Investment in a good quality, free and universal public school system can dramatically reduce inequality, and catalyse sustainable and equitable growth. Our work on financing focuses on advocating for a greater share of funds to be spent on education in ways that benefit girls and marginalised children.
Examples of our work include research on domestic taxation, documenting the impact of IMF macroeconomic policies on education finance (see Education on Brink, Confronting the Contradictions and Contradicting Commitments), especially teachers and advocating for properly trained, qualified and remunerated teachers (see research on teachers from the ILOPS project). We take an evidenced-based approach to our advocacy, focusing on alternative policy solutions by engendering macroeconomic and national budget frameworks. We also work with GCE to ensure donors live up to their promises on filling education finance gaps in a harmonised way, supporting national education plans.
Our Toolkit on Education Financing was jointly developed with Education International. The toolkit is targeted at national education coalitions, teacher unions, NGOs and researchers concerned with promoting the right to education and committed to campaigning for more funding for basic education. The resource kit contains research and policy briefs, simple tools such as questionnaires, budget tracking measures and advocacy tools like posters and bookmarks to ‘make the case for increasing resources’ for good quality education. Our goal is for civil society to pursue transparent, democratic and sovereign processes in decision making over education budgets.
