The Universal Education Foundation

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The Universal Education Foundation Voice of
Children Initiative
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A joint endeavour of

• Universal Education Foundation
• Academy of Educational Development
• Education Development Center
• World Education
• European Institute of Education and Social Policy
• International Partnership Network
• United Nations Fund for International
  Partnerships
• and young people across the world

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Basic Assumptions

• Learning environments impact childrens well
  being and contribute to shaping their value
  systems, mindsets and behavior patterns
• Media and ICT in addition to the school system
  are critical learning environments
• Gauging students attitudes and feelings towards
  different aspects of their learning environments
  and their perceptions of how these environments
  influence well being can constitute a significant
  input to policy formulation

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Purpose

• Engage children more proactively and more
  systematically in efforts targeting reforming the
  education system and other learning environments
  to become more conducive to their well being and
  more responsive to their need and the needs of
  their communities.

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Guiding principles

• Work closely with relevant government agencies
  to take account of country level needs, insights
  and specificities. To make explicit linkages with
  the policy level from the outset.
• Build country level and regional partnerships
  involving education, health, media and ICT.
• Create synergies and collaborative relationships
  with other initiatives and in the region
• Allow space in the research design for country
  level indicators
• Engage children and young people in the design,
  implementation and dissemination of the findings
• Maximize the return on investment by a vigorous
  advocacy effort to bring the voices of children
  to the reform agenda

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MENA PilotA Voice of Children Study on learning
environments and well being

• The decision to do the MENA pilot was taken at
  partners meeting (France, August, 2005). Present
  at the meeting were
• May Rihani, Senior vice president, Academy for
  Educational Development
• Cheryl Vince-Whitman, senior vice president,
  Education Development Center
• David Khaler, senior vice president, World
  Education
• Betsy Nelson Chris Lea, Board, International
  Partnership Network
• Raymond Georis, managing director, Madariaga
  European Foundation
• Waheed Khan, Assistant Director General for
  Communication and Information, UNESCO
• Jean Gordon, director, European Institute of
  Education and Social Policy

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Specific objectives of the pilot

• Develop a conceptual framework for the well being
  of children as a basis for defining indicators
  for all aspects of well being.
• The development of a global, modular and flexible
  framework for the qualitative and quantitative
  components, sensitive to cultural and contextual
  considerations.
• Raising awareness amongst policy makers of the
  need to listen to children and young people and
  to take their views as an important input for
  reform direction and determining priorities.
• Implement the surveys on periodic basis in order
  to identify shifts in perceptions, values and
  attitudes

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Design considerations

• Qualitative/quantitative
• Gender factor
• Credibility
• Scope
• Periodicity
• Scalability and replicability
• Modularity

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Childrens engagement

• Every effort will be made to include children
  and young people in the design, implementation,
  and dissemination of the survey findings.

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Target group

• 9th (14/15 year olds) and 10th (15/16 year olds)
  graders in public and private schools.

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Reporting and dissemination

• Reporting
• The Voice of Children Report (Country reports and
  cross country report)
• Policy recommendations
• Dissemination
• Website of UEF and partners
• Relevant forums
• Media
• Partners networks