It’s a ritual we never even question: in late August more than five million students across Canada head back to school. But those children have no idea how lucky they are, because worldwide more than 72 million children never attend school at all.

Seeking to understand the problem, a group of 7 Vanier College students and 3 staff members traveled to Malawi in Africa in June 2009 to learn why not every child attends school in that country.

The study trip, organized by the Vanier College International Education Office, is part of a 2-year CIDA funded public engagement project entitled “Education for All”. The project aims at increasing awareness amongst youth about access to education in sub-Saharan Africa.

Discovering another world

During their 3-week stay at Makupo village in Malawi, the Vanier group shared daily village life and helped out in the classrooms of three public schools: Chilanga Primary, Chilanga Secondary and Chilanga School for the Blind. Every morning they assisted teachers with lesson plans and corrections and learned about the teaching strategies of Malawian educators, discovering first-hand the strengths and weaknesses of the Malawian education system.

Creativity in the classroom

In spite of overcrowded, poorly lit classrooms, a lack of textbooks, resources and teaching materials, Jen Barbato, a Vanier Social Science student, was impressed. “Even with all these obstacles, students still learned. Because we assisted the teachers with corrections of class exercises, we could see that the students were getting it. The teachers were fantastic. They had to be creative.

In one Physical Science class the teacher wanted to demonstrate something regarding triangles and used long blades of grass to make the concept more tangible and visual. In spite of the lack of materials the students were learning and getting things right. And this was physics, not easy stuff. Even I was learning.”

Obstacles to education

In the afternoons the students interviewed educators, students, village chiefs, religious leaders and politicians to gain a well-rounded and honest idea of what it’s like to be a young Malawian trying to obtain an education. What they discovered is that in sub Saharan Africa, gender and poverty limit to education often making it altogether inaccessible for girls in particular.

The fate of girls

Victoria Slodki, another Social Science student clarifies, “If a family can afford an education it will educate their son. Most girls don’t finish school, sometimes because they are pregnant. And girls must take care of chores first then go to school.

For example they must fetch water every day and if the water is far away they may not have the time to go to school at all. Makupo has a water pump in the village donated by Vanier students last year so this helps girls a lot since they don’t need to walk for hours to get water.”

Letting others know

This fall and winter the Vanier students will share their discoveries with fellow Vanier students and Montreal high school students. Sarah Lone, another student indicates that “The trip had a big impact on me – to experience another culture and understand how policy is created and implemented. I opened up to more issues and solidified what I want to do later. I want to work in sustainable development.”

“The point,” says Judy Macdonald responsible for the International Education Office “is to get Vanier students involved in issues related to access to primary education around the world, and to give them the chance to support Canada’s participation in international cooperation.”