One of Canada’s development priorities in Colombia and the broader Americas is to help young people go to school and stay in school so that they can secure brighter futures. To this end, on May 23, 2013, Prime Minister Harper announced Canadian support of $18 million over five years (2013-2018) for the Protecting Child Education Rights in Southwest Colombia initiative, which will help children in the Colombian provinces of Cauca and Nariño gain better access to quality education. The announcement was made during the Prime Minister’s visit to Colombia, where he attended the Pacific Alliance Leaders’ Summit in Cali.
The Protecting Child Education Rights in Southwest Colombia initiative will help approximately 39,800 children who do not currently attend school gain access to education and help improve the quality of learning for approximately 80,800 children who are currently enrolled. It will also help protect the young people of Cauca and Nariño from violence and armed conflict.
More specifically, the project will identify out-of-school children and youth, assess their education needs and support their participation in the regular school system or in flexible education models. These models provide alternative educational opportunities for out-of-school indigenous, Afro-Colombian, displaced, or other vulnerable children and youth.
To enhance the quality of education, the project will also support the implementation of Education Improvement Plans for schools in 21 municipalities aimed at improving curricula and pedagogical approaches, and ensuring that schools are child-friendly and free of violence.
The project, which is also receiving support from the Government of Colombia, will be implemented by a consortium comprised of Save the Children Canada and the Norwegian Refugee Council.
