GLOBAL Partnership for Education (GPE), formerly the Education for All/ Fast Track Initiative (EFA/FTI) has raised US$1.5B to improve education in poor and developing countries at a three day pledging conference in Copenhagan, Denmark, last week. Education Minister Shaik Baksh, who is a GPE board member, addressed the conference that was attended by senior functionaries from 52 countries, including 28 education ministers.
At the conference, leading donors pledged an initial US$1.5B for the multilateral organisation for 2012 to 2014, and promised to increase bilateral funding over the next three years.
Developed countries pledged to raise domestic basic education spending by more than US$2B.
Private sector members of GPE’s board pledged to spend US$687M on the education programme.
The US$1.5B raised at GPL’s first pledging conference kicks off a funding cycle that will raise an additional $US$1B by 2014 to support 25 million children entering school for the first time.
Countries also pledged to focus on GPE’ policy priorities: girls’ education, improving quality education and the education of children in fragile or conflict-affected states.
“We have seen a transformative outcome for the world’s children,” GPL Chair Carol Bellamy said. “Without education, our effort to save lives, empower women, grow economies and promote sustainability will fail in the long run. Developing country leaders understand this and have promised to significantly increase domestic education budgets. Leading donors answer the call by raising their bilateral commitments and kick-starting multilateral financing for Global Partnership for Education.”
Over the next three years, funding dedicated to the GPL will help put 25 million into classrooms for the first time, train 600,000 new teachers, and significantly reduce illiteracy for primary school aged children.
Guyana became an endorsed country in 2003, and has since benefitted from tranches of US$12M and US$20.5M million under the Education for All/Fast Track Initiative (EFA/FTI).
The project aims to enhance the performance of the primary education sector in support of the government’s education strategic plan. EFA-FTI is on the point of concluding its sixth year of implementation in December, 2011, and is scheduled to conclude in 2012. Due to the satisfactory performance of the programme since its commencement, and the fact that the Education Ministry presented a strong case indicating good results based on measured indicators and continued country need, in September 2008, Guyana was able to secure from the Global FTI partnership further funds in the sum of US$20.5M for the continued execution of EFA-FTI activities.
Guyana is now in the process of preparing another project proposal for an extension of the fund, targeting educational developments in the hinterland regions.
GPL was established in 2002, and is comprises 46 developing countries, and over 30 bilateral, regional, and international agencies, development banks, the private sector, teachers, and local and global civil society groups.
The organisation provides developing country partners the incentives, resources, and technical support to build and implement sound education plans.