$10 billion could buy universal schooling...

[marmar]

Published on Wednesday, September 13, 2006 by the Inter Press Service
10 Billion Dollars Could Buy Universal Schooling
by Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON - More than 43 million children living in conflict-affected countries are not able to attend school, according to a new report released Tuesday by the International Save the Children Alliance, which called on donor countries and multilateral agencies to commit 5.8 billion dollars a year to address the problem.

The 48-page report, which was released here and in 39 other countries worldwide, said only 30 percent of total foreign aid earmarked for education in the world's 63 poorest countries -- the vast majority in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia -- went to the 30 countries affected by or emerging from regional or internal conflicts.

Among the countries with the highest percentages of non-enrollment are Afghanistan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sudan, and Uganda, according to the report, entitled "Rewrite the Future".

"Today the majority of victims from war are civilians, not soldiers, and those left destitute are mostly children," said Charlie MacCormack president of the U.S. chapter of Save the Children. "The world cannot stand by, leaving these children without education and without hope or opportunity, in some cases for generations."

The group stressed that, without schools, children were far more susceptible to recruitment by armies and militias or other forms of exploitation.

The report was released just days before next week's annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, which takes place this year in Singapore.

The Bank, whose current lending portfolio includes 8.4 billion dollars for education, has increased its lending for primary education in recent years as part of its Education for All Fast Track Initiative.

The rest is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0913-03.htm

[seriousstan]

1. 10 billion couldn't pay for the security for schools in these places.

Afghanistan, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Pakistan, Sudan, and Uganda. You really think these places are going to let secular schools teach their children and especially their girls? What a crock.

[U4ikLefty]

2. Sounds like a job for the UN. n/t

[seriousstan]

4. Exactly how many troops can the U.N. get to Sudan?

They have no troops of their own and other countries are not willing to send their troops to die.

[marmar]

3. But you've got to start somewhere...

Education is the only thing that's going to end that cycle.

[seriousstan]

5. No, you have to start intelligently, otherwise the money is lost

and so is the desire to continue the effort. If they can't promise security, they can't succeed.

[marmar]

7. Well, what's your suggestion?

:shrug:

[seriousstan]

9. Start smaller and work your way to larger projects.

You also have to realize that some places may never be a reasonable risk in the near future. Sad but true.

[SammyWinstonJack]

6. Sickening,isn't it? Imagine what all the money spend on bombing

and occupying an innocent country could have bought. Sickening indeed.

[Massacure]

8. Isn't schooling something you fund rather than buy?

One more reason to spend the $10 billion, eh? ;)

[hughee99]

10. If I recall correctly...

The New York State education budget is somewhere around 15-20 billion. I certainly don't oppose the goal, but it sounds like 10 billion is not going to get the job done.