The NEU welcomes the UK government's decision to maintain its pledge of £80 million to Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies.
Amid deep cuts to international development, protecting this funding is a rare bright spot for education financing in a challenging time. It recognises that education in emergencies is a life-saving and life-protecting right, and it means that more children affected by conflict, climate disaster, and displacement will have access to safe learning environments.
However, much more is needed to reach every child. With inflation rising and humanitarian need growing, the UK's £80 million pledge will not stretch as far as it did in 2023. The success of ECW also depends on complementary mechanisms such as the Global Partnership for Education, to which the UK has reduced its funding by 77%.
Protecting the right to education goes beyond aid. It also requires urgent action to address the drivers of crisis. Today, one in five children live within 50 km of an armed conflict, while one in ten has had their education interrupted in the past year by climate crises. If current trends of rising global military spending and accelerating climate change persist, the number of children denied their full right to education will grow further.
We welcome Minister for Development Kristy McNeill's commitment to young people in her new role and her support to ECW. We urge her to build on this commitment by reviewing the UK's pledge to GPE and making the case across government for education to be a priority in its approach to international development and cooperation.