Minister Power launches “Education for All” Global Monitoring Report

                       An Roinn Gnóthaí Eachtracha               Preas Ráiteas

Department of Foreign Affairs                Press Release

Preas Oifig, Teach Uibh Eachach, Faiche Stiabhna, Baile Átha Cliath 2

Press Office, Iveagh House, St Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2.

Tel:       353 -1- 478 0822                     Fax:      353 -1- 478 5942 / 475 7476

                    Idirlíon/Internet:  www.dfa.ie                      Ríomh Phost/E-mail: press.office@dfa.ie

Minister Power launches “Education for All” Global Monitoring Report

Minister of State for Overseas Development, Peter Power, T.D., today launched the 2009 UNESCO Global Monitoring Report, at the Irish Aid Volunteering and Information Centre in Dublin.  The report, which monitors progress on achieving education for all children in the world demonstrates that the number of children starting primary school has risen sharply since 2000. 

In Sub-Saharan Africa, where the Government’s aid programme, Irish Aid, supports education programmes in six countries, enrolment in primary school rose from 54% to 70% between 2000 and 2006.

The Global Monitoring Report highlights in particular the number of girls attending primary school, a key focus of the Irish Aid programme.  It also demonstrates that in 2006, Ireland devoted 11% of its total overseas aid budget to education, two-thirds of which was focused on the primary sector. Of the 21 aid programmes surveyed, Ireland spent the sixth highest percentage of its education budget on primary education, compared to France (17%), Germany (11%) and Spain (38%).  This is in line with Ireland’s commitment to achieving universal primary education for all children by 2015, a key Millennium Development Goal.

Minister Power welcomed the Minister for Education of Lesotho, Dr. Mamphonon Khaketla, to the launch.  Lesotho is one of Ireland’s nine partner countries for strategic assistance.  80% of the country’s children now attend primary school.  Minister Power warmly welcomed the progress being made in Lesotho towards full enrolment.

Speaking at the launch, Minister Power stated: 

“Education is a fundamental human right and a core priority of Irish Aid.  It is central to the achievement of the core objective of the Government’s aid programme – to reduce poverty, hunger and child mortality in the world’s poorest countries.

“Everyone in Ireland knows the role which education played in fighting poverty and building our own economy.  We are well placed to advocate with real credibility the importance of sustained and planned investment in education.  Irish Aid will continue to focus on education in 2009, supporting our partner countries to meet the challenge of providing schooling for many of the estimated 75 million children who are still out of school.”

Irish Aid is the lead donor to Lesotho’s education sector, where funding is focused on training teachers, rebuilding damaged schools and providing bursaries for orphaned and vulnerable children. Since 1999, Irish Aid has built 29 schools in mountain provinces to improve access.

Minister Power said the successes highlighted in the Global Monitoring Report underscores the impact of targeting primary education and working in partnership with governments:

“In Lesotho Ireland has made positive contributions as the leading donor in the education sector for over 30 years.  Irish Aid has worked in partnership with the Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training and supported programmes which have accelerated expansion of Early Childhood Care and Education, and enabled children affected by HIV & AIDS to continue their education.”

Irish Aid is also strongly involved in improving education in Zambia and Mozambique, where the report showed significant increases in enrolment: In Zambia, primary school enrolment rose from 68% in 1999 to 92% in 2006, while in Mozambique the figure went from 52% to 76% over the same period.

While the Global Monitoring report pointed up significant successes, it also showed that in 2006, some 75 million children – 55% of them girls - were not in school. Huge disparities exist between rich and poor children, particularly with regard to secondary education. In sub-Saharan Africa, some 75% of secondary-school age children are not enrolled in secondary school.

ENDS

*Photos will be circulated by Maxwells after the launch

Notes for Editors

The Government’s White Paper on Irish Aid (2006) recognises that education is a fundamental human right, which is central to development and the primary means by which marginalised children and adults can lift themselves out of poverty, improve their health and create sustainable livelihoods.

Irish Aid has nine partner countries, seven of which are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Irish Aid’s education programmes are focused on Lesotho, Zambia, Uganda and Mozambique, but smaller programmes in Ethiopia and South Africa also receive some support.

Universal primary education was the key commitment agreed by the international community in Dakar, Senegal in 2000 under the banner of the Education for All organisation, which is spearheaded by UNESCO. The Global Monitoring Report records progress in achieving this goal.

The full Global Monitoring Report is available at http://www.unesco.org/en/education/efareport/reports/2009-governance/

Ends+++

Press Office

11 March 2009