Achieving Education for All: Demographic Challenges

The 1990 World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien reaffirmed the commitment of countries to meet basic learning needs of all children, youths and adults. Specific goals, in the light of which countries agreed to establish national targets, included universal access to and completion of basic education by the year 2000 and the reduction of adult illiteracy, with specific emphasis on eliminating gender disparities in educational opportunities. However, problems of economic stagnation, continued population growth and economic and social disparities both among and within nations have posed various challenges to making this a reality. A decade has passed since Jomtien. What progress has been accomplished towards the goal of education for all? Is it possible to quantify the impact of demography on public policy, particularly on education? To what extent did policies directed towards universal access to primary education, the elimination of gender gaps and increasing net primary school enrolment ratios succeed in overcoming the challenges of population dynamics and resource constraints? Which policies have been the most effective and what can countries learn from the experience of others? This paper examines what has been accomplished and what remains to be done, first from a global perspective and then with a focus on the less developed regions where the demographic transition is still underway and where universal basic education is still far from reality. Changes in enrolment ratios, literacy rates, gender disparities, public investment in education, as well as shortages in educational provision and inadequate conditions of learning are considered against the backdrop of demographic changes. Regional figures, however, hide considerable variations within regions and even within countries, masking important differences in policies. In order to detect these variations, the situation of individual countries is presented for some specific issues. The relative success of national policies in meeting EFA goals is also examined through a comparison of the E-9 countrie