[KOICA Signs Agreement with the Educate Above All Foundation to

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[20.May.2015]
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[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.