Zanzibar Receives $1.5 Million Grant from Global Partnership for Education to Ensure Safe Return of Over 520,000 Children to School

Strategic Insights -

The Government of Zanzibar has received a $1.5 million grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to support efforts to ensure that more than 520,000 children safely return to school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant is part of GPE's $500 million COVID-19 response plan to mitigate and respond to the pandemic's disruptions to education.

Key Takeaways:

  • The grant will support the development of a back-to-school campaign targeting students who are at-risk of dropping out.
  • Schools will be equipped with adequate hand washing facilities and water disinfectants to prevent the spread of infections.
  • UNICEF will support the Government of Zanzibar in planning, fiduciary oversight, quality assurance, and reporting.
  • The GPE grant will also enable the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training to work with other stakeholders to produce lessons for online and home learning and develop a digital learning assessment platform.
  • The grant aims to support two main areas: Mitigation and Response during the crisis phase, and Recovery phase for the period of school reopening.
  • The grant is closely aligned to Zanzibar's existing education sector plans and the National Education Response and Recovery Plan for COVID-19.

Statistics:

  • $1.5 million: the amount of the grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) to support efforts in Zanzibar.
  • 520,000: the number of children expected to safely return to school.
  • $500 million: the total amount of GPE's COVID-19 response plan.
  • 20+ donors and partners: the number of contributors to GPE, including UNESCO, the World Bank, UNICEF, and several country governments.

Sources:

  • "Zanzibar receives commitment from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)" - Press Release.