UK leadership vital for tackling biggest education emergency of our lifetime

The UK Government has today announced that it will co-host the fourth Global Partnership for Education replenishment conference alongside the Government of Kenya in 2021.

Responding, Rose Caldwell, Chief Executive of Plan International UK, said:

“We warmly welcome today’s announcement from the UK Government. COVID-19 has created the biggest education emergency of our lifetime: over 1.5 billion children have missed out on school due to COVID-19, and recent reports suggest that over 10 million may never return.

"We also know that when disaster strikes, girls face a greater risk of early marriage, sexual exploitation, and early pregnancy. As a result, they are less likely than boys to return to school. For many girls in the world’s poorest communities, the chance for an education could be lost forever.  

“We need urgent investment to overcome this crisis. The UK Government has already shown itself to be a world leader in girls’ education, and today’s announcement builds on this commitment by promising to bring governments together to fill the massive funding gaps in education across the world.

“As the world responds to the pandemic, the UK’s global leadership is more important than ever. The Government must now make good on its strong commitment to support twelve years of quality education for every girl around the world by making an early financial pledge to the fund, together with a promise to increase UK Aid for education to 15 per cent. For millions of girls living in crisis, this support will be a lifeline.”