The Global Partnership for Education has revealed that 118 million girls are currently out of school worldwide, warning that the limited education opportunities for girls result in an estimated $30 trillion loss in lifetime productivity and earnings.
The GPE, hosted by the World Bank, shared this in a recent report titled “Why Invest in Girls’ Education.” The report stressed the importance of ensuring girls have access to quality education and the chance to complete their studies.
“Investing in girls’ education is one of the smartest investments a country can make,” the GPE stated. “It boosts economic growth, as every $1 spent on girls’ rights and education potentially generates a $2.80 return. It curbs infant mortality and improves child nutrition. Just one additional year of schooling can increase a girl’s potential earnings by up to 20 per cent.”
Despite these benefits, the report noted that 118.5 million girls remain out of school worldwide — a situation the GPE described as unacceptable and costly for countries.
“Limited educational opportunities for girls amount to $15 to $30 trillion in lost lifetime productivity and earnings,” the report highlighted.
To tackle the issue, the GPE reaffirmed its commitment to achieving gender equality through education. It pointed to the Girls’ Education Accelerator programme, designed to fast-track progress for girls in countries where their education is most at risk.
“The Girls’ Education Accelerator offers countries a strong incentive to focus on girls’ education alongside GPE’s other grants, including system transformation and Multiplier grants,” the GPE explained.
So far, the GPE said it has raised and committed nearly $180 million to support girls’ education in 10 out of 30 eligible countries, with funding from donors, private foundations, and matched funds.
The report highlighted progress in countries like El Salvador and Zimbabwe.
“El Salvador, the first country to access the Girls’ Education Accelerator in 2022, used a combined grant of $5 million from the Accelerator and $10 million from the GPE Multiplier to develop reading materials for children and families, address harmful social norms affecting girls’ education, and revise national education assessments to remove gender stereotypes,” the GPE stated.
“In Zimbabwe, funding from the Girls’ Education Accelerator is supporting 194,000 girls through scholarships, promoting safe learning environments, and establishing an early warning system for school dropouts. The funds are also being used to develop a national life skills curriculum to build girls’ self-esteem and confidence.”
The GPE called for more funding focused on girls’ education, noting that Nigeria and Pakistan — countries with some of the world’s highest rates of child marriage — have shown interest in the programme but face a lack of sufficient funds.
“There is now a large pipeline of countries eligible for and interested in accessing the Girls’ Education Accelerator,” the report noted. “This commitment needs to be met with resources, or we risk failing to support interventions that address why thousands of girls from marginalized communities cannot access quality education.”
The GPE concluded by emphasizing that investing in girls’ education not only empowers individuals but also strengthens economies.
“By creating safe and inclusive learning environments, we build a path to growing economies and ensure every girl has the opportunity to reach her full potential,” the report said. “We must continue the collective effort to resource transformative education initiatives and work towards gender equality.”
