Ms Ana Tenorio:

It is an honour to speak with the distinguished Deputies and Senators on a topic as critical to the well-being of children and adults around the world as education. Education is a fundamental right and an essential foundation for prosperity and peace. The SDGs and all our aspirations for an equitable global society cannot be achieved without inclusive and equitable education, especially for those furthest behind.

I am so hopeful about Ireland leading as co-chair, because Ireland is an example of how prioritising investment in education can ignite transformational change. I am Honduran, but I am fortunate to be married to an Irishman from the Curragh in Kildare. My husband's father was an exemplary hardworking farmer who could only complete primary education, but thanks to the Irish Government's progressive policies in education, his son was able to complete a master's in rural development. What a big leap in just a generation. This is the kind of commitment and leadership in education Ireland can bring to the world and the SDGs. Ireland's leadership is greatly needed because global progress towards realising children and young adults' right to education is suffering unprecedented setbacks.

Other speakers have mentioned Covid-19. We think it is passed, but the consequences remain. Climate-induced disasters and increased crises experienced across the world threaten to undo decades of progress. We were experiencing a global learning crisis before Covid. In 2019, the learning poverty rate in low- or middle-income countries was already 57%. In other words, six out of ten children could not read and understand a basic text at the age of ten years. In sub-Saharan Africa, the rate was even higher, at 86%. This is nearly nine out of ten children unable to read a text at the age of ten years. The World Bank now estimates the learning poverty rate may have risen to 70% in 2022. Based on these estimates, all the gains in learning poverty achieved since 2000 have likely been lost. UNESCO stated we face a generational catastrophe if we do not increase investment and global action to ensure children who are furthest behind realise their right to education. Let us take a moment to reflect on what is happening in Afghanistan, where over a year has passed since Taliban authorities banned girls from secondary school. Hundreds of thousands of teenage girls remain barred from attending classes. In nations affected by conflict and crisis, girls are more than twice as likely to be out of school than boys. In South Sudan, where World Vision is implementing Irish Aid-funded education programmes, climate-induced flooding is resulting in school closure and increasing the risk of girls being kept away from education and prosperity.

The committee knows these realties well, so how can we change this trajectory and return to positive progress towards the SDGs? We suggest three practical actions. As my fellow speakers highlighted, we must reach those furthest behind first. These include girls, children with disabilities, refugees, internally-displaced persons and the youngest of children. These children are most at risk of dropping out or not being able to access education. This is why increasing investment in formal and non-formal education that meets the needs of the furthest behind is fundamental to increasing learning equity. This would include catch-up, bridging and accelerated education programmes to get out-of-school children back on track and on an equal footing with their classmates upon entry into school. Investment in early childhood development and preschool programmes have also been neglected, despite the evidence, the fulfilment and the lifetime-equalising effects of early interventions for most vulnerable children. We fully endorsed a request to ensure promotion of local and community-led programmes that are better positioned and informed to reach children who are furthest behind. We also need to promote laws, like the one changed recently in Zimbabwe, to ensure girls and adolescent mothers are not expelled and can continue their education, as is their right.

Second, we have to recognise education as a lifesaving intervention. When emergencies and crises hit leaders and decision-makers are faced with an overwhelming number of competing needs that can often obscure the lifesaving nature of education. Attention and budgets are typically consumed by what are traditionally considered lifesaving needs without realising the interrelated role that education plays in meeting these needs and also re-establishing stability and protection. Education, including early childhood development interventions, must be prioritised in all emergency and humanitarian planning and responses. Likewise, sector risk reduction and emergency preparedness must be included in all education sector planning to ensure the sector is crisis resilient.

Finally, the education SDGs cannot be achieved without financing. This requires sufficient development assistance, for example, meeting the 0.7% gross national income target. Furthermore, countries should implement the internationally agreed minimum benchmark of 15% of GDP investment in education. In 2022, the Global Education Monitoring Report from UNESCO revealed that one in three countries is investing less than 4% of GDP on education.

The global challenges we face are great. At World Vision, we see the challenges before us and thank Ireland for its leadership in championing a better world. Ireland exemplifies what a relatively small country, but one with a big heart and ideals, can do to transform the world. We expect great things from Ireland's role as co-chair and stand ready to support its efforts.