SOS Schools
Worldwide, millions of children haven’t received a proper education. SOS Children’s Villages believes that education is a fundamental human right for every child and that the sooner children receive quality education, the greater its positive impact on their lives.
The primary goal of SOS Schools is to provide quality education to every child growing up in an SOS Village and to children in the local community.
SOS builds and operates primary and secondary schools that offer high-quality, child-centred education. Teachers receive the training and resources needed to ensure a comprehensive and supportive learning experience for every student.
SOS Children’s Villages believes that education opens up many opportunities for the children’s future, breaking the cycle of poverty.
“SOS has helped me a lot with my studies and with everything. I learned how to interact with other people, and I have made so many new friends.”
-- Jolida, SOS Children’s Villages Namibia in Ondangwa
About SOS Schools
SOS Children’s Villages often builds its own schools, which, depending on the location, are run by that country’s educational authority or by SOS Children’s Villages using the state educational curriculum. The majority are primary and secondary schools, offering classes from first to ninth grade, but also include vocational training centres for older youth.
SOS Schools are open to children from SOS families and within neighbouring communities. Depending on the school and location, SOS provides bursaries to cover school fees, uniforms, supplies, transportation, tutoring, and additional support.
SOS Schools educate 100,000 students annually and employs 6,337 staff.
Our approach to education
We promote child-centred education: Quality education is child-centred education. We believe every child should be active in their learning and development process.
We invest in the quality of teachers: Qualified teachers and principals are the key to successful education and unlocking the potential of every child.
We support the effectiveness and improvement of schools: Effective schools are spaces for the holistic development of children. We ensure that all schools work in the context of their community while providing opportunities for children of both genders to thrive.
In the community
In our SOS Family Strengthening Programs, we work with parents because they are ultimately responsible for their children’s education and are essential to ensuring a child stays in school and is well educated.
