Charity Aids Foundation
16th September 2009
Unicef has unveiled a £42 million partnership to secure quality education for children in Zimbabwe.
Collaborating with the UK and Zimbabwean governments, the charity hopes the money will be channelled into supporting more than 700,000 young people with high standards of teaching and classroom supplies such as textbooks.
A recent assessment found that there are ten pupils to every one textbook in the country, while 20 per cent (1,060) of schools have no access to books for English, Maths or language.
Senator David Coltart, Zimbabwe Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, said: “The education sector still faces numerous challenges, but the transition fund we launch today is a positive step towards the revival of the sector.
“It is extremely gratifying to see donors, governments and the UN come together to ensure quality education for Zimbabwe’s children.”
The education drive is also being supported by the governments of Australia, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.
Some 85 per cent of Unicef staff work in developing countries, its website states.