Open Letter: World Bank – ensure development aid for education supports public provision

October 1, 2019

In October 2019, over 170 organisations urged the World Bank to ensure that development aid for education is used to support the public provision of free, quality education that benefits all without discrimination of any kind, such as discrimination based on socio-economic disadvantage, caste, gender identity, race or disability.

We, the undersigned, urge you to ensure that development aid for education is used to support the public provision of free, quality education that benefits all without discrimination of any kind, such as discrimination based on socio-economic disadvantage, caste, gender identity, race or disability.

Education is a human right and an essential part of the global effort to achieve all the Sustainable Development Goals. When education is free, public and good quality, it eradicates poverty, decreases economic and gender inequality, builds active citizens, protects communities and the environment, and forges inclusive and stable societies. Remarkable progress in education has been made over the last twenty years in large part due to the expansion of free public education. However, many countries have struggled to mobilize sufficient financing for inclusive public education systems of good quality. Unacceptable gaps therefore remain: children in conflict and post-conflict areas, girls, children with disabilities, minorities, refugees, LGBTI+ individuals, and the poorest still lag far behind the most privileged in access to and completion of education, and in learning achievement.

Instead of responding with greater investments in public education through progressive taxation, some countries have been experimenting with allowing commercial or other private education providers to expand, believing that this is a faster, cheaper route to providing quality education. However low-fee private schools are not equally accessed by girls or the poorest children. They risk excluding learners with special needs including previously out-of-school children. Studies find that the public funding of private schooling deepens inequalities in education while failing to consistently produce better learning outcomes.ii In particular, for-profit and commercial schools often rely on poorly qualified and poorly-paid teachers to save costs; have poor transparency and accountability, and side-step important education laws and regulations, undermining a country’s ability to ensure that its educational standards apply equally for all.

Some donors are now actively using public aid money to drive the commercialisation of education in lower income countries, including the World Bank Group. While most of its funding goes to support public education provision, the World Bank is also funding some market-oriented public private partnerships (PPPs) through its International Development Association (IDA), and actively advising countries to pursue PPPs and adopt reforms that reduce regulations and incentivise the growth of private ‘education markets’. It has also increased its direct support to commercial private education providers through the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – including fee-charging, for-profit school chains,v which clearly undermine state obligations as defined in international human rights law.

Meanwhile, the European Parliament and the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the biggest multilateral fund for education, have both taken strong positions against directing their own aid funding to support commercial or for-profit education provision. The UN Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and various UN Treaty Bodies have recognised the obligation to progressively secure free, public – not commercialised – education in fulfilling the right to education. These positions uphold the principle that education is a right, not a market commodity. Investing in free and inclusive public education of good quality is the best way to ensure fulfilment of SDG 4.

Donors have an important voice in how financial contributions to the World Bank Group are spent, during the ongoing IDA19 replenishment process, as well as in other education financing spaces. We call on all donors and the World Bank Group itself to take a clear and principled position in support of free, publicly provided education and against the use of development aid to fund for-profit or commercial education.

When you fund education with public aid money, make sure it supports free, quality public education!

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Signatory organisations:

1. ActionAid International International

2. Amnesty International International

3. CBM International International

4. DAWN (Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era) International

5. Defence for Children International International

6. Disabled Peoples’ International International

7. Education International International

8. FICEMEA, International International

9. GALE: The Global Alliance for LGBT Education International

10. Gender Action International

11. Global Campaign for Education International

12. Global March Against Child Labour International

13. International Disability Alliance International

14. International Trade Union Confederation International

15. Light for the World International

16. Oxfam International

17. Plan International International

18. Right to Education Initiative International

19. Right to Play International

20. The Global Initiative for Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (GI-ESCR) International

21. The Lusophone Network for the Right to Education International

22. The Society for International Development (SID) International

23. UN Major Group for Children and Youth - FfD/MoI Working Group International

24. VIVAT International International

25. VSO International International

26. Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE) Region: Africa

27. Africa Network Campaign on Education for All, ANCEFA Region: Africa

28. NGO Forum on ADB Region: Asia

29. Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE) Region: Asia

30. East African Centre for Human Rights Region: East Africa

31. European Students' Union (ESU) Region: Europe

32. Bank Information Center Europe Region: Europe

33. Eurodad Region: Europe

34. CLADE (Campaña Latinoamericana por el Derecho a la Educación) Region: LAC

35. The Arab Forum for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Region: MENA

36. Arab Watch Coalition Region: MENA

37. Arab Campaign for Education Region: MENA

38. Afghanistan National Education Coalition (ANEC) Afghanistan

39. Albanian Coalition for Education Albania

40. L'association Graine de paix d'Oran Algeria

41. A Rede Angolana da Sociedade Civil de Educação para Todos Angola

42. Communication and Education Program of National University of Cordoba Argentina

43. Armenian Constitutional Right-Protective Centre NGO Armenia

44. RESULTS International Australia Australia

45. The Australian Coalition for Education and Development (ACED) Australia

46. Le Miroir Vagabond Belgium

47. Centre national de coopération au développement, CNCD-11.11.11, Belgium

48. Défense des Enfants International Belgium

49. RE-SOURCES ENFANCES ASBL Belgium

50. JEVEV ONG Benin

51. Centre d'Actions pour la Sécurité Alimentaire et le Développement Durable Benin

52. The Brazilian Campaign for the Right to Education Brazil

53. La Coalition pour Education Pour Tous BAFASHEBIGE Burundi

54. Syndicats des travailleurs du Burundi STEB Burundi

55. Cameroon Education For All Network (CEFAN) Cameroon

56. ONG Fapefe et Noula cib Cameroon

57. RESULTS Canada Canada

58. Rede Nacional da Campanha de Educação para Todos de Cabo Verde (RNCEPT-CV)Cape Verde

59. Coalición Colombiana por el Derecho a la Educación - CCDE Colombia

60. Mouvement Associatif pour l'Education et l'Egalité des Chances MAEECHA Comoros

61. TEACH Cote d'Ivoire Cote d'Ivoire

62. Réseau Ivoirien pour la Promotion de l’Education Pour Tous Cote d'Ivoire

63. SOLIDARITE-UNAFETPCI (Union Nationale des Formateurs de l'Enseignement

Technique et Professionnel de Côte d'Ivoire Cote d'Ivoire

64. SYNAFETP-CI Syndicat National des Formateurs de l'enseignement Technique

et de la Formation Professionnelle Cote d'Ivoire

65. Le Mouvement Ivoirien des Droits Humains (MIDHI) Cote d'Ivoire

66. Danish Union of Teachers (DLF) Denmark

67. Danske Studerendes Fællesråd Denmark

68. Ghana Venskab Denmark

69. International Aid Services (IAS) Denmark

70. The Danish Education Coalition Denmark

71. Foro Socioeducativo de la República Dominicana Dominican Republic

72. Guêpier d'Afrique ONG DRC

73. CONEPT-RDC DRC

74. Coalition Education - France France

75. Humanité et Inclusion France

76. Solidarité Laïque France

77. Aide et Action France

78. SNUipp-FSU France

79. Syndicat général de l'Éducation nationale CFDT France

80. Ligue des Droits de l'Homme France

81. Zukunftskonvent Germany

82. World Economy, Ecology & Development (Weed) Germany

83. Global Campaign for Education - Germany Germany

84. Gemeingut in BürgerInnenhand (GiB) Germany

85. Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition Ghana

86. DebtFreeProject, Advanced Media Institute Greece

87. Colectivo de Educacion para todas y todos de Guatemala Guatemala

88. Regroupement Education pour Toutes et Tous (REPT) Haiti

89. El Foro Dakar Honduras

90. LOKMITRA India

91. Right to Education Forum India

92. Wada Na Todo Abhiyan India

93. Centre for Equity and Inclusion (NGO) India

94. Odisha RTE Forum India

95. Indian Social Action Forum (INSAF) India

96. The Shikshan Mandal India

97. Habitat and Livelihood Welfare Association India

98. Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samuday India

99.Iraqi Institution for Development IID Iraq

100. 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World Ireland

101. Global Campaign for Education Italy Italy

102. Japan NGO Network for Education (JNNE) Japan

103. Phenix Center for Economic and Informatics Studies Jordan

104. Jordan Coalition for Education Jordan

105. Elimu Yetu Coalition Kenya

106. The Lebanese Union of Persons with Physical Disabilities Lebanon

107. Global Peace and Development Organization Liberia

108. Coalition for Transparency and Accountability in Education - COTAE Liberia

109. Coalition Nationale de Madagascar pour l’education pour tous (CONAMEPT) Madagascar

110. Coalition des Organisations de la Société Civile pour l'Education Pour Tous au Mali Mali

111. l'Association pour le Développement Economique, Social, Culturel, Mauritania Mauritania

112. The Coalition of Mauritanian Organizations for Education (COMEDUC) Mauritania

113. GSEA Mauritius Mauritius

114. Government Teachers Union Mauritius

115. All for Education, National CSOs coalition Mongolia

116. Oyu Tolgoi Watch Mongolia

117. Rivers without Boundaries Coalition Mongolia

118. Moltaka al Osra al Maghribia Morocco

119. Movimento de Educação Para Todos -Moçambique Mozambique

120. National Campaign for Education Nepal (NCE Nepal) Nepal

121. Foro de Educación y Desarrollo Humano de la Iniciativa por Nicaragua (FEDH IPN) Nicaragua

122. La Coalition Nigérienne des Associations, Niger, Syndicats et ONG de Campagne EPT Niger

123. Syndicat national des agents de la formation et de l’éducation du Niger (SYNAFEN) Niger

124. Syndicat National des Enseignants du Niger Niger

125. Civil Society Action Coalition on Education for All (CSACEFA) Nigeria

126. SAIH – Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund Norway

127. Social Youth Council of Patriots SYCOP Pakistan

128. Training and Services (ARTS) Foundation Pakistan

129. Society for Community Strengthening and Promotion of Education Pakistan

130. Pakistan Coalition for Education Pakistan

131. Al-Eimman Development Organization Pakistan

132. Rural Development Organization Pakistan

133. Youth Organization Pakistan

134. Youth Front Pakistan Pakistan

135. Al Kousar Welfare Organization Pakistan

136. HWA Foundation Pakistan

137. Pakistan Youth Change Advocates Pakistan

138. Blue Veins Pakistan

139. Campaña Peruana por el Derecho a la Educación, CPDE Peru

140. Foro Educativo Peru Peru

141. WomanHealth Philippines Philippines

142. The Civil Society Network for Education Reforms (E-Net Philippines) Philippines

143. le Syndicat National de l'Enseignement Elémentaire (SNEEL-CNTS) Senegal

144. Community Action to Restore Lives, CARL Sierra Leone

145. Observatorio de la Deuda en la Globalización ODG Spain

146. Educo Spain

147. Campaña Mundial Por la Educacíon Spain

148. Sudanese Coalition for Education For All (SCEFA) Sudan

149. Diakonia Sweden

150. Lärarförbundet Sweden

151. Transnational Institute the Netherlands

152. Wemos the Netherlands

153. Amis des Étrangers au Togo (ADET) Togo

154. La Coalition Nationale Togolaise pour l'Éducation Pour Tous (CNT/EPT) Togo

155. Association Tunisienne de Droit du Développement Tunisia

156. La Ligue Tunisienne pour la Défense des Droits de L'Homme Tunisia

157. Association des Amis du Belvédère Tunisia

158. Maan Tunisia

159. Ligue Tunisienne de l'Education Tunisia

160. Witness Radio Organisation Uganda

161. The Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) Uganda

162. Jubilee Scotland UK

163. NASUWT The Teachers' Union UK

164. National Education Union UK

165. Global Justice Now UK

166. The Bretton Woods Project UK

167. The Equality Trust UK

168. Send my Friend to School UK

169. Bank Information Center (BIC) USA

170. Global Campaign for Education-US USA

171. The Oakland Institute USA

172. RESULTS USA

173. Wedyan Association For Society Development Yemen