International Day of Education – A right for all children

Jan. 24, 2020

Can't Wait to Learn - tablet education in Uganda - War Child

Today, more than 32 million children and youth are out of school as a result of armed conflict. Denied their right to an education, exposed to violence - these children often experience mental health and psychological problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. War Child's Can't Wait to Learn programme addresses this critical education emergency.

Can't Wait to Learn in Uganda

Closing the education gap

War Child believes that every child has a right to quality education and that it can play a vital role in strengthening the child’s psychosocial well-being and resilience. Our Can’t Wait to Learn programme not only helps to close the education gap for children affected by conflict but also offers positive psychosocial development. The programme enables children to learn through playing educational games on tablet devices. All content is based on government-approved national curricula and includes both literacy and numeracy modules.

Can't Wait to Learn - War Child Uganda - tablet education

Children in Uganda learning through play with Can't Wait to Learn

Co-creation for a relevant 'learning game world'

The unique part of the programme is that the children are involved in the co-creation of the design of the games - so that the ‘learning game world’ is culturally relevant and therefore immediately familiar to them. This motivates them to participate, engage and ultimately learn more. Research results have shown a significant increase in learning outcomes - in some cases, up to 2.7 times faster than other alternative learning programmes. The results also show major improvements in children’s psychosocial well-being including increased self-esteem and overall confidence and a sense of hope for the future due to new learning abilities.

Can’t Wait to Learn in six countries

Can’t Wait to Learn is currently active in Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Uganda, Bangladesh and Chad - with the ambition to reach 170,000 children participating in the programme by 2021. Through our rigorous research and learning agenda, including analysis of cost-effectiveness, the programme has demonstrated improved learning and well-being outcomes and favourable value for money.

Can't Wait to Learn War Child Oeganda

Can't Wait To Learn

This is how it works

A ripple effect

Heba (22) - Syrian refugee and former War Child volunteer - shares her powerful story of living in the midst of war. She was 15 years old when she was forced to flee the civil war in Syria. Years later, her time with War Child developing the Can’t Wait to Learn programme held great meaning for her. Now, she has big ambitions to support other children directly exposed to armed conflict.

Heba from Syria speaks at Dutch Parliament

“Can I just go to school without bombing sounds?”

“The most important thing is their right to an education – one that opens new doors so that they can become strong adults and contribute to society."

Heba

War Child supports the United Nations General Assembly International Day of Education in celebration of the role of education for bringing global peace and sustainable development.