Vision

A region in which everyone has access to education to learn the skills, knowledge and attitudes needed for life, where people are able to use what they have learnt to improve the quality of their life and make a positive contribution to their society; a region with an education that promotes values, institutions and practices of an open, civil and democratic society, a society based on the recognition that people have different views and interests, where people live together in harmony.

Mission

The overall thrust of OSISA’s education programme is to contribute to the transformation of the education sector in the region by impacting in a systemic and sustainable way on improving access and quality of education for disadvantaged children and adults. In this regard, OSISA’s education programme will emphasize education that prioritizes purpose, quality and relevance by making strategic interventions aimed at the development of competent and critical citizens of an open society. OSISA will also push education reform process at national and regional levels by supporting the development of small innovative pilots that are able to inform policy or implementation models in key strategic areas, including Early Childhood Education.

Purpose of the Programme

Education is an important vehicle for strengthening the ideals of an open society and it is a basic human right. Education gives us the opportunity to develop our critical thinking skills, develop tolerance and unlock our human potential. Education in an open society – where democracy, social justice, and tolerance prevail – is an important tool for developing our political and collective responsibility.

However, education systems in the region are beset with numerous problems resulting from the region’s socio-economic problems and are failing to benefit the people, especially the most vulnerable and marginalized children. Current trends in education provision emphasize quantity at the expense of purpose, quality and relevance. Education systems in the region are characterized by poor management capacity, low levels of involvement of stakeholders in school provision and governance, resource shortages, and a poor teaching and learning culture. The education programme therefore seeks to make strategic interventions for the improvement of education in the region.

Programme Goal

The overall goal of OSISA’s education programme is to empower civil society to advocate for and participate in providing better access and quality of education with special emphasis on education programmes for the disadvantaged including orphans, disabled children, street children, abandoned and abused children, children living in conflict areas, and illiterate adults. To this end, OSISA seeks to strengthen ordinary citizens’ participation in and influence over their governments and other education institutions, so that there is effective democratic governance, responsibility and accountability at all levels of the education system.

Guiding Principles:

OSISA’s education programme will support interventions based on:

1. Purpose and quality of education

Education programmes aimed at equipping children with skills, knowledge and understanding to help them deal with real life challenges and help them become active members of society. In this regard, emphasis will be on the four pillars of education, namely, learning to know, learning to do, learning to be, and learning to live together with others.

2. Inclusion

Ensuring that education provision reaches children marginalized by poverty, social status, language, gender, disability, ethnicity, and the impact of HIV/AIDS.

3. Starting Early

Education programmes that promote early childhood learning experiences