Transformative Education Symposium: Community action is the bedrock for systems transformation

NewsPublished on: Jun 4 2024

The REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge, the University of Dar es Salaam and CAMFED co-host event exploring what systems transformation means in practice

Research shows that systems transformation starts at community level, where actions speak louder than words. It’s sustained by leaders with lived experience, a conducive policy environment, and long-term investment in holistic programs that focus on the most underserved in society. The results benefit us all.

From left: CAMFED’s Fiona Mavhinga, Julia Gillard, the REAL Centre's Pauline Rose, CAMFED's Lydia Wilbard, the FCDO’s Alicia Herbert, and Advisor Lucy Lake at the Transformative Education Symposium at the REAL Centre, University of Cambridge

From left: CAMFED’s Fiona Mavhinga, Julia Gillard, the REAL Centre’s Pauline Rose, CAMFED’s Lydia Wilbard, the FCDO’s Alicia Herbert, and CAMFED’s Lucy Lake at the Transformative Education Symposium at the REAL Centre, University of Cambridge

At a symposium hosted by the Research for Equitable Access and Learning (REAL) Centre at the University of Cambridge, the University of Dar es Salaam (UDS) and CAMFED on May 29, 2024, the Hon Julia Gillard AC, representatives of government Ministries, researchers, global philanthropic organisations and practitioners joined forces to explore how community engagement, women’s leadership and a conducive policy environment can come together for sustainable systems transformation – starting with education and creating a ripple effect across society.

Participants discussed how educated girls who become leaders can have a transformative impact. Speakers underscored that boys and men are a crucial part of the journey, and that communicating the benefits of gender equality to this group is more important than ever, in a context where – in many parts of the world – social solidarity is fracturing.

This page contains a summary of the event highlights, including video clips of the full event and of the two main keynote presentations.

Transformative Education Symposium: Shifting Gender Social Norms

Watch the full event recording to experience:

An opening keynote on global education by Alicia Herbert OBE, Director of Education, Gender and Equality and the UK’s Special Envoy for Gender Equality, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) after introductory remarks by Stephen Twigg, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and Chair of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth
The research presentation by Dr Nkanileka Mgonda and Dr Rose Mwaipopo, University of Dar es Salaam, with Dr Luisa Ciampi, REAL Centre
Reflections by The Hon Julia Gillard AC, former Prime Minister of Australia and Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, introduced by Fiona Mavhinga, CAMFED
A panel discussion with Lawrence John Sanga, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Tanzania, Dr Sempeho Siafu, Tanzania Institute of Adult Education, Mitali Wroczynski, Co-Impact, and Anna Sawaki, CAMFED Tanzania, chaired by Lydia Wilbard, CAMFED
A summary of next steps for research and action with Dr Lulu Mahai, University of Dar es Salaam; Professor Pauline Rose, Director of the REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge, and Lydia Wilbard, CAMFED

View the Transformative Education Symposium agenda here

"We promised as a global community not to leave a single child behind."

In his opening remarks, Stephen Twigg, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and Chair of the Council for Education in the Commonwealth, emphasized that leadership at institutional, national, regional and local levels needs to be diverse. He underscored that it’s vital we center girls’ and women’s leadership on the issues affecting them, before introducing the day’s keynote speaker, Alicia Herbert OBE.

Alicia Herbert addressed the importance of foundational learning – including the type of social and emotional learning delivered by CAMFED’s Learner Guides (the subjects of the research) – as an investment not just in education, but in the fabric of society. She underlined that we must break the cycle of inequality and position gender equality as the cornerstone of a more just society.

“The transformative impact of investing early goes beyond education. It results in the kind of social transformation that CAMFED is working towards.”

She explained that the UK government’s Girls’ Education Challenge — with CAMFED as a key partner — provided a bank of learning to inform future work and investment. The FCDO’s International Development White Paper challenges us to rethink our relationships and partnerships. Locally-led organizations have more legitimacy, and we should consider joining forces with more women-led movements.

CAMFED's journey has been a remarkable one, from a small NGO with a big vision to recently celebrating its 30th anniversary. They have an excellent track record of success over time, including as a dedicated partner to the UK, particularly on our Girls' Education Challenge... Our funding and collaboration with CAMFED in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana have transformed the lives of almost 600,000 girls in Africa...I firmly believe that at some point in the history of the African continent, a CAMFED girl will become a Prime Minister or President.

Alicia Herbert OBE, UK Special Envoy for Gender Equality, FCDO

The case for a global shift in our approach to gender equality

In her thought-provoking and challenging remarks, The Hon Julia Gillard AC provided a bird’s eye view of the issues, sharing some sobering statistics:

World Economic Forum’s 2023 measure of progress of women across 146 countries in education, economic empowerment, health, political leadership:

The gender gap is still 32%, and only closed by 4.1% between 2006 and 2023. That means at the current rate of progress it will take 131 years to reach full gender parity globally.
It will take 47 years to reach equal representation in parliaments.
In 2018, a FTSE 100 CEO was more likely to be named Dave or David than to be a woman. Today the same group has more female CEOs than Davids, but not more than Daves/Davids or Steven/Steves/Stefans combined.

Ipsos poll among 25,000 respondents in 31 countries (including South Africa) on community attitudes to gender equality, commissioned by the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership:

51% of respondents believe men are being asked to do too much to support gender equality, with 46% believing that we have come so far in promoting gender equality that we are discriminating against men.

The gap in the attitudes of young people is most startling:

60% of Gen Z men (aged 18-27) say that ‘women’s equality has gone too far’ (more than any other age group). “Only” 43% of Boomers (over 60) agree with this statement.
Gen Z and Millennials (late 20s to early 40s) are also more than twice as likely as Boomers to agree that a man who stays home to look after his children is ‘less of a man’.
The trend line on gender equality is disturbing: In the past 5 years, the percentage of people globally who say ‘gender equality has gone far enough in my country’ has risen sharply from 41 to 53%.

We must show that a better world is possible

Julia Gillard put these statistics in the context of a downward trend in people’s belief that their children will lead a better life than they did, caused in part by the relentless pace of technological change, geopolitical insecurity, and rapidly changing social norms – with the aftershocks of the global pandemic, the polarizing influence of social media, and the politics of fear all playing into the mix.

She challenged the audience to to think about the big shift we need to create the room for global projects like gender equality, including:

Policies that give people security – through good jobs, healthcare, and green initiatives
A concerted effort to spotlight the benefits of gender equality to boys and men
Legislative creativity to tackle misogyny on social media

She lauded CAMFED’s track record in making change happen, and said, “The CAMFED community (…) has shown time and time again that it is able to make the almost impossible happen. Courage and ambition are always CAMFED watch words.”

Can the peer mentorship (Learner Guide) model address gender inequality and become a blueprint for our polarized world?

I am proud to be patron of CAMFED and I genuinely do believe educating girls is the foundation of achieving gender equality, promoting women into positions of leadership, and ultimately finding a more peaceful, sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for our world.

The Hon Julia Gillard AC

The Research: Mentors for under-privileged girls in Tanzania are challenging harmful gender social norms

Dr Nkanileka Mgonda and Dr Rose Mwaipopo from the University of Dar es Salaam gave an overview of the research, with an emphasis on co-creation, in a session chaired by Dr Luisa Ciampi of the REAL Centre. Its aim was to gain an understanding of the role of Learner Guides in shifting gender social norms in four Tanzanian districts, and to examine the scalability of the peer mentorship model across national school systems in the region.

The researchers described the co-creation of the research with government, and the collaborative nature of the data collection. Scaling Advisory Committees of diverse actors, including the young women Learner Guides themselves and ministry partners from three countries (Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe) were set up as part of the process.

The research presented at the symposium has already been shared with the Tanzanian government, school communities, and the young women leading CAMFED’s Learner Guide program in Tanzania.

Read the research overview

We are looking at how best to harness the transformative power of education, both through ensuring that change is sustained through education systems themselves, and that progress in education bears fruit beyond schools and into wider communities and societies.

Pauline Rose, Director of the REAL Centre at the University of Cambridge

The Learner Guide peer mentorship model explained

The role of Learner Guides

Dr Nkanileka Mgonda described the Learner Guide program: Trained peer mentors from disadvantaged backgrounds return to their local schools to deliver life and learning skills sessions to girls and boys. They provide socio-emotional support, and create linkages to services and wider support systems for vulnerable girls. The role of Learner Guides in relation to teachers was discussed in detail. The young women support busy teachers, and act as ‘big sisters’ with whom students fearlessly share personal challenges. Teachers admire the structured My Better World social and emotional learning sessions they deliver.

Dr Rose Mwaipopo explained how communities benefit from ‘giving back’ spirit embodied by Learner Guides: They create a bridge between schools and families and challenge the perception that girls need education less than boys. They break down taboos about sex, helping girls understand their power to negotiate; and they report incidences of gender-based violence to the authorities. Learner Guides are stepping into leadership positions, including on school committees. Support provided by CAMFED for the young women to grow rural businesses further strengthens their influence, provides girls with relatable role models, and challenges harmful gender social norms. Governments have been open and supportive of a scale-up of this model, but it is clear that transformations made by Learner Guides have to be supported by other changes, including policy reform. The young women face many challenges, as they themselves are part of the system they are trying to shift.

Learner Guides work with a range of community groups…not simply working with the school. They would engage with the village committees, school committees, even the local community development officers. And it was through that process that their messages of changing gender social norms was appreciated.

Dr Rose Mwaipopo, University of Dar es Salaam

Expert panel: Strong partnership and collaboration built on trust

The afternoon panel discussion chaired by CAMFED’s Lydia Wilbard focused on the importance of co-creation, collaboration, cross-learning and sustainable funding for transformational education.

Lawrence John Sanga of the Tanzanian Ministry of Education, Science and Technology began by underscoring the importance of partnering with government, building shared goals, trusting each other, and engaging with the community. Throughout his contributions he underscored that “learners are our employers.”

Dr Sempeho Siafu of the Tanzania Institute of Adult Education spoke of his passion for the peer mentor (Learner Guide) model. He lauded the success of co-creating the research, and the effectiveness of the regional scaling work now underway – bringing together young people with government and school officials, and learning from counterparts in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Mitali Wroczynski of Co-Impact emphasized the need to invest in organizations addressing the root causes of inequality. One funder alone cannot address this – to achieve impact at scale, we need collaboration.

Anna Sawaki of CAMFED pointed out that, as the Learner Guide model is introduced in new districts in Tanzania, the government is sustaining it – leading on the selection and training of the peer mentors, with CAMFED as technical advisor. In Tanzania, she stated, we aim to be serving 74 districts by 2025, with peer-to-peer support recognized as an important aspect of education in Tanzania.

Next steps for research and action

The final panel with Dr. Lulu Mahai, Director of the Institute of Gender Studies at UDS, CAMFED’s Lydia Wilbard, and the REAL Centre’s Professor Pauline Rose discussed the continued importance of co-creation, trust and shared goals for evidence to successfully scale up the peer mentorship approach. Dr. Mahai suggested comparative studies of the program in related countries, and further support for Learner Guides, complementing community and government efforts. Lydia Wilbard explained that co-creation with researchers, governments, communities and young people is core to CAMFED’s work. For this, CAMFED mobilizes the power of lived experience, and creates space at the table for young women from underserved communities. The panel recommended documenting and monitoring government scaling up of the model, and further exploring how to strengthen the interface between shifting gender social norms in communities and policy.

By acting together, we can break the chains of learning poverty, advance gender equality, challenge social norms, and reduce violence against women and girls. We need to invest early, collectively, wisely and innovatively. We promised some time ago as a global community to leave no one behind. We should not, we must not, and I believe, together, we will not. Or as the CAMFED motto suggests, ‘Pamoja Tunaweza!’ - Together we can.

Alicia Herbert OBE

Hear from some of our Learner Guides and discover additional resources

News_feature_-_Nimatu_CAMA_GH_and_students_laughing

Near-peer mentors: Learner guides model success

October 2023

“CAMFED’s Learner Guides are not trained classroom teachers, but they do have expertise at being teenagers, and they can support youth in the social and emotional dimensions of their schooling journey. By doing so, they free up time for credentialed classroom educators to focus on teaching.”

This article by the Center on Reinventing Public Education

CAMFED Regional Scaling Advisory Committee Meeting TZ Nov 2022 780_6200_Kumi Media

BlogTanzania

Our journey to transforming education systems through youth-led innovation

January 2023

CAMFED's close collaboration with government Ministries and research partners is looking at how we scale youth-led programs that drive up learning outcomes and post-school opportunities for marginalized children.

Read the CAMFED blog

Alice-CAMA-Faith-Secondary-Samfya-ZM-appeal-film-Eliza-Powell-23-Sep-2017-DSC_8074

BlogTanzania

Working at the confluence of research and implementation to support girls’ education: Reflections on the REAL Centre – CAMFED partnership

December 2022

This blog highlights key lessons from our partnership working at the confluence of research and implementation with the aim of supporting girls’ education.

Read the REAL Centre blog

Stumai-Ally-Kaguna-54930-LG-Trainer-and-Diris-Martin-128732-Regional-Programme-Officer-CAMA-Chalinze-TZ-Oct-2019-Eliza-Powell-MVI_1810

BlogTanzania

Confidence, courage, compassion, collaboration: How girls’ education is boosting a sisterhood of game changers

October 2022

CAMFED Tanzania's Anna Sawaki and Stumai Kaguna look back over a decade that has changed the lives of more than 277,000 young women in Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe thanks to investment under the Girls’ Education Challenge (GEC) funded through UK Aid. By way of Stumai's own story, they explain how CAMFED's program, developed under the GEC, is helping girls in marginalized communities to build confidence and become a new generation of change leaders.

Hear from Learner Guide Stumai in Tanzania

Learner Guides-CAMFED-TZ-RTSL-event_Anna-Sawaki_2021-09-23

NewsTanzania

Government underscores support for scaling the Learner Guide Program across Tanzania

September 30, 2021

At an Education Sector Stakeholder Meeting held on September 23 in Dar es Salaam, co-hosted by CAMFED Tanzania and the Tanzania Education Network/Mtandao wa Elimu Tanzania (TEN/MET), Professor Caroline Nombo — Deputy Permanent Secretary at Tanzania’s Ministry of Education, Science and Technology — underscored support for scaling CAMFED’s award-winning Learner Guide Program across the government school system.

Read the scaling news piece

BlogZambia

We can’t afford to lose our future leaders – it’s in our power to keep girls learning and safe from abuse

June 2021

As a role model especially to girls, I help them discover their potential and their powers — for example the courage to become someone like me, who assists others and runs a business. As a result, they will live a better life, which will also benefit those around them, because you always give to others.

Hear from Learner Guide Dyness in Zambia

listing-image_Zuhura_LG_TZ_with_students

Raise the Floor - The evidence that convinced the international community that putting disadvantaged children first creates education systems that work for everyone

January 2022

“REAL Centre research has also proven the wisdom of the adage, ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’. In other words: where education strategies target these marginalised groups successfully, their more-advantaged peers also feel the benefits. One particularly powerful example emerged from a study in Tanzania with CAMFED, which supports the education of disadvantaged girls.”

Read the REAL Centre Blog

BlogTanzania

We are building a nation

January 2021

CAMFED Association leaders Diris and Doris explain how CAMFED’s Learner Guide program is transforming prospects for young people in Tanzania, and across Africa.

Hear from Learner Guides Diris and Doris in Tanzania

BlogZimbabwe

It took a village to raise me. Now I’ll never stop protecting children from abuse.

June 2020

CAMFED Association leader Judith Msindo describes how her own struggles inform her determination to support and seek justice for victims of abuse or neglect, and underscores our collective duty to make sure that girls are safe to learn, thrive and lead.

Hear from Learner Guide Judith in Zimbabwe