Dear Editor,
A follow-up to my December letter about the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). (‘The positive side of lobbyists: the Global Partnership for Education’ by Willie Dickerson, Clermont Sun, Dec. 22, 2017) GPE held its funding conference on February 2, with hopes of raising $3.1 billion to help partner countries to develop plans to put 25 million children in school. These countries are expected to put 20% of their budgets into education. Good news: Over 50 of these countries pledged $110 billion, up to 24% their budgets to do just that. Donor countries pledged $2.3 billion to help this effort. The U.S. attended but made no pledge. Congress can make a difference by putting money in the budget to help fund the GPE’s work as they have every year.
So far 110 members of Congress, including Ohio Reps. Marcy Kaptur and Tim Ryan, have cosponsored resolutions supporting the GPE. So support this bipartisan work by thanking them and asking other members of the Ohio delegation to support this life-changing work with a call or a letter.
Imagine 25 million children and their families finally having hope for the future!
Willie Dickerson
Snohomish, WA