London, 11 June, 2021. Responding to the UK Government announcing a pledge of £430 million to the 2021-2025 replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), Harriett Baldwin MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Education said:
“This announcement is a welcome start. As co-host of the GPE replenishment, the UK Government should use it as a springboard toward the £600 million target which parliamentarians from all parties agree is essential for a successful replenishment.
“I hope that the path towards a UK commitment of £600 million for GPE does not end here. There are a number of creative ways for the Prime Minister to demonstrate leadership to the world on global education and get millions more children, especially girls, into school.
“Between now and the Global Education Summit, which the Prime Minister will co-host with President Kenyatta of Kenya in London in July, he must find the £170 million to meet the target.
“This funding could be provided on a challenge basis and thereby used to incentivise other donors to give for the first time or give more than they’ve already announced – underlining how the UK can crowd other nations in and be a true force for good.
“The Government’s promise to restore the UK’s aid spending to 0.7% of national income means that additional funding to the tune of at least £4 billion will likely become available over the period covered by the replenishment. This should give the Prime Minister further confidence to guarantee now that the UK will commit the additional £170 million needed.” concluded Ms Baldwin.
Chair of the International Development Committee, Sarah Champion MP added:
“The GPE replenishment is a test of the international community’s preparedness to support the education of children living in the world’s lowest-income countries. As host of the G7 today and co-host of the Global Education Summit in July with Kenya, it is critical that the UK passes that test. If it does it will lead the world in ensuring education is put at the heart of the international recovery from COVID-19.
“Sadly, the £430 million pledged today, together with the Government’s recent cuts to education aid jeopardises the futures of the very girls the Prime Minister has promised to help.
“I join Harriett from across the chamber and urge the Prime Minister to top-up the UK’s funding for GPE so that we have contributed £600 million by the end of the replenishment cycle, and urgently reverse his Government’s swingeing aid cuts which will have a devastating effect on the world’s most vulnerable children.“
You can read more about the roadmap for a UK pledge of £600 million in Harriett Baldwin’s Devex article here.