Achieve universal primary education (MDGs’ progress & related research from PIK)

This blog-post shows positive effects and remained concerns of one of the MDGs’ eight goals, ‘Achieve universal primary education’ (1). This also includes research from Pamoja Imani Kenya which relate to the concern.

MDG #2
Achieve universal primary education

Progress

• In 2011, 57 million children of primary school age were out of school, down from 102 million in 2000.

• More than half of these out-of school children live in sub-Saharan Africa.

Concerns

• 123 million youth (aged 15 to 24) lack basic reading and writing skills; 61 per cent of them are young women.

Related research from PIK

• Despite the fact that primary school fee is exempted by the Kenyan government, many of mother members’ children are out from schools, due to their parents not being able to buy school materials (text, note books & stationeries).

• Many of mother members’ children are also helping house works for whole days in stead of attending schools.

1  United Nations, Millennium Development Goals website: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/; United Nations Development Programme website:  http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/mdgoverview.html