Education donors from around the world took part in a Joint Government of Tonga and Aid Donor Education Conference in Nuku'alofa from May 31- June 3.

Participants included Dr Bob Teasdale, the Director for Pacific Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of Basic Education (PRIDE) based at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji.

Also attending was Michael Ward, an Education Adviser from New Zealand.

The purpose of the conference was to discuss the Government of Tonga...’s Educational Policy Framework, the Ministry of Education Corporate Plan for 2004-7 and the Annual Management Plan 2004-5, with the view to assist its aims of improving the quality of education thus increasing access to education and improving the efficiency of its systems.

Participants consisted of representatives from key education donors like NZAID, AusAID, Japan (JICA), European Union, World Bank, Asian Development Bank and the Regional Initiatives for the Delivery of Basic Education (PRIDE).

Local attendants included key education people from Government, mission churches and private sector.