UK MPs support Global Partnership for Education replenishment

Photo Credit: Global Partnership for Education (GPE)

As the UK Parliament resumed this week, MPs swung into action in support of every child’s chance to go to school and learn.

In just a few short weeks, the Global Partnership for Education will host a High-Level Event in New York. It will be a flagship moment of GPE’s replenishment campaign, which aims to raise US$5 billion in donor commitments so that 750 million children can access good-quality education between now and 2030. 

As one of the richest countries in the world, a G7 member and co-founder of GPE, the UK’s support is absolutely critical. Earlier this year, IPNEd and Send My Friend to School issued a joint call on the UK to maintain its £430 million in financing to GPE.

Following the 2025 decision to boost UK military spending by cutting the aid budget, the government has ended UK bilateral support for education, resulting in an estimated £600 million loss in support over the next three years.

This has resulted in the closure of UK-supported programs that were increasing access to and improving the quality of education in some of the world's poorest countries.

Ending bilateral aid to education makes it even more important for the UK to maintain its funding for GPE. 

Ministers are deliberating right now, and a decision is expected within days. With everything to play for, cross-party support for UK aid to education is vital.

Former Australian Prime Minister, immediate past GPE chair, and IPNEd inaugural associate member, The Hon. Julia Gillard AC, briefed MPs on GPE’s work, with a particular focus on its work to drive gender equality in education.

The event was hosted by International Development Committee Chair and IPNEd member Sarah Champin MP, with a contribution by UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls Baroness Harriet Harman.

Several IPNEd members attended the event, including Fleur Anderson MP, who recently issued a compelling plea for a phased restoration of the aid budget to 0.7% of GNI.

On the first day of the new parliament, Chris Law MP, the Scottish National Party spokesperson for International Development, sponsored an Early Day Motion which calls on the government to maintain funding for GPE at current levels.

All members of Parliament received a briefing on UK multilateral funding for education co-published by IPNEd and Send My Friend, a civil society coalition of non-government, development and children’s rights organisations and education unions working to ensure the UK plays an active and effective part in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4.

Members of parliament in donor countries play a vital role in ensuring their governments contribute to both funds, and in advocating for the protection and growth of overseas development assistance (ODA). 

“Amidst an increasingly fractured international landscape, multilateral action in support of the global education goals has never been more important,” said IPNEd Executive Director, Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly.

“Supporting multilateral funds enables donor governments to maximise the impact of limited resources by strengthening national education systems, protecting learning during crises and helping countries build long-term resilience and self-reliance.

“We’re pleased to see such strong support among UK members of parliament for both GPE and Education Cannot Wait, the global fund for education in emergencies, and hope this translates into continued support from the British government.”