Whole Child Model: Education, Health & Engagement

For over a decade School-to-School International (STS) has implemented and refined an approach that embodies our founding principle: In order for students to thrive, they must have their basic needs fulfilled. We have implemented activities from all three components of the Whole Child Model — Education, Health, and Community Engagement — reaching over 2,600 students in Guinea in the 2015-16 school year alone. Our program covers a broad set of interventions, including activity-based teaching and learning, a girls’ scholarship program, construction of school wells, quality health and wellness education, improved school sanitation, parent and community involvement, and empowerment of school management.

Since our last report in September 2016, we have launched our activities for the 2016-2017 school year!

Community Sensitization on Gender. This year, STS is working to build on previous years’ work with our partner communities to support girls’ education. This year, community members came together to discuss the goals that were set last year and the successes and ongoing challenges that girls face in their schools. Participants identified attendance and retention as key issues for this school year and created Action Committees charged with tracking girls’ attendance each month and intervening with families when girls are identified as at risk of dropping out.

Teacher Training on Equity in the Classroom. Like the Community Sensitization on gender, the teacher training on equity in the classroom builds on content from previous years in which teachers were exposed to fundamental techniques for creating more equitable experiences for all students regardless of gender. This year, teachers shared personal experiences around sexism and expanded their discussions of issues affecting girls’ academic success. They exchanged and practiced pedagogical techniques aimed at supporting girls and prepared a series of discussions on gender issues to lead with their students over the coming year.

Girls’ Scholarship Distribution. Through a grant from the Alcoa Foundation, STS selects primary school girls to receive scholarships based on need, academic achievement, and regular school attendance. This school year we have continued distributing scholarships to recipients on a monthly basis. The scholarships, in the form of a monthly donation of a 50kg sack of rice, directly impact the recipient girls and their families.

Since our last report, thanks to additional funding from Alcoa Foundation for 32 scholarships, we have selected new recipients in our partner communities. STS will also continue to support 15 girls in other schools during this school year. Scholarships were distributed in November following the start of the school year and December scholarships were distributed this week.

Curriculum Development with the Turing Foundation. We are excited to report that we’ve received funding from the Netherlands-based Turing Foundation for the development of Grade 3 and 4 reading curricula and Grades 1-3 math curricula. The development of these curricula will begin in June 2017, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education in Guinea. STS aims to promote a culture of learning in Guinea and provide relevant actors with the tools and supports to make this a reality. Once materials have been developed and piloted in our partner schools, we plan to advocate for their expansion to other schools in Guinea.

• WCM Report: December 2016 (PDF)