BEC Statement on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022

The Basic Education Coalition is grateful to Chairwoman Barbara Lee (D-CA), Ranking Member Hal Rogers (R-KY), Chairman Chris Coons (D-DE), Ranking Member Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and other Members of Congress for including $950 million for the Nita M. Lowey Basic Education Fund in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022

Sustained funding for international basic education will ensure that U.S. foreign assistance continues to aid children, youth, and education systems in our partners countries in the recovery from the largest disruption to education in modern history.

As the World Bank estimates global learning poverty - the proportion of 10-year-olds unable to read a short, age-appropriate text - could increase from 53 percent to 70 percent of children living in low- and middle-income countries, fiscal year 2022 funding for international basic education will support much needed efforts to mitigate loss of learning and instructional time, increased rates of school dropout, and other harms caused by the pandemic.

The Basic Education Coalition encourages Members of Congress to support this critical funding for international basic education and pass the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022.

 

The Basic Education Coalition is a group of leading U.S.-based organizations and academic institutions working together to promote global peace and prosperity through education.