SIR Social Sciences Investigation Abstract
BANKING ON EDUCATION: THE HONDURAN EXPERIENCE
Presenter:
Margot Seigle, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506
Advisor:
Dr. Claiborne Skinner, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, 1500 West Sullivan Road, Aurora, IL 60506
Abstract:
The World Bank proudly announced in 2000 its goal of primary education for all children in ten countries by 2015, including Honduras. They received $178 million to spend on new teachers, schools, books and materials in order to increase enrollment and improve instruction. According to websites such as “The Whirled Bank,” while 89% of Honduran children now attend primary school, only 21% go on to secondary schooling and few of these reach college. My project was to research this issue in depth and see what can be done to change it. I became interested in this after living in the village of Laura Abajo for six weeks last summer, where I saw the effects of poor education first hand. The village school lacked books, the teachers were constantly on strike, and the students proved hopeless in basic skills we take for granted. The World Bank needs to address this without discontinuing funding to secondary education. Only when these changes are made will the Third World have any chance of breaking the cycle of poverty. Currently, I am working on how this can be done, from private charity to teacher education.