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For every 10 dollars spent rescuing the global economy, only 5 cents needed to get every child worldwide into school
10 May 2009 23:00:00 GMT
 Source: International Save the Children Alliance
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In the midst of recession Save the Children calls for governments to prioritise education aid for conflict countries


To date, world leaders have spent US$ 2 trillion  on rescuing the global economy, and yet governments have failed when it comes to financing the global education crisis. It would take just $9 billion to get every child worldwide into school – only 5 cents for every 10 dollars spent on the economy. 

Save the Children’s new report, released today, Last in Line, Last in School 2009, highlights the need for governments to prioritise education aid for children affected by conflict and emergencies.

“Although basic education aid to those hardest to reach children affected by conflict has been slowly increasing, the current global financial crisis means education aid may now fall,” said Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, Secretary General of International Save the Children Alliance,

“Education aid should be even more of a priority now. As the global recession worsens, governments in the poorest countries will struggle to provide basic services, such as education, and family budgets will be hit hard.”

It is estimated the financial crisis and global recession will see African economies lose up to US$ 49 billion by the end of this year, the equivalent of every African man, woman and children losing 10 days’ income in 2009. As families’ budgets in the poorest countries are squeezed, parents are being forced to make tough choices for their children.

In Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, 33 year old Gbalia Fofana struggles to keep his three children in school, “I know that education is a right for all children including those in my family and that it should be my highest priority. But because of the situation we are in, I have had to make my family’s education my third priority. If the children are hungry, if they are sick or suffering, how can they go to school? I am doing everything I can to ensure that my daughter makes it to college.” 

“By the end of 2010 it is expected 90 million more people, the equivalent of twice the population of Spain, will be living in extreme poverty, on less than $1.25 a day” continued Petri Gornitzka “In times of crisis parents often have to make a decision between putting food on the table and paying school fees. Even in the midst of a global recession, it is difficult for us to imagine having to make similar decisions here.”

The countries often worst hit are those countries affected by conflict, where nearly 1 in 3 children, 40 million worldwide, are out of school. African leaders have warned the recession could impact those countries affected by conflict and fragility hardest – reducing stability in the region and resulting in even less investment in basic services, including education.

Education can contribute to economic growth, reduce poverty and promote stability. Every additional year of schooling for males can reduce their risk of becoming involved in conflict by 20 percent. Without continued investment in education in countries affected by conflict, there is potential for countries to fall back into a spiral of poverty and conflict.

More information

Last in Line, Last in School 2009 has been released as part of Save the Children’s Rewrite the Future campaign, fighting for children’s right to education in countries affected by conflict and emergency.

HTML fileRead Last in Line, Last in School 2009

HTML fileFind our more about Rewrite the Future

 

 

 


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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