MORE than 70,000 students in 45 of the most disadvantaged schools in Fiji will have their education needs met by increased funding provided by AusAID.
AusAID has announced it will double its aid to Fiji to $65.6million ($A36m) from $33.7m ($A18.6m).
AusAID director general Peter Baxter made the revelation this week, saying this meant AusAID would help these schools buy books, uniforms and other essential material over the next five years.
"We will improve hygiene standards in those schools and we will upgrade school buildings and make them accessible for children with disabilities who are often the most disadvantaged in our communities," Mr Baxter said.
He said AusAID would provide more scholarships to Fiji students to study in Australia.
"Those scholarships will target the areas where Fiji can use help like economic growth, rural development and agriculture, climate change, health, education, international trade and public sector management and reform.
"Over the last two years we've doubled our scholarships from 20 to 40 and we're going to double them aging in the next two years from 40 to 80."