Donors pledge $400 million for education in crises despite aid cuts

Donors pledged ​over $400 million to help ​educate children in ‌crises and ​war zones, the UN fund for education in emergencies said on ‌Thursday, reaching over 90% of its target despite dramatic cuts in aid spending elsewhere. The new pledges at a Geneva ‌pledging event combined with previous commitments amounted to a ‌total of $541.6 million versus a target of $600 million for its 2027-2030 plan, Education Cannot Wait said in a statement, praising contributions ⁠from ​Germany, Britain, ⁠Norway and Switzerland.

The list of new donors did not include ⁠the United States which funded the initiative in the past ​and has cut aid under President Donald Trump ⁠to prioritise life-saving humanitarian assistance. The strategic plan will focus on 10 ⁠million ​children, including those in conflict-hit states like Sudan and Ukraine.

The UN children's charity earlier this ⁠week warned of growing disruptions at Ukrainian schools amid Russian ⁠attacks, with air-raid ⁠alarms affecting about a quarter of children's learning hours in frontline areas like ‌Kharkiv.