Education and the MDGs

The role of education in the global village is largely seen and summarised in the total achievement and advancement towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is in every aspect of these goals that education is seen as a stepping stone and moreover, a refuge in adversity. As highly proven, education opens doors to jobs and credit and thus help lif people from poverty. Recent UN reports suggest that every additional year of schooling can lift average annual GDP of any country b 0.37%. The importance of education is in its ability to equip people with knowledge and skills needed to increase income and expand employment opportunities.

Noteworthy, is the fact and truth that equal education for both boys and girls is the foundation for development. It is paramount to note that there can be no other catalyst to development of any nation than education of women and girls, thus the saying “Educate the girl child, educate the nation”. This is largely bent on promoting gender equality and empowering women. Statistics have however shown a disparity in the number of girls who are out of school as some 54% of the world’s out-of-school children are girls. Nonetheless, in many countries to cite Bangladesh, India and Nepal among others, several million more girls are attending school and girls’ access to education has improved from the year 2000.

In achievement of goal 2 of the MDGs, Botswana has walked the talk as every child has the right to go to school. Policies have been put in place to ensure there is universal, free primary education in the country. In definition, the MDG report states universal primary education as involving entering school at an appropriate age, progressing through the system and completing a full cycle. According to a UNICEF report on the education status in 2011, primary school enrolments have increased dramatically in sub-Saharan Africa as well as in South and West Asia. It however reflects that there are around 72 million children still out of school and nearly half of these live in sub-Saharan Africa. This shows how many governments are neglecting the “education poor” and thus all children who are being left behind should be reached.

By being a pivotal point to every aspect of life, education is an important tool as it ensures that nations develop, economies are built and individuals are alleviated from poverty. It thus should be viewed rather as a basic necessity rather than a luxury for the poor as it is the basis on which all things happen.