Sharing solutions to achieve education equity in Asia
Everyone has a right to achieve their potential through access to quality education.
Yet roughly half of the world’s younger generation – around 800 million children – are expected to reach adulthood without the modern skills necessary to join the workforce, a situation further exacerbated by the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education equity is a massive global challenge but for the BHP Foundation and the organizations it partners with, it’s a challenge worth tackling. Like in Asia, where the Foundation supports education projects in Malaysia, the Philippines and India through partners including Teach For All.
Teach For All develop locally rooted, globally informed leaders to support their communities as they seek to improve educational quality and opportunity.
It means harnessing the collective leadership of teachers, parents, grandparents, guardians and community leaders to ensure all children can fulfil their potential.
‘We’re working towards a vision where whole communities enable their children to have the education, support and opportunity to shape a better future for themselves and all of us,’ says Wendy Kopp, Teach For All’s CEO and Founder.
But it will take systemic change.
The good news is that because the issues are so similar from place to place, the solutions are shareable.
Through Teach For All’s Global Learning Lab for Community Impact, community leaders, teachers and other key partners can share practices and lessons.
In Asia, that’s delivering outcomes through the work and leadership of 211 education leaders in the Philippines, and 354 in Malaysia.
The Foundation also partners with UN Women on their Second Chance Education Program.
The Program provides marginalised women with access to quality learning, entrepreneurship and employment outcomes. India is one of six global locations where the program is being piloted.
For Brodie Vansleve, BHP Foundation Global Program Director- Education Equity, these projects are helping deliver a lasting education legacy in Asia.
‘Asia is such a diverse region but by working together on common issues and challenges, we can make a real difference in the lives of millions of people.’
