Swiss provide CHF52 million for Global Education initiative
The Swiss government has renewed its support for the Global Partnership for Education, it said on Thursday. It is making CHF52 million ($58 million) available to the organisation for the period 2021–25.
TheGlobal Partnership for EducationExternal link (GPE) is a global fund which has been strengthening education systems in low-income countries since its foundation in 2002, said a foreign ministry press releaseExternal link on Friday. Switzerland has supported the GPE financially since 2009 and sits on its board of directors.
This organisation is “an important multilateral partner of Switzerland for the implementation of its international cooperation objectives in the field of education”, according to the statement. It is also important for the implementation of the United Nations SustainableDevelopment Goal 4, which is to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”.
According to UN data, 258 million children and young people still have no access to education. Girls and children in conflict zones are particularly affected. The quality of education is also a challenge, with many children barely able to read and write by the time they leave primary school. In addition, Covid-19 has worsened the already fragile state of education in low-income countries, the Swiss statement pointed out.
The Swiss contribution of CHF52 million is to be officially announced at the Global Education Summit in London at the end of July, whose goal is to raise $5 billion for the GPE to mitigate the current education crisis in developing countries. Switzerland will attend the summit.
Earlier this year, Switzerland also launched the Geneva Global Hub for Education in Emergencies. This new platform aims to help the 127 million children who do without schooling because of humanitarian crises.
Its official launch in January came after Switzerland pledged to establish Geneva as such a hub at the 2019 Global Refugee Forum.
More
More
Geneva hub to aid worldwide emergency education
This content was published on
Millions of children around the world can’t go to school, but a Swiss-based platform has set out to change that.
Protein in abdominal fat could help shape obesity treatment
This content was published on
The study analysed fat cells from different locations in the body, and found that those in the abdomen have unique properties.
North African asylum claims fall after rapid Swiss processing
This content was published on
The accelerated procedure, now out of its test phase, has resulted in a significant drop in applications from North African countries.
This content was published on
The artist's song "The Code" focuses on their journey as a nonbinary individual. It is one of the favourites to win this year's contest.
Swiss climate activists block vehicles near Gotthard tunnel
This content was published on
Around ten climate activists briefly blocked the A2 motorway near the northern entrance of the Gotthard tunnel on Thursday.
Watches belonging to Michael Schumacher up for auction
This content was published on
Schumacher's family is auctioning off eight rare watches from his collection in Geneva. The Christie's auction will take place on Monday.
Joya Marleen and Baschi named best solo acts at Swiss Music Awards
This content was published on
St. Gallen singer Joya Marleen and Baschi from Basel were named artists of the year at the Swiss Music Awards 2024 on Wednesday night.
This content was published on
A Zurich study supports findings by OECD experts that school closures do more harm than good and should be avoided if possible.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.