The International Day of Education celebrates the benefits of education. UNESCO say the day is “to honour education and its centrality to human well-being and sustainable development.” At Creating Better we futures, we are very familiar with the benefits of education. Education was the catalyst for Dorothy Dix to start the charity in 2012. We have used education to transform countless lives in Zimbabwe. We know how much it can do!
For such an important force, education can be undervalued. Many of the benefits of education extend well beyond the classroom. In this article we will be sharing some of the more surprising benefits. Hopefully you will learn that there is more to education than learning facts and figures!
1. Education makes you healthier.
Education is key to promoting healthy living. The act of attending school can have an immediate impact on health. Research shows deworming programmes undertaken in school have lead to a decline in absences. The World Food Programme findings show school feeding programmes have improved diet, nutrition and health among students.
There are also longer term health benefits associated with education. UNICEF have found that completing primary school can make a child five times more aware of the risks surrounding HIV/AIDs. Education also helps families to be healthier. A UNESCO report finds that infant mortality decreases by 5% for each year of education undertaken by mothers.
2. Education is a route out of poverty.
There is countless research into how education makes people better off. Most fascinating is the work by the Education Commission. They have found that every dollar invested into education in developing countries can return ten times this in the future. When tailored properly, education gives practical skills that can be reapplied throughout life. These skills support the growth of local businesses and industries.
By sponsoring a child with Creating Better Futures, you are helping them to learn these skills. Our schools teach classes that will prepare the children for life after school: brick work, accounting, and textiles. As many families live in rural communities, there is also a significant emphasis on developing agricultural skills. Some of our children have already been able to use these skills on the agricultural projects you have funded. To give others this opportunity, please consider making a donation to support our agricultural projects here.
3. Education promotes gender equality…
There have been major steps to address gender inequality in the last twenty years. Education is a major factor to this. It has given girls a platform to build and demonstrate their skills. This change begins with school enrolments. The Global Partnership for Education have found there were 41 million more girls enrolled in school in 2016 than there were in 2002.
The benefits of educating girls can be seen in the long term. World Bank research suggests keeping a girl in school for just one more year can increase their future earnings by 10-20%.
Education also contributes to keeping girls safe. The World Bank have found that educating girls protects them from being married before they turn 18.
3.5 … But we need to do more for girls.
We still have a long way to go.
It’s great to see so much effort being devoted to support girls. But where we still aren’t doing enough. Many girls are still not getting the education that they deserve. Enrolment rates are unfortunately still below the levels they should be. UNESCO have found that only 40% of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa are completing secondary school.
Could you sponsor Pallesa, Shylet, Chantel or Grace? Email info@creatingbetterfutures.org.uk to find out how.
Girls like Pallesa, Shylet, Chantel and Grace are unable to attend school across the world. None of these girls are currently receiving sponsorship. Your help could make all the difference. Please email info@creatingbetterfutures.org.uk for more information on how you could support them!
4. Education facilitates peace.
Peace is one of the biggest benefits of education. Paul Collier, World Bank Economist, has conducted extensive research into conflict. He found that each year of education reduces the risk of someone participating in conflict by 20%.
Education also encourages people to act peacefully. UNESCO have found that educated people are more likely to join peaceful protest movements. They avoid violent action by doing this.
There are countless benefits to education. Thank you to all of our supporters and child sponsors for giving children access to these benefits!
