EDUCATION

Education is one of the AECID’s core pillars. It is a fundamental human right and a global public good that fosters social change, reduces inequalities, and promotes economic, social, and human progress.

Ensuring inclusive, equitable, and quality education is an essential prerequisite for achieving more just, cohesive, and sustainable societies. Education not only contributes to children’s cognitive, physical, and emotional development, but also strengthens civic participation, gender equality, and social peace. Furthermore, it is a fundamental means of reducing the gender gaps faced by girls and women, providing the knowledge and skills necessary for women’s empowerment. For this very reason, investing in education is investing in the future. 

What does AECID do in education?

AECID aligns its work with the 2030 Agenda and SDG 4, “Quality Education”. Today, 272 million children and adolescents worldwide remain out of school, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inequality.

To address this situation, AECID supports partner countries in strengthening their education systems so that everyone has access to basic education and can benefit from quality learning, with a special focus on children, women, youth, people with disabilities, and indigenous peoples. This involves providing resources for educational facilities and infrastructure (classrooms, libraries, laboratories, or workshops), supporting the hiring and training of teaching staff, promoting inclusive curricula and teaching methods, and fostering the integration of sustainable educational technologies.

The AECID also promotes the acquisition of life skills, facilitating access for vulnerable youth and women to quality education and vocational training that prepares them for decent employment, as well as fostering knowledge exchange in the field of higher education.

Priorities of the 2024–2027 Master Plan

The 2024–2027 Master Plan for Spanish Cooperation prioritizes education as a mechanism for social transition. The AECID strengthens the education systems of partner countries through four strategic areas:

• Basic education: universal access to quality primary and secondary education.
• Technical and vocational education and training: skills for decent employment.
• Higher education: knowledge transfer and academic mobility.
• Digital education: digital transformation of education systems.

Education in Emergencies (EeE): Protection Against Crises

In humanitarian contexts, the AECID integrates Education in Emergencies (EeE) as a priority to ensure educational continuity and quality learning in the face of conflicts, violence, epidemics, displacement, or climate-related disasters.