The Basic Education Coalition (BEC) brings together leading U.S. organizations and stakeholders to strengthen U.S. government-funded international education programming to support economic growth and global stability. Together, we leverage our technical expertise and advocacy efforts to advance stronger U.S. policies and investments, expanding access to quality basic education and unlocking opportunities for children and youth in low-and middle-income countries.

$15-30T

Lost in productivity and earnings worldwide because girls are not fully educated

World Bank

10%

Higher earnings for every extra year a child spends in school

World Bank

272M+

Children remain out of school today, with girls the first to be left behind in the poorest regions

UNESCO

Students in a youth workforce development program use equipment.

Education is Foundational to Economic Growth

A child who learns to read, write, and reason becomes a worker, an entrepreneur, a customer, and a taxpayer. That is why education is one of the most reliable engines of economic growth the world has.

Children learn in a classroom in Ethiopia

Education Builds Stability

When children are out of school, they are more exposed to exploitation, to recruitment by armed groups, and to the cycles of poverty that feed unrest. Keeping children in school and safe from recruitment is one of the most cost-effective security investments the United States can make.

When girls learn, communities thrive

Education reduces the likelihood of child marriage and early pregnancy, builds protections against gender-based violence, and sets girls up for economic success in the future. Educated women are then more likely to invest up to 90% of their income back into their families and communities.

Help keep America a leader in global education.

Cuts to this work cost jobs at home, weaken our standing abroad, and reduce opportunities for children.

You can help change that

 

Find out how our members effect real change on the BEC Blog and Impact page. 

We promote equitable access to quality basic education
so that all children and youth learn and thrive.

 

Check out our photo gallery of Coalition members in action!