Africa’s education crisis demands the urgent attention of political leaders and their aid partners. The target of universal primary education by 2015 is likely to be missed by a wide margin, leaving millions of children out of school. Meanwhile, many of the children in school are receiving an education of such poor quality that they are learning very little.
Africa also has some of the world’s most glaring education inequalities. All too often, children who are born poor, female, or in rural or conflict-affected regions, face extreme disadvantage in education.
When all children have an equal chance to obtain quality education, learning drives economic growth, fuels innovation and creates jobs. It equips countries – and people – with the skills they need to escape from poverty and build shared prosperity. It enables people to build more secure livelihoods, enjoy better health and participate in political processes that affect their lives.Education is the key to unlocking the golden door of freedom for all in Africa. It is the bedrock of social and economic development. The quality of education that children receive is affected to a very large degree by the supporting environment. This environment includes the access to essential learning materials - books and school supplies. Consequently, we regularly focus our efforts on strengthening schools as we realize that this is a great way to ensure that kids receive a better education.
Providing quality education to children reflects the fact that every child is entitled to fundamental human rights and is to be treated with dignity. Where children are exposed to poverty, violence, abuse, or exploitation, those rights demand our urgent protection.