Ei-iE

The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) must support quality education in developing countries and ensure teachers’ involvement in local education group plans. It was the message delivered by EI at the Board of Directors meeting, held from 21-22 May in Brussels, Belgium.

EI Executive Board member Marième Sakho Dansokho and EI Deputy General Secretary David Edwards were present amongst the over 100 participants and observers, representing the teaching profession as part of  as civil society on the GPE Board.

US$439 million for education in 12 developing countries

The GPE Board of Directors approved US$439 million in grants to 12 developing countries, providing critical funding and momentum toward quality education for all children.

Targeted countries are: Benin, Burkina Faso, Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritania, Senegal, Somalia, Tajikistan, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

This new financing reflects GPE priorities: increasing access to basic education in fragile states, improving the quality of education, generating measurable results and championing girls' education.

“For these countries this is crucial funding to make progress on getting all children into school for a quality education,” said GPE Chief Executive Officer Alice Albright in her Global Partnership Report. “All children should have access to a school, have effective teachers, and be able to learn so she or he can contribute to the development of their community and nation.”

Albright also supported the creation of an innovation fund. EI reminded her that some teachers’ organisations, such as the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association, have partnered to bring innovation, and their example can be useful to analyse.

GPE Board Chair Carol Bellamy added: “Educating children -especially girls- increases their incomes, improves their health and nutrition, and it literally saves lives. The investments we make in educating children will pay dividends for generations to come.”

GPE cannot succeed without active and meaningful engagement of teachers

The fact that quality teachers are crucial for quality education was largely agreed during the meetings.

“EI welcomes the priorities and other actions mentioned in the CEO report,” said Sakho Dansokho. “It further gladly notes that the role of teachers is acknowledged.”

She also underlined that GPE must demonstrate concrete results, especially in a context where financial assistance is endangered.

The key message later during the GPE Report on Pledge Monitoring and Resource Mobilisation was that the demand for funding remains exceptionally high while projection of expected contributions has been reduced, which shows that traditional donors for education are no living up to their commitments.

New GPE governance discussed

On governance, the GPE Board of Directors debated the creation of an Executive Committee, and two permanent Committees, a Country Grants and Performance Committee and a Knowledge, Policy and Innovation Committee, as well as the presence of experts in the two latest committees.

It also discussed the opportunity to have one seat on the Board for UN agencies.

"EI is concerned by a possible reduction of Board seats, especially in view of the Education for All and Post-2015 agenda and mandate," declared Edwards. "We need to focus on the business at hand and resist bureaucratic tinkering."

The discussions continued with a report from Ethiopia and a report about the GPE engagement in fragile and conflict-affected states.

A majority of board members also reiterated the GPE's commitment to free, universal education and the abolition of school fees.  This came in response to the private sector/foundations statement that supported low cost private schools as an access "innovation".