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'Africa needs more teachers'
27/11/2006 17:34 - (SA)
Dakar - Sub-Saharan Africa counted 38 million unschooled children in 2004, according to an education report presented on Monday in Dakar by the United Nations cultural, scientific and educational agency (Unesco).
"Sub-Saharan Africa remains home to half of the world's out-of-school children, although their number fell from 43 million to 38 million during 1999-2004," said the report, indicating more than half of them are girls.
Michelle Neuman, Unesco adviser on early childhood care and education, also told delegates at the presentation of the African regional report that "80% of unschooled children live in rural areas".
One critical problem, she said, was the shortage of good teachers. "Africa needs more trained teachers and must recruit 1.6 million teachers - it is an enormous challenge," she said.
More chances of success
The 2007 Unesco report focused in particular on early childhood education, which it described as the "poor stepchild" of the educational process.
Programmes targeting early childhood - combining education, nutrition, vaccination, health, hygiene and protection - "are cost-effective investments," said Neuman.
"Children who have a pre-school - three to six years old - education have more chances of succeeding during their primary school years. It is also a way of reducing social inequities," she said, adding that only 12% of African children are enrolled in nursery school.
Neuman regretted that early childhood is "not a priority for donors" and for many African governments.
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