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Efforts to Enhance Education Funding in Crises

In a recent move, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) along with the Global Education Monitoring Report, has highlighted the pressing necessity for unified and transparent data concerning educational investments during emergencies and prolonged crises. In an era where the importance of education is increasingly acknowledged, especially in humanitarian contexts, these organizations are shedding light on significant gaps in information tracking, coordination, and reporting regarding educational funding.

The joint policy paper, titled “Funding for Education in Crises: Data in Distress,” emphasizes that a coordinated approach is crucial for maintaining transparency and ensuring efficiency in global education funding in crises. Yasmine Sherif, the executive director of ECW, stated that due to the severe escalation in crises worldwide, it's imperative to act with greater intelligence and speed. This starts with improving data collection and enhancing coordination to ensure that no child is left behind, particularly vulnerable groups affected by humanitarian emergencies.

A growing concern is the improper alignment of educational financing within the broader humanitarian efforts. Conflicts, climate shocks, and forced displacements have become common in modern crises, extending the average duration of humanitarian appeals to over 10 years. Alarmingly, prolonged crises account for 91% of these appeals, demonstrating a glaring need for better resource allocation in education amid such disturbing developments.

As both humanitarian and development education programs intermingle to address the urgent needs of children, it is equally important that the funding sources and reporting structures become harmonized. Currently, various funding mechanisms operate independently and apply different reporting standards, which hinders comprehensive strategic planning.

The policy paper underscores the alarming stat that education remains one of the most underfunded sectors within humanitarian interventions. In 2024, only 29% of funding requests for education in humanitarian appeals were met. This financial shortfall is increasingly disconcerting given that developmental assistance is increasingly becoming a vital part of educational funding—growing to 92% in crisis situations by 2023.

The discrepancies in reporting and funding have led to strategic misalignments that ultimately affect the efficacy of education support. Moreover, there is a reported annual financing gap of $100 billion in low to middle-income countries, further exacerbated by unmet educational benchmarks and the potential loss of foundational skills in approximately 300 million children by 2030 if immediate actions are not taken.

The report also noted that, despite a small increase in education funding from 9% to 12% across emergencies between 2017 and 2023, the situation remains dire, particularly in countries with humanitarian interventions lasting over three years, where funding share rose from 21% to 24%.

In light of these findings, ECW and the Global Education Monitoring Report are calling for consolidated efforts to streamline primary reporting systems like the OECD Creditor Reporting System, OCHA's Financial Tracking Service, and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. Establishing consistent norms for reporting is seen as essential to enhance the scope and reliability of education funding tracking during crises, enabling policymakers and education aid practitioners to make informed financing decisions.

As ECW continues to advocate for enhanced focus and collaboration with governmental bodies, private donors, and various humanitarian agencies, the overarching objective remains unchanged—ensuring quality educational outcomes for vulnerable children affected by crises. By forging stronger partnerships and efficient data management systems, they aim to elevate the educational support provided in emergency situations and ultimately drive positive outcomes for those in need.

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