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Written question asked by Mark Williams (Liberal Democrat) on Monday, 14 November 2016, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 17 November 2016 (named day). It was answered by Rory Stewart (Conservative) on Thursday, 17 November 2016 on behalf of the Department for International Development.

Developing Countries: Education

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she has taken to respond to the recent recommendations by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on privatisation and the right to education.

Answer

The United Kingdom notes the recent recommendations of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. Our priority is to ensure children get the education they deserve and in the vast majority of cases this means investing in the state sector. However, where state provision is weak or non-existent we work with paid-for schools to provide an education to children who would otherwise get none.

It is important for national governments to define the appropriate balance between private and public provision in their country, in compliance with their international human rights obligations. We do not accept that DFID’s funding of private provision of education violates children’s right to an education. On the contrary, in many cases it secures it.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
52766
Session
2016-17
Subjects
Developing countries Education UN Committee on the Rights of the Child
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk