Ramaphosa Calls for Greater Global Investment in Education

President Cyril Ramaphosa has urged world leaders to place education at the centre of global development efforts, saying quality learning must remain a right for everyone and never become a privilege available only to those with greater resources or opportunities. Speaking at the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) High-Level Steering Committee Leaders Group Meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on Friday, Ramaphosa said education forms the foundation for achieving every other Sustainable Development Goal and plays a vital role in building stronger, more resilient societies.

Education remains the foundation for global progress

Co-chairing the meeting alongside UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, the President said the world is confronting multiple challenges, including conflict, pandemics, climate change, poverty and inequality, and investing in education is more important than ever. He described SDG 4 as the cornerstone of the broader 2030 Agenda, explaining that quality education expands opportunities, develops human potential and creates the skills needed to tackle global challenges.

Ramaphosa highlighted three priorities guiding the committee's work: strengthening foundational and lifelong learning, supporting the teaching profession and advancing inclusive digital transformation across education systems. He said children need strong literacy, numeracy and social skills from an early age, while teachers require adequate training, resources and continuous support to help learners succeed. He also stressed that digital education is essential for preparing young people for rapidly changing workplaces and economies.

Better financing needed to protect education

The President warned against treating education as a commodity that only some people can afford, saying it should remain a universal human right and a public good accessible to everyone regardless of geography, income, gender or personal circumstances. He argued that improving education systems will depend on changing the way they are financed. Ramaphosa welcomed the Sustainable Financing Pathways framework adopted earlier this year by the Global Partnership for Education, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank and G7 partners, describing it as a practical approach that encourages long-term national investment instead of fragmented aid programmes.

According to the President, countries should strengthen domestic funding, align concessional finance and private investment with national priorities and explore innovative financing options, including debt-for-education swaps, to narrow the global education funding gap. He also cautioned that corruption, weak planning and financial mismanagement continue to divert resources that should be reaching schools, teachers and learners.

Young people should help shape the future

Looking beyond the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, Ramaphosa said preparations for the next global education agenda are already underway with significant input from young people and education specialists. He noted that consultations involving around 20,000 young people from 95 countries highlighted growing demands for better access to education, stronger mental health support, more flexible learning pathways and greater involvement of young people in decision-making.

Calling for commitments to be turned into practical action, the President urged governments and development partners to adopt risk-informed education policies, support country-led investment plans and make gender-responsive planning a standard part of education policy. He also emphasised that young people should be recognised as active partners in shaping education systems rather than simply being viewed as beneficiaries. The meeting formed part of President Ramaphosa's official visit to France, where he is co-chairing UNESCO engagements and holding bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron.