The U.N. Millennium Development Goals have a strong focus on ensuring that by 2015, children everywhere will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. As we approach deadline it appears that the global target for achieving Universal Primary education may not be achieved, but nevertheless, there has been significant progress in many counties. In my own country, Ghana, enrollment of children in primary school has increased to almost 84 percent from below 61 percent in 1999.
I am excited about our progress, which marks a significant change. But as we educate more young people in the basics of reading, writing and counting, I can’t help but wonder if these skills will be enough help them begin to better their lives and develop their country in an increasingly complex and competitive world.
We may be teaching more young people, but are we educating them?
Having a literate population is but a very small step…