EDUCATION

At the 2005 Gleneagles Summit, the G8 reiterated its commitment to support African efforts to ensure that all children are able to complete a full course of primary education by 2015 (also known as ‘universal primary education’ or UPE). They also promised to bolster African efforts towards achieving this goal, specifically through support of the Education for All Fast Track Initiative (FTI).

• Savings from debt relief, increased development assistance for education and prioritisation by national governments have helped to eliminate school fees and other barriers to enrolment in many African countries.
• As a result, 34 million more children were enroled in primary school between 1999 and 2006.
• Despite this progress, the global compact on education needs to be reinvigorated if the world is to meet the 2015 goal of UPE. G7 ODA for education in sub-Saharan Africa actually declined by one-third between 2006 and 2007.
• Despite substantial progress in coordinating donor support for national education plans, the FTI has faced chronic funding shortfalls and a limited mandate since its inception. The FTI has taken on many of the reforms necessary to expand its reach and capacity. However, FTI should be strengthened and reformed further to ensure an increased quantity and quality of resources flow towards country-owned plans.