Response to UK pledge for GPE

“Two things can be true at the same time. 

This week, it was a pleasure to host Kirsty McNeill, the UK’s Minister of State for International Development, at a reception hosted by Street Child and Education Cannot Wait (ECW), where we cheered the UK’s strong pledge to ECW’s forthcoming replenishment. 

Meanwhile, for many months, concern has been building about the level of the UK’s commitment to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the world’s most important global fund for education, and one the UK helped found and has been a major champion of since its inception. That concern crystallised as the UK’s crushingly disappointing pledge, a reduction of 77% from previous levels, was formally unveiled at the GPE’s replenishment event at the United Nations headquarters in New York. 

Street Child does not believe this dramatic reduction, which caps a wider de-prioritisation of aid to education within the UK’s vastly reduced aid budget, reflects the will of the British people. British people understand the value and transformative power of education. British people are generous, especially to those in the greatest need. We will work with others to reflect this through to our political leaders and seek a return to the UK’s role as a generous leader in the overdue quest to bring about a world where every child is safe, in school and learning. Specifically, we encourage the UK to make further contributions to GPE within the 2026-2030 strategic period.”