How far would you walk to school each day?
In one of their trips to Rural Gambia, The Gambia Teachers Union (GTU) saw students walking long distances to school under the hot burning Sun (40 degrees and more) often without proper shoes. This causes a lot of students to drop out of school or come late, and this affects performance and retention.
Teachers at Njoren School, in the Upper River Region of The Gambia, noticed that Lamin, one of their students had holes in his shoes, and eventually had to walk bare foot. The teachers were concerned when he explained that his parents could not afford to buy any more shoes, they wore out so quickly, as he lived an hours walk away and they were concerned he would stop attending school altogether.
When Marie Antionette, General Secretary of GTU (Gambia Teachers Union), heard this story she discussed ideas with the teachers in the region and they decided that many of the children needed bicycles to get to school. She contacted the Steve Sinnott Foundation to see if they could provide funds for them to buy bicycles locally to give to the children who lived far from their schools.
We were able to help, and now students in Bollybana School, in the Upper River Region of The Gambia have received bicycles from the Gambia Teachers Union through the support of the Steve Sinnott Foundation. Now Lamin and many other children at his school have bicycles to get to school. They are not tired when they get there, their shoes are not wearing out and they are able to concentrate at school.
Education is a basic human right, and sometimes the obstacle to getting an education is simply that the school is hard to get to.
Some communities are very isolated and consequently some students have to walk 9km to school every day, that’s an 18km round trip. In one of the remote schools in the Lower River Region of The Gambia some of the children walk the equivalent of 50 miles a week to get to school and back. Long journeys to school result in students arriving late, being too tired to study when they are there and some students don’t enrol at school at all. Walking long distances in the heat can also be dangerous.
Bicycles enable students to get to school more easily, and safely. There is a huge impact on their performance at school too, as they are more able to study effectively.
When they received these bicycles the students were overjoyed. They are so keen to get an education, even if it does mean walking long distances to get there, but having a bicycle enables them to get far more out of their education.
Educators are also delighted to see the children at safely at school, on time and not too tired to work. They can enjoy teaching and see the children thrive.
If you want to support more children to cycle to school you can buy the gift of a bicycle here:
Steve Sinnott • June 8, 2021
This week our CEO Ann and Jude (SSF Ambassador) visited schools in Coventry and heard about the wonderful work that students are doing to foster peace and community connection, as part of Coventry Arts Week. We visited Lyng Hall school in the morning and met with Ms Hagan and four of the schools UNESCO ASPnet ambassadors. They told us all about their recent project. The students took their art and poetry to the 80th Anniversary symposium in Ypres and Dunkirk. They shared with us some of the poetry they had written together with the students on the field trip and some of their own poems too. They also shared their future plans for working with their local primary school on peace and community. We also had the privilege of joining Ms Hagans class where they were looking at Caliban’s tale. Here is one of the students work
For my birthday this year I had the honour to walk 60 miles (yes it was a big 0 birthday) over 3 days to support the essential work of the Steve Sinnott Foundation of which I am CEO. Education in its many forms is essential for all of us to thrive and make the most of life's opportunities. The Foundation works to ensure that as many children and adults as possible across the globe can access the human right of education. The plan was to walk with friends and supporters who I hoped would keep me smiling along the way and it felt like a good way to make use of the Foundation’s “Get Moving” campaign. Here's how my Get Moving Fundraiser went on the first day. The 13th June I started my walk in London by walking from Barnet to west Hampstead and visiting my sister at her shop at Tree of Life where I got served a nice iced coffee to keep me going.
Defining Success in Education: Bridging Gaps for a Better Future Education is often seen as the gateway to personal and societal advancement through personal betterment. But defining success in education requires a deeper understanding than just academic achievement, it isn’t just about qualifications or certificates. Rather educational success is about ensuring access to learning that is inclusive, equitable and quality-driven. It’s about equipping students with critical thinking skills and the space to be creative. A quality education fosters holistic approaches, promoting emotional, social and intellectual growth. On a societal level, educational success is about ensuring we value and appreciate a society wide distribution of knowledge and skills; that diversity of thought can be just as important as orthodoxy. Ensuring Access to Education that Meets Individual Needs Traditional western forms of education based within on e-size-fits all models are inadequate in a world where learners have diverse backgrounds, abilities and needs. A shift is needed away from the top-down deficit model approaches which assume teaching and learning is transactional or akin to filling empty vessels, or as Paulo Freire described it, the Banking Model of teaching. Success in education will come from programmes that respect differences between individuals and across communities, using, for example, adaptive learning approaches. Additionally, integrating support for learners with neurodivergent needs or disabilities, as well as promoting (and indeed funding) digital literacy, can ensure that education is individual but also focused on the emancipatory effects of education. Gender and Racial Equity: The Pillars of Inclusive Education Gender and racial equity are crucial components of a successful education system and a founding component of Sustainable Development Goal 4. Although there has been significant progress here, disparities globally still persist. Barriers such as gender-based violence, early marriage and inadequate school infrastructure pose challenges for the international community. Similarly, racial inequality in education can manifest in various ways, from lower access to quality schooling to biased curricula that don't reflect diverse cultures or histories. To address these disparities, education systems should continue to develop policies that promote gender-sensitive curricula and address the specific needs of marginalised groups. Investing in female education, particularly in underserved areas such as sexual health, has been shown to create a ripple effect that benefits entire communities. Similarly, anti-racist educational frameworks can help to make sure that all students, regardless of their race or gender, receive the same opportunities to thrive. Creating a Better Future: What Needs to Be Done? Most importantly, we need to keep talking about SDG 4 — providing inclusive and equitable education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. The more SDG4 is part of the global conversation the more likely it will become part of the taken for granted expectations of all countries and communities. The more academics like me discuss it in our lectures and have it in assignments, likely the more we are to normalise high quality, free primary and secondary education with our future global leaders. But more than this SDG4 should be at the heart of grass roots conversations, in every classroom, playground, and café. The more we talk about it the more a part of our global culture equitable access to education will become. Ultimately, success in education will not be defined by what certificates students attain, but by how well we equip individuals and communities to navigate and shape the world. Education should empower individuals, communities and nations to achieve their full potential, breaking down barriers that have traditionally limited access and opportunity. By striving for inclusivity, equity and quality, we can build a future where education truly is for everyone. BIOGRAPHY Dr Matthew Round is an academic and educator, who has worked with children from 3 years old to PhD students. Having been a science teacher, pastoral leader, and senior leader in schools in the UK, he now works in Higher Education and his current research focused on the emancipatory philosophies of Pierre Bourdieu and sex and sexuality education.
