SOC 202-01
February 27, 2011
Meeting Goals
This article is a positive story, but highlights several problems in education. Bangladesh has made good progress toward meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals. They have increased school enrollment over thirty percent in the past eleven years. They are also enrolling more girls, and have more female teachers. These are encouraging things to hear, but problems still stand. Many families in Bangladesh cannot afford to send their children to school, so food incentives must be offered. Another problem is that “Disadvantaged children - such as children with disabilities or from ethnic minorities…” are often excluded from school. Poorly trained teachers are common, and result in lessons that are mostly memorization and do not teach practical life skills. Students are not able to spend the time needed in school so they go to school for more years and repeat grades often. Finally, sanitation is a large concern. With a ratio of “150 pupils for every toilet” and wells that may contain arsenic, enrollment is clearly not the only issue in schooling.
Unfortunately, Bangladesh is not alone in its problems. The MDGs reach for more enrollment and gender equal enrollment, but there are many other issues to be tackled after those hurdles are met. In many countries parents depend on their children to contribute to the income of today to stay alive. Though an education will bring in significantly more money in the future, it does not help feed the family now. Countries have to offer subsidies to encourage parents to give up the needed child labor in turn for the children’s education. Prejudices are another global social problem that effects education. Disadvantaged children or those with differences are often left out of education. Though Americans believe education is a right of everyone, this is certainly not the case everywhere. I have read of many countries in need of adequate teachers and facilities as a main concern. If the staff and facilities are not available, I do not see how the education institution will fare well. Though the MDGs being met are encouraging, there are many issues still standing strong.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8587387.stm
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