Haiti - Education : Irina Bokova salutes the initiative of Michel Martelly for the creation of FNE
Irina Bokova, the Director General of UNESCO has welcomed the launch of the National Fund for Education (FNE) by the president of Haiti, Michel Martelly. The fund, announced on 26 May, is intended to mobilize financial resources to get the most disadvantaged children into school. Representing a potential US$360 million distributed over a period of five years, it is the biggest fund of its kind ever envisaged for out-of-school children.
The FNE is a multisectoral consortium which groups the Haitian government, the private sector, international financial institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It is chiefly composed of a US$0.05-cent deduction on incoming international phone calls and US$1.50 on international money transfers.
"President Martelly has made education his top priority. I salute him for this excellent initiative to reach out-of-school children in the country through the new National Fund for Education. Haiti needs sustainable investments in education to give Haitians the means to rebuild their country. This fund is a clear example of innovative financing to reach the Education for All goals, involving the State, private companies, NGOs and the international community" declared the Director General of UNESCO..
Resources identified so far should allow around 350,000 children to go to school in the first year. Around 1.9 million children in total are expected to benefit from this initiative.
