| New
Zealand gives $0.5m towards Afghan Education
From
Hon Phil Goff, Foreign Affairs Minister of New Zealand
09
December 2002
New
Zealand will provide $500,000 for UNICEF's education programme
in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Phil Goff announced today
from Kabul.
Mr
Goff has made the announcement after meeting with representatives
of UNICEF in Afghanistan.
"Children
in Afghanistan have suffered from years of conflict and
hardship. We have made a commitment to help rebuild Afghanistan
and working with the most vulnerable people is our top
priority.
"UNICEF
has successfully supported the efforts of the Afghan Interim
Administration to rapidly provide learning opportunities
in primary and secondary education. Since the removal
of the Taleban regime, over three million children have
resumed their education, including more than one million
girls previously banned from getting an education.
"New
Zealand's contribution will help UNICEF deliver early
childhood education, teacher training and accelerated
learning classes.
"There
is a vast demand for education at all levels in Afghanistan
and we are targeting areas that we think will make the
biggest different to ordinary Afghan families," said Mr
Goff.
The
funds will come from the official development assistance
programme administered by the New Zealand Agency for International
Development.
This
will bring to $3.1 million the amount New Zealand has
contributed to the rebuilding of Afghanistan since last
year. |
