The world is facing an education crisis.
Today, 264 million children and young people are not in school; and millions more are attending school but not learning. Lack of a high-quality education, especially for the poorest and for girls, is preventing millions of people around the world from escaping the cycle of poverty. If we do not ensure that everyone has access to high-quality education, we cannot address pressing global issues such as gender inequality, mass migration and extremism.
A major obstacle is lack of funding. Investing in education is key to progress in other areas including health, sustainable growth, job creation and long-term peace and stability. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will hold a Financing Conference in Dakar, Senegal on 2 February 2018 – an opportunity to turn political commitment for education into tangible support.
Earlier this year, GPE made an ‘investment case’ for US $3.1 billion of funding from donors for the period 2018-2020. This will help transform the lives of over 25 million children. With increased financing, GPE can extend its support to 89 countries, which are home to 78% of the world’s out-of-school children. The UK has been the leading contributor to GPE since its establishment. This month, please ask your MP to add their name to a joint sign-on letter to the new Secretary of State Penny Mordaunt MP, urging her to make an ambitious pledge at the Dakar conference equivalent to US $500 million (£380 million at current exchange rates).