The UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Girls’ Education, Helen Grant, has completed a regional tour of West Africa where she visited girls’ education, gender and inclusion projects in both Ghana and Sierra Leone.
The visit comes ahead of the UK and Kenya’s co-hosting the Global Education Summit with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) taking place in London in July 2021.
Concluding her West Africa visit, the UK’s Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Girls’ Education Helen Grant said investing in girls’ education is a game-changer and vital to building back stronger from the COVID-19 fiasco.
She said: the UK has set ambitious global targets to get 40 million more girls into school and 20 million more girls reading by the age of 10, which have now been adopted by the G7 under the UK’s presidency.
She added: “I am delighted that both Ghana and Sierra Leone share our ambition on getting girls learning, and it was a privilege to meet inspiring girls and boys who are supported to learn with the UK’s support. As we look ahead to the Global Education Summit, the UK’s partnership with Ghana and Sierra Leone is a vital example of how international collaboration can ensure all children, including girls, benefit from at least 12 years quality education.”
Speaking after the Special Envoy’s visit British High Commissioner to Ghana, Iain Walker said: “This week I have seen the enduring UK-Ghana partnership in action. Alongside the Special Envoy Helen Grant, I met some of those young women and girls whose lives have been changed through education, and, I have seen the work of those leaders, teachers and officials who are delivering the lessons, projects and support that is making the difference.
If we want to change the world for the better, girls’ education is the place to start. But it is only through firm resolve and collaboration that we will achieve our global ambition of ensuring all children across Ghana and around the world receive at least 12 years quality education.”
British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Simon Mustard, added: “The UK is committed to ensuring that all girls access 12 years of quality education. The Government of Sierra Leone shares this commitment and has taken important policy steps in the past year in that direction. I am proud of the support that the UK is providing in Sierra Leone to play our part in turning these commitments into a reality.”
Grant took up the role of UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Girls’ Education in January 2021. Mrs Grant is also the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Nigeria.
In her role as Special Envoy for Girls’ Education, Grant is working to accelerate progress towards getting more girls into school and benefitting from quality learning.
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