Education

Photo: John Sones/OxfamAUS

We all know that the young people of today shape the world of tomorrow. Our work internationally and with Australian schools is shaped by our belief that education is a powerful tool to help us work towards a just world without poverty.

So if education is so important, why is half the world late for school?

The main reason is poverty. Primary education helps poor children break out of poverty, yet 121 million children globally – 65 million of which are girls – are not in school. And millions who are in school are forced to drop out, most before they have learned to read and write.

For children who stay on, school in the developing world is often a crumbling building without a roof. Classrooms echo with the absence of chairs and desks as children sit on the floor before a teacher without adequate training. Adults are also missing out: more than 770 million in the developing world are illiterate – again, most of them women – and the numbers are growing.

Like us, every one of them has dreams to fulfill, potential to realise, a contribution to make. That's where we come in.

From training teachers and building schools to campaigning for funds and better policies from governments, Oxfam works in developing countries to ensure that the world’s most disadvantaged people — the excluded, the vulnerable, the poor — get a quality, basic education. It’s their right. Read more about our work in education.

Meanwhile, our work in Australian schools is shaped by the belief that, when they’re supported to become active, global citizens, young Australians can be an effective force for social change, equity and justice — now and in the future.

We provide education resources for teachers and offer opportunities and support to empower young Australians to be active global citizens, able to contribute to reducing poverty and injustice, including inequalities in education, around the world in ways that are meaningful to them.

Explore our resources for teachers and 3things, Oxfam’s youth engagement program.

 

Hear inspirational stories of five Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youths and their journeys to creative positive social change in their communities.