Aflatoun

Aflatoun is a concept to teach the children about social values and their rights and responsibilities coupled with basic financial education to empower them to become change maker. The core objective is to facilitate the inclusion of Child Social and Financial Education into formal and informal education systems as a recognition of children's rights.

The concept of Aflatoun has been initiated in India. Currently, the concept is administering in several countries across the globe after establishing it’s secretariat in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The Aflatoun secretariat advocates to widening the concept worldwide through creating partnership with several governments and non – government organizations.

Starting from grade one the Aflatoun concept is elaborated through it’s own curriculum into eight consecutive grades. Aflatoun curriculum is developed for the children of 6 to 14 years. The curriculum is focused on five key themes which is called five core elements of Aflatoun. Those are;

• Personal understanding and exploration
• Rights and responsibilities
• Savings and spending
• Planning and budgeting
• Child social entrepreneurship

BRAC Education Programme (BEP) as an implementing partner is working with this model to help learn the children about some social norms and values along with basic financial education. As social values and norms are already incorporated in the curriculum BEP emphasizes to teach the children about some basic financial issues. These include savings and spending and basic planning and budgeting. Priority has also given on real savings as BEP opted to inculcate a habit of saving among the children.

Considering, the above BEP started to pilot the concept in 30 schools comprised of 19 BRAC Primary Schools (BPS) and 11 secondary schools in 2008. Currently, Aflatoun programme has been expanded in 1002 BRAC Primary Schools, 185 secondary schools and 20 adolescent clubs where 53, 657 children and adolescents are actively participating in Aflatoun programme. The plan is to reach about 230,000 children through Aflatoun programme by the end of December, 2011.

Download: Children and Change 2011 - Children and Enterprise report by Aflatoun [PDF - 2.5 MB]