In Madagascar, a severe education crisis is trapped in a cycle of deep poverty. 
UN data shows over a million children are out of school, with only a third completing high school.

Antananarivo

In Madagascar, poverty and child labour are keeping over a million children out of school, according to United Nations data. Only about half of children complete primary school, and just a small percentage go on to university, as many families cannot afford the associated costs. Public schools face overcrowding, underpaid teachers, and poor infrastructure, leading to low literacy rates even among those who do attend.

Efforts are underway by the government and the World Bank to improve the education system, but resources are limited, with a shortage of nearly two million desks. Recent political instability, including a military coup, has been partly fuelled by a lack of opportunity for young people. The cycle of poverty and limited education continues to affect generations in Madagascar.

Poverty keeps over a million children out of school in Madagascar

25-year-old Mirana Sidoni, like her mother and grandmother before her, washes laundry to earn money. Her family could not afford for her to complete her primary school education. I would have loved to continue my studies. I would not have been a laundry worker. One of my dreams was to work in the government office. With two young children under three, there's little chance she'll ever return to school. According to the United Nations, only between 50-60% of children in Madagascar complete primary school. That drops to about a third for high school students. In Madagascar, only a small fraction of high school graduates manage to go to university. The enrollment rate is about 6%. Most families can't afford the cost of tuition, transport and living expenses. Poverty and child labour contribute to children being unable to get a basic education in one of the world's poorest countries. More than one million children who should be in school are not. That includes Hanita Raswanerina's five children. Her eldest is 14 years old. None attend school. I lost my parents young and dropped out of school. Now my kids cannot go to school either. They're facing the same struggle. Even for those who do go to school, the UN says nearly all 10-year-olds struggle to read and understand a simple text. Public schools are overcrowded, teachers are underpaid and facilities are crumbling. Infrastructure is lacking as well as school supplies. Even the quality of education remains a challenge here in Madagascar. Many people are leaving the country for a better future abroad. If we want to develop, we should invest in education here. The government's working with the World Bank to transform learning in Madagascar. It wants more children to finish school. But it's still short of two million desks. For many young people here, education's become another broken promise. In recent weeks, a lack of opportunity fuelled many of the anti-government protests that were led by the young, known as Gen Z. That ultimately led to a military coup and the removal of President Andrajoel. The reality for many, though, is a cycle of poverty, lack of education and political instability, which is likely to have an impact on generations to come.

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