10:58
nantaporn
In April 2000, in a wave of new millennium optimism, world leaders promised to deliver something at the beginning of the 21st Century that in many developed countries had been taken for granted by the end of the 19th Century:
Primary education for all children.
This basic gap was going to be fixed within 15 years, so that by April 2015, the unacceptable position of millions of children never even beginning school would be consigned to history.
This was one of six Education for All pledges, which included targets such as girls having equal access to learning, and a halving of adult illiteracy.
Kofi Annan, UN secretary-general at the time, said that getting this completed by 2015 would be the "test of all of us who call ourselves the international community".
Well, here were are in their future.
How many of the pledges were fulfilled? None of them.
Initial optimism
Unesco's Global Monitoring Report, which painstakingly tracked the progress, saw an initial surge of improvement.
But the optimism of the window that opened at the end of the Cold War gave way to the anxiety of 9/11 and then the austerity of the financial crash.
The final evaluation shows substantial progress, particularly in parts of Asia, but there are still 58 million children missing primary school, 100 million who do not complete primary school and 250 million who have schools of such poor quality that they leave unable to read a single sentence.
The obstacles that have confounded countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, have been lack of funding, lack of political will, a willingness to tolerate extreme poverty alongside extreme wealth, a rising population and the relentless destabilisation of conflict and war.
The six Education for All targets were:
- Expand early childhood care and education Achieved by 47% of countries, two thirds more children in early-years education compared with 1999
- Universal primary education Achieved by 52% of countries
- Equal access to learning There is universal enrolment in lower secondary school in 46% of countries. But in low-income countries, one in three youngsters will not complete lower secondary school.
- Adult illiteracy cut by 50% Only one in four countries achieved this goal. In sub-Saharan Africa, half of women remain illiterate.
- Gender parity In 69% of countries there is gender parity in access to primary school; at secondary level, 48% of countries.
- Improve the quality of education The pupil-teacher ratio has improved in more than three in four countries. But to achieve universal primary education would require an extra four million teachers.
On a more practical level, it's hard to run a school system without a reliable way of training and paying teachers, and when schools lack basic services such as electricity and sanitation.
The lack of access to education is not evenly spread. Poor girls, rural families and children from groups who are discriminated against, all end up more likely to miss out on school.
A lack of fairness within countries has been a barrier, as well as the differences between high and low-income countries.
All the evidence shows that for individuals, as for entire countries, the quality of education is often the key factor deciding the places in the global economic food chain.
And millions of youngsters never get a chance to get off the bottom.
What's possible
There is going to be another milestone world gathering next month to decide another set of targets for 2030.
And the choice of location in South Korea is a signpost to how much a country can improve its education system in a short space of time.
It shows what can be possible. And it's perhaps worth thinking about what else has arrived since the education pledges were made in April 2000.
YouTube, the iPhone, Facebook, hybrid cars, 3D printing, Twitter, the Mars rover, Wikipedia, China's and India's space programmes, mobile broadband, Skype and mapping the human genome.
Unlike building primary schools, somehow these all proved possible.
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^-^ Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 (T4.5) STF Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera
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* Leica 21mm/ f1.4 ASPH (S8)
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~ Leica 21mm/ f1.4 ASPH (S8)
^^ Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO HSM Lens with UV CPL FLD ND4 and +10 Macro Filters for Pentax K-S1 K-500 ...
^-^ Canon EOS 70D 20.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with Dual Pixel CMOS AF Full HD 1080p Video (Body) + SanDisk Ultra 32...
Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Model B01N)
#1 Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM FLD AF Ultra Wide Zoom Lens for APS-C sized Nikon Digital DSLR Camera
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~ AF 100mm f/2.8 AT-X M100 Pro D Macro Lens - Canon Mount
++ Sony Alpha E-Mount 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Zoom Lens with Sony Case + 32GB Card + 2 NP-FW50 Batteries + 3 Filters...
* Samsung NX 12-24mm f/4.0-5.6 Camera Lens (Black)
^^ Pentax 21977 DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens for Pentax Digital SLR cameras (Discontinued by Manufacturer...
$ Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
^^ Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M Aspherical Manual Focus Lens (11891)
^^ Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Discontinued by Manufacturer)
~ Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR AF-S NIKKOR Lens for Nikon Digital SLRs
~ Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar T ZF.2 Series Manual Focus Lens for the Nikon F (AI-S) Bayonet SLR System
^^ Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
$ Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 Distagon T ZF.2 Series Manual Focus Lens for Nikon F Bayonet SLR System
~ Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS EF Telephoto Zoom Lens USM (White Box) Bulk Packaging
^^ Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D ED-IF AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
#1 Sony SAL70200G2 Camera Lenses
Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX ED AF-S Nikkor-Zoom Lens with 3-UV/FLD/CPL Filters Accessory Kit
^^ Tokina AF 10-17mm for 3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 DX Lens - Nikon Mount
#1 Tokina AT-X 100mm f/2.8 PRO D Macro Lens for Canon EOS Digital and Film Cameras
$ Sigma 150-500mm F/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Autofocus Lens For Canon EOS Lens Kit Bundle
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@# Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM AF Standard Zoom Lens for Sony Digital SLR Cameras
Samyang Cine SYCV35-C 35mm T1.5 Aspherical Wide Angle Cine Lens for Canon VDSLR
^-^ SMC Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4
~ Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
* Olympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable...
!~ Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Model A001P)
Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens for Canon EF-M Mount Compact System Cameras (Black) (RK12M-M)
^^ Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM SLD Ultra Telephoto Zoom Lens for Sony Digital DSLR Camera
Rokinon Super-Fast T1.5 Cine 3 Lens Kit - 35mm + 24mm + 85mm for Canon + Protective Photography Hard Case + Accessory...
#1 Sigma 150-500mm F/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Autofocus Lens For Nikon Lens Kit Bundle
^-^ Nikon 1 NIKKOR 32mm f/1.2 (Silver)
~ Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens for Minolta and Sony Digital SLR Cameras
^^ Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 AF-II Super-Wide Lens for Sony Alpha Digital Cameras
$ Sony SAL-135F28 135mm f/2.8 (T4.5) STF Telephoto Lens for Sony Alpha Digital SLR Camera
^^ Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
* Sigma 210205 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Lens for Sony APS-C DSLRs (Black)
!~ Sony SAL-50F14Z Carl Zeiss Planar T 50mm F1.4 ZA Fixed Lens
^^ Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZF.2 Series Lens for Nikon F Mount SLR Cameras
!~ Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM II Macro Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Leica 21mm/ f1.4 ASPH (S8)
* Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO HSM Lens with UV CPL FLD ND4 and +10 Macro Filters for Pentax K-S1 K-500 ...
@# Leica 21mm/ f1.4 ASPH (S8)
!~ Sigma 18-250mm f3.5-6.3 DC MACRO HSM Lens with UV CPL FLD ND4 and +10 Macro Filters for Pentax K-S1 K-500 ...
^^ Canon EOS 70D 20.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with Dual Pixel CMOS AF Full HD 1080p Video (Body) + SanDisk Ultra 32...
Tamron AF 180mm f/3.5 Di SP A/M FEC LD (IF) 1:1 Macro Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras (Model B01N)
@# Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM FLD AF Ultra Wide Zoom Lens for APS-C sized Nikon Digital DSLR Camera
++ Samyang Cine SYCV14M-C 14mm T3.1 Cine Wide Angle Lens for Canon
@# Sony SEL2870 FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS Lens Black for Sony NEX A7 A7R Camera
~ Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZF.2 Series Lens for Nikon F Mount SLR Cameras
AF 100mm f/2.8 AT-X M100 Pro D Macro Lens - Canon Mount
@# Sony Alpha E-Mount 55-210mm f/4.5-6.3 OSS Zoom Lens with Sony Case + 32GB Card + 2 NP-FW50 Batteries + 3 Filters...
* Samsung NX 12-24mm f/4.0-5.6 Camera Lens (Black)
^-^ Pentax 21977 DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR Lens for Pentax Digital SLR cameras (Discontinued by Manufacturer...
^^ Olympus 50mm f/2.0 Telephoto Macro ED Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
++ Leica 50mm f/1.4 Summilux-M Aspherical Manual Focus Lens (11891)
^-^ Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Discontinued by Manufacturer)
~ Nikon 800mm f/5.6E FL ED VR AF-S NIKKOR Lens for Nikon Digital SLRs
!~ Zeiss 50mm f/1.4 Planar T ZF.2 Series Manual Focus Lens for the Nikon F (AI-S) Bayonet SLR System
* Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
#1 Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 Distagon T ZF.2 Series Manual Focus Lens for Nikon F Bayonet SLR System
~ Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS EF Telephoto Zoom Lens USM (White Box) Bulk Packaging
!~ Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5D ED-IF AF Zoom Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Sony SAL70200G2 Camera Lenses
@# Nikon 18-300mm f/3.5-5.6G VR DX ED AF-S Nikkor-Zoom Lens with 3-UV/FLD/CPL Filters Accessory Kit
* Tokina AF 10-17mm for 3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 DX Lens - Nikon Mount
* Tokina AT-X 100mm f/2.8 PRO D Macro Lens for Canon EOS Digital and Film Cameras
^^ Sigma 150-500mm F/5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM Autofocus Lens For Canon EOS Lens Kit Bundle
++ Rokinon CV24M-NEX 24mm t1.5 Wide Angle Lens for Sony E-Mount (NEX) with De-Clicked Aperture and Follow Focus Compatibility...
~ Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x
$ Voigtlander M 50mm f/1.5 Nokton Aspherical Lens - Leica M Mount Lens - Black
!~ Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM AF Standard Zoom Lens for Sony Digital SLR Cameras
~ Samyang Cine SYCV35-C 35mm T1.5 Aspherical Wide Angle Cine Lens for Canon VDSLR
* SMC Pentax FA 50mm f/1.4
$ Leica 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M ASPH
@# Olympus M ED 9-18mm f/4.0-5.6 micro Four Thirds Lens for Olympus and Panasonic Micro Four Third Interchangeable...
~ Tamron AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD IF Macro Lens for Pentax and Samsung Digital SLR Cameras (Model A001P)
^^ Rokinon 12mm F2.0 NCS CS Ultra Wide Angle Lens for Canon EF-M Mount Compact System Cameras (Black) (RK12M-M)
