While there has been progress in narrowing the gap between the numbers of girls and boys that attend school, being born a girl still carries a significant education disadvantage in many countries - it is estimated that 44 million girls are still not enrolled in school. Increasing the education level of girls has many positive social and economic impacts, including improved infant and child survival rates, reduced rates of fertility, decreased infection rates of HIV/AIDs and increased status and participation in society by women.

Children at Kamaiba Primary School in western Uganda are being taught in their local language for the first time. Previously, the Ugandan primary curriculum was taught only in English, even though many children do not speak English. Now children can be taught through one of the nine main local languages in the first three years of primary school.

Irish Aid believes that education is a fundamental human right. The goal of Irish Aid’s education programme is to help partner countries realise this right, especially the right to basic education. Irish Aid works with partner governments, international donors and civil society organisations to achieve this goal. The main emphasis is on the provision of high quality primary education in developing countries, especially for marginalized and vulnerable children who are out of school.