Wikipedia tells us that post politics Julia Gillard signed a book deal with Penguin, purchased a house in Adelaide and was appointed honorary professor at the University of Adelaide. In that job it appears that she is actually going to do real work.

Now she has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Directors of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).

With some billions of dollars to spend and 60 participating nations the prime focus is on 57 million children who don’t go to school. Beyond that GPE advocates for the improvement of the quality of education generally.

Here’s the AAP story, Café Whispers, and Gillard’s own thoughts at the GPE blog.

Given the primacy of education in Gillard’s political philosophy the appointment seems particularly apt. I’m sure she’ll do a fine job and wish her well.

Australia currently provides $30 million pa in funding. They wouldn’t trim their contribution, would they? ‘They’ being Abbott, Bishop, Hockey, Mathias Cormann et al. After all they dishonoured our promise to help build a new parliament for Granada to save a measly $4 million. And to make a point.