Reaching the marginalized: EFA global monitoring report, 2010; 2010

001CHAPTER 22Education for All Global Monitoring ReportSince 1999,sub-SaharanAfrica and Southand West Asiahave increasednet enrolmentratios at fivetimes and threetimes the rateof the 1990s,respectivelyFor all its limitations, the net enrolment ratio isuseful in providing an average picture of progressover time. That picture has been positive sincethe Dakar forum. Most developing countries thatstarted the current decade a long way fromuniversal primary enrolment have made significantstrides (Table 2.2). Since 1999, sub-Saharan Africaand South and West Asia have increased netenrolment ratios at five times and three timesthe rate of the 1990s, respectively, reaching 73%and 86% in 2007. However, regional aggregatesinevitably mask large intraregional differences.Sub-Saharan Africa has a particularly wide rangeof net enrolment ratios, from 31% in Liberia to 98%in Madagascar and the United Republic of Tanzania.In the Arab States, the spread extends from lessthan 45% in Djibouti to 75% in Yemen and over 95%in Bahrain and Egypt (Annex, Statistical Table 5).Progress on enrolment has been unevenGlobal progress towards universal net enrolmentmasks a more complex picture. Countries aremoving forwards at different rates, some are notmoving – and others are moving backwards.Figure 2.15 provides a summary progress report.Some countries have achieved extraordinaryadvances. The United Republic of Tanzania raisedits net enrolment ratio from around 50% in 1999to 98% in 2006. Madagascar, Nicaragua and Zambiahave also broken through the 90% thresholdtowards universal primary enrolment. Benin startedout in 1999 with one of the world’s lowest netenrolment ratios and could now be on track foruniversal primary enrolment by 2015. As theeducation system expands, however, the challengeof extending opportunities to populations that arehard to reach will intensify (Box 2.6). Some of thecountries furthest from breaking through the 90%barrier towards universal net enrolment havenonetheless moved a long way, including BurkinaFaso, Ethiopia and the Niger.Past net enrolment trends provide a limitedindicator of the potential for countries to achieveuniversal primary completion. As Figure 2.15demonstrates, very rapid progress on netenrolment is possible. However, countries withcurrent net enrolment ratios of less than 75% facevery steep challenges. Ensuring that all primaryschool age children progress through theeducation system is even more challenging,especially when schools are dealing with a largebacklog of over-age children.Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa havetailored their ambitions to current circumstances.Burkina Faso’s original goal of attaining universalTable 2.2: Primary enrolment by region, 1999 and 2007Total enrolmentNet enrolment ratios Gender parity in primary 1WorldDeveloping countriesDeveloped countriesCountries in transitionSub-Saharan AfricaArab StatesCentral AsiaEast Asia and the PacificEast AsiaPacificSouth and West AsiaLatin America and the CaribbeanCaribbeanLatin AmericaNorth America and Western EuropeCentral and Eastern EuropeSchool year ending in School year ending in School year ending in199920071999 2007 19992007(millions)(%) (F/M)646 694 82 87 0.92 0.96559 615 80 86 0.91 0.9570 66 97 96 1.00 1.0016 13 88 91 0.99 0.9982 124 56 73 0.85 0.9035 41 78 84 0.87 0.907 6 88 92 0.99 0.98218 191 96 94 0.99 0.99214 188 96 94 0.99 0.993 3 90 84 0.97 0.97155 192 74 86 0.84 0.9570 68 92 93 0.97 0.973 2 75 72 0.98 0.9968 66 93 94 0.97 0.9653 51 97 95 1.01 1.0026 21 91 92 0.96 0.981. Gender parity in primary education is measured by the gender parity index of gross enrolment ratios. See annex for details.Source: Annex, Statistical Table 5.62