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Suggested Citation: Satya, B. and Satya J. (2003). World Education Today. Retreived from http://www.truefeeling.com/education.htm

World Education Today
Around one in five of world's population is illiterate! Can you believe that? Education is one of the most important needs that this world has to fulfil in order to become a better place. Not only does it lead to personal enrichment but also provides opportunities for the disadvantaged to create more viable social and economic sectors for themselves and their communities.

At the outset of the 21st century, there were still an estimated 880 million adults who couldn't read or write in the world; two-thirds of whom were women. Estimated 113 million children of primary school-age are not attending school! (Lievesley & Motivan, 2000). These figures are scarrrry. Can we cope with this human-educational deficit? As per projections made by UNDEP, it is a slow process but not impossible. May be a more vigorous effort is required to bridge this widening gap. According to the projections collated by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, a steady fall in the number of illiterate adults from 22.4 percent of the world's population in 1995 to 20.3 percent in 2000 has occurred. On current trends, the Institute estimates that it could drop to 16.5 percent by 2010. However, on present trends, more than 70 other countries will not make this change (EFA).

Are we spending enough for improving the current situation? The annual worldwide education spending is estimated today at US$1,000 billion, with a "market" of some one billion students worldwide. Where is the money going? Is it being channelized mostly to the pre-existing good education systems in the developed nations or funding the development of new education systems in the developing nations? Under the circumstances of poor government funding for education, private education is paving roads in the developed and developing worlds - an estimated 40% of education spending in Chile, Peru, the Philippines and Thailand is privately funded.

Four out of every ten primary-age children in sub-Saharan Africa do not go to school according to a new report from UNESCO's Institute of Statistics (2002). Of those who do go to school, the report finds that only a small proportion reach a basic level of skills. Poverty, HIV-AIDS, war, civil conflicts and high population growth are major hurdles for all governments and populations throughout the region.

What is being done? Governments are recognizing the crucial role of education in development; enhancing the capacities of institutions and education personnel; and extending access and increasing equity while improving the quality and relevance of education.

Quality education means more than the recruitment of well-qualified teachers, it means better reaching-out programs, bigger funds/resources, efficient technology integration, promoting innovation and above all the zealous leadership to fight for this fundamental right.

Resources:
UNESCO, Institute of Statistics. 2003. Retreived from: http://www.uis.unesco.org
EFA. (2002). Global Monitory Report, 2002: Is the World on Track?
     Retreived from: http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/monitoring/monitoring_2002.shtml
Lievesley, D. and A. Motivans. (2000). Taking Literacy Seriously. UIS Electronic Newsletter.
     Retreived from: http://www.uis.unesco.org/en/news/news_p/news8.htm
EdSource Online. (2003). Adopted mid-year cuts for the 2002-03 Education Budget. EdSource Online.
     Retreived from: http://www.edsource.org/sch_adj_bud.cfm
UIS. (2002). Education remains inaccessible for millions of African children. UIS Electronic Newsletter.
     Retreived from http://www.uis.unesco.org/en/news/news_p/news15.htm


(SatyaBhavna :: What we feel about a few truths!)

	WORLD ISSUES
Education must, then, be not only a transmission of culture but also a provider of alternative views of the world and a strengthener of the will to explore them. (Jerome S. Bruner, 1961)	WORLD ISSUES
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Suggested Citation: Satya, B. and Satya J. (2003). World Education Today. Retreived from http://www.truefeeling.com/education.htm World Education Today Around one in five of world's population is illiterate! Can you believe that? Education is one of the most important needs that this world has to fulfil in order to become a better place. Not only does it lead to personal enrichment but also provides opportunities for the disadvantaged to create more viable social and economic sectors for themselves and their communities. At the outset of the 21st century, there were still an estimated 880 million adults who couldn't read or write in the world; two-thirds of whom were women. Estimated 113 million children of primary school-age are not attending school! (Lievesley & Motivan, 2000). These figures are scarrrry. Can we cope with this human-educational deficit? As per projections made by UNDEP, it is a slow process but not impossible. May be a more vigorous effort is required to bridge this widening gap. According to the projections collated by the UNESCO Institute for Statistics, a steady fall in the number of illiterate adults from 22.4 percent of the world's population in 1995 to 20.3 percent in 2000 has occurred. On current trends, the Institute estimates that it could drop to 16.5 percent by 2010. However, on present trends, more than 70 other countries will not make this change (EFA). Are we spending enough for improving the current situation? The annual worldwide education spending is estimated today at US$1,000 billion, with a "market" of some one billion students worldwide. Where is the money going? Is it being channelized mostly to the pre-existing good education systems in the developed nations or funding the development of new education systems in the developing nations? Under the circumstances of poor government funding for education, private education is paving roads in the developed and developing worlds - an estimated 40% of education spending in Chile, Peru, the Philippines and Thailand is privately funded. Four out of every ten primary-age children in sub-Saharan Africa do not go to school according to a new report from UNESCO's Institute of Statistics (2002). Of those who do go to school, the report finds that only a small proportion reach a basic level of skills. Poverty, HIV-AIDS, war, civil conflicts and high population growth are major hurdles for all governments and populations throughout the region. What is being done? Governments are recognizing the crucial role of education in development; enhancing the capacities of institutions and education personnel; and extending access and increasing equity while improving the quality and relevance of education. Quality education means more than the recruitment of well-qualified teachers, it means better reaching-out programs, bigger funds/resources, efficient technology integration, promoting innovation and above all the zealous leadership to fight for this fundamental right. Resources: UNESCO, Institute of Statistics. 2003. Retreived from: http://www.uis.unesco.org EFA. (2002). Global Monitory Report, 2002: Is the World on Track? Retreived from: http://www.unesco.org/education/efa/monitoring/monitoring_2002.shtml Lievesley, D. and A. Motivans. (2000). Taking Literacy Seriously. UIS Electronic Newsletter. Retreived from: http://www.uis.unesco.org/en/news/news_p/news8.htm EdSource Online. (2003). Adopted mid-year cuts for the 2002-03 Education Budget. EdSource Online. Retreived from: http://www.edsource.org/sch_adj_bud.cfm UIS. (2002). Education remains inaccessible for millions of African children. UIS Electronic Newsletter. Retreived from http://www.uis.unesco.org/en/news/news_p/news15.htm Organizations/Programs: UNESCO: Education for All LAMP: The Literacy Assessment and Monitoring Programme IBE: International Bureau of Education World Education Organization Dates: International Literacy Day: September 8 Universal Children's Day: November 20
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