Muslim and Indigenous Peoples Education Program

The Muslim and Indigenous Peoples' Education Program (MIPEP) will build on the successes of Australian interventions in improving the access of Muslim and indigenous children to quality basic education. AusAID will provide technical assistance to extend nationally: the incorporation of culturally relevant curricula in schools with high numbers of Muslim and indigenous children; train teachers and school administrators to better account for the specific needs of these children; and construct facilities and develop programs to improve access to schools for remote communities. Through this assistance, Australia will maintain its position as a leading donor in education and contribute to improving the education status of Muslim and indigenous children and their inclusion into mainstream Philippine society. At the end of the program it is estimated that 1.1 million Muslim and 700,000 indigenous children in Luzon and Mindanao will have benefited from an education that provides culturally relevant curriculum and teaching materials, is taught by well trained teachers, and is informed by a policy framework that meets the needs of the target communities. It is expected that these interventions will lead to improvements in participation, enrolment, completion, transition, achievement test scores and literacy. The total value of this initiative is $20 million over 6 years.