Policy > The Challenge of Universal Primary Education - Summary

About The Challenge of Universal Primary Education - Summary

This paper is a contribution to dialogue and action on how to achieve Universal Primary Education and the elimination of gender disparities in schooling.

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Target statement

The elimination of poverty and progress towards sustainable development will only take place with increased and improved levels of education.

What are the targets?

The Millennium Development Goals for education are:

To ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling.
To eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education preferably by 2005 and to all levels of education no later than 2015

Why are the targets important?

Education is at the heart of development. Education enables people to use and extend their capabilities, develop skills and improve their livelihoods.

The process by which education can effect such changes are complex. It must involve a learning process which develops not only literacy and numeracy, but also life skills and the capacity to think and to reflect. Education should encourage initiative, flexibility and adaptability, the personal qualities which are conducive to greater empowerment, behavioural change and access to a wider range of livelihood opportunities.

Are the targets achievable?

The important message is that all governments can afford UPE if they choose to give it priority - no country seriously committed to Education for All will be thwarted for lack of resources

How will progress be measured?

There are three main indicators for achieving UPE by 2015:

• Net enrolment rate of 99% by 2015
• Completion rates of 99% by 2015
• Literacy rates of 15-24 year olds of 100% by 2015

Defining the challenge

Achieving the targets: the scale and geography of the challenge

The challenge of Universal Primary Education is greatest in Sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia, with a combined total of 87 million out-of -school children. Whereas declining fertility rates in China, means a reduced school population for the South East and East Asia. In Latin America and the Caribbean the main issue is the slow expansion of secondary education.

Barriers to UPE and gender equality

Poverty heightens educational disadvantage
Gender inequality results in widespread educational disadvantage
Social exclusion denies the possibility of UPE
HIV/AIDS is a serious threat to sustainable progress in education
Conflict threatens educational development

Meeting the challenge

Priorities for governments, civil society and the International Community

Practical experience has shown that countries that have concentrated on the following areas have made good progress with the Education MDGs.

Priority 1: Ensuring strong government commitment including increased resources for primary education
Priority 2: Making primary education free
Priority 3: Ensuring commitment to gender equality
Priority 4: Ensuring the access and inclusion of all children
Priority 5: Understanding and strengthening the demand for education
Priority 6: Improving quality
Priority 7: Developing an integrated, sector-wide approach to primary education
Priority 8: Taking action on HIV/AIDS
Priority 9: Harnessing technology
Priority 10:Responding to conflict and preparing for reconstruction
Priority 11: Increased development resources and new and more effective ways of deploying them
Priority 12: Promoting information and knowledge

Priorities for DFID

DFID aims to meet the Education MDGs according to a three fold strategy:

• Promoting international commitment and action
• Well - targeted country programmes
• Knowledge and research strategies

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