1. We are working in the three countries hardest hit by Ebola

The latest update on the Ebola situation from the World Health Organization on October 25, 2014 reported a total of 10,141 cases, with 4,922 deaths. Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone have been hardest hit with 99.7% of the total cases reported within their borders. In all three countries, schools are closed indefinitely as a prevention strategy to curb the outbreak.

In Liberia, while schools are closed, GPE partners are providing opportunities including radio instruction to support learning at home. These radio programs are partially funded and organized by USAID and UNICEF who are working to develop appropriate content for different age groups. The Ministry of Education is also training teachers and community members to ensure that communities get accurate information about Ebola, including how to prevent transmission of the disease. Liberia has been a GPE developing country partner since 2007 and received a grant of US$40 million in 2010. We are currently working with the ministry to fund the school reopening plans.

In Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Education also provides school lessons through radio programming, supported by World Vision and UNICEF. Sierra Leone became a GPE partner country in 2007 and has since received two grants totaling US$29.6 million. We are working with the ministry to reallocate funds to respond to the Ebola crisis.

In Guinea, the Education Ministry has developed an emergency response strategy while schools are closed and established a National Health Emergency Committee within the education sector. As part of the plan, teachers and students will be trained in Ebola prevention. Guinea has been a GPE partner since 2002 and has received grants totaling US$64 million. We are working with our partners to ensure the activities funded by the current grant are up and running by the time the Ebola crisis is over.

2. The latest Nobel Peace Prize laureates are GPE advocates

On October 10, Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their struggle against the oppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to a quality education.

Malala has been advocating for the second replenishment of the Global Partnership for Education. The Malala Fund generously sponsored a group of young education activists to participate in our replenishment conference. Through videos, social media and other activities, Malala has been not only been a champion for the Global Partnership, but for education for all children around the world.

Kailash Satyarthi has played a key role in the Education for All movement for over a decade. In 1999 he co-founded the Global Campaign for Education (GCE) and in 2000 he helped to create the ambitious Education for All goals and Millennium Development Goals. Later, Kailash played an important role in the development of the Education for All - Fast Track Initiative (which later became the Global Partnership for Education) and served on our board of directors.

3. GPE board chair Julia Gillard highlights the importance of education in her new book

Julia Gillard, former prime minister of Australia, released her new book this month. In My Story, she chronicles her time as Australia's first female leader and her efforts to build a robust economy and a world-class education system in Australia. Throughout her life, she was a passionate advocate for education. "I formed the view that education changes lives and the only fair thing is for every child to get a great one," she said.

4. Girls' education is steadily improving in GPE developing countries

October 11 was the International Day of the Girl Child, a day to raise awareness about all issues concerning gender inequality around the world. We've been working hard with our partners to ensure girls in GPE developing countries have access to a quality education, complete primary school and progress to secondary school. We're thrilled to report that in the developing countries where we work, 69% of girls are now completing primary school, up from 54% in year 2000. Additionally, 81% of girls who complete primary school are now continuing to secondary school and 89 girls for every 100 boys are completing primary school. That's good progress.

5. More teachers are trained than ever before

World Teachers Day was celebrated on October 5 as a day to honor the people who have the single biggest impact on children's learning. One of our strategic goals is to improve teacher effectiveness by training, recruiting and retaining teachers. Through greater investments and more training programs, we're making good progress in our partner countries. In 2012, 81% of primary teachers in GPE developing countries had received formal training, up from 77.5% in 2008. Additionally, in 2012 77% of lower-secondary school teachers were trained in GPE developing countries, up from 72.5% in 2008.

Itching to learn more? Read 10 Things About the Global Partnership