On Wednesday 23rd September, whilst gathered for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), pledges for the Global Partnership for Education replenishment were announced at the “Multiply Possibility” campaign event co-hosted by Italy and Nigeria. This resulted in $2.1 billion confirmed and anticipated pledges from sovereign and private donors to GPE and also a mobilisation of an initial $1.4 billion in co-financing. Overall, the replenishment has fallen short of meeting the USD$5 billion ambition for GPE, and there will be implications for advancing the GPE2030 strategy.

Despite education remaining one of the strongest drivers of prosperity, stability, and equality, the UK announced their pledge of only £100 million over the next five years. At GPE’s last replenishment, of which the UK was a host, the UK provided £430 million in funding over five years. Their latest pledge represents a reduction of 77%. This also follows the end of essentially all UK bilateral aid to education.

This cut of 77% means that GPE has lost out on funds that could train 1.15 million teachers, help 8.9 million girls get an education, and improve the quality of education for 65 million children.

Analysis from Save the Children UK show that as of 24th September 2026, the UK’s role has shifted from being one of GPE’s leading donors to being the fifth largest donor, representing a fall from the ‘top 3’ donors’. Out of those who pledged at the summit, the UK’s reduction represents the most significant cut among major donors. This marks a notable departure from the UK’s role as a global education champion.

Furthermore, the UK’s effective spend on bilateral ODA for education between 2026-2028, which is internationally focused, is set to be almost two thirds less than between 2023-2025. This cut is significantly more than the overall reduction to UK ODA at 40%.

Chanju Mwanza, Senior Education Advocacy Adviser at Save the Children UK, said:

“We understand the need to make scarce resources go further, and this can best be done through country-led partnerships that strengthen education systems, including against the growing threats of climate change. Lower-income countries have stepped up for this replenishment and committed scarce domestic resources to education, but richer governments, including the UK, have failed to match that ambition.

Civil Society reacts

In the following hours and days reactions from across civil society and parliamentarians have come flooding through, all sharing disappointment and concern over the UK’s pledge.

Speaking from UNGA, Street Child CEO, Tom Dannatt, shared:

“Street Child does not believe this dramatic reduction, which caps a wider de-prioritisation of aid to education within the UK’s vastly reduced aid budget, reflects the will of the British people. British people understand the value and transformative power of education. British people are generous, especially to those in the greatest need.”

Following the Government’s decision last year to reduce to Official Development Assistance, from 0.5% to 0.3% of GNI by 2027, SMF commissioned a YouGov poll which showed that over half of the UK public (55%) think the UK should be using its overseas aid budget to ensure children’s access to education in developing countries, rising to 74% amongst 18-24 year olds.

Cutting support today will create greater challenges for tomorrow. At a time when conflict, climate shocks, and economic pressures are placing enormous strain on education systems, the impacts of this cut to GPE will have significant ripple effects across communities around the world and will be felt most harshly by children. Those who we have a responsibility to protect.

With only 3 years left until 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda, achieving SDG4 feels further away than ever. This cut seems in stark opposition to the commitment to an inclusive and equitable quality education for all and raises deep concerns around the impacts this will have on girls’ education.

CEO of Plan International UK, Rose Caldwell, shared in their statement on Wednesday evening:

“As attacks on girls’ rights threaten progress around the world, education remains one of the most powerful tools we have to protect girls and build safer communities that thrive. When girls aren’t in school, they are far more vulnerable to child marriage, gender-based violence and teenage pregnancy. The government’s ambition to tackle violence against women and girls around the world cannot be reconciled with a reduced investment in education.”

The UK had a proud history of championing and investing in education worldwide.

In their statement, the NEU said:

“As one of GPE’s founding partners, its largest bilateral donor to date, and a leading member of its board, the scale of this reduction is devastating for both the fund’s future and the children it supports. The UK’s longstanding leadership within the fund has not only helped transform educational opportunities for millions of children, but has also encouraged ambitious commitments from other donors.”

Parliamentarians react

This step back from support for education globally has raised alarm and questions from Parliamentarians.

Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Global Education, Bambos Charalambous MP stated:

“A 77% reduction in the UK’s contribution to the Global Partnership for Education raises serious questions about the Government’s priorities for international development and the basis on which this decision was made. This reduction is significantly disproportionate to the overall reduction in the UK’s ODA budget.

Ministers should therefore explain why education has been asked to absorb a disproportionate share of those reductions, and what assessment was made of the implications for the countries and children who rely on GPE funding.”

Kate Osamor MP has also stated:

“During my time as Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, I saw first-hand the impact of GPE and why it represents such effective, high-value UK aid.
At a time when millions of children are already being denied an education, this decision will mean fewer opportunities for some of the world’s most vulnerable girls to attend school and fulfil their potential.

Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce poverty and promote equality. Ministers should urgently reconsider this cut and renew the UK’s commitment to global education.”

This concern was echoed across parties with the Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for International Development Monica Harding MP sharing that she “will be writing to the Government to ask why they have made this damaging decision and to urge them to reconsider.”

So, where do we go from here?

Speaking to DEVEX this week, Joseph Nhan-O’Reilly, director of the International Parliamentary Network for Education and a former GPE Board member, said:

“The replenishment shows that GPE is still alive, but that it needs to convince the donor government who didn’t pledge that it’s worth supporting and to secure additional commitments from donors who gave too little”

Speaking at the event, CEO of the Global Partnership for Education, Laura Frigenti, said:

“I consider this the end of the beginning. This is the beginning of our replenishment cycle,” adding “More needs to be done, because the needs are enormous. But we close this day with a message of optimism, with a message of cohesion in this community.”

It is not too late for the UK Government to change course. We urge ministers to provide additional annual top-up contributions over the course of GPE’s 2026-2030 strategic period, and to take bold political action to place education at the heart of the UK’s international development strategy.