In Asia, where a net enrolment ratio above 90% has already been reached in 15 countries, EU aid helps to improve primary school completion rates as well as the quality of education. It also promotes gender equality in secondary education, particularly in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Cambodia and Indonesia. In Bangladesh, EU funds are also closing gaps in primary education. In 2011, the EU continued to support the implementation of education reform in Pakistan, and initiated a new programme in Turkmenistan designed to provide technical assistance for the modernisation of the education system. Teacher training is being reviewed and innovative learning and teaching methods introduced, in order to bring the education system into line with international standards.
The European Development Fund (EDF) covers the 79 African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and Member States’ overseas territories. It addresses education under the heading “human and social development”. The tenth EDF has a total budget of €22.6 billion for the period 2008-2013. It falls outside the EU’s general budget, funded by Member States under the Cotonou Agreement of 2000, but is managed by the Commission.
The European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI) is governed by Regulation No 1638/2006 and has a total budget of €12 billion for the period 2007-2013. It provides funding for 17 countries in the EU’s Eastern and Southern Neighbour-hood, including Russia. Education falls within one of its four axes of cooperation. Since many ENPI countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territory and Tunisia, have reached school enrolment and completion rates of more than 90%, most of the ENPI funding focuses on higher education.
Be the first to write a comment.