SUMMARY G LO B A L E D U C AT I O N M O N I TO R I N G R E P O R T 2 0 1 6 Four extra years in school in Nigeria was estimated to reduce fertility rates by one birth per girl Individuals and societies benefit when girls and women receive better quality education. Education broadens women’s employment opportunities. Literacy skills help women gain access to information about social and legal rights and welfare services. Education can increase women’s political engagement by imparting skills that enable them to participate in democratic processes. Low levels of education are a significant risk factor in intimate partner violence. More educated mothers are better able to feed their children well and keep them in good health. Mothers’ education also has powerful intergenerational effects, changing family preferences and social norms. Four extra years in school in Nigeria was estimated to reduce fertility rates by one birth per girl. Short-term education supporting mothers of young children can have a significant impact on health and nutrition. Targeted nonformal education may be effective in helping women plan childbirth. Education can reduce maternal mortality. Increasing female education from zero to 1 year would prevent 174 maternal deaths per 100,000 births. FI GURE 3 : There has been progress in improving basic education and health outcomes and providing essential basic services, but major challenges remain Population Population Population Population Under-5 Gross intake with access with access with access with access mortality rate ratio to the to improved to improved to electricity to non-solid (per 1,000) last grade sanitation water source (%) fuel (%) of primary facilities (%) (%) school (%) Access to basic services, and health and education outcome improvements, 2000 and latest year Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income High income 2000 latest year Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income High income Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income High income Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT INFLUENCES EDUCATION Just as education has positive effects on social development, social development affects education, both positively and – where not inclusive – negatively. Health and nutrition form a foundation for education systems: They condition children’s ability to attend school and learn, and their families’ ability to support them. In Kenya, girls who received deworming treatment were 25% more likely to pass the national primary school exit exam. Living conditions in early childhood set the stage for learning. Access to quality health care for teachers can reduce teacher absenteeism and attrition. Access to water, sanitation, hygiene and energy has a positive influence on education. In Ghana, halving water fetching time increased school attendance among girls, especially in rural areas. In rural Peru, as the number of households with access to electricity increased from 7.7% in 1993 to 70% in 2013, children’s studying time rose by 93 minutes a day. High income Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income High income Low income Lower middle income Upper middle income High income 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 Notes: The ‘latest year’ is 2012 for access to non-solid fuels and access to electricity, 2014 for gross intake ratio to the last grade of primary education, and 2015 for under-5 mortality rate and access to water and sanitation facilities. Sources: UIS database and World Bank (2016). INTEGRATED SOCIAL AND EDUCATION INTERVENTIONS ARE NEEDED Progress in gender parity in education has not systematically translated to gender equality. For example, in Asian countries such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, while women’s education has risen, female labour force participation remains limited despite demand for educated labour due to an ageing workforce. Similarly, sustained health-related behaviour change is not possible with education interventions alone. 20