Education Cannot Wait said its 2027-30 plan now has $541.6 million in commitments, after donors added over $400 million at a Geneva conference Thursday, bringing it close to the $600 million target.
The total combines pledges made at the conference with earlier support, the fund said. The strategy focuses on 10 million children and includes children in conflict-hit countries such as Sudan and Ukraine.
Education Cannot Wait highlighted contributions from Germany, Britain, Norway and Switzerland. International Development Minister Kirsty McNeill announced the United Kingdom’s £80 million pledge for 2027-30 at the conference. In that announcement, McNeill cited 258 million school-aged children affected by crisis.
McNeill said education can help protect children during emergencies and give young people tools to rebuild their lives and communities. She also called for stronger cooperation among international organizations and a greater role for countries and communities, alongside both rapid emergency assistance and longer-term support for education systems.
Reuters reported that President Donald Trump’s administration has reduced foreign aid and directed resources toward emergency relief aimed at saving lives. Reuters said the United States did not appear on the list of new donors, despite having funded the initiative in the past.
The pledges were made for the fund’s next strategy period, which runs from 2027 through 2030.
