The Government are steadfast in our commitment to ensuring that girls throughout the world receive 12 years of quality education. As well as supporting multilateral education programmes, the UK Girls' Education Challenge is responding to the current pandemic, working so that schools can reopen without further delay when it is safe to do so.

Parents are a key success factor in children's learning around the world. UK aid programmes draw on evidence showing school attendance and learning can improve when parents know about education benefits to incomes, and we address cost and time barriers to promote teachers' vital role.

1.5 billion children have been removed from school due to the crisis, putting disadvantaged girls at risk of dropping out permanently. School closures reduce learning hours significantly, especially for disadvantaged children. Prior to this, 258 million children globally were already out of school—over half are girls. We will continue to prioritise education as part of the international response.