The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

BRAC's founder-chairperson Fazle Hasan Abed has announced a commitment of $ 271 million for providing education opportunities to 7.5 million children and youth in Asia and Africa over the next five years.

The commitment was made on Wednesday, the first day of the three -day Clinton Global initiative annual meeting held in New York, as the world leaders gathered there to address the earth's most pressing problem, a BRAC press release said here on Thursday.

BRAC has partnered with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Novo Foundation and the BRAC, USA to mobilise resources and provide a continuum of innovative educational opportunities for poor children, especially girls in Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Tanzania, Uganda and Southern Sudan.

The programme is expected to reach 7.5 million beneficiaries through pre-primary, non-formal primary and secondary schooling as well as skill training and undergraduate and advanced degrees relevant to the needs of developing countries.

BRAC will spend $51.8 million in 2008 and build up to $ 271 million by 2012, of which $ 221 million will be spent in Bangladesh, $21 million in Afghanistan, $12 million in Uganda, $11 million in Southern Sudan and $6 million in Tanzania, the press release said.

"We feel that it is vitally important that children experience meaningful learning and enjoy education for their well-being and the future of their countries. We need to focus on the next generation and invest in them to create sustainable foundations for growth, poverty alleviation and peace," Abed said as quoted by the press release.

In Bangladesh, over 1.5 million children are currently enrolled in BRAC's more than 20,000 pre-primary and 32,000 primary schools, and nearly 4 million children have already graduated.

BRAC also runs over 8,000 adolescent development centres and more than 1400 community libraries, the press release also said.