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Paying for People: Financing the skilled workers needed to deliver health and education services for all

Millions of people are dying, sick, or out of school because there are not enough teachers, nurses, and doctors in poor countries. Some poor-country governments have doubled expenditure on health and education since 2000 but still cannot afford to pay for these workers, so aid must plug the gap. But current aid is failing poor people – only 8 cents in the aid dollar are channelled into government plans that include the training and salaries of teachers and health workers. Two million teachers and 4.25 million health workers must be recruited to make health and education for all a reality. Aid donors must change the way they provide money, making long-term commitments and supporting national plans.

KeywordsEducation financing