Author: Victoria

Africa as a whole has struggled with education, both in terms of enrollment and overall quality, for many decades. While enrollment throughout the continent is on the rise, there are still significant disparities and dysfunctions within the educational system that are causing many short-term and long-term problems across all African countries. 

Staggering Statistics

It is estimated that around 60% of African teens between the ages of 15 and 17 are not currently in school. Around one-third of 12- to 14-year-olds are not in school, and about one-fifth of kids 6 to 11 are not in school. Only about 6% of all African students will ever enroll in some form of tertiary education, such as college, vocational school, trade school, or technical training school. 

There are currently around 128 million school-aged children across the continent, but a staggering 17 million of them will never attend a single day of school in their lifetimes. If they do attend, the quality of education they’re getting is likely to be low, and it is not considered to be effective at preparing them for real life. Of those that are consistently attending classes, only about 18% reach levels of minimum proficiency in math and reading, while most students fail to reach even that. 

 

Many cite teacher quality as a primary problem, and it does certainly play a role. Not only are teachers expected to teach children from many different age groups at the same time, but they also have little to no resources, such as safe school buildings with desks, chairs, and running water. They also often receive little support from the community, although they are expected to ensure learning continuity and educational growth. In 2019, only about 65% of teachers in sub-Saharan Africa met the minimum qualifications to teach, leaving educational quality something to be questioned.

Creating a Solution

Hope Academy International is seeking to create a solution to meet the educational needs of Africans. Aimed at supporting the children of local African missionaries, Hope Academy will provide students with a high-quality education and a connection to well-trained teachers both locally and abroad. Computers, books, supplies, and internet access will be provided to each student in their individual locations so that their parents can continue to serve the local communities wherever they are. Hope Academy is developing and utilizing curriculum programs that aim to educate the whole child, including providing academic knowledge, life skills, and preparation for a career. 

Join Our Cause 

As Hope Academy creates an educational opportunity to change the lives of Africans, we encourage you to come alongside us in our journey. We covet your prayers as we develop the best possible curriculum to serve our students well and as we seek the best teachers to join our cause to transform the educational atmosphere of the entire continent. 

Imagine, as a young child, moving away from the only home you’ve ever known to a foreign country where Islam is the main religion. It’s already hard to fit in, being from another country, and, as a Christian, you stand out even more from your peers. In a country with a population of mostly Islamic believers, going to a Muslim school is the only way for you to receive a good education. This is the reality for many African families who choose to follow God’s call to bring the gospel to unreached areas of their continent. They face the choice of either condemning their children to an uneducated future or sending them to Muslim schools where they will most likely be ridiculed and sometimes even beaten for their beliefs.  

Our story begins with the story of a ten-year-old boy whose family had to make this very choice for his education. God led them to move to a predominantly Muslim village in Ethiopia to share His love with people who had never heard the gospel. This boy began attending a Muslim school as his family desired for him to receive a good education and this school was the only option nearby. The other students at the school saw he was different and heard about his strange beliefs. They began to ridicule him, and he soon found himself the target of bullying daily. One day the unimaginable happened. These bullies began to beat the boy and threw him into a barbed wire fence, nearly blinding him. When the story of this boy reached the ears of Nathan Taitt, he knew he had to take action. Thus, Hope Academy International was born. 

Hope Academy International is a covenant school that will primarily work with Send 56 families to educate children from ages three years and up. We want to provide relevant, exciting and engaging education to families in hard to reach areas or countries. We believe that every child deserves a safe, high-quality education. With God at the heart of our education, we use a wisdom-based approach to our teaching and learning. We believe that with the right curriculum and a nurturing approach, our education will enable students to delve deeper into their faith while further developing academically.  

We plan to launch our pilot year of Hope Academy in January of 2023 with a group of about twenty students. Through the use of online and pre-recorded lessons, as well as tutoring support and independent study, our students will receive an exceptional education while living in areas where education would otherwise be inaccessible to them.  

In order to accomplish this, we need people like you who will partner alongside us in bringing education to these deserving students. Would you prayerfully consider making a donation to Hope Academy International today? Click the link below to give! 

https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/4745708