Guest Blog by Beth Gum, Head of Policy & Advocacy at the International Parliamentary Network for Education.
Talking about education financing, the conversation often focuses on government spending or partner country contributions. Understandably so. But there is one group that need to be much more central to the conversation: Parliamentarians.
That’s who our primary audience is at the International Parliamentary Network for Education (IPNEd). We work with members of parliament around the world to mobilise the political leadership and commitment necessary to deliver quality education for all.
As the world’s only parliamentary network dedicated to education, we support our growing network of over 500 parliamentarians in 90 countries to drive progress on education and one of our key priorities is education financing.
2026 is an especially important year for education financing. The world’s two global funds for education, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW), are seeking funds for their next operational periods, with replenishment events on 23 September and 5 November respectively.
At a time when overseas development assistance (ODA) to education is falling, and many of the world’s poorest countries are struggling with debt, climate shocks and growing pressure on public services, it is more important than ever that multilaterals are fully funded and able to function at full capacity.
Parliaments have a unique role to play in this, as one of their primary functions is to approve how public funds get spent.
As IPNEd, we’ve seen the power of parliament in allocating funds to where they need it the most in Zambia. In a context where children are going to school but not learning to read at the expected level, the Parliamentary Committee on Education identified insufficient, high-quality teaching and learning materials across the country as a key barrier.
As a result, a new spending line was introduced in the 2026 budget, dedicating an unprecedented amount of the education budget specifically to teaching and learning materials in primary schools.
This is significant, and it was possible because of sustained advocacy efforts from civil society organisations and international development partners working closely with parliament to highlight the issue and provide a solution.
This is just one example of the power of parliaments in education financing. But that influence does not stop at national education budgets. In countries like Ireland, parliamentarians can also play an important role in shaping how international development resources are invested – and in making the case for education when those resources are increasingly under pressure.
This brings me back to GPE and ECW.
For Ireland, supporting both is closely aligned with its longstanding commitment to education, reaching those the furthest behind and supporting people living in fragile contexts or affected by crises.
Building on several years of collaboration, IPNEd and INEW are working together to engage Members of the Oireachtas ahead of the GPE and ECW replenishments. As part of this effort, IPNEd has launched a new briefing for Irish parliamentarians, with INEW’s technical guidance, making the case for ambitious Irish commitments to both funds.
The briefing explains the distinct but complementary roles of GPE and ECW and, importantly, sets out practical ways parliamentarians can build political support for their replenishments. These include raising the issue with government, asking parliamentary questions and encouraging the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade to examine global education financing and the case for meaningful Irish contributions to both funds.
These actions demonstrate that parliamentarians not only allocate public funds, but they can help shape the political choices that determine what is prioritised in the first place.
At a moment when education financing is under pressure from multiple angles, this political leadership makes a difference. Civil society, international organisations and education partners can provide the evidence, advocate and propose solutions, but parliamentarians approve how national finances are spent.
Ensuring education receives the financing it needs requires political will, and all of us can play a role in building it:
We invite you to contact your local TD and ask them to make the case for ambitious Irish commitments to GPE and ECW, and for Ireland to continue championing education for those furthest behind.
Harnessing the power of parliamentarians more effectively could make a very real difference to whether education continues to receive the investment it needs – both in Ireland’s international development priorities and in countries around the world.
