Public spending on education, UNICEF report

2023/01/25 Type of resource: Topics: Titles:
cover del rapporto Unicef Transforming Education with Equitable Financing

Children from the poorest families benefit less from national public funding for education.

According to the recent UNICEF report Transforming Education with Equitable Financing, on average the poorest 20% of students benefit from only 16% of public funding for education, compared to the richest, who benefit from 28%. In low-income countries, only 11% of public funding for education goes to the poorest students, while 42% goes to the richest.

The study – an analysis of data on public spending on pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary education from 102 countries – highlights that a one percentage point increase in the allocation of public education resources to the poorest 20% could lift 35 million primary school-age children out of learning poverty.

The report stresses the need for urgent action to ensure that education resources reach every student, setting out four key recommendations: unlocking pro-equity public funding for education; prioritising public funding for basic learning; monitoring and ensuring equitable allocation of education aid in development and humanitarian settings; investing in innovative pathways to ensure education.

The publication is available on the UNICEF website, in the dedicated news item.

 

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