REASON #1 to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now: WE CANNOT END POVERTY WITHOUT INVESTING IN EDUCATION

by Camilla Ryberg, RESULTS Australia's Online Communications and Education Manager

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” ― Nelson Mandela

Today we look a bit more closely into Reason #1 of the eight reasons from our joint RESULTS brief Greater Impact through Partnership: 8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever.

The reason; ‘We cannot end poverty without investing in education’, is really one on which there is little or no disagreement.  Indeed, it is often stated that investing in education is the single most effective way of reducing poverty.

This is recognised by citizens all over the world as evidenced in the United Nations’ MY World global survey  - with responses from nearly 1.5 million people in 194 countries at the time of writing - where “A good education” is ranked as the world’s #1 priority for the post-2015 development agenda.

It is estimated that if all students in low income countries left school with basic reading skills, 171 million people could be lifted out of poverty and global poverty would decline by 12 percent. Education is critical to reducing poverty and inequality, and one of the most important investments a country can make in its people and its future.

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) provides low-income country partners the incentives, resources, and technical support to build and implement robust education plans and meet targets to help more children receive a good quality education.

Sometimes education challenges require innovative approaches that reach beyond the education sector. The school meals program in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) supported by the Global Partnership for Education is such an example. With the Government of Lao PDR having identified the importance of education, food security, and health in breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty, a GPE grant of US$30 million went towards the program that combined local food production, community trainings, and school interventions in health, sanitation, and hygiene. The program was piloted by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 66 schools in 2012, with plans to expand it to nine districts in five provinces.

Education is intrinsically related to other poverty alleviation aspects, such as maternal and child health, gender equality, economic development, national security, and democracy. In Greater Impact through Partnership we outline five areas where education has significant impact.

The multiplier effect of education - Education is a human right and is absolutely fundamental to ending poverty. A good education empowers individuals, contributes to greater economic growth, produces healthier populations, and builds more stable, equitable societies. Education is widely recognized as one of the most effective development interventions. If the world does not invest in education, development and progress will be impossible.

Maternal and child health - A child born to an educated mother is more than twice as likely to survive to the age of five. As women’s education levels increase, immunization rates go up, preventable child deaths go down, and nutrition improves.

Gender equality - Education increases self-confidence and decision-making power for girls, as well as their economic potential. On average, for a girl in poor country, each additional year of education beyond third or fourth grade will lead to 20 percent higher wages.

Economic development - Education is a prerequisite for economic growth: no country has achieved continuous and rapid growth without at least 40 percent of adults being able to read and write. Every US$1 invested in a person’s education yields US$10-15 in economic benefit over that person’s working lifetime.

Security and democracy - People of voting age with a primary education are 1.5 times more likely to support democracy than people with no education. Countries with higher primary schooling rates and a smaller gap between rates of boys’ and girls’ schooling tend to enjoy greater democracy and stability.

Without investing in education, the poorest countries and the poorest people will be left far behind. Conversely, as outlined above, the impact of investment in education is profound.  We cannot end poverty without investing in education and a successful replenishment which sees a fully-funded Global Partnership for Education is critical to achieving this.

RESULTS affiliates in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States and here in Australia are calling on our respective governments to play their fullest part in ensuring that the Global Partnership for Education’s 2015-2018 replenishment target of US$3.5 billion is met.

Click here to read the full RESULTS’ brief Greater Impact through Partnership:  8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever.

This post is part of a series over eight weeks where  RESULTS affiliates in Canada, the UK, the U.S. and  Australia will delve deeper into each of the 8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever. Don’t forget to check back here next week for REASON #2.

Further Reading:

RESULTS Publication Launch: 8 Reasons to Invest in the Global Partnership for Education Now

Greater Impact Through Partnership

250 Million Reasons to Invest in Education: The Case for Investment

RESULTS Publication Launch: 8 Reasons to Invest in the Global Partnership for Education Now

  by Camilla Ryberg, RESULTS Australia's Online Communications and Education Manager

There is a global education crisis. 57 million children still remain out of primary school worldwide and nearly 40 percent of the world's primary school-aged children still don't know how to read, write, or count.

If all students in low-income countries acquired basic reading skills, global poverty could decline by 12 percent, meaning 171 million people would be lifted out of poverty.  Despite this, funding to education is declining.

Though the solution to the global education crisis is of course multifaceted, complex and nuanced, one thing is clear - if we are to address the education challenge successfully, we need to work in partnership.

With this in mind, RESULTS Australia together with our RESULTS affiliates in Canada, the UK and the US, are thrilled to announce the launch of our joint publication 'Greater Impact through Partnership: 8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever'.

Our brief outlines why achieving an 'Education for All' is more important than ever in our current global landscape and how the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) is uniquely positioned to contribute to this goal.

On June 26th, 2014, leaders from around the world will convene at GPE’s Pledging Conference to decide the future of education for children in the most poverty-stricken and conflict-affected countries on the planet. The GPE is asking donor countries for contributions of US$3.5 billion for the period 2015 to 2018.

Achieving this target, the Global Partnership will be able to support education for 29 million of the poorest and most marginalised children, including girls, and increase the number of children completing primary school with literacy and numeracy skills by 25 percent in 66 developing country partners by 2018.

For a more comprehensive account of what the GPE will be able to achieve if the replenishment target is met, have a look at the Global Partnership for Education's  'Case for Investment'

Moreover, due to the Global Partnership’s unique funding model, donor contributions of $3.5 billion have the power to leverage an additional $16 billion in domestic financing from the Partnership's low-income country partners. This will go a long way towards filling the education financing gap, thus contributing significantly towards addressing the global education crisis.

At this juncture, success relies on ambitious investments from donors. Joining our international affiliates, it is now the time for RESULTS Australia to intensify our advocacy calling on the Australian Government to make a pledge of AUD$500 million to the Global Partnership for Education for the period 2015-2018.

'Greater Impact through Partnership: 8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever' provides the outline we need to tell the story to the media, members of Parliament, and our communities of not only the importance of education but the critical opportunity the Global Partnership for Education's June pledging conference provides to successfully address the global education crisis.

This is an unprecedented opportunity to in partnership make  a  real impact on the lives and futures of not only the poorest and most vulnerable children around the world, but in all of our lives by building a more just, healthy and prosperous world.

Download the full report here, and catch a glimpse of the 8 reasons below.

8 reasons to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever:

1. We cannot end poverty without investing in education. Education is intrinsically related to our other efforts to reduce poverty.
   
2. The Global Partnership for Education reaches those in the greatest need - especially those in fragile contexts and humanitarian emergencies. Nearly three-quarters of the world's 57 million primary school-aged children who are out of school live in GPE developing country partners.
   
3. The Global Partnership for Education complements bilateral efforts in global education. Support for the Global Partnership helps donors reach their own development objectives, including the goals of U.S. bilateral education and development programs.
   
4. The Global Partnership for Education mobilizes developing country resources towards their own education systems. Developing countries that are part of the Global Partnership increase their own domestic financing for education at a faster rate than developing countries not a part of the Partnership.
   
5. The Global Partnership for Education gets results. GPE's developing country partners are demonstrating greater educational gains, including in enrolment, completion rates, and gender parity.
   
6. The Global Partnership for Education is taking innovate steps to further enhance performance. Having already been cited as an effective model to replicate, the Global Partnership is still working to improve its model by focusing on outcomes, incentivizing results, and closing the data gap in education.
   
7. Global support to basic education is drastically declining. Overall donor aid to basic education has dropped three years in a row, with aid for basic education to GPE developing country partners dropping even more - a 23 percent cut from 2009 to 2012.
   
8. Demand for GPE support is on the rise. Demand from developing countries for support from the Global Partnership is only increasing, and donors must equally match the ambition of developing country partners.

Over the next eight weeks, RESULTS affiliates in Canada, the UK, the US and here in Australia will delve deeper into each of the eight reasons through a series of blog posts. Don’t forget to check back here each week to learn more of why we need to invest in the Global Partnership for Education now more than ever.