Washington, DC, May 10, 2010 -- The Education for All Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI) announced grants totaling US$303 million to Ethiopia, Lao PDR, Liberia, Malawi and Togo. These grants which are focused on approximately five million out-of-school children will support programs to enroll children into school, help them complete their education and improve the quality of learning.
The EFA FTI is a global partnership between low-income countries and donors to ensure that all children in low-income countries receive quality basic education. To date, EFA FTI includes 19 donor agencies, multilateral organizations (World Bank, UNICEF and UNESCO), and representatives from Civil Society Organizations and the private sector. FTI currently supports 41 developing countries.
Ethiopia was granted US$98 million for the period 2010 - 2012. The main focus of the Ethiopia education sector program is to improve the quality of primary and secondary education and to increase access. It supports teacher training programs, curriculum reform, textbook production and dissemination, the revision of learning assessment processes, school improvement programs and the implementation of a school grant system. "Ethiopia is very pleased with today's allocation which will support our government's strategy in delivering quality education to our children" says Mr. Demeke Mekonnen, Minister of Education of Ethiopia. "Now that we have achieved excellent results in enrollment rates and keeping the children in school, we need more focus on the content of what our children are learning. This grant will help us achieve these goals and we look forward to further support."
A grant of US$90 million was allocated to Malawi for its national education plan which will increase equal access to primary school for the country's poorest children. With immensely crowded classrooms - on average one hundred children per classroom— Malawi will use the grant for constructing and renovating schools. The grant will also provide direct support to disadvantaged children including HIV/AIDS orphans. An innovative Open Distance Learning program will help recruit and train 12,000 teachers in rural areas.
Togo's grant of US$45 million will support education activities for the years 2010 - 2013. Togo will build 815 new classrooms and facilities with access for children with disabilities, and latrines with water access (critical for girls' attendance) in both rural and urban areas. Textbooks in core subjects (mathematics and reading) will be provided to public and community primary schools. Grants will be allocated to ensure quality enhancement at the school level. The program will also support the construction of three regional teacher training institutes. Mr. Sambiani Lare, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy of Togo stated: "As newcomers to the FTI Partnership we are eager to work with all partners on the ground to implement the education sector program. We are strongly committed to getting our children into school and provide them with a quality education as this is the basis for a better, more prosperous society."
Lao PDR received US$30 million to help increase the coverage and improve the quality of pre-primary and primary education with a focus on the most disadvantaged children. Currently there are about 315,000 school aged children out of school in the 56 target districts, with a high majority of girls. As an urgent priority, the program will provide new schools and renovate classrooms in 1,500 villages. By the end of the program, nearly half of the out-of-school children will be enrolled and many more children will complete their primary education. They will study in safe, protective and healthy environments, with access to latrines and water.
Liberia's US$40 million grant will finance 453 new classrooms at the primary school level. It will also provide 100,000 books to pupils and 21,500 sets of teacher guides. A school health component will finance the development of learning materials, the training of about 3,000 teachers and de-worming of 300,000 primary school students.
Djibouti received a US$4 million grant.
The grant decisions were made at the EFA FTI meetings on May 7 in Washington, DC.
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Media Contacts:
Aby Touré, EFA FTI Secretariat
Tel: +1 202 473 8302, Email: akonate@educationfasttrack.org
Angela Bekkers, EFA FTI Secretariat
Tel: +1 202 458 8831, Email: Abekkers@educationfasttrack.org