Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop Visits Mindanao
Davao City – Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop MP announced Australia’s new flagship education initiative in southern Philippines, Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao.
Working in partnership with the Government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Australia will provide A$90 million (PHP3.4 billion) over nine years to support conflict-sensitive quality basic education services in the ARMM.
Australia’s investment will improve equity and performance in basic education by children in the ARMM that will contribute to more resilience, stability, peace and prosperity in the region.
The ‘Pathways’ program complements Australia’s long-standing cooperation with the Philippine Government on peace, stability and education reform. In Mindanao, Australia has previously supported the Basic Education Assistance to Mindanao program (BEAM, 2002-2009); the Philippines Response to Indigenous Peoples’ and Muslim Education program (PRIME, 2011-2014); and the Basic Education Assistance to Muslim Mindanao program (BEAM-ARMM 2012-2017).
While in Davao, Minister Bishop also met with beneficiaries of BEAM-ARMM, including teachers trained in English, math, and science in support of national implementation of the K to 12 Program; former out-of-school youth (OSY) who are now graduates of technical and vocational training courses; and some of the young students of Tahderiyyah centers.
Text from dfat.gov.au. Photos sourced from Rappler and Philstar.
