Although more children are attending school than ever before in the countries of South and East Asia, vast numbers drop out before the end of the primary cycle, and the region still accounts for the worlds largest share of out-of-school youth, according to a new United Nations report published in February.
The South and East Asia Regional Report, published by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Institute for Statistics, shows that an estimated 46 million children are out of school in the region, 32 million of them in South and West Asia. The agency calls for recruiting more teachers to cut these numbers.
The study presents the latest education data for a region ranging from the Philippines in the East to Afghanistan and Iran in the West, and including five of the worlds most populated nations.
It notes that enrolments for boys and girls rose substantially in most countries over the decade from 1990 to 2000. In Laos and Bangladesh net primary enrolment ratios for boys and girls rose between 15 and 20 percentage points.
But enrolments are only part of the picture. The Report also reveals that only half the children who enter primary school in India, Laos and Myanmar will reach grade five. Nepal, Cambodia and Bangladesh follow closely behind with between 35 and 38 per cent dropping out before the end of the primary cycle.
This trend is confirmed by data showing that even though many children are enrolled in primary education, very few will have a chance to enrol in lower secondary education. An estimated 233 million pupils of all ages are enrolled in both lower and upper secondary education with girls making up some 43 percent of the total.
The report estimates there are about 13 million primary teachers throughout the region, including 9 million in East Asia. This means that, on average, there is about one teacher for every 21 pupils in primary school in East Asia, compared to one for every 40 in South and West Asia.
East Asia includes Brunei, Cambodia, China, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Macao (China), Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste (Øst-Timor) and Viet Nam.
South and West Asia includes Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Kilde: FNs Nyhedstjeneste
