Global Education Ministers Urge Urgent Action to Transform Education Systems

Strategic Insights -

As the world grapples with overlapping crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, economic uncertainty, and climate change, the Global Partnership for Education's (GPE) 86 partner countries are calling for urgent action to transform education systems. The Ministers of Education from these countries are deeply concerned about the learning losses affecting over 650 million children and young people, particularly girls and those marginalized by poverty, disabilities, and displacement.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Ministers are renewing their call for urgent action to transform education at scale, emphasizing the importance of investing in education to unlock opportunities for individuals, families, and future generations.
  • They welcome the Transforming Education Summit Call to Action on Educational Investment and urge all countries and partners to invest more, more equitably, and more efficiently in education.
  • The Ministers call on the international community to prioritize financial solutions and reforms that will increase lower-income countries' fiscal space to invest in education, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • They recommend allocating at least 15-20% of public expenditure to education and increasing the share of aid to education to 15-20% of Overseas Development Assistance (ODA).
  • The Ministers also push for a reoriented education aid financing architecture that supports country-led transformation, reduces fragmentation, and strengthens partnerships to address climate change, conflict, and crises.
  • They emphasize the importance of hardwiring gender equality, improving digital learning capacities, and protecting education in conflict and crises.
  • The Ministers request the SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee to oversee the reform of the education financing architecture and call on the UN Secretary-General to reflect this vision in his proposals for the Transforming Education and international financial architecture.

Statistics:

  • Over 650 million children and young people in GPE partner countries are experiencing learning losses due to the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and global crises.
  • The international community is urged to allocate at least 15-20% of public expenditure to education in GPE partner countries.
  • The share of aid to education is recommended to increase to 15-20% of ODA.

Sources:

  • [The Ministers of Education representing 86 partner countries of the Global Partnership for Education]
  • [Global Partnership for Education]
  • [United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)]
  • [Transforming Education Summit Call to Action on Educational Investment]
  • [Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness]
  • [Freetown Manifesto for Gender-Transformative Leadership in and through Education]
  • [SDG4 High-Level Steering Committee]
  • [United Nations Secretary-General's Vision Statement for Transforming Education]