Out of touch?

Talking about McCain's education plans Obam said the following...

“That is not my idea of reform. That is not my idea of change. That is not a plan to help your kids compete with those kids in China and India.”


http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/09/1365983.aspx

So Obama thinks that the U.S. educational system can't compete with India?

The Indian constitution mandates universal primary education for all (see Article 8 of the Indian Constitution). Yet, 41% of children do not reach grade 5 in India. Compare that to some other countries:

Gambia 20%
Mali 18%
Senegal 15%
Tanzania 17%
Burkina Faso 25%
[Source: Human Development Report 1999. UNDP.]

The Literacy rate in the U.S. is 99% in India it's 59%.

If it's necessary to make comparisons of the U.S. to other countries to try and show how poorly the U.S. is doing it's probably best to have your facts straight first.