The UK government has played a crucial role in supporting education internationally but there’s an urgent need for renewed effort and action if it is to play a part in meeting the promises the international community made in 2000.

“The UK has championed the importance of education at the highest level, is a leading donor and is publicly committed to improving aid to the sector, but there is no room for complacency,” said Global Campaign for Education (GCE) UK representative Joseph O’Reilly.

The paper sets out what the government, however it may look and whoever may lead it after the next election, needs to do to really make a difference in this area.

“What’s important is making sure the money we’ve promised is actually delivered, that it goes to the countries that need it the most, reaches the children who are missing out, and supports governments to build good-quality education systems,” says World Vision child rights adviser Philippa Lei.

“Success has tended to be defined by primary school enrolment rates, but this is not sufficient. Getting children to school is only the first step; keeping them there, and the quality of education they receive, are just as important.”

The GCE paper says the key to reaching education for all is mobilising the international community, and calls for an effective global funding mechanism to provide crucial resources for building education systems.

When the Fast Track Initiative (FTI) was launched in 2002, it was widely seen as a catalyst for accelerated progress towards achieving Education for All, but it has so far failed to deliver on that promise.

“GCE believes that we need a global funding initiative that can really deliver on the international community’s education-related promises,” says Mr O’Reilly.

“So we are calling on the UK to support the creation of a fully autonomous multilateral partnership, formally and legally independent of all other institutions including the World Bank, UN agencies, and bilateral actors.”

The paper commends progress made on the Education for All goals over the past 10 years, but warns of the danger recent economic instability poses to the issue.

“The economic crisis, coupled with mounting pressure on government budgets, poses a real threat to the progress we’re making and the hard-won gains we’ve already made,” says Mr O’Reilly.

“There must be no doubt about UK funding and the government must lead efforts to have other donors deliver the funding necessary to make education a reality for the children, young people and adults for whom it remains an illusive dream.”

Download the report.