Press Release: Investing in a Just World – Decolonising Education Financing Now!
“Education-financing gap in low and lower middle-income countries is $148 billion”
Global campaign for education
Whilst the education financing gap is US$148 billion, global tax abuse is estimated at $483 billion. Activists from more than 100 countries of the world, gathered in the Global Action Week for Education (GAWE), highlight these alarming data and call attention of governments and international community to decolonise education financing now
The estimation of the annual education-financing gap in low and lower middle-income countries is $148 billion. Additional costs due to COVID19 related school closures risk increasing this financing gap by up to one third, or between US$30-45 billion.
In this context, the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), an international network that gathers activistists, experts, and educational communities from more than 100 countries around the world, highlights that there is an urgent need to demand a massive scaling up of financing, ensuring that it is accountable and reaches the most marginalised, and that these resources are used to strengthen free public education systems for the benefit of all.
With global tax abuse estimated at $483 billion, GCE also reinforces that tax justice must be a priority for ensuring sufficient and adequate resources for education.
In that sense, with the objective of making pressure towards a transformative and decolonising agenda for education financing, the Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) 2023, a national, regional, and global education mobilisation campaign coordinated by GCE, will amplify the voices of the educational communities, activists, and social organisations and movements to demand the governments and the international community:
- ACTION ON TAX: to increase tax-to-Gross National Product (GDP) ratios through progressive tax reforms. And change how global rules are set!
- ACTION ON AUSTERITY: urge the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and other international financial institutions to remove existing austerity measures, recommendations and obstacles such as public sector wage constraints that discourage increased spending on teacher salaries; and champion policies that will increase the attractiveness of the profession and allow significant new recruitment of professional teachers wherever there are shortages.
- ACTION ON DEBT: countries spending more in debt servicing than on education should be front of queue for debt cancellation or renegotiations. New mechanisms on debt are needed!
- ACTION ON PARADIGMS: it is necessary that Ministries of Finance see education as investment not consumption.
- ACTION ON SPECIAL DRAWING RIGHTS: GCE demands a new issuing of the IMF currency as was done during Covid19, and the just redistribution of these resources.
For more information about this campaign that will be held from May 29 to June 2, including communication, advocacy, and mobilisation activities in more than 100 countries all over the world, visit GAWE 2023 website or contact: fabiola@campaignforeducation.org or philani@campaignforeducation.org
Global Event on Decolonising Education Financing
On June 1st, 2023, from 3:00-5:00 PM (SAST – Johannesburg time), GCE will hold a global high level event about the theme of GAWE: Investing in a Just World: Decolonising Education Financing Now!
Register to take part in the event here
Follow the Kuyenda Collective Social Media Spaces to view content and information on the Global Action Week for Education 2023