Universal primary education in low-income countries: The contributing role of national governance

The Millennium Development Goal of universal primary education by 2015 cannot be achieved. We demonstrate that per-capita GDP and adult literacy, especially the latter, are significant in explaining national primary completion rates. National governance (measured by comparative perceptions of political stability, government accountability and effectiveness in delivering services) is also important. We also analyze the extent to which countries improved their respective 2001-2005 primary school completion rates in the second half of the decade. Here, quality of governance seems to be key. Adult literacy in 2001-2005 is significant, but explains little; per capita GDP in 2001-2005 is not significant.