Rwanda, once again, is eligible for the US$2.1b fund, according to Julia Gillard, former PM of Australia and chairman of Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
Sixty developing countries, including 37 from Sub Saharan Africa and Asian countries will benefit from the three year fund that supports education in developing countries.
Rwanda has benefited from the grant since 2006, at a tune of $175m, said Education Minister, Prof. Silas Lwakabamba.
From 2011 to 2014, Rwanda received US$70m, which supported the country’s universal access to education program, where over 95% children enrolled into primary.
Gillard, who was attending the Sub-Saharan post 2015 education summit in Kigali, said the new grant will help Rwanda enhance science and technology in education and reduce drop-out rates, train teachers and pay student mentors.
He said Rwanda is on track to achieve the universal primary education and has reached gender parity at primary level.
Rwanda is also allocating a considerable percentage of the national budget to education. Last year, 19% was allocated to education.
Over 60% of the education budget went into primary and secondary education. Open for all Rwandan children, the basic education is free in public schools.
Minister Lwakabamba said the organization’s support has been vital, since Rwanda became member in 2006 and pleased that the country is eligible for the second phase of the grant.
The procedure allows for a country to receive 70% of the approved volume of the grant and 30% once the project is implemented and evaluated.
He did not mention how much Rwanda will receive this time around, but the request will be made in March, 2015.
“We need it to deal with unfinished business in universal education,” Minister Lwakabamba said.
