Monday, May 7, 2018

30 million children at the age of 5-14 are currently left out of school

South Asia is currently home to more than 10 million out-of-school children, who should be able to attend primary level and 20 million out-of-school children at secondary level. 
"While impressive strides have been made in achieving universal primary education, we have a learning crisis in South Asia with only about half of primary-aged children receiving education with minimum learning standards," according to regional director for UNICEF South Asia Jean Gough.
"We need much greater investment and increased quality education for girls and boys alike, if we hope to see the next generation reach their full potential," Gough said, adding that many countries in South Asia though have prioritised education and have achieved commendable gains in getting children into school, significant challenges remain.
Only 69 per cent of children have access to early childhood education and only a quarter of young people leave school with the secondary skills they need. The growing skills gap will stunt economic growth, with far-reaching social and political repercussions.  Unless urgent action is taken, the region will fall short of meeting the Education Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on education and learning for millions of children and youth by 2030.
Facing an urgent need to tackle the learning crisis across South Asia, education ministers, senior officials from finance and planning, international education experts, development partners and civil society are gathering in Kathmandu this week to discuss what can be done to accelerate progress towards giving all children the opportunity to go to school and receive a quality education.
Co-hosted by United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity (the Education Commission), the three-day high level conference will include participants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
"The Education Commission is proud to co-host this important gathering of countries in South Asia to share experiences of education reform and learn together about new ways to tackle the shared challenge," UN special envoy for Global Education and Education Commission’s chair Gordon Brown, said, adding that it’s time to make education a priority and it’s encouraging to see leaders committing to champion education through increased investment and reform. "It is possible to get all young people in school and learning within a generation. Let’s work together to make this a reality."
In 2016, the Education Commission launched The Learning Generation: Investing in education for a changing world report with an action plan for the largest expansion of educational opportunity in history. Drawing on new research from more than 300 partners in 105 countries, the report highlights an ever-worsening learning crisis that, if left unaddressed, will leave half of the world’s 1.6 billion children and youth out of school or failing to learn by 2030.
UNICEF is joining hands with the Commission and working with governments and partners to accelerate progress in education and increase financing for the sector giving priority to those children most at risk of being excluded from learning.
“There is no better path to stronger economies – more peaceful countries – than investment in every child’s right to an education,” said executive director of UNICEF Henrietta H Fore, on the occasion.

1 comment:

Nilisha Sinha said...

Your determination of point is great and furthermore well written.Thank you for offering this data to all.
Godrej Meridien