With 2015 just 5 years away, the BBC is running a series assessing to what extent Bangladesh is on track to achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Bangladesh has made particular gains with regards to getting children into primary school and this takes the focus of the most recent report where the BBC made a trip to a school in a Dhaka slum. There are approximately 16.4 million primary school aged children in Bangladesh but of these, 3.3 million are not in school, but are working full time. One teacher describes what a struggle it is persuading some parents to send their children to school, commenting that “It is a conflict between short-term gains versus long-term benefits.” Necessities of the present override potential future benefits. In order to counteract such attitudes, the government has employed various schemes to encourage parents to send their children to school. One such scheme is the food incentives programme. This has seen great success and today, Bangladesh boasts 90% enrolment which puts the country in a good place for achieving universal primary education by 2015. This figure represents the great strides that have also been made with regards to gender equality as the number of girls enrolled has significantly risen. One girl reveals great aspirations for her education “I want to be a lawyer when I grow up because I have seen so many people go to prison unjustly and I would like to help free them.’’ Despite its progress, Bangladesh still faces significant challenges. Increasing quantity of education does not translate into quality education. Many teachers are in post with insufficient training and facilities and materials are often of poor quality which can hinder access and achievement. In order to realise 100% enrolment, provision of education must also be extended to children with disabilities or from ethnic minorities who are particularly vulnerable to exclusion from educational opportunities. Poverty, quality education and intersecting inequalities are all pertinent issues for Bangladesh. These are also key to E4 conference’s e-conference on girls’ education so if you have something to say on the issue join our debate! Comments will contribute to discussions at the UN Girls’ Education Initiative (UNGEI) conference in Dakar next week.

To join the e-conference go to: www.e4conference.org/e4ew5.

Read the BBC story in full: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8587387.stm

The sixth segment of the UNGEI Leaders for Education Series features Hilde F. Johnson, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Prior to her current role, Ms. Johnson was the Minister of International Development of Norway between 2001 and 2005, and Minister of Human Rights and Development from 1997 to 2000, within the two administrations of Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik. Ms. Johnson talks positively about education gains that have been made since the establishment of UNGEI with 60% of countries achieving gender parity. However, she highlights that this mustn’t conceal the fact that of the 101 million children out of primary school, more than half are girls.  She champions girls’ education, affirming that when girls go to school every development goal set by the international community becomes achievable. Following the recent release of the UNICEF publication ‘The Humanitarian Action Report’, Ms. Johnson talks with special reference to the importance of education in emergencies. Read about Ms. Johnson discussing the work of UNICEF, education in Haiti following the earthquake and how education got her to where she is.

The interview is available in full: www.ungei.org