FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [20.May.2015] Press Office: [+82-31-740-0779] Public Information: [+82-31-740-0246] Email: [[email protected]] [www.koica.go.kr] [KOICA Signs Agreement with the Educate Above All Foundation to Support Out-ofSchool Children] Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has today signed an agreement with the Education Above All Foundation (EAA) in Seoul, Republic of Korea. Mr. Yun Byung-se, Foreign Affairs Minister’s Republic of Korea, and Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Education Above All, attended and witnessed the signing between the partners. This agreement took place on the sidelines of World Education Forum, a major event which convenes representatives from the education community across the world to agree the post-2015global education agenda. The purpose of this agreement is to provide a strategic framework within which KOICA and Educate A Child (EAC), a global programme of EAA will support the implementation of education projects around the world. These will aim to accelerate the enrollment and retention of out of school children in quality primary education. In particular the projects will focus on enabling refugees and internally displaced children to realize their right to a quality primary education. Joint efforts will include designing and implementing joint advocacy and communications activities, in order to raise awareness of the urgency to provide access to education to the 58 million children who remain out of school. Through the 3 years agreement signed today, KOICA and EAA target to allocate US$ 20,000,000 (Twenty Million United States Dollars) for collaboration projects, which the partners have committed to share in equal measure. Commenting on the agreement with EAA, Young-mok Kim, President of KOICA, said: “Education is a fundamental human right and the importance of education for development is confirmed again at the World Education Forum 2015 today. Despite the remarkable progress since 2000, still one hundred thirty million children still struggle to read, write or do basic math while fifty eight million out-of-school children remain deprived of educational opportunities. KOICA works in more than 70 countries to achieve inclusive growth through quality education. The collaboration with Education Above All Foundation agreed today is particularly meaningful in our strenuous efforts to make education every person's right and to help create a virtuous cycle of inclusive growth.” Commenting on the agreement with KOICA, Marcio Barbosa, CEO, Education Above All Foundation, said: “This week marks a decisive moment for the global education community, as policy makers, government and UN officials gather at the World Education Forum in Incheon to discuss the education agenda for the next 15 years. EAA advocates for the 58 million out of school children to remain an item of priority in the next education goal, which can be reached through innovative and committed partnerships between all stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, the private sector and private philanthropists. Today’s agreement with KOICA represents a key collaboration towards providing quality primary education to out of school children for about 200,000 children. Ends About Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Established as a government-funded agency dedicated to grant aid programs in 1991, Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) endeavors to contribute to realizing sustainable socio-economic development by reducing poverty and improving the quality of life in developing countries. KOICA works in more than 70 countries to achieve inclusive growth by quality education. In particular, KOICA assist developing countries in five main programs: Effective Education and Healthy School, Skills and Technology for Work, Knowledge Hub for Development, Professional and Motivated Teacher, Inclusive Education for Disadvantaged Groups. KOICA will continue our strenuous efforts to make education as every person's right and to help create a virtuous cycle of inclusive growth. For more information, visit www.koica.go.kr. About Education Above All (EAA) Education Above All (EAA) is a global initiative founded in 2012 by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser. EAA’s aim is to build a global movement that contributes to human, social and economic development through quality education and other welfare programmes and initiatives. With a particular focus on areas affected by poverty, conflict and disaster, EAA champions the needs of children and youth and empower them to be active members of their communities. By meeting the demand for education, EAA equips them to support sustainable development and to nurture environments of peace, security, justice and prosperity. EAA is the umbrella organisation overseeing three core programmes: Educate A Child, Al Fakhoora and Protect Education in Insecurity and Conflict (PEIC), as well as one special project, the Kakuma/Kenya Project. For more information, visit educationaboveall.org.
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