Ethiopia on "fast track" to boost education

Ethiopia became one of 23 countries “fast tracked” by the World Bank this week for massive financial investment in the education sector. It means the countries can get extra money to help overhaul their education systems and put some 67 million children through primary school. World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn said in a statement that the plan could transform the prospects of third world countries. The announcement comes as Ethiopia plans to extend by another five years a plan to radically overhaul its education sector. Ethiopia has one of the poorest levels of education in the world. Under the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), all children must receive primary education by 2015. “More than 67 million children in these countries have never set foot in a classroom and many more drop out before completing even five or six years of primary school, which is the minimum to be able to read, write and do basic arithmetic, and to provide the basis for further learning," Wolfensohn said. “Education for all is an achievable goal but it will not be achieved without extraordinary effort by both the countries and their development partners," he said. “Now it is up to the G-8 and other donors to follow through and provide the financing necessary to make this education Fast Track work." The Bank estimates that the international community will need to commit US $3 billion a year in additional financing over the next 10 years to help countries meet the education goals.