Pay For A School In Every African Village...

[vetuste_ennemi]

...and in twenty years time we wouldn't need to give aid. to Africa.

This is a quote from a Mirror journalist on Sky's Press Preview discussing the utility of Western aid budgets to the third world.

My question is in what way would universal education oin Africa solve the problems of food shortage, occasional drought and lack of clean water?

[JimF]

That's a good question! I'm sure that everyone on here, with me, is in favour of universal education. That said, I'd think that provision of clean water has to remain the top priority for Africa. That helps to provide irrigation to grow food to eliminate hunger.

Then schools.

[1ozzy]

Maybe if the general population was educated there would be better prospects for creating businesses, trade, stable government, housing etc and the ability to solve some of the other problems they currently have.

[JimF]

Yeah, but degrees don't dig no wells!

[1ozzy]

Yes, degrees don't dig wells.

I don't disagree with funding the most pressing problems.

Without education the need for funding will increase with the population growth.

Educating people will empower them to find or create solutions, a long term goal.

[JimF]

Indeed.

Plus a large supply of condoms!

[1ozzy]

Yeah, or vasectomy clinics ;-/

[ummmm]

There will always be different levels of intelligence. Some people are naturally clever and ambitious and others are happy to be employed and follow instructions.

Education is very important.

[david small]

What is needing is to stop the breeding. Ergo no mouth to feed, more resources available.

[ummmm]

I don't know the average size of an African family. It's a very big place!

[Guilbert53]

>>>solve the problems of food shortage, occasional drought and lack of clean water?

And corruption, that is the biggest problem.

Many of these African countries are very rich, but it is all concentrated in the hands of a few corrupt leaders.

It is also tribal, if a leader is from one tribe they will do nothing to help people of different tribes.

[Old_Geezer]

Education is a fine aim, but I feel that it's way over-optimistic to think that'll solve all African problems.

[ummmm]

It'll solve some.

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps so, but the stated aim was to finish giving aid.
And building classrooms doesn't provide teachers, and come the next war/violent outbreak in the area would it remain ? A more softly softly approach, wider ranging than just classroom building, must surely be a better path ?

[ummmm]

You're right, OG.

[Old_Geezer]

:-O

;-)

[Rockrose]

Regards the stop breeding comments, given the high death rate amongst children perhaps education would lead to better knowledge on how to keep children alive and healthy and there wouldn’t be the need for so much ‘breeding ‘

[naomi24]

Uneducated people don't breed out of necessity - they breed out of ignorance.

To answer the question I don't believe universal education in Africa would solve its problems.

[fiction-factory]

^Would it not help overcome the 'ignorance' you refer to in the previous sentence?

[naomi24]

Doubtful. Other factors have to be taken into consideration - like religion and beliefs .... something that very often even education doesn't influence.

[ummmm]

My dad is the youngest of 13 children. My grandparents weren't ignorant.