Australia pledges $3.7 million for UN's RI education programs

Australia pledges $3.7 million for UN's RI education programs

Agence France-Presse
Sydney, Australia

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Monday announced Australia
would commit A$5 million (US$3.7 million) to United Nations
education programs in Indonesia.

Downer said the funds would enable education to reach a
further 624 schools in 13 districts.

United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) and United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
operate the Creating Learning Communities for Children (CLCC)
program in conjunction with the Indonesian government to provide
basic education to young Indonesians.

"The Australian government has a strong commitment to
expanding donor support for basic education in Indonesia,
including in the mainstream Islamic school system," said Downer,
who is in Indonesia to attend the Council for Security Co-
operation in the Asia-Pacific.

"The Australian objective is to ensure the number of secular
schools and madrasah (Islamic schools) under the CLCC program can
reach a critical mass."

The CLCC program also helps district governments to plan and
deliver basic education.

"It is clear the CLCC program is succeeding in meeting some of
Indonesia's basic education needs, including funding, community
support and improving the quality and relevance of education,"
Downer said.