UNESCO’s Education for All (EFA) Global Monitoring Report is an annual publication that monitors progress toward a set of targets to which more than 160 countries committed themselves in 2000. Every year, it also focuses on a specific theme of particular relevance to achieving the EFA goals.
For 2012, the theme of the report is Youth and Skills – Putting Education to Work, examining skills-development programs can be improved to boost young people’s opportunities for decent jobs and better lives. The report is divided into two parts, the first of which gives an overview of progress toward six EFA goals–and toward spending on education to finance the goals. The second part dives deeper into the third goal, paying special attention to the skills needs of young people. Highlights are as follows:
- Goal 1: Improvements in early childhood care and education have been too slow.
- Goal 2: Progress toward univeral primary education is stalling.
- Goal 3: Many young people lack foundation skills.
- Goal 4: Adult literacy remains an elusive goal.
- Goal 5: Gender disparities take a variety of forms.
- Goal 6: Global inquality in learning outcomes remains stark.
