Announcement of IDA Credit of 19.5 Million Dollars to Thailand for a Third Education Project on March 15, 1973

(l'r,,. ,i.1.0,,,,, <!',i-> '} '1 •' (~) f .INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 1818 H STREET. N.W .. WASHINGTON 0. C. 2.0433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 IDA Press Release No. 73/12 Subject: IDA credit of $19.5 million to March 15, 1973 Thailand for a third education project The International Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank, has approved a credit of $19.S million to help finance a project designed to increase educational opportunity in the rural areas of Thailand, and to make the educational system more relevant to the conditions in the C01.lll try. The project aims to do this by aiding institutions which are for the most part located in the less-developed areas away from Bangkok, and by placing emphasis on reform of the curricula to increase the teaching of science and practical subjects and to relate primary and secondary education more closely to life in Thailand. A study of how Thailand might best expand the use of • radio and television for education will also be undertaken • The project is the fi.rst in the country to receive IDA funds. has made two loans to Thailand for the education sector. made a $6.0 million loan for vocational education. In 1966, the Bank Another Bank loan of The Bank $15.4 million, approved in 1972, is helping to finance the expansion and improvement of Kasetsart University, the colllltry's leading agricultural university. The project being supported by IDA will aid 10 primary teacher training colleges which will teach agriculture, animal husbandry and rural sociology in addition to the standard subjects. It includes site improvement for, and construction, furnishing and equipping of seven such colleges, and provision of equipment for the remaining three colleges which are already under construction Student places at these institutions will total 20,000. Equipment and furniture will be provided to 32 existing general secondary schools, and building extensions will be made in 21 of these schools, making it possible for them to offer pre-vocational courses in agriculture, home econom- ics, commerce and farm mechanics, starting at grade 10. By that time, students ~ are expected to have an adequate background in science, m?thematics, languages and social sciences. The total number of student placesfin these schools, in- eluding existing places, will be about 46 5 000. /more IDA P.R. No. 73/12 -- Thailand -- education • -· 2 - The project also includes establishment of a National Curriculum Development Center which is intended to play a leading role in curr.i.culum reform, as well as to provide in-service training for school administrators, school inspectors, eclucat'ion planners and teacher trainers.. The service::, of the specialists to be provided to the Center under the project w:i.11 ind.ude work on the design and implementation of new curricula, improvements in th~ system of textbook production and distribution, and studies of the possibility of further increasing the number of sehool day!,J and of shortening the primary cycle .. The ·Faculty of Sc:ience at the Prince of Songkh la tni vers.!.t:: tn southern Thailand will be expanded under the project. The Faculty providcg for the first two years of science courses for students in the fields of engin~erlng, medicine, education and agriculture, and improvemtmts in this Fnc.ulty A.re expected to raise standards in other faculties. Accelerated training programs will be organized in onfar to provide sufficient primary teacher trainers and teachers of science programs. i:..nd subjc.:LtS at secondary level to institutions included in ti.e pi."OjfH.:L funds will finance the servi.ces of specialists who will help organize these practlcal IDA • The project was identified and prepared with the help of Unesco under the Bank/Unesco Cooperative Program and in accordance with a Bank study of Thailand's education sector made in 19 71 .. The project is scheduled for completion in June 1978 at a cost estimated, prior to the recent devaluation of the United States dollar, at $39 million. The IDA credit of $19 ~ 5 million will finance a little under half of the total project costs; the remainder of the funds will be provided by the Government. Since the Prince of Songkhla University does not fall within the juris- diction of the· Ministry of Education, two project units will be set up to execute the project, one at the Ministry and the other at the University .. The IDA credit is being made to the Kingdom of Thaila.nd for 50 years,. including a 10-year grace period, and is interest-f:t'ee except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to cover IDA's administrative expenses. - 0 - • • • March 15, 1973 TECHNICAL DATA PROJECT: Third Education Project COUNTRY: Thail::!.nd TOTAL COST: $39 million equivalent based on calcula\tions made prior to the recent devaluation of the U.S. dollar. IDA FINANCING: $19 .5 million; 50 years; 10 years of g,cace; interest free except for 3/4 of 1% service charge to cove·r IDA' s administrative expenses. • OTHER FINANCING: Government of Thailand • IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATIONS: Project Unit at the Ministry of Education, Bangkok, Thailand, and another Project Unit at the Prince of Songkhla University, Haddyai, Thailand. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Physical facilities will be provided for 10 primary teacher training colleges, 32 e::dsting general secondary schools, a National Curricullllll Development Center, and the.Faculty of Science at the Prince of Songkhla University. Technical assistance and fellow- ships are included in the project. PROCUREMENT: Contracts will be a.warded on the basis of international competitive bidding with 15% preference margin for domestic manufacturers of furniture and equipmenL CONSULTANTS: Specialists to participate in the work of a National Curriculun Development Center and to help organize training programs for pri.mary teacher trainers and teachers of science and practical subjects at secondary level will be selected. Experts in the field of high educa- tion science courses will also be hired. ESTIMATED CDMPLETION DATE: June 1978. • - 0 -