International Day of Education

James MacCleary Excerpts

Thursday 23rd January 2025 Westminster Hall

[James MacCleary (Lewes) (LD)]

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I echo others in thanking the hon. Member for Southgate and Wood Green (Bambos Charalambous) for securing this valuable debate.

Tomorrow, on the United Nations International Day of Education, we must turn our attention to a fundamental truth: education is the foundation of opportunity, equality and progress. This year’s theme could not be more relevant as we grapple with the rapid changes reshaping our world. Sustainable development goal 4 is a bold commitment to deliver quality education for all, yet with just five years left until 2030, we are worryingly off-track. Across the globe, nearly half of primary schools cannot cater for children with disabilities, and more than 20% lack basic sanitation for girls. Those are stark reminders that millions of young people are being denied their right to learn.

Conflict has only made matters worse. In Ukraine, more than 7,000 schools are out of action, and millions of children have seen their education upended. And it is not just Ukraine: as my hon. Friend the Member for Honiton and Sidmouth (Richard Foord) said, Sudan has suffered greatly, as have other places, including Syria and Gaza. Education is often a casualty of war, and the future of too many children hangs in the balance.

Closer to home, although there have been some improvements in the global rankings, our own education system faces significant challenges. Teacher shortages, overstretched special educational needs and disabilities funding, and falling programme for international student assessment scores paint a picture of a system that is struggling to meet the needs of today’s pupils.

Meanwhile, on the international stage, the UK Government’s decision to slash bilateral aid for education from £757 million in 2017 to just £336 million last year is deeply shameful. I look forward to hearing the Minister’s comments on what the Government aim to do to address those massive cutbacks, which have affected global education so much.

Education is not just about classrooms and textbooks; it is also a catalyst for progress, prosperity and peace. For the Liberal Democrats, that is non-negotiable. We would reverse the aid cuts, commit 15% of our development budget to education and prioritise support for women and girls. We would also create a UK sustainable development goal tsar to ensure real accountability for delivering SDG4 at home and abroad. Let us not forget that education transforms lives. It is the great leveller, opening doors to opportunity and hope. As we mark the International Day of Education, let us commit to ensuring that every child, wherever they are, has the chance to learn and thrive.