Every single person on the planet has the right to education but unfortunately, not everyone has access to this. Today, there are around 1 billion men and women, girls and boys who did not attend school and are illiterate and have therefore been pushed into poverty.
As the world marks the 6th International Day of Education on January 24, this year’s theme is “learning for lasting peace” – peace achieved through education. Indeed, education can improve the living standards of communities, helping people to thrive and allowing them to use this powerful tool to escape poverty.
To celebrate the International Day of Education, let’s take a look at the Top 10 international organizations in the education sector.
Aid to education
According to a recent report published by UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Report, low- and middle-income nations will have to make significant financial adjustments if they are to meet their national SDG 4 targets. According to UNESCO, 21% of the capital needed to meet these goals is still lacking resulting in a US$97 billion funding gap.
“We must maximize the return on investment for every dollar spent to equip all learners with the knowledge, skills and values they need for the rapidly changing world,” commented Stefania Giannini, Assistant Director-General for Education at UNESCO.
Funding is much needed as shown by the alarming statistics on global education:
- Over 760 million adults are unable to read and write
- Over 60% of adults who lack education are women
- 250 million children worldwide aged 6 to 18 cannot benefit from basic literacy skills
- 118.5 million girls do not attend school
In terms of enrollment for education, many countries are actively engaged in closing the gender gap and, according to the World Bank, just over 60% of nations have managed to achieve gender equality in access to primary education.
Here is a list of major organizations dedicated to offering possibilities for continuous learning as well as equitable access to high-quality education.
Major organizations involved in the education sector
Taking into account not only the number of employees but also the extent of the countries and beneficiaries served, these are some of the most notable organizations working in the education sector.
Pearson Education UK Ltd
One of the leading learning companies on a global scale, Pearson Education provides companies, universities, schools, and other educational institutions both domestically and abroad with academic and vocational qualifications and evaluations.
Pearson serves over 160 million customers globally with its products and services, helping them to master a new language, improve their professional skills, and succeed academically among many more opportunities.
The content, curricula, assessments, and digital services for students, schools, employers, authorities, and other clients are all created by Pearson employees.
British Council
The British Council helps people and groups to acquire the knowledge and resources needed to accomplish their goals by providing opportunities for learning. Via education, cultural activities, and the English language, the British Council promotes relationships, mutual understanding, and respect between citizens of the UK and other nations.
The organization helps people to learn English, form new relationships, pursue creative endeavors, receive first-class instruction, and earn credentials that are recognized across borders.
The British Council has offices in over 100 countries and interacts with clients in more than 200 different countries and regions. In 2022–2023, it managed to reach 600 million individuals.
Room to Read
Room to Read has been operating for more than 20 years and has helped over 35 million children around the globe. The organization’s projects target vulnerable groups and are centered around two key initiatives: primary school literacy and secondary school education for girls.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
November 16, 1945, marked the establishment of UNESCO – the only organization within the UN that is tasked with covering all aspects of education.
The goal of UNESCO is to use education, science, society, communication, and knowledge to promote cross-cultural understanding, sustainable development, the ending of poverty, and the creation of a culture of peace.
The organization has decided to dedicate 2024 to education and the vital role that educators play within it.
Education Development Trust (EDT)
Education Development Trust is a UK-based consulting organization that strives to improve schools and educational institutions. The EDT works together with various organizations and experts to improve lives via education and has had an impact on over nine million students globally.
With the goal of informing education policy and practice, the organization combines its own expertise with regional knowledge and worldwide research and often collaborates with other organizations including UNESCO and the World Bank.
Its goal is to improve education for students around the globe by helping leaders to raise educational standards, improve schools’ performance and establish clear career paths.
World Learning, Inc.
World Learning, Inc. is an international organization that focuses on offering education, exchange, and various development initiatives. Its employees work to provide help to people and organizations in 162 countries around the globe.
Education Development Center (EDC)
The Education Development Center, which is committed to developing long-lasting solutions to improve learning, has been a pioneer in creating cutting-edge programs in more than 80 nations worldwide since 1958.
EDC works with both public and commercial partners to give people the skills they need to improve their communities, families, and futures. With a focus on issues including adolescent workforce growth, early childhood growth and education, and preventing suicide, EDC works to develop, implement, and assess programs and services. Almost half of the organization’s projects are carried out in Asia and Africa.
American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Through analysis and assessment, the American Institutes for Research promotes revolutionary improvements in educational systems. Both policymakers and practitioners can gain access to vital data that can be used to pinpoint solutions to pressing problems and obstacles in the field of education.
The organization gathers various programs under one roof, including pre-kindergarten initiatives and post-secondary education as well as career planning, and education for adults.
TAFE Queensland
With over 140 years of expertise supporting Queensland’s communities, this organization is the largest and most experienced training provider in the state. TAFE Queensland collaborates with a number of top universities in Australia and every year provides over 400 practical relevant courses to over 126,000 students in more than 60 locations in Queensland.
Creative Associates International
Creative Associates International, a non-governmental organization with an international presence in more than 30 nations, bases its strategy for development initiatives on over 40 years of experience working in almost 90 countries. The organization provides on-the-ground development assistance and forms collaborations to bring sustainable alternatives to worldwide problems.
Promoting inclusive educational systems, helping communities shift from war to peace, increasing the level of youth engagement, encouraging transparent elections, and other issues are among the specializations of its professionals.
One of its primary educational initiatives involves improving the standard of literacy education and assistance for 15 million Ethiopian children.
Final word
In addition to the organizations outlined in this article, the DevelopmentAid database features data on over 2,000 large organizations (those with over 500 employees) in the education sector that are registered on our platform. Note that each registered organization gains access to a multitude of funding opportunities for programs within the educational sector.
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