In 2000, leaders from countries around the world promised that by the year 2015, all children would have access to a primary school education.

Since then, many poor and middle-income countries have abolished school user fees, increased spending on education by $4 billion and put an additional 40 million children into school.
That’s the good news - but there are still 75 million children out of school around the world.

The Global Campaign for Education, a civil society organisation representing more than a hundred countries, launched in August 2009 its World Cup 2010 project, entitled 1GOAL.  

The purpose of 1GOAL is to harness the momentum, good will and significant media coverage around the 2010 World Cup to spread the message - to governments and their citizens - that every child, across the world, has the right to free, good quality public education.

On Tuesday 6 October, President Mills joined Heads of State and Government to pledge Ghana’s support for 1GOAL during a televised global ceremony.  The programme was anchored from London, and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown participated.  Via satellite link-ups, there was also participation from Prime Minister Zapatero in Spain, President Zuma in South Africa and Prime Minister Balkenende in the Netherlands.  

As part of this initiative President Mills also announced the Government of Ghana’s commitment to providing 1 textbook per child before the 2010 World Cup. This will be announced through the Ghana campaign slogan: 1GOAL; 1 Textbook; 1 Child.

Leading footballers from across the world are supporting 1GOAL. Former Black Star defender Tony Baffoe has fully endorsed the project, and is acting as a 1GOAL ambassador in Ghana. The Captain of the Black Stars, Stephen Appiah and English Premier League based defender John Paintstill have signed up in support of 1GOAL.

The British government, led by the Department for International Development (DFID), is providing significant funding for the Global Campaign for Education, and is fully supporting the 1GOAL campaign.

The British High Commissioner to Ghana, Nick Westcott, said:
"Both the Ghanaians and British are passionate about football and are keenly anticipating next year's World Cup. I'm delighted both countries are among those seizing the opportunity of the World Cup to support this campaign to make sure all children around the world get the education they deserve. I know how important this issue is to both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and President Mills."

DFID Country Director in Ghana, Eric Hawthorn, also welcomed this campaign, saying: ‘DFID is committed to supporting the Government of Ghana in its efforts to get every girl and boy into school, and at the same time raise standards within schools to ensure every child receives a quality education that benefits them in later life.’

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