We didn't come across anyplace where poor people felt the government was accountable to them. They want peace of mind, safety, freedom of choice, enough food for their families. Poor people feel they have no job opportunities because they lack the connections needed to find work or to be successful in business, she said. Their sense of insecurity is increasing because violence, theft, corruption, civil strife, lawlessness and the availability of health care are worsening. Literacy is valued, but education is not a high priority.
Immediate survival needs take precedence.
Nobody was against education. People are making rational choices given the return. For example, she said, Nigerians told researchers that while they must pay for school uniforms and supplies, teachers often show up only to collect their paychecks. NGOs and funding organizations like the World Bank need to reconsider how they have operated in the past, she said. We're not going to change the world by doing what we've always done.