This page contains all the data you need to show that the UK is not investing enough aid in preschool education. Download. Share. Act.
Country Data
The UK government has reversed recent big investments in vital preschool and early learning.
It is time for the UK to act for early years with much more determination; to re-prioritize the needs of the world’s youngest children so that they get the best start in life.
The UK must reinvest in early years
While remaining a top donor, the UK's preschool investment has decreased substantially in recent years. To ensure the world’s children have a fair chance from the start, the UK needs to reverse this trend.
Early years are being left out
Despite encouraging progress in aid to preschool education in 2022, it remains just under 1.5% of total aid to education, far off the internationally agreed target of 10%. This imbalance must be reconsidered urgently. The consistent neglect of aid to preschool has caused a crisis of inequality affecting the world’s youngest children, which will require years of improved investment to address. As long as preschool aid lags behind other education aid, this gap will be impossible to close.
UK - stop missing the target
Investing in the early years is vital for children’s futures. Yet in 2022, the UK only committed 0.7% of education aid spending to preschool, missing the international 10% target by a long way.
The UK must continue to be a reliable top donor
In 2022, the UK was one of the top five country donors for preschool, with $3.4m accounting for 6.4% of the total $53.3m in bilateral aid. Over-reliance on a few top donors puts young children at risk of instability due to changing priorities, so the UK must continue to be a dependable partner that prioritizes the early years.
Make your voice heard
You can tell the UK Government to make the early years a priority @FCDOGovUK. It’s time to #ActForEarlyYears