Washington, DC – ONE: The Campaign to Make Poverty History praised the introduction of the Education for All Act of 2007 today and sent an email to its 2.4 million grassroots supporters asking them to contact their representatives in Congress and encourage them to support the bill. ONE Campaign co-founder, Bono, joined the bill’s sponsors in the Senate, Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), and its sponsors in the House of Representatives, Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Congressman Spencer Bachus (R-AL) for a conference call with the media today to talk about the legislation.

“This legislation is the launching pad of what could be the next American moon-shot: universal primary education for the 77 million children around the world who aren’t in school because they are too poor,” Bono, co-founder of the ONE campaign said. “This is a huge, brazen and incredibly smart idea at a time when many are questioning our values in the West, or whether we have any values at all.”

“Representatives Lowey and Bachus and Senators Clinton and Smith deserve thanks for the vision and leadership they have shown with this legislation. We’ll do whatever we can to support their efforts to ensure this bill becomes law and will continue to push governments around the world on this issue,” he said.

“The expansion of education globally is a key aspect of American’s long-term national security,” Susan McCue, CEO of the ONE Campaign said. “Education not only expands students’ horizons and gives them additional opportunities, it also alleviates the hopelessness and desperation that breeds terrorist ideology and other violent acts. Improving education globally is not a Republican or Democrat ideal. It is an American ideal. We are a country that believes in, and has thrived on, the idea that education should be accessible to everyone. The Education for All Act expands access to basic education for those that would benefit from it the most.”

“Beyond being essential for lowering poverty, infant mortality and the spread of HIV-AIDS, education is also a critical means for strengthening democracies – particularly for countries coming out of conflict.” said Gene Sperling, Council of Foreign Relations and the Global Campaign for Education. “U.S. leadership in ensuring that all children can attain free, quality basic education is a powerful tool for winning hearts and minds around the world.”

The Education for All Act of 2007 calls on the United States to prioritize the elimination of school fees, expanding access to education, training teachers, building infrastructure, promoting civic education and life skills training as well as supporting initiatives that reach the most disadvantaged populations. Under this legislation, the United  States would provide $3 billion by 2012, which is America’s proportionate share of the $10 billion required to put every child in school.

Background

An estimated 77 million children worldwide lack access to basic education up to the sixth grade. Many children are kept from school due to costs associated with schooling or their family’s inability to bear the loss of their contribution to the family’s income. Impoverished countries also lack the funds to train and retain qualified teachers, provide text books and teaching materials, and build an adequate number of schools. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has further weakened education systems, wiping out a generation of teachers and forcing children, particularly girls, to stay home and care for sick family members. However, a growing number of countries are making real progress by investing in education:

• Tanzania has used its savings from debt relief in 2000 to increase education spending and eliminate school fees. Almost overnight, the number of children enrolled in school more than doubled, from 1.6 million to 3.1 million.

• Similar results have played out in Mozambique, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda and Ethiopia.

By making universal basic education a major goal of U.S. foreign policy, the world and the nation will be stronger and safer.