Access to simple learning tools still defines a child's future

A child learning in class. [Courtesy/GettyImages]

How much does a pen really matter? In the age of virtual learning, it can feel almost insignificant. Yet in East Africa, this simple tool often marks the line between participation and silence between a child who can express their ideas and one who must sit, watch, and wait.

As the world marked Global Education Week 2025 themed 'Shaping a just, peaceful and sustainable future' in November, it is worth remembering that such a future still rests on basic, inclusive access. No society can thrive when its youngest citizens lack the most elementary means to learn or communicate.