Oslo, June 15, 2016 – Today, the Board of Directors of the Global Partnership for Education approved US$147 million to improve the education of millions of children and youth in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi and the four Caribbean island states of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The grants will support and help implement national or regional education sector plans which provide a blue print for strengthening the countries’ education sectors over the coming years. GPE supports rigorous, inclusive and transparent national planning processes, bringing together education ministries and donors with civil society, international organizations, teachers’ organizations and other education partners.
GPE’s results-based funding model links 30% of grant allocations to the achievement of specific results in learning outcomes, education system efficiency and equity for all children.
“This funding demonstrates GPE’s commitment to support national efforts to educate and empower children to build a better life for themselves,” said Julia Gillard, Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education. “Children, particularly the most marginalized, will benefit from stronger education systems, enhanced learning environments, improved teaching skills and expanded access to schooling.”
The three grants are the first to be approved under GPE 2020, GPE’s new strategic plan for 2016 to 2020. It is firmly based on supporting the new UN Global Goal for education which commits to ensuring equitable, quality education for all.
“GPE’s partnership model focuses on strengthening countries’ capacity to improve equity and access to quality education, and the improvement of teaching and learning,” said Alice Albright, Chief Executive Officer of the Global Partnership for Education. “These grants will help millions of children to go to school, stay in school and learn with qualified teachers.”
The three new grants build on prior achievements and will continue to help strengthening the countries’ education systems:
The grant for the Democratic Republic of Congo amounting to US$100 million will help the government to improve student’s reading skills, ensure children complete primary school and strengthen the governance of the overall education sector. This will include providing textbooks in local languages, supporting early childhood education and improving teacher training. DRC's targets to receive the results-based portion focus on ensuring children don’t drop out in first grade, better reading skills and improved equity through the elimination of fees for all primary schools across the country.
Malawi’s grant of US$44.9 million will focus on the quality of early education and ensuring girls don’t drop out of school. The program will provide school improvement grants, construct schools and sanitary facilities, and offer capacity development for teachers and head teachers to improve school management. Vulnerable populations including girls and children with disabilities will specifically benefit from this program. Malawi's targets to receive the results-based portion focus on retention of girls in upper primary schools, reductions in repetition rates in lower primary education and enhancement of learning environments in early grades.
The four Caribbean states of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have jointly applied for US$2 million under the umbrella of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). The grant will focus on improving the overall quality of education through teacher training and better assessment of student learning outcomes. The grant does not have the result-based portion due to its modest size.
The Board of Directors also approved a Gender Equality Policy, Strategy and Annual Action Plan to support the achievement of GPE’s vision of inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all. The new policy aims at increasing gender equality for all girls and boys in school access, participation and learning achievements, improving gender equality in education, strengthening gender equality in education sector policy and planning processes and ensuring a robust execution of the commitment to gender equality across GPE.
The promotion of gender equality is among GPE’s eight principles and central to its core work over the 2016-2020 strategic plan period.
***
Also see the statement from the Board Chair for more information and watch a video of Julia Gillard announcing the new grants