Minimum Education for All Children In Southeast Asia By Anish Welde ECOSOC

Map of Southeast Asia

Key terms Literacy rate: This is the amount of the population over the age of 15 that can read and write any given language. Southeast Asia: Made up of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. UNICEF: An agency of the United Nations established in 1946 to help governments improve the health and education of children and their mothers.

Key terms Curriculum: The subjects that make up a course of study in a school. Rudimentary: Undeveloped, Limited to basic principles. UNESCO: an agency of the United Nations charged with instituting and administering programs for cooperative,coordinated action by member states in education, science, and the arts. Numerate: Having basic arithmetic knowledge and being able to work with numbers.

Topic Summary All member states of Southeast Asia believe that education is important in developing their nations. There are a few restrictions such as how the nations can rapidly expand the learning opportunity while maintaining the same quality of education. The following factors cause inequality in Southeast Asian nations: Lack of facilities, lack of human resources (not enough teachers) and the uneven spread of a population in a bigger country. For each year of primary education girls complete, they marry later, have few children, get better jobs, rise out of poverty

Topic Summary (2) Lack of money for parents to send their children to school with is another factor as to why many children do not get the minimum education. This is because about 1/3 of the population lives under the poverty line. According to UNICEF, early childhood development (ECD) will lead to better educational performance which in turn will lead to better employment opportunities. Children who start school late will lack skills and will likely fall behind.

Topic Summary (3) UNICEF calls upon communities to address gender discrimination from birth. This promotes gender equality in terms of education. Many students experience harsh learning conditions such as terrible sanitation, discrimination, harassment and violence. According to UNICEF, access to education of poor quality might as well be equal to none at all. This is because there is no point in an education where the child does not become literate, numerate, or with lack of life skills.

Topic Summary (4) Due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis or hurricanes, minimum education is not possible for many children in those Southeast Asian countries. Education will help traumatized children after natural disasters because school will provide a safe environment for them.

Timeline 1946 UNICEF was founded. 1954: UNICEF became a permanent part of the UN System. 1961: UNICEF focuses on education for children as well. 1990: The Convention on the Rights of a child became an international law – guarantees a child’s right to education 1990: World Summit for children takes place 2002: UN Special Session on Children was held where the General Assembly was addressed by children.

UN Involvement UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund) is key in aiding illiterate children in Southeast Asia. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization also focuses on some parts of child education in Southeast Asia.

How did this Topic Originate? The UNICEF was originally founded as The International Children's Emergency Fund (ICEEF) in order to aid children after World War II.

Long Term Objectives The UNICEF will continue to support children who are in need of education. Ensure that all countries abide to the Conventions of the Right of a Child.

Bibliography http://www.seameo.org/vl/library/dlwelcome/publications/ paper/india04.htm http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61627.html http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61667.html http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61685.html http://www.publicnet.co.uk/abstracts/2010/02/03/plan-for- raising-the-school-leaving-age/

Bibliography http://www.unicef.org/about/60years/1960/timeline.html http://variousinformations- roshani.blogspot.sg/2010/11/timeline-of-unicef.html http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/unicef--2 http://www.unicef.org/about/who/index_history.html

Images http://www.pattayamail.com/ourchildren/support-called- for-charity-golf-for-unicef-thailand-2011-850 http://blogs.unicef.org.uk/authentic_voices/archive/2011/1 0/12/evening-class.aspx http://www.supportunicef.org/site/c.dvKUI9OWInJ6H/b.78 85441/k.9E66/Schools_for_Asia.htm http://www.unicef.org/eapro/media_15791.html