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Quality education equips individuals and nations for the future. The level and relevance of learning and skills gained today will dictate an individual’s employment, wealth and wellbeing tomorrow. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) helps countries build stronger education systems as a springboard to stronger economies and more stable societies.
THE CHALLENGE
- Across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), one in five children are out of school due to conflict, extreme climate and school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. Education facilities have been destroyed and are unable to host students in classrooms.
- For children who are in school, education quality is a main concern as only half meet the lowest international benchmarks for skills in reading, mathematics and science. School completion rates drop significantly at the secondary level. Education systems struggle to provide early childhood education, especially in rural and high-conflict areas.
- Conflicts and crises have increased vulnerability among children and youth, exacerbating gender inequalities. Girls are at higher risk of early marriage, gender-based violence and to be out of school in lower secondary. Boys are more likely to experience child labor, to be recruited into armed forces and to not complete upper-secondary school.
- The pathway from learning to earning is strained as the region has the highest youth unemployment rates in the world. Nearly half the population is under the age of 24, but they lack access to learning and work experience to equip them with skills for future employment. As of 2018, it was estimated close to one third of youth in North Africa and more than one out of five youth in Arab states were unemployed.
GPE APPROACH
Education is a prominent driver of peace and a springboard to stronger economies and fairer, more stable societies. GPE’s unique partnership approach supports countries to transform their education systems at scale to give children and youth the skills they need to thrive.
Across the MENA region, there are eight GPE partner countries: Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen. Jordan and Lebanon, the newest members of the partnership, are currently undergoing the process of identifying areas for GPE support.
Algeria and Morocco are eligible to join the partnership, and the West Bank and Gaza are eligible to access GPE funding to support vulnerable children and education civil society advocacy. Although not a partner country, Syria has received close to $46 million in GPE grants through exceptional approval to support learning in safe, inclusive and protective environments for girls and boys impacted by conflict, who are out of school, at risk of dropping out and with disabilities.