Education

Quality education is a powerful way for people around the world to pave themselves a way to a better future. Beginning in early childhood, education coupled with proper nutrition can change the trajectory of a child’s life. At the adolescent and adult stages, education leads to economic opportunity and shared growth through the training of new entrepreneurs, skilled workers, teachers, and leaders. And while the impact of education is undeniable, 72 million children will never see the inside of a primary school classroom and another 226 million will never continue onto secondary school. The barriers to, and benefits of, education are even more substantial for girls and high-risk children such as child laborers, children with disabilities, trafficked girls, and child soldiers. Still, models for success are emerging that capitalize on unique opportunities to improve education in a range of circumstances. This year, the Education Working Group Sessions will address:

• Expanding programs that increase the quality of education
• Providing real educational choices for at-risk adolescent girls and boys
• Emphasizing the connection between health and education
• Strengthening business and entrepreneurship education for women in developing countries
• Rebuilding nations through education in post-conflict settings

Working Group Chair

Gene B. Sperling
Director
Center for Universal Education, Council on Foreign Affairs

Advisory Board

Fazle Abed
Founder and Chairperson
BRAC

Tim Adams
Managing Director
The Lindsey Group

Mohammad AlGergawi 
Minister of Cabinet Affairs
United Arab Emirates

Rodrigo Baggio
Founder and Executive Director
Committee for Democracy in Information Technology (CDI)

Stephanie Bell-Rose
President
The Goldman Sachs Foundation

Codou Diaw
Executive Director
Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)

Helene D. Gayle
President and Chief Executive Officer
CARE USA

Laurene Powell Jobs
Founder and Board Chair
College Track

Hannah Jones
Vice President, Corporate Responsibility
Nike Inc.

Denis O'Brien
Chairman
Digicel

Zainab Salbi
President and Chief Executive Officer
Women for Women International

Euan Wilmshurst
Stakeholder Engagement Manager
The Coca-Cola Company