Member of Parliament for the Cities of London & Westminster, Nickie Aiken, today highlighted lost learning - especially affecting girls - with Wendy Morton, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for European Neighbourhood and the Americas, in the House of Commons.
Mr Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic has shone a depressing light on the digital poverty that exists in developing countries. Millions of children across the world have lost thousands of hours of education without access to the internet.
Sadly, the problem is even more acute for girls.
What action is my Honourable friend taking to ensure that the UK uses its Presidency of the G7 and the Global Partnership for Education to enable the most marginalised children, particularly girls, to return to school and catch up with their lost learning?
The Minister responded,
My Honourable friend is right to highlight this important issue, and I know she takes a very keen interest in girls' education.
2021 is a crucial year for girls' education, with multiple opportunities for us to take coordinated action with our international partners to address the learning losses from COVID-19.
That's why the UK has put girls' education at the heart of our G7 Presidency.
We're working with G7 members to champion two global SDG-4 milestone targets, 40 million more girls in school, and 20 million more girls reading by the age of 10 in low and lower-middle income countries over the next five years.
And the UK, with Kenya, will also host the Global Education Summit in July to mobilise much-needed finance.
You can watch Nickie ask her question and the Ministers response above.
