Education
Girls from Kenya benefit from a USAID-supported program to mentor and guide girls as they transition from high school to college to careers. Photo: Global Give Back Circle
Investments in education reap benefits across all segments of society. Education equips people with the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to and grow their local economy. It also enables and empowers individuals to actively participate in democratic processes and have their voices heard in government. Education is an important way of teaching people how to protect and improve their own health, as well as that of their families and communities. Education also has a powerful effect on both preventing and mitigating conflict, as individuals become better able to understand different points of view and alternate methods of resolving disagreements.
African countries face many challenges in delivering high-quality education to its expanding populations. Facilities are often substandard and difficult to reach. Many teachers lack the training necessary to be effective, and are typically overwhelmed by crowded schools, which in many cases have no electricity or running water. With nearly three out of four Africans living in poverty, the cost of schooling is out of reach or a serious hardship for most families, and cultural beliefs and early marriages often discourage girls from attending and remaining in school. At the same time, nearly a third (35 million) of primary school-aged children are not in school, and the rates are even higher in conflict-affected settings such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia.
Despite the enormous challenges, major gains have been made in the past decade across Africa to increase access to education and close the gender gap.
- Since 1999, primary school enrollment has risen by 27 percent in sub-Saharan Africa, and girls' enrollment has risen by 30 percent remarkable progress, given that the population of youth is rapidly growing.
- Since 2004, USAID has provided nearly 500,000 scholarships to girls and vulnerable boys and worked in coordination with local organizations to develop and deliver over 20 million culturally appropriate textbooks.
- USAID programs have also addressed other barriers to school attendance by supplying schools with clean water, electricity, and toilets as well as providing girls with sanitary products.
- Millions of children have gained literacy and math skills through USAID's interactive radio instruction programs, and many others are using USAID-provided e-readers, computers, and MP3 players to access important content. New technology is also being used to help teachers learn, apply, and evaluate their use of current educational methods.
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