They are #BornToLearn, like all children. Their stories will demonstrate their commitment to learning and what we have to lose if we don’t invest in their education.
Teachers need to be prepared and supported, so they can do their job well. And that includes the need to have textbooks in home languages too, as children learn best when they are taught in a language they can understand.
The report shows that at most one in five children are taught in their mother tongue in Africa, the continent with the highest linguistic diversity. This is detrimental to learning outcomes on the continent, where only one in five pupils master the basics of reading, writing and mathematics even after completing primary school.
In Senegal, for example, half of children have minimum proficiency in reading at the end of primary if they speak the language of instruction at home compared to only a quarter of children who do not.
In some countries, many children cannot read even a single word after several years of schooling
"Sometime my students from university call me to update me on what they are doing and the courses they are following, and it really makes me feel proud. That’s the pride we have as teachers. The money we get paid is good but what’s even better is to see the success of our students.“
The Born To Learn report recommends to governments that:
- All children should be given the opportunity to first learn to read in a language they understand.
- Teachers should receive the preparation, material and support they need to be able to do their work well.