Ireland Aid in Africa is a new information pack for schools developed in line with the revised primary school curriculum by the Foreign Affairs Department in conjunction with the National Committee on Development Education (NCDE).

Aimed at our fifth and sixth class pupils, the exercises and project ideas contained in the pack encourage pupils to develop a basic sense of judgement through a comprehensive social awareness programme.

"It is important that Irish children learn about other peoples and cultures and about how Ireland Aid works in partnership with developing countries to help them improve their lives," the Minister for Overseas Development and Human Rights, Liz O'Donnell, says.

"By developing the critical faculties of children in this way it will equip them to become informed and responsible citizens of our wider world. They will have the confidence and knowledge to feel enabled to influence and shape the future - a more equitable and tolerant future," she says.

At the launch of the information pack at Taney National School in Dublin recently, she reminded teachers of the greater expectations which the society has of them in the process of nation-building: "Teachers face the challenge of developing Irish, European and global citizens for the future ".

The pack explains to students that Ireland Aid is the Irish Government's official development co-operation programme. It provides both long-term and emergency support to developing countries around the world. There are interesting stories about the priority countries and projects being funded in them by Ireland Aid.

These priority countries include Uganda (health projects), Mozambique (education projects) and Tanzania where we are involved in food and food security. Other projects are in Zambia (homes and housing), Lesotho (roads and bridges) and in Ethiopia (water provision programmes).

In recent years, the Government has consistently increased the aid budget. The overall allocation in 1999 was expected to reach £178 million, as against almost £140 million in 1998 - an increase of £38 million.

The NCDE is the agency responsible for creating awareness and understanding of global issues within Ireland and has received an 18 per cent increase in its annual allocation - to £1.2 million this year - from the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Maire Mathews is NCDE co-ordinator and can be contacted at (01) 6620866.