Thursday Twitter Takeover with Julia Gillard

On Thursday May 8, Julia Gillard, former prime minister of Australia and board chair for the Global Partnership for Education, answers questions about global education.

May 06, 2014 by GPE Secretariat
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6 minutes read
Thursday Twitter Takeover with Julia Gillard

Cross-posted from The Guardian by , Guardian Professional, Tuesday 6 May 2014 11.44 EDT

In an exclusive discussion with the development community, former prime minister of Australia and education advocate Julia Gillard took over our Twitter handle @GdnGlobalDevPro.

"There can be no higher priority than getting all children access to school," said Gillard when she became chair of the board of directors at Global Partnership for Education in February this year. She added she was "alarmed by the recent sharp decline in donor support to education… particularly for girls' education."

So how will GPE work with donors to reverse the trend? On Thursday 8 May, the development community got an exclusive opportunity for a candid discussion with this high profile advocate. One of the subjects on the agenda was a question Gillard would like to see addressed: how can we ensure that girls are not left at home while boys go to school?

Read the discussion with #askJulia below.

 

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How can we get the message out there to single mums that it is never too late it's possible to get an education and have a career?. I was very disheartened by all the stories when the switch was made to new start and the focus on no money, not being able to eat. I was already a registered nurse before I became a mum then a single mum due to DV. I studied hard and got a graduate certificate and a masters degree to get a job where I could support myself and my son and the hours were right. I'd like to see the message out there that it can be done and see more support rather then discrimination to help people to get "there".

I saw on ABC tonight that an innovative program for aboriginal kids with great learning outcomes has no more Federal funding. What can be done to promote this program which is effective and may raise a whole new generation of positive indigenous children. The program seems applicable to any cultural group of littlies

What measures will be in place to ensure that children with disabilities are effectively included in ALL education prig funded by the GPE?

Find community spaces where women can gather to dialogue and learn. Through conversation raise awareness and develop skills to take ideas further.,provide micro financing to help women take those ideas further. As part of the discussion encourage ways for the women involved to take some charge of their reproduction. Education and reproductive control are absolutely critical.

What do you mean ''There is no bigger priority then getting all children access to school"? My 11 year old is serverly dyslexic and every school I have tried him in, has refused to help, or even acknowledge his problem. Why doesn't he get access to a school? What are you planning to do for him? Or doesn't he deserve an education?

I am not an expert but am currently in Nepal and have discovered that it takes more than books, uniforms to get a girl an education here. The family situation - if there is a family - creates issues for girls. They are time poor - having to do all the home duties as well as attend school; load shedding means no light to study by when all their chores are done; standard of education and teaching leaves a lot to be desired - nearly everyone needs additional tutoring or the teachers to actually do their job; Dalit students struggle with the Nepali language which most classes are delivered in; early marriage is still an issue keeping girls out of school; in some villages girls don't go to school at all - that is the culture and tradition - they just work in the fields, get married and have children; days lost through menstration, field work; violence in the home; etc.

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