The Global Campaign for Education a coalition of development organisations, children’s rights activists and education unions working together to make the right to education a reality for the world’s poor, today welcomed the Conservative’s agenda for international development, ‘One World Conservatism’.

“David Cameron’s commitment to ensure that a future Conservative government would meet the United Nations target of spending 0.7% of national income on international development by 2013, is really welcome,” said Joseph O’Reilly of the Global Campaign for Education.

“In 2006 the UK government promised 8.5 billion pounds for aid for education between 2006 and 2016 and we hope that David Cameron and the Conservatives will uphold or better that promise.

“The funds are urgently needed to help the 75 million children worldwide who still don’t have the chance to go to school. Despite significant progress in closing the education gap in recent years there is still a significant global shortfall in the funding and political commitment required to give every child the opportunity of a good quality education.

“We particularly welcome the recognition by the Conservatives that every child has the right to a decent education and that governments have a responsibility to guarantee educational access. This gives us a firm foundation for working together to close the education gap. But we also look forward to discussing in more detail some of the Conservative party’s suggestions about exactly how education should be financed and who should provide it.

“Like the Conservatives we acknowledge that private providers are playing an increasing role in educational provision but we are less enthusiastic about this development than they appear to be.

“Whilst unplanned growth in low-fee private primary schools is responding to real demand, the important question is whether governments should use financial resources to accelerate that trend, or resolve the underlying problem driving it: namely, the failure of public education systems to meet the needs of the poor.

“Given that nine out of ten primary school children in developing countries attend public-sector schools, and that all children have the right to free basic education, the overwhelming priority should be to improve their standards and accessibility rather than to channel public finance into the private sector. Developing countries need a comprehensive public education system that can reach those who are most vulnerable, stigmatised and excluded, particularly children with disabilities, street children, child workers and girls.

“Developing countries need a comprehensive public education system that can reach those who are most vulnerable, stigmatised and excluded, particularly children with disabilities, street children and child workers for whom even the lowest fee private tuition will be out of the question.

“Similarly the idea of giving parents or communities vouchers with which to pay an educational provider of their choice won’t address the lack of trained teachers, schools, books and other facilities required for a functioning education system.

“Putting in place the infrastructure necessary to ensure that the 75 million children who are still out school in the world’s poorest countries get a decent education by 2015 will require a massive expansion of free, public education. The proven way for the UK to ensure that more of those children get the chance to go to school is to provide their governments with the funds necessary to establish and run free, universally accessible schools for their children.

“In the light of the current economic crisis Britain’s help for the fight against poverty is needed now more than ever. The Conservative’s plans for international development are broadly welcome and we look forward to discussing them further in the coming months.”