Washington, D.C., September 18, 2016 -- The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) welcomes the new report of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, which was issued today.
The report, titled “The Learning Generation”, presents groundbreaking new data and analysis and a bold vision of all young people learning within a generation. It also makes the case for urgent action recognizing that education is transformative and the foundation of a world that is prosperous, peaceful, equitable and future-ready.
“We commend the step-change in ambition that this report signals, with the call for a significant increase in education investments to truly put the Sustainable Development Goals within reach”, said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education.
The Commission makes a compelling case for increasing investment in education through a new Financing Compact that is rooted in national governments committing to increased domestic financing, bolstered by increased and improved international support.
“We welcome new research, which shows that strengthening education systems, as GPE aims to do, is pivotal to achieving results. We also welcome the Commission’s recommendation to dramatically increase funding for GPE. This aligns with their call to prioritize low income countries (LICs), which face the greatest financing challenge in education,” Albright said.
Together, low-income countries currently receive less than one quarter of all education aid. The Commission proposes that today’s low-income countries receive two-thirds of external funds by 2030. GPE’s partners are among the poorest countries in the world. The report suggests bolstering GPE’s funding to US$ 2 billion annually by 2020 and to US$4 billion annually by 2030 so the direst needs of developing countries can be addressed.
GPE also welcomes the Commission’s recommendation for a multilateral development bank mechanism to leverage substantial new financing to the sector and will be an active partner with these organizations in generating more concessional financing in countries that need it most.
“We embrace the findings and recommendations that apply directly to GPE. The fundamental reforms to our operating model and management over the last three years, together with the imminent adjustments to the way we raise and deploy funds, make GPE ready to lead an urgent, new global drive to improve education outcomes in developing countries,” Albright said.
GPE will work closely with the Commission to promote the new Financing Compact to achieve the ambition of a Learning Generation within a generation. GPE’s replenishment campaign, which will culminate with a pledging conference in late 2017, provides the opportunity for leaders of developing countries and donor countries to demonstrate the strength of their resolve to transform education outcomes on a global scale.
GPE 2020, GPE’s five-year strategy is fully aligned with the global goal for education and directly supports the four transformations (performance, innovation, inclusion and financing) that underlie the Commission’s agenda for action.
Read the GPE response to the report
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