Why Millions of Children are Still Out of School
There are currently more than 264 million children who spend their days outside of a traditional classroom setting. While this number is growing, the reasons why children remain out of school are noteworthy because of the negative effects it has on their individual futures. A lack of education can lead to a life of poverty and limited economic opportunities, perpetuating the cycle from one generation to the next. This article explores why millions of children still find themselves without access to education, despite the presence of universal access to education in many countries.
The Barriers to School Enrollment
There are a number of reasons why many of the world’s children are still not in school. To better understand why this situation persists, examine the primary barriers to enrolling:
- Financial Constraints
Economic hardship is perhaps the most prominent factor preventing children from attending school. World Bank data suggests that low-income countries face the greatest difficulties in providing access to basic services to their large populations. Without the resources, many families cannot send all of their children to school, instead relying on the income provided by their children’s labor to get by.
- Lack of School Availability
In some cases, a lack of physical access to schools can prevent children from attending. This can be due to both a lack of adequate resources for the current population and for the distance required to get to a school. Many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, face these challenges, as much of the population is rural and lives far from cities, towns and even other villages.
- Language and Cultural Challenges
In some cases, barriers to education are rooted in cultural and linguistic differences. Many countries have districts or regions where a majority of the population speaks a language native to that region and not widely spoken outside of it. This can limit the ability of children in these areas to attend school, with language being a barrier to both understanding the instruction and access to education itself.
- Political Instability
Conflict and instability in certain parts of the world can prevent children from accessing education. Research indicates that more than 130 million children live in countries impacted by conflict. This can manifest as issues in the educational infrastructure itself or by hampering a family’s access or ability to send their children to school.
Impacts of Low Education Levels
The cycle of poverty and inequality starts with a lack of access or inability to attend school. The effects of this are felt throughout both the individual’s life, but often through the generations that follow.
- Poor Health Outcomes
Those who lack access to education often suffer from poor health outcomes. This is particularly true in developing countries, where a lack of education and access to health care play a role in why life expectancy is 5.3 years lower than in developed countries.
- Poor Economic Performance
The World Bank data also indicates that poor countries spend 8% of their GDP on education, with 1.9% of this going towards the poorest countries. This means that the best investment a country can make is in educating its population, which leads to increased productivity, improved economic performance and higher wages.
- Limited Opportunities
Without an education, children are likely to remain mired in poverty. This means that fewer opportunities will be available to them, driving them to become increasingly desperate. The World Bank’s data also suggests that lack of education has a direct correlation to poverty and low economic mobility.
- Loss of Rights
Not having access to an education can also mean a lack of rights. Put simply, those without the knowledge from schooling will struggle to understand and stand up and fight for the rights to which they are entitled. This stems both from a lack of understanding about the rights themselves, as well as a lack of understanding about how to combat injustice.
Solutions for Increasing Enrollment
Given the impact of not being in school, there are several potential solutions that can be used to increase enrollment and global literacy rates.
- Increase Expenditures
In order to make advances in increasing enrollment, countries need to dedicate greater financial resources to education. This could mean finding efficiency and effectiveness within existing educational systems or increased financial aid for educational opportunities.
- Education City Networks
These targeted networks focus on connecting disparate populations with their own educational programs and resources. These networks could provide schools, libraries, and other educational facilities that serve a specific population.
- Increase Awareness
The inability to access and understand the importance of an education can be a major hindrance. This means it is important to create campaigns that are tailored to a specific population or region to make families more aware about the opportunities available to them. This could be through grassroots campaigns or through increased media coverage.
- Teaming with the Private Sector
In some cases, the private sector may be able to play an important role in increased access to education. This could mean creating partnerships between governments and businesses to create resources or sponsor learning initiatives.
The issue of why millions of children are still not in school is a complex problem with a variety of contributing issues and solutions. Resources are needed to help educate the population and make access more equal. Education is fundamental to improving the quality of life, reducing poverty, and creating a more equitable society. With greater access to education, the future of many children will have more promising opportunities and outcomes.
