Why Kids Aren't Getting The Education They Deserve

According to UNESCO, 264 million children around the world have no access to school. Approximately 61 million children aged 6 to 11 years old will not receive an elementary education. An astounding 142 million kids aged 15 to 17 years old do not have access to upper secondary/ high school education.

Every child deserves an education; unfortunately, children around the world are not given an opportunity to attend school. Although the Indian government has made laws stating that an elementary education is compulsory for all children, many children in remote, poverty-stricken villages do not attend school. There are numerous reasons for lack of schooling in rural communities, including poverty, hunger, a lack of schools, and a lack of quality teachers.

Gender and Education

Third world countries have extremely defined gender roles. The males are considered superior while the females are considered a lower class. Sex inequality (the belief that females are not important and do not need an education) is one of the primary reasons that very few females are provided with the opportunity to attend school. Instead of getting the opportunity to attend school, females are made to stay home and care for their younger sisters and brothers while their parents.

Poverty and Education

Extreme poverty prevents many children from attending school. As soon as children are old enough to help, many children are forced to help their parents work in the fields during planting and harvesting seasons. Other children, typically females, must stay home and care for the younger children while the rest of the family are working in the field.

Lack of Schools

India is one of the poorest countries and does not have adequate resources to create public schools. Providing school materials and teachers for rural villages is almost impossible. Therefore, many children in rural areas do not have the opportunity to attend school. Additionally, the weather, lack of transportation, and rough terrain in India prevent children from reaching a school.

Low Value Placed on Education

Remote areas concentrate on finding food and having a livelihood rather than focusing on the merits of an education. Children are never taught the importance or value of an education. Instead, they are molded from a very young age to work and provide for their family.

Forced Child Labor

More than 300 million kids aged 5 to 17 are employed worldwide. Many families are more concerned with providing food, water, and shelter for their family rather than ensuring their children get an education. Many young females are forced into prostitution or married off at a young age, which means they are not given an opportunity to attend school.

Hunger and Education

Hunger is a global issue that affects a child’s ability to receive an education. Malnutrition in children creates a learning crisis. In order to function properly and learn, the brain must be nourished. When hunger reigns supreme, learning difficulties and behavioral issues can arise. Furthermore, there is an increased risk of health issues. These issues can affect a child’s ability to learn and can increase the number of days a student is absent throughout the school year.

Teachers Unable to Teach

Teachers in rural communities are unable to effectively teach due to the high student to teacher ratios. Many schools have one teacher for the entire school. The teacher often spends more time tending the children rather than actually teaching the children. When teachers are able to teach, they must cover a variety of subjects on a variety of grade levels at the same time, which can cause students to struggle to understand the classroom materials.

All kids deserve the opportunity to receive an education. Unfortunately, many children do not get the chance to receive a quality education. Factors such as poverty, hunger, rural locations, child labor, and classroom size prevent children from getting the education that they deserve.

Working with governments to develop curriculum to ensure the success of children, providing educational materials, and hiring enough teachers for each school is necessary for the success of school aged children. Each of us should work together and showcase the importance of an education. When countries and families begin understanding how an education can change a generation, poverty and hunger will be obliterated.