Achieving Universal Primary Education, Research Paper Example

In looking at the country and its relevant history before focusing on the country’s performance on each of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) a better understanding of the challenges that the country has faced can be achieved.  The country that will be focused on in this analysis is Haiti.  Haiti made various commitments in its goals including reducing poverty, increasing equality, reducing child mortality rates, improving health, environmental sustainability, and an increase in global development (UNSD 2007).  Alongside these goals, the achievement of universal primary education is considered to be one of the most important for the country.  This is due to the ability of education to help empower citizens to achieve better lives for themselves, thus raising social and economic standards.  The empowerment of citizens through primary education is, therefore, a fundamental starting point for the reduction of poverty throughout the country as well as prioritizing an increase in equality.

In looking at the starting point of Haiti and the country’s progress since then, an idea of how effective the policies that have been implemented in order to achieve the goals can be established.  According to the Millennium Development Goals Indicators, the enrollment ratio for those attending primary education in 1997 was 57.2 percent.  This number has gone up quite significantly in the years since the MDGs were established.  According to a 2013 report, the number of those enrolling in primary education “has increased steadily from 47 percent in 1993 to 88 percent in 2011” (UNDP).  This presents evidence that the methods that have been used in order to achieve these goals are effective.  By approaching issues such as budget limitations in a structured and ordered manner, the application of these programs is able to continue through the coordinated efforts of the United Nations and other donors.  This demonstrates the effectiveness of the international goals in utilizing cooperation in order to establish more opportunities for those living in the international community.

In looking at the reasons underlying the progress for this goal, the major policy initiatives include increased funding opportunities from donor programs as well as providing equal opportunities for both males and females in the education system.  One of the main reasons that there has been so much progress in regards to increasing the enrollment of Haitian children in primary education is the focus that the country has had on the goals of reducing poverty and increasing equality.  As providing education is one of the most effective ways of achieving these goals, there has been a large amount of focus on providing these opportunities for Haitian citizens.  One of the main challenges that have been faced in approaching these MDGs is the availability of funding for the programs.  These “recurrent budgetary constraints” (UNDP) present the need to provide opportunities for those who wish to receive an education so that they can help to reduce the amount of poverty within the country.  This includes providing opportunities for both boys and girls as well as those of lower economic status.

This presents an example of the interconnectedness of the Millennium Development Goals.  The connections between poverty, equality, and education result in an effective means to combat these challenges.  By increasing the capacity for people to be educated, the opportunity to both reduce poverty and increase equality has presented a major factor in increasing the overall amount of people that have been educated.  Furthermore, by opening up opportunities to people of both sexes, a more diverse and educated work force can help to increase the economic status of those within the country.  This has provided the country with not only an increased rate of children who attend primary education, but has also had the residual effect of decreasing the amount of poverty that the average citizen lives in and has presented the opportunity for equality in that those of both genders are now achieving the same level of education within the country.  The steady increase in educational opportunities has had the effect of increasing the quality of life for those living in Haiti.

The development goals that were most important to Haiti were poverty reduction, increased primary education enrollment, and equality for citizens.  These goals did not develop in isolation, but rather are profoundly connected to one another.  As funds for education and increased availability of education for a more diverse population were established, the number of those who were able to attain a primary education increased.  Likewise, the increased amount of individuals able to receive an education provided the opportunity for economic and social advancement, which helped to develop other related MDGs.  The opportunities for advancement provided through primary education were, therefore, essential in implementing other aspects of these goals.

Works Cited

“Millennium Goals.” United Nations. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/.

“Millenium Development Goals Indicators.” United Nations. Retrieved from http://mdgs.un.org/unsd/mdg/SeriesDetail.aspx?srid=589&crid=332.

“2013 MDG Report Haiti a New Look.” UNDP. Retrieved from http://www.latinamerica.undp.org/content/rblac/en/home/library/mdg/HaitiMDGReport2013.html.

“Millennium Development Goals: Haiti.” Index Mundi. Retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/haiti/millennium-development-goals.html.