Indonesia, Australia and UNICEF join forces to improve access, quality and equity in primary education
MANOKWARI, 24 May 2010 – Government leaders in West Papua and representatives from Australia and UNICEF on Tuesday vowed to work together in a new partnership to improve the quality of primary education.
Australia will contribute Rp 58.9 billion through UNICEF, over the next two years, to support West Papua and Papua to move closer to achieving universal primary education. The program will work with the two provinces to improve access, quality and equity by developing better strategic education plans as well as teaching and learning practices in more than 800 schools in six selected districts including the West Papuan Districts of Manokwari and Sorong.
“The provincial and district governments are committed to this program and will work together with Australia and UNICEF to ensure it accelerates efforts towards achieving universal primary education for all our children,” said the Governor of West Papua Abraham Aturiri at the provincial launch of the programme in Manokwari.
“Australia is very pleased to extend our support to education in Papua and West Papua through this program with UNICEF,” Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, said. “The program will give children in some of the poorest and most remote areas of Indonesia an improved opportunity to receive quality schooling.”
“Our collective hope is for this programme to deliver the best quality education possible to children in schools which are well equipped and well run with the active support and participation of the entire community,” said UNICEF Indonesia Representative Angela Kearney in a written statement.
At the provincial launch of the programme, Drs. D. Sawaki, MM, Special Advisor of governor for Community and Human Resources, representing the provincial government of West Papua, UNICEF’s Severine Leonardi and Katie Smith from the Australian Government’s aid program, signed a certificate of commitment to work together along with the District Head of Manokwari and the District Head of Sorong.
Indonesia has made significant progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goal of achieving universal primary education as well as its national and provincial basic education targets. While the country, as a whole, is on track to broadly achieve universal primary education, the situation varies from province to province.
The programme will also help improve literacy and numeracy teaching in small and remote schools through teacher training and the provision of learning materials.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
For more information, please contact:
Martin Thomas, UNICEF Australia
0401 332 399
mthomas@unicef.org.au
Martha Tattersall, UNICEF Australia
0421 570 393
mtattersall@unicef.org.au