This comprehensive report focuses on the fact that millions of people in poor countries remain uneducated and illiterate - which prevents them from developing the skills they need to escape poverty. The book looks at the underlying causes of the problem and sets out a clear agenda for reform. It demonstrates that universal free good-quality primary education is affordable and possible if governments all over the world change their priorities. An invaluable resource for anyone interested in education as a development issue, it is clear and accessible with many diagrams and statistics.