Ms Carol Bellamy, Chair of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) visited PNG on Wednesday and Thursday this week.
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GPE is the only global fund providing support for education.
u00a0Australia has recently become the 4th largest contributor to GPE behind the UK, Netherlands and Spain. Last November Australiau2019s pledge of $270m over 2011-2015 was the second highest behind the UK’s US352m (2011-2014).
This month Ms Bellamy is touring existing and potential partners across the Asia and the Pacific to explore how GPE can best support both current and future engagement with all stakeholders.
In Papua New Guinea, the GPE is providing $US19m for the READ PNG Project. This is GPEu2019s first investment in the Pacific.
READ PNG is designed to improve reading skills in elementary and primary schools. Funding is being provided for early grade reading assessments (EGRA) – to establish baselines and inform policy direction; classroom libraries and other educational materials; and related teacher training.
AusAIDu2019s PNG Education Program and READ PNG are complimentary programs, and together will have an impact on improved reading skills for PNG children.
Ms Bellamy will visit Australia later this month.
