Every child has the right to an education (Article 29)

Your education should help you use and develop your talents and abilities. It should also help you learn to respect others, live peacefully and protect the environment.

This proud student attends Cape Horn Elementary School in British Columbia, UNICEF Canada’s first Rights Respecting School.

This innovative school uses a learning approach based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Students are enthusiastic about learning because they feel included; they feel that they belong; and they know that they matter. In January 2011, UNICEF Canada launched the Rights Respecting School Programme in schools across Canada.

To learn more about Rights Respecting Schools visit our website

Or, view a short PowerPoint Presentation that briefly introduces the model here.

What can I do?

As a student, I can:

  • Organize a discussion about the right to education. Include an agenda with questions that are important to me (e.g. what defines adequate education? How can my learning environment help me develop to my fullest potential?) Invite parents, teachers, and others to share my ideas. To make my discussion more creative and productive, visit the Global Café Website (http://www.theworldcafe.com/) for ideas. Click here for a free hosting guide.
  • Talk to my teacher about ways to become more involved in decisions made at the school.

As a teacher, I can:

  • Sign up to receive the free UNICEF Canada Global Classroom newsletter to access initiatives and educational resources that support children’s rights in the classroom.
  • Encourage cooperative learning strategies and activities that engage students with different learning styles and abilities.
  • Raise awareness about children’s rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and how they relate to school culture. One simple action: Hang up a poster of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. To receive your free copy of the Convention poster, send a message to our Global Classroom e-mail.
  • Explore UNICEF Canada’s Global Classroom resources for activities to promote children’s rights. [Go to Explore Landing Page]
  • Work with my students to write a rights-based classroom charter.
  • Visit the Rights Respecting Schools Web site to find out more about what it means to be a Rights Respecting School. [Go to Rights Respecting Schools Page]

As a parent, I can:

  • Learn more about the rights of the child with my children by watching some of the great videos on the UNICEF Website. [Go to Multimedia Page]
  • Talk with my children about what rights mean to them using this activity.
  • Ask questions about my children’s education (e.g. does my children’s school have a policy that ensures every child’s right to learn in a safe environment? Does the policy guarantee that every child’s right to human dignity is respected?)
  • Come up with a creative fundraiser or purchase a holiday gift that will support educational initiatives both here in Canada and globally.