Addis Ababa, December 2, 2011 (Addis Ababa) - Australia has pledged 270 million dollars to the Global Partnership for Education over the period of 2011 to 2015, a press statement the Australian Embassy sent to ENA on Thursday said.

The statement said that this Partnership gives millions of children in the world’s poorest countries, including Africa, the chance to go to school.

Some 27 African countries, including Ethiopia have signed up to the Global Partnership, which is supported by Australia, United Kingdom, the Netherlands, UNICEF, UNESCO and World Bank, among others.

Globally, more than 67 million children do not have the opportunity to go to primary schools, it said and adding, half of these children live in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The statement said that over 170 million people could be lifted out of poverty if all students in low-income countries left school with basic reading skills. This equates to a 12 percent cut in global poverty.

According to the statement, without renewed effort, global education goals are unlikely to be reached by 2015.

Australia is committed to do its part, it said and adding by 2015, Australia expects to invest 5 billion dollars in education through its aid program.

Since 2002, the Global Partnership for Education has helped more than 19 million children in 46 countries go to primary schools, including 27 in Sub-Saharan Africa.

It hopes to enroll 20 million children in primary schools worldwide, providing 40 million new textbooks and 500,000 new teachers, the statement said.