Funding that will support the drafting of a Child Protection Policy for Tonga, and also help with education tsunami recovery and to expand remote learning, was agreed in Nuku'alofa on 1 November.

The Government of Tonga signed a Standard Sub-Grant Agreement with Save the Children Australia, and the Ministry of Education and Training for the disbursement of funds allocated for delivery of the activities identified by the SCA-MET partnership.

The Prime Minister's Office stated that Government had applied for the Tonga Volcano Recovery Program for an amount of US$300,000 and the agreement will guide the disbursement of that fund.

Prime Minister Hu’akavameiliku and Minister for Education signed the agreement with Ms Malmee Weerasiri, SCA’s Regional Operations Director to the Pacific, witnessed by the Australian High Commissioner HE Rachael Moore.

The Australian High Commission stated three agreements were signed.

Australia has provided funding for these agreements which will support drafting of a Child Protection Policy for Tonga (ANCP Child Protection Project); responding to education priorities from the impacts of Hunga-Tonga Hunga-Ha’apai (through the Australian Humanitarian Partnerships) and COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Activation; and strengthen and expand remote learning in Tonga under the recently approved Global Partnership for Education (GPE) accelerated grant.

Also present was the new Minister for Finance Hon Tiofilusi Tiueti, Ministry of Education CEO Dr Tangikina Moimoi Steen, Mr Daisuke Kanazawa from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), and Save the Children Australia representatives.