Contra Costa Times

Letters from our readers
Contra Costa Times
November 2, 2012

Must insist World Bank keeps schools promise

With Proposition 30, I have hope that some of our education woes will be resolved. How lucky to live in a land where basic education is taken for granted and we strive for quality.

Imagine living in a land where public schools don't exist, or people can't afford the tax or the uniform, or it's too dangerous to travel to them, or due to social stigma the girls drop out. These are typical stories of 61 million kids in the world who can't go to school.

The World Bank, in its mission to reduce poverty, pledged to increase its education funding by $750 million between 2011 and 2015. Investment in education is known to deliver the best return on investment of any foreign aid. But the bank is reneging on its promise, using fuzzy math to manipulate the numbers, potentially not even increasing funding over 2010 levels, while claiming to be making good on its promise.

I have faith that California will meet its commitments to our schools. Will the World Bank?

Sharon Solstice
Walnut Creek