Deprivations in a wide range of economic, social and political dimensions reinforce the systematic exclusion of poor and marginalised groups from rights to quality education, compounded by widening inequalities in many countries.
Difficulties in achieving Education For All (EFA) targets persist, despite increasing international and national level awareness of the importance of EFA for a wide range of developmental purposes, and as a human right in itself. Increased allocation of resources to basic education and the expansion of facilities have helped achieve significant progress in many countries, but the scale of the challenge remains high. In particular, it is noted that in both sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, entrenched social biases prevent certain social groups from achieving equitable opportunities and outcomes in education.
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This article comes from the IDS Bulletin 35.1 (2004) Exploring Processes of Marginalisation and Inclusion in Education
