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Student Handout for Activity 1, Unit 5: Poverty & Basic Education

How will education help me develop skills for life?
A basic education isn't just about teaching the 3Rs (reading, writing and arithmetic). Being in school gives students the opportunity to develop many life skills such as communication-related skills, decision-making skills, personal and social skills - these are important in all areas of life - work, school and family life.

I can get a job without going to school so how will education help me?
Getting a job and getting a decent job is not always the same thing. An education increases employment opportunities and reduces the risk of being taken advantage of at work (exploited). For women, education makes even a bigger difference. On average, women earn 75% of what men earn. An education gives women more opportunities. Also, sometimes children don't have a choice between going to school or working. Children living in poverty often have many brothers and sisters and need to work to contribute to family income. It's better to have options.

Why do I need to be educated about health and nutrition?
According to UNICEF, educated mothers immunize their children twice as often as uneducated moms. And, children of women who are educated live longer than those with no education. The more you know about health and nutrition, the better decisions you can make.

How will getting educated about HIV/AIDS help me?

According to UNICEF, girls with some education have a 50% less chance of getting AIDS than those without an education. The more you know about how to prevent HIV/AIDS, the more likely you'll take the steps to prevent it.

How will getting an education make a difference to me marrying and having children?
Girls who go to school tend to marry and have children later in life. This increases their chances of getting paid work and contributing to family income. Many girls in developing countries marry at a young age because their families see them as a financial burden. An education would help both girls and their families.

How will being educated about rights and exploitation help me?
It is important to know about your rights so that you can recognize when they are not being respected and can try to change the situation. Child labour, high rents, poor wages, bad conditions are examples of being taken advantage (exploitation). The more education you have, the more likely that you won't find yourself in a situation of exploitation. And if you do, you'll know that you have the right to be treated fairly and will try to ensure that your rights are respected.