§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is currently giving to developing countries to improve the quality of primary education. [79531]
§ Clare ShortOur education programmes for developing countries in support of the international goals of universal primary education and gender equity in primary and secondary education include agreements on policies which ensure that our assistance has a beneficial and sustainable effect, and that quality is not compromised in pursuit of the quantified development targets.
Where required, we provide technical assistance to address quality issues such as teacher training and the curriculum, and make substantial contributions to quality 672W in the form of books and learning materials. In Uganda and India, we are supporting the development of appropriate and good quality schools and classroom learning environments as part of our wider support to primary education in those countries.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support her Department is giving to developing countries to meet the target of universal primary education by 2015; and what progress has been made to date. [79524]
§ Clare ShortIn our White Paper we undertook to seek to meet the target of universal primary education by 2015. We have committed over £200 million to basic education in a number of countries including Ghana, India, Zambia, Malawi, South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and our largest ever single education pledge of £67 million for Uganda. These and substantial new programmes under development will contribute to the international target for universal primary education. It is too early to report progress towards the development goals. DFID programmes cannot be measured in isolation. Progress will be monitored through international education statistics collated and published by UNESCO and other multilateral organisations, including the OECD.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to increase the proportion of bi-lateral aid invested in primary education. [79518]
§ Clare ShortAs we set out in our White paper, we are committed to the international development targets, including Universal Primary Education by 2015. In the Government's first year in office (1997/98), we spent over £13 million of bilateral funds on primary education. This was an increase of £5 million over the previous year. Subsequent major commitments of over £200 million, plus new programmes currently being developed in a number of countries, amounting to at least £200 million will substantially increase the proportion of our bilateral assistance invested in primary education.