A Fast Track to 2015

Educating the world's children for a better future

A Fast track to 2015; Educating the world's children for a better future presents a concise overview of EFA FTI's track record in providing universal access to primary education to its 38 low-income partner countries. Since its inception in 2002, and as part of its commitment to the Education Millennium Development Goals, EFA FTI has achieved:

• A 20-million increase in the number of children enrolled in school in Sub-Saharan Africa
• A dramatic improvement in school completion rates, with 15 FTI countries now on track to reach the goal of 95% of all children completing primary school by 2015
• A significant boost in girls' enrolment with girls now accounting for a remarkable 60% of new enrolments in FTI countries

As an estimated 72 million children around the world—about half in Sub-Saharan Africa—remain out of school, such progress cannot hide the fact that more support is needed to achieve education for all. This new publication lays out how EFA FTI faces an immediate funding shortfall of US$1.2 billion through the end of 2010 and which national education plans in low-income countries it would be able to support with new funding. After 2010, billions more will be required to help FTI countries sustain progress and reach their education goals by 2015.

For more information, please contact Angela Bekkers at abekkers@educationfasttrack.org or Aby Toure at akonate@worldbank.org