The poorest children can learn to read and write...
In the UK we take for granted our children's right to education. For us the biggest issue is access to the best schools. But how would we feel if there was no schooling at all?
In parts of Africa and South Asia over 45 million school-age children are not enrolled in primary school and 175 million are denied access to secondary school. Without access to education there is little chance of reducing inequality.
At the Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (CREATE) we are studying the causes of exclusion from education and identifying strategies that will enable and maintain access to basic education for all children in low-income countries. Our analysis will help identify how best to reduce exclusion.
At CREATE our aim is to ensure secure enrolment and regular attendance, progression through grades and meaningful learning. By helping to reduce educational exclusion we may help reduce poverty.
Reaching out to the poorest: researching access to education
In sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia over 45 million school-age children are not enrolled in primary schools and 175 million are denied access to secondary education. At least as many again attend irregularly and fail to reach and sustain basic levels of literacy and numeracy. In sub-Saharan Africa children from the richest households have, on average, more than 11 times the chance of reaching grade 9 than those from the poorest households. Girls are especially disadvantaged.
Access to basic education lies at the heart of development. Prolonged access is critical to long-term improvements in productivity, the breaking of intergenerational cycles of poverty, preventive healthcare, the empowerment of women, and reductions in inequality.
The Department for International Development is supporting the Consortium for Research on Educational Access, Transitions and Equity (CREATE). It undertakes research on the patterns and causes of exclusion, and seeks to identify strategies to reach and maintain universal access to basic education in poor countries. Its analyses will help identify how best to reduce exclusion.
CREATE sees exclusion from education as having multiple and far-reaching consequences. We have identified 'zones of vulnerability' to describe the various places where children are included, excluded, or are at risk. Significant numbers never attend school because of location, extreme poverty, health status, and the circumstances of fragile states.
Much greater numbers are excluded after initial enrolment and fail to complete primary schooling. Among those enrolled many experience 'silent exclusion', characterised by poor attendance, low achievement, and social marginalisation. Yet more fail to make the transition to secondary school.
CREATE's vision includes secure enrolment and regular attendance; progression through grades at appropriate ages; meaningful learning; and reasonable transition into lower secondary schools. Cohorts of those at risk are being tracked in schools and at the community level in India, Bangladesh, Ghana and South Africa. This will generate more evidence-based policy and help shape practice to reduce exclusion. We will examine the reasons why so many children fail to acquire literacy and numeracy skills and explore how, by including those who were once excluded, we can help to reduce poverty.
