Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Education for Girls

Tuesday 13 October 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The covid-19 pandemic removed about 650 million girls from primary and secondary education at its peak.
  • Ending child marriage is key to delivering the Prime Minister's commitment of 12 years of quality education for girls.
  • The UK has cut development spending on primary education by more than 27% this year.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Nickie Aiken
Education Foreign Affairs
Context

The MP noted that about 650 million girls were removed from primary and secondary education during the peak of the pandemic, with risks of permanent dropout. The question arises due to concerns over the impact of the pandemic on the progress towards ensuring that all girls receive 12 years of quality education as per government policy.

Question

What assessment has been made of the effect of the covid-19 pandemic on progress in implementing the Government's policy on ensuring that girls throughout the world receive 12 years of quality education?

Answer from Wendy Morton (Minister for Africa, Middle East and the United Nations)

About 650 million girls were removed from primary and secondary education at the pandemic's peak, and some risk dropping out of school permanently. We must mobilise global investment and commitment to get education back on track and defeat the global learning crisis. The UK is proud to be co-hosting the Global Partnership for Education 2021 financing conference. We have adapted our education aid programming, and we have committed new funding to UNICEF, Education Cannot Wait and the United Nations Population Fund to address the impacts of covid-19 on women and girls.

Answered
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Q2 Nickie Aiken
Women & Equalities
Context

A recent Save the Children report revealed that a further 2.5 million girls are at risk of being forced into marriage by 2025 due to the ongoing pandemic, impacting their education and future opportunities.

Question

One reason girls are prevented from receiving education is that they are forced into child marriage. With that in mind, will the Minister assure me that the FCDO will ensure that programmes to end the heinous practice of child marriage are at the centre of international development strategy?

Answer from Wendy Morton (Minister for Africa, Middle East and the United Nations)

Ending child marriage is key to delivering the Prime Minister's commitment of championing 12 years of quality education for girls. Since 2015, our £39 million flagship programme has helped to reach just under 40 million people with information designed to change attitudes towards child marriage. The UK will continue to use its development programmes and global leadership to end child marriage.

Answered
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Q3 Preet Kaur Gill Labour (Co-op) Birmingham Edgbaston
Education Foreign Affairs
Context

Development spending on primary education has been cut by more than 27% this year, raising concerns about the government's commitment to its manifesto pledge for every child to have the best possible chance at an education.

Question

The Prime Minister spoke about his manifesto commitment that every child should have the best possible chance to have an education. Yet development spending on primary education has been cut by more than 27% this year, which is evidence of a Government without a strategic direction who cannot be trusted to deliver on their rhetoric. Will the Minister tell us whether the Prime Minister is aware that the Foreign Secretary is cancelling and postponing programmes that would enable girls to have a safe education, such as the one investing in adolescent girls in Rwanda?

Answer from Wendy Morton (Minister for Africa, Middle East and the United Nations)

The UK is a world leader in both our educational expertise and our development spend. During the official development assistance prioritisation process difficult but necessary decisions were made to meet our 0.7% ODA commitment. The process has ensured continued support and commitment to ODA priorities, including girls' education. On Rwanda, tough decisions have been taken, yet schools and education spending are protected across the world. We continue to support women and girls in Rwanda for a decent education, with expected spend totalling approximately £13.6 million.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific programme cancellation is not addressed directly; only general assurance of continued funding is provided.

How: Difficult But Necessary Decisions Were Made To Meet Our 0.7% Oda Commitment

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