GCRF Development Award: Languaging in post-conflict zones: Educating for success in Colombia, Lebanon and South Africa Final Report

Abstract

This Development Award was directly and primarily relevant to current educational needs in Colombia, Lebanon, and South Africa. United Nations Strategic Development Goal 4 affirms that inclusive and quality education for all is one of the most powerful and proven vehicles for sustainable development. It ensures that all girls and boys complete free primary and secondary schooling. It also aims to provide equal access to affordable vocational training, to eliminate gender and wealth disparities, and achieve universal access to a quality higher education. In 2013 the World Economic Forum ranked South Africa 121st (of 122) for the ‘quality of the education system’. Colombia was ranked 72nd for the quality of its education system. Lebanon faces specific challenges in the education of more than half a million school-aged refugees from Syria, many of them living with trauma and the effects of long-term disruption to learning. This Development Award played a role in furthering the enhancement of language policy in education in Colombia, Lebanon, and South Africa. In doing so it contributed to meeting the SDG4 objective to ensure equal access for all to high quality education, and will meet key development challenges in these three countries. Outcomes of the Development Award promoted the economic development and welfare of Colombia, Lebanon, and South Africa. It organised a range of activities which aided the investigation of effective pedagogies for the education of minoritised groups in Colombia, Lebanon, and South Africa. A broad range of activities were organised across the three country contexts. These included network for research and educational practice, the development of websites for community and student groups and the design of new materials for marginalized students.