Why Is General Education Relevant for Developing Countries?
Does general education deserve support in the developing world, or is it just a luxury for the wealthy countries? The Task Force is convinced that general education has a clear, practical impact on society, well beyond the love of learning and human development it promotes. Both industrial and developing countries need leaders, educated citizens, and trained workers for industry, government and politics, and academia. A liberal education enhances the chances that individuals will be able to fulfill these roles with distinction. At present many developing countries are overly dependent on the industrial countries to offer a broadly based education to a few of their (richer) citizens. Women are especially disadvantaged by this state of affairs, with many families, especially those in conservative societies, frowning upon young women traveling abroad to study. General education also has a clear practical impact on a society. It can promote responsible citizenship, ethical behavior, educat
