Hillary wants to "take a really big village."
Clinton looks to boost funding for third-world students
BRENDAN McGARRY , The Saratogian 04/21/2004
WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., unveiled legislation Tuesday to increase funding for education in developing countries from $300 million to $2.5 billion by 2009.
The bill, proposed in an address to the New York City-based Council on Foreign Relations, is designed to help provide basic education for all children throughout the world, according to a news release from the senator's office.
'It's about being smart,' Clinton said. 'Because in today's world, we are all more secure when children and adults around the world are taught math and science -- instead of hate.'
More than 100 million children ages 6-11 in developing countries are out of school, according to the release.
Clinton's 'Education for All' proposal authorizes $500 million in 2005, up from $300 million now, to $2.5 billion by 2009. The funding would be directed to countries with national plans to get all children in school.
A representative from Clinton's office said the funding would come from both the public and non-governmental organizations.
The United States and more than 180 governments committed to the goal of universal education in April 2000 at the World Education Forum in Dakar, Senegal, according to the release.
The United Nations' Millennium Development Goals call for universal primary education by 2015.
Total education aid to developing countries totals $1.5 billion per year, according to a World Economic Forum report also released Tuesday. An additional $5.6 billion is needed annually to meet the U.N. goal.
The bill also amends the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to establish education in developing countries as a priority of U.S. foreign assistance efforts. It has not yet been formally introduced to the Senate. |
