Reforming funding for EFA

The Global Monitoring Report 2010 (GMR) released in New York on 19 January warned that the world is not on track to achieve the goal of universal primary education by 2015. With 72 million children still out of school, the aftershock of the global financial crisis threatens to deprive millions of children in the world’s poorest countries of an education (link: http://www.unesco.org/en/efareport/).

As GMR Director Kevin Watkins stated there remains a great financing gap – 16 billion US dollars – which has to be closed in order to achieve the goal. And Kailash Satyarthi, Global Campaign for Education, stated that, yet again, the most vulnerable children are the ones who miss out. UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon said “education should never be an accident of circumstance”.

These issues were laid squarely on the table at the World Economic Forum in Davos last week. EI pointed out that the so-called “Fast-Track Initiative” is simply not doing the job. Too few countries benefit, there are too few donors, there is too much bureaucracy, and there is not enough involvement of key stakeholders. So EI is pressing for a new approach, such as a Global Fund for Education, with strong stakeholder participation, including the voice of teachers. EI’s proposal for reform of funding for EFA is winning support – but we are not there yet.

Davos was however the setting for some frank talking on the role of teachers. EI’s General Secretary told a well-attended private session with leading CEOs and university leaders: “Just putting an unqualified person in front of a class of 250 children doesn’t provide education for them”. Fred van Leeuwen was immediately backed up by UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova. Although this was a private session, and “off the record”, you can read Ms Bokova’s comments on the UNESCO website: (http://www.unesco.org/new/en/unesco/about-us/who-we-are/director-general/). “Education is a cause that must be taken up by the G8, the G20, and the international financial institutions” Ms Bokova said to a special WEF plenary session on education the next day. Queen Rania of Jordan said “Education is not just another social issue, it’s the social issue – one that underpins progress in all global challenges we face today, from alleviating poverty, hunger and HIV to building stability, fighting climate change, and more”.

Governments have the prime responsibility, but the private sector can support through advocacy and working with the education unions, said Fred. The biggest challenge is to recruit enough qualified teachers, and professional development is the other key factor in educational quality, he added.

In coming weeks, I’ll be working through the WEF’s Global Agenda Council on Education – and with other EI, CGE, and Global Union colleagues - on the issue of reform of funding for EFA. We simply have to break through on that if we are to achieve the EFA Goal, and to give 72 million children a chance.

Links:

• EI warns that public spending cuts will slow economic recovery
  http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=1184&theme=ei&country=global
• Global Campaign for Education urges improved education funding http://www.ei-ie.org/en/news/show.php?id=1177&theme=educationforall&country=global