Australia Yearbook - 2009-10

Asia-Pacific region. Of the region’s 3.8 billion
people, over half do not have access to sanitation,
and an estimated one billion people still lack
electricity.
Australia’s direct spending on infrastructure and
water and sanitation will increase to over $560
million in 2009–10, or approximately 15 per cent
of total ODA, up from $350 million in 2007–08.
This includes the first year of the new Economic
Infrastructure Initiative ($454 million over four
years) introduced in the 2009–10 Budget.
Increased funding will help partner governments
maintain and enhance investments in essential
infrastructure, while generating jobs and
improving service delivery, in response to the
unfolding global recession. Major components of
infrastructure assistance in 2009–10 will comprise
support for transport (45 per cent of total
infrastructure expenditure), water and sanitation
(30 per cent) and energy sector development (12
per cent).
Australia’s support for transport infrastructure
focuses on improving access to markets and
essential services. Major programs are underway
in Indonesia, the Philippines, the Greater Mekong
sub-region, East Timor, Papua New Guinea and
the Pacific.
Education
The number of children enrolled in primary
school worldwide has risen from 647 million to
688 million over the six year period from 2000.
However, there are still 75 million children of
primary school age who are not enrolled. Over 27
million of these children live in Asia and the
Pacific. Children who miss out on a full basic
education are overwhelmingly poor, female,
living in remote locations, from ethnic minorities
or with disability.
The Australian Government recognises the power
of education as an investment that helps
individuals achieve their potential and societies to
be stronger and more productive. Investments in
education will increase to over $690 million in
2009–10, or approximately 18 per cent of total
ODA. Approximately one third of education
sector expenditure relates to strengthening
higher education and the provision of
development scholarships. The majority of
education expenditure relates to basic education
and education system strengthening. Support for
technical and vocational education currently
comprises about nine per cent of total education
expenditure.
In 2009–10 Australia will strengthen national
education systems in Indonesia, Papua New
Guinea, the Philippines, East Timor, Bangladesh,
Fiji, Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati and Laos. Programs
are tailored to partner country circumstances and
priorities. They include provision of quality
teaching and learning materials; teacher training;
the use of school-based grants; and support for
education sector governance and the
construction and refurbishment of schools and
classrooms; improved information systems,
education planning, budgeting and management.
Australia’s education assistance will also reach the
disadvantaged and marginalised, including
through the provision of more equitable access to
quality education for girls and boys with
disabilities, and those in disadvantaged Muslim
and Indigenous Peoples’ communities in the
Philippines. In collaboration with UNICEF,
Australia will support improved education for
disadvantaged communities in Papua, in
Indonesia. In the Pacific, Australia will continue to
help develop livelihood skills through existing
and new programs in Tonga, Kiribati, Samoa and
Fiji. The Australia-Pacific Technical College, which
has campuses in Fiji, Samoa, Papua New Guinea
and Vanuatu, is on track to deliver 3,000
graduates (trained to Australian standards) by
June 2011.
Scholarships
Through the Australian Development
Scholarships program, Australia provides around
1,000 new scholarships annually in tertiary and
higher education. This is projected to increase to
an estimated 1,500 by 2011. In addition,
approximately 2,500 Australian Leadership
Awards will be offered in the period to 2011,
involving scholarships and fellowship placements
with Australian host organisations. As part of
Australia’s overall increase in aid to Africa,
Australia will help build Africa’s human resource
capacity through a significantly expanded
scholarships program which will include technical
and vocational training.
In the Pacific, Australia is supporting
enhancement of regional education institutions.
As part of Australia’s investment in improving
Pacific public sector capacity over the next four
170 Year Book Australia 2009–10