Somalia’s regional state of Puntland on Monday secured a 5.6-million-U.S.-dollar grant from Global Partnership for Education (GPE), which works with developing countries to ensure quality basic education for children.
A statement from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said the funds will be implemented by the Puntland ministry of education to address the northeastern state’s wide-ranging education needs and challenges.
UNICEF Representative in Somalia, Steven Lauwerier, said the key investment in educating children in Puntland is critical for their future well-being and for building a prosperous and peaceful Somalia.
“There is a huge demand for education. Families know how important it is and we are moving forward with building on our positive partnership with the Puntland ministry of education,” Lauwerier said.
The grant aims at strengthening the quality of teaching and learning through teacher training, producing learning materials and addressing financial barriers to access education with scholarships.
The grant is expected to support 2,650 children from the poorest households.
In Puntland there are still some 200,000 children not in school and who need to be reached. Enditem
Source: Xinhua/NewsGhana.com.gh
