The Government has recommitted itself to reducing poverty in the countryside, pledging an estimated LE4.3 billion ($767.8 million) to upgrade 1,000 villages nationwide, Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif said yesterday

.The commitment will be directed to develop infra-structure, and improve health and education services in these villages, the Minister of Social Solidarity, deputising the Prime Minister, told the Second International Conference on Integrated Social Services.As the financial turmoil weighed on the Egyptian economy, Minister Ali el-Messelhi said a partnership between the Governments and the private sector was needed to improve the well-being of residents in 1,000 villages through providing them with more money for development programmes. These programmes include development and agriculture-related projects to improve living conditions for the inhabitants of these villages, which lack infra-structure, health and education services, el-Messelhi said.The Government, he continued, has managed to cope with the global food and economic crises by ensuring social justice through helping the nation's needy.The Government ensures that the subsidised basic goods such as food, transportation, water and energy reach those really in need through implementing social aid programmes, the minister said.According to el-Messelhi, about 63 million persons, most of them civil servants, are ration-card holders and enjoy the current subsidies system.He said that the Government was keen to boost spending on education in the 2009-10 budget in order to ensure that economic development goes hand in hand with manpower development."Upgrading the education is clearly a top priority for the Government," el-Messelhi said, adding that many reforms had been introduced to the Egyptian schooling system to increase competition and equip graduates with the tools needed to face the increasing demands of the job market. Education, he said, is one of the main pillars for Egypt's renaissance and it is a cornerstone for building a modern Egypt that is able to face the challenges of today and make the best use of its advantages and opportunities. Leading article Page 4