Basic Education

Accessible, good quality education is crucial in fighting poverty effectively. It reduces the risk of social exclusion, enables people to develop, earn an income, gain control over their lives and take part in society. Good education promotes social and economic development in a country. For this reason, education is at the centre of Dutch development co-operation policy.

The Netherlands supports developing countries that develop and implement, preferably  sector-wide, education plans. We co-operate with other countries, international organisations and civil society organisations in the Netherlands and abroad. The common goal is to ensure that by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, are able to attend and complete their schooling, and to eliminate gender disparities in primary and secondary education.

The Dutch education budget is growing. As from 2007, 15% of the total development budget will be spent on basic education in developing countries. The money will mainly be spent on improving access to and the quality of basic education, on promoting literacy and on basic vocational training.

In Bangladesh, the Netherlands supports formal and non-formal basic education programmes. The budget for education in 2007 will  be € 28 million.

The Netherlands supports the Government of Bangladesh’ second Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP II, 2004-2009): a comprehensive programme of support for formal primary education. The programme focuses on (i) organizational development and capacity building, (ii) quality improvements in schools and clas