Running head: EDUCATION EQUALITY 1

Lack of Quality Education in Developing Countries

Abigail A. DeMartini

Legal Studies Academy

First Colonial High School

EDUCATION EQUALITY 2

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the lack of quality education in developing countries in

comparison with the United States. The author begins by addressing the difference between a

quantity and quality education, then continuing with defining the issue and providing

international statistics about the lack of a quality education. The author discuss the various

reasons that this is a problem such as lack of instruction materials, problems with teachers, the

learning environment, and a lack of student desire. The author provides a legal aspect that is a

court case from the United States to show comparison between the United States and developing

countries. The author concludes the paper with the implications of lack of quality education in

developing countries and provides ways the United States can provide support to these countries.

Keywords: education, quality, children

EDUCATION EQUALITY 3

Lack of Quality Education in Developing Countries

Children all over the world have the right to a quality education. A child could be

brilliant or born with an immense amount of knowledge, but never get to use that knowledge to

the best of their abilities if they do not receive a proper education. Their intelligence could be

hidden away, without the chance to grow and expand for new opportunities. This is a growing

global problem that affects children in every corner of the world. Malala Yousafzai. Malala is an

international symbol for advocacy of education. She was persecuted and shot by the Taliban

because she spoke out about her right to an education which had been previously taken from her.

Despite the injuries she sustained and the continued threat from the Taliban, Malala continues to

advocate for people's right to an education all around the world (A&E Television Networks,

2014). She is a prime example of a child with the power to change the world and without an

education or her want for an education, she would have never accomplished as much as she has

today. The lack of quality education in developing countries hinders the learning and

achievements of these students which prevents them from reaching their full potential.

Quality vs. Quantity

Defining the Issue

A common misconception is that quality of education is same concept as the quantity of

education. The reality is that quality education is a very different concept from the idea of having

an abundance of schools around the world, with kids forced to go to school everyday of their

lives. Developing a functioning education system requires many different aspects and elements

and no two countries are exactly alike in how they go about teaching and providing an education

for the people. There are different solutions to help resolve the quality of education problem such
EDUCATION EQUALITY 4

as alternative forms of content delivery to better design for textbooks and innovative teaching

approaches to better ways to measure learning (Ruano, 2011). An article about the state of

secondary education in Nigeria, solely focused on the Sokoto State in Nigeria, was a series of

fifteen interviews conducted from regional stakeholders, which are people interested in the

secondary education quality in Nigeria. The results from the interviews concluded that there are

seven ideas to consider when you are defining a high-quality education. They are as follows, “the

provision of adequate instructional materials, the provision of educational infrastructure,

imparting the ‘right’ knowledge, meeting education ‘yardsticks’, provision of teacher support

and welfare, creating a conducive learning atmosphere and availability of high-quality teachers”

(Ibrahim, Arshad, Salleh, 2017). Using all of these can help determine what is needed to create a

high-quality education in a specific region. These can also help the government of that region to

create adequate education plans and programs that help insure the quality of education. The

study helps infer the factors that are responsible for the lack of quality education in Nigeria, such

as the lack of supplies needed to educate people, which is the first of the seven ideas. Countries

can take different initiatives that address this question of quality education. “However, if a tree

falls in the forest, will others who are not nearby be able to hear it? Can innovation and best

practices happen in isolation?” (Ruano, 2011). This idea means that countries cannot change the

course of their education status alone. They need support from other countries and governments

to actually create a significant change. The article talks about how all countries should exchange

their information, that works the best for them, with other countries. For example, what is the

most cost effective and helps them reach their goals the most efficiently (Ruano, 2011). “People

have a thirst to know, to learn and to seek ways to engage others. Education is one of the keys
EDUCATION EQUALITY 5

that can provide the new generations with the tools to be bold and to dare to be what they want to

be.”

Developing Countries

Comparison with the United States

In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, back in 2015, only fifty six percent of third graders in the

school district had scored “proficient” on the state reading test (Hanford, 2018). Only fifty six

percent. This number represents more than just this school district in Pennsylvania. Across the

United States, children are scoring lower and lower on state tests showing decreasing levels of

learning proficiency. The main problem in the United States with a lack of quality education is

that most teachers are teaching solely to get children to pass the standardized test. Most forget

the true meaning of teaching which is for the children to actually retain information. Teaching

becomes a “memorization game,” according to First Colonial High Schools advanced placement

human geography teacher, Debbie Hague. In a professional interview with Mrs. Hague, she

addresses her opinions on the problems in the United States with these teaching methods. This is

a problem because the children memorize the information for a short period of time, but do not

actually understand the content and forget as soon as the assessment or test is over. Along with

the problem of teachers only wanting students to pass and not to learn, there is another issue

which is that the standards of learning in every state are different, which means every kid is

learning something different, some more than others (D. L. Hague, personal communication,

November 8, 2018). Mrs. Hague feels strongly about these issues and believes somethings needs

to be done to solve them. The problem of a lack of a quality education in the United States is

different than the lack of a quality education in developing countries. In the United States, most
EDUCATION EQUALITY 6

of the problem falls on the teachers not doing their job properly but having the resources to, and

the standards set by the individual governments not being up to par. It differs in developing

countries with more of the reasons based on access to the right materials and the proper

education for teachers.

Statistics

According to Krista Watson at the Global Poverty Project, around the world, 59 million

children of elementary or primary school age are being denied an education, and almost 65

million children are without access to a secondary school. Government conflicts and natural

disasters have interrupted the education of 75 million children globally and in every one out of

three countries, less than three quarters of teachers are trained to national standards, resulting in

130 million children enrolled in school who are not even learning the basics. This is a huge issue

with regards to quality education and explains one of the major causes of the problem. Almost 15

million girls of primary school age will never have the opportunity to learn to read and write in

primary school, which is compared to about 10 million boys (Watson, 2016). This also brings up

an interesting reason for lack of quality education in females, which is gender inequality and how

in some regions of the world, women are still treated as less than men, not receiving the same

right to education. These statistics help explain some of the causes of lack of quality education

and help grasp the actual severity of the issue.

Legal Aspect

The legal aspect of the issue is more focused in the United States because many people

have taken legal action against school systems for students not receiving the standard quality

education. In West Virginia, a woman filed suit against the West Virginia State Board of
EDUCATION EQUALITY 7

Education and the State Superintendent of Schools claiming that the school system of Lincoln

County and the system for financing public schools, “violates West Virginia's Constitution by

denying plaintiff's the ‘thorough and efficient’ education required by Article XII, Section 1, and

by denying them equal protection of the law” (Terry Gene Pauley v. John H. Kelly, 1979). She

claimed that there was insufficient funding for her school district which hindered opportunity

and achievement for her child compared to the districts surrounding. The West Virginia Court of

Appeals found that the members of the School Board and Mr. Kelly were indeed providing

insufficient funding to the Lincoln County district compared to the counties surrounding them.

This is an example of the legal action taken when a child does not receive what they think is a

quality education. The problem is that in different countries, and especially developing countries,

they do not know there can be a solution and legal action can be taken, which only worsens the

problem and creates an ignorance of the issue.

Reasons

There are many different reasons that students are not receiving a quality education, and

many of them apply both to the United States and developing countries. Some of the main

reasons are lack of instruction materials, problems with teachers, the learning environment, and a

lack of student desire.

Instruction Materials

One of the reasons for a lack of quality education is the lack of the proper resources

needed for a sufficient education. Every child learning a subject needs something to be able to

study and help them learn because teachers cannot hold all the information for the subject in their

minds. This is very relevant in developing countries where computers and technology are not
EDUCATION EQUALITY 8

very accessible and a textbook can help students understand the same material. The problem is

that these materials are still not very accessible because of the increasing cost and lack of

funding for materials. According to an infographic on the costs of textbooks skyrocketing, the

average cost of public school district textbooks per student is around two hundred fifty U.S.

dollars (Zook, 2017). This is money that most developing countries cannot afford and therefore

cannot supply their students with the proper textbooks. According to the same infographic,

textbook costs have increased eight hundred and twelve percent. This is a ridiculous amount and

one of the main reasons why children all over the world are not receiving a sufficient education.

Teachers

Teachers are also a reason that students aren't receiving a quality education. Not teachers

in general, but the lack of available teachers, unqualified teachers, and teachers with no

motivation. A book about the shortage of teachers describes the problem very clearly. “The

shortage of teachers has important consequences for the quality of education that students

receive. Principals who face difficulties in locating sufficient numbers of qualified job candidates

most commonly do three things: hire less-qualified teachers, assign teachers trained in another

field or grade level to teach in the understaffed area, and make extensive use of substitute

teachers” (Voke, n.d., p. all). This is a huge problem all around the world. The number of people

wanting to go into the educational field and become teachers is decreasing rapidly. According to

an article on the decreasing desire people have to become teachers, in 1975, twenty two percent

of college students in the United States picked the major of education. This decreased by 2015

when a new study was done proving that less than one in every ten americans wants to obtain a

career in education (Passy, 2018). This is data from the U.S. Census Bureau compiled by career
EDUCATION EQUALITY 9

website Zippia. This shows the declining number of people going into the education workforce

which accounts for the problems children not receiving a quality education. People are choosing

not to be teachers that could have the qualifications which causes school systems to hire under

qualified people or transfer teachers over to subjects they do not teach. A teacher who teaches

english cannot just transfer over and start teaching Algebra. This is very problematic and even

unfair to these kids who have the right to an education and don't receive a proper one.

Learning Environment

The learning environment that students are being educated in are different around the

world. In developing countries, the learning environment of students has many different issues

and it involves many different elements. These problems include access to a school, cooperation,

physical environment, organization, teacher behavior, positivity, motivation, clear structure, and

nutrition (Warfield, 2016).

Access to school.​ The first is access to a school. In an article from the United Nations,

there are “millions of children in poorer countries that can't read or do simple sums because there

are around 57 million children who don't have a school to go to” (The BBC, 2014). If children

don’t even have access to school, how are they supposed to be educated and receive a quality

education? Access to school is the most important aspect because without a school, education is

nothing.

Cooperation.​ Another problem is that with a lack of a quality education, there is not a

very cooperative learning environment. Cooperation between students helps them overcome

diversity, work hand-in-hand, and learn more important life lessons in school that they wouldn't

be able to experience at home. Cooperation is a huge part of creating a quality education. School
EDUCATION EQUALITY 10

isn't just about learning textbook material. It is about learning life skills, relating to peers,

improving social skills, and exchanging new ideas. All of these go along with cooperation and

can help create a more stable learning environment for children around the world (Warfield,

2016).

Physical learning environment.​ Another reason is the actual physical environment these

children are learning in. There have been studies done that show that different factors such as,

“Color, classroom organization, cleanliness, sufficient supplies, and bright lights” all things that

can affect students learning ability up to twenty five percent. Dull colors, a dirty, unorganized

classroom, lack of supplies, and no lighting along with overcrowded rooms have a negative

correlation with students learning ability. Students learning in these conditions are less likely to

achieve their goals and the standards of a quality education. There is research that shows that in

order for a child to “get the most out of their learning environment” they need at least two to four

feet of personal space. In most of these developing countries, students are not receiving the right

learning conditions which is causing a lack of a quality education. The article also mentions how

if students help to create their learning environment they will be more productive and feel more

empowered, working in a space they created, which increases their motivation to learn (Warfield,

2016).

Organization. ​Organization is also a major factor in a good learning environment.

Children are very easily distracted. According to a blog by a child expert, children only have an

attention span of two to five minutes for every year of their life (Hill, 2018). So a seven year old

child only has an attention span of fifteen to thirty five minutes. With a disorganized classroom,

a child's actual attention span on the actual learning material is even less because they are
EDUCATION EQUALITY 11

distracted by the mess around them. If they desks and furniture are in a bad condition, students

are more likely to play with the broken pieces instead of concentrating on the material in front of

them. Organizing the desks and chairs in an efficient way is also very important. There have

been different studies to prove what way desks in classroom should be facing but everyone has

their own opinion. The only thing that is important is that desks and chairs should be organized

in a pattern and not just randomly placed throughout a room. All desks should also be facing so

that every student can see the main focus of the classroom. Organization definentaly affects

students ability to learn and without the proper organization of a classroom there begins the

problem of a lack of a quality education (Warfield, 2016).

Teacher behavior, positivity, motivation, and clear structure. ​Students all over the

world need psychological and emotional support from the teachers along with being taught the

educational material. Teachers who demonstrate calm rational qualities show students how to

behave in real life. For a lot of students in developing countries, these teachers could be the only

role models they have, and the teachers showing them how to act professional helps them with

their learning ability. Many students are “at risk” students with many mental problems such as

anxiety or aggressive, negative behavior. A teacher that demonstrates positivity in a classroom

helps set up these kids for greatness. Having a positive attitude toward school everyday shows

the children that they can learn and it makes it more fun for them, again increasing the

motivation to learn. Along with positivity, motivation is one of the most important key factors in

a quality education. Students who are motivated and happy to be in school will achieve their

education goals more easily. The last part is a clear structure in a learning environment. Rules

and very important and help set standards which the children have to reach. By providing
EDUCATION EQUALITY 12

rewards and consequences, it helps them learn real life lessons which increase the quality of

education (Warfield, 2016).

Nutrition. ​Nutrition is also a key contributing factor in a learning environment that

affects a child's education. According to the Food Aid Foundation, 795 million people in the

world do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life (Food Aid Foundation, n.d.).

Students around the world are going to school hungry. This is a huge problem because without

the right nutrition, students cannot focus properly in school. It is proven that it is harder to retain

information on an empty stomach. “Good nutrition builds better learners, and good choices

promote better outcomes.” Another problem along with nutrition is the right type of food. Kids

come into school just having high sugar “quick-fix” foods when they should be eating heart

healthy meals and snacks to help them focus and pay attention in class. Eating no food or the

wrong type of food can also affect students mood, concentration, and motivation (Warfield,

2016).

Student Desire

The last reason that students are not receiving a quality education is because of students

lack of motivation and desire to learn. If students do not want to commit to an education and

want to learn, there is no hope for them to reach the standards of a quality education. A student

has to want to learn, in order to get a quality education.

Implications

Why is it a problem?

An article by Max Roser, Mohamed Nagdy, and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina outlines the real

problems with a lack of a quality education. They strengthen the idea that quantity of education
EDUCATION EQUALITY 13

has been a center of focus for policy makers and governments around the world, but that it not

the real pressing issue. It is still very important to have access to schools and the actual

foundation but “the actual goal of providing schooling is to teach skills and transfer knowledge

to students in the classroom” (Roser, Nagdy, & Ortiz-Ospina, 2018). Over the years, it has

become increasingly difficult to measure the lack of quality education because the standards for a

quality of education have not been clearly defined. Part of it is that standardized testing does not

reach across borders and cannot translate globally. Efforts to measure the quality of education

are geographically restricted and cannot be compared with other countries. This article

introduces a study with some of the ways that can be used to measure a quality education which

are as follows; reading and language proficiency, mathematics and numeracy proficiency, and

scientific knowledge and understanding. These different tests selected children from different

criteria such as age, grade, and gender. The goal of this study is to get an accurate representation

of the whole population of the world. They measured the quality of education around the world

and found that it varies in every part of the world as to what the specific standards are but the

majority result was the same. Which is that in developing countries, the lack of quality education

for students is an increasing problem.

U.S. Aid

The United States can help developing countries with the problem of the lack of quality

education by providing different forms of support. Even though the issue is still prevalent in

some areas of the United States, there are other regions that could be very helpful to other, less

fortunate countries.
EDUCATION EQUALITY 14

Guatemala. ​One success story comes from Guatemala that now has a one hundred

percent enrollment rate in primary school with almost an equal amount of boys and girls enrolled

("Education in Guatemala," 2018). In the last for years the first grade completion rates have

increased by 18%. The United States has implemented various education quality policies and

programs in guatemala that have helped them with this increase. The problem is that there is still

room for improvement. The article mentions that in Guatemala there are still kids between the

ages of fifteen and twenty four that “do not have basic life or vocational skills to enter the

workforce. Youth face increasingly difficult conditions, including high levels of unemployment,

social and economic marginalization, rapid urbanization, increasing crime, and lack of basic

services” ("Education in Guatemala," 2018). This means that they still need help and

improvement of education for these children so they are able to have an opportunity at a real life.

The article from USAID has an education sector that works directly with the government of

Guatemala to help improve the literacy rates of the children of country along with provide

different opportunities for kids who do not have the ability to attend school to get an education.

This is the same sector that helped to improve the enrollment percentage. The things they do to

help improve the quality of education include;

Improving reading skills by promoting early grade reading as the main support of lifelong

learning, supporting the Ministry of Education and its National Reading Program by

developing, printing, and distributing materials in Mayan languages and Spanish, training

teachers and strengthening the management and technical skills of Ministry of Education

personnel, partnering with parents and communities to call for quality education services

and raise awareness of the important role that mothers play in their children’s education,
EDUCATION EQUALITY 15

working with the local governments to establish basic requirements for schools to foster a

classroom environment conducive to improving reading skills. The requirements include

a minimum of 180 school days per year, availability of books and reading materials for

all students, and basic services such as water, electricity, and latrines for boys and girls.

("Education in Guatemala," 2018).

There are many other initiatives the article states that U.S. aid does to help Guatemala but those

are the few that the United States has implemented in Guatemala.

Conclusion

The lack of quality education in developing countries hinders the learning and

achievements of these students which prevents them from reaching their full potential. The

different reasons for the lack of a quality education vary across the globe but even though the

problem stems from different places, it is still a global issue. It is an issue that can be solved with

aid from other countries and everyone working together to help all of these children, in every

country, receive a quality education.

EDUCATION EQUALITY 16

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