Students at Mazzolari Teachers Training College in South Sudan. Photo: AOR
On International #Literacy Day, September 8, Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) underscores the importance of girls’ education.
This fall, CJI’s campaign — Education: Her Right, Our Future — advocates access to quality and safe education, with a particular focus on girls’ education in the Global South.
Education is a human right. But many children, especially girls, continue to be denied this right. Worldwide, an estimated 244 million children ages six to 18 remain out of school. About 130 million or 53% of them are girls.
Many children are denied their right to education because of poverty; or because of their gender, religion, language, cultural identity, disability or forced displacement. Lack of public investment, or lack of government resources also hinder the delivery of free and quality education. We need concerted action to solve the global education crisis.
One of CJI’s partners, Jesuits of Eastern Africa Province (AOR), is helping to address illiteracy in South Sudan through the Mazzolari Teachers Training College and other schools. South Sudan has the lowest literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa (27%). Women and girls suffer the most. More than 70% of South Sudan’s population above the age of 15 is illiterate, and majority of them are women, according to UNESCO.
Learn more about the Mazzolari Teachers Training College, including how you can support it: Click now.
