Key takeaways
The roundtable offered a thoughtful and inspiring exchange among INEW members, GPE, and Irish Aid, highlighting priority areas for education financing, including:
- Education’s powerful impact across all SDGs;
- The need to prioritise quality education and delivering education across all levels (including pre-primary, primary, and secondary);
- The significance of Ireland’s continued leadership in gender equality against a global pushback;
- The long-term influence of today’s education decisions on the future global economy;
- The importance of avoiding siloed approaches—success lies in integrated systems with health, nutrition, protection, and education interventions interconnected;
- Robust data tracking to inform priorities and ensure accountability;
- Ireland’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis and recognising the vital interconnection between climate action and education, serving as important role model.
Take a closer look:
During his Ireland visit, Charles North, Deputy CEO of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) met with INEW members for an informal exchange on GPE’s work and impact. This was followed by a Financing Education Roundtable and the official Irish launch of the global Answer the Call campaign.
The initial informal discussion offered an important space to explore the global education financing crisis, the role and achievements of GPE, and Ireland’s contribution in advancing education globally. In this intimate setting, members had the opportunity to ask questions around GPE’s replenishment efforts and hear more about its current impact.
We were honoured to be joined by representatives from Irish Aid, as well as GPE Youth Leader Sheenagh Rowland and Plan International Ireland Youth Advisory Panel member Ciara O’Brien, whose voices brought urgency and inspiration to the conversation.
As part of the Irish launch of the Answer the Call campaign, Sheenagh Rowland delivered a powerful youth statement signed by young people from around the world. Speaking on behalf of “millions who believe in the power of education,” she called for bold action, emphasising that “if you invest in our education, we can build a world that is fairer, more peaceful, and more sustainable.”
Sheenagh underscored the need for inclusive education—particularly for children marginalised by disability, refugee status, gender, income, or location—as well as the importance of building climate-smart and resilient education systems that equip youth with critical, creative, and digital skills for the 21st century jobs.
Ciara O’Brien added that “education is contagious,” describing how education is passed on and multiplied. She reminded participants that children around the world are being left behind not because they lack ability, but because their schools are not funded. She powerfully stated, “When we fund education, we don’t just create opportunities for individuals—we uplift entire communities, we break cycles of poverty, and we empower people to advocate for themselves.”
The Answer the Call campaign is a cross-sector initiative supported by GPE, Education Cannot Wait, Education International, the Global Campaign for Education, and other major civil society organisations. It calls on governments to prioritise education funding and reverse the decline in aid. Youth voices are at the heart of this urgent call to action.
Opening the roundtable discussion, Charles North expressed his deep appreciation for Ireland’s strong support during GPE’s last replenishment, which included a significant increase in funding. He emphasised that education underpins all of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and makes a profound difference in children’s lives. Reflecting on the long-term impact of today’s decisions, he asked whether children born today—who will be 25 in 2050—will have the education, skills, confidence, and empowerment, to drive and shape the global economy? His message was clear: “We have no time to wait.”
Sarah Hunt, Lead of the Policy Unit in the Development Cooperation and Africa Division of Irish Aid, reaffirmed Ireland’s steadfast support for education. She highlighted how this commitment strongly resonates with the Irish public and is rooted in the Irish experience of the strong role education played in the country’s development and modernisation. Sarah reiterated Ireland’s focus on equality, education in emergencies, girls’ education—reaching the furthest behind.
INEW members contributed a rich discussion, emphasising the growing uncertainty in global education funding and highlighting the urgent need to address the gaps left by the dismantling of USAID. There was a strong emphasis on focusing on quality education, particularly in a context where expectations for accountability and measurable impact are increasing with funding sources becoming more limited. They stressed the importance of delivering education across all levels, including pre-primary and primary as the foundation, and highlighted the need to raise awareness among governments about the growing demand for sustained investment at every stage of education in order to build a skilled, future-ready workforce.
Members also raised concerns about the global pushback against gender equality and the implications for education. Ireland’s continued leadership in championing equity was stressed as both important and timely. As one member put it, failure to invest in education now means continuing the cycle of poverty, conflict, and inequalities and paying the price for generations.
A key theme that emerged was the risk of creating silos in response to funding cuts. Participants stressed the need for a holistic approach, with all sectors, including health, nutrition, social protection, and education depending on each other. Schools were described as anchors for school meals, vaccination programmes, and essential services. The roundtable echoed the importance of integrated systems that deliver multiple functions—and the cost-effectiveness and long-term value of such systemic thinking.
Tracking data to monitor impact and guide funding priorities was highlighted as essential for ensuring accountability and long-term sustainability of education work. Participants also discussed the critical link between education and climate, noting that Ireland’s commitment to climate financing—and its recognition of how climate interconnects with other sectors, including education—is both vital and sets a strong example globally.
The roundtable offered an invaluable opportunity for INEW members, GPE, and Irish Aid to come together, reaffirm their shared commitment to education, and explore ways to ensure inclusive, quality education for all—especially in these challenging times.
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