in the global spotlight recently, and for good reason. Not only is she the world’s youngest female head of government, but she has also asserted that one of her top priorities is “to make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child.” That is a statement to be… Read more →←
Today marks the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Despite the remarkable progress made in past decades, 736 million people still live in extreme poverty. Most worryingly children are disproportionately affected: while they make around a third of the global population, they comprise half of those struggling to survive on… Read more →←
One of my fondest memories from South Sudan was seeing an enormous queue of children fill a playground at a school in Yambio. Children, some as young as 4 or 5, were lining up to wash their hands before the midday meal. The really young ones were so hungry for lunch they were crying. But no one broke ranks in the queue to wash their… Read more →←
In education, how data is used can make all the difference. UNICEF’s Data Must Speak initiative aims to maximize the use of existing education data, so that it can drive policy decisions, inform citizens, and empower communities. Education holds the key to a better life for millions of children and adolescents worldwide: a life with… Read more →←
There is a legend you may know; the story of a hummingbird whose forest catches fire. While all the animals watch helplessly as the flames ravage their home, the hummingbird fetches water, filling its tiny beak with a mere few drops at a time. At sight of what seems like a ludicrous effort, others express their scepticism:… Read more →←
Parents and caregivers dominate opportunities to contribute to learning Children spend more time outside school than they do inside it. It is here that parents and caregivers can shape their learning environments and opportunities. Consider a primary school child in Malawi. According to the pie chart below, the child’s… Read more →←