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A new international study by UNESCO reports that millions of children not only continue to live in poverty, but have fewer opportunities presented to them due to inequalities in education that continue to go unaddressed by governments across the world.
Report findings
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published the 2009 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, Overcoming inequality: Why governance matters. The report examines progress towards important education goals:
- early childhood development
- universal primary education
- gender equality
- literacy and good quality education.
UNESCO has reported a huge difference in educational opportunities between rich and poor countries:
- One in three children in developing countries suffer from malnutrition, to a degree that has impaired brain development and put them at a distinct disadvantage by the time they reach primary school age.
- 75 million children of primary school age are not attending school.
- More children from rich countries complete university than children in sub-Saharan Africa complete primary education.
Other disadvantages contributing to the state of inequality include gender, language, race, ethnicity and rural–urban differences.
In the report, UNESCO states that political indifference is primarily responsible for the persistent inequality in world education levels, but also lists weak domestic policies and the failure of aid donors to honour commitments as contributing factors.
Recommendations
While the UNESCO report found some positive improvements in some of the poorer countries, the organisation is concerned that, without drastic action, the degree of inequality will continue to increase.
UNESCO's Director-General Koichiro Matsuura said:
'When financial systems fail, the consequences are highly visible and governments act. When education systems fail the consequences are less visible, but no less real.
'Unequal opportunities for education fuel poverty, hunger, and child mortality, and reduce prospects for economic growth. That is why governments must act with a greater sense of urgency.'
The central message of the UNESCO report is that governments need to prioritise fairness and social justice, and focus more on tackling inequality.
The report provides a range of policies that could remedy extreme inequality, including removing all fees for basic education, increased public investment, incentives for marginalised groups, and a greater commitment to quality.
Read UNESCO's Global Monitoring Report 2009.
Read the UNESCO media release, 'Inequality undermining education opportunities for millions of children' (PDF).
Further reading
Read these related news items on the Early Childhood Australia website:
Read these related links from Early Childhood Australia's Supporting Best Practice web directory:
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