Education Issues Affecting

Development
By the end of the lesson, I will be able to:

• Describe the education issues which affect some African countries.

• Explain why education issues cause under-development.
Starter
I love school!
What do you think is
the best thing about
school?
What are the benefits
of education?
Education, Education, Education
Education transforms lives.
A society without a good standard of education will become
a breeding ground for intolerance and violence.
It is no coincidence that some of the most educated
countries (such as in Europe) are also the most peaceful.
Unfortunately the provision of good quality education
around the world is mixed. On average someone in the UK
will be in education for 13 years of their life.
This is similar for many advanced economies where high
levels of education have helped the country become
developed. In contrast the average level of schooling in
Africa is around 5 years.
Why is education important?
Countries that do not or have not prioritised the education of their
population are holding back their nations development.
This is because the higher levels of education someone has the
more likely they are to be employed in a well-paid job and be
healthier. This benefits the country as they will contribute more in
tax receipts which can be invested in services and creates jobs.
Being healthier means that they will have less need for a health
services thus reducing costs for the society.
Higher levels of education will also grow the number of businesses
created which will create more jobs which will again help the
country develop.
Consequences of Education Issues
If a country’s
population is not
properly educated,
what problems do you
think this will cause?
What are the main education issues?
Poor quality education
One cause for education issues is the lack of
good quality for education in many African
countries.
The teachers are often unqualified with few
teaching aids and poor textbook provision.
Classrooms are inadequate or overcrowded. In
Malawi, for example, there are 130 children per
classroom in grade 1 on average
GDP spending is low and may not be targeted.
This has resulted in 35 million children in sub-
Saharan Africa missing out on school
completely.
Impact of poor quality education
An uneducated, illiterate society is one of the
biggest causes of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.
Without an education, individuals are forced to
work in low-skill, low-paying jobs, that will not
allow them to have a decent standard of living.
This also has the knock-on effect of less
spending on services such as health,
infrastructure, and of course, education.
In the Central African Republic, primary
education rates are at 72%, however secondary
education rates fall sharply to 7%. This has an
affect on earnings as it has one of the lowest
GNI per capita rates at $370.
Mr Cridge’s Notes – Poor quality
education
• Poor education is a leading cause of under-development in Africa.
• Education is key to a prosperous country and development.
• One reason for poor education is poor quality resources 
untrained teachers, overcrowded classrooms, lack of resources.
• A poorly educated country has a knock on effect  low skill, low-
paying jobs  lack of investment in services, including education.
• Central African Republic  72% primary level schooling but just 7%
secondary level  low GNI per capita at $370
Gender Inequality
Women are the group which suffers most from
education inequalities.
Traditional gender roles are more entrenched in
African countries than in the UK.
Girls are less likely to attend school and are more
likely to drop out than boys.
In sub-Saharan Africa, 23% of all girls compared to
19% of all boys are out of primary school.
The poorest girls face the most extreme barriers,
which get even worse with higher education levels.
Fewer than seven of the poorest girls attend for every
ten of the poorest boys at upper secondary level.
Impact of gender inequality
Often families would prioritise education and
school attendance for boys over girls
expecting daughters to stay at home to care
for family members and help with household
duties.
This has resulted in a global imbalance where
women are less educated than men. Many
would argue how can a country truly develop
if it holds back half of its population.
The World Bank estimates that not educating
girls over their lifetime could cost the
developing world between $15-$30 trillion.
Share of primary school-age girls out of school compared
to boys (2018)
Mr Cridge’s Notes – Gender inequality
• Girls and women more likely to experience inequalities in
education.
• Girls more likely to not be educated  In sub-Saharan Africa, 23%
of all girls compared to 19% of all boys are out of primary school.
• Barriers include poverty, child marriage and early pregnancy, long-
distance to school, ‘traditional roles’, lack of suitable facilities for
girls.
•Families may prioritise the education of boys over girls  The
World Bank estimates that not educating girls over their lifetime
could cost the developing world between $15-$30 trillion.
How to write a PEEREEL on education?
For a PEEREEL on education issues as a cause of
underdevelopment, you should compare poor quality
education and gender inequality.
• You should first of all write about poor quality education and
why it has caused under-development. Make sure you include
an example to support your answer.
• Your rebuttal should then be on gender inequality and why
this has caused under-development. Again, include an
example.
• Have an overall evaluation the extent education issues have
caused under-development.
The Brain Drain
Those who attain a high level of education in
Africa often choose to emigrate to more
prosperous countries to find work and have a
better standard of living.
This is called the ‘Brain Drain’.

Effects of the Brain Drain

The Brain Drain
A 2013 UN report shows that 2.9 million Africans with a
tertiary education were living in developed countries. This
is a 50% growth in the last decade, more than any other
region in the world.
30-40% of doctors trained in Kenya leave the country once
qualified.
However, not every country suffers from significant Brain
Drain.
Rwanda has been able to not only retain their best and
brightest but also attract international talent.
According to the World Bank, those who do move abroad
sent a total of $33 billion back their country of origin in
2014, with some countries like Liberia being dependent on
their remittances.
Improving Women’s Education
However, targeted programmes and interventions
can lead to an increase in female attendance in
school.
In Burkina Faso, a programme targeting provinces
with the lowest enrolment rates combined school
construction with other interventions, including
mentoring, daily school meals and take-home food
rations. Female attendance increased by 20%, with
reduced distance to school reportedly one of the
most important factors.
Women who receive an education are more likely to
become entrepreneurs, invest in their
communities and empower other women.
Task
Collect a copy of the UNESCO Fact Sheet “Reducing global
poverty through universal primary and secondary
education”.
In groups, read through the document and highlight
evidence of education issues, successes and challenges.
This document covers the whole world, so make sure you
are looking for sub-Saharan African examples.