Tuesday, April 12, 2011

UNICEF GRANTS 2.5 MILLION USD FOR EDUCATION

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is to disburse 2.5 million US dollars annually to support the Child Friendly Schools Initiative (CFSI) in Mozambique.This was revealed by UNICEF Representative to Mozambique, Jesper Morcha on the side-line of a four-day Training Seminar on the multi-sector approach of the Child-Friendly Schools Initiative for the Portuguese Speaking Countries, which started on Monday in Maputo. The purpose of the CFSI, which is expected to last four years, is to improve the quality of teaching in primary schools. The initiative also provides care and support to orphans and vulnerable children and helps build new schools.Speaking during the opening ceremony, Education Minister Zeferino Martins said that CFSI started as a pilot project in the central province of Zambezia in 2006, and was later expanded to other provinces.According to Martins, so far the results of the initiative are encouraging in terms of access to schools, pass rates and the involvement of school councils.“We therefore reiterate the importance of the Child Friendly Schools Initiative as a viable platform that will ensure that citizens can enjoy their constitutional right of access to quality education”, said Martins.However, said the Minister, schools are still facing huge constraints and challenges, such as children sometimes being the victims of violence and early marriages, and schools buildings having poor sanitation.In Mozambique, the CFSI is being implemented in the districts of Montepuez and Angoche in the provinces of Cabo Delgado and Nampula respectively, Buzi in Sofala, Changara in Tete, Mossurize in Manica, Maganja da Costa in Zambezia and Chibuto in Gaza.

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