| How do developing countries handle education amid | | | | children's ability to make money over the longer-term |
| the more pressing everyday challenges imposed by | | | | benefits of schooling. But studies have shown that |
| economic pressures and threats to security, law and | | | | when poor families reach a certain economic |
| order? | | | | threshold where their basic needs are met, their next |
| Certainly, there are more serious problems to face, | | | | priority is to put their children in school. Their next |
| but it is significant to note that education is not | | | | concern usually is where to get their kids a decent |
| forgotten. For many, it is still the best way to | | | | education since many public schools have low |
| overcome hardship and poverty. However elusive, it | | | | educational standards, which is understandable |
| is still considered the key to a better life. | | | | considering that teachers are often paid a lot less |
| Among developing countries that are classified as | | | | than in other similar professions. On the other hand, |
| "emerging markets," it is not surprising to see | | | | when they do find a school they like, they have to |
| educational institutions that are world-class and which | | | | move heaven and earth to get their kids into that |
| offer education that can rival that provided by | | | | school because of low acceptance rates. |
| wealthier nations around the world. These include | | | | There are encouraging trends. For instance, India has |
| such countries as Mexico, India, Brazil, Turkey, the | | | | launched EDUSAT, an education satellite that can |
| Philippines, Egypt, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, | | | | reach more of the country at a greatly reduced cost. |
| much of South America and several of the Persian | | | | There are also initiatives to develop a $100 laptop to |
| Gulf Arab States. | | | | make laptops available to most students by late 2006 |
| Unfortunately, although world-class education is | | | | or 2007 in order to give their children a digital |
| readily available, it is still beyond reach for a significant | | | | education. Africa has also launched an "e-school |
| portion of the population of these countries. | | | | programme" to provide all 600,000 primary and high |
| At the lowest spectrum of the economic scale, it is | | | | schools with computer equipment, learning materials |
| not surprising to see a low view of the importance | | | | and internet access within 10 years. Other countries |
| of education as parents tend to prioritize their | | | | have simialr initiatives along these same lines. |