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<p>DFID continues to support and promote the important work of these Commonwealth
organisations.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>DFID is the UK government member of the
Commonwealth Local Government Forum (CLGF) and supports their programmes to strengthen
local democracy and improve local government service delivery in Southern Asia, Western
Africa and Southern Africa. We are also working with the CLGF on their plans for their
annual conference in June 2015.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The DFID Head of Education
Profession plays an important role as the UK Board member for the Commonwealth of
Learning (COL) and we continue to work closely with COL to help the promotion of their
work at the forthcoming Commonwealth Conference of Education Ministers in June 2015.
DFID is also funding an evaluation of COL’s work in learning for development from
2006 to 2015 which is designed to help improve its future impact in Commonwealth developing
countries.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission is
a Non-Departmental Public Body with DFID as its sponsor department. DFID continues
to support the Commission in its work to manage the UK’s contribution to the Commonwealth
Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, an international programme that provides over 900
scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. As the UK’s
leading scholarship programme for international development, 87% of award holders,
supported in the last year have come from low or lower middle income countries with
around 95% of award holders returning to influence the development of their home countries.
CSC produce an Annual Report which details the scholarships and fellowships supported
during the year. Their latest report for the period ending 30 September 2014 was laid
in both libraries of the House in December 2014. In the build up to the Conference
of Commonwealth Education Ministers in June 2015 we will be working with CSC to highlight
and promote the role that UK scholarships have throughout the Commonwealth.</p><p>
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