Through an additional $2.9 million grant to UNICEF Somalia, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has renewed its commitment to enhancing access and improving the quality of basic education for crisis-affected children in Puntland.
However, these efforts are still limited to urban areas, in which the headquarters of international organizations are located and rarely reach remote areas, who are most in need.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the new funding will play an integral part in supporting the Puntland Ministry of Education, UNICEF and partners to increase equitable access to education, improve the quality of education and strengthen education management systems in Puntland.
The new $2.9 million contribution brings GPE’s funding to Puntland to a total of $13 million for 2020, including $8.8 million to support the education sector and $1.3 million for COVID-19 response in the state.
“GPE’s support for educating children in Puntland is more critical now than ever before,” said Alice Albright, CEO of the Global Partnership for Education. “Families, schools and governments are struggling to cope with the impact of the pandemic. This funding will help get more children in school and learning.”
The additional allocation is designed to support 22,500 vulnerable girls and boys affected by crisis.
Despite efforts to develop education; yet access to education in Puntland is severely limited, and children in remote and rural areas have fewer educational opportunities, with more than 60 per cent of children out of school.
The remote areas, such as the areas of the province of Gardafu in the far north-east of Somalia, have other obstacles Such as off-road and difficult access to local government services
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