The goal of the Strengthening Education System for Out of School Children project is to enhance institutional capacity of education systems to provide learning opportunities for OOSC in southeast Asia. Strategies are targeted towards creating a supportive atmosphere for the schooling of OOSC through a sustainable system and consistent program delivery. During the project period, an estimated 50,000 OOSC will have opportunities to participate in flexible learning programs that are equivalent to formal education. Many of these children are children in poverty, children with disabilities, migrant children, stateless children, girls, children in remote areas, and children of ethnic minorities. Specific objectives include: conducting an in-depth review of current legislation, policies, systems, and programs for OOSC; forming a joint commitment from Asia-Pacific countries to address OOSC by working together to prepare and endorse the ASEAN Declaration ensuring learning opportunities for all children regardless of their nationality or citizenship; strengthening capacities of the government and NGOs through regional networking, seminars, workshops, and two regional summits; and improving and expanding flexible learning programs in Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand. The knowledge and experience accumulated as a result of the project will be disseminated through portal sites, events, media, and publications.

The project has been designed to enable governments and partners to sustain and expand programs for OOSC. The project’s advocacy and capacity development, in particular, will help sustain the governments’ commitments to, and programs for, OOSC. The project will involve collaboration between the ASEAN Secretariat, governments of the nine countries, NGOs, and private sector representatives.