Big Picture of Education

Education is like the doorway to a better life. With a good education, people are healthier and happier. They learn basic skills—like reading, writing and math—so they’re able to find better work, send their own kids to school and break out of poverty. Most importantly, they learn to protect their own rights.

Even though it’s so important, education is not an option for kids in many parts of the world. Every day, more than 120 million kids between the ages of six and 11 are not in school. More than half of these kids are girls. Many of these girls live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, two of the poorest regions in the world.

By giving kids the chance to go to school, you’ll help all children get ready to live amazing lives.

Getting Children to School: We Can Do it Together

There are many problems with education in the developing world. Some schools are falling apart, some are overcrowded and some are too far away for the kids they are supposed to service. In some communities, there are no schools at all.

All of these problems can be solved by building and supporting better schools with trained teachers, textbooks, lunch programs and more. If we all work together, we can provide this support so kids all over the world can go to class.

Education benefits the whole world, not just the kids who get to go to school. People who have a basic education can think differently, express their ideas and contribute to making the world the best it can be.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure all kids get the chance to go to a school that’s a great place to learn.

Education Status: Kenya

Education and the Millennium Development Goals: Targets We Can Meet

The two Millennium Development Goals that relate to education are:

Goal: Send Each and Every Child to Primary School

The Challenge

• About 120 million kids are out of school—that’s more than the entire population of Mexico.
• More than half the kids who don’t go to school are girls.

Goal: Make Sure Girls and Boys are Treated Equally and Have the Same Opportunities

The Challenge

• Two-thirds of adults who can’t read are women.
• Women work two-thirds of the world’s working hours but earn only one-tenth of the world’s income.

Causes: Why Are So Many Kids Out of School?

There are many problems that keep kids out of school. Some of them are:

Cost

In many countries, families have to pay for school fees, school uniforms and textbooks. It isn’t possible for people living in poverty to pay for school. Some kids have to work to support their families instead of going to school.

Access

Schools in rural areas can be many miles apart. When the only way to get around is by walking, a school that is 10 miles away is impossible to reach every day—it would take about three hours each way!

Health

Many kids can’t go to school because they’re sick or hungry. Some have to stay home to take care of sick family members or to care for younger siblings if their parents have died from serious diseases like AIDS.

More Boys than Girls Are in School

Girls have extra trouble getting to school because they usually have more jobs at home—like collecting water—that leave no time for class. In countries where people think boys are more important than girls, parents are more likely to send a son to school instead of a daughter.

North America: In a Position to Help

In the developing world, people believe all kids should go to school, so they do everything they can to make this happen. For example, everyone pays taxes which are used to build schools and buy books and supplies. But developed countries still don’t meet every kid’s needs.

Kids who are living in poverty in countries like Japan, Germany and the United States miss more school days and drop out of high school more often than other kids. Even though education is open to all, there are still problems that stop students from getting the education they should.

But even though there are problems, almost all elementary school-age kids are in school in almost every developed country. This is really different from the developing world, where millions of kids don’t get to go to school.

We can help give kids in the developing world the opportunity to learn.

We can make a big difference if we all decide to do our part.

Global Status: Where the World is Now

There are children who aren’t in school all around the globe. But in many developing countries, being out of school is not unusual. Most kids don’t get to go to class. Instead, they are working hard to survive.

Facts About Global Education

• About one out of every six primary-school-age children are out of school. Nearly three-quarters of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, and more than half are girls.
• In the least developed countries, 40 percent of kids drop out of primary school.
• Two-thirds of adults who can’t read are women.

“Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom.” – Oprah Winfrey

A Story You Should Hear About Education

Take Action for Education

There are many actions you can take to help kids in the developing world get to school. Try these as a start.