This is a question from [Common Mistakes at IELTS Advanced: And How to Avoid Them][1]. In page 9 we have to decide which one is correct: > 1. All children should receive basic education. > 2. All children should receive a basic education. But I think both can be correct based on the context. I guess the first one is correct because education is uncountable in this context. I think "basic education" is a general concept that should be provided for all children. But the second one is correct if we meant to tell that all children need to receive at least a kind of basic education from a wide range of options available. So is the question wrong? Because in the answer keys, it says that only the second one is correct. [1]: https://www.amazon.com/Common-Mistakes-IELTS-Advanced-Avoid/dp/0521692474