The Basic Education Coalition, a group of 19 development organizations, works to increase knowledge about, raise the priority of and increase support for quality basic education for all as a means of promoting economic development and human well-being. Basic education is the foundation for long-term, sustainable success in development.
Coalition members, working in more than 100 countries, have decades of experience around the world working with communities and governments at all levels to improve access to quality basic education. In 2001, they formed the Coalition to maximize resources brought to this endeavor, to broaden the reach of their efforts and to share experiences and lessons toward the common goal of enhancing investment in basic education.
Equitable access to and quality of basic education underpins the range of development goals. Basic education is key to:
Enhancing economic growth
Alleviating poverty
Improving health and nutrition
Reducing exploitative child labor
Lowering the mortality rates for infants, children and mothers
Stemming the spread of infectious disease, including HIV/AIDS
Promoting equality between women and men
Supporting civil society, democracy and political stability
