$2.6 Billion to Continue Reform of Education System

The Government has allocated $2.6 billion for the Education Transformation project in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure.
The funds will finance the continuation of reform activities undertaken by the Education Transformation project.
A little more than $449.6 million will go towards curriculum, teaching and learning support. This component focusses on literacy and numeracy remediation strategies as well as curriculum development. Another $11.7 million will be spent on behaviour transformation activities to address anti-social behaviour. These activities include guidance and counselling programmes in schools, peer counselling, and direct school interventions.
The Ministry of Education will also put $145 million of this allocation towards governance and management. The main objective of this component is the improvement of management systems in schools through board and principal training. The provision for the Teachers Revolving Loan Fund is reflected under this allocation.
Another $30 million will go towards stakeholder participation and communication, which facilitates partnerships in a structured manner, examines parental support and encourages volunteerism. The Ministry also intends to use more than $1.3 billion dollars to upgrade school facilities and infrastructure. The objectives of this component are the rehabilitation and upgrading of schools, space rationalisation of primary and secondary facilities, and improvement of the aesthetics of the physical plants.
Modernisation activities, aimed at decentralising the functions of the Ministry, will also be carried out using a little over $589 million, while $47.1 million will be spent on funding operational support.