Events Education Celebration Discussion Questions

In preparation for the Education Celebration Event on March 29, we invite you to consider the following discussion questions and dream with us about the future of Education Finance.

1) STATEMENT: Unfortunately, current estimates indicate that SDG 4 - "Ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote livelong learning" - will not be achieved until 2059 (29 years behind target), and it is estimated that international aid needs to increase at least six fold to fill the annual $39 billion dollar gap in governmental education funding.

DISCUSSION: What is the role of private education? A bridge until universal public? An addition to the market to cover enough children that public education has a chance at reaching the rest? A gap-filler? A beacon to show public education where to go?

2) STATEMENT: significant progress has been made in reducing the number of children and youth who are out school and in increasing gender parity among enrolled students. Girls now constitute only 53% of all primary students who are out-of-school, demonstrating significant progress towards achieving gender-equal access to education. Many of the most vulnerable girls either attend irregularly, or drop out of school early.

DISCUSSION: What can Opportunity do to more effectively reduce early dropout, the largest issue in universal education, and one of the last really pervasive areas of gender disparity?

3) STATEMENT: EduFinance is expanding both within the Opportunity Network and beyond. To determine new geographies and partners, we are developing guidelines.

DISCUSSION: What are the criteria Opportunity should be looking at for where to focus EduFinance efforts? Where are we best-placed to make an impact?

4) STATEMENT: We could reach 5 million children by 2020 with little change to current model. We could reach significantly more with some innovation and boldness.

DISCUSSION: What are the key factors that will help us achieve significant scale in the next 3 years? What about the next 5 or 10? (Partnerships? Investment capital? Key countries? Technology?)