On 01 October, 2013, a signing ceremony for a project document for the retention of girls in lower secondary schools in the Gambella and Somali Regions took place between the Government of Ethiopia and UNESCO. The project is financed by the Government of Japan through the Japanese Funds-in-Trust (JFIT) for the Capacity-Building of Human Resources via the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The Government of Japan provided 400,000 USD [equivalent to about 7.5 million ETB at the current exchange rate].  

     This project aims to improve the retention of girls in lower secondary schools in the Gambella and Somali Regions of Ethiopia that have a higher national average drop-out rate for girls, and improve their learning outcome as measured by the Ethiopian General Secondary Education Certificate Examination. In this way, through UNESCO, it will contribute to the achievements of MDG goal 3, “eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education by 2015.”

     H.E. Ato Ahmed Shide, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development and Mr. Firmin Edouard Matoko, Director of UNESCO Liaison Office with AUC and ECA signed the document in the presence of Mr. Takehiro Okubo, Minister Counsellor, representing the Government of Japan.

     Speaking on behalf of the Japanese Ambassador, Mr. Okubo called upon project stakeholders for smooth implementation and close cooperation.

     “In the past, the Government of Japan has provided bilateral assistance to the Government of Ethiopia in education and human resource as these are two of our main priorities”, Mr. Okubo said.

     The JFIT is part of Japan’s Overseas Development Assistance Programme, and it is intended to support the capacity-building of human resources in developing countries through UNESCO.

 

01 October, 2013
Addis Ababa