Education: Privilege or Right?
Words from a NetAid Leader
 | As August draws to a close, many students throughout the piedmont triad and surrounding areas of North Carolina will be going back to school. In just a few weeks, we will all be back in the groove of things—attending classes, going to club meetings, and maybe even attending an occasional football game or two. Unfortunately this year, like ones before it, more than 100 million children around the globe will not have the opportunity to attend school. That's more than double the number of children who go to school in the U.S. Furthermore, three-fifths of children who are out of school are girls. Girls are less likely to get an education or stay in school than boys for many reasons, including discrimination and household duties. |
In the past, world leaders have acknowledged the importance of education and have committed themselves to investing in it. In 2000, 189 countries agreed to ensure access for education for all children by 2015. This September, as my friends and I get settled into another year of school, these leaders will come together to evaluate their progress. With more than 100 million children who still do not have the chance to go to school, they have their work cut out for them.
This is a pressing issue that nobody can afford to ignore. Education teaches people much more than how to read, write and think, it also promotes the economic growth of less developed countries. No country in history has ever created sustained economic growth without also attaining near universal basic education. Countries with better developed economies are not only less dependant on foreign aid, but they also provide new markets for American businesses. Therefore, it is in our interest to invest in education.
As the future leaders of America, we are sending world leaders a unified message that they should keep their promise and ensure that all children worldwide have the chance to attend school. This will require greater dedication and commitment on the part of developed countries. In North Carolina, where I live, the average cost of education per student a year is over $ 6,970. In poor countries, it can be less than $40. At the present time, for every $100 of income generated in the U.S., we only give 16 cents in development aid. Norway gives $1.02.
Through the Netaid Global Citizen Corps, a program that educates, inspires and empowers young people to fight global poverty, I am working with a team of students from around the country to mobilize schools and communities to lobby for global primary education. On the five year anniversary of the MDGs, we are calling on world leaders to give a full account of why we are falling short of the targets and asking what we have to do to get back on track.
This isn’t a one-time affair. Throughout the year, we will be working in our schools and communities to raise awareness about global poverty and what we can do to change it. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against global poverty.
Desirae, a NetAid Global Citizen Corps Leader who participated in NetAid's summer summit to train young poverty-fighters, is a high school senior in North Carolina. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue university studies in political science and international relations.
