Worldwide, over 600 million children struggle to achieve basic proficiency in reading and mathematics, despite two-thirds being enrolled in school (UNICEF). Aspiring students around the globe are having their dreams denied by a lack of proper funding and poor governmental management. Without proper education, children are forced into the workforce, take up lives of crime, or face employment issues when adults. Education is crucial to the youth and is a human right, yet, as detailed in the 4th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), the right to an education is only satisfied once it can be considered a ‘quality’ education.
Scaling the Problem
The issue is borderless, a decreasing trend in youth intellectual development is occurring internationally. The worldwide average math score declined by an amount equivalent to about nine months of learning, and the reading average fell by an amount equivalent to 6 months (PBS). Even the U.S., a country credited for being the ‘most developed’ and having the highest GDP has been subject to these trends. Over 33% of 8th graders within the U.S. public school system could not meet basic skill levels on the 2024 NAEP test, a test used for academic performance measurement nationally (NYPost). This is far more pressing in areas of the world where poverty is deemed common, in many instances children are not even given an education or have an option to consider it. I have countless relatives in Albania who due to their remote location and low income are indirectly forced to abandon school and take up physical labor, as it is their only prospective life route. Millions of children worldwide have faced similar challenges, and millions are continually facing worse. Every government must not only recognize quality education as a human right but also act toward creating policies that limit its spread and eventually counteract the effects it has had on the youth.
Individual/Worldwide Effects
I have repeatedly emphasized the importance of a quality education by highlighting the effects of a poor education. But what exactly are these effects?
A poor education places heavy consequences on children, which stain them deep into adulthood. Poor academics are the root cause of a limited skill set, skills that are necessary for the workforce. Over the past two decades, there has been a 12 percent drop in youth employment, a trend fueled by the constant decrease in academic achievement (UNICEF). Youth unemployment itself is the catalyst of several long-term issues such as poverty, drug addiction, and hunger. Furthermore, unemployment due to a low-quality education severely limits future opportunities, as finding a job without a basic education or a diploma is nearly impossible. Youth violence holds a similar pattern. Haiti, a country that ranks 177th out of 186 countries in terms of education spending, has one of the most extensive gang violence problems, with 30-50% of the country's gang members being children (ServeHaiti & AP). School destruction and closers fuel the large influx of children into gangs, with a child having been quoted saying “ ‘I have to support myself, and they, the gangs, are the only option’ ” (The Guardian). Children are subject to committing or being victims of unspeakable crimes simply due to the underfunded education system, with school, being a financial burden for families due to its low quality of education.
Taking Action
The UN Joint SDG Fund has worked tirelessly toward accomplishing its fourth goal of ensuring equal and quality education for all, raising completion rates for all levels of schooling worldwide. Still, to effectively achieve this goal, every government must be held accountable for providing national funding for education. Making education free, effective, and accessible is the baseline standard of every government. Furthermore, establishing a curriculum that allows for career preparation and access to advanced technology is essential for preventing the negative effects detailed above. The human right to quality education can also be protected through smaller-scale steps, such as several NGOs like World Visions or Project Cicero, which are two examples of the hundreds of organizations worldwide that share this common goal. Governments must consider collaborating with these NGOs to enhance their effects and aid their national efforts to strengthen their respective education system. Denying a child access to education is the same as depriving them of the tools necessary to build a better future. It is through education that children discover themselves, build valuable skills, and find their potential. Just as nourishment sustains the body, education nourishes the mind, empowering children to break free from cycles of poverty and hardship. By ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn, we not only uplift individuals but also strengthen communities and create a more just and prosperous society for all.
