goal2worksheet

One World Youth Project

Goal 2: Achieve Universal Primary Education

“Goal 2 is about allowing children everywhere, boys and girls alike, to be able to complete a full course of primary schooling by 2015. Currently, there are 115 million children who do not attend primary school; three fifths of them are girls. Providing children a basic education is the best investment the world can make in its future. Education reduces poverty by providing everyone with choices and opportunities to create a better life for themselves. Without universal primary education, no real progress can be made on the other Goals. Educated women have fewer children, get medical help sooner and provide better care and nutrition for their children. This reduces hunger, infant and maternal mortality, the spread of HIV/AIDS, and environmental damage.”

Source: United Nations Cyber School Bus Millennium Development Campaign

SEE

How important is education in your community, town, or city? Is it something every child expects to receive? On average, how long do children in your community remain in school?

Do the majority of the young people in your community receive an education? If so, is this education equal? If not, what prevents some from receiving an education?

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REFLECT

Look at the answers to your questions above. Based on your responses, do you feel the education in some regions of your community, town, city, or province/state could improve?

If so, how? If not, why?

ACT

How could you help achieve UN Millennium Development Goal 2? How could you improve or expand the educational opportunities offered to young people in your community, town, or city? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Can you think of a project you and your peers might be able to design and implement in your community in order to help reach Goal 2?

INSPIRE

“In Karnataka, South India, primary education is free and widely available. Every government school must accept any child who wants to attend but many don't because their parents don't see the value of it, preferring instead that their kids work and bring in money. Street kids often don't see the point of being stuck in a classroom doing something that doesn't pay. 21-year-old Vimi Pinto decided to make a comic book illustrating the lifelong value of an education. With the help of a cartoonist, some friends, and children from a local slum, the comic was distributed to 5000 children in slums in Bangalore. The story is told completely in pictures so it can be understood by children and parents who cannot read or write. Joseph Devaraj of Peace Child India says, ‘90 million street kids have no access to education or health care. To change this will be the most massive struggle, and will require an amazing effort from the young people of India.’

This story was adapted from a publication prepared by young delegates to the 2nd World Youth Congress under the leadership of Peace Child International and the Morroccan Youth Forum”

Source of inspirational stories: United Nations Cyber School Bus Millennium Development Campaign

One World Youth Project Curriculum www.oneworldyouthproject.org