The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) welcomes the report of the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunity, titled “The Learning Generation”. The Commission presents groundbreaking new data and analysis and a bold vision of all young people learning within a generation. It makes the case for urgent action recognizing that education is transformative and the foundation for a world that is prosperous, peaceful, equitable and future-ready. 

We commend the compelling case for increasing investment in education through a new Financing Compact that is rooted in national governments committing to education system reforms and increased domestic financing, bolstered by increased and improved international support.  We strongly endorse the step-change in ambition that this report signals, with the call for an order of magnitude increase in education investments to truly put the Sustainable Development Goals within reach. 

We also endorse the Commission’s recommendation to dramatically increase funding for GPE, aligning with the call to prioritize low income countries (LICs), which face the greatest financing challenge in education.  Together, LICs currently receive less than one quarter of all education aid. The Commission proposes that today’s LICs receive two-thirds of external funds by 2030. GPE’s partners are among the poorest countries in the world with some of the greatest needs, which could be dramatically reduced if GPE were to able provide $4 billion annually in funding by 2030.

We will work closely with the Commission to promote the new Financing Compact and lay the groundwork for achieving the ambition of a Learning Generation within a generation.  We will advocate for the adoption of the Commission’s recommendations by political leaders, multilateral partners, donors and developing countries, civil society, teachers, the private sector and foundations.

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 the lowest income countries. 

To read the full response, download the PDF