es . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁increased ▁educational ▁access , ▁en roll ment ▁rates ▁more ▁than ▁double d ▁between ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁However , ▁education ▁quality ▁is ▁weak , ▁producing ▁high ▁rates ▁of ▁grade ▁repet ition ▁and ▁drop out . ▁Education ▁policy ▁in ▁R aval oman ana ' s ▁second ▁term ▁focused ▁on ▁quality ▁issues , ▁including ▁an ▁increase ▁in ▁minimum ▁education ▁standards ▁for ▁the ▁rec ruit ment ▁of ▁primary ▁teachers ▁from ▁a ▁middle ▁school ▁leaving ▁certificate ▁( BE PC ) ▁to ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁leaving ▁certificate ▁( B AC ), ▁and ▁a ▁reform ed ▁teacher ▁training ▁program ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁transition ▁from ▁traditional ▁did actic ▁instruction ▁to ▁student - center ed ▁teaching ▁methods ▁to ▁boost ▁student ▁learning ▁and ▁participation ▁in ▁the ▁class room . ▁Public ▁exp end iture ▁on ▁education ▁was ▁ 2 . 8   percent ▁of ▁G DP ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 4 . ▁The ▁liter acy ▁rate ▁is ▁estimated ▁at ▁ 6 4 . 7 %. ▁ ▁Dem ograph ics ▁In ▁, ▁the ▁population ▁of ▁Mad agas car ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁  mill ion , ▁up ▁from ▁ 2 . 2 ▁million ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 0 . ▁The ▁annual ▁population ▁growth ▁rate ▁in ▁Mad agas car ▁was ▁approximately ▁ 2 . 9   percent ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Appro xim ately ▁ 4 2 . 5   percent ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁is ▁younger ▁than ▁ 1 5 ▁years ▁of ▁age , ▁while