COVID-19 response
Allocation: US$9.44 million
Years: 2020-2022
Grant agent: UNICEF
Key documents:
The grant will support:
- Distance learning for all students through TV, radio, and online platforms
- Timely and accurate information on health and hygiene measures sent to teachers, students and parents through the dissemination of key messages on TV, radio, and via SMS
- Learning materials distribution to the most vulnerable students, including those living in remote areas, those attending flexible open and distance education (second chance education centers), and children with disabilities
- Teachers training on delivering remote lessons, conducting psychosocial well-being assessments with students, and distributing learning materials
- A national back-to-school campaign to promote students’ return to school and back-to-learning incentive kits for students and teachers
- Installation of handwashing stations and toilets and distribution of school hygiene kits
- Booster classes to bring students up to date with the curriculum
These initiatives are based on the Ministry of Education’s COVID-19 response plan.
In late March 2020, the UNICEF office in Papua New Guinea received a GPE grant of US$70,000 to support the Ministry of Education in planning its response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Education in Papua New Guinea
In 2015, PNG operationalized a national education plan (NEP) for basic education. The plan which originally covered the years 2015-2019, was recently extended until 2020 and identifies six focus areas for interventions:
- Access and equity
- Teachers and teaching
- Learning
- Alternate pathways (including TVET)
- Local management
- System strengthening.
Gender equality is also a cross-cutting theme reflected across the entire plan and its implementation.
The plan provides strategic direction for an integrated approach to education and focuses on improving the quality of education for all. The NEP was endorsed by all partners including civil society organizations in 2017 following an independent appraisal.
In 2017, PNG revived the education sector improvement program (ESIP) committee as the local education group in the country.
The purpose of the ESIP committee is to facilitate effective and efficient education development in PNG through better information exchange and coordination between the National Department of Education and development partners working in the education sector.
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Latest grant
The Boosting Education Standards Together in PNG (BEST PNG) Program is financed by a US$7.4 million grant that includes US$3.2 million from the GPE Multiplier, which mobilizes US$10.6 million in additional co-financing from the government of Japan.
The program has the following components:
- Primary in-service teacher training in maths and science
- Update primary pre-service maths and science curriculum
- Expand the number of female maths and science teachers
- Improve equity, efficiency and learning outcomes
- Improve access to maths and science textbooks:
- Primary maths and science textbooks and teacher’s manuals for grades 3-6
- Elementary maths textbooks and teacher’s manuals for the six most disadvantaged provinces in terms of remoteness and numeracy learning outcomes
- Program management and monitoring.
Additional financing of US$0.45 million approved in 2021 supports implementation of program components 1, 3 and 6.
The program is fully aligned with the country’s educational priorities and strategies, and benefits from strong national and development partner ownership.
Grants
All amounts are in US dollars.
| Grant type | Years | Allocations | Utilization | Grant agent | |
| COVID-19 | 2020-2022 | 9,440,000 | 5,148,337 | UNICEF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program implementation and Multiplier | 2019-2023 | 11,020,000 | 3,692,262 | Save the Children UK | Progress report |
| Program implementation | 2011-2015 | 19,200,000 | 19,200,000 | WB | Completion report |
| Program development | 2018 | 127,770 | 127,770 | Save the Children UK | |
| Total | 39,787,770 | 28,168,369 |
As part of its investment in civil society advocacy and social accountability efforts, GPE’s Education Out Loud fund is supporting the Papua New Guinea Education Advocacy Network (PEAN) for the 2019-2021 period.
This builds on 11 years of Civil Society Education Fund (CSEF) support to national education coalitions for their engagement in education sector policy dialogue.
GPE had provided the Papua New Guinea Education Advocacy Network (PEAN) with a grant from the CSEF to support its engagement in education sector policy dialogue and citizens’ voice in education quality, equity, and financing and sector reform.