World leaders pledged more than $4bn (£2.9bn) to support schools through the Global Partnership for Education.
Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai told the summit girls in particular faced an “education crisis”.
But charities warned the UK’s aid cuts had harmed fundraising efforts.
The Global Partnership for Education, which distributes funding in more than 90 poorer countries, wanted to raise $5bn (£3.6bn) to create an extra 88 million school places and support the learning of 175 million children during the next five years.
Pledges at the summit, hosted by the UK and Kenya, included:
- £595m from the European Union
- £430m from the UK
- £300m from Norway
- £173m from Canada
- £218m over three years from the United States
Julia Gillard, former Australian prime minister and chair of the education aid organisation, was confident that the full $5bn would be raised, but different national budget cycles would mean it would arrive in stages.
