Education remains an inaccessible right for millions of children around the world. More than 72 million children of primary education age are not in school and 759 million adults are illiterate and do not have the awareness necessary to improve both their living conditions and those of their children. Research also reveals that it only costs an average of $1.25 a day per child in developing countries to provide primary and secondary education.

Out of those children in school, some are dropping out because their parents cannot afford it. In many countries throughout Africa, while education is theoretically free, in practice “informal fees” see parents forced to pay for “compulsory items” like uniforms, books, pens, extra lessons, exam fees, or funds to support school development.

In other places, the lack of functioning public (government-supported) schools means that parents have no choice but to send their children to private schools that, even if they are “low-fee,” are unaffordable for the poorest families who risk making themselves destitute in their efforts to get their children better lives through education. This results in children receiving poor quality education because their parents cannot afford to send them to a private school (from the free public schools) or better schools (from the low fee charging schools).