Pearson launches maths app to help Syrian refugee children
Melanie May | 29 September 2017 | News
Pearson has launched a maths and Arabic learning app in Jordan as part of its partnership with Save the Children. With support from the Jordanian Ministry of Education, the app will help Syrian refugee children living in the country catch up with their schooling.
The app, “Space Hero” (Batl Al Fada’a), is an extension of Save the Children and Pearson’s ‘Every Child Learning’ partnership, which works to improve education for Syrian refugees and local children affected by the Syrian conflict in Jordan. The app was designed by Beelabs and developed by Pearson, in collaboration with refugee and Jordanian children and aims to help these children improve their academic results and build resilience. It also supports a broader Save the Children-led in-school programme focusing on teacher professional development, enhancing school-community relations, after-school learning and psychosocial support.
The project will be launched in three boys’ schools for the 2017-2018 academic year, and then scaled up for the 2018-2019 academic year to an additional five schools, four of which will be girls’ schools. The app can also be found on the Google Play store to download for free.
Screenshots from Space Hero app
Kevin Watkins, Chief Executive of Save the Children, said:
“Save the Children is proud to be launching this ambitious programme with Pearson. If we want to make the biggest difference for children, we must harness the expertise of partners to ensure the world’s most vulnerable are given the chance to learn in safe and secure environments. This programme will improve the delivery of education in Jordan and give both Syrian refugee and Jordanian children the chance to fulfil their potential.”
Save the Children and Pearson have also launched a new report with UNHCR, called Promising Practices in Refugee Education, which sets out 10 critical recommendations for improving global refugee education policy and practice to ensure vulnerable refugee children and young people can access the quality education they need. Amongst the recommendations are practical solutions including:
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- Commit to predictable multi-year funding for education in refugee responses
- Improve collaboration and develop innovative partnerships
- Use technology as an enabling tool in pursuit of education outcomes
Kate James, Chief Corporate Affairs and Global Marketing Officer of Pearson, said:
“Refugee children are the doctors, farmers, teachers, and scientists of the future – jobs that hinge critically on gaining the skills we know quality education delivers. We all have a responsibility to build awareness and advocacy of refugee displacement as a global humanitarian crisis, and ultimately, reach the learners who need our help the most.”
Main image: Khaled* studies at a school in eastern Amman which is the first to receive the educational Space Hero app. By Ahmad Muhsen/Save The Children
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.