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The World of Child 6 Billion
EDUCATIONPresentation GuideKey Issue(s):
Literacy; School enrollment Discussion Openers
1. What information is the graph presenting?
2. What conclusions can you make from the data provided?
3. Which of those conclusions are based on fact and which are inferred?
4. What further information would you need to test your conclusions?
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| | Secondary School Enrollment Ratios in Major World Regions [Graph 11] Secondary school enrollment ratios are the number of people attending secondary school divided by the number of people of the appropriate age to attend secondary school and multiplied by 100. If everyone of the appropriate age were attending school and no one younger or older were attending, then the ratio would be 100. If the ratio is 107 and all students of the appropriate age are enrolled, then students outside the usual ages for secondary school are also enrolled. Examples could include an 8-year-old genius or a 25-year-old person returning for a high school degree. This graph shows secondary school enrollment ratios for major regions of the world and other categories as defined by UNICEF ("developing" countries overall, a subset of 48 "least developed" countries, and countries considered "Industrialized'). Ratios are shown for females and males. - Secondary school enrollment ratios are higher for women than men in Latin America and the Caribbean. This is the only developing region where we observe this pattern, although it also holds in industrialized countries overall.
- Secondary school enrollment ratios in developing countries are far below those for the industrialized countries and much, much lower in the 48 countries designated the "least developed."
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| | Secondary School Enrollment Ratios Over Time [Graph 12] This graph shows how much enrollment ratios changed between the late 1980s when world population reached 5 billion and the 1990s. Data are provided for females and males separately for the selected countries and the U.S. The data for females are shown in purple; for males, in green. - The percentage increase in the enrollment ratios was highest for Burkina Faso but remains very, very low.
- Botswana made impressive gains in enrollment; the ratio for girls increased by 76 percent and by 74 percent for boys since the late 1980s.
Notes: Comparable data were not available for the Dominican Republic.
The 1980's data for Indonesia are for 1983-86. | | | | |
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| | Adult Literacy Rates in Major World Regions [Graph 13] This graph shows the same geographic groupings as graph 11 and also provides data for women and men separately. - Nearly all adults in the industrialized countries can read and write.
- One in five men in developing countries cannot read and write. Nearly two in five women in developing countries cannot read and write.
- In those countries that the UN has designated "least developed," two of every five men cannot read and write and three of every five women cannot.
- In every region more men are literate than women. The difference is least pronounced in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- In the U.S., the U.S. Census Bureau last collected data on literacy in 1979. They found about 0.5 percent of the population age 14 and older could not read and write.
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| | Improvements in Adult Literacy Rates Since 1985 [Graph 14] This graph shows adult literacy rates for each of the six selected countries for 1985 and 1995. Rates are given separately for men and women. The data for women are shown in brown, and for men in yellow and orange. - The disparity between men's and women's literacy rates have decreased in Bolivia, Burkina Faso, Indonesia, and Laos. Botswana and the Dominican Republic have witnessed little change.
- The largest percentage increase was in Burkina Faso, where the literacy rate for women increased by 50 percent between 1985 and 1995. Yet, of every 100 women in Burkina Faso, only nine can read and write, as can fewer than 33 of every 100 men
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Discussion - In his or her lifetime, is Child 6 Billion likely to complete as many years of formal education as you have already completed?
- Examine relationships between literacy and school enrollment with the other quality of life issues (clean air, safe water, nutrition, housing, and health). Use the data provided and other sources.
- How do the six selected countries compare to data for their region? Compare graph 12 with 11, and 14 with 13.
- Does each selected country more clearly resemble the industrialized countries, developing countries overall, or the "least developed countries" in terms of literacy rates and secondary school enrollment ratios?
Other Topics for Extension: - Is there a relationship between literacy rates/school enrollment and health? Family size? Economic well-being?
- Could you help a child go to school here in the U.S. or in another country? How?
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