為了讓孩子不輟學

Across the developing world， millions of childrens lives are forever blighted because they lack a basic human right， the right to a quality education. The right to an education begins before children go to primary school， because， if children dont know what to expect when they get to school， theyre much more likely to either not enroll on time or to drop out.

UNICEF and its partners are addressing this challenge with an innovative pilot program that shows pre-schoolers what to expect when they get to school. Called “Getting Ready for School： A child-to-child approach，” it was launched in 2007. It starts with teaching youngsters the very basics of school life so theyll be socially and academically prepared.

What makes this program different is that the tutors or facilitators are not much older than the children， so it builds on the natural phenomenon of children learning from their older friends.

Maekelech Gidey （UNICEF Education Specialist， Ethiopia）： （via translator） The main reason for this is that the program was designed to work within our culture. It is our culture that neighbours work， eat and play together.

The child-to-child pilot program has been introduced in six countries. Pre-school education is rare in much of rural Ethiopia. Ba-ati Akor School is one of seven schools in Ethiopias Tigray region， where the child-to-child program is using effective and innovative techniques to stimulate a childs natural desire to learn. In Tigray， nearly a quarter of children drop out before completing a full year in the first grade. With strong community support， the child-tochild program is reversing that trend.

Since the program began in Ethiopia in 2008， it has grown rapidly. Children who are in the program perform better in school and drop out in fewer numbers than those who do not. And the benefits are not restricted to the pre-schoolers. Facilitators also find their lives improve [sic]. They earn respect amongst their peers and elders， and learn leadership and responsibility.

Despite her teaching commitment， Shefena has more time for her studies because her parents no longer give her as many household chores.

Shefena： （via translator） It makes me very happy because， while I make plans for my students， it allows me to be focused on my studies as well.

The simplicity of the child-to-child program is the key to its effectiveness. Its a low-cost way to bring pre-school education to children who would otherwise be vulnerable to failing almost as soon as they had begun.

Building on the success， UNICEF and its partners plan to expand the child-to-child program to other countries and regions and to integrate it into other UNICEF quality education programs， giving many more children the chance of a different life and a future where all their rights can be realized.

在眾多發展中國家里，有數百萬兒童因為無法享受有水準的教育這項最基本的人權，他們的一生被徹底地毀了。孩子們受教育的權利從他們上小學之前就開始了，因為如果他們不知道上學后會遇到些什么事情，他們就很可能不會適時報名上學或者會輟學。

為了解決這一難題，聯合國兒童基金會及其合作伙伴啟動了一個創新的試點項目，讓學齡前兒童了解他們上學后會面對什么。這個項目始于2007年，名叫“為上學作準備：一對一幫扶”，它會讓小孩子知道學生生活最基本的內容，那樣他們在上學前不管是在與人交往方面，還是在學業上都可做好充分準備。

這個項目的不同尋常之處在于其中的導師或者是輔導員，他們自身并不比小孩子大多少，因此它的實施是建立在大孩子教小孩子這種自然現象的基礎上的。

麥基利奇·吉地（聯合國兒童基金會在埃塞俄比亞的教育專家）：（通過翻譯）這么做的目的是確保該項目在我們的文化體系內發揮作用。在我們的文化傳統里，鄰居們本來就會在一起干活、吃飯、玩耍。

目前已經有六個國家引入了這個一對一的試點項目。在埃塞俄比亞的農村里，學前教育是非常罕見的。埃塞俄比亞的提格里地區共有七所學校推行這個一對一項目，而巴阿提阿哥就是其中的一所。在學校里，該項目采用有效的創新辦法激發孩子的學習天性。在提格里州，幾乎有四分之一的孩子還沒有讀完一年級就輟學了，而這個項目利用當地社區的有力支持，正在扭轉這個趨勢。

該項目自從2008年在埃塞俄比亞開展以來，發展迅速。與那些沒有參加這個項目的孩子相比，參加了項目的孩子在學校有更出色的表現，而且輟學率更低。此外，從中得到好處的并不限于學齡前兒童。項目中的輔導員也發覺他們自己的生活有所改善，因為他們贏得了同齡人和長輩的信任，自己也學會了如何當個領頭人和承擔責任。

希芬娜盡管肩負教其他孩子的責任，她卻可以有更多學習的時間，因為父母不再像以前那樣讓她干許多家務活了。

希芬娜：（通過翻譯）這一切讓我很開心，因為我在為我的學生制定學習計劃的同時，可以專注于自己的學習。

簡單易行是這個一對一項目得以發揮效力的關鍵，對于如何讓孩子們接觸到學齡前教育，這是一個低成本的方法。如果沒有這一項目，這些孩子們很可能剛剛開始上學就會面臨輟學。

該項目已取得了一定的成功，在此基礎上，聯合國兒童基金會與其合作伙伴聯手，計劃把這個項目擴展到其他國家和地區，與其他基金會有效的教育項目進行整合，讓更多的孩子有過上新生活的機會，有一個能充分享受應有權利的未來。