This TED Talk features education pioneer Amel Karboul, recorded live at TED at BCG 2017.

I'm the product of a bold leadership decision.

After 1956, when Tunisia became independent, our first president, Habib Burkiba,

decided to invest 20%

of the country's national budget in education.

Yes, 20%,

on the high end of the spectrum,

even by today's standards.

Some people protested.

What about infrastructure?

What about electricity, roads and running water?

Are these not important? I would argue What about infrastructure? What about electricity, roads and running water?

Ali is not important?

I would argue that the most important infrastructure we have are minds,

educated minds.

President Bourguiba helped establish free, high-quality education

for every boy and every girl.

And together with millions of other Tunisians,

I'm deeply indebted to that historic decision.

And that's what brought me here today.

Because today, we are facing a global learning crisis.

I call it learning crisis and not education crisis,

...