How the UK government can recommit to global education

With the 2030 deadline for Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) fast approaching, the world is running out of time to deliver on its promise of inclusive, quality education for all.

Despite bold commitments, education financing remains critically short, leaving millions of children without access to learning – undermining not just their futures, but global economic growth, equality and stability.

In response to this urgent crisis, the Send My Friend to School coalition’s new campaign, Invest in My Friends’ Learning, is bringing together young people, educators and advocates to call on the UK government to prioritise education financing and take decisive steps towards meeting international commitments.

The UK government’s recent aid budget cut shows how important this campaign is. Despite positioning itself as a champion of global education, the government has failed to uphold its commitments, with overall UK official development assistance (ODA) in sharp decline and aid to education shrinking disproportionately within this diminishing budget. Funding has been redirected away from the world’s most marginalised children, further widening inequality. The UK must act now to restore its support, or risk leaving an entire generation behind.

The importance of education financing

Investing in education is a proven driver of economic growth, social progress and poverty reduction. Since 1980, investment in education has contributed to 50% of global economic growth and 70% of income gains among the world’s poorest people. Education also plays a foundational role in peace and security, promoting gender equality, addressing climate change and strengthening societies.

Yet, despite this, chronic underinvestment has left millions of children without their right to education. The global financing gap to meet SDG4 stands at $97 billion. Progress has stalled since 2015, and 251 million children are still out of school – this is only 1% fewer since SDG4’s inception. Even those children who are enrolled are not learning the basics; 70% of children globally are unable to read and understand a simple text by the age of 10.

This lack of investment not only deepens inequality – inadequate investment in basic education is projected to cost the global economy $10 trillion a year by XXX.

Chronic underfunding is failing students and teachers

Since 2019, education has been slipping down the donor agenda, and the share of aid to education has been steadily declining. The situation is even worse for education in emergencies, which remains critically underfunded despite its role in providing lifesaving support for children affected by conflict, displacement and natural disasters.

Once a global leader in education aid, the UK’s bilateral ODA for education – which includes funding for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW) – has plummeted from 13.5% in 2013 to just 3.5% in 2023. The UK now ranks 25th among OECD-DAC countries in its prioritisation of education. Cuts to the UK ODA budget since 2020 have disproportionately affected education, and the largest reductions in UK ODA have happened in countries with the lowest learning levels. Deep cuts have even been made to priority areas, such as girls’ education and disability-inclusive education.

Invest in My Friends’ Learning: calling on the UK government to act

The Send My Friend to School coalition’s new campaign is calling on the government to protect and reprioritise global education within its international development budget and agenda, while also supporting efforts to sustainably grow domestic public budgets.

The campaign is asking the UK government to do the following:

1. Reprioritise and protect UK ODA to education. The government should work to progressively increase the proportion of ODA allocated to education to meet the international benchmarks of 15% of ODA and 10% of humanitarian funding. The UK should also enact a clear, time-bound plan to restore ODA to 0.7% of gross national income and ensure spending is laser focused on poverty reduction in low- and lower middle-income countries.
2. Take action to ensure the GPE and ECW are fully funded. The government can do this by delivering on its existing funding commitments, rallying support among other donors, and making strong, multi-year pledges in the 2026 replenishments.
3. Support reforms to enable domestic budgets for public education to grow. The government should support the reforms that governments of low- and-middle-income countries have called for to enable them to increase domestic spending on education, reduce dependency on ODA and sustainably address the funding gap.

Take action today

Schools across the UK can participate by signing up for a free campaign pack, which includes case studies and activity sheets to help students take action. A key way to make a difference is by contacting MPs, urging them to prioritise education financing and push for policy change.

Organisations working on education, child rights, gender equality and humanitarian response can help amplify the message, engage policymakers and join coordinated advocacy efforts ahead of key summits and funding replenishments. Together, we can hold the UK government accountable and ensure every child, everywhere, has access to quality, inclusive education.

Learn more by reading the Invest In My Friends’ Learning policy report.