What can we do to give every child on the planet the chance to go to school?

Question

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Answer 1

Rather than address the teacher shortage, I think we first need to educate parents on how important it is for their children to go to school. Without parent's support, then this can never be a reality.

This education for parents is especially needed in the world's poorer countries where parents often rely on their offspring to make a living and help support the family. In some places, going to school beyond a certain age is even seen as dishonourable.

So we need to get around those cultural barriers by showing parents how much better their children's lives and ultimately their lives could be if their children were given a proper education.

In some countries, there are charities helping out in the best way they know how. I volunteered briefly while in Peru for the The Universal Heart Restaurant - a charity in one tiny village set up by a local man called Washi to encourage local children to attend school by giving them a hot meal after it.
We take school dinners for granted here in the UK, but in these countries children might have a 3-4 hour round trip on foot to the nearest school so this charity does it's part by feeding around 250 kids a day and making sure they get an education to improve their lives.

Answer 2

As a student teacher the importance of allowing all children to have the opportunity to an education is very important.
The first thing that has to be remembered is that parents are the first carers of their children. We have to teach them the importance of an education and encourage their children to reach their full potential. What's the point in sending a child to school if they don't believe in themselves? If we encourage parents this will be shown through the attitude shown by their children.
Another problem is that some people believe that they have the right to an education whereas others would see this as a blessing. We obviously need funding and time to make it happen. No person is above or below anyone else so this is about ensuring that everyone knows that their dreams and hopes of a good education are not out of reach and are definitely worthwhile. If charities are supported we can help more and more children to learn and allow all children to believe in themselves. We need adults and professionals who can fight for children and ensure that they can be given as much as we can offer. This is about raising awareness. So if we need to use so called "mindless bands" to do this then great! Bands like McFly show that we have to face the problem head on and not just throw money at it and hope the problem will disappear. This has been shown when they did donate their money to help the problem and even went back to see how it had helped.....please get your facts straight before you start bad mouthing them for doing something for a worthwhile cause!
At least if we provide the resources to offer every child a decent education they will be able to make informed, happy choices and if this means joining a "mindless" band then so be it!

Answer 3

There's an important distinction between going to school & getting an education. In the West, children are forced to go to school. But for many, they don't see it as an opportunity. For many parents, they were not encouraged to do well either.

In poorer countries, parents really understand the advantages of education. Because they did not get it themselves. But that often means, that, they cannot afford to send their children, & can't educate them themselves.

Providing the children with a hot meal is a huge incentive.
Children cannot learn if they are not being well nourished.

One of the most exciting new possibilities is these cheap computers (<$200) which work off satellites & sunlight.
A child can take these home to teach their whole family.

Another suggestion which has a lot of merit, is that teachers, doctors, nurses, & other professionals be required to give a year or two of foreign service after their graduation.
This could be encouraged by giving them a small living expense or stipend & paying down their student loans,

Answer 4

Make classrooms smaller 15 children to a teacher. This would enable each child to have a real sense of belonging cause the teacher would focus on each child. Also make teacher work week shorter 4 days per week. With this teachers wouild give their all in the 4 days and the teacher nor the child would feel frustrated. Teachers would be happy to work and children would be happy to attend school.
However for some reasons some children cannot attend a school in a school building in that case for those special children take the school to them. By that i mean let there be a system where piblic schools and the government set up a system where teachers can go to the homes of special needs children. These services are expensive and all parents cannot afford for their special needs children, so the children are lacking an education.

Answer 5

Maybe I could take this question more seriously if it were not being hijacked by a bunch of private school privies... As far as 'free' education for all. I'm sure that Mcfly would be more than willing to donate a large sum of cash to make this a reality. Let's
watch a PR stunt go right for a change and demand that (Mcfly) and thier management contribute money to a viable campaign that does not draw attention to thier music. Is it possible to help people and not look like Bono while doing it? I don't know... ask all the good people on the high streets of the UK that hold down 9-5 jobs that can't afford to donate money but do anyway to a million different causes. These people are our heros, not a bunch of priviliged twats putting thier name to a cause to boost public profile.

Answer 6

Well, i don't really know but every little input counts at this point. I guess you guys could just save up enough money and combine it with the money that you have in all of you other funds and build schools or buy school supplies for the places in the world that really need them. Even a book or a teacher would make a difference. You can start out small and keep saving and giving more and more as time goes on. The smallest stream can feed the biggest river. (that's what my mum and dad always say) Best of luck and I hope that I have been of some help and that you find the solution to you answer! :)

p.s. I think that it is really great that you guys are willing to make a difference so that the world can be a better place. Keep at it! :)

Answer 7

Firstly I like to say thank you to Mcfly, for letting everyone know that they care about this subject. I know many celebrities get involved anonymously in various charities or good causes, but sometimes it needs someone to stand up and say " hey we need to tackle this problem".

Yes it would take a lot of money, but I don't agree with giving money to governments of poorer countries, I am not convinced it would end up in the right place. It would be much better to fund a program that actually sends people to build schools and to directly fund the teachers to run them.

Even then, it still needs an awful lot of work in poorer countries to educate parents that the best possible opportunity for their children is to attend school regularly. Far too many children would not be given the chance even if the schools and teachers were provided free of charge.

From a young age they are forced to work or beg to help feed and clothe their families. Without a change to this attitude no amount of schools or teachers will make any difference.

Answer 8

Is this an attainable goal? When you say every child on the Planet. The Planet has many children in the forests and deserts where there is no possible way for schools or education to reach them.
I believe the best chance we have is to get more Missionaries in the fields. We need to get the word of god
into every corner of the world to give the people hope and
the desire to learn more.

Answer 9

that some people believe that they have the right to an education whereas others would see this as a blessing. We obviously need funding and time to make it happen. No person is above or below anyone else so this is about ensuring that everyone knows that their dreams and hopes of a good education are not out of reach and are definitely worthwhile. If charities are supported we can help more and more children to learn and allow all children to believe in themselves. We need adults and professionals who can fight for children and ensure that they can be given as much as we can offer. This is about raising awareness. So if we need to use so called "mindless bands" to do this then great! Bands like McFly show that we have to face the problem head on and not just throw money at it and hope the problem will disappear. This has been shown when they did donate their money to help the problem and even went back to see how it had helped.....please get your facts straight before you start bad mouthing them for doing something for a worthwhile cause!

Answer 10

I think it is very important that children all over the world get an education. It offers them a better standard of living and able to provide for their families. It also helps them to understand people of different cultures and learn more tolerance of races, religion, and etc. Oprah W. is a good example of someone reaching out to a group of African girls that are eager to learn and will help their country. Also, missionaries all over the world try to help people in the education field. If the more wealthier countries in the world would help establish education as a basic necessity--this would be such a better world and maybe, their would not be so much war. If countries would volunteer WITHOUT a political motive then I think the positive aspects of an education would be a great gift to civilization.

I know that in the USA many AVERAGE citizens with average incomes give money to the world which is great but so more is needed to help the innocent children.....

Answer 11

I think that all the suggestion's below are correct. However as a nation we can only do so much. Its the government that should take action.

I'm still a student now; i wanted to be a teacher but have looked around and our country is over-flowing with amount of primary school teachers which the age range i was willing to work with.

However i believe the government could help by creating programs or courses so students can be qualified to work abroad. Its a win win situation. Wouldn't be as many students ending up jobless and children who aren't privileged enough to already have a education will have chance.

Overall i think the publicity mcfly will gain will help the progression for this cause to flow more quickly and efficiently. Good for you! :D