Millennium Development Goal 2: DFID's aid to education

Globally, there are some 75 million primary-aged children not enrolled in school - 55% (41 million) of whom are girls (UNESCO Institute of Statistics, 2008). This lack of basic education deprives young people of choices and opportunities, and makes it harder for countries in the developing world to tackle poverty and disease.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for more out-of-school children than any other region: 35 million, including 19 million girls (UIS). Meanwhile, across South and West Asia 18 million primary-aged children are out of school, 10 million of them girls (UIS).

But progress is being made. Global enrolment in primary education increased by over 41 million between 1999 and 2005. There are now 95 girls enrolled in school for every 100 boys, compared with 92 girls for every 100 boys in 1999. The number of primary-aged children not enrolled in school fell by over 28 million between 1999 and 2006.

DFID is spending £8.5 billion pounds over 10 years to ensure that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete at least five years of quality education. Most of the money will be going to Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

We are working closely with the governments of poor countries to improve both the access to and the quality of schooling.

Although it's a tough target, the achievements of some countries do give grounds for optimism. In countries like Uganda and Malawi, for example, the number of children enrolling in primary school has doubled in five years and is now over 90%.

What we do – policy priorities

In helping countries to make progress towards achieving these goals, DFID recognises the need to work with partner governments and the international community. This is not just to attain universal primary education and gender parity, but to sustain the achievement of these goals as the basis for expanding and developing all levels of the education system and contributing to economic growth. DFID’s education policy priorities are:

Universal primary education – DFID is a strong advocate for the removal of all of the financial barriers that deny children educational opportunities.

Gender equality - DFID has elaborated its approach to work in this important area in girls’ education - Towards a Better Future for All (516kb) - and committed £8.5 billion over the years 2006/07-2015/16 in support of education, which will help governments enrol and retain more girls in school.

Access and inclusion - DFID is committed to working creatively with governments and with other providers to seek imaginative and manageable approaches to inclusion and education for all.

Education quality - DFID works hard in its bilateral, international and research programmes to recognise the centrality of improving the quality of education and the implications that this has for building and strengthening capacities throughout national education systems.

Education and HIV/AIDS - DFID is supportive of the development of national education HIV and AIDS strategies, ideally set within education sector plans as part of wider national AIDS strategies (rather than as separate educational campaigns).

Education in conflict-affected and fragile states - DFID is working with UNICEF and Save the Children to offer support to conflict-afflicted and fragile states and to work proactively in the OECD-DAC and through the Fast Track Initiative to promote and support international good practice.

Higher education and vocation skills training - DFID supports higher education, vocational skills training and lifelong learning in order to promote sustainable economic growth in an increasingly knowledge-driven, global economy.

Millennium Development Goal 2: DFID's aid to education

What we do – policy priorities

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