Education in developing countries
How do developing countries handle education amid the most pressing daily challenges posed by economic pressures and threats to security, law and order?
Certainly there are more serious problems to face, but it is significant to note that education is not forgotten. For many, it remains the best way to overcome hardship and poverty. As difficult as it may be, it is still considered the key to a better life.
Among developing countries classified as “emerging markets,” it is not surprising to see world-class educational institutions offering an education that can rival that offered by the richest nations around the world. These include countries such as Mexico, India, Brazil, Turkey, the Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, much of South America, and several of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.
Unfortunately, although world-class education is readily available, it is still out of reach for a significant portion of the population in these countries.
At the lower end of the economic scale, it is not surprising to see a low view of the importance of education, as parents tend to prioritize their children’s ability to earn money over the long-term benefits of education. But studies have shown that when poor families reach a certain economic threshold where their basic needs are met, their next priority is to send their children to school. Their next concern is usually where to give their children a decent education, as many public schools have low educational standards, which is understandable considering that teachers are often paid much less than in other similar professions. On the other hand, when they find a school that they like, they have to move heaven and earth to get their children into that school due to low acceptance rates.
There are encouraging trends. For example, India has launched EDUSAT, an educational satellite that can reach most of the country at a very low cost. There are also initiatives to develop a $ 100 laptop to make available to most students in late 2006 or 2007 to provide their children with a digital education. Africa has also launched an “e-school program” to provide 600,000 primary and secondary schools with computer equipment, learning materials and Internet access within 10 years. Other countries have similar initiatives along the same lines.