Solving the problem of education, or rather the absence of education, in the developing countries means tackling a variety of problems: that of regional conflicts, and also that of health, given the devastating effects that Aids is having on teaching staff. According to a recent survey, 82% of the 113 million children in the world who do not attend school live in territories in which conflictual or post-conflictual situations reign. Education is an important means in the fight against poverty and therefore, in the view of the European Commission, priority must be given to basic education, in particular elementary education and teacher training, vocational training and higher education, especially at the regional level. To achieve these objectives, the total resources destined to education and training must be increased. The Commission is asking the developing countries to improve the efficiency and quality of their school systems and access to elementary education, which should be compulsory, free and mainly funded by the State: education should be considered a public service and not a service subject to the rules of the market.
