The last time the G8 met, the world's richest countries promised to support poorer countries serious about providing free basic education. Since then, despite vigorous campaigning, their plan to get all children into school by 2015 has stalled. At the upcoming meet of G8 leaders in Genoa, Oxfam together with other NGOs will seek a Global Initiative on education that checks progress - or lack of it - against the 2015 targets, and to provide the $8bn a year - from the North and South - to make education a reality.