The New Zealand government has committed a further 12 million US dollars to Tonga for education.
The grant is part of a joint commitment for a development agreement signed by the New Zealand foreign minister, Murray McCully, and Tonga's acting prime minister, Samiu Vaipulu, in Nukualofa today.
Annell Husband reports.
"Jocularity around September's Rugby World Cup match between Tonga and New Zealand provided the backdrop for today's signing at the foreign affairs ministry. Mr McCully says under the agreement New Zealand will aim to boost its amount of aid spending through programme-based approaches while working with other donors, such as Australia, to pool resources or align projects. The agreement targets several priority sectors - energy, private sector development tourism, police, budget support and education. The education minister Ana Taufe'ulungaki says the five-year grant will be spread across four areas: teacher training, curriculum reform, new programme such early childhood, and policy development. Mr McCully says annual assessments will measure the impact on children's learning."
