The United Kingdom will commit £80 million to Education Cannot Wait from 2027 through 2030, International Development Minister Kirsty McNeill said, as governments face pressure to sustain schooling for children affected by crises.
McNeill announced the pledge at the initiative’s replenishment conference in Geneva on Nov. 5. She said 258 million school-aged children are affected by crisis, with conflict, displacement and climate shocks among the pressures disrupting education for many of them.
McNeill said the United Kingdom was among those that established Education Cannot Wait. She argued that education can help keep children safe during crises and equip young people to rebuild their lives and communities.
She said the replenishment should improve how international organizations work together and give countries and communities a central role. Her proposals paired rapid support when emergencies strike with longer-term efforts to help education systems recover.
McNeill said needs are growing while resources to respond are under pressure, and that governments cannot meet the challenge alone. She said the changes are part of wider reforms the UK is championing through UN80 and the humanitarian reset.
