Since 2000 enormous steps have been made towards achieving universal enrolment at primary education level. More girls are in school than ever before. Aid has supported effective national efforts in many countries. There is a ‘Dakar effect’ – evidence that working towards common education goals can strengthen countries to change individual lives.

The Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2008 – written midway between the landmark 2000 conference in Dakar, Senegal, and the 2015 target date – finds some reason to celebrate progress towards the six Education for All (EFA) goals. (See companion summary ‘the bad news’ for negative indicators).

Out of 129 countries with data, 51 have achieved or are close to achieving the four most quantifiable EFA goals (universal primary education, adult literacy, gender parity and quality of education). Primary school enrolment rose from 647 million to 688 million worldwide between 1999 and 2005, increasing by 36 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa and 22 per cent in South and West Asia. As a result, the number of out-of-school children dropped by 24 million to 72 million.

Many governments have introduced targeted strategies to reach the poorest children. A growing number are conducting national assessments to measure pupils’ learning achievement: valuable evidence for improving education quality. Compulsory education laws now exist in 95 per cent of nations. Education is an essential feature of many of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs) developed by low-income countries.

Between 1999 and 2005, seventeen additional countries achieved gender parity in primary education, with equal numbers of boys and girls attending school. Nineteen reached parity at secondary level. As a result, gender parity in education was achieved in 63 per cent of countries at the primary level and 37 per cent at secondary in 2005. Survival rates to the last grade of primary school have improved in most countries with data.

Fourteen states have cash-transfer programmes and social-protection programmes with an education component. There are also fourteen in which tuition fees for primary school have been abolished since 2000, thus encouraging enrolment of the most disadvantaged children. In several countries where girls’ enrolment has increased sharply this is due to special measures to increase their participation: encouraging recruitment of female teachers, providing female toilets, scholarships, food and free provision of learning materials.

Among the ways in which innovative governments are promoting access are:

• targeting poorer regions and population groups
• setting up education cash-transfer programmes
• developing flexible models for working children and enforcing child labour legislation
• ensuring inclusive education for disabled children
• providing bilingual education for children from indigenous communities.

Among the ‘countries on the move’ selected for praise as examples of how national political will be combined with international support can make a difference are:

• Bangladesh: a bridging programme has made it easier for working children to re-enter the education system.
• Brazil: on track to provide early childhood programmes to half of those aged three and under.
• Eritrea and Rwanda: construction costs have been reduced by hiring local organisations to build classrooms to state guidelines.
• Ethiopia: the number of primary schools increased by 55 per cent in nine years.
• Guatemala: a school-based management programme has increased community involvement.
• Mexico: a compensatory programme has raised achievement in disadvantaged schools in indigenous communities.

Source(s):
‘Education For All By 2015. Will We Make It?’ by the EFA Global Monitoring Report Team, UNESCO and Oxford University Press, November 2007 Full document.

Funded by: Several bilateral donors and UNESCO

id21 Research Highlight: 19 December 2007

Further Information:
Cynthia Guttman
EFA Global Monitoring Report Team
UNESCO
7, Place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP, France

Tel: +33 (0)1 45 68 2128
Fax: +33 (0)1 45 68 5627
Contact the contributor: efareport@unesco.org  

EFA Global Monitoring Report Team, UNESCO, France

Other related links:
'Education for All by 2015: the bad news'

'Are governments and donors honouring EFA financial commitments?'

'Can aid meet Education for All goals?'

'Is the international community getting serious about EFA?'

'Some progress but Education for All can do better'

'Quality matters in education'