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(Abuja) – Africa Governments should accelerate plans to guarantee free, quality education from pre-primary to secondary school by 2030, Human Rights Watch said today on June 16, 2024, the African Union’s Day of the African Child.
Africa is the world’s Highest Out-of-school population. In 2021, 98 million Children of primary and secondary school age and older adolescents are out of school. most Preschool children do not have access to early childhood education. Despite significant progress in closing the gender gap on the continent, More Girls More boys than girls are out of school, and many drop out before completing primary or secondary education.
“Millions of African children are still waiting for an education, and millions more are in school but are not receiving the quality education their governments have promised them,” Aunt Segun“Dozens of African countries have adopted education standards that conflict with their human rights obligations, undermining the quality of education African children receive.”
The theme for the Day of the African Child in 2024 is:Educating all Africa’s children: The time is nowAs global and African education commitments near deadlines, African governments should focus on ensuring access to free, quality education and removing legal, policy, and practical barriers that prevent millions of children, especially girls, from receiving an education, Human Rights Watch said.
All African governments have pledged to provide 12 years of primary and secondary education to all children, and at least one year of free pre-primary education. Deadlines set by countries to meet these goals are approaching, including the AU’s Continental Education Strategy, which sets out goals for member states to achieve by 2025, and the Sustainable Development Goals, which should be achieved by 2030. The AU has set 2024 as its Years of education Reaffirming the collective commitment and joint action of African countries to achieve these goals and their long-term development Agenda.
Some African countries have taken important steps to ensure These rightsIn 2022, Zambia Implementing free education from pre-primary to secondary school in all public schools, Madagascar Adopted bill Provide one year of free compulsory preschool education. Sierra Leone Adopted New Education Actguaranteeing that children receive a full 13 years of free education, including one year of pre-primary and secondary education.
Financial barriers and the lack of free education disproportionately affect children from the poorest families, who are often at higher risk of dropping out of school. Governments should take stronger steps to promote free education, stop charging students additional tuition and matriculation fees, school materials and unaffordable uniforms, and address other indirect costs such as school transportation.
Human Rights Watch research shows that African governments’ commitments to guarantee at least one year of pre-primary education are not consistently implemented. UgandaUganda introduced free primary education in 1997 and free secondary education in 2007, but has not yet implemented free pre-primary education. Human Rights Watch and Uganda Initiative for Social and Economic Rights Establishment The high fees charged by private kindergartens for children aged 3 to 5 exacerbate learning inequalities and create insurmountable barriers for most families, especially those in rural areas and low-income families.
Human Rights Watch said African governments should develop legal and policy frameworks to guarantee children’s right to early childhood education and ensure that lower and upper secondary education is free and accessible to all African children. Governments should pay special attention to ensuring that universal primary and secondary education is based on completely free education.
African governments will only meet their obligations when they remove the biggest barriers girls face and end human rights violations. Thousands of girls permanently drop out of school due to pregnancy or parenthood or are kicked out by teachers and school officials, and many are unable to continue in school due to: Child marriage. 18 of the world’s 20 countries Child marriage rate is highest These regions are located in sub-Saharan Africa. Most of them have high rates of teenage pregnancy and high percentages of girls dropping out of secondary school.
The government’s failure to address and prevent sexual violence in schools and to end impunity for sexual crimes is Severe obstacles For many girls. In many countries, studentGirls, in particular, face high levels of Sexual and gender-based violenceincluding sexual exploitation, harassment, and abuse by teachers, other school officials, and students.
exist Kenya, Tanzania, Sierra Leoneand SenegalSome teachers and school officials, as well as many motorcycle and bus drivers, sexually exploit and coerce girls in exchange for money for school fees, sanitary napkins, and other basic items. SenegalIn some cases, low retention rates for girls are closely linked to concerns that girls may be exposed to sexual harassment and gender-based violence in school, or that girls are at higher risk of pregnancy due to the school environment.
Across the continent, progress has been made in the right of pregnant or parenting children to an education. Thirty-eight countries Policies related to the education of pregnant or parenting students have been adopted. However, even with these policies in place, some countries persist with measures that effectively hinder girls’ right to education, including the denial or restriction of comprehensive sexuality education and inaction on widespread sexual violence in schools.
More than 10 countries also comply with Punitive policy or the lack of a framework for recognizing teenage pregnancy in schools. At least five countries also criminalize sex outside of marriage.
African governments should urgently review their policies and adopt human rights-compliant measures for pregnant or parenting students to fully demonstrate their commitment to promoting girls’ right to education. Comprehensive response Address the broader needs of raising girls, including through social protection measures, adequate economic support and guaranteed access to childcare and early childhood education.
Governments should focus more resources on preventing teenage pregnancy and promoting and protecting the sexual and reproductive rights of adolescents, including access to comprehensive, non-judgmental sex education and information.
“The shared vision of the African Union and individual countries for Africa’s future through education is clear,” Segun said. “It is time for African governments to implement their commitments immediately to guarantee fully free, quality education by 2030 and uphold their human rights obligations.”
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