Church World Service joins over 100 organizations in calling for a US Presidential Initiative on basic education in developing countries

Girls attending school in Afghanistan. Photo: Chris Herlinger/CWS

More than 100 million children in the world's poorest countries do not attend school. This translates into a greater social vulnerability for these children, less access to employment opportunities, and weakened economic growth and democratic stability in the communities where these children live.

The lack of access to education especially impacts girls. Education – especially for girls – can significantly reduce HIV infection rates. The Global Campaign for Education estimates that if all children received a primary education, as many as 700,000 cases of HIV could be prevented each year.

Clearly, the world is not doing enough to ensure that all children are able to access a free, quality education, and is not on track to achieve the Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015. U.S. leadership is essential if the world is to reach this goal.

With increases in both bilateral and multilateral aid through the Education for All Fast Track Initiative, the U.S. could encourage more developing nations to come forward with strong plans for free, quality education. The U.S. should especially seek to provide timely support to nations that eliminate school fees, in order to ensure that they have the resources they need to expand enrollment and seek widespread reforms without a dramatic rise in class size and a fall in quality.

Jesus rebuked those who kept the children from coming to him to receive his healing and teaching (Mark 10:13-16). In a letter to the President dated January 9, 2006 Church World Service joined over 100 organizations asking President Bush to “put ll the world’s children in school.”