Human capital is essential for economic development and unlocking the full potential of PNG's young and growing population. Our investments in people and communities in PNG will support stronger outcomes in education, while promoting better health and nutrition, improved outcomes for women and people with disabilities, and increased resilience, including in the face of a changing climate. This includes a more coordinated place-based approach in some locations, such as Bougainville and Western Province, and along the Kokoda Track, where Australia supports access to essential services and livelihoods activities.
We will boost our overall investment in PNG's education from $75 million to over $100 million (ODA) per year over the next four years, increasing our focus on access, student retention and learning outcomes. We will expand our support for foundational education in PNG as a key pathway to employment through secondary, technical and tertiary education. We will focus on supporting girls' education while also assisting more students to progress to higher education, including through our Australia Awards Program. We will continue to invest in PNG's Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and systems, delivering on the commitments made under the ministerial-level PNG-Australia Joint Statement of Intent on TVET, and to improve the employment outcomes of students from TVET institutions across the country to meet domestic labour gaps and labour mobility opportunities.
In the health sector, Australia will maintain support for essential health services in PNG, to further boost human capital development. We will invest in health facilities where they are critical to provision of services, and work to strengthen health systems to enable the sustainability of our infrastructure investments. We will also continue to support water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives and childhood nutrition so that PNG's children are well-nourished and can thrive.
Our focus on gender equality will be mainstreamed through all key investments and we will prioritise opportunities to support organisations of people with disabilities, working towards long term partnerships that include core funding and capacity building.
Through the PNG Climate FIRST initiative (ODA), we will assist PNG to access international climate finance streams by developing the systems, institutional structures and mechanisms that will attract investment and deliver lasting outcomes. We will continue to work closely with the PNG Government and others to provide timely and effective humanitarian assistance when needed.
Related link
Australia-PNG Development Partnership Plan 2024-2029
Partnerships for Improving Education (PIE)
Partnerships for Improving Education (PIE) is Australia's flagship education investment in PNG, valued at $75 million (2022-27). The program works with PNG to improve access, delivery and quality of education for children.
PIE supports national and subnational governments to develop and implement key education reforms and policies, and focuses on improving literacy and numeracy skills and increased participation in the early grades—with a particular focus on girls and children with a disability. The program also provides students with culturally relevant learning materials, developed by local partners, to help students learn in ways that reflect their own communities.
The program equips teachers with new knowledge and skills, including in-service training to use learning materials, to improve teaching quality in the early grades.
PIE currently operates in Central, Enga, and Sandaun provinces, and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, and trials sustainable approaches that can be replicated across PNG.
Related document
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| PIE Design Document | 2021 | Design |
Learning Enhancement and Access Project (LEAP)
Australia is contributing $16 million to the Learning Enhancement and Access Project (LEAP) (2025-31), to support early childhood education in PNG and improve learning outcomes for Prep to Grade 2 students.
LEAP is being implemented by PNG's National Department of Education, with USD100 million in World Bank loan financing, USD50 million in OPEC Fund loan financing and an AUD16 million Australian grant.
LEAP will complement and expand the reach of Australia's Partnerships for Improving Education (PIE) program, scaling up proven interventions to new provinces, and will help the PNG Government to achieve priorities articulated in its National Education Plan in early childhood education, access, equity, teachers and teaching and quality learning.
Smarter Safer Schools
The Smarter Safer Schools program (2025-29), funded by a $33 million Australian grant and implemented by UNICEF, has been designed to create inclusive and resilient learning environments. It focuses on improving educational outcomes and boosting school retention, especially for girls, children with disabilities and those effected by crises or disasters.
World Bank Programmatic Advisory Services and Analytics (PASA) in Education
Australia has provided AUD9 million to the World Bank, to support reform in PNG's National Department of Education under the PASA program (2022-25). This includes the delivery of an education workplan around four focus areas: i) strengthening teachers' in-service upgrading and certification; ii) improving PNG's overstretched school inspection function; iii) strengthening public financial management capability; and iv) monitoring and evaluation, and improving data systems. In 2024, a fifth focus area on Early Childhood Education (ECE) was added.
Australia Awards PNG
Australia Awards PNG (2023-33) is a 10 year, AUD298 million investment in supporting Papua New Guinea's future leaders and higher education institutions.
Australia Awards scholarships are prestigious international awards offered by the Australian Government to the next generation of global leaders for development. Through study and research, awardees develop the skills and knowledge to drive change by building a pipeline of skilled professionals and leaders to contribute to PNG's economic and social development. This will also help build enduring people-to-people links with Australia.
AAPNG offers scholarships for study in Australia and PNG, as well as several short courses, with the aim of building a qualified workforce, filling human resource gaps and supporting good leadership. Since 2011, Australia has awarded over 6,000 Australia Awards Scholarships to Papua New Guineans. AAPNG supports Australia Awards alumni to continue their professional development and maintain connections with each other and Australian institutions and people.
Through a Higher Education Partnership, AAPNG also works to strengthen the capacity of the higher education sector in PNG to produce quality in-demand graduates and supports PNG and Australia institution-to-institution partnerships and collaborations.
Improved TVET for Employment Project
Australia has provided a $15 million grant to the Improved TVET for Employment Project, which is working to improve employment outcomes for students at ten technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in PNG (2023-30). The USD66.4 million project is being implemented by PNG's Department of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, with a USD50 million loan financing from the Asian Development Bank, a USD4.7 million contribution from the PNG Government and Australia's AUD15 million grant.
The project is working in the priority skills areas of agriculture and construction trades, and is supporting initiatives to:
- enhance the management and governance systems of the colleges;
- provide opportunities for trainers to update their expertise and gain industry currency through placements with employers; and
- develop national training packages consistent with the PNG National Qualifications Framework and PNG's 'National Standards for Programme Accreditation and Industry Needs'.
Related link
Improved Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Employment Project website
Strongim Wok Long TVET (PNG Australia Strengthening TVET)
Australia is a longstanding partner in education and training in PNG, and is investing $80 million (2025–29) to strengthen PNG's TVET system through the Strongim Wok Long TVET (SWLT) program. This initiative will help deliver high-quality, industry-relevant skills training so graduates are better prepared for jobs.
The program focuses on four key goals:
- developing stronger national quality assurance systems for TVET
- highlighting the visible and trusted partnership between Australia and PNG in skills development
- improving diversity and employability of technical college graduates, and
- developing higher quality standards and practices in technical colleges.
Pacific Australia Skills
Pacific Australia Skills is Australia's regional skills program supporting skills for employment, helping to meet PNG's local labour market needs and enabling access to labour mobility opportunities across the region.
Pacific Australia Skills will:
- work with PNG partners to deliver training and qualifications, including Australian accredited courses, through Australian and PNG providers, and help strengthen local training systems, institutions and staff
- build new partnerships between PNG and Australian education and training systems, realising opportunities for deeper integration
- work hand in hand with Australia's other major investments supporting PNG, including the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme on labour mobility (PALM) and the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP).
Pacific Australia Skills builds on the successes of the Australia Pacific Training Coalition, (APTC, 2007 – 2025), including the Skills for Sub-National Growth Investment (SNGI) which expanded the regional APTC program to additional locations in PNg – Mount Hagen, Bougainville and Manus. Combined, APTC and SNGI delivered full Australian qualifications to more than 4,000 Papua New Guineans in the automotive, manufacturing, construction, electrical, tourism, hospitality, health and community sectors.
Related documents
PNG-Australia Transition to Health (PATH)
Papua New Guinea-Australia Transition to Health (PATH), is Australia's primary bilateral health delivery mechanism, valued at $200 million over 5 years (2020 to 2025). PATH aims to strengthen the capacity of Provincial Health Authorities in six target provinces (Western, Western Highlands, West Sepik, East New Britain and Morobe provinces, and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville) to deliver better primary health care. PATH also manages health programs across all 22 provinces of PNG in tuberculosis, malaria, routine immunisations, and sexual and reproductive health, including the Accelerated Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening Program (AIHSS). AIHSS is a partnership between the Governments of PNG, Australia and New Zealand and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, to increase routine immunisation coverage and reduce rates of mortality and morbidity in children, protecting them and their communities against vaccine preventable diseases including measles, polio, whooping cough, and tuberculosis.
Related documents
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Design Document for the PNG-Australia Transition to Health Program | 2019 | Design |
| Accelerated Immunisation and Health Systems Strengthening Program (AIHSS) Evaluation and management response | 2023 | Review and management response |
Health Services Sector Development Program (HSSDP)
The Health Services Sector Development Program ($82.4 million, 2018-2027) is a partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The program delivers essential health infrastructure and strengthens health systems through targeted professional development and training, particularly at the provincial level. HSSDP activities include the construction of 18 health facilities (3 district hospitals, 8 health centres, 1 urban clinic and 6 community health posts) across 14 provinces in PNG and the roll-out of the electronic National Health Information System to all Provincial Health Authorities across PNG.
Related link
Health Services Sector Development Program: Additional Financing Report
ANGAU Hospital Redevelopment
Australia's support for the redevelopment of ANGAU Memorial Hospital in Lae, ($250 million, 2017-2024) will see the hospital become a leading specialist healthcare provider in Morobe Province. Our commitment included funding for capital works and support for health planning, upskilling of clinical and non-clinical staff, rural health infrastructure upgrades and strengthening of the health system. With construction on the main hospital building complete, the next stage will be refurbishment of the GWARE building, which will house the pharmacy and administration. The redevelopment is the single biggest commitment that Australia has made in development assistance in infrastructure for PNG since independence.
Related links
- Joint Understanding on further bilateral cooperation on health, education and law and order
- Deputy Prime Minister's Speech at the Opening of Angau Memorial Hospital Redevelopment on 13 October 2022
World Bank Child Nutrition and Social Protection Project
The Child Nutrition and Social Protection Project (CNSP: 2021-27), is a Government of Papua New Guinea initiative, aiming to address concerning rates of malnutrition in the country. The project combines USD80 million financing from the World Bank with a AUD21 million contribution from Australia. The CNSP aims to improve nutrition in pregnant women and young children through: 1) direct community health activities to reduce stunting, 2) a monthly cash transfer; and 3) advocacy, coordination, monitoring and evaluation. The churches are key implementing partners for the project. The CNSP will operate initially in four districts in four provinces, expanding to 19 districts in eight provinces by the end of the project. This is PNG's first step into a national social protection system.
Key Partners: World Bank Group; PNG National Department of Health; PNG Department of Community Development and Religion; PNG Department of Justice and Attorney General.
Related document
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| World Bank Child Nutrition and Social Protection Project Appraisal Document | 2022 | Design |
Papua New Guinea Women Lead (PNGWL)
The PNG Women Lead (PNGWL) program is Australia's bilateral investment (2023 to 2028, AUD $55 million) supporting gender equality in PNG. PNGWL builds on the success of the Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development initiative (2012 to 2022) and complements the regional initiative, Pacific Women Lead.
The goal of PNGWL is that PNG women and girls, in all their diversity, are safe and equitably share in resources, opportunities, and decision-making with men and boys.
PNGWL contributes to Australia's foreign policy gender equality priorities in the Pacific by:
- Enhancing women's voice in decision-making, leadership and peace building.
- Promoting women's economic empowerment.
- Ending violence against women and girls.
PNGWL is designed to align with PNG's national gender equality policy priorities, enhance in-country ownership and leadership, and promote collaboration across the public, private, and civil society sectors to drive long-term sustainable change in gender equality.
The PNGWL program uses a gender-transformative approach to address the root causes of gender inequalities. It ensures transparency and accountability in its delivery and is based on evidence of what is effective in advancing gender equality within PNG.
The PNGWL has four end-of-program outcomes:
- Selected partners better represent women's voice and interests in targeted areas, including women with disabilities.
- Increased awareness and practice of respectful and safe ways of relating between men and women in target areas.
- Women have improved access to coordinated GBV case management in target areas, including women with disabilities.
- Selected partners expand women's financial decision-making powers and employment opportunities, including women with disabilities.
Related document
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Papua New Guinea Women Lead Investment Design Document | 2023 | Design document |
PNG Climate Finance Initiative for Resilience and a Sustainable Transition (Climate FIRST)
Climate FIRST ($20 million, 2024-28) will assist PNG to tackle climate change by addressing structural and institutional barriers to accessing global climate financing. Climate FIRST will help to boost PNG's ability to build resilience to climate change at the community level, and support PNG's transition to a low-carbon economy.
Australia has engaged the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), to work with the PNG Government to develop investment proposals, improve coordination across key agencies and departments and broker implementation partnerships.
Related document
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Investment Design Document for PNG - Climate FIRST (Climate Finance for Resilience and a Sustainable Transition) | 2024 | Design document |
PNG Disaster Risk Reduction Program
This program supports the Government of PNG in developing fundamental information and practices for the effective response and management of natural hazards. Given PNG's vulnerability to natural disasters this program also supports Australia's preparedness to provide effective humanitarian assistance to PNG if required by incorporating flexibility into our response systems. The Australian Defence Force is also exploring bilateral mechanisms through the program and working with likeminded partners to deepen cooperation in this area.
Related document
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Evaluation of Australia's response to PNG El Nino drought 2015-2017 | 2017 | Independent Evaluation |
PNG–Aus Partnership for Disaster Risk Reduction
Since 2010, Geoscience Australia has been working with Government of PNG technical agencies to strengthen the capacity to monitor and build resilience to natural hazards through the DFAT-funded PNG Technical Disaster Risk Reduction Program
Related document
| Name of document | Year published | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Technical Disaster Risk Reduction Program in PNG Evaluation Report | 2022 | Independent Evaluation |
Australia-Papua New Guinea Subnational Program
The Australia-PNG Subnational Program is the implementing mechanism for four existing program components: the Bougainville Partnership; the Kokoda Initiative Partnership; the Western Province Partnership; and the Subnational Governance Implementation Plan. For each of these components, the program uses a variety of modalities – including grants, joint investments with subnational governments or other partners, direct implementation, research, and technical and advisory support – to deliver coordinated development outcomes and support improved governance and capacity building at the subnational government level. This place-based approach provides a mechanism and governance structure to better coordinate and deliver sectoral investments in specific geographical locations by contextualising local resources and knowledge to maximise impact.
Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)
ANCP is a partnership between the Australian Government and accredited Australian NGOs. For over 40 years, this partnership has contributed to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction in some of the world's poorest countries. ANCP assists 27 Australian NGO projects in PNG.
Related link
Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
ACIAR has longstanding engagement in PNG, and currently supports over 20 projects worth AUD5 million. Research led by ACIAR will support improvements in food supply, food access and rural incomes for smallholders through increased productivity and enhanced access to markets and services.