A learning crisis across Arabic-speaking countries is leading to human capital deficits, undermining efforts to reduce poverty and putting achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals at risk. The World Bank has introduced the concept of learning poverty to highlight this crisis -- measured as the percentage of 10- year-old children who are…

Programs that provide lower-skill employment are a popular anti-poverty strategy in developing countries, with India's employment guarantee program (MGNREGA) employing adults in 23 percent of Indian households. MGNREGA has reduced rural poverty, but some have raised concerns that guaranteeing lower-skill (or uncredentialed) employment…

While schools are improving in some areas of Nepal, hard living is a reality for many Nepali rural poor. Education resources, teachers, electricity, and the internet are scarce. Some parents might be able and motivated to send their children in grade 5 and above to the nearest city -- 5- or 10-hours' travel to Kathmandu or Pokhara -- to live with…

Literacy as a unified concept is no longer valid or useful for today's complex world, where globally we face many challenges and contradictions. Adult literacy is shifting rapidly, and the human need for visually communicating meaningfully and relationally -- beyond 'reading and writing' -- is vital for addressing wicked problems and difficult…

This article focuses on two major issues in contemporary Catholic social justice: care for the poor and the inclusion of migrants and refugees. The care for the poor is examined in the gospels and in the contemporary articulation of the preferential option for the poor, drawing on the theology of Gustavo Gutiérrez and Jon Sobrino. Pope Francis and…

The authors incorporate experiential learning into three courses: Urban Economics, Labor Economics, and the Economics of Inequality. Students visit neighborhoods that, while geographically proximate, remain outside most students' day-to-day experiences, such as a legal red-light district that is also home to low-wage immigrant workers and a public…

Challenges associated with poverty, limited resources, and cultural norms affect both educational and life outcomes for learners in Zambia and other African countries. Many families cannot afford school fees, uniforms, or other educational expenses or requirements. Girls often face greater barriers to education than boys, as cultural norms…

Educational technology can transform learning in the Global South by providing access to quality resources and interactive tools, bridging educational gaps and empowering students with skills for a brighter future. Imagine Worldwide's goal is to solve the literacy and numeracy crisis for millions of children across Sub-Saharan Africa. They provide…

This article discusses the theme of numeracy, vulnerability, ethics, and social justice. The choice of this theme highlights its relevance to the processes of teaching and learning among vulnerable youth and adults, as well as its connection to issues of ethics and social justice. The discussion has a theoretical focus, even though its development…

Disadvantaged pupils are those pupils whose ability to learn in school is impeded by their family, social or economic situations which are often times beyond their control. Without adequate intervention, there are chances that this group of pupils could drop out of school. In Nigeria, there are many categories of disadvantaged pupils into which a…

For teacher educators, one challenge is how to prepare pre-service teachers to engage more deeply with students in high-poverty communities, some of whom they will ultimately teach. Addressing community engagement requires an institutionally embedded strategy to involve Indigenous, refugee, poor, and other historically vulnerable communities in…

Research assistants play a very instrumental role in conducting researches at the field level. In their line of duty, they encounter a myriad of challenges in hardship areas that include informal settlements, arid and semi-arid areas, etc. This has posed a challenge to research assistants who are not assertive and thus soft hearted; as compared to…

The scorching, arid northeastern state of Ceará, Brazil has long been known for growing cashews and coconuts. Now, it's defied expectations by cultivating one of the world's best public elementary school systems, despite high rates of poverty. How Sobral transformed its public school system and attained near-universal literacy offers lessons for…

Around the world, children who grow up in poverty and children who grow up in middle-class homes rarely have opportunities to get to know one another. Tapori is a friendship network that seeks to make connections between disparate groups of children. Its newsletter shares true stories from the point of view of children living in challenging…

Solar energy holds great potential for addressing energy poverty around the world. With creative design and implementation, school children can access solar-powered solutions to facilitate their studies and help their families. The Solar Cow allows students to charge portable batteries while they study and take the batteries home to their parents…