Australia pledges K385 million to global education fund, with PNG among beneficiaries

Australia has pledged approximately K385 million to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), a multilateral initiative that supports education systems in partner countries, including Papua New Guinea (PNG) and other Pacific nations.

Australian Minister for International Development Anne Aly announced the commitment, reaffirming Canberra’s support for expanding access to quality education and improving learning opportunities for children and young people.

“Education opens doors and helps build stronger, safer and more resilient communities,” Aly said.

The GPE is the world’s largest multilateral partnership dedicated exclusively to education. Its work focuses on helping partner countries strengthen education systems and improve learning outcomes.

What the funding means for Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea has been a GPE member since 2010. Australia’s contribution is expected to support the partnership’s education priorities in PNG and across the Pacific, although the announcement does not specify how much of the new pledge will be allocated to PNG.

Australia said its cumulative commitment to GPE since 2007 would reach approximately K2.7 billion. The latest investment will support the organisation’s work over the next five years.

The announcement comes amid Australia’s broader education partnership with PNG, covering school education, secondary schooling, technical and vocational skills, scholarships and institutional cooperation.

Australia’s wider education support

Australia has also increased its bilateral education assistance to PNG. Its Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says the country’s education investment is being raised from A$75 million to more than A$100 million annually over four years.

The programme focuses on access to education, student retention and learning outcomes, with particular attention to girls, children with disabilities and pathways from foundational learning to secondary, technical and higher education.

Separate initiatives include the Smarter Safer Schools programme, a four-year A$33 million partnership involving Australia, PNG and UNICEF. It is designed to strengthen school leadership, teacher capacity, digital learning and safety across 600 schools in six locations.

These programmes operate alongside Australia’s support for GPE, which works across multiple partner countries rather than serving PNG alone.

Focus on learning outcomes

The latest pledge reinforces Australia’s commitment to multilateral education funding while its bilateral programmes address specific needs in PNG.

The effectiveness of the investment will depend on how resources are translated into stronger education systems and better learning outcomes.

The announcement did not provide a country-by-country breakdown of the new GPE funding or specify individual projects that will receive support in PNG.