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Debt and Education - Learning for life
The right to education is contained within the United Nations Declaration
on Human Rights (1948) and the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child (1959). Articles 28 and 29 of the Convention require countries
to provide free, compulsory basic education. In 1990 at the World
Summit for Children, 159 countries agreed on goals for education
which included access to basic education for everyone and completion
of primary education by at least 80 per cent of primary age children
by the year 2000. The quality of that education was recognised to
be of fundamental importance at another conference also held in
1990 - Education for All - held in Jomtien,Thailand.
However, one billion people have entered the 21st century unable
to read or write. Some 880 million of these people are living in
the developing world. 125 million children never attend school;
two thirds of these are girls. 150 million children start primary
school but drop out before they learn to read or write. Sixteen
countries in sub-Saharan Africa have suffered a decline in enrolment
rates during the last decade. The world cannot afford such an enormous
waste of human potential.
The Structural Adjustment Programmes, (SAPs), of the International
Monetary Fund, (IMF), and the World Bank have had a very negative
impact on the education of millions of children in developing countries.
In 1999 Oxfam International reported on annual spending trends for
countries in sub-Saharan Africa undergoing SAPs. Out of 16 countries
surveyed, 12 cut public spending in education. Sub-Saharan Africa
is now a region with 47 million children out of school. If present
trends continue this figure will increase to 56 million by 2015.
User fees for education remain a component of many IMF and World
Bank programmes. Evidence has shown that this has a catastrophic
effect on the ability of people to access education. In Tanzania
the introduction of user fees for primary schools resulted in an
immediate decline in school attendance. In Ghana, 77 per cent of
the street children of Accra dropped out of school once user fees
were imposed (Financial Times, October 2000). The International
Financial Institutions must be prevented from imposing or encouraging
'user fees' for education in the developing world.
In Zambia, the amount spent on education has decreased whilst the
number of children out of school has increased to 600,000. Universal
primary education has become an even more elusive target than it
was a decade ago.
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Sophia's Choice
Sophia Mwape is 61 years old and a great grandmother.
She has lived in the sprawling settlement of Muambe,
on the outskirts of Mufilira in Zambia's Coppperbelt
for more than 25 years. Her home is a mud walled two-roomed
house, which she shares with her husband, two grandchildren,
and two great grandchildren. Sophia also feeds and takes
care of seven nephews and nieces. Only three of the
children attend school at the moment. Sophia wants to
send them all to school but it is just impossible.
"I can't afford to send all the children to school",
says Sophia. "Since my sister's husband died, I
have had to take care of my nieces and nephews as well
as my own children. I have to pay for school uniforms,
including shoes. The children are not allowed attend
school without shoes. Shoes cost about 12,000 kwacha
($5). I also have to pay school fees, which are set
by the head teacher at 5,000 kwacha ($2) per student
per term. And it does not stop there; I also have to
buy books and pencils. I just can't afford all those
things". School is very important," says Sophia.
"Children need to learn English as well as Bemba
(the local language) if they want to find work. I am
lucky; many people in Muambe could not even think of
sending one child to school".
The IMF: wrong diagnosis, wrong medicine,
Oxfam International, 1999
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In Indonesia, IMF programmes have affected the educational system.
In recent years school enrolments have decreased by close to five
per cent. This means that about 1.3 million children are being deprived
of education.
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Makmuns story
Makmun lives in East Jakarta in Indonesia. He is seven
years old. He desperately wants to learn to read and
write. He should be going to school. "He asks his
dad when he can go to school" his mother says,
"but we don't have the money". His father's
salary is not enough to cover all the families needs.
"I want both to feed the children properly, and
give them an education. One by one I hope they will
all go. School is important, but it is just one thing
I worry about" his father says. Makmun is being
denied the opportunities that education can bring; school
fees and the cost of uniforms, books and shoes are simply
out of reach for his family.
The IMF: wrong diagnosis, wrong medicine,
Oxfam International, 1999
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In April 2000 the World Education Forum was held in Dakar, Senegal.
It was hosted by the World Bank and United Nations agencies. Over
180 governments agreed to the Framework for Action, which committed
their countries to free, compulsory, quality education for all,
as well as the reduction of adult illiteracy by 50 per cent by the
2015. Countries in the developing world are committed to preparing
national plans of action by 2002. A promise has been made that no
country will be hampered in its efforts by lack of finance. However,
neither the time frame nor the sources of the $8 billion required
has been agreed. Still today the global initiative envisaged the
Framework for Action remains undeveloped. Meanwhile, in 1999 sub-Saharan
Africa spent $15.2 billion on debt repayments. (World Bank, Global
Development Finance, 2000).
Debt cancellation can help finance education for all. The Jubilee
campaign, among others, is determined to keep up the pressure on
political decision-makers in the struggle for global justice in
the new millennium.
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Questions/discussion starters:
What is stopping children in the developing world
from going to school?
If children cannot go to school, what will happen
to them in the future?
What is the effect on girls in the developing
world when there are user fees?
If girls in the developing world are denied access
to education, what effect will this have in the future;
on children, on food security, on communities?
How important is education in stopping the spread
of HIV/ AIDS in developing world?
What can we in Ireland do to ensure that the Dakar
Framework for Action becomes a reality?
What do you think are the results of the Irish
government's investment in education?
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Contributors:
Caroline Maxwell, Action Aid
Michael O'Brien, Oxfam Ireland
Contacts:
"ELIMU, Education is Life" campaign
ACTIONAID Ireland
Ph: 01 878 7662
Fax: 01 878 6245
Email: carolinemaxwell@actionaidireland.org
"Education NOW" campaign
OXFAM Ireland
Ph: 01 672 7662
Fax: 01 672 7680
Email: oxireland@oxfam.ie
Global Campaign for Education
Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Ph: 01 889 7746
Fax: 01 887 2012
Email: david.joyce@ictu.ie
Resources:
Aid and Education:the squandered opportunity
Oxfam International, April 2000
EducationNow: Break the Cycle of Poverty, Kevin Watkins
Oxfam International, 1999
Debt and Education
Oxfam International, 1999
The IMF: Wrong Diagnosis, Wrong Medicine
Oxfam International, 1999
Useful Websites:
www.oxfamireland.org
www.oneworld.org
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