A student at Mazzolari Teacher Training College. Photo: MTTC
On the International Day of the Girl, October 11, Canadian Jesuits International (CJI) urges nations and institutions worldwide to make girls’ education a priority.
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.
We highlight the work of our Jesuit partners in Africa, Asia and the Middle East who provide quality education, especially to poor and marginalized young women and girls. In South Sudan, the Jesuits of Eastern Africa Province run the Mazzolari Teacher Training College, which equips high school graduates with skills that will enable them to provide much-needed quality instruction to primary school students. Extra effort is made to encourage young women to enroll at the college, so they do not end up in forced marriages. The need for quality education is crucial – South Sudan has the lowest literacy rate in sub-Saharan Africa (27%) and girls suffer the most. More than 70% of its population above the age of 15 is illiterate, and majority of them are women, according to UNESCO.
Studies have shown that girls’ education strengthens economies and reduces inequality. It contributes to more stable, resilient societies that offer all individuals – including boys and men – the opportunity to fulfill their potential.
Learn more about CJI’s partnership with the Mazzolari Teacher Training College: https://www.canadianjesuitsinternational.ca/education-an-uphill-battle-for-girls-in-south-sudan/