SOS Children's Villages regards it essential to make school and vocational education available to all children in SOS Children’s Village programs. In places where the government provides too few schools, or where the quality of schools is poor, SOS Children's Villages has built new kindergartens, schools and vocational training centers.
Primary and secondary schools, which offer classes from the first to the ninth grade, are the most frequent school types amongst the SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools.
Syllabus Oriented Towards Local and Regional Job Prospects
In order to learn a trade and increase one's chances on the labor market, SOS Vocational Training Centres offer courses and apprenticeships in trades, industries and various service branches. What is taught is strongly orientated towards the local and regional job prospects. For example car mechanics, carpentry, printing, plumbing, electrical engineering, home economics, commerce, agriculture, and information technology. The resulting products or services are often locally marketed.
Youths from the SOS Children's Villages and socially disadvantaged young people or those who have hardly any other training prospects are given the opportunity to develop their vocational skills and earn qualifications that will allow them to live autonomous lives as adults who can deal with the economic and social pressures put upon them. Often the centres work together with local firms or other partners and do research into the job market and offer career advice.
Each of the branches of training is the same length as is the norm for that country, follow the same curriculum and offer the same practical experience. On completion the youths are awarded a state-recognised diploma or certificate of apprenticeship.
Child-Centered Education is Key for Success
We believe in child-centered education which respects the individual child as a resourceful, capable, unique human being who actively participates in her/his own development process and respects diverse learning styles and learning needs. Teachers and principals are the key to child-centered quality education and are actively encouraged to further their professional skills.