UK parliamentarians debate key issues in global education

Minister of Development, Anneliese Dodds, responds to fellow MPs on the UK government’s commitment to supporting global education and ensuring no child is left behind.

• Members of the UK parliament held a debate on Thursday 23rd January to mark the International Day of Education and highlighted critical issues in global education.

• Minister of Development, Anneliese Dodds, responded to fellow members of parliament reiterating the government’s commitment to supporting children in crisis settings and others furthest behind, with concerns raised over the UK’s role in education financing.

• The debate demonstrates political leadership for education and the importance of cross-party support for one of the most critical issues of our times.

Marking the International Day of Education, members of the UK parliament held a debate on the transformative role of education and the role the UK can and must play to ensure every child can access their right to quality education.

The passionate debate was led by Bambos Charalambous MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Global Education and IPNEd member, who emphasised education as a transformative force and fundamental right. 

Attended by eight members of parliament, including the Minister of Development, Anneliese Dodds, global priorities in education were debated and a call for UK leadership and increased financing was made. 

These priorities are also highlighted in a recent IPNEd briefing, launched as part of the International Day of Education, which addresses key challenges to meeting Sustainable Development Goal 4. 

Some progress has been made, but not enough

Opening the debate, Bambous Charalambous MP emphasised the progress that has been made on access to education in the last 10 years.

110 million more children have entered school since 2015 and 40 million more are completing secondary education. However, he also underscored persistent challenges, saying that “these achievements mask deep disparities”.

Monica Harding MP highlighted that there are “more than 250 million children worldwide…out of school, and marginalised groups such as girls, children with disabilities and those from remote or conflict areas bear the brunt of that exclusion.”

Mr. Charalambous also pointed to disparities between countries, with low-income nations accounting for 33% of out of school children compared to 3% in high-income countries.

Many MPs highlighted the different conflicts currently affecting children in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, and the impact of climate change that continues to exacerbate barriers to education.

“The challenges are immense,” shared Mr. Charalambous, “but with a collective will and concerted action, we can turn the tide. The UK has both the responsibility and the capacity to lead in this endeavour. Let us seize this moment to make a lasting difference in the lives of millions of children worldwide.”

Foundational learning levels are too low

Even for children attending school, the quality of education remains a major concern.

Mr. Charalambous noted that over half of students - 127 million children globally - fail to meet minimum literacy and numeracy standards. UNICEF data reveals that 70% of children in low and middle-income countries cannot read a simple text by age 10.

Responding to the call for a focus on foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, Minister of Development, Anneliese Dodds, clearly stated that “foundational learning for all [is] a priority” of the government. 

She continued to say that prioritising foundational learning - including literacy, numeracy and socio-emotional skills - provides “all children with the building blocks for their future” and so they can “navigate a rapidly changing world.”

Bambous Charalambous MP secured the debate on global education, stating that “the challenges are immense but with a collective will and concerted action, we can turn the tide".

Fund education in emergencies

Members of parliament emphasised the disproportionate impact of crises on education. Mr. Charalambous set the scene by outlining that “in 2023, 224 million children were denied quality education due to crises, up from 75 million in 2016” and that schools often become targets during conflicts, as we have seen in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.

Richard Foord MP built upon this argument and highlighted Sudan where over 19 million school-age children lack access to education. He stated that there are “14 million children in the UK…the 19 million who are not receiving education in Sudan makes this one of the worst education crises in the world.”

Supporting the case for improved education in crisis settings, Ms. Harding argued that “the lack of education in conflict and post-conflict zones puts children at further risk”. 

To provide support to education in emergencies, Wendy Morton MP outlined critical pathways to giving funding support through working with Education Cannot Wait (ECW) and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). 

Ms. Morton asked Minister Dodds what the future plans were for financing education, in light of the UK Overseas Development Aid (ODA) cuts from 0.7% to 0.5% in recent years.

Responding to these comments, Minister Dodds confirmed the government’s commitment to funding education in emergencies, stating that the UK is “the second largest bilateral donor to Education Cannot Wait”. 

Minister Dodds also reaffirmed commitment to supporting the education of “the most marginalised groups, including those living in poverty or conflict, refugees, those caught up in crisis, and girls.” 

Inadequacy of UK ODA for global education 

Funding for education was a major theme of the debate, with MPs criticising the inadequacy of global education financing. 

Mr. Charalambous highlighted that education receives less than 3% of humanitarian aid, while overseas development aid for children has dropped by 56% since 2016. He also asked whether the UK would support a global fund for teachers’ salaries to address the 44 million teacher shortage globally. 

Ms. Harding added her voice to this argument, and noted that UK bilateral aid for education fell from 13.5% of ODA in 2013 to just 3.5% in 2023. She also stated that education “has faced much sharper cuts than other sectors, decreasing by 40%, compared with an average 25% decrease in other sectors.”

Minister Dodds responded to calls to improve UK funding for global education stating that “we are scaling up finance for education around the world and seeking to make it smarter”.

When mentioning this, she referred to the International Finance Facility for Education that “provides a sevenfold return on investment…[which is] exactly the kind of multiplying effect we need to have on the funding available.”

Political leadership to advance global education 

As the International Day of Education was marked, MPs across the House reaffirmed education’s role as a cornerstone of societal transformation. 

They emphasised the urgent need for action to ensure every child, regardless of circumstances, has access to quality education and the vital role that the UK plays in advancing global education.

The debate served as a reminder of the importance of cross-party political leadership calling for inclusive, equitable quality education and demonstrates exemplary leadership for one of the most critical issues of our times. 

You can read the full debate via this link.