Australia and Philippines Improve Education System

Minister For Foreign Affairs
Alexander Downer

Australia and the Philippines Building a Better Education System

Australia is providing $10 million to help the Philippines improve the quality of teaching and better educate Filipino children.

Australia's assistance will aim to increase the number of qualified teachers, improve teaching and learning materials and help more students enrol, attend and complete school.

The Philippines is an important regional partner but faces significant development challenges, and the education system has struggled in recent years to maintain its historically high standards. The poor are disproportionately affected by any decline in education access and standards, further reducing opportunities to escape from poverty.

Improving education outcomes in the Philippines is a shared priority of the Philippines and Australian Governments under the recently released Australia-Philippines Development Assistance Strategy 2007-11.

Initial activities will include support for the poorest 20 per cent of schools in the Philippines as part of a package of Australian assistance expected to total over AU$100 million by 2010-11.

This is in line with the Philippines Government's policy agenda and builds on our track record of successful education projects in southern Philippines.

The Philippine Secretary for Education, the Hon Jesli A Lapus, is currently leading a delegation of Philippine education officials visiting Australia to learn from Australian experiences in implementing education sector reform.

ENDS

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