The Ministry of Education will take over the operations of the Access to Quality Education Program at the end of this month.
It is an Australian funded program that has been working with the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders for the last six years, on improving access to education quality for children living in Fiji’s poorest communities.
Speaking at the handover, Australian High Commissioner to Fiji Margaret Twomey says the handover is a testament to the hard work, collaboration and sacrifice of all involved with the program to improve the lives of Fijian children.
Twomey says the program began its operations in Fiji at the end of 2011, aligning itself to the key pillar of Australia’s aid programs, recognising that access to quality education is every child’s right.
She says their partnership between the government of Australia and the Ministry of Education has contributed to the improvements in quality of the education delivery.
Since 2011, the program has assisted 222 schools which is 25 percent of all primary and secondary schools around the country.
Education Minister Dr. Mahendra Reddy says the collaborations would continue with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and other relevant stakeholders.
Reddy says lessons captured from the Inclusive Education Demonstration Schools assisted the development of the Ministry of Education policy launched on the Inclusive Policy and Implementation Plan for 2017-2020.
Reddy has also highlighted that the program had always responded to support the ministry’s call for assistance.
Australia would continue its support to Fiji’s Education sector over the next five years, administered by the Fiji Program Support Facility.
