As per a report by the United Nations, the primary school completion rate reached 84 per cent in 2018, up from 70 per cent in 2000 and under current trends, is expected to reach 89 per cent globally by 2030. In 74 countries with comparable data for the period 2011-2019, around seven in ten children aged three and four were developmentally on track in at least three of the following domains: literacy-numeracy, physical development, social-emotional development, and learning. The global adult literacy rate was 86 per cent in 2018, while the youth literacy rate for individuals between the age of 15-24 was 92 per cent.
Another issue that is related to education is the gap between the education curriculum and the job market. As per a report by world economic forum, the education system in many countries is outdated. As a result, many children will work in job profiles and sectors that do not even exist today. The problem is exacerbated by limited innovation in educational styles. The world economic forum also believes that if educational systems do not change without action, the next generation will be unprepared for the needs of the future, creating risks for both productivity and social cohesion.
Moreover, the problem of accessibility is exacerbated due to issues like war and conflict. An example of this can be Syria, where the conflict has destroyed more than 7,000 schools and has left about 2 million children out of school. Many of these children are the most vulnerable, including those recently displaced by insecurity.
Developed countries like Finland has garnered a lot of attention to the inclusive education system. The country has a reputation of outperforming the United States in reading, science, and mathematics. And it has been a top performer since the first Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) triennial international survey. Asian countries on the other hand have also topped in the PISA test. Countries like Singapore and China, in the latest test conducted in 2018, have performed well in subjects like math, science, and reading. Elsewhere, Estonia is noteworthy for its performance, ranking highly in all three subjects.
In developing countries, the quality of teaching poses a significant problem. Poor teaching strategies have led to children completing education and yet lack basic skills in reading, writing and arithmetic. In developing countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and India lack of educational policies, social inequalities have led to people being less literate and the educated less in practical skills.
