Promoting quality education for all.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jennifer Rigg, Executive Director, jrigg@gce-us.org

Washington, D.C. (May 24, 2019)

The Global Campaign for Education - US is concerned that the zero draft of the political declaration of the High Level Political Forum (HLPF) does not mention education. Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) - the global goal on quality education for all - is one of six goals under review at the HLPF this year. While we recognize that the political declaration is not intended to focus on individual goals alone, we do believe it is important to mention education alongside the other commitments we have made as a global community between now and 2030. 

Education is every child's fundamental right and is a critical stepping stone for development and prosperity for individuals, communities and the world.  Without it, we have no hope of eradicating poverty or reaching the other Sustainable Development Goals.

Ensuring commitment to education at the highest political levels is also all the more necessary given how off-track we are to achieve SDG4 at the current levels. Over 260 million children and young people remain out of school, and after a decade of progress, the number of primary aged children not in school is going up, not down. A staggering 387 million children of primary school age will not achieve minimum proficiency levels in reading; two-thirds of them - 262 million - are in school. The most deprived and marginalized children - those that face multiple, compounding and intersecting disadvantages such as poverty, gender and disability - are faring the worst.

The HLPF offers a galvanizing moment for progress towards the 2030 agenda. We therefore urge inclusion of education in point 6 of the political declaration, recognizing the world’s resolve to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all between now and 2030.  We recommend that point 6 should read:

"We resolve, between now and 2030, to end poverty and hunger everywhere; to combat inequalities within and among countries; to build peaceful, just and inclusive societies; to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all...."

 

At the Global Campaign for Education - US, we advocate to ensure that all achieve the right to quality, inclusive education. You can take action and join in by:

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