Civil Activism in Education

Focus Areas

The Education Support Program nurtures movements and activism that advance education justice.

In South Africa, the “Equal Education” student movement is campaigning for school libraries. The movement has won wide public support and a government promise to set up 720 libraries in Gauteng province. In Tajikistan, the Open Society Foundations support a national association of parents of disabled children, formed by courageous young mothers who have fought the social stigma against disability and secured state assistance and education inclusion for their children.

The Integration and Diversity in Education in Europe project partly funded by an EU grant, supports community initiatives for education inclusion. In 2011, a second EU grant will explore ways for over 100 grassroots organizations to engage the EU to improve education for minorities and migrants.

The program continues to collaborate with the Network of Education Policy Centers (22 education centers in 20 countries), recently completing a comparative country study to support the development of the National Testing Center in Tajikistan. The Education Development Program plans to develop links between Central European University and the Network of Education Policy Centers through a joint summer school, bringing together academics and senior educators and producing policy papers on issues requiring international debate.