Kumasi, Feb. 4, GNA- The 2008 Global Monitoring Report on Education for All by 2015, has emphasized the funding of holistic educational programmes that would improve children's health, nutrition, well-being and cognitive development to prepare them adequately for a quality education.

Investing in such educational programmes, the report said, would yield high economic returns, off-setting disadvantages and inequality, especially, among children from poor families. The report, which was released to some selected education directorates, observed that a research has shown that the world was making rapid strides towards Universal Primary Education, while substantial increases in enrolment ratios have taken place in many countries. It said, the Global Gross Enrolment (GGE) in secondary education increased from 60 percent to 66 percent and that the most common strategy has been the expansion of formal secondary and tertiary education to address the learning needs of the youth. Adult literacy, the report stated, remained a global issue and that 774 million adults of whom 64 percent were women, lack basic literacy and numerical skills.

"Globally, there are 89 literate women for every 100 literate men and that girls access to primary and secondary education remains a major issue in most countries," it added. The report noted that there was no single strategy to enhance learning but indicated that "health, sanitation and safety at school, motivated teachers and effective pedagogy were key elements to improve the quality of education".