Universal Periodic Review of Slovakia

The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the Slovak Republic.

  • Public schools provide primary and secondary education free of charge. Higher education is also accessible for full-time students, ensuring they do not exceed the standard length of study. Private and church schools may charge for education provided.[i]
  • The state budget allocates funds to schools according to the number of pupils, personnel and economic demands.[ii]
  • Compulsory school attendance lasts ten years between the ages of 6 and 16.[iii]
  • The Slovak language is the language of instruction at most schools.[iv]
  • Decentralisation in the Slovak Republic is based on a dual system of i) self-government by local authorities (regions and municipalities) and ii) “deconcentrated” state administration that refers to the transfer of responsibilities to local units of the central government.[v]
  • As of 2016, Slovakia’s education funding stood at 3.9% of the national GDP, ranking 109th worldwide. In 2019, London think-tank The Legatum Institute ranked Slovakia’s education system 48th out of 167 countries evaluated, and 2019 data from The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) noted an upward trend in education spending ($15.87 per student). However, the OECD also identified a decline in Slovakian students’ math, reading, and science scores.[vi]
  • Higher education institutions are independent institutions that manage the course and focus of education, research, development, economy, and their internal organisation. Law defines the extent of the self-governing scope of higher education institutions.[vii]
  • In the Slovak Republic, 39% of 25-34-year-olds had a tertiary qualification in 2021 compared to 47% on average across OECD countries. In the Slovak Republic, the share of women among general upper secondary graduates is 59% (OECD average 55%). Men make up 55% of all vocational upper secondary graduates, the same as the OECD average.[viii]
  • Although education in Slovakia is relatively well-organised and of high quality, the system has some issues. These issues are demonstrated by a survey, for instance, conducted by researchers at Bratislava’s Comenius University, which revealed that around 50% of the respondents would rather receive their higher education abroad than at home.[ix]
  • Broken Chalk (BC) appreciates all achievements and advancements of the Slovakian educational system and urges the Slovakian government to address issues in its education to guarantee its citizens their human right to education.

By Müge Çınar

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Slovakia_S

References

[i] OECD. 2016. “School Education in the Slovak Republic.” OECD ILibrary. Paris. February 19, 2016. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264247567-5-en.pdf?expires=1692179646&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=B37450E5DE054F38AE5C043EDEC52DDB.

[ii] ibid.

[iii] ibid.

[iv] Ibid.

[v] OECD. 2016. “School Education in the Slovak Republic.” OECD ILibrary. Paris. February 19, 2016. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/9789264247567-5-en.pdf?expires=1692179646&id=id&accname=guest&checksum=B37450E5DE054F38AE5C043EDEC52DDB.

[vi] “8 Facts about Education in Slovakia.” 2020. The Borgen Project. February 21, 2020. https://borgenproject.org/8-facts-about-education-in-slovakia/.

[vii] “Education GPS – Slovak Republic – Overview of the Education System (EAG 2019).” n.d. Gpseducation.oecd.org. https://gpseducation.oecd.org/CountryProfile?primaryCountry=SVK&treshold=10&topic=EO.

[viii] ibid.

[ix] “8 Facts about Education in Slovakia.” 2020. The Borgen Project. February 21, 2020. https://borgenproject.org/8-facts-about-education-in-slovakia/.

Cover image by Kiwiev on Wikimedia Commons.

Universal Periodic Review of Vanuatu

The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the Republic of Vanuatu.

  • Vanuatu’s Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) administers and manages the country’s formal education system composed of two years of preschool, six years of primary school, four years of junior secondary education, and three years of senior secondary education. [i] The six years of primary education have been compulsory and universal since 2010. Over 98% of elementary schools are public or government-aided Christian schools. [ii]
  • Vanuatu has significantly raised the share of government expenditure dedicated to education compared to the total government spending. In 2020, 20.98% of the total expenditure was dedicated to education, increasing to 23.76% by 2021. In the progress report for 2021 and 2022, the exact government expenditure still needs to be mentioned. Nevertheless, the report describes progress in the education support program as satisfactory and anticipates that approximately 28% of the total government expenditure will be allocated to the education sector in 2022. This shows Vanuatu’s dedication and commitment to meet domestic educational funding objectives. [iii]
  • Local educational groups encompass Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and Technical Assistants (TAs) who provide specialised technical knowledge and assistance in educational projects or programs. These actors actively participate in evidence-driven policy discussions and monitor equity and learning outcome efforts to improve educational results. [iv]
  • The multilingual character of the community has a significant impact on education. Bislama, the local pidgin language, is the prevalent means of communication nationwide. Children receive their education in French or English schools with a language policy promoting students to start their early education in their native vernacular before transitioning to French and English. [v]
  • Vanuatu comprises 83 scattered islands, with 64 of them being inhabited. It is considered the most disaster-prone country globally, frequently encountering earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, cyclones, and flooding. This poses unique challenges to ensuring education, educational materials and access to continuous education in emergencies. [vi]
  • With about 50% of Vanuatu’s population being of schooling age, the educational system has considerable influence and responsibility. The primary education sector accommodates most students, making up approximately 59% of the total student population within the education system in any given year, with enrolment rates increasing. Participation levels in pre-school and secondary school are somewhat lower. Although registration has risen recently, many students drop out at the junior secondary level. [vii]
  • Broken Chalk is delighted to see Vanuatu’s dedication to advancing Gender Equity and Inclusion in Education. This commitment is evident through initiatives to increase awareness of Gender-based Violence and foster equitable educational opportunities, particularly by enhancing the participation of girls and women in higher education through the Gender Equity in Education Policy (GEEP) reviewed in August 2018. The policy aims to secure equal opportunities and rights for every individual in education and training, with its overarching objective being to cultivate a proficient and capable human resource pool that can contribute to the nation and the global community. [viii]

By Inja van Soest

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Vanuatu_S

References

[i] GlobalPartnership.org. “Education and Training Sector Strategy (VETSS) for 2020-2030.” GPE Transforming Education, 2020. https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/education-and-training-sector-strategic-plan-2020-2030-vanuatu. (Accessed 12 Sept. 2023) P. 3

[ii] GlobalPartnership.org. “Vanuatu | Where We Work | Global Partnership for Education.” www.globalpartnership.org. GPE Transforming Education, 2020. https://www.globalpartnership.org/where-we-work/vanuatu. (Accessed 12 Sept. 2023)

[iii] GlobalPartnership.org. “GPE 2025 Results Framework for Vanuatu.” GPE Transforming Education, 2022. https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/gpe-2025-results-framework-vanuatu. (Accessed 12 Sept. 2023) P. 1.;    Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “2021-22 Vanuatu Development Program Progress Report,” Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2021.

[iv] GlobalPartnership.org. “GPE 2025 Results Framework for Vanuatu.” GPE Transforming Education, 2022. https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/gpe-2025-results-framework-vanuatu. (Accessed 12 Sept. 2023) P. 2.

[v] GlobalPartnership.org. “Education and Training Sector Strategy (VETSS) for 2020-2030.” GPE Transforming Education, 2020. https://www.globalpartnership.org/content/education-and-training-sector-strategic-plan-2020-2030-vanuatu. (Accessed 12 Sept. 2023) P. 1.

[vi] ibid P. 1

[vii] ibid. P. 3, 8

[viii] Ministry of Education and Training. Reviewed Gender Equity in Education Policy (GEEP) (2018). https://moet.gov.vu/docs/policies/Reviewed%20Gender%20Equity%20in%20Education%20Policy_2018.pdf (Accessed 12 Sept. 2023)

Cover image by Michael Coghlan on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Uruguay

The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.

  • Education in Uruguay is accessible at all levels. Public education is centrally regulated by the National Public Education Administration (CODICEN). At the same time, there is also a Ministry of Education and Culture, which partly regulates private pre-primary and tertiary education and coordinates the education system but does not formulate policies.[i]
  • Uruguayan children spend 11 years in compulsory education. The last three years of secondary education are non-compulsory, and they prepare students for higher education or provide them with vocational skills. [ii]
  • Many children attend public institutions: 86% of children in early childhood education are enrolled in public schools.[iii]
  • The gross enrolment in primary school was 104.19% in 2020, slightly higher than the world average of 102.59%, while 119.9% of children enrolled in secondary education, significantly higher than the 94.51% world average. [iv]
  • It is also notable that approximately 68% of people in Uruguay had tertiary education in 2020, which was higher than the international average of 52%.[v]
  • Broken Chalk (BC) is pleased to note that equity is becoming an ever-greater focus in Uruguayan education to ensure that children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds are not left behind. The Community Teacher Programme, the Teacher + Teacher Programme, the Tutoring Project and the Education Engagement Programme all provide opportunities for schools to offer extra help to students in need.[vi]
  • BC also admires that since 2015, compulsory education starts at age 3.[vii]
  • While there are positive indicators of the performance of the Uruguayan educational system, the country’s educational sector does display issues. Problems often relate to socioeconomic inequalities and discrimination based on ethnicity.
  • In the PISA survey, Uruguayan students scored lower than the OECD average in reading, mathematics, and science. Socioeconomically advantaged students not only outperform their socioeconomically disadvantaged peers by 99 points, which is above the OECD average of 89 points, but are also largely secluded in different institutions. This means a socioeconomically disadvantaged child has a mere 14% chance of attending the same school as their more affluent peers.[viii]
  • Dropout rates are also a prominent issue in Uruguay: only 45 in every 100 people between 20-23 hold a secondary education diploma, one of the worst statistics in Latin America.[ix]
  • As Uruguay ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1990, the state must commit to carrying out its duties and obligations, which include the insurance of equal opportunity for all children. Thus, BC urges Uruguay to address all issues which prevent the realisation of the rights set out in the Convention.

By Johanna Farkas

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Uruguay_S

References

[i] Santiago, P., et al. (2016), OECD Reviews of School Resources: Uruguay 2016, OECD Reviews of School Resources, OECD Publishing, Paris; 45.

[ii] Uruguay Education. “The Education System of Uruguay – Primary, Secondary and Higher.” www.uruguayeducation.info. https://www.uruguayeducation.info/education-system/education-profile.html. (Accessed August 14, 2023.).

[iii] Santiago, P., et al. (2016), OECD Reviews of School Resources: Uruguay 2016, OECD Reviews of School Resources, OECD Publishing, Paris; 49.

[iv] The Global Economy. “Uruguay Primary School Enrollment – Data, Chart.” The Global Economy. Accessed August 14, 2023. https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Uruguay/Primary_school_enrollment/.; The Global Economy. “Uruguay Secondary School Enrollment – Data, Chart.” The Global Economy. (Accessed August 14, 2023.). https://www.theglobaleconomy.com/Uruguay/Secondary_school_enrollment/.

[v] Ibid.

[vi] Santiago, P., et al. (2016), OECD Reviews of School Resources: Uruguay 2016, OECD Reviews of School Resources, OECD Publishing, Paris; 19.

[vii] Uruguay. “National Report Submitted in Accordance with Paragraph 5 of the Annex to Human Rights Council Resolution 16/21* – Uruguay.” Uruguay, November 2018; 15.

[viii] OECD. “Country Note: Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) Results from PISA 2018.” OECD, 2019. https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/. (Accessed August 14, 2023.): 4-5.

[ix] Cura, Daniela , Nelson Ribeiro Jorge, Martín Scasso, and Gerardo Capano. “Challenges and Opportunities for Equity in Education: Main Barriers to Accessing and Using Ceibal Tools for Children and Adolescents in Uruguay.” Ceibal and UNICEF, 2022; 7.

Cover image by Linda on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Chile

The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the Republic of Chile.

  • In Chile, the constitution and several education acts build up the legal framework of the Chilean education system. Based on these education acts, since 2003, primary and secondary education has been compulsory and free for children aged six and up. [i]
  • primary and secondary education are eight and four years, respectively. Secondary education is divided into two tracks: a general academic curriculum in the humanities and sciences and one with a vocational curriculum.[ii]
  • The Chilean educational system is decentralised and consists of three types of schools: municipal, private subsidised, and private non-subsidized. The Department of Municipal Education manages municipal schools, while private persons or institutions manage the other two kinds of schools.[iii]
  • 77% of Chilean 3-5-year-old children are enrolled in early childhood education, although the figure is slightly below the OECD average in 2022.[iv]
  • Based on data collected by the World Bank, Chile impressively achieved a youth literacy of 99% and an adult literacy of 97% in 2021.[v]
  • Aligning with gender stereotypes, Chilean women are underrepresented in subjects like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics when entering tertiary education. Women accounted for less than 20% of new entrants in engineering, manufacturing, construction programs, and communication technologies. In comparison, they accounted for 83% of new entrants to the field of education, a sector traditionally dominated by women in Chile.[vi]
  • In Chile, there are significant differences in educational attainment across subnational regions due to uneven economic conditions and the pattern of internal migrations, resulting in differences in educational opportunities.[vii]
  • Although Chile was severely affected by the pandemic, the country learned from this experience and launched an initiative with UNESCO to strengthen teachers’ digital competence.[viii]
  • As Chile has signed and ratified the ICESCR, the CEDAW and the CRC, Broken Chalk urges Chile to eliminate gender stereotypes existing in society and make de facto changes.[ix]

By Ximeng Zhang

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Chile_Final_S

References

[i] Nuffic, “Education System Chile Described and Compared with the Dutch System,” January 2015, https://www.nuffic.nl/sites/default/files/2020-08/education-system-chile.pdf. (Accessed 11 September 2023).

[ii] OECD. “Attracting, Developing and Retaining Effective Teachers OECD Activity Country Background Report for Chile,” November 2003. https://www.oecd.org/chile/26742861.pdf. (Accessed 11 September 2023).

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] OECD, “ Education at a Glance 2022: OECD Indicators, Chile” www.oecd-ilibrary.org, 2022,https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/5c6d0921-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/5c6d0921-en. (Accessed 11 September 2023).

[v] the World Bank, “Literacy Rate, Youth Total (% of People Ages 15-24) – Chile | Data,” data.worldbank.org, n.d., https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.ADT.1524.LT.ZS?locations=CL.(Accessed 11 September 2023).

[vi]  OECD, “ Education at a Glance 2022: OECD Indicators, Chile” www.oecd-ilibrary.org, 2022,https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/5c6d0921-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/5c6d0921-en. (Accessed 11 September 2023).

[vii] Ibid.

[viii] UNESCO, “New Initiative by UNESCO and the Chilean Ministry of Education Will Strengthen Teachers’ Digital Skills,” Unesco.org, May 5, 2023, https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/new-initiative-unesco-and-chilean-ministry-education-will-strengthen-teachers-digital-skills. (Accessed 11 September 2023).

[ix] OHCHR, “Treaty Bodies Treaties,” tbinternet.ohchr.org, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx?CountryID=35&Lang=EN. (Accessed 11 September 2023).

Cover image by David Berkowitz www.marketersstudio.com on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Vietnam

The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the The Socialist Republic of VietNam.

  • In education, Viet Nam has shown some outstanding achievements. The literacy rate is above 95%, and the country is committed to creating intellectual growth and development. Children start education at primary school from six years old until they are 11 years old. Primary education is compulsory and free of charge, resulting in a completion rate of 98%.[i]
  • After primary school, children move on to lower secondary school, completed by 87% of the children. Lastly, the children attend upper secondary school, completed by 59%. It is important to note that 92% of the wealthiest people end up in upper secondary school, and only 31% of the poorest people; this is a significant difference and shows the critical role of economic backgrounds in shaping educational outcomes.[ii]
  • Gender-based differences in completion rates are minimal, with very close rates for primary and secondary school. The most significant difference is in the completion rate for upper secondary education, where 51% of men and 65% of women graduate.
  • One of the reasons for Viet Nam’s high-quality education is the skilled teachers. Teachers receive extra training and are allowed to make the classes more engaging and exciting, improving the overall learning experience for students. Notably, the quality of education remains consistent across rural and urban schools. This is partly due to the government’s initiative to attract more teachers to remote areas by paying them more.[iii]
  • To continuously improve education, the Vietnamese Government mandates that all provinces invest 20% of their budget into education. The government has also created the ‘Fundamental School Quality Level Standards’, a framework that ensures universal access to education and guarantees minimum standards across all primary schools.[iv]
  • However, there are some problems in Vietnamese schools. Many LGBTQ students are harassed at school and do not see school as a safe space, sometimes leading LGBTQ students to drop out or even become homeless. Some problems arise due to natural disasters, which disproportionately affect students of poorer families.
  • Viet Nam has ratified most conventions such as CAT, ICCPR, CEDAW, CERD, CESCR, CRPD, and the CRC, accompanied by the two optional protocols (Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in armed conflict, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children child prostitution and child pornography). However, Viet Nam has not ratified the 1960 Convention on Discrimination in Education.[v]

By Fenna Eelkema

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_VietNam_S

References

[i] “Viet Nam SDGCW Survey 2020-2021,” UNICEF, accessed August 14, 2023, https://www.unicef.org/vietnam/media/8686/file/Education.pdf.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] “Why are Vietnam’s schools so good” The Economist, accessed August 14, 2023, https://www.economist.com/asia/2023/06/29/why-are-vietnams-schools-so-good.

[iv] “School Education System In Vietnam” Education destination Asia, accessed August 15, 2023, https://educationdestinationasia.com/essential-guide/vietnam/education-system-in-vietnam.

[v] “Ratification of International Human Rights Treaties – Vietnam” University of Minnesota, Human Rights Library, accessed August 14, 2023, http://hrlibrary.umn.edu/research/ratification-vietnam.html.

Cover image by Hector García via Wikimedia

Universal Periodic Review of Afghanistan

The following report has been drafted by Broken Chalk as a stakeholder contribution to the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review [UPR] for the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. As Broken Chalk’s primary focus is to combat human rights violations within the educational sphere, the contents of this report and the following recommendations will focus on the Right to Education.

  • Four decades of sustained conflict have heavily affected Afghanistan’s educational landscape. Recurrent natural disasters, chronic poverty, drought, and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the situation for Afghan children and have taken a toll on the fragile education system.[i]
  • The current Taliban policies governing education are enshrined in documents distributed to education officials across different levels within the movement.[ii] The Taliban education philosophy follows a unique mixture of Pashtun culture and Islamic law, highly prioritising religious education. However, the Taliban’s High Commission for Education also emphasises the need for “modern” education alongside religious teachings.[iii]
  • Although the overarching education policy acknowledges the need for secular subjects to be taught alongside religious ones in schools, these statements are directly followed by religiously motivated restrictions that imply that a series of topics included in the state curriculum should be eliminated and not taught (particularly about subjects such as history and biology).[iv]
  • The current practices and decisions on education established by the Taliban regime contradict national and international laws. Afghanistan’s Constitution (Articles 43-44), adopted in 2004, guaranteed equal access to education for boys and girls. The Education Law 2008 once again addressed equal rights for all children, free and compulsory education until ninth grade, and free education until attaining a Bachelor’s degree. At the international level, Afghanistan has ratified the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, Article 26 recognising the Right to Education) and other human rights treaties that reaffirm the Right to Education (i.e. CESCR Articles 13-14; CRC Articles 28-29; CEDAW Article 10).[v]
  • Gender inequality, poverty, and questionable legislation, combined with factors such as traditional gender norms and practices, a shortage of schools, insufficient transportation, and geographical barriers, have led to an estimated 3.7 million Afghan children being out of school, 60% being girls.[vi]

By Aurelia Bejenari

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Afghanistan_S

References

[i] UNESCO. “Protecting Education in Afghanistan.” Unesco.org. February 2, 2023. https://www.unesco.org/en/emergencies/education/afghanistan.

[ii] Amiri, Rahmatullah, and Ashley Jackson. “Taliban Attitudes and Policies towards Education.” ODI Centre for the Study of Armed Groups: (February 2021): 13.  https://cdn.odi.org/media/documents/taliban_attitudes_towards_education.pdf

[iii] Ibid.

[iv] Amiri and Jackson, “Taliban Attitudes and Policies towards Education”, 19.

[v] Rezai, Hussain. “The Taliban Rule and the Radicalisation of Education in Afghanistan.” GlobalCampus of Human Rights – GCHR. November 24, 2022. https://gchumanrights.org/preparedness-children/article-detail/the-taliban-rule-and-the-radicalisation-of-education-in-afghanistan-4945.html.

[vi] UNICEF. “Afghanistan. Education.” Unicef.org. 2016. https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/education.

Cover image by Chairman of the Chief of Staff on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Yemen

  • The Republic of Yemen is an Arab country located southwest of the Arabian Peninsula in West Asia. In Yemen, the academic year begins in September and ends in June, and the official primary school entrance age is 6. The system is structured so that the primary school cycle lasts six years, the lower secondary lasts three years, and the upper secondary lasts three years. Yemen has a total of 5,816,000 pupils enrolled in primary and secondary education. About 3,900,000 (67%) of these pupils are enrolled in primary education[i].
  • The percentage of out-of-school children in a country shows what proportion of children are not currently participating in the education system and who are, therefore, missing out on the benefits of school. In Yemen, 30% of primary school-aged children are out of school, and approximately 24% of boys of primary school age are out of school compared to 36% of girls of the same age. Nearly 70% of female youth of secondary school age are out of school compared to 38% of male children of the same age. For youth of secondary school age, the most significant disparity can be seen between the poorest and the wealthiest youth.[ii]
  • Yemen is facing a severe education crisis, with the number of children experiencing disruptions to their learning potentially reaching close to  6 million, leading to tremendous long-term consequences for children.[iii]

By Hassan Abusim

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Yemen_S

References

[i] Muthanna, A. (2015). Quality education improvement: Yemen and the problem of the ‘brain drain’. Policy Futures in Education, 141-148.

[ii]World Bank, f. E. (2018). Yemen National Education Profile 2018 Update.

[iii]  Musalami, A. A. (2013). The education catastrophe in Yemen is a political struggle between the Congress and Islah, mismanagement and poor infrastructure. Yemen: Al Massa Press.

Cover image by Sallam on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Cambodia

  • Today, the state controls education in Cambodia through the Ministry of Education at the national level and the Department of Education at the provincial level. The Cambodian education system includes preschool, primary, general secondary, tertiary, and vocational education.
  • After finishing primary school, students move on to three years of compulsory lower secondary education. Students then can continue to upper secondary education or enter secondary-level vocational training programs offered by the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training. After completing upper secondary education, students must take a national high school exam. In 2019, approximately 68% of students passed. Students who pass the exam can enrol in two-year associate degree programs, four-year bachelor’s degree programs and seven-year medical degree programs at the university. However, enrolment numbers into tertiary education are low, with only 13% of students entering the university system. All students also can enrol in vocational training programs or associate degrees.
  • In 2017, there were 7,144 primary schools nationwide and an additional ninety-six primary schools for disadvantaged students. In the same period, 46,149 staff members taught 2,022,061 primary school children. Primary education commonly starts at age six and lasts six years.
  • The Secondary Education Improvement Project (SEIP), a World Bank-funded project, has significantly improved lower-secondary education in Cambodia. It has seen increased enrolment in schools, construction of more school buildings, construction of houses for teachers in remote locations, renovation of classrooms, and installation of laboratories.
  • SEIP has trained teachers, community representatives, and people in charge of the management of schools.
  • This review will focus on areas of improvement related to the standard of learning, water and sanitation, impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and gender inequality.

By Ruth Lakica and Enes Gisi

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46th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Cambodia_S

Cover image by Alan C. on Flickr.

Universal Periodic Review of Malaysia

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit NGO with one main goal to protect human rights in education. The organisation investigates and reports education rights violations worldwide while advocating and supporting human-rights-focused educational development. By submitting this report, Broken Chalk aims to contribute to the 45th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Malaysia with a focus on the education sector, encouraging the country to continue its improvement efforts and providing further insight into how to overcome current challenges and deficiencies regarding human rights in education.
  • This culturally diverse country has become an upper-middle-income country for the last two decades. Since 2010, it has grown at a 5.4% annual rate and was predicted to move from an upper middle-income economy to a high-income economy by 2024 [1]. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has had a substantial negative impact on Malaysia, mostly on vulnerable households. Following the revision of the official poverty line in July 2020, 5.6% of Malaysian households live in absolute poverty. The pandemic worsened issues affecting adolescents, children, and women in many ways. [2].

By Müge Çınar

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45th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Malaysia_1

References

[1] World Bank. (2022, 11 29). Overview: The World Bank in Malaysia. https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/malaysia/overview#1
[2] UNICEF. (2022, December 1). Institutionalizing Social And Behavioural Change In Malaysia. from https://www.unicef.org/malaysia/reports/institutionalizing-social-and-behavioural-change-malaysia

Cover image by Pete Unseth.

Universal Periodic Review of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  • Broken Chalk is a non-profit organisation with one main goal – To protect human rights in education. The organisation started with a website and articles and is currently working on multiple projects, each aiming to fight human rights violations in the educational sphere. As the UPR is related to human rights violations, inequalities, human trafficking, and other violations, Broken Chalk prepares this article for the fourth Cycle and the specific country – the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  • In the last cycle, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia received 258 recommendations and supported 182 recommendations in adopting its UPR outcome at Human Rights Council 40 in March 2019 (United Nations Human Rights Council, 2018). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has addressed many issues highlighted in the previous Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycles. Saudi Arabia has introduced an economic vision called Vision 2030, which involves educational reform, mandated by the Tatweer Project, focusing on projects such as enhancing schools’ teaching methods and strategies (Allmnakrah and Evers, 2019). Tatweer Project has trained more than 400,000 teachers in school management, educational supervision, computer science, and self-development (Arab News, 2017). It has also revised Saudi’s curriculum to keep pace with advanced international science curricula (Arab News, 2017). This report will provide an update on the previous issues related to education, plus recommendations on how to deal with new ones.

By Mayeda Tayyab

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45th_Session_UN-UPR_Country_Review_Saudi_Arabia

Cover image by Abdulla Bin Talib.