On Thursday, 23rd January, MPs from different political parties gathered in Westminster Hall for a backbench business committee debate to mark the International Day of Education. The aim of the debate was to acknowledge the day, raise the profile of global education and discuss the role of the UK government in achieving the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal on Quality Education (SDG 4). Representing the UK Government at the debate was the Minister of State for International Development and Gender and Equalities, Anneliese Dodds, joined by Head of Girls’ Education, Judith Herbetson. 

With only 5 years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the debate provided an opportunity for MPs to examine the challenges to accessing safe, inclusive and equitable quality education and more importantly, explore steps to accelerate progress. In his opening remarks, Bambos Charalambous MP (Labour), Chair of the APPG on Global Education, highlighted that there are over 250 million children out of school globally. This makes it imperative to work twice as hard to strengthen the rights to education for every child, everywhere regardless of their background. He emphasised the importance of education as a transformative tool and a catalyst in realising all other sustainable development goals. He called on the UK government to bolster financial contributions to global education initiatives like Education Cannot Wait and Global Partnership for Education to ensure funds are directed towards the most marginalised and crisis-affected children so no one is left behind.

Alice MacDonald MP (Labour) stated that access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene practices must not be overlooked in the conversations around access to quality education. She highlighted that an estimated 200 million children do not have a toilet in school, which affects 50% of schools in sub-Saharan Africa.

In his speech, Richard Foord (Liberal Democrat), argued that “Education is investment in the future”. He emphasised the impact of the conflict on education in Sudan, where about 17 million children lack access to education, and also shed light on the unfortunate rise in the recruitment of children as war soldiers. Foord called on the UK government to utilise the Overseas Development Assistance effectively abroad to support education in crisis-affected areas.

Jim Shannon (DUP) reiterated that “Education is not merely the transmission of knowledge; it is also… the foundation of human dignity and freedom.” He argued that no child should be deprived of their right to education based on their religious identity or beliefs.

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development, Monica Harding MP, re-echoed that education not only challenges harmful discriminatory values, it increases productivity, fosters economic growth, builds resilient communities in fragile states, and promotes peace, the rule of law and respect for human rights. She stressed that funding for global education has steadily declined over the past decade, from 13.5% of bilateral Official Development Assistance in 2013 to just 3.5% in 2023. She called on the Minister to outline what urgent steps the government intends to take to remedy this disproportionate budget cuts to global education in the next financial year. James MacCleary MP (Liberal Democrat) followed Ms. Harding arguing that investing in education is non-negotiable, as it is a catalyst for peace, progress and prosperity.

Shadow Minister for the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Wendy Morton (Conservative), responded on behalf of the opposition. She reaffirmed the intersection of quality education and international development. Ms. Morton MP recognised the devastating impact of the crises on girls’ education in Afghanistan and Myanmar and called for robust bilateral and multilateral partnerships to support education in these regions, alongside its wider development efforts.

In response, Minister Dodds expressed gratitude to Bambos Charalambous MP for securing the debate. She acknowledged that factors such as conflicts, poverty, climate change, lack of funds, lack of teachers, disabilities are some of the barriers that hinder children from accessing quality education, unlocking their potential and leading fulfilling lives.

In response to the troubling statistic raised by several MPs in the debate that 70% of children in low and middle-income countries are unable to read a simple story by the age of 10, Minister Dodds affirmed that the UK government is prioritising foundational learning, using the best available evidence to drive reforms and assist governments in ensuring all children have the foundational skills (literacy, numeracy and emotional skills) they need for a successful future. 

Minister recognised the challenging financial landscape for achieving progress, acknowledging growing concern of the debt crisis, with some 3.3 billion people now living in countries that spend more on servicing their debt than on investment in health or education. She affirmed that the UK government is determined to make education safe and inclusive for all children and will continue to fund innovative initiatives such as Education Cannot Wait and Global Partnership for Education to achieve global education outcomes as well as partner with governments to make education systems more resilient, a notable statement as both funds approach replenishment in 2026.

Bambos Charalambous MP closed the debate by thanking all members for their contributions and reiterated that education is a powerful tool in breaking down barriers to opportunities and it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure education is preserved as a human right.

Happy International Day of Education!

#InternationalDayofEducation

Please click this link to read the full transcript of the debate. You can also watch the debate here.