ABSTRACT
Ethiopia has emerged as a global leader, increasing the number of children enrolled in primary education fivefold between 1994 and 2012, and introducing a special policy focus on girl's education. The ambition must be to ensure that even the most disadvantaged girl has access to a school close to home that respects her safety and privacy, gives her a good-quality education, and her presence. It is difficult, if not impossible, to put a precise dollar figure on what is needed in terms of global finance. As a result, "business as usual" approaches to expand the number of school places will not suffice. What one need is a combination of three distinct investments within the education sector, along with wider social and economic reforms that address the conditions of families living in extreme poverty. Non-formal education also often generates innovative approaches to teach girls basic skills and, quite often, provide a route back into formal schooling.
