UK falls short on commitment to girls’ education as Global Education Summit misses target by $1 billion
Today, the Global Education Summit, co-hosted by the UK, has failed to reach its funding target of ‘at least $5bn’ (£3.67 bn), having fallen short by $1 billion (£716m).
This follows a pledge by the UK Government of £430m – well below the £600m called for by education organisations to begin to meet the current global education crisis.
These funds will be used to replenish the Global Partnership for Education - the largest global fund dedicated solely to transforming education in lower-income countries so that all girls and boys, especially those who are marginalised by poverty, displacement or disability, can gain a quality education.
Responding, Rose Caldwell, Chief Executive of Plan International UK, said:
“By missing their own funding target, donor governments have failed to grasp the scale of the global education crisis. As co-host of the summit, the Prime Minister has trumpeted his own commitment to girls’ education even while cutting the overall aid budget. It is little surprise that he has struggled to inspire other governments.
“This is the first time in history that the host of a major education finance summit has simultaneously cut their overall funding for global education. Girls around the world called for the UK to listen and fund education; they asked for leadership, but they got broken promises.
“The G7 resulted in strong political commitments on girls’ education, yet now there is not enough money to back them up. We urge the UK and other donor governments to step up and fill this gap, especially as they prepare for the climate summit in December. COVID-19 has created the biggest education emergency of our lifetime and we need funding that reflects the scale and urgency of children’s needs. Without it, millions of girls could see their chance for an education lost forever.”