Improving primary education

Some of the more populous countries of the developing world have achieved better than expected levels of primary education, when taking into account their stage of economic development. The most notable examples of such countries (and their percentage literacy level) are China (86), Sri Lanka (95), Zimbabwe (94), Egypt (91), Indonesia (83), and India (62).

Between 1970 and 1990, Indonesia and Kenya achieved rapid and sustained growth of primary school enrolments and raised the proportion of girls to nearly half of all pupils. These gains were brought about by a combination of high-level political commitment to universal primary schooling, information programmes that created stronger demand on the part of parents and support from the international community.

Developing countries, since independence, have made remarkable progress in expanding their primary school enrolment. According to estimates, 216 million students enrolled in primary schools in 1960, as compared with 475 million in 1985.