On June 26 2014, leaders from around the world will come together at the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) pledging conference to decide the future of education for children in some of the poorest and most fragile countries in the world. These 8 reasons explain why the UK Government must step up their commitment to the GPE at the replenishment this June.
1) WE CANNOT END POVERTY WITHOUT INVESTING IN EDUCATION
It is estimated that if all students in low income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty and global poverty would decline by 12 percent. Education is critical to reducing poverty and inequality, and one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future.
2) THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP REACHES THOSE IN GREATEST NEED – ESPECIALLY THOSE IN CONFLICT AFFECTED STATES
Children in conflict-affected countries are estimated to make up half of the world’s out of school children. Yet despite general agreement of the importance of reaching these children, only 1.4% of global humanitarian assistance was allocated to education in 2012.
To help address this, the Global Partnership for Education has directed 61% of its funds towards helping children living in conflict–affected states, a higher proportion than any other donor globally. If the GPE’s replenishment this year is successful, 23 million of the 29 million children that they will support will live in fragile and conflict-affected states.
3) THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION COMPLEMENTS DIRECT EDUCATION SPENDING BY COUNTRIES LIKE THE UK
The GPE’s goal to reach all children with a quality education complements the UK Government’s own education commitments to improve learning, reach all children - especially those in fragile states - and to promote girls’ education. By investing in GPE, the UK can extend the reach of its aid money, reaching countries in need that it otherwise wouldn’t.
4) THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION MOBILIZES DEVELOPING COUNTRY RESOURCES TOWARDS THEIR OWN EDUCATION SYSTEMS
Public expenditure on education among GPE developing country partners is growing at a faster rate than that of developing countries that are not members of the Global Partnership. That means that the GPE is helping the poorest countries to take ownership of their own education systems, deciding their own priorities for delivering education for all, and bringing forward the day when they can be independent of aid.
5) THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION GETS RESULTS
In the last 10 years, the Global Partnership for Education has helped low-income countries to enrol 22 million children into school, including 10 million girls, construct over 53,000 classrooms and train more than 300,000 teachers. If the replenishment target of $3.5 billion is met this June, the GPE will help to get 29 million children in school by 2018. GPE’s developing country partners are also demonstrating greater gains than countries who are not members of GPE.
6) THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION IS TAKING INNOVATIVE STEPS TO FURTHER ENHANCE PERFORMANCE
In 2013, the GPE was cited as a partnership that was “good value for money for UK aid” by a review from the UK Government. Meanwhile, a UN High Level Panel looking at the future of international development highlighted the Global Partnership as a model for the future that “shows how collaboration can bring better results”. GPE is now moving forward with new innovations to drive even greater performance.
7) GLOBAL SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION IS DRASTICALLY DECLINING
While the Global Partnership for Education is successfully mobilising domestic financing for education by developing countries themselves, global donor support for education is decreasing at an alarming rate. Total aid delivered for basic education has dropped for three years in a row, resulting in a 16% reduction between 2009 and 2012. Aid to basic education is now at the same level as it was in 2008. The UK is the leading donor to basic education so has a key role to play by investing in GPE and encouraging other donor countries to reverse this decline.
8) DEMAND FOR GPE SUPPORT FROM DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IS ON THE RISE
With the proven effectiveness of GPE’s approach, demand for their help from the poorest countries is rising and outstripping what donors have previously provided. In 2013 alone, developing country partners requested over US$1 billion from the Global Partnership for Education to support their national education plans. If the GPE is to meet these demands and continue to grow, donor governments, including the UK, will need to significantly increase their commitments to the GPE at the replenishment in June.
Want to read more about these 8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education? You can read RESULTS’ report “Greater Impact Through Partnership” here.
Take action now by clicking on the button above and tell UK Ministers to announce their funding for the GPE!
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