Papua New Guinea’s government and key international partners have launched a US$12.18 million education initiative aimed at accelerating national school reforms and improving learning outcomes for children across all provinces.

The new TOGETHER Programme, funded through the Global Partnership for Education’s System Transformation Grant and System Capacity Grant, will support implementation of PNG’s 1-6-6 school restructuring reform and rollout of the Standards-Based Curriculum under the National Education Plan 2020–2029.

The programme is led by the National Department of Education, with UNICEF as Grant Agent and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as Coordinating Agency, in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

Education Secretary Dr Uke Kombra said the grant strengthens PNG’s ability to deliver the 1-6-6 reform effectively by investing in teachers, improving curriculum delivery and reinforcing planning systems.

“Every child in Papua New Guinea must have the opportunity to learn and succeed.”

The country has more than 2.8 million learners across preparatory, primary, secondary and alternative pathways such as TVET and FODE, but faces persistent challenges in foundational learning, retention and completion, especially in remote and underserved communities.

GPE Chief Executive Officer Laura Frigenti said PNG was taking “bold steps” to strengthen its education system, while JICA’s Chief Representative Matsuoka Hideaki stressed that stronger coordination among partners was essential to sustainable reform.

The grant builds on PNG’s education partnership compact signed in early 2025 by the government and 17 partners, aligning support behind the complete rollout of the 1-6-6 restructuring reform as the country’s top education priority.

As Grant Agent, UNICEF will oversee programme coordination and financial management to ensure investments translate into measurable classroom improvements.

UNICEF Acting Representative Vikas Singh said strengthening teacher capacity, learning materials and data-driven decision-making would create conditions for children to thrive.

Officials said the launch signals a shared commitment by government and partners to inclusive, equitable and quality education, ensuring sustained progress for children and communities nationwide.