MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
McMullan
Australia will help the Philippines to ensure public schools reach and maintain higher standards of basic education and increase young Filipinos' access to education.
We will provide a $41 million development assistance grant over four years (2007 - 2011) through a World Bank trust fund in support of the Government of the Philippines' basic education reforms.
Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, said the funding will support the construction of teaching and learning resource centres across the country, including classrooms and teaching materials in disadvantaged elementary schools in the Southern Philippines.
'Australian education development assistance to the Philippines is focussed on improved schooling in the Southern Philippines, a region that has suffered due to conflict,' Mr McMullan said.
'Australia is a lead international donor in basic education in the Philippines and is taking part in discussions on reform of the sector.'
Australia has provided about $570 million in development assistance to the Philippines in the past decade. It is estimated that under the new Australia-Philippines Development Assistance Strategy, Australia will provide more than $100 million to the Philippines in 2007-08.
Media contacts:
Sabina Curatolo (Mr McMullan's Office) 0400 318 205
AusAID Public Affairs 0417 680 590