Free education in Rwanda: Just one step towards reducing gender and sibling inequalities

Type Journal Article - Education Research International
Title Free education in Rwanda: Just one step towards reducing gender and sibling inequalities
Author(s)
Volume 2012
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2012
URL http://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/edu/2012/396019.pdf
Abstract
Most developing countries will probably achieve universal enrolment in primary education for boys and girls in 2015 and will thus meet Millennium Development Goal 2. This, however, does not apply to countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Although they are making impressive progress, there is still a long way to go (see [1]) as they started off farthest from the desired target (see [2]). Rwanda is one of the few subSaharan countries where the gap between objective and result is very small (see [3]). In Rwanda, the enrolment rates have been historically high; at 90 percent, the challenge is to identify and help the last 10 percent of the school-age children that is yet to be enroled in primary school (see [4]). The Rwandan government targeted achieving universal primary education in 2010, and nine years of basic education for all children in 2015. As stated in its Vision 2020 policy document (see [5]), the government aims to transform Rwanda’s agricultural-based economy into a knowledgebased economy, for which human resource development is of vital importance. The government emphasises gender equity in all segments of society and the economy, meaning that boys and girls should equally enrol in education.

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