The power of education is clear – brighter futures, healthier communities, and increased economic growth for individuals and countries. This is why we urge the United States Congress to allocate for Fiscal Year 2022 at least $1.1 billion for International Basic Education, including at least $150 million for the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and at least $50 million for Education Cannot Wait (ECW), both of which complement U.S. bilateral education efforts.
In many schools around the world, extracurricular activities of any kind are rarely or never available – yet there is so much more to the educational experience than classroom learning alone. Activities such as clubs, sports competitions, and cultural events can foster children’s intellectual curiosity and growth, confidence, and social functioning in ways that the more structured and formal classroom environment may not be able to do.