Education is a fundamental human right. It is also a doctrine in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights from the United Nations that states that elementary education should be free for students globally. The United Nations also holds that higher education should be accessible to everyone.
According to the United Nations, 244 million children around the world are not in school, and 617 million children cannot read or do basic math. Young refugees are especially impacted by a lack of education, since schools in their home countries may close or they have to flee to another country with their families. For instance, armed conflicts in countries with unrest and violence have a devastating impact on student education.
There are several factors that influence the lack of education opportunities globally. One problem is the lack of funding for education. Many countries simply don’t have the financial resources to provide adequate schooling.
In some places in the world, there are no schools with classrooms to support learning. For instance, only 10% of students in Somalia go to school because it has the least functional school system in the world, according to The Guardian. The Guardian also notes that around the world, nearly 70 million children are prevented from going to school each day.
Another problem is a lack of learning materials. Basic learning materials are needed to foster learning, but some countries are unable to afford books or similar products.
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The Need for Parental Support for Education
Insufficient parental involvement is yet another problem in education around the world. If a child’s parents did not receive an education, it is unlikely that they will encourage education for their children because they don’t have an understanding of its importance.
A lack of education in children prohibits children from seeing the world beyond their circumstances. If a child is not given hope of a better future and does not learn the skills needed to be a productive member society, poverty is likely to prevail.
Why Some Countries Lack Qualified Teachers
A lack of qualified teachers is another problem. Often, people who are in a position to teach are illiterate and lack the knowledge to teach others basic math and language skills.
Sometimes, insufficient motivation results in a lack of teachers. According to Humanium, additional factors such as poverty, not enough funding and illness contribute to the lack of qualified teachers.
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Solutions to the Global Education Problem
The answer to the global education problem is multifaceted. Fortunately, international organizations are taking a proactive approach in addressing this problem.
For example, organizations such as UNESCO, the Global Partnership for Education, the World Bank, the United Nations, and the U.S. Agency for International Development have made major strides with developing countries to improve their education systems. For instance, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) works with over 50 countries to promote education.
According to USAID, the COVID-19 pandemic devastated education systems globally. However, it has:
- Provided over 24 million children in these 50 countries with access to education
- Trained over 300,000 educators
- Assisted over 93,000 public and private schools globally
Encouraging impoverished countries to place an emphasis on education is critically important. To fix the global education problem, money alone is not the solution. Technology is essential in delivering modern content to schools around the world and putting the right teachers in classrooms is equally essential.
An international public-private partnership is needed to foster educational programs for children. Businesses and other community stakeholders should provide support to bolster these educational programs.
Also, it will be useful to invest funds in programs that provide quality learning for teachers. Those programs will give instructors the tools to effectively deliver knowledge to their students and meet their students’ educational needs.
Governments have a responsibility to provide adequate schools and to pay teachers an adequate pay to encourage them to teach. International organizations can assist by providing computers and other technologies to help teachers provide quality education to their students.
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