Why we must work together to place human dignity at the centre of education

Why we must work together to place human dignity at the centre of education

By Nathan Koblintz and Luis Serrao

At Porticus, our educational strategy envisions a world where Social Emotional Learning (SEL) fosters inclusion for children facing extreme adversity, helping them reach their full potential. But the challenge of reforming educational systems is so complex that it requires collaboration with like-minded funders on a global scale. 

That’s why we participated in the annual meeting of the International Education Funders' Group (IEFG) to share our strategy and create these collaborations. The event, held in May in Bogotá, Colombia, gathered foundations together to discuss the impact of changing political regimes, conflicts, and the transitions experienced by vulnerable children and adolescents. 

As an IEFG member, Porticus aims to mobilise other foundations to prioritise human dignity in educational debates, making systems more inclusive, diverse, and supportive for children in extreme adversity. We are delighted to say that our strategy clearly resonated with other foundations, and the event helped us create opportunities for knowledge sharing and partnerships.

 

How our strategy intersects with other foundations’ work

We want children living in adversity not only to attend school but to receive an inclusive, high-quality education that meets their social and emotional learning needs and life aspirations. That’s why social and emotional learning is at the heart of our strategy. Without it, children can struggle to develop academic skills and be hindered in reaching their potential in other important areas of life, such as relationships. Learn more: Why Young People Need Social and Emotional Skills for Academic Success and Wellbeing (porticus.com)

At the IEFG event, we found several ways our work intersects with other foundations’ priorities.

During an IEFG debate on School-Age Transitions, Andrew Cunningham (Aga Khan Foundation, leader of Schools 2030 Coalition) urged the education sector to collaborate more effectively on climate issues. He emphasised the need for greater sector linkages to support equitable climate transitions, reimagine teaching as a green job, and use schools and curricula to combat climate change, calling education a potential planetary solution. This aligns with Porticus’ focus, especially in the Amazon region leading up to COP30.

Marta Xicay, an Indigenous Guatemalan from the Global Fund for Children, shared her experience of stigmas and symbolic violence in the school system. Her traditional clothing was not allowed, and her language and culture were not considered by the official curriculum, particularly in mainstream schools. She stressed the importance of cultural relevance in education to reconnect students with their school journeys and foster a sense of belonging, echoing our educational strategy.

During a site visit to a school run by Alianza Educativa, we observed an innovative social-emotional 'gym' that helps students and teachers develop skills to cope with stress and conflict, promoting a healthy sense of self. This centre, open to all, facilitates skill-sharing by counsellors and peers. It was a brilliant way to see SEL in action.

How we build a movement

Building and amplifying movements for educational change is a core focus of our strategy. IEFG gave us the opportunity to meet Valentina Raman, a co-founder of YOUTH X YOUTH, a youth-led network with similar values and ambitions. What made this connection even better is that they discovered Porticus through our ‘Meaningful Participation’ series on LinkedIn and were struck by the alignment in values and mission.

Similarly, deepening our engagement with Templeton World Charity Foundation opens another collaboration with a like-minded funder interested in the evidence behind what supports holistic human development.

We shared our own views at the event. Nathan Koblintz, Challenge Lead, joined as a guest panellist in the Early Years Transitions debate, where he highlighted the importance of supporting networks in taking a systems approach to children’s development. We also benefitted from the advice of our peers as to how to plan and manage transitions in our strategies, so as to support partners and momentum once our financial support has come to an end.

Luis Serrao, Senior Programme Manager, attended another open space to discuss how better coordination of private investments could help overcome long-lasting false dichotomies in the education sector, such as the belief that literacy and numeracy are distinct from (or even more valuable than) socio-emotional learning.

Differing views were evident even within the discussions at the conference, with some participants advocating for a heavy focus only on literacy – a reminder of the need to make a strong case for the importance of social-emotional learning. If we don’t, children facing adversity will only become further disadvantaged as their educational systems leave them behind. We cannot let that happen. These children need and deserve a holistic approach to education that helps them overcome adversity and, ultimately, contribute to a more empathetic and collaborative society.