Bhutan

MDGs Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education

Target 3: Ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling

Bhutan is on track towards achieving the second MDG of ensuring universal primary education. However, significant disparities in enrollment and other education indicators continue to exist between rural and urban areas of the country and will require serious attention, if progress towards the goal is to be maintained and consolidated.

Access to primary education has grown rapidly over the years and the country will soon achieve universal access to primary education. In 1990, the gross primary enrollment rate was 55%, but this has risen impressively to 84% in 2004. There are significant differences in the primary school enrollment levels between rural and urban schools and those in different income groups. The PAR 2004 points out that the gross primary enrollment rate for rural areas (65.3%), was considerably lower than for urban areas (88.9%), and that the poor had lower enrollment rate (57.7%) as compared to the non-poor (76.8%).

The proportion of students starting grade 1 who reach grade 5 has increased steadily from 73% in 1990 to 91% in 2000 and 96% in 2004. As the full primary cycle in Bhutan starts from grade 1 through to grade 7, this indicator has also been included. The proportion of students starting grade 1 who reach grade 7 more than doubled from 35% in 1990 to 81% in 2000 and was reported at 86% in 2004. Additionally, since 1996- 97, girls have consistently had a better survival record than boys. In 2004, 90% of all enrolled girls who had started grade 1 reached grade 7, whereas only 82% of boys were able to complete a full course of primary schooling.