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A Violation of Human Rights

In 1987, with IDEP’s first, formal observation came the stark proclamation, on the part the UN, that poverty is, in fact, “” When that observation is coupled with the fact that education is a human right and that targets associated with SDG 4 on quality education, the significance of multiple stakeholders, such as the , ��ɫ��Ƶand MINEDUC, joining forces under the auspices of the ZERO Out of School Children (OOSC) project in Rwanda is readily apparent. Active across all 30 districts and in every single primary school of the country, this ambitious project aims to enroll more than 177,000 out of school children (OOSC) into quality primary education over the course of a five-year period, thereby reaching the Rwanda’s most disadvantaged and making veritable strides towards the eradication of poverty.

When Poverty Rears Its Head…

While discussing the particular context in the country, Save the Children’s ZERO OOSC Project Director, Ms. Solange Umwizerwa, acknowledges that although the free education policy from the government has gone a long way to opening school doors to every child, poverty still has the capacity to rear its dreadful head. With nuance, the project director draws attention to the fact that the lowest-income families in Rwanda often struggle to obtain “scholastic materials,” such as “uniforms, notebooks, pens, schoolbags,” etc., which, in turn, can push children, on the margins, out of education. Moreover, she points out that impoverished households may face difficulties making the modest financial contribution (less than US$1.00 per term) to school-feeding programs, so their child can eat while at school. To that effect, she does not mince words, for those families, “[poverty] is a real challenge.”

Still, in spite of the adversity, Umwizerwa does not back down and characterizes the partnership that brought about the ZERO OOSC project as a “solution.” She maintains that the project is proving effective in not only identifying Rwanda’s OOSC, but understanding what is truly needed to retain these children and help them achieve success, once they find their way to the classroom. When severe financial constraints threaten a child’s education, the ZERO project takes action by working to link the afflicted family to social protection schemes for additional support.

In addition, she lays out the premium that the project places on community mobilization – “Getting to zero requires effort from everyone… and the issue of out of school children is intersectional” – as she mentions the positive response from the communities involved, the role they have played in tracking daily attendance of students and youth volunteers who have gone door-to-door looking for OOSC. Critically, however, Umwizerwa highlights the work being done at the grassroots level to “shift mindsets” and raise awareness amongst parents concerning their children’s right to and the long-term value of quality education as perhaps the best way to address the incidence of poverty in Rwanda. With a tinge of optimism in her tone, she says, “Now, every community member is awake” and possesses an understanding that “whatever situation a child is in, he or she has to go to school.”

Education is the Key to Everything

According to a published by UNICEF, although challenges remain, the country’s education sector has made noteworthy progress with regard to expanding access, enhancing teacher competencies and fostering innovation. Without question, Rwanda is moving in the right direction on this front and in doing so, addressing the blight of poverty, which imperils any prospect for sustainable development. Furthermore, the country is unequivocal on the matter: Quality education is the constitutional right of every child and as the ZERO OOSC project director makes clear, “Education is the key to everything.” That said, Umwizerwa reminds education stakeholders across the globe that the issue of OOSC is often complex and ultimately partnership, synergy and coordination are essential to eradicating poverty.