Lifelong learning
Every child has the right to an education. UNICEF works to ensure every child learns and develops his/her potential from birth through to adolescence.
Challenges
In Guyana and Suriname, emphasis must be given to quality education, improvement of learning spaces and a more interactive delivery of our response. All these intends to ensure children and adolescents receive the best possible access to learning opportunities. Geographic, socio-economic and cultural barriers are significant challenges that both countries face.
Partnering with key actors, UNICEF must work in ensuring duty bearers are well-equipped, informed and empowered, as well as all resources are made available.
Solutions
Lifelong Learning programme addresses data gaps to identify invisible or excluded children that may not walk into a classroom. Subsequently, this programme promotes universal access to a quality education, bilingual materials for children from indigenous or Maroon communities, inclusion of children with special needs and capacity strengthening for teachers and other professionals on education. It also brings social cohesion and equity, as well as helps on the reduction of dropouts, leaving no-one behind.
Working closely with parents, teachers and adolescents, UNICEF promotes healthy life choices and quality education by measuring learning outcomes and reducing equity gaps. UNICEF uses innovative solutions to eliminate violent discipline and convert it to positive discipline and bully-free learning environments.
Besides, integrating climate change into education is becoming an emerging priority. This approach strengthens resilience and knowledge of children and adolescents regarding climate change and risks, as well as it increases their ability to demand a youth-friendly greening development.
Resources
By leveraging policy makers and influencing key decisions, UNICEF ensures that every strategy is rooted in delivering better results for children and adolescents with SMART benchmarks embedded. On the ground, UNICEF support initiatives such as youth-friendly space and services, Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) and Inclusive Early Childhood Development Services.
Follow below for more information on Our Approach to Lifelong Learning.