Government announces $15 billion to deliver education for all

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, and Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, committed today that the UK Government would spend at least $15 billion, or £8.5 billion, on aid for education over the next ten years.

For the first time, the UK Government will enter into 10 year agreements with poor countries to finance 10 year education plans – locking in the long-term commitment vital to delivering high quality education for all.

This £8.5 billon commitment compares to a figure of less than £2 billion over the last 10 years.

Speaking during a visit to a school in Mozambique, Gordon Brown said:

“In 2005, Make Poverty History forced governments to make promises on aid. Now, in 2006 it is time for us to keep our promises. None is more important than the Millennium Development Goal that by 2015 every one of the world’s children is able to go to school.”

Also in Mozambique, Hilary Benn said:

“Education is a basic human right, and to get every child into school we need more investment. Working with developing countries, through increased commitment from the UK, will help train more teachers, build more classrooms and give more children the best start in life.”

During the visit Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn, launched a pamphlet ‘Keeping promises: delivering education for all’ setting out the challenge of getting every child in every continent into school and the importance of keeping the promises that were made in 2005.

In 2005 the international community agreed to provide an extra $50 billion a year in aid.

Based on developing countries’ own ambitious 10 year plans to meet the education MDGs, donor countries will be urged to provide the long-term, predictable funding necessary to finance these plans.

Hilary Benn announced that DFID will support countries in developing and expanding their education plans. As part of this support, the UK will double its contribution to the Fast Track Initiative’s Programme Development Fund.

Notes to editors

1. The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, and the Secretary of State for International Development, Hilary Benn, are visiting Mozambique to attend the launch of a new global campaign on children’s education with the President Guebuza of Mozambique, President Mandela, Mrs Machel and others.

2. DFID’s total planned spending on education over the three year period 2005 06 to 2007-08 is £1.4 billion. DFID will spend at least £8.5 billion over the period 2006-07 to 2015-16. This compares with a figure of less than £2 billion over the period 1995-96 to 2004-05.

3. The Fast Track Initiative’s Programme Development Fund provides technical support to countries with weak capacity to develop or implement sound education strategies. The UK contribution will rise from £2.5 million to £5 million.

4. The document Keeping promises: delivering education for all is available on the Treasury website.

5. Media enquiries to HM Treasury Press Office on 020 7270 5238 and DFID Press Office on 020 7023 0600.

6. Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558, or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk

7. This press release and other Treasury publications and information are available on the Treasury website at www.hm-treasury.gsi.gov.uk. If you would like Treasury press releases to be sent to you automatically by e-mail you can subscribe to this service from the press release site on the website.

8. More information about DFID and how its works can be found at www.dfid.gov.uk