Education – why is half the world late for school?

Oxfam believes every single child – that means girls as well as boys – has the right to a free, good-quality primary education. Why? Because school helps children develop the skills they need to make themselves heard in the world, to make positive changes in their lives, and finally break free from poverty.

Yet basic education in poor countries is in crisis.

• 72 million children are out of school (over two-thirds are girls)
• 771 million adults worldwide are illiterate (64 per cent are women)
• Two million new teachers are needed today to provide kids with a decent education – and 15 million will be needed by 2015 to achieve education for all

The reasons children miss school vary, but the main one is poverty. School fees, uniforms and books amount to more than many parents can afford. Communities may not have the money to run a school – or children may simply live too far from one.

And girls are losing out the most.

The explanation for girls’ exclusion isn’t simple, but different cultural values often mean boys get priority when it comes to education. Girls may also be kept home to help with childcare, may be working, or may not have the same freedom of movement as boys.

Whatever the reasons, poverty and inequality only worsen when girls miss school.

Understanding the enormous challenge of getting every child a primary education, Oxfam works in different ways, at different levels, with different allies, in a broad worldwide programme.

Sometimes we help people buy bricks and mortar to build a school, and then equip it. Or we might support people as they demand from governments what is rightfully theirs.

For example, in the village of Baazing, in Ghana, people were struggling to get a bigger school. Oxfam decided to support a local organisation, PRONET, which had already helped many poor children get an education – and backed their work helping villagers to call for government action.

Many delegations and meetings later, the community got the new school it needed.

Development projects like this are vital to getting more children into school. But getting education for all means influencing decision-makers, and changing policies too. So Oxfam also lobbies and campaigns on several fronts to achieve its aims.

An active member of the Global Campaign for Education, we work with community groups, local non-governmental organisations, and other allies, to help local, national, regional and international efforts to improve education.

Working this way, Oxfam tries to influence funding and push for better access to schools – particularly to ensure that girls benefit as much as boys.

And we lobby for specific changes too, through powerful initiatives like our Health and Education campaign. Oxfam wants world leaders to deliver aid to train two million new teachers for poor countries – a move that would help a whole generation learn the skills they need to beat poverty.

Will you join us?

Learn more

• Education in depth
• Oxfam's Health and Education campaign
• Global Campaign for Education