Dominican Republic gets UN’s failing grade in youth schooling: EFE

New Delhi.- Just overhalf of Latin American countries have achieved universal schooling and onefifth of students drop out before finishing basic education in a region which advances, but nearly four millionchildren are still out of school, which in Dominican Republic’s case is lessthan 40% enrollment, EFE reports.

The figures are amongthe findings of UNESCO’s World Report on Education for All (EFA) released inNew Delhi, Paris and New York Thursday and review the achievement of seven educationgoals since 2000, a goal which only Cuba managed to reach in Latin America andthe Caribbean.

“There are still 3.7million children out of school in the region in this cycle of education" asGuyana and Paraguay "are far from reaching this goal," with 80% ofchildren in elementary school, UNESCO said.

The report notes that"in 2012 16% of children were out of school across the region," citingColombia’s conflict as the main cause.

Quoted by Efe in NewDelhi report director Aaron Benavot said in Latin America, "many countrieshave made great strides to make their children go to school," but incertain parts of Central America marginal or large indigenous populations remain,aren’t in the system, or quit school early.

Youngsters"finish their primary but start working," said Benavot.

He stressed thatLatin America must improve its learning outcomes but noted progress incountries such as Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica and Cuba.

In the document,Unesco also notes Paraguay trails again, accompanied by Dominican Republic,with less than 40% of children enrolled in that age.