OVC Support Toolkit  >  Education  >  School Age Children 

Strengthening Roles of Schools

This section looks at the various roles schools can play for orphans and other vulnerable children. Other sections focus in general on education and school age children . Other sections cover detailed issues regarding access to education and HIV/AIDS awareness and life skills .

Key roles which schools can play include:

1. Providing children and young people with education, in general, and training in life skills in particular.

2. Providing children and young people a safe and supportive environment in which they can grow and develop.

3. Providing practical support for orphans and other vulnerable children.

4. Exerting influence in the local community. In many situations, teachers occupy a position of great respect in a community. This gives them influence to promote education and health within the community.

There are many different types of schools. Some are run by local and national governments, while others are run by different kinds of religious groups. Communities may establish and run their own schools. In Zambia, for example, such community schools are recognised by the Ministry of Education. They seek to provide a primary education to children from some of the country's poorest communities. They do not have uniforms and do not charge fees. Teaching is provided by community members who have not formally been trained as teachers.

The primary role of schools of all types is to provide children and young people with education in general. In addition, schools may seek to provide children and young people with education about HIV/AIDS and training in life skills .

In addition, schools can provide a safe and supportive environment in which children and young people can grow and develop. In particular, schools have been identified as a key place where children and young people can develop resiliency. Schools can also be places which can identify and meet children's psychosocial needs. For example, these include grief and the results of sexual abuse . In order to do this, teachers need training in how to identify the needs of children and young people. Schools can also promote and model a supportive and caring environment for orphans and other vulnerable children. This involves, in particular, tackling stigma and discrimination and ensuring that schools have policies and systems in place which prevent teachers and other staff from abusing children and young people in school.

Schools can also provide practical support to orphans and other vulnerable children. This may include activities which promote health and nutrition , such as school-based feeding programs. Schools are well-placed to do this because of their daily contact with children and young people who attend. However, they are unlikely to be able to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of all the children and young people who attend the school. Teachers and other school staff need to be aware of sources of further support for children and young people.

Schools and teachers are extremely important in the life of the local community. Often, teachers occupy a position of great respect in a community. This gives them influence to promote education and health within the community. Similarly, community groups can also exert influence within schools. For example, many businesses are carrying out activities to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among their work force, with support from NGOs and CBOs. A school is a teacher's work place. These work-based HIV prevention activities can also be done in schools.

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