ten12.org

​Ten12 believes that education brings opportunity. Therefore, international education is a priority. Most of the world sees education as a right and not privilege. Consequently, there is little effort to provide all children a quality education. 

The view of education in most parts of the world is a  gift and something to be earned. Unlike Western thought, education is not a given right but a privilege that one must sacrifice to obtain. For many children the doors of opportunity are closed. There are many families who are suffering through the cycles of generational poverty due to the lack of education. Ten12 is working in  school  systems that allow us to meet the needs of low income, poverty stricken families. We get the opportunity to minister to children regardless of their social economic background.  This means we now have a platform to  share the Gospel of Christ; teaching spiritual formation to a population that has never heard of authentic Christianity. The majority of the children come from Buddhist, Atheist or Agnostic homes. In other words, we have a platform to teach children and their families kingdom values and share the good news of Christ. 

Barriers to Education

1. No funding 

The amount of total aid  giving toward developing countries that’s allocated to education has decreased in each of the past six years, and education aid is 4% lower than it was in 2009. This is creating a global funding crisis that is having serious consequences on countries’ ability to get children into school and learning. Money isn’t everything, but it is a key foundation for a successful education system. 

​2. No teacher

​Not only are there not enough teachers globally to achieve universal primary education (let alone secondary), but many of the teachers that are currently working are also untrained, leading to children failing to learn the basics, such as maths and language skills. Globally, the UN estimates that 69 million new teachers are required to achieve universal primary and secondary education by 2030. Meanwhile, in one out of three countries, less than three-quarters of teachers are trained to national standards.

​3. No classroom

​This seems like a pretty obvious one – if you don’t have a classroom, you don’t really have much of a chance of getting a decent education. But again, that’s a reality for millions of children worldwide. 

4. No ​materials

​Outdated and worn-out textbooks are often shared by six or more students in many parts of the world. In Tanzania, for example, only 3.5% of all grade 6 pupils had sole use of a reading textbook. Workbooks, exercise sheets, readers and other core materials to help students learn their lessons are in short supply. Teachers also need materials to help prepare their lessons, share with their students, and guide their lessons.

5. Disabilities

Disabled children are denied educational access. This is common for the world’s 93 million children with disabilities. In some of the world’s poorest countries, up to 95% of children with disabilities are out of school. A combination of discrimination, lack of training in inclusive teaching methods among teachers, and a straightforward lack of disabled accessible schools leave this group uniquely vulnerable to being denied their right to education.

6. Wrong Gender 

​Put simply, gender is one of the biggest reasons why children are denied an education. Despite recent advances in girls’ education, a generation of young women have been left behind. Over 130 million young women around the world are not currently enrolled in school. At least one in five adolescent girls around the world is denied an education by the daily realities of poverty, conflict and discrimination.

7. Distance 

​For many children around the world, a walk to school of up to three hours in each direction is not uncommon. This is just too much for many children, particularly those children with a disability, those suffering from malnutrition or illness, or those who are required to work around the household

8. Malnourished Children

​171 million children in developing countries are stunted by hunger by the time they reach age 5. Stunting can affect a child’s cognitive abilities as well as their focus and concentration in school. As a result, stunted children are 19% less likely to be able to read by age eight. Conversely, good nutrition can be crucial preparation for good learning.

9. Expenses 

​school remains too expensive and children are forced to stay at home doing chores or work themselves. Families remain locked in a cycle of poverty that goes on for generations. Unable to pay for ‘compulsory items’ like uniforms, books, pens, extra lessons, exam fees or funds to support the school buildings; these children are given very little opportunity.