Domestic financing

GPE supports countries to boost the volume, equity and efficiency of education budgets and expand fiscal space.

Domestic budgets are the largest and most sustainable form of funding for education.

Lower-income countries are prioritizing education spending, but it is still insufficient to ensure adequate learning. In 2022, low-income countries spent 3.9% of GDP on education, up from 2.9% in 2010.

GPE helps partner countries position education as a strategic investment in human capital, resilience and growth, with domestic budgets as the anchor of sustainable education financing.

Multiply Possibility

$471 billion
pledged by 56 partner countries in domestic education funding over 2026-2030
32% increase
in domestic financing by partner countries
between 2026 and 2030

Sources

A pillar of GPE’s 5th financing campaign “Multiply Possibility” is helping partner countries design the bridge from aid dependence to durable domestic and innovative financing for education.

This sustainable education financing brings all partners behind government leadership to create the fiscal space, policies and systems to sustain progress.

Partner countries are also encouraged to make concrete commitments for education financing to improve equity, efficiency and impact.

Pledges by partner countries to the 2026-2030 financing campaign

GPE in action

GPE encourages:

  • Stronger systems through coordination of external education financing.
  • Increased budget for education through fairer taxation and reduction of debt burdens on the poorest countries through Debt2Ed.
  • Participation of civil society in budget monitoring and use of better data to improve transparency and accountability in education spending.
  • Improved accountability and strengthening of dialogue between education and finance ministries.

Recognizing that sustainable change depends on national investment, GPE supports partner countries through financial incentives, technical support, and inclusive dialogue to strengthen education budgets and systems.

GPE uses results-based financing to incentivize these shifts, linking a portion of grant funding to successful policy shifts that increase education budgets, improve spending efficiencies and ensure funds reach those most in need.

Nearly 80% of partner governments that have opted into these “top-ups” have tied them to domestic financing. This approach helps governments stay on track to achieving tangible results.

  • In Cameroon and Sierra Leone, it helped raise education budgets and move thousands of community-funded teachers onto the payroll, easing the burden on low-income households.
  • In Mozambique, reforms reduced textbook costs by 17% and improved distribution.
  • In Tanzania, a top-up backed a nationwide teacher deployment policy that placed 98% of new primary teachers in schools with the greatest need, making education spending more equitable.

Previous commitments on education financing

In 2021, 20 Heads of State made a commitment to prioritize education, pledging to work towards spending at least 20% of their budgets on education over the next five years.

At the GPE 2021 Financing Summit, 25 more countries submitted individual commitments to prioritize and protect the volume of education financing and improve its efficiency and fairness.

Latest blogs and news