New Global Co-Chair appointed
IPNEd’s new Global Co-Chair The Rt. Hon Vicky Ford MP is a former Minister in the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office where she had responsibility for Africa and a former Minister of State for Development
The Rt. Hon Vicky Ford of the UK Parliament has been appointed Global Co-Chair of the International Parliamentary Network for Education.
Vicky is a former Member of the European Parliament and a former Minister for Children and Minister for Development in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. She is currently Co-Chair of the UK All Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education.
Late last year IPNEd’s founding Global Co-Chair, Harriett Baldwin MP stepped down following her election as Chair of the UK Parliament's Treasury Select Committee.
Following an open call for nominations issued to members of the International Parliamentary Network for Education from OECD DAC member parliaments, IPNEd’s Global Executive have appointed The Rt. Hon Vicky Ford MP to fill the vacancy.
Vicky was first elected to parliament as the Conservative MP for Chelmsford in 2017. Prior to entering the UK parliament had served as a Member of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2017 and was ranked in the top 10 most influential MEPs by Politico magazine.
She served as Minister for Children and Families in the Department for Education and as a Minister in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office with responsibility for Africa and then as Minister of State for Development. She has served as the UK’s Governor on the World Bank.
She is currently the Co-Chair of the UK parliament’s All Party Parliamentary Group for Global Education.
“Ensuring every child can access quality education is key to delivering long term prosperity and stability and I’m excited to have the opportunity to work with fellow parliamentarians around the world to grow educational opportunity,” said Vicky Ford MP.
“During my time as Minister for Africa I visited 15 African countries, visiting many schools. I saw first-hand the importance of education and how local political leadership supported by international partnerships can help transform the delivery of quality education for all.
“I am looking forward to helping grow that leadership and accelerate the achievement of the global education goals as the Global Co-Chair of IPNEd.”
The IPNEd Global Executive is led by two co-chairs, one from the global South currently Ms Mehnaz Akber Aziz of the Pakistan National Assembly.
“I’m thrilled that we received such strong interest in the position of Global Co-Chair of IPNEd and thank everyone who nominated for their commitment to education and interest in the Network,” said Mehnaz Akber Aziz MNA.
“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with Vicky who brings huge experience and a deep commitment to education. I’m confident that she is going to play a vital part in the next phase of IPNEd’s growth and development.”
“IPNEd is extremely fortunate to have a wide range of hugely impressive parliamentarians drawn from all parts of the world and all colors of politics on its global executive committee and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to appoint such an experienced and effective member as Global Co-Chair,” said Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, IPNEd’s Executive Director.