Two million children in high-risk communities will receive primary education after Education Above All's Educate A Child programme (EAC) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) signed a five-year partnership agreement in London.
The agreement will benefit refugees and internally displaced children in Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Sudan, Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana. Almost 30% of the 59mn out-of-school children globally live in these countries.
HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, founder and chairperson of EAA, and Justine Greening MP, Secretary of State for International Development of the UK, witnessed the signing of the agreement.
Earlier, HH Sheikha Moza and Secretary Greening discussed the importance of accelerating efforts to enrol out-of-school children in quality education programmes, especially for those living in conflict affected regions.
HH Sheikha Moza emphasised the importance of dedicating resources specifically to support children affected by the Syrian crisis and advocated for the support of alternative educational approaches and modalities to the traditional education system in an effort to alleviate some of the barriers to accessing education.
Fahad al-Sulaiti, CEO of Education Above All, expressed hope that others will be inspired by the example set by EAC and DFID and invest in the future of the world's children.
This partnership is an innovative way to tackle funding for education. Each side will operate according to its strengths DFID by focusing on funding government systems, and EAC by funding local and international NGOs and UN agency projects to maximise the pledge's impact for the world's most vulnerable children.
"Typically, Education Above All invests 100 per child so that, together with our partners, we can provide quality primary education for some othe world's most hard to reach children," al-Sulaiti explained.

Desmond Swayne, Minister of State, UK DFID, said that investing in education is absolutely fundamental to tackling extreme poverty and building secure, sustainable communities.
"For children, an education is their first step to being able to take control of their lives and build the future they want. No child should miss out on this opportunity simply because of where they happen to be born.
"The UK has helped give a quarter of a million children affected by the Syria crisis an education and the Syria conference aims to achieve this for all children in the region.
"Our partnership with Education Above All will ensure that vulnerable children in low income and developing countries, as well as those affected by conflict, don't miss out on the chance to go to school and the hope for a better future."
In addition to working together on education in the target countries, EAC and DFID will collaborate on global advocacy, financing and delivering education programmes, conducting research, and co-ordinating organisational capacity and professional development programmes.
EAA's aim is to build a global movement that contributes to human, social and economic development through quality education and other welfare programmes and initiatives.
With a particular focus on areas affected by poverty, conflict and disaster, EAA champions the needs of children and youth and empowers them to be active members of their communities.
By meeting the demand for education, EAA equips them to support sustainable development and to nurture environments of peace, security, justice and prosperity.
EAA is the umbrella organisation overseeing three core programmes: Educate A Child, Al Fakhoora and Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict, as well as the Kakuma/Kenya Project.