Limited educational opportunity and barriers in completing 12 years of education for girls is costing countries anything between $15 trillion and $30 trillion dollars. The countries, where girls are not able to complete 12 years of education, are losing out on lifetime productivity and earnings of girls. A report released by World Bank about girl's education globally has revealed that 89% girls complete primary education but only 77% complete lower secondary education.
The duration of lower secondary education in most countries across the globe is 9 years. The report highlights that primary education is not enough and by not providing resources and set up for girls to complete 12 years of schooling, girls lose out on the transformative power of education in six key areas:
- earnings and standards of living
- child marriage and early childbearing
- fertility and population growth
- health, nutrition and well-being
- agency and decision-making
- social capital and institutions
Highlighting the effect of education on women, the report says that on an average women with secondary school education earn twice as much as those with no education at all.
Secondary education also reduces the possibility of child marriage and consequently early childbearing. The report also speculates that secondary education can reduce total fertility rate, thus also reducing global population.
Not only this, but universal secondary education for girls can also make them aware about health and nutrition and aide them in decision making processes.
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