In Kenya, two girls complete a survey form from an interview with a child who does not attend school. They’re hoping to find out the reasons why some children in their area don’t get an education as part of the 'Let's Go to School' campaign.
UNICEF/ HQ04-0338/Mariella Furrer
Education is a right for all children - in fact the right to primary education has been made article 28 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. What’s more, education is key to overcoming some of the major global threats to children, such as poverty and HIV and AIDS.
Giving all children a primary school education by 2015 is one of the Milliennium Development Goals. But there’s a long, long way to go. Around the world, currently 115 million children do not attend school.
Why is education such a big deal?
Education is a priority because it is such a powerful tool for change. It can teach young people about their rights, and help them to make sure those rights are respected. It gives young people the power to make choices and the confidence to take advantage of opportunities. It gives them the skills and knowledge they need to make a better life for themselves, their families and their communities.
Education can also help children beat poverty and hunger and give them the knowledge they need to improve their own health. It can teach young people how to protect themselves from HIV and AIDS; it can break down prejudices, promote equality and show children how to look after their environment. It is absolutely vital therefore that all children get an education.
What’s getting in the way?
There are lots of reasons why children don’t go to school, but poverty is the main culprit, combined with discrimination and emergencies, such as conflicts.
Poverty means that many children have to work instead of going to school, or that families can’t afford school fees or uniforms. It can mean, if there’s no clean water nearby, that children – mostly girls – are too busy walking long distances to collect water for the family to have time to go to school. Emergencies like famines, wars or natural disasters also get in the way as it might simply be too dangerous for children to attend school. Children may have to leave homes and schools behind and become refugees: just one in ten refugee girls go to school.
Another problem keeping children out of school is discrimination. Nine million more girls than boys miss out on education every year because some cultures still place greater importance on boys being educated than girls. In addition, of the 120-150 million children in the world who have disabilities, just 2 per cent are thought to be in education.
How UNICEF helps
UNICEF aims to get every child into school, so they are equipped with the basic tools they need to succeed in later life, and can break out of situations of poverty. For example, in 2007 UNICEF provided education kits and supplies for over 12 million children worldwide. In addition to this, as part of it's work to give every girl and boy their right to an education, UNICEF has been working to increase girls’ enrolment in primary school in countries where rates are particularly low. And since the 2004 Tsunami in South East Asia, UNICEF has helped build 67 permanent schools for children to attend.
Further issues