The UK is set to
remodel its education programme in the world’s poorest countries
in an attempt to help children who are considered the hardest to
reach and revive international efforts to get all primary aged
children into school by 2015.
The Department for International Development is launching a
wide-ranging public consultation today to investigate a range of
options that will help shape a new education strategy. The
consultation is calling on the UK’s leading education experts,
teachers, charity workers, NGOs and others to apply their
knowledge and experience
The consultation will look at how to improve access for children
in countries affected by conflict and instability alongside
improving education for girls, better teachers and curricula
focussed on jobs. As well as getting more children into school
it's also important to ensure those attending continue to
do so and the quality of their learning is improved.
Around the world 75 million primary aged children are still not
in school. This lack of basic education deprives young people of
choices and opportunities and makes it harder for countries in the
developing world to tackle poverty and disease.
Over the last seven years, the number of children out of school
has significantly reduced – by 28 million - but progress is now
slowing, with some groups persistently remaining out of reach of
aid efforts, especially in areas affected by conflict.
It is estimated that over half of children out of school live in
conflict countries, whilst there are more than 41 million girls
currently out of school across the developing world.
Launching the consultation, Mike Foster, International
Development Minister for education, said:
"Fighting poverty means we need to drive forward the
education agenda. We know that fragile states breed poverty and
inequality. To raise educational standards in the fight against
poverty means we will have to work in these most difficult of environments."
“The UK’s aid programme has achieved real results in education
and is supporting five million children in primary school.
“But we must go further and that is why we are looking at
what we need to do differently, and what we need to do more of, to
reach those children that have proved the hardest to reach with
our existing programme.”
The strategy follows the Government’s recent poverty White Paper,
which set out the UK’s committed to channel development aid toward
countries suffering from conflict and instability.
The consultation will focus on the following areas:
Conflict affected countries
Of the millions of children not in school, it is believed up to
half are in conflict affected countries. According to UNESCO
estimates at least 29 million primary aged children will be out of
school in 2015 – one third in Nigeria and Pakistan. Providing
education in difficult in hostile environments and the
consultation will explore how we bridge the gap between education
when a country is in conflict to education as an aid to a
country’s recovery.
Gender
There are more than forty one million girls out
of school across the developing world. Studies showing educating
girls is one of the best investments society can make. Helping
girls get into school, and stay there, is vital for countries to
develop.A girl who has been educated is 50% more likely to have
her child immunised, and her children are more than twice as
likely to live until the age of five.Ensuring that once girls
are in school they receive equal treatment to boys, and go on to
equal opportunities in the workplace.
There are more than forty one million girls out of school across
the developing world.
Job skills
Many of the most fragile and conflict-affected
states in the world also suffer massive unemployment.Creating
sustainable jobs for those finishing school is key in helping
people work their way out of poverty, and help them to
contribute towards the rebuilding of their country.DFID already
plans to help 7.5 million people benefit from jobs and economic
opportunities in five key fragile states - Yemen, Nepal,
Nigeria, Ethiopia and Afghanistan.Improving the quality of
teaching in schools, which will lead to a better-educated
workforce who can better respond to today’s global economic
challenges.
Many of the most fragile and conflict-affected states in the
world also suffer massive unemployment.
In addition to improving access to school and in response to the
recent financial downturn, the consultation will look at proposals
to boost economic development, which could lead to a new focus on
jobs training and school curriculum that is shaped according to
the particular needs of the local employment market.
Notes to Editors
1. DFID education programmes to date have led to:
An investment of £8.5 billion on education in a ten-year period
in the run up to 2015.Investing £1 billion per year on education
by 2010.In Uganda and Malawi, two countries we support, the number
of children enrolling in primary school has doubled in five years
and is now over 90%.An increase in not just the number of children
in school, but the quality of their education. DFID is working
with international partners to help recruit and train an estimated
18 million additional teachers needed worldwide.
The White Paper also includes a commitment to supporting eight
million children in school in Africa by 2010.
2. DFID’s Education Strategy: Consultation Paper can be viewed at
http://consultation.dfid.gov.uk/education2010.
The consultation will inform a new education strategy which will
be published later this year.
Contacts:
Laura McCleary.
Phone: 020 70231912
l-mccleary@dfid.gov.uk