LACK of access to education for school-age children is a major challenge in today’s world. Children who miss the opportunity to pursue education may face a lower quality of life, difficulties in finding jobs or starting businesses, a higher risk of making poor life choices, and various other social problems.
According to a press release issued by UNESCO, children in conflict areas around the world are missing out on vital learning opportunities. Those outside formal education systems often become targets for armed groups and recruitment. Globally, a total of 244 million children and teenagers are not enrolled in school or are unable to complete their education. Furthermore, UNESCO reports that 617 million adults remain illiterate. Internal conflicts, armed violence, and severe natural disasters are among the primary root causes of these educational gaps.
The 2019 interim census of Myanmar reported that the majority of students drop out of school after completing primary education. As a result, the number of students begins to decline from around age 12. By the time students complete middle school at age 14, the number drops significantly.
Among the many root causes, students miss learning opportunities due to financial hardship, poor health conditions, injuries, disabilities, the need to support their families financially, long distances between home and school, and difficulty keeping up with lessons.
According to the 2019 interim census, 8.1 per cent of the total population in Myanmar had never attended school. Among the 25.169 million people aged over 25, more than 900,000 had no formal education, accounting for 3.8 per cent. There were 12.83 million people with pre-primary and primary education (49.47 per cent), 5.46 million with middle school education (21.72 per cent), 3.34 million who had completed high school (13.3 per cent), and 2.68 million university graduates (11.47 per cent).
In fact, education is a fundamental need for individuals to navigate life successfully. Inclusive and accessible education is the strongest foundation for the sustainable development of society. People with higher levels of education tend to possess experience, knowledge, rational thinking, foresight, and wisdom—all of which are directly linked to the economic development of their families. As such, everybody needs to consider that education is the most powerful arm to reform the world and education can empower individuals, promote social progress, and foster positive change by equipping people with the skills, knowledge, and understanding they need to make informed decisions and contribute to a better society, according to Nelson Mandela.
