The World Bank has agreed to grant $50 million to assist in the development of Afghanistan’s education sector, said Education Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Pajhwak Afghan News reported on October 8. The agreement was settled in Washington, where Atmar recently met with World Bank officials to discuss a detailed proposal regarding funding for Afghanistan’s education system. Atmar praised the good news, saying that “for a better future for our country, we need to give top priority to building and strengthening the education sector.” Of the total grant, $30 million will be used to construct schools and provide teacher training, and the remaining $20 million will fund the development of technical education, he said. Canada recently announced it will provide $60 million to the Afghan Education Ministry. The total $110 million demonstrates the international community’s commitment to Afghanistan and their acknowledgement of the role of education in establishing peace and prosperity there, Atmar added. He said a formal approval of the grant by the World Bank is forthcoming.