MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce that Australia will contribute $800,000 to a UNICEF publicity campaign to help children from impoverished Indonesian families at risk of dropping out of school to continue with their education.
The World Bank has estimated that 20 per cent of Indonesia's poorer children may have to leave school because their families cannot afford school fees, or will send them out to work instead.
Such an outcome would have very serious consequences for the children concerned as well as for Indonesia's national development.
The UNICEF 'Back to School Campaign' will use the mass media to raise awareness throughout Indonesia about the support available to families for their children's education.
A popular Indonesian television personality who is also UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador to Indonesia, Rano Karno, will spearhead the publicity campaign.
With the new school year starting in July, maximising the number of school children who re-enrol is an essential element of encouraging a return to stability in Indonesia.
Indonesia's primary school participation rate is more than 90 per cent, and any fall as a result of the recent economic difficulties will pose serious problems for literacy, numeracy and other crucial skills
President Habibie has announced a $390 million campaign, supported by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and other donors, to provide scholarships and subsidies to the poorest students and schools. The Government of Indonesia has taken other steps to help poorer families keep their children at school by, for instance, waiving requirements for school uniforms and school fees for the poorest communities.
Funding for the UNICEF campaign is being provided through the Australian Government's aid agency, AusAID, and is part of the $30 million package of humanitarian assistance for Indonesia that I announced in May this year.
Media contacts:
Innes Willox (Minister's Office) (02) 6277 7500 / 0411 414 695 Matt Francis (AusAID) (02) 6206 4967 / 0417 683 126