The Prime Minister announced today that Australia would almost double the number of scholarships available for East Timorese students to undertake full-time undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Australia.
The number of places under the Government's overseas aid program would increase from 12 to 20 in 2009, at a total cost of around $3 million per year.
Since 1999, 158 scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate studies have been awarded to East Timorese students under the Australian Development Scholarships scheme administered by AusAID.
The Prime Minister made the announcement during a visit to Australia by the Prime Minister of East Timor, HE Mr Kay Rala Xanana Gusmao. The Prime Minister said education was fundamental to economic development and was particularly important to improving opportunities for young East Timorese.
Scholarships play a complementary role to Australia's broader support for education in East Timor as part of the Government's overall aid program, worth an estimated $96.3 in 2008-09.
For the four years from 2008-09, the Australian Government has committed $24 million to support vocational education and help address youth unemployment in East Timor.
Globalisation has made language skills increasingly important in the development of human resources. Australia is examining the need for English language training, and will invest $200,000 this financial year to undertake a scoping study for a language training centre in East Timor.
The Prime Minister also announced today an additional $3.8 million to improve food security in East Timor. This will comprise an additional $1.3 million to support the World Food Program's (WFP's) mother and child nutrition program and an additional $2.5 million for the “seeds of life” joint rural development program. The Government had already this year provided $1 million to the WFP to support its work with mothers and children in East Timor.
The “seeds of life” program is aimed at boosting farm yields through improved crop varieties and associated technologies. The additional assistance will lift Australia's total contribution to the program to $10.5 million between 2008 and 2010.