Six Goals for World EducationSix Goals for World Education

UNESCOUNESCOPrepared by Carla Piper, Ed. D.Prepared by Carla Piper, Ed. D.

Extracts from the "EFA Global Monitoring Report 2008"

Website

UNESCO Education GoalsUNESCO Education Goals

Expanding and improving early Expanding and improving early childhood care and educationchildhood care and education

Ensuring access to free and Ensuring access to free and compulsory primary education compulsory primary education

Ensuring the learning needs of young Ensuring the learning needs of young people and adultspeople and adults

Achieving a 50% improvement in Achieving a 50% improvement in adult literacy adult literacy

Eliminating gender disparities Eliminating gender disparities Improving the quality of educationImproving the quality of education Website

Where Do We Stand?Where Do We Stand?

2000 - 20072000 - 2007

Early ChildhoodEarly Childhood

Children’s health, nutrition, well-being Children’s health, nutrition, well-being and cognitive development has and cognitive development has improved. improved.

Comprehensive care and education of Comprehensive care and education of children below age 3 remains neglected children below age 3 remains neglected

Child mortality rates have dropped.Child mortality rates have dropped. Early childhood care and educaton still Early childhood care and educaton still

does not reach the poorest and most does not reach the poorest and most disadvantaged children.disadvantaged children.

Early childhood programs remain scarce Early childhood programs remain scarce across sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab across sub-Saharan Africa and the Arab States.States.

Early Childhood Mission of UNESCOEarly Childhood Mission of UNESCO

Early childhood requires an Early childhood requires an integrated approach to the child's integrated approach to the child's care, development and learning.care, development and learning.

Early childhood care and Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than a education (ECCE) is more than a preparatory stage assisting the preparatory stage assisting the child’s transition to formal child’s transition to formal schooling. schooling.

Early childhood policies are Early childhood policies are placed within a broader contextplaced within a broader context Social developmentSocial development Gender equityGender equity Poverty reductionPoverty reduction

Early ChildhoodEarly Childhood

Early Childhood WebsiteEarly Childhood Website UNESCO Policy Brief on Early UNESCO Policy Brief on Early

ChildhoodChildhood Critical need to support the

early childhood stage of development Child poverty Ill health Special needs

Primary role of parents and families in rearing children should be protected and encouraged.

Early Childhood NeedsEarly Childhood Needs

Need strong government investment, regulation and supervision, children's services

Preschool helps children acquire the values on which our society is based. The inviolability of human life Individual freedom and integrity The equal value of all people Equality between the genders Solidarity with the weak and vulnerable

Free Compulsory Primary EducationFree Compulsory Primary Education

Sharp increase to access to and Sharp increase to access to and participation in primary education.participation in primary education.

Number of out-of-school children Number of out-of-school children dropped from 96 million to 72 million dropped from 96 million to 72 million between 1999 and 2005. between 1999 and 2005.

Compulsory education laws now exist in Compulsory education laws now exist in 95% of 203 countries and territories. 95% of 203 countries and territories.

Primary EducationPrimary Education

Participation levels increased Participation levels increased most rapidly in sub-Saharan most rapidly in sub-Saharan Africa (23%), and South and Africa (23%), and South and West Asia (11%). West Asia (11%).

Thirty-five fragile states Thirty-five fragile states account for 37% of all out-of-account for 37% of all out-of-school children.school children.

Children from poor, Children from poor, indigenous and disabled indigenous and disabled populations are also at a populations are also at a systematic disadvantage, as systematic disadvantage, as are those living in slums. are those living in slums.

Primary Age Children Not in SchoolPrimary Age Children Not in School

Primary Age in SchoolPrimary Age in School

Young People and AdultsYoung People and Adults

Goal has been neglected. Goal has been neglected. Difficult to define, document Difficult to define, document

and monitoring. and monitoring. Many young people and adults Many young people and adults

acquire skills through informal acquire skills through informal means.means.

Non-formal education is the Non-formal education is the main route to learning for many main route to learning for many disadvantaged youth and disadvantaged youth and adults in some of the world’s adults in some of the world’s poorest countries.poorest countries.

Secondary Students in SchoolSecondary Students in School

Contrasts between Rich and PoorContrasts between Rich and PoorSecondary StudentsSecondary Students

Adult LiteracyAdult Literacy

Goal of achieve a 50% Improvement Goal of achieve a 50% Improvement not reached.not reached.

774 million adults still lack basic 774 million adults still lack basic literacy skills. literacy skills.

64% of them are women.64% of them are women.

Adult LiteracyAdult Literacy Three regions include the vast majority of Three regions include the vast majority of

the one in five adults around the world the one in five adults around the world still denied the right to literacystill denied the right to literacy East Asia, East Asia, South and West AsiaSouth and West Asia Sub-Saharan AfricaSub-Saharan Africa

Little progress during the past decade in Little progress during the past decade in reducing the large number of illiterate reducing the large number of illiterate adults (except in China).adults (except in China).

Why is Literacy Important?Why is Literacy Important? Literacy Literacy

a human right, a human right, a tool of personal empowerment and a tool of personal empowerment and a means for social and human development. a means for social and human development.

Educational opportunities depend on literacy.Educational opportunities depend on literacy. Literacy is at the heart of basic education for Literacy is at the heart of basic education for

all:all: Essential for eradicating poverty Essential for eradicating poverty Reducing child mortalityReducing child mortality Curbing population growthCurbing population growth Achieving gender equalityAchieving gender equality Ensuring sustainable developmentEnsuring sustainable development Peace and democracyPeace and democracy

Literacy and Education for AllLiteracy and Education for All

Literacy is at the core of Education Literacy is at the core of Education for All (EFA). for All (EFA). A good quality basic education equips A good quality basic education equips

pupils with literacy skills for life and pupils with literacy skills for life and further learningfurther learning

Literate parents are more likely to Literate parents are more likely to send their children to schoolsend their children to school

Literate people are better able to Literate people are better able to access continuing educational access continuing educational opportunitiesopportunities

Literate societies are better geared to Literate societies are better geared to meet pressing development meet pressing development challengeschallenges

Gender DisparitiesGender Disparities

Only 59 countries with data had achieved Only 59 countries with data had achieved gender parity in primary and secondary gender parity in primary and secondary education by 2005education by 2005 75% of countries with data are at parity or 75% of countries with data are at parity or

close to it at primary levelclose to it at primary level 47% are close to reaching the goal in 47% are close to reaching the goal in

secondary education.secondary education. Boys’ underparticipation and Boys’ underparticipation and

underachievement are of growing concern in underachievement are of growing concern in secondary education. secondary education.

Only 18 out of 113 countries that missed Only 18 out of 113 countries that missed the gender parity goal at primary and the gender parity goal at primary and secondary level in 2005 stand a chance of secondary level in 2005 stand a chance of achieving it by 2015. achieving it by 2015.

Gender DisparitiesGender Disparities Gender equality remains Gender equality remains

elusive:elusive: Sexual violence Sexual violence Insecure school environmentsInsecure school environments Inadequate sanitation Inadequate sanitation Girls’ self-esteem, Girls’ self-esteem,

participation, and retention participation, and retention disproportionately affected disproportionately affected

Textbooks, curricula and Textbooks, curricula and teacher attitudes continue teacher attitudes continue to reinforce stereotypes on to reinforce stereotypes on gender roles in society.gender roles in society.

Gender Gap in EducationGender Gap in Education

Gender DisparitiesGender Disparities

Why is Gender Equality Important?Why is Gender Equality Important?

Gender equality and the well-Gender equality and the well-being of children go hand in being of children go hand in hand. hand. Healthy, educated and Healthy, educated and

empowered women have healthy, empowered women have healthy, educated and confident educated and confident daughters and sons.daughters and sons.

Gender equality will not only Gender equality will not only empower women to overcome empower women to overcome poverty and live full and poverty and live full and productive lives, but will better productive lives, but will better the lives of children, families and the lives of children, families and countries as well. countries as well.

Gender equality furthers the Gender equality furthers the cause of child survival and cause of child survival and development.development.

Gender equality benefits both women and children.Gender equality benefits both women and children.

Why is Gender Equality Important?Why is Gender Equality Important?

Women’s equal rights and influence in the Women’s equal rights and influence in the key decisions that shape their lives and key decisions that shape their lives and those of children must be enhanced in three those of children must be enhanced in three distinct arenas: distinct arenas: The householdThe household The workplaceThe workplace The political sphereThe political sphere

A change for the better in any one of these A change for the better in any one of these realms influences women’s equality in the realms influences women’s equality in the others, and has a profound and positive others, and has a profound and positive impact on child’s well-being and impact on child’s well-being and development.development.

Why is Gender Equality Important?Why is Gender Equality Important?

Gender equality is not only morally right, it Gender equality is not only morally right, it is pivotal to human progress and is pivotal to human progress and sustainable development. sustainable development.

Promoting gender equality and empowering Promoting gender equality and empowering women will also contribute to achieving women will also contribute to achieving other goals: other goals: Reducing poverty and hunger to saving Reducing poverty and hunger to saving

children’s liveschildren’s lives Improving maternal health Improving maternal health Ensuring universal educationEnsuring universal education Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Ensuring environmental sustainability.Ensuring environmental sustainability.

Improving the Quality of Education Improving the Quality of Education

Survival rates to the last grade of primary school Survival rates to the last grade of primary school improved between 1999 and 2004 in most improved between 1999 and 2004 in most countries with data.countries with data.

Quality remains low in two areas: Quality remains low in two areas: Sub-Saharan Africa (median rate of 63%) Sub-Saharan Africa (median rate of 63%) South and West Asia (79%). South and West Asia (79%).

Unequal learning achievement in language and Unequal learning achievement in language and mathematics characterize many countries mathematics characterize many countries worldwide. worldwide.

Many developing countries suffer from:Many developing countries suffer from: Crowded and dilapidated classrooms, Crowded and dilapidated classrooms, Too few textbooks Too few textbooks Insufficient instructional timeInsufficient instructional time

Improving the Quality of Education Improving the Quality of Education

Pupil/teacher ratios have increased in sub-Pupil/teacher ratios have increased in sub-Saharan Africa and in South and West Asia Saharan Africa and in South and West Asia since 1999. since 1999.

Eighteen million new primary school Eighteen million new primary school teachers are needed worldwide to reach teachers are needed worldwide to reach universal primary education by 2015. universal primary education by 2015.

Many governments are hiring contract Many governments are hiring contract teachers to save costs and rapidly teachers to save costs and rapidly increase the teaching force, but where increase the teaching force, but where such teachers lack adequate training and such teachers lack adequate training and service conditions, this practice could have service conditions, this practice could have a negative impact on quality in the future.a negative impact on quality in the future.

Education for All by 2015Education for All by 2015Will we make it?Will we make it?

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Early ChildhoodEarly Childhood Primary EducationPrimary Education Secondary Technical Secondary Technical

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