What Is Being Done Globally With Public Primary Education
Surprisingly, the United Nations has made primary education one of it’s top priorities along with gender segregation and AID relief. Ensuring that all boys and girls complete primary school by the year 2015 is one of their Millennium Development goals. As of yet, one in five school-age children in the world’s poorest countries don’t go to school. Many governments are trying to increase the amount of money in education and some are trying to reduce schools fees. Also, the United Nations is encouraging governments to build schools closer to housing. A problem with public spending on education is that funds aren’t distributed equally. The poorer percentage of the population often receives less that n 20% of the public spending on education while the richer percentage gets a large chunk of funds. Another part of the system that the United Nations is trying to advocate is that more funds should go to primary education because people from poorer countries benefit more from a basic education.
A global campaign has started and all over the world, education is being promoted by over 5 million children. Leaders all around the world are beginning to respond to the many endorsements to education. In Côte d’ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Niger, leaders promised budget increases and in Pakistan, books and stipends are being provided to girl students to encourage gender equality. Leaders in Sudan, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Burundi have also promised to get rid of school fees which will encourage more parents to send their students to school. These promises are a small step toward education for all young children. If these leaders follow through with their promises, our world will be much closer to the goal of education for all. A key part to education is the teachers. In order to reach this goal, 15 million more teachers will be needed. In February of 2006, a campaign titled “Every Child Needs a Teacher” was started by the Global Education for All. Through many classrooms, students were encouraged to appreciate their teachers more and ads were spread across globe to raise awareness. And then, in March of 2006, the Global Education for All members wrote an extensive report campaigning for the need to hire and pay more teachers. These campaigns provide more insight into the problems with education.
1 http://www.cisco.com/global/ZA/pub_sector/local_central_gov/cisco_initiatives/index.shtml
2 http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/wef_2000/regional_frameworks/frame_europe_north_america.shtml
Comments
I thought it was really interesting how the funds distributed to public education weren't even. However, it's somewhat comforting to know that the UN is taking steps toward increasing educational programs, as well as providing more teachers across the globe. I suppose your entry really made me think that the steps towards increasing education are pretty small, and that perhaps more attention should be given to the issue, since education is what powers the next generation.
Posted by: Andrea Lum | July 18, 2006 11:59 AM