High school and college dropout rates and the dwindling education system are major concerns across the U.S. and in Africa. According to the 2016 data released by the District of Columbia Department of Education, although the District has made strides to improve its graduation rates, but it still lags behind the 50 states. According the D.C.’s education department, the graduation rate was 68.5 percent in the 2014-15 school year compared to the national average is 83.2 percent. According to the Africa-America Institute (AAI), globally, 8 of the 10 countries with the lowest pre-primary net enrollment rates are in Africa. Also, only seven countries achieved the gross enrollment ratio target of 80 percent in the continent. AAI states that an estimated 40 million more youth are projected to drop out of school in the next decade.
BAF aims to work with challenged and underprivileged youths to stay in schools and to reduce dropout rates in Washington DC area and in Africa. This objective will be accomplished by forming a coalition that will be inclusive of students and parents; retired teachers and school superintendents; affected schools; communities and stakeholders, and private and public sectors to:
Improve school attendance and reduce dropout rates through incentive programs for students and teachers.
Support pregnant students through counselling, education and training as well as providing social and available resources to empower less and underprivileged teens.
Collaborate with government institutions at the national and local levels to continually refresh out of date curriculum, ensuring that relevant skills are taught at all levels.
Raise money to provide scholarships for underprivileged students in primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions of learning especially those interested or enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs.
Create, support and provide incentive programs for teachers all levels to enable them stay up to date on latest content, and incorporate technology and the latest pedagogies into their teaching modalities leading to improved student outcomes.
