International Childs Access to

Education
Noah Toor
Ms. Aylesworth
May 19th, 2015

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface.1
Summary of Research Methods.......5
Background...............6
Expert: Kailash Satyarthi......10
Role of Control...13
Religion/Spirituality16
Logic of Evil.18
Case Study: Pakistan..20
Case Study: Somalia........25
Case Study: Tibet.....32
International Organizations.......35
Canadian Connections40
Solutions...43
Conclusion.46

Preface
A skill that all humans have developed, no matter the culture, religion or place of birth, is
the ability to learn. Learning is the skill that every human has continued to develop since the day
they were born. Since early childhood, babies begin to learn how to walk, talk, and analyze the
world around them. According to the Convention on the Rights of a Child [...] a child means
every human being below the age of eighteen years unless under the law applicable to the child,
majority is attained earlier.1 In Western societies, many children believe that their education is
forced upon them, that it is a burden they must carry from the beginning of their life. In
developing countries, children believe education is a privilege because not every child has the
opportunity to experience a formal education. Education is meant to create new opportunities,
not supposed to be thought of as a worthless burden. All children have rights and education is
one of them; however, many children are being denied this right. Children with a good education
are more likely to reach their full potential in life because they are exposed to so many different
opportunities that are made possible only through formal education. Educated children belong to
the population that will be paving the future of the world. This concept is illustrated in the
famous words said by Nelson Mandela: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can
use to change the world.2 This quotation symbolizes how important it is to educate youth.
Education means more than going to school and being taught how to read and write. Education
must be considered as an engine that fuels an approach to problem solving, understanding, and
decision making, and is therefore extremely powerful.
1

United Nations, (1989). Convention on Rights of the Child, Article 1. Available:

http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx

United Nations, (n.d). Education for Sustainable Development. Available:

http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-agenda/education-for-sustainabledevelopment/education-for-sustainable-development/

There are two types of education: formal and informal. Formal education refers to being
taught, by a teacher, to read and write in a structured environment. Informal education is learning
through life experience, and figuring something out without the guidance of a teacher. Children
should have access to both a formal education and informal education. All children become
informally educated somehow because all human beings have unique experiences and can soak
in all that they see. Unfortunately, not all children are formally educated. Formal education is
very important because teachers can act as great mentors for students and formal education
teaches children to be literate. It provides as an environment where a child can interact with
others and become empowered as they fully figure out who they are and what they value.
Canadas education system, for the most part, is publicly funded and is taught formally.
In return for being publicly funded, it is possible for children living in a low income household to
still have the opportunity to a free formal education. However, this is not the case globally.
Although education is a right, not every child gets to experience the possibilities that education
offers.
Pakistans educational curriculum is based mainly on Muslim beliefs. In the Islamic faith,
education is highly emphasized and is a necessity for all to seek. However, education in Pakistan
is being jeopardized by Islamic extremists that have a false understanding and a stretched view
of the Quran. Pakistan is known as one of the countries with the worst gender imbalance in
school enrollment3.

Children are not able to access school due to social barriers such as: poverty, forced labour, gender, and culture.
Journalist Resource, (2014). Women, girls and Malala: Research on gender and education in Pakistan, and
beyond. Available: http://journalistsresource.org/studies/international/human-rights/pakistan-women-equalityeducation-economic-development-research-roundup

Another example of children being denied their right to education is in Somalia. Somali
education has never been accessible to all children. It has remained so inaccessible because of
cultural and social barriers present in the country. Cultural barriers include: religious beliefs and
certain social normalities such as specific gender roles. Examples of social barriers are:
destruction of schools, mass poverty, the recruitment of child soldiers and the actual physical
lack of schools and teachers. .
Traditionally, education in Tibet has had its own method in terms of curriculum taught.
Children would learn about spiritual values and beliefs. This would be taught in beautiful
monasteries and religious grounds. Currently, children are not in school and are deprived access
to schooling because of the political feuds between China and Tibet. The Chinese have made the
Tibetan language culturally invalid and the practice of Tibetan religion is strictly prohibited
except on holy grounds. Tibetans are left with troubles with Chinese authorities and constant
discrimination.
The current violations of a childs right to an education is an issue because childhood is about
discovering personal identity and learning. Even though it is so significant, education continues
to be robbed from many children across the world. Children should be able to access the
resources that they need to further learn who they are and what goals they may wish to pursue.
Gender balance must also be considered given that the literacy rate for boys is much higher than
the female literacy rate.
There are many barriers that stand in the way of girls education such as early and forced
marriage or pregnancy, family care and domestic housework, and violence in schools. The lack
of girls washrooms in schools also results in a significant decrease in female enrollment4.
4

Because I am a Girl, (n.d). Girls education. (n.d.). Available: http://becauseiamagirl.ca/girlseducation

Even though there are many barriers that deny children access to education, children still
must be educated, as demonstrated in the following quotation:
Of an estimated 101 million children not in school, more than half are girls. They are
being denied their basic human right to education, with far-reaching consequences:
Without it, their future opportunities are dramatically limited. If schooling unlocks the
gate to a bright and successful future, a childhood bereft of education erects nearly
insurmountable barriers.5
Denying this right is a significant issue because children are the generation of the future. If the
children are not being educated, many countries will experience hindered and unsustainable
development. Furthermore, children are denied the chance to experience a true childhood. They
never get the experience of learning new ideas that are beyond the concept of running a village
farm or shooting a gun. Although many adults are considered uneducated in a formal sense, this
does not mean that their children need not be. Educated children are the foundation of a
successful future and without education, a child will never fully blossom and contribute to
society. Kids are not just short adults6; children are beings, just like adults, that are full of
potential, seek knowledge, and need to be given all their rights.

Access to education. Available: http://www2.unicef.org:60090/education/index_access.html5

Strauss, (n.d). Ten truths about educating kids that keep getting ignored. Available:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/20/ten-obvious-truths-about-educating-kidsthat-keep-getting-ignored.

Summary of research methods

The issue of childs right to education is a very large topic that requires more than just
common knowledge to truly being to understand. To write this report, a major portion of
research was obtained through articles from news organizations such as: BBC, Washington
Post, and The Guardian. Readings of websites from large international organizations such as
United Nations, UNICEF, Nobel Prize Foundation, Humanium, Free the Children,
Bachpan Bachao Andolan, Right to Play, and UNESCO were very instrumental to the writing
of this report. Researching on the internet has been the most prominent and consistent method.
Researching the stories of many renowned experts on the topic of child rights is also a notable
method of research. Experts, such as: Kailash Satyarthi, Craig Keilburger, Malala Yousafzai,
Nelson Mandela, and Johann Olav Koss, have made major contributions to the field of study
and therefore to the writing of this paper.

Background
Education has been around longer than the idea of a school. Historically, education was
the idea of the elders passing down knowledge to the younger generations. Cave paintings that
date back to approximately 40,000 years ago were displays of culture and the stories of the elders
to pass to the next generations. Originally, children were exposed to an informal education; they
would learn life lessons experientially. Each generation, since the beginning of human evolution
and writing, has sought to pass on cultural and social values, traditions, morality, and religion.7
The majority of children grew up watching their parents because they would then be taught the
skills necessary for survival. Until churches in Europe began to teach children in a structured
environment, children only learned tales of their people and skills needed to survive. Priests were
the first to deliver formal education. The church would educate wealthier children about religion
and basic literacy skills. In these churches, lessons were given orally by the priests. Priests would
educate their students about their religious beliefs, customs, values, and stories. They would
teach children to read, write, and sing. For the first time, children were not only learning by
observation, but were learning in a structured manner. Formal education originated in Greece8.
Education was to prepare the young for adult life. However, it was only boys who attended
school, where as girls stayed at home. All boys went to primary school to learn basic literacy and
to learn about war and sports. Poorer boys did not go to secondary school and would start an
apprenticeship, like a blacksmith. Wealthy boys would continue to study with Philosophers9.
7

Rajshree, (2013, March 1). A Comparative Study of Stress of Class X Students under Grading and Numerical

Marking System of Education. Available: http://www.ijsrp.org/research-paper-0313/ijsrp-p1548.pdf

8

Guisepi, R. (Ed.). (n.d.). The History of Education. Available: http://historyworld.org/history_of_education.htm

IBID

Girls were not allowed to attend school until the Romans took over. The Romans allowed
girls to participate in school, but not as regularly as boys. Education remained the same until a
17th century educationalist philosopher by the name of John Locke created the Blank Slate
theory. The Blank Slate theory stated that at birth, all childrens minds were a blank slate,
malleable enough to be molded into whatever a parent or mentor chose10. This had a huge effect
on the educational world. It opened the doors to new curriculums in different nations. Nations
realized that they could teach whatever they felt was necessary for their culture. The expansion
of formal education occurred during the colonial era. European colonial powers believed that
they needed to formally educate the indigenous populations because they didnt have the same
education system as they did. After colonial powers began to withdraw, new governments were
left to set up their own education system. Since the colonial conquerors were so influential,
informal and traditional education seemed to be a lost concept and the formal education system
derived from the culture of the colonialists began to become accepted as a social normality.
Pakistan is a Muslim country built on the foundation of Islam. Education is emphasised
highly in the Quran. In 1947, when Pakistan was recognized as its own country, a conference
was held to discuss the policy of the countrys education system. The outcome of this conference
was that education should be inspired by Islam, that elementary education is free and
compulsory, and that technical education should be emphasized to eventual provide a national
economic uplift. Education in Pakistan was accessible to both boys and girls up until the
Talibans influence began to spread across Pakistan. The Taliban banned education for girls in
the rural area of Swat.
10

THE EDUCATIONALISTS. (n.d.). Available:

http://umich.edu/~ece/student_projects/childrens_lit/Educationalist_Theory.html

Girls were punished for attending school, even though the Islamic religion states that
everyone has the right to education. This is proven by the words of the Islamic prophet: the
prophets words stressed the importance of seeking knowledge, and that it is the duty for all
Muslims, no matter the gender, to seek knowledge11. Recently, the Pakistani government is
negotiating with the Taliban for girls to be included in their educational beliefs. It has been
confirmed that both parties believe that There should be no activity by either side which can
potentially harm the peace efforts.12 The two sides have negotiated peace agreements to build a
more successful Pakistan, but the agreements have been said to be poorly thought out and have a
little chance of working13.
Tibet is known for its very old spiritual culture. Before 1950 Tibet had a successful
education system that was mainly focused on their religion, Tibetan Buddhism, and taught in
their monasteries. After the 1950s the Chinese government began influencing the educational
system of Tibet. The teaching of the Tibetan culture is now only legal in their monasteries and
their language is redundant. Many Tibetan children are sent into China for exposure to more
advanced education. However, even if Tibetan children are in the same schooling system as the
Chinese children, the level of education is much lower for the Tibetans and the costs are much
higher. After a Tibetan child receives an education, if they do not speak a Chinese language
fluently, the chances of receiving a job are very low.

11

Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, (1993). Education in Islam. Available: www.al-islam.org/articles/education-in-islamsayyid-muhammad-rizvi

12

Boone, J. (2014). Pakistani government and Taliban begin tentative negotiations. Available:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/06/pakistani-government-taliban-begin-negotiations

13

IBID

In the precolonial era, Somalians had established an informal mode of education. The leaders of
the tribes would transmit the social and cultural values down to new generations. The children
often learned from storytelling and experience. Somalia was colonized by three major European
powers: Great Britain, France, and Italy. These three powers all developed different education
systems and all offered elementary education, but most children were trained to work on farms
and plantations14. The enrollment in the schools was extremely low and wasnt accessible to all
children. When Somalia gained its independence, there were three official languages and the
government struggled to develop a successful curriculum and system of schooling. The military
took over the government in 1969 and set up a successful schooling system. For the first time in
history, Somalians were reading and writing in the same language. Yet school was still not
accessible for all children due to poverty. In addition, a civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991
and many teachers were forced to fight. Children were now being educated in warfare instead of
regular school and schools were being destroyed.
Girls have always had a lower rate of accessible formal education due to cultural barriers. In
some cultures, mainly cultures with a strong Islamic influence, girls have different roles in
society than men. Often, a family only has enough money to send one of their children to school.
Boys are often chosen over girls in the hopes that he may be employed and be able to support the
family, while the girls learn how to be good wives and mothers.

14

Somalia - History Background. (n.d.). Available: http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1376/Somalia-

HISTORY-BACKGROUND.html

Expert
Due to the fact that millions of children do not have access to a formal education, many
people are becoming more and more aware of this global issue, and some are choosing to
become activists.
Kailash Satyarthi was born 11 January 1954, in Vidisha, India. Kailash was an electrical
engineer but in 1980 he gave his job up to become an activist for child rights. Later that same
year he founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA), the first organization in India that raises
awareness of child labour and educational deprivation. Furthermore, this was the first
organization to take any action towards stopping the denial of child rights. This organization is
still active to this day. Currently, Kailash has been considered an activist for 35 years15. In 2014,
Kailash Satyarthi, alongside Malala Yousafzai, was awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize "for their
struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to
education."16
The Organization BBA, founded by Kailash Satyarthi, is Indias largest grassroots
movement for the protection of Child Rights. BBA has a vision of a soceity in which all children
have access to free and good-quality formal education as well as no fear of exploitation.17

15

Kailash Satyarthi... the seeker of truth. (n.d). Available: http://www.kailashsatyarthi.net/biography/

16

Nobel Prize, (n.d). Kailash Satyarthi - Facts. Available:

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2014/satyarthi-facts.html

17

BBA, (n.d). Founder's Vision. Available: http://www.bba.org.in/?q=content/founders-vision

BBAs policy is the following:

Quality and meaningful education is the prerequisite for all child rights. BBA believes
that poverty, illiteracy and child labour are part of a triangular paradigm, forming a
vicious circle, where each is a cause and consequence of the other. Education is the key
to the prevention of child labour, child trafficking and all manifestations of violations of
child rights.18
When Kailash Satyarthi, along with members of the BBA, began to protest for children
rights, they idolized Ghandi in terms of peaceful protest. The protests were unsuccessful in
installing immediate change, but more people became aware of the issue at hand. Kailash
decided to take the issue into his own hands and focused on factories near him that were using
children to make carpets. These children were being held captive and forced into labour. Kailash,
along with a couple of likeminded individuals, decided to raid the factory and rescue all the
children. Since then Kailash has been beaten and has lost colleagues while raiding. Kailashs
website explains:
He has survived numerous attacks on his life during his crusade to end child labour, the

most recent being the attack on him and his colleagues while rescuing child slaves from
garment sweatshops in Delhi on 17 March 2011. Earlier in 2004 while rescuing children
from the clutches of a local circus mafia and the owner of Great Roman Circus, Mr.
Satyarthi and his colleagues were brutally attacked. Despite of these attacks and his office
being ransacked by anti-social elements a number of times in the past his commitment to
stand tall for the cause of child slaves has been unwavering.
18

BBA, (n.d.). EDUCATION. Available: http://www.bba.org.in/?q=content/education-0

19

Kailash Satyarthi... the seeker of truth. (n.d). Available: http://www.kailashsatyarthi.net/biography/

Kailash is extremely dedicated to his cause and more than willing perservere through any
struggle in order to achieve his vision of childhood freedom. This is one of Kailashs many
contributions to the rights of the children.
From a popular Western perspective, Kailashs accomplishments are seen as heroic and
honourable. However, he has received many complaints and been called a traitor by people from
his own country. This opinion has evolved because of how people from around the world began
to take interest in Indias situation and looked at India in disgust and pity. Also, ever since
Kailashs collaboration with Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani woman, he has been accused
of working with the Pakistani to popularize Indias flaws as a nation.
Recently, Kailash has raised awareness of the issue through public speaking. He is one of
the few that have directly addressed the United Nations General Assembly, International Labour
Conference, UN Human Rights Commission, UNESCO, and has been invited to several
Parliamentary Hearings and Committees in USA, Germany and UK20. Kailash is spending all his
energy and time to spread awareness of children not being educated.

20

Kailash Satyarthi... the seeker of truth. (n.d). Available: http://www.kailashsatyarthi.net/biography/

Role of Control
It is difficult to determine exactly who is in direct control of education for children.
Ultimately, the role of control deciding whether a child receives an education is the result of a
trickledown effect starting from a higher power. The higher power refers to either the
government or the cultural beliefs that a family believes in. Organizations in more developed
parts of the world are also notable because of their role in helping developing countries build
formal education systems.
The government, in the majority of the world, has the most control over a nations
education system because it controls how the money in the country is being spent. The role of the
government to make a successful education system; it is supposed to ensure that equal
educational opportunities are available to everyone. A government must also encourage parents,
who might not value their children's education, to send their children to school and to make an
education system which is affordable to everyone. Furthermore, the goal is to make a system
where everyone, no matter their sex, religious views, financial status, or sexual orientation is to
be accepted and respected, therefore helping to create a common social fabric where all are
respected and accepted21. Currently, many governments worldwide are struggling to create a
successful system of education or are eluding their responsibility. Another issue is that school
supplies such as pencils, textbooks, and uniforms are being offered to the public for a price that
some families simply cannot afford, resulting in the exclusion of a large number of children from
school.
21

Alliance for the separation of school and state, (2008). Why the government shouldnt be involved with education.
Available: http://www.schoolandstate.org/Case/case2.htm

Furthermore, governments are charging more money than families can afford to even
send their children to school. The lack of teachers is a growing problem in less fortunate
countries. The governments are not offering enough opportunity for people to become teachers.
In addition to the lack of teachers, there is also of insufficient number of actual schools to
support the growing populations due to lack of monetary funds to pay for construction. Children
that can afford school often times have to travel extended distances on terrible road conditions,
and, in some cases, in no shoes just to attend a day of school. Moses and Linet Masai, two
Kenyan children interviewed by BBC, explain how they ran 10 km barefoot, on terrible roads to
and from schools every weekday. They would leave extremely early in the morning and would
not return until late in the afternoon22. Schools are not accessible to all children, and yet still the
children make an effort to attend.
Every family around the world has different religious and cultural beliefs. Specifically
but not exclusive to cultures influenced by Islamists value men as having higher social statuses.
Therefore, the women of the family do not receive any form of a formal education, they are
taught to provide the family with love, food and beauty. Girls are taught how to be good wives
and care for the family, while the young men receive education so that they can provide for the
family in a financial sense. When this cultural gender bias is combined with poverty, families
will often choose the boys of the family over the girls to attend school. Also, school systems that
are greatly impacted by religions often have a main focus on religious beliefs, leading to
restrictions on curriculum stemming from religious practices.
22

James Coomarasamy, (2012). How the school run can make Kenyans champions. Available:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-18271403

There are many non-governmental organizations that have been established to help fund
and create educational systems for less developed countries. Organizations, such as Free the
Children, fundraise to money to support young and aspiring children so that they may have
access to educational resources. For example, Free the Children brings volunteers into suffering
African communities to help build schools for children that do have a school near them. Free the
Children and many similar organizations have created a role for themselves to help educate the
children in need. For example, Free the Children has created a program called Brick by Brick.
Brick by Brick raises money to fund the construction of schools. This is just one example of
many projects created to spread awareness of the issue at hand, and to help as much as possible.

Religion/Spirituality
The access and form of education for a child is often shaped by the religious and spiritual
beliefs of their society and/or family. If a child is brought up in a home that has certain religious
beliefs, this may result in certain restrictions to a childs formal education. Also, if a child is
raised in a society built upon religious foundations, the child may be subject to certain rules and
norms that control their education. The majority of religions follow a set of guidelines from a
book written by the founders of their separate religions. Most of these scriptures stress and value
education. For example, in the Quran, the book of Islamic Faith, education is encouraged and
emphasized. The Quran states that all Muslims must seek knowledge, no matter the gender of the
Muslim seeker, and, that with knowledge, comes power. Personal religious beliefs shape not
only values, but identity as well. Religion is present globally and has shaped many of the societal
norms in the cultures of present day.
In some circumstances, religion and spiritual views may limit the education that a child
will receive. Regions of the world, such as Tibet, teach their young about their religion.
Traditionally, lessons were focused on Tibetan Buddhism and that is all the children would know
growing up. Similar to Tibet, Aboriginal people of Canada educated their young through
observation, practice, socialization and ceremonies. The elders of the tribe would pass
knowledge down to the young that emphasized lessons about survival and the earth. Education
was restricted to tribal spiritual beliefs about the world.23
23

Canadian Encyclopedia, (n.d.). Education of Aboriginal People. Available:

http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/aboriginal-people-education/

The Islamic faith is the worlds fastest growing religion. In 2012, it was estimated that
there was 1.6 billion Muslims in the world24. In some rural, Muslim areas, such as Somalia and
Pakistan, it is normal for a family to send their sons to be formally educated so that they
eventually provide for the family. It may also be normal to keep their daughters at home to take
care of the family. This is because in the Islamic faith, boys and girls are viewed as having
different familial roles. This translates into the schooling system because in Islamic
communities, it is focused around Islam.
Every religion has its own view on education and most of them see education as a
necessity. Every religion also has its own beliefs regarding the accessibility of education.
Commonly, the wealthier have more access to education, despite the religion. Another general
concept is that despite the religion, school systems that are heavily influenced by religious
beliefs have a curriculum based around their religion. This can narrow the amount of knowledge
to which a child is exposed.

24

PEW Research Center, (2012). The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity. Available:

http://www.pewforum.org/2012/08/09/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-executive-summary/

Logic of Evil
The logic of evil is not to bring out the good and benefit of what we believe to be the evil
side of an action. It is to bring a logical and rational understanding of the evil perspective. It
provides an answer to the questioning of the action of evil. The logic of evil, in terms of
education, can be broken up into three categories: work, military use, and labour. All these
categories, when broken down, emphasize the desire of someone elses gain.
In developing areas, commonly in regions of the Middle East or Africa, children are
working demanding jobs for little pay. Children that come from relatively poor families often do
not attend school because it is too expensive. Since the family cannot afford their childs
education, the children work to benefit the financial status of the family. In these cases, the
parents are put into the position of the evil because of financial reasons. The logic behind the
parents keeping their children from school is for the good of the family as it is an effort to earn a
larger income.
In regions that are affected by war, such as Somalia, children are often recruited as
soldiers. The people that take children for military purposes exploit kids because they are far
more obedient than adults, are better at following orders when they are afraid, and are easier to
teach. These children are treated as expendable resources. The logic behind this evil is that the
leader of the group utilizing child soldiers can command a terrified, obedient and agile army that
cost little to no money to run. Furthermore, if a child is educated to perform a certain task from a
young age, in this case to shoot a gun, it will be all that the child knows, and becomes a
consuming and ingrained part of the childs mentality. In Somalia, it is not uncommon for a child
to be affected by the recruitment of child soldiers somehow. Somalia is a war torn country full of

militias, such as Al-Shabaab, that regularly use child soldiers and force them to commit acts of
violence.
A vast majority of textiles, rugs, clothing, and jewels come from the forced labour of a
child. Child labour results in exploitation of a human being by robbing them of their childhood
and forcing upon them hard work with very low wages and harmful work conditions. Child
labour denies children of their right to an education because they are working all day instead of
being at school. Lindsay Melnick, in her article on the benefits of child labour, states: The evils
of child labor are as indisputable, as is its economic necessity.25 This is suggesting that
developping nations are depending on their exportation of the products created by child labour.
The logic behind this evil is that economic gain from selling factory merchandise is obtained
through the cheap labour of a child. For example, Pakistan has a large rug industry, and an
estimated 90% of workers are children chained to their work station26. Even though this industry
is horrible and unsafe for children, the rug industyr is one of Pakistans largest exports and gives
the country a much needed economic gain.
The logic of evil behind denying a child of education is most commonly for the economic
gain of a government, a family, or a person (such as a business owner). Children earn money to
help raise their family income, making their survival less of a struggle. The lower cost of
children as soldiers provides the leader of militias with economic gain, and the cheap labour of
children provides the country and the factory owner with an econimic gain. All examples
dicussed can be related with each to a financial reason.
25

Lindsay Melnick, (2010). Gasp! The Benefits Of Child Labor In The Developing World. Available:
http://www.triplepundit.com/2010/12/gasp-benefits-child-labor-developing-world/

26

Killing for carpets -- slavery and death in Pakistan's carpet industry. (n.d.). Available:
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Life_Death_ThirdWorld/Carpets.html

Case Study: Pakistan

Pakistan is a Middle-Eastern Country situated west of India. The literacy rate in Pakistan
for males aged 15-24 years is 79.1%, and is 61.5% for females of the same age27. As mentioned
in the Background portion this paper, Pakistan was recognized as its own country in 1947. A
conference was held to determine the education policies in the new country. The resulting
policies stated that education should be inspired by Islam, that elementary education is free and
compulsory, and that there was to be an emphasis on technical education to provide an uplift in
the new countrys economy. Today, however, Pakistan is recognized as a country with one of the
highest percentage of children who do not attend school.28
The Pakistani population is 96% Muslim29. The Muslim religion closely follows the
Book of Islam, the Quran. The Quran values and emphasizes the need and importance of
education. Islamic belief portrays those with education to be superior to those without, Are
those who have knowledge equal to those who do not have knowledge?!30 This line from the
Quran explains the importance of education by presenting the idea that education is power, and
with it comes superiority. The Prophet of Islam, Muhammed, emphasized the importance of
seeking different forms of knowledge categorized as: Time, Place, Gender, and Source. Time
refers to the search for knowledge throughout an entire life, from cradle to grave. Place
stresses the importance of seeking knowledge even if it is a long way away from the seeker.
27
28

UNICEF, (2013). Statistics. Available: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/pakistan_pakistan_statistics.html

Pakistan | A World At School. (n.d.). Available: http://www.aworldatschool.org/country/pakistan

29

Rogers, S. (2011). Muslim populations by country: How big will each Muslim population be by 2030?Available:
http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/jan/28/muslim-population-country-projection-2030

30

Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, (1993). Education in Islam. Available: www.al-islam.org/articles/education-in-islamsayyid-muhammad-rizvi

Gender

explains that no matter the sex of the Muslim, one has a duty to seek knowledge.

Source is best described in the following quote; Wisdom is the lost property of the believer,
he should take it even if finds it in the mouth of a mushrik.31 A Mushrik can be translated as a
polytheist (one who believes in more than one god). This means that knowledge must be sought
no matter how or by whom it is delivered. Muslims believe that knowledge is divided into two
separate categories. The first is knowledge of Islam and the appreciation of Allah. The second
category is the knowledge of people and the body. With such a strong value of education derived
in the Muslim religion, it is surprising that children in Pakistan, especially females, have low
levels of education. This may be attributed to the misinterpretations of the Quran by extremists.

Currently, women and girls in Pakistan struggle for the right to be educated formally at
school. As mentioned at the beginning of the Case Study, The literacy rate in Pakistan for
children is higher for males than females32. There is a clear gender imbalance. Many people
believe that this is because the Quran forbids girls to attend school, however, this is a false
interpretation. According to the Quran, it is not forbidden for females to attend school, since the
Prophet said that it is the duty of all Muslims to seek knowledge, despite gender. The only verse
in the Quran that has any relevance to this misinterpretation is as follows: And abide in your
houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And
establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah intends only to remove
from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the [Prophet's] household, and to purify you with
[extensive] purification.33
31

Sayyid Muhammad Rizvi, (1993). Education in Islam. Available: www.al-islam.org/articles/education-in-islamsayyid-muhammad-rizvi

32
UNICEF, (2013). Statistics. Available: http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/pakistan_pakistan_statistics.html
33
Dukes, K. (n.d.). The Quranic Arabic Corpus - Translation. Available:
http://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=33&verse=33

This refers to Allah commanding the wives of his prophet to remain at home, but this does not
refer to all women.

Unfortunately, in areas of Pakistan, primarily in rural regions, there are cultural and
social barriers that supress the education of females. These barriers include: poverty, lack of
facilities for girls, and child labour. Commonly, in rural Pakistan, the household is run by the
father. The father can choose whether to send his child to school or not, boy or girl. More often,
the father will allow the young males in the house to attend school over the young females
because it is thought that the females should learn about raising a family and the associated
domestic duties of running a household through informal and experientially based education.
Swat is a very rural province located in the northern regions of Pakistan. In 2007, Swat
became a battle ground between the Pakistani Government and the Islam extremist group, the
Taliban. In 2008, the Taliban had control over 80% of the region of Swat. Fears of the Taliban
attacking womens rights became a prominent concern. During the influence of the Taliban,
Mullah Shah Doran, the Talibans second in command, announced: From January 15, girls will
not be allowed to attend schools, in a radio address34. Mullah Doran believes that educating
girls is un-Islamic. Before this announcement, enrollment in the schools was already dropping
due to the ongoing violence between the Taliban and Pakistan Government. After this
announcement, Taliban militants burned and attacked hundreds of schools, the majority of the
schools attacked accommodates both boys and girls or only girls. The teachers that taught
women were threatened and the majority of them fled the area, resulting in a shortage of
teachers.
34

Washington Times, (2009). Taliban bans education for girls in Swat Valley. Available:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/05/taliban-bans-education-for-girls-in-pakistansswat/?page=all

Not only were schools being destroyed by the Taliban militancy, but schools were also
being forced to close due to the ongoing disasters that surrounded them. Under the Talibans
influence, the rights of women were brutally suppressed. Women were only allowed in public if
they were completely covered, and if they were caught attending any type of formal education,
they were punished and in some cases, such as Malala Yousafzai, women were shot, stoned, and
burned, among many other brutal punishments.

Malala Yousafzai was born in the region of Swat and experienced the terrors of the Talibans
clout. At the young age of ten, Malala was frustrated with the Talibans rule concerning
womens education, and delivered a speech named How dare the Taliban take away my basic
right to education?35 Malala raised global awareness about the denial of education that that she
was experiencing. Four years after her speech, at the age of 14, Malala became a target for the
Taliban because she defied the Taliban and continued to attend school. On her way to school, on
October 9th, 2012, an armed Taliban militant boarded Malalas bus and shot her in the head.
Malalas act of defiance exemplified the true, evil nature of the Taliban, and exposed their
extremist beliefs of the Quran that resulted in the corruption of the Pakistani educational system.
Fortunately, the Pakistani Government relieved Swat of the Talibans influence prior to the
events of Malala. After Malala spread awareness of the issue in Swat, the Pakistani government
began to increase military action in the affected areas of Swat. The military began launching
operations throughout Swat. The military eventually eradicated the Talibans influence and
regained complete control of the region. Swat, still being one of the areas of the lowest
enrollments rates in Pakistan, is now under the laws of the Pakistani government and the ban of
girls education has been lifted.
35

BIO, (n.d.). Malala Yousafzai. Available: http://www.biography.com/people/malala-yousafzai-21362253

Another issue in the Pakistani schooling system is the lack of funding that is invested into the
system. It has been estimated that in 2010 the Pakistani Government only allocated ten percent of
spending on the education system and recently that number has declined to an estimated 2
percent36. The Government spent approximately seven times this amount on their military37. This
is a major contributing factor to the lack of facilities for girls in rural regions of Pakistan. The
governments lack of attention on their education system has led Pakistan to be one of the lowest
ranked countries in the world in terms of education enrollment.

36

37

Pakistan | A World At School. (n.d.). Available: http://www.aworldatschool.org/country/pakistan

CNN, (2014). Pakistan's educational challenges. Available:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/world/asia/infographic-pakistan-education/

Case Study: Somalia

Somalia is a war-torn country plagued with famine and poverty, situated on the Eastern
Coast of Africa. According to Transparency International, Somalia is tied with North Korea for
the worlds most corrupt country38. The Somalian literacy rate is one of the lowest in world.
Male Somalians aged 15 and over have a literacy rate of 49.7% and it is only 25.8 % for
females9. The literacy rate for Somalia is remarkably low due to fact that Somalia is engaged in
an ongoing civil war. For the last 24 years, Somalia has been the focal point of an extremely
gruesome, violent armed conflict. The ongoing civil war has severely damaged the countrys
socioeconomic infrastructure including schools. Many children and young people have been
forced to abandon school due to the prevailing high levels of insecurity.40 In 2014, Somalia still
had not ratified the UNs Convention on the Right of the Child. Like Pakistan, Somalias
education is greatly influenced by the major religion, Islam, as the majority of the population is
Muslim, and it experiences similar terrors that Islamic extremists have brought to their country.
Children in Somalia are losing their access to and their right to education. This is evident in
many ways. The inability to afford basic education supplies, the lack of schools and facilities, the
destruction of schools from the civil war, early marriages, the shortage of teachers, and the
enrollment into militias at young ages are all important contributing factors to the issue.

38

Transparency International, (2014). How corrupt is your country? Available:

http://www.transparency.org/cpi2014/results

39

40

Index Mundi, (n.d.). Somalia Literacy. Available: http://www.indexmundi.com/somalia/literacy.html

Pike, J. (2013). Effective Literacy Programmes Programmes. Available:

http://www.unesco.org/uil/litbase/?mlenu=4&programme=100

The majority of the Somali population live below the poverty line, which means the
majority of the children grow up living in harsh, poor living conditions. In rural areas of
Somalia, most of families are farmers of crops such as beans, rice, corn, and livestock. Since
conditions are rough, the family requires all the help they can muster to keep the farms
functioning, meaning the children must also work instead of being sent to school. In addition, it
is difficult for families to buy simple school supplies. Consequently, supplies like pencils,
erasers, pencil sharpeners, and paper are valued highly in rural areas.

Another major issue, mostly for girls, is the lack of facilities and schools. Schools in
Somalia often do not have facilities for children to use throughout the day, something that is
often taken for granted as an expectation for schools in the West. For example, a school with
washrooms and a cafeteria is rare. Young children must care for themselves no matter how
unsanitary the conditions might be.

Due to the civil war in Somalia, teachers are choosing to, or being forced into taking up
arms and fighting. Since it is already a struggle to find a qualified teacher for the students, losing
teachers to war has drastic impacts. There are normally not replacements for these teachers;
therefore, the children need to find a new school or wait until the teacher returns, something
which is no guarantee. In the majority of rural Somali communities, there is only one school for
a large geographic area. If a teacher is taken away, most of the time children are left any
available schooling option. Teachers that are threatened by extremists, such as Al-Shabaab, often
leave their home and escape to be refugees in Kenya41.

41

Somalia | Refugees International. (n.d.). Available: http://refugeesinternational.org/where-we-work/africa/somalia

Families that have more than one child and can afford to send one of them to school, are
more likely to send a boy to school over a girl42. This leaves more uneducated girls compared to
boys. In some cases, a family will send a boy rather than a girl because a girl can be sold or
forced into an early marriage. This may lead to a much needed profit for the family that may be
required for the familys survival. The Somali Current wrote an article on girls education. This
paragraph stood out:

Although the number of girls in schools are growing, yet the traditional belief in the
country dont give a priority for girls education. Some parents believe that the end of
girls education is the home of her husband and not expect to see the benefits, so they
better prioritize educating boys who they see as a supportive.43

This shows that girls are being denied an education due to poverty rates, but also due to
traditional beliefs of the community. According to Humanium,

Between 2000 and 2009, 45% of young women admitted to being married before the
age of 18. Arranged marriages, often unknown to the future couple, are very common.
Some girls run away from their families to escape this situation, which is highly
disapproved of in Somali society.44

Instead of girls experiencing a childhood and a formal education, some girls are being sent off to
marry somebody that they may not even know.
42

Humanium, (2011). Children of Somalia. Available: http://www.humanium.org/en/somalia/

43

Somali Post, (2013). Access to education for girls in Somalia. Available:

http://www.somalicurrent.com/2013/09/21/access-to-education-for-girls-in-somalia/

44

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The husband may even be significantly older than the young girl. In Somali culture, as soon
as a girls breast become noticeable, it is perceived that they are ready for marriage, no matter
their age. This is the dominant cause of the imbalanced literacy rate of Somalia.

Ever since the Somali civil war broke out, the demand and need for soldiers has increased
for the militias. As mentioned before, teachers are being forced to fight. Teachers that have been
recruited, occasionally, are forced to teach the boys to be soldiers. Young boys are taught to
wield a gun and follow orders with no question. The plight of the child soldier is a major issue in
war torn areas of Somalia. Children are being taken form their families to be exploited by
militias. Children are often used on the front lines, in suicide missions, as human shields, for
sexual purposes, and in some extreme cases, as cannon fodder. Militias use child soldiers
because children are easily exploitable and are easier to command as they are considered to be
more obedient. Children that are being forced into these militias are treated with absolutely no
respect and are taken advantage of by the older, men who have a superior rank. The majority of
these militias are commanded by corrupt, extremist warlords, such as the militia by the name of
Al-Shabaab45.

Al-Shabaab is an Islamic extremist militant group centralized in Somalia. It is composed of

approximately 9000 soldiers, both Islamists and children. In 2012, when the militia was at its
peak of terror, Al-Shabaab was known as a major recruiter of child soldiers46.
45

Somalia between corruption, warlords and Jihadism. (2014.) Available:

http://munduhurbila.com/2014/05/13/somalia-between-corruption-warlords-and-jihadism/

46

Somalia's al-Shabaab 'forced whole classes to fight' (2012). Retrieved April 1, 2015, from
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-17111102

Al-Shabaab would go to communities and take children, commonly between the ages of 10-17,
to training camps for around six months. At these camps children witness killing, receive
beatings from the superior officers, and get taught how to use an AK-47 and throw hand
grenades. After the short training camp is complete, boys are commonly sent to the front lines
and used as human shields and/or cannon fodder. Girls are used as wives for the older soldiers,
and/or cooks. Young girls are often raped.47 A 15 year old boy that escaped the grasp of his
capturers and told the HWR (Human Right Watch), Out of all my classmates - about 100 boys only two of us escaped, the rest were killed.48 This explains how brutally the Al-Shabaab treats
their captives. Most boys, and girls that are victims of Al-Shabaab never return home, never see
their parents again, and never receive a formal education. Children that resist the will of the AlShabaab are shot as if their lives have no meaning. The only education that these children
experience is through the horrible training camps that they attend.

A young boy named Mohamed was forced into joining Al-Shabaab and was told to lead a
battalion of children similar and younger age as him. Mohamed engaged in fighting with Somali
National Armed Forces and the African Union peacekeepers49. Mohamed was eventually
captured by the peacekeepers, and was medically treated. Mohamed had shrapnel wounds all
over his body and face. Mohamed was taken to an Interim Care Center for the children that were
controlled by Al-Shabaab and have surrendered or been captured.
47

Somalia's al-Shabaab 'forced whole classes to fight' (2012). Retrieved April 1, 2015, from
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-17111102

48

Somalia between corruption, warlords and Jihadism. (2014). Available:

http://munduhurbila.com/2014/05/13/somalia-between-corruption-warlords-and-jihadism/

49

UNICEF, (2014). Feature stories. Available: http://www.unicef.org/somalia/reallives_14517.html

Mohamed was so frightened into believing the teachings of Al-Shabaab that he remained
attached to the groups ideologies and used his leadership skills to organize hunger strikes and
try to ensure the other children did not abandon their commitment to Al-Shabaab.50 He said that
he could not trust the Center when he first arrived because he could not understand why they
wanted to help him. He now recognizes that without the Care Center he would most likely be
dead.

Although the militia has been forced out of the major cities in Somalia, Al-Shabaab is still in
control of a vast majority of rural areas throughout the country. Originally, Al-Shabaab wanted
Somalia to be an Islamic state. After being pushed out of cities however, they have transitioned
to a more traditional terrorist strategy by spreading chaos throughout Somalia and in parts of
Kenya. The official federal government in Somalia was established in 2012, following the era of
the transitional government. Despite the unresolved terrors that Somalia has faced, within the last
two decades, the new Somali government has been slowly in making progress towards a brighter
future. In 2012, the newly established government realized the horrors that Al-Shabaab was
spreading across the country. The government sent troops into the large cities to fight back
against the terrorists. After brutal fighting, the government successfully rid Somalia of AlShabaab from the major cities. The new government has shown that they understand the current
plight of their children and are making strides to resolve the situation.

50

UNICEF, (2014). Feature stories. Available:

Somalia, in 2015, has officially ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child51.
According to the Executive Director of UNICEF, By ratifying the Convention on the Rights of
the Child, the government of Somalia is making an investment in the wellbeing of its children,
and thus in the future of its society.52 Somalia, after establishing a new government, is working
towards a future where all of its children are not bound by a civil war and can receive formal
education with no fear.

51

UNICEF, (2015). Government of Somalia ratifies UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available:

http://www.unicef.org/media/media_78732.html

52

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Case Study: Tibet

Tibet is a plateau region of Asia, located in the north-east of the Himalayas, in China. Tibet is
known for its beautiful mountains and unique traditional culture. The old Tibetan culture is very
spiritual and very similar to Buddhism. Traditionally, children in Tibet would be educated
through their sacred temples or monasteries. Tibetan education emphasized religion and their
spiritual beliefs and values, such as mind over body. Before 1950, the Tibet education system,
centered on Tibetan Buddhism, was relatively successful. However, since 1950, there has been
grave political conflict between the Tibetan leaders and the Chinese government. Tibet believes
that they are their own independent religious state, where as the Chinese Government believes
that Tibet is a part of China and needs to abide by their rules. Ever since the involvement of the
Chinese in Tibet, the children of Tibet struggle to find quality education. Since the Chinese have
taken a firm grip on Tibet, the educational enrollment rate for Tibetan children has declined, as
well as the literacy rate. In Tibet, the Chinese government represses the traditional Tibetan
culture and language53. Tibetan students suffer from prohibitive and discriminatory fees and
inadequate facilities in rural areas. They are offered less education compared to the Chinese
students due to their culture.

The Chinese influence over Tibet has restricted the Tibetan culture, even music sung in the
indigenous language is illegal 54.The Chinese ordered the destruction of any recently built
religious structures and are demanding that any young or new monks be expelled from the
monasteries.
53

Tibetan Language: UN human rights experts' urgent intervention with China - International Campaign for Tibet.
(2011). Available: http://www.savetibet.org/tibetan-language-un-human-rights-experts-urgent-intervention-withchina/
54
Free Tibet, (n.d). Society, culture and religion. Available: http://freetibet.org/about/society-culture-and-religion

The Tibetan children are treated very poorly by the Chinese government and are considered
to be a lesser priority than Chinese children. Even though the Chinese government claims that
they have invested money into Tibetan education, the quality of education is very low. Tibetan
childrens access to a traditional Tibetan education is limited. Tibetans are only allowed to teach
their religion on sacred grounds in their monasteries and temples.

Life for Tibetans under oppressive Chinese rule, even for those who have grown up in it and
have never known anything else, is an unbearable burden for many. The Chinese government has
made it difficult for Tibetan children to receive any formal education in Tibet. Families in Tibet
send their children into China to receive a formal education because they can receive a higher
level of education and it will increase employment opportunities, but not all schools in China
accept Tibetans. If a Tibetan is in school with other Chinese children, students are faced with
discriminatory fees that not all parents can afford.

Due to the unjust treatment of the Tibetans by the Chinese, many youth, generally aged
25 and younger, protest to advocate for their human rights. Sadly, a lot of these protests have
been self-immolation55. Eight children, Tibetans under 18 years of age, have set themselves on
fire in protest. Four are confirmed dead56. In December 2014, three Tibetans self-immolations
occurred in one week. The Chinese government, after all of these horrible events, still has not
shown any remorse and still has a firm grip on Tibet.
55

Free Tibet, (n.d.). Tibet's children. Available: http://freetibet.org/about/tibets-children

56

Tibetan Self-immolates in Ngaba. (2015). Retrieved April 5, 2015, from

http://www.voanews.com/content/tibetan-self-immolates-in-ngaba/2672269.html

In March 2008, Lhundup Tso, a 16-year-old school girl, was amongst many other
Tibetans who were taking part in a peaceful protest in Ngaba57. Protester were chanting for the
freedom of Tibet and the return of the Dalai Lama. Chinese security forces opened fire on the
group of unarmed Tibetans. The 16 year old girl chanting for her freedom, Lhundup Tso, was
killed by Chinese Authorities58. Thirteen other people were confirmed dead.

The UN demanded a full inquiry by Chinese authorities because of the shooting, but it
has never taken place. Accountability is a significant issue. There have been other similar cases
that have resulted in imprisonment, shootings, and even beating by Chinese authorities as a
response to Tibetan outcries.

The spiritual leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, runs an exiled government. It is called the
exiled government because the Chinese Government has the official control over Tibet but the
people of Tibet still look to the Dalai Lama as their leader. The Chinese believe that the Dalai
Lama is powerless. Even though the Chinese have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child, they are failing to meet the requirements of the document they promised to follow.
The Chinese influence in Tibet has caused the children of Tibet great harm and injustice. Tibetan
children receive a terribly low quality of education and are deprived of a childhood and basic
human rights. According to Tibetan advocacy groups, in the last half of a decade there have
consequently been approximately 125 self-immolation protests by Tibetan monks and children.

57

Phayul, (2008). Middle school student shot dead in Ngaba County. Available:
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=19913

58

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International Organizations

Due to the fact that this issue is current and worldwide, many international organizations
and NGOs (Non-Government Organizations) focus on the childs right to education. These
organizations design projects aimed at improving educational access for children and raise
money to fund their efforts, for example: building schools, and collecting donations like pencils
and uniforms. An international organization that has had one of the greatest impacts on the Right
to Education is the UN and their Convention on the Rights of the Child. There are many NGOs
that support child education.

The UN is an international organization founded in 1945, and currently has 193

members. The work of the UN is guided by the challenges that humanity faces. The UN is
known for its peacekeeping work and its protection of the Human Rights of all people, no matter
gender or age. In 1989, the UN developed the Convention on the Rights of the Child59. The
Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most rapidly and widely ratified international
human rights treaty in history. This convention changed the way that governments view children
and the way that they are treated. This convention recognizes that children deserve respect and
that all children must be treated with equality and freedom60. The three main purposes of the
convention are: Provision (abuse, exploitation and harmful substances), Protection (education,
health care and an adequate standard of living), and Participation (listening to childrens views
and respecting their evolving capacities).
59

60

UNICEF, (n.d). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available: http://www.unicef.org/crc/

UNICEF, (n.d.). About the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available: http://www.unicef.ca/en/policyadvocacy-for-children/about-the-convention-on-the-rights-of-the-child

In the Convention, Article 28 and 29 are focused directly on education of children.

Article 28 states that children have the right to a good quality education. Children should be
encouraged to attend school. State parties are required to make primary education compulsory
and available for free to all. Also, the governing body is to encourage the development of
different forms of secondary education and make them available and accessible to every child61.
Article 29 states that a childs education should help use, and develop their talents and abilities.
It should also help a child learn to live peacefully, protect the environment and respect other
people despite gender or race. A childs education should prepare them to live responsibly in a
free society, to be understanding/tolerant and to respect differences amongst people. 62

The Convention on the Rights of the Child is so impactful and important for child rights
because childrens perspectives are rarely heard and this convention increases child protection
and makes it understood that if a child does not receive a decent childhood, the future of a
country is jeopardized. 20A childs earliest experiences significantly influence their future
development. The quality of early childhood has a very strong influence on childrens eventual
contribution, or cost, to society over the course of their lives. When a country ratifies the
convention, it demonstrates a sense of care about the wellbeing of their children and a desire and
commitment to educate their children so the country has a successful future.

Free the Children is a Canadian NGO founded by Craig Keilburger at the age of twelve.
Keilburger read about a boy born into a life of child labour in Pakistan, who was shot because he
began to speak out for his rights.
61

62

UNICEF, (n.d). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available: http://www.unicef.org/crc/

UNICEF, (n.d). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Available: http://www.unicef.org/crc/

Since then, Keilburger founded Free the Children, which is now one of the largest NGOs
in the world supporting child rights. Free the Children supports child education with their Brick
by Brick campaign. The Brick by Brick campaign works to build schools in communities in
developing countries where children do not have access to an education. Brick by Brick raises
money to send donation like desks and pencils for children in need. They also help with the
construction of brand new schools. It is estimated that it costs Free the Children around $10,000
to build a school in a developing country63. Free the Children started Brick by Brick because
they understand the necessity of education. 21Free the children wrote:

More than 120 million children around the world are denied the basic right to an
educationthe key to ending extreme poverty and hunger. Education ensures that
children learn valuable skills that help them grow, protect themselves from disease, earn
a better living and understand their rights to ensure theyre never exploited. In many
places around the world, schools simply dont exist or are in no condition for teaching
and learning. Approximately 58 million primary school-aged children not in school, and
31 million of them are girls. Without an education, these children, their families, and their
communities cannot break the cycle of poverty.64

Free the Children understands the issue at hand and does everything that it can to help children
receive a formal education. This campaign has been very successful and has built many schools
in rural areas of developing countries.

63

Free the Children, (2015). Brick by Brick. Available: http://www.freethechildren.com/getinvolved/toolkits/brick-by-brick/

64

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The success or failure of this campaign relies on donations, when donations are being put in, the
outcome has successfully been new schools for children that would have never gone to school.

The Right to Play is an NGO, founded in 2000, that uses sport and play to help educate
and empower children65. Right to Play believes that play is an important part of a child's
development. They believe that with a quality education through play, children increase their
social skills, and learn to respect everybody. This NGO does the majority of its work to help kids
in many countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The Right to Play has
helped increase the attendance rate and in some cases the enrollment rate of schools in low
income areas. Right to Play travels into poor communities in developing nations and trains
teachers and coaches to use play as an integral part of school to help increase the engagement of
the students. They train teachers to help the children understand the importance of the play. The
Right to Play has come up with a method to make play a successful teaching tool, as shown
below:

For play to be an effective teaching tool, children must understand the lesson being
delivered and be able to relate it to their own life experiences. At the end of every game
our Coaches as trained and trusted role models lead children through a three-step
discussion: 1) Children reflect back on the experience of the game. 2) Children compare
and connect what they experienced during the game to a similar experience from their
own lives. 3) Children explore how they can apply what theyve learned from the game to
an area of their daily lives.66
65

Right to Play, (n.d.). Quality Education. Available: http://www.righttoplay.ca/Learn/ourimpact/Pages/QualityEducation.aspx

66
Right to play, (n.d.). How We Do It. Available: http://www.righttoplay.ca/Learn/ourstory/Pages/How-we-doit.aspx

The Right to play has been successful with their teachings; they successfully design their
programs to target the needs of a specific community.

They have implemented programs that confront issues such as the lack of educational
access, health concerns, peace, or all three. In Rwanda, the activities of The Right to Play have
been approved for use across the countrys primary schools and have helped develop the
curriculum for physical and health education. In Uganda 2011, studies have shown that Right to
Play has successfully helped 93% of the children in their curriculum develop strong levels of
team work, communication, respect, and literacy.67

67

Right to Play, (n.d.). Quality Education. Available:

http://www.righttoplay.ca/Learn/ourimpact/Pages/Quality-Education.aspx

Canadian Connections

The Canadian education system, for the most part, is publicly funded until grade 12. Each
province is in charge of their separate systems and curriculums. 95% of families choose the
public schooling system over the private sector68. The educational system in Canada is ranked as
a provider of one of the highest levels of education in the world. However, in Canada, for a long
time, there have been some major issues regarding education and the aboriginal child.
During the 19th century, the government of Canada still had a self-appointed superiority
over the indigenous population. It was perceived as a duty to instruct the aboriginal community
to adapt to the colonial change in their land. The government believed that they had to teach the
aboriginal children to be Christian and speak English. Residential schools were established in
order to transform the savages into the civilised69. The aboriginal children were taken from
their families to live at these schools. At the schools, if the teachers caught a children practicing
any of their native traditions or speaking in their native tongue, the children would be severely
punished70. These children would undergo years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
Eventually when the children were sent to return to their reserves, they did not fit in to the
aboriginal society, and felt ashamed of what they had become. These schools are not present
today, but they were until around the 1950s71. In more present times, Aboriginal education is
still not delivered at the same quality as the Non-Aboriginal Canadians. Between 2003 -2013, the
number of university degrees achieved by aboriginals has doubled, yet the gap between
68

CAPS-I, (n.d.). Education in Canada. Available: http://www.caps-i.ca/education-in-canada/

Hanson, E. (n.d.). The Residential School System. Available:
http://indigenousfoundations.arts.ubc.ca/home/government-policy/the-residential-school-system.html
70
IBID
69

71

IBID

Aboriginal education and Non-Aboriginal, education remains to be a significant problem.

According to the Globe and Mail, Closing that gap is one of Canadas greatest public-policy
challenges. New projections show that under current conditions the post-secondary attainment of
aboriginal Canadians will not catch up to the rest of the population any time soon.72 Half of
First Nation children live in poverty and experience a difficult childhood. These children grow
up in areas of overpopulation, violence, depression, and lack of clean drinking water73. Reserves
also have very high suicide rates. In Canada, Non-Aboriginal children receive among the best
educations in the world, whereas the Aboriginal communities receive a sub-standard level of
education. Many children do not finish high school.
Globally Canada has offered a lot to help children in developing nations in terms of
educaiton through Canadian NGOs and foreign aid. As discussed in the international
organizations portion of this paper, Free the Children, and Right to Play are NGOs that work to
improve education of children in developing areas. Both of these organizations are based in
Canada and have been successful with helping children across the world. They have helped build
and develop communities with schools, supplies, and training. Over the past couple years the
Canadian government has reduced the amount that they spend on foreign aid. They claim that it
demonstrates a depleting rate of poverty in the receiving nations.

72

Frisen, J. (2013). Widening education gap leaves aboriginal Canadians further behind. Available:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/widening-education-gap-leaves-aboriginalcanadians-further-behind/article14738527/
73

McMahon, T. (2014). Why fixing First Nations education remains so far out of reach. Available:
http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/why-fixing-first-nations-education-remains-so-far-out-of-reach/

In 2014, Canada failed to spend the $125.9 million that they budgeted74. Due to the
Canadian cut backs, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali, Mozambique, Pakistan, Senegal and
Vietnam, Canadas top receiving countries, received less aid than needed and predicted. Because
the government has reduced the amount of aid for poor countries, Canada risks losing the good
reputation that it currently possess on the world stage. Also, this monetary reduction in aid can
be perceived as a Canadian abandonment of the countries who depend on support.

74

Toronto Star, (2014). Canada must meet foreign aid commitments: Editorial | Toronto Star. Available:
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2014/11/24/canada_must_meet_foreign_aid_commitments_editorial
.html

Solutions
To have one solution that would improve the level of education worldwide is next to
impossible. In developing nations, the government has control over the education system;
therefore, the governing body would need to take initiative, value the problem and recognize the
plight of their children in order to improve the situation. Ultimately, the largest solution to this
issue would take a number of years, but small steps could set the foundations for a path to great
change. Another solution concerns the political stability of a country. A more stable national
environment would provide the needed structure to for strong educational policy and is more
attractive to outside investors interested in improving education for children.
Stability in governments refers to a government that is predictable, and cares for its
peoples needs75. Stable governments are more likely to be invested in both internally and
externally. For a stable government to work, they need to be constantly achieving economic
growth and invest in its population by creating a sort of welfare, spending a large percent of the
countrys money on education, and creating jobs. By creating a welfare, people that do not earn
any or very much financial income would have something to rely on, would feel a sort of
comfort and trust with the governing body. When a government invests in educating children, it
shows concern for the national future and development. If knowledge is associated with power,
educated children will be powerful and confident enough to live in and run a more successful
country. Further efforts to combat the issue of childhood education would involve making a
portion of schooling compulsory and free so that potential is not wasted due to a weak
educational system.
75

Shepherd, B. (n.d.). Political Stability: Crucial for Growth? Available:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/IDEAS/publications/reports/pdf/SU004/shepherd.pdf

Creating jobs allows families with a low income to use their skills to bring in a larger
income for their family. Also, if a government allows foreign business, it provides people with
further economic opportunities. By successfully investing in its population, a government earns
the trust of its people, creating a faith in the political system. Therefore, if a new evil political
party challenged control over the state, the people would be more likely to support the existing
system. Ultimately, government investment into child education is a beneficial action.
This is not the situation for countries that are war-torn and consumed by political
instability. This is because the government will more often than not invest heavily into the
military wing of the government while undergoing a civil war, causing an endless cycle of
suffering in terms of education. To solve this infinite cycle, foreign governments should refrain
from donating large sums of money because the majority of the money is being funnelled into
the military. Foreign governments should allow the less developed governments resolve conflicts
without foreign financial aid, so that there is less reliance on developed nations.
Another possible solution would be to avoid donations of large sums of money, but provide
investment into the government through political and economic guidance. This solution is viable
because if the country keeps receiving foreign aid and is left to decide what to invest that money
into, often times, it is thrown into the military or a corrupt leaders pockets. Countries such as
Pakistan, spend way too much money on things that they believe are benefiting their population,
but are really leaving them to suffer. For example, as mentioned in the first case study, Pakistan
spends seven times the amount of money on the military compared to the small amount spent on
primary education. Pakistan increased the spending on the military for protection from extremist
parties such as the Taliban and Al-Qaeda with growing influence. If foreign aid is cut, the
donating governments should work to assist in the attainment of political stability and justice and

help prevent disturbances such as civil war. Newly stable governments should care enough about
their country that they should want the guidance from successful stable systems, so that they do
not drive their country to the ground by not investing in the right things.
The solutions to improve childrens access to education include: stability and reliability in
developing governments, a changes in method of foreign aid (more guidance than monetary
funds should be donated), and a larger emphasis towards investing in the population and
education rather than the military from developing governments.

Conclusion
Children being denied the right to education is a current issue that is prevalent worldwide.
Children are denied education due to social barriers, cultural normalities, wars, and religious
extremists. Social barriers and cultural normalities that effect children include: growing up in
extremely low income houses, children being put to work either by force or to help support their
family, and boys being sent to school instead of girls which increases existing gender inequality.
Areas, such as Somalia, that are war-torn, often see children as useful soldiers that can be
paid little to no money, are easily expendable and exploitable. Religious extremists affect girls
more commonly than boys, because they interpret that in their religion, girls are not allowed to
go to school, an idea which has gruesome results. According the UN Convention on the Rights of
the Child, the category of children includes anyone aged below 18, and all children, no matter
the sex, age, or social status, deserve a childhood that includes a formal education. All children
deserve an education because it provides them with an opportunity to be involved with and
interact with others. Education provides a child with a chance to develop social skills, and
develop a personal identity.

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I
APPENDIX 1: Unbalance in Pakistani Enrollment Rates

This graph is a perfect representation of the unbalance in the enrolment rate of Pakistan. It shows
not only the gender imbalance, but also the access for the higher economic class to the lower.

II

APPENDIX 2: The Convention on the Rights of the Child

III
APPENDIX 3: The Brick by Brick Campaign

Free the Childrens Brick by Brick campaign poster. The campaign that raises funds to build school
in places of need.

IV
APPENDIX 4: Right to Play

V
APPENDIX 5: Kailash Satyarthis BBA

VI
APPENDIX 6: War Child

VII
APPEDIX 7: Individual case studies
Malala Yousafzai

Lhundup Tso

Mohammed