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Education is the second of the Millennium Development
Goals, which include ensuring that all children complete primary
schooling. The average primary completion rate has risen from
62 percent to 72 percent, but even at this pace Sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia may not reach the MDG target. In spite
of this, through education women are improving their chances
in many societies: in 2004 girls outnumbered boys at secondary
schools in 84 of 171 countries, according to the 2007 World
Development Indicators published by the World Bank. At the
university level, women do better still, outnumbering men
in 83 of 141 countries. Reduction of child mortality rates
is associated with education and gender. The bottom line is
that education is a boon to development. |