A/HRC/20/21 might also cause schools to reject underperforming children72 and further exacerbate marginalization. Provisions in the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education are highly pertinent in this respect. B. Enhancing national investment for quality education 85. In many developing countries, budgetary provision for the improvement of quality in education is low, as the quasi-totality of the education budget is dedicated to regular maintenance costs and salaries. Quality is particularly undermined by the fact that investment in essential areas, such as development of pedagogic materials and school facilities, remains neglected. Provision of adequate resources for education is essential to the fulfilment of State obligations to ensure quality education. As the Special Rapporteur stated in his report to the General Assembly (A/66/269), a paradigm shift is required in public expenditure on education to respond to quality imperatives. Quality education targets, based on benchmarks in terms of class-size, teacher-student ratio, text books, school building and amenities, as well as deployment of qualified and trained teachers, can provide a basis for determining financial requirements. States must also ensure that the allocation of resources among schools is fair and equitable, and that schools in marginalized and remote areas receive added support to enable them to become better performing. C. Regulating private providers of education 86. Exploding demands for education have led to an exponential growth in the number of private schools, which need to be regulated. Quality norms and standards should be uniformly applicable to all schools – public and private alike – throughout a country.73 A comprehensive and sound regulatory framework for controlling private schools and ensuring their conformity with norms and standards is required.74 Effective sanctions in case of abusive practices by private schools are necessary.75 As the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century stated, policy-makers must “face up squarely to their responsibilities” and not leave it to market forces or some kind of selfregulation to put things right when they go wrong. 76 In this respect, it is pertinent to bear in mind that as regards parental choice in education in schools other than those established by the public authorities, this must “conform to such minimum educational standards as may be laid down or approved by the State.”77 IX. Recommendations 87. Poor quality of education constitutes a severe limitation on the fulfillment of the right to education. Quality in education is crucial to “nation-building”78 and 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 20 “School evaluation for quality improvement,” An ANTRIEP report, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, edited by Anton De Grauwe and Jordan P. Naidoo, Paris UNESCO, 2004, p. 12. In Romania, public and private schools follow the same procedures and observe the same standards. Examples have been provided by Uganda and Bangladesh in recognizing the establishment of private schools, EFA Global Monitoring Report 2008, p. 105. As regards private education, the National Education Law (Law 9394/1996) in Brazil provides for conformity with general norms and quality as evaluated by public authorities. “Learning: The treasure within,” Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-first Century, Highlights, UNESCO, 1996, p. 29. International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, art. 13, para. 3. General Assembly resolution 65/183.