World leaders were urged to prioritise education in post-Covid recovery efforts and support a UN-backed fund that seeks $5 billion over the next five years to strengthen learning systems for children in the developing world.
The message of support for the Global Partnership For Education came during a virtual call between UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, GPE chairwoman and former Australian premier Julia Gillard, and Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta.
1/3 President Uhuru Kenyatta and UK Prime Minister @BorisJohnson have rallied the world's richest nations to support the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) initiative which seeks to raise 5 billion USD for the education of children in low income countries. #RaiseYourHand pic.twitter.com/aRd7sj4MX5
— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) May 13, 2021
Mr Kenyatta appeared via video link from a classroom in Kenya, while Mr Johnson and Ms Gillard spoke from a school in the UK. Each had a number of socially distanced students inside.
“It is quite a remarkable event. It would not have been possible when I was at school,” Mr Johnson, 56, said about the virtual discussion. “It’s just a wonderful thing.”
The Kenyan leader’s office said he and Mr Johnson “have rallied the world's richest nations to support” the GPE project, before a summit in London in late July that hopes to attract additional support.
Mr Johnson said during the video discussion that his favourite teacher at school was called Mr Fox.
“He decided I needed extra reading. Whether he thought I had potential, whether he thought I was behind, I’m not sure,” he said.
“He took me to the library and gave me loads of books.”
President Kenyatta speaks to pupils of Westlands Primary School shortly after attending a virtual conversation between the children and their colleagues from Cleves Cross Primary School in England, a meeting that was also attended by UK Prime Minister @BorisJohnson#RaiseYourHand pic.twitter.com/aPnX2VrP7a
— State House Kenya (@StateHouseKenya) May 13, 2021
The conversation was part of the Connecting Classrooms programme, a joint UK government-British Council scheme to help young people “understand the big issues that shape our world and equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to make a positive contribution”.
Ms Gillard said the July summit provided “a critical opportunity to fully fund” GPE “and help transform education systems to make them more equitable and effective”.
Speaking before the video call, Mr Johnson said: “Supporting girls to get 12 years of quality education is one of the smartest investments we can make as the world recovers from Covid-19. Otherwise, we risk creating a lost pandemic generation.
“Across the world there is a vast untapped resource – girls whose education has been cut short or denied altogether, who could be leading efforts to pull their communities out of poverty.”
The meeting came a day after the UK government announced a new £55 million ($77.3m) aid programme to support educational reform around the world.
