Indonesia, Australia and UNICEF to improve education in Papua

Improve education in Papua

“Australia is very pleased to extend our support to education in Papua and West Papua,” the Australia’s Ambassador Bill Farmer.

The Government of Indonesia, Australia and UNICEF signed a new partnership program to improve the quality of primary education in the provinces of Papua and West Papua in March 2010.

“We are committed to ensuring that children in all parts of Indonesia including in Papua and West Papua get the very best education. Supporting regional governments to improve planning and human resource management is crucial for this endeavour,” said Professor Suyanto, the Director General of Primary and Secondary Education Management at the Ministry of National Education.

Australia will contribute A$7 million (Rp 58.9 billion) to UNICEF over the next two years to support both provinces to move closer to achieving universal primary education.

“Australia is very pleased to extend our support to education in Papua and West Papua through this program with UNICEF,” Australia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, said. “The program will give children in some of the poorest and most remote areas of Indonesia an improved opportunity to receive quality schooling.”

“Indonesia has made significant progress towards achieving its basic education targets. While the country as a whole is on track to broadly achieve universal primary education, the situation varies from province to province. UNICEF is committed to supporting Indonesia achieve its goal to ensure all Indonesian children have access to quality primary education,” UNICEF Representative to Indonesia, Angela Kearney, said.

The program will work with the two provinces to develop strategic education plans, and improve teaching and learning practices in more than 800 schools in six selected districts.

The program will also help improve literacy and numeracy teaching in small and remote schools through teacher training and the provision of learning materials.

Source: The Australian Embassy in Jakarta