International Day of Education

There is no education justice without tax justice.

This International Day of Education, we’re zooming in on education financing. This isn’t only about how much governments allocate to education. It’s about whether funds reach classrooms on time, are spent as intended, and help close long-standing inequalities. It’s about public participation in budget cycles and accountability.

But national budgets aren’t the whole story. We also have to ask how much revenue governments are able to raise in the first place. A flawed international tax architecture is a major part of the problem. Even when countries want to invest more, unfair international tax rules limit how much countries like Zambia, Senegal, and Nepal can raise—because the system is rigged in favour of the rich.

The Tax Ed Alliance systematically exposes this pattern and its devastating effects on the right to education. The latest publication series, Financing the Future: Delivering Quality Education as Envisioned in Sustainable Development Goal 4 gives a snapshot of the state of education financing in Ghana, Nepal, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia, and how reforms like the UN Tax Convention and a potential UN Debt Convention could unlock sustained investment in public education.

With the 2030 SDG deadline approaching fast, investing in quality, inclusive, gender-responsive public education isn’t optional—it’s essential.

📌 Follow the Tax Ed Alliance for updates and resources on education financing and tax justice.