UN education fund receives $42 mn from donors

Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises, has received $42 million in new funding from the LEGO Foundation, Germany and the US, said the fund.

The donors announced their decision during the high-level week of the UN General Assembly, with the LEGO Foundation offering $25 million, Germany 10 million euros ($9.7 million), and the US $7 million, Xinhua news agency reported.

The new funding catalyses much-needed support to address a global learning crisis where over 78 million crisis-impacted girls and boys are out of school, and nearly two-thirds of 10-year-olds are unable to read a simple text, said the ECW.

"Education is our investment in human beings and the human potential. So far we have only seen a glimpse of it. There are 222 million children out there that will allow us to see the full potential of humanity," said ECW Director Yasmine Sherif.

"We must unite to fully fund Education Cannot Wait and our strategic partners in mobilising $1.5 billion over the next four years," the Director added.

Since its inception in 2016, the ECW and its strategic partners have mobilised more than $1.1 billion and directly supported nearly 7 million children and adolescents, according to the fund.