29 July 2021 - Today at the Global Education Summit, co-hosted by the UK and Kenya, the international community collectively pledged $4 billion to the Global Partnership for Education to deliver education for the next five years.
Responding to the announcement, Emma Wagner, Head of Education at Save the Children, said this total is hugely disappointing:
"Today world leaders have failed to respond to the scale of the global education crisis exacerbated by Covid-19. The total pledged is a full $1 billion short of the $5bn target.
“The failure of the UK as co-host to mobilise sufficient funds is a clear example of the its diminishing leadership on the world stage following its devastating aid cuts and a lacklustre G7 summit. The UK’s own pledge to in June fell well short of expectations and clearly failed to galvanise the global action required at the summit.
“Across the world, children hardest hit by inequality and discrimination will pay the price. Following school closures during the pandemic, 16 million may never return to the classroom, on top of the 258 million children already denied their right to quality education.
“If the UK is serious about being a global leader on girls’ education and green recovery, it must up its game on the world stage. The government must take urgent action to mobilise additional funding for education to ensure an equitable Covid-19 recovery.”
ENDS
Save the Children has spokespeople available for interview on the global education crisis. Please contact media@savethechildren.org.uk / 07831 650409 with any enquiries.
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