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UNESCO, in partnership with the Governments of Ghana, Norway and the United Kingdom, has convened a virtual (GEM) on Education post-COVID-19, which is taking place on 20 and 22 October.

As part of the meeting, which aims to secure commitments from leaders for the protection of education financing during the COVID-19 recovery, and produce consensus on priority actions for the next year, a session focused on protecting domestic and international financing of education was held.

Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) opened the meeting saying that GPE was particularly concerned about the impact of the pandemic is going to have on education financing. According to latest forecast by the World Bank, the global economy is expected to shrink by more than 5% this year, which is the worst contraction that we've seen since world war II.  She said: “A key opportunity upcoming to support all these actions is GPE next financing campaign calling on world leaders to fund and support education in which the UK and Kenya announced their lead to raise at least $5 billion to help governments transform education systems through GPE.”

“We increased the budget by 9% for the education sector compared to other years,” said H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Minister of Education of Cambodia. “In 2021, there will be a 12% increase for the education for e-learning, blended learning, reopening of schools and promoting safety in schools for inclusive education and lifelong learning.”

H.E. Ms Priya Manickchand, Minister of Education of Guyana stated: “Resting and bridging existing gaps in education is a necessary step during these times. The lives of the future generation post-covid depends on it.”  

“Our country was able to move ahead fast because the experience we had from Ebola just five years earlier,” said H.E. Prof. Dr Ansu Sonii, Minister of Education, of Liberia. “It gave us a clue as how to prepare for pandemic or an epidemic if you were to be said that way. Radio lessons are provided across the country and are expected to be continued as permanent learning platform.”

H.E. Dr Marwan Awartani, Minister of Education of Palestine stated: “We innovatively mobilized resources from local businesses and municipalities to support innovation facilities. We adopted a strategy for blended learning, so we redesigned the methods of teaching which made the curriculum leaner that focused on quality and not quantity.”

“We need to keep defending resources to invest in our people providing the best quality education they need and deserve,” said H.E. Ms Paula Villalta, Vice-Minister of Institutional Planning, Ministry of Public Education of Costa Rica. “No one should be left behind. Ministry of Education requested the use of a special fund called national tele communication fund to narrow the digital divide gap in the country.”

Mr David Archer, Founder and member of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), Head of Programme Development, ActionAid stated: “As it is important and critical to maintain and to increase education financing, strategic financing discussion should be engaged. For example, increase education funding though tax revenue, reform tax system and revenue system to better finance health, education, social protection, it is also necessary to resolve countries’ old debt issues.”

“Increasing of the budget is not enough, we need to be efficient, evidence based and efficiently managed,” said Ms Henriette Geiger, Director for People, Peace and Planet DEVCO. “We must think outside of education box, and have the dialogue with finance Ministers.”

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