UNESCO - Right to Primary Education
‘Everyone has the right to education’ – according to Article 26 of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In the quest to achieve Education
for All, states must prioritise free and compulsory primary education. It is a
fundamental right that cannot be forfeited. It is a litmus test for the
individual to assess his or her government’s commitments to fundamental rights,
as well as those of the international community. The right to education is
unique in that it empowers the individual to exercise other civil, political,
economic, social and cultural rights, attaining a life of dignity, while
ensuring a brighter future for all, free from want and from fear.
Primary
education must be inclusive and accessible to all, in law as well as in fact. No
provider of public education may discriminate on the grounds of gender,
ethnicity, language, religion, opinion, disability, or social and economic
status.
UNESCO works to make primary education accessible for all, as
well as to ensure full retention and completion, forming the grounds for a
further promotion of children’s cognitive, creative and emotional
development.
The UNESCO site on the Right to Education, deals extensively
with these legal and normative aspects:
Go to the
Website