PARIS: Malaysia is extending the education funding programmes for nations in Asia Pacific and Africa through a collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which initiatied a decade ago, to June 2019.
Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid said the move is meant to ensure the continuity of the project, mooted by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in 2009, which has benefited the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) located in the Asia Pacific region and Africa.
The government’s commitment to extend the Malaysia Funds-In-Trust under the Malaysia-Unesco Cooperation Programme (MUCP) was conveyed to former French culture minister Audrey Azoulay, who has been nominated for Unesco director-general to succeed Irina Bokova during their meeting here.
"The Malaysia Funds-In-Trust have benefited the countries concerned through 26 projects and programmes which were carried with the collaboration of Unesco.
"Through the Malaysia-Unesco Cooperation Programme (MUCP) funding initiative, Malaysian academicians and institutions have been mobilised to help the countries under the Category 2 Centres and South-South Cooperation," he said.
The establishment of MUCP had been announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak during the 35th session of Unesco General Conference in 2009 with US$5 million allocation and a subsequent annual allocation of US$1 million.
Mahdzir said more than 26 projects and programmes have been implemented following the inking of the MFIT Agreement in 2013.
He added Azoulay has expressed Unesco’s appreciation on the role played by Malaysia in contributing towards sustainable development through education programmes under the initiative.
"She truly appreciates Malaysia's proactive role in contributing towards the education development in the Asia Pacific region and Africa through the funding initiative through our close collaboration with the Unesco.
"She wishes to further strengthen this collaboration and expressed her interest to visit Malaysia in the near future," he said.
On a similar note, Mahdzir added that besides providing a funding for the programme, many developing countries have shown keen interest in learning more on the Malaysia's National Education Blueprint 2013-2025.
He said the countries concerned are looking at the blueprint to develop their education system, citing an example the Bhutan government with has adopted the blueprint for the country.
"Bhutan for example has adopted our education blueprint and this showed that our effort in transforming the country education has earned the recognition from other nations," he said.
Mahdzir is representing Malaysia, which is a Unesco executive board member, in the 39th Unesco general assembly which begins Wednesday in his capacity as the Education Minister.
He is also scheduled to receive a courtesy visit from Pakistan's Federal Education and Professional Training minister Muhammad Baligh-Ur-Rahman, at the sidelines of the general assembly.