KOICA Provides $600,000 Emergency Support to Sri Lanka Ministry of Education

Creating a Safe Educational Environment in Collaboration with UNICEF
Focusing on Northern Regions Affected by Civil War... Protecting Students from COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) announced on the 2nd that it will support the creation of a safe educational environment for children in Sri Lanka who are struggling due to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

On the 1st (local time), KOICA Sri Lanka Office delivered a total of 600,000 USD to the Sri Lankan Ministry of Education through UNICEF as emergency relief for COVID-19 response.

The emergency relief funds supported by KOICA will be used mainly in northern Sri Lanka for primary and secondary schools that require COVID-19 response, including installation of handwashing facilities, distribution of hygiene supplies, production and distribution of safe school operation guidelines, support for online and digital education, and monitoring of school reopening.

The Sri Lankan Ministry of Education has issued a nationwide school closure order since mid-March to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and has been conducting alternative education such as mobile learning and education through public broadcasting. However, concerns are growing that access to education and quality of education vary by region and income, which may have long-term effects on the learning of vulnerable youth in particular.

The Ministry of Education plans to gradually reopen schools starting in July but is facing difficulties in securing funding for safe school operations. In this situation, KOICA’s support is expected to contribute to Sri Lankan students safely returning to school and continuously receiving quality education.

At the fund delivery ceremony held at the UNICEF Sri Lanka office, Kang Yeon-hwa, head of KOICA Sri Lanka Office, said, “We hope this support will help Sri Lankan students continue their education even during the COVID-19 pandemic, and KOICA Sri Lanka Office will continue to provide necessary cooperation for Sri Lanka’s overcoming of COVID-19 as Korea’s representative development cooperation agency.”

Meanwhile, KOICA Sri Lanka Office has been implementing projects to improve the educational environment and capacity building in the northern region, which was affected by the civil war, since 2011. From 2018 to 2022, KOICA has supported a five-year project in cooperation with UNICEF to improve school infrastructure, strengthen teacher capacity, and raise community awareness in northern Sri Lanka.