JULIA Gillard has pledged to spend $500 million over the next five years to build schools in Indonesia.

The Prime Minister’s gift came as she declared the key to improving relations between Australia and Indonesia would come through education.

It dramatically increases education assistance Australia already provides to Indonesia.

Australia hopes this will help stamp out so-called terror schools where students are taught to hate the west.

“My firm belief is the future of our two countries will be determined largely by what is happening in the schools of each of our nations today,” Ms Gillard said.

Under the announcement, Australia’s $500 million will support the Indonesian Government’s goal of providing nine-years of school education to every child.

The money will help build or expand 2000 schools and support 1500 Islamic schools to upgrade to meet national standards.

Australia also is helping improve the quality of school management in Indonesia and education research.]

About 330,000 Indonesian children are estimated to now have access to school because of Australia.

Ms Gillard also announced Australia would give an extra $1.1 million to increase assistance for the recent tsunami and eruption of Mount Merapi to $2.1 million.

“We are two nations that have had strong partnerships in the past when each of us have had natural disasters,” she said.

Ms Gillard thanked Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for Indonesia’s support after Victoria’s Black Saturday bushfires.





Originally published as PM's $500m for Indonesian schools