Rural Education in Developing Countries

Wanna Leka

Addis Ababa University

Objective

The major objective of this presentation is to outline briefly about

rural education in developing countries

1. Introduction

Demographic trends indicate that by the year 2030 the World Population will reach 8.4 billion. When this figure is further disaggregated, the developing countries will contribute about 86% of the population growth of the year 2030. The majority of the world population by the year 2030 will also be still rural (55% of the total population) mainly in developing countries. However, except for Africa and Oceania, the rural population is expected to decline in all areas between 2000 and 2030.

Introduction (contd.)

Table 1: Rural Population Trends by Region and Development Group 1950-2030

Ru. Pop(bill.) 1950 2030

World 1.77 3.90

Developed regions 0.37 0.21

Less developed 1.40 3.08

2. Defining Rural Areas In an effort to better capture the concept of rurality some authors used a multi-criteria approach, defining rural areas as:• A space where human settlement and

infrastructure occupy only a small share of the

landscape;•Natural environment dominated by pastures,

forests, mountains and deserts;

Definition (Contd.)

• Settlements of low density (about 5-10,000

persons);• Places where most people work on farms;• Prevalence of poverty;• The availability of land at a relatively low

cost; and a place where activities are

affected by a high transaction cost,

associated with long distance from cities

and poor infrastructures.

Fig.1. Who are the poor? Small farmers

Pastoralists

Artisan/fishermen

Landless people

Castes/tribes

Female headed households

Displaced people

3. Educational Objectives of Most Developing Countries

•To provide universal primary education;

•To develop manpower to promote

economic growth and

•To provide some measure of equal

opportunity for those groups previously

disadvantaged economically and

educationally.

4. Suggested Education for Rural Population

1. Basic general education

embracing:

• Literacy and

• Numeracy

2. Family improvement education

3. Civic, community/improvement education

4. Occupational/Vocational education

5. Millennium Development Goals

1. Reduce by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty between 1990 and 2015 and reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from hunger;

2. Enroll all children in primary school by 2015;

3. Make progress towards gender equality and empowering women by eliminating gender disparities in primary and secondary education by 2005;

4. Reduce infant and child mortality rates by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015;

Millennium Development Goals (Contd)

5. Reduce maternal mortality ratios by three-

quarters between 1990 and 2015;

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other

diseases;

7.Implement national strategies for

sustainable development by 2005 so as to

reverse the loss of environmental resources

by 2015.

8.Develop a global partnership for

development.

6. EFA GOALS

1. Expand early childhood care and education

2. Free and compulsory education of good quality

3. Promote the acquisition of life skills by adolescents and youth

4. Expand adult literacy

5. Eliminate gender disparity

6. Enhance educational quality

7. Barriers to Universalize Primary Education

1. task complexity

2. economic determinants

3. socio-cultural barrier

4. Demographic and geographic determinants

5. school inefficiency

6. legitimacy gap

8. Recommendations • Effective policies and practices of

governments; • Community mobilization• Diversify funding sources;• Alternative approaches to the delivery of

education;• Integrate primary education with other

development activities;• Bring more rural girls to school;• Evaluate programs periodically.