Education in Emergencies: Securing the future of SDG4 amidst global crises

We have just six years left to deliver on the 2030 agenda for sustainable development, including SDG4. But in recent years, the world has witnessed sudden disruptions depriving millions of children of their learning opportunities. Whether due to conflict, climate change or COVID-19, 224 million school-aged children(1) globally urgently need educational support due to crises. When emergencies hit, leaders and decision makers are faced with an overwhelming number of competing needs that can often obscure the life-saving, and life-protecting nature of education, and remains one of the least funded humanitarian areas. Protection and prioritisation of education in emergencies is essential to advance education for sustainable development and the realisation of SDG4.


There is a record need for international support at a time when emergencies such as the wars in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan, and climate emergencies, such as those recovering from severe tropical storm Cyclone Freddy in South and East Africa, are having huge impacts on education. These challenges are exacerbated by inadequate preparedness to address hazards. Emergencies can also deepen existing inequalities, disproportionately affecting those who are most marginalised and experiencing multiple, intersecting and complex challenges such as gender discrimination, poverty, disability, or displacement. These children are most likely to be excluded from education before, during and after an emergency occurs.(2)


Despite the scale of the challenges, progress is within reach. By prioritising inclusive and resilient education systems, investing in preparedness and honouring commitments to protect children’s learning during emergencies, we can pave the way for sustainable development. As the UK and the international community confront the unprecedented scale of threats facing children’s education, now is the time to act decisively and ensure that every child, no matter their circumstances, has the opportunity to learn and thrive.


Send My Friend to School (SMFTS) is the UK civil society coalition of international development NGOs, teachers’ unions and charities, bringing together young people, politicians, teachers, civil society and the media in joint campaigning to demand a quality, inclusive education for all children across the globe. We are part of the wider Global Campaign for Education (GCE) movement, based in almost 100 countries around the world.(3) This year, the Let My Friends Learn campaign(4) urges the UK Government to ensure that every child, everywhere has their learning protected during emergencies: key to a sustainable future.


Send My Friend to School Campaign Champion, Jess (14) from Croxley Danes School states: “We need to hold the government to account to make sure they fulfil their promises, and ensure that no child is denied the right to an education because of emergencies. We need our leaders to speak out and support other countries- as they should not have to face these challenges alone”.


We are asking the UK government to take action from the UK on the following areas to ensure that no child is denied the right to education in times of emergencies:


  1. PREPARE: Strengthen preparedness and anticipatory action in education systems.
  2. PROTECT: Ensure children are safe, protected and learning during an emergency.
  3. INVEST: Rapidly scale up financing for Education in Emergencies and global education resilience strengthening.
  4. ACT: Provide global leadership to protect children’s right to education in emergencies.


As the clock ticks towards the 2030 agenda, the urgency is clear. We need to act now to secure the future of every child’s education, ensuring they have the opportunity to learn, thrive, and build a sustainable future.


Bigraphy


Bekah is the Campaign Manager at Send My Friend to School, the UK’s coalition of INGOs, charities, teachers unions, young people, politicians and the media who come together to campaign for the right of every child in the world to access a quality and inclusive education. Bekah worked previously as a secondary school English teacher, before moving into programme management and refugee campaigning in the UK and Greece. She holds a Masters degree in Education, Gender and International Development from the Institute of Education at UCL. Bekah has a particular interest in meaningful youth participation in policy and campaigning.


(1)https://www.educationcannotwait.org/news-stories/press-releases/number-crisisimpacted-children-in-need-education-support-rises

(2)https://sendmyfriend.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Let-My-Friends-Learn-EiEpolicy-report.pdf

(3)https://campaignforeducation.org/en/

(4)https://sendmyfriend.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Let-My-Friends-Learn-EiEpolicy-report.pdf


BY REBEKAH LUCKING • June 24, 2024

An Education Revolution

By Ann Beatty • April 6, 2025
This week while out and about in Hertfordshire and we visited the British Schools Museum. We discovered the first school opened by Joseph Lancaster, was known as the ‘Poor Childs Friend”, was in 1810. It was his lifelong mission that all children regardless of their circumstances, should benefit from an education. Apparently, Joseph heard a small girl say, “Oh that I could read!” and this inspired him to create a simple education system that eventually would benefit children across the world. Joseph was the tenth son of a poor man himself from South London. His aim was to offer free education for everyone. However, it would be 93 years before the U.K. government finally made education free for all. There are still many countries today where education is still not free to access and it is certainly not compulsory for primary and secondary age pupils. Joseph’s mission really resonates with that of the Foundation, to support access to education for all. We enjoyed our visit and appreciated the tour given by two of the Museum’s volunteers, Angela and Clare. They described some of the challenges faced in the early years of formal education and shared some of the rules that teachers and students had to abide by with us. 

Sparks Bristol

By Ann Beatty • April 4, 2025
Sparks Bristol is a collaborative community project initially envisioned by The Global Goals Centre, (GGC) more of which below. A few years ago, GGC took over an empty Marks and Spencer store and that’s how Sparks was born. Sparks is a department store with a difference, co-created by Global Goals Centre and Artspace Lifespace. On the ground floor is a huge range of shops, installations, events and more. Upstairs is a hub for local artists, it offers affordable studios as well as rehearsal and performance space. The Global Goals Centre is a Bristol-based educational charity inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals. (SDGs). GGC believe the SDG’s or Global Goals as they are sometimes known, can be reached, with imaginative solutions and widespread education and engagement. They work with partners to promote creative solutions and deliver ground breaking projects that work towards these ambitious goals. The Steve Sinnott Foundation supported the Global Goals Centre with seed funding when it first started over 5 years ago. This month we went to visit them to see how they are getting on and we were taken aback by the volume of work they have achieved since they started. It is amazing to see how though working together with other local community groups it has grown into the vibrant centre it is today. All of the creative projects they host are linked to the SDGs. They cover topics that tackle poverty, education, climate change, fashion recycling and upcycling, to name a few.

Spring is Here! Looking Ahead!

By Ann Beatty • March 28, 2025
Spring is definitely here, daffodils, blossom and crocuses are all basking in the bright sunshine. There is still a chill in the air in the shade but it's happening and all the seeds that were sown over the last few months are coming to fruition. At the Foundation, we have been planning the year ahead and our Positive Periods and Prevention of Gender Based Violence programmes got underway this weekend in Haiti and Ghana. These projects will have a long-lasting effect on the lives of the women and girls who take part: tackling the root causes of gender-based violence and enabling girls to attend school every day when they have their period, to feel safe at school and know how to take action when they are faced with violence. These are the first of many projects planned for the year ahead as we continue to work towards Education for All children everywhere.