Announcement of Peru to Expand and Improve Primary Education on July 12, 1984

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 84/116 Contact: Ciro Gamarra July 12, 1984 (202) 477-5320 PERU TO EXPAND AND IMPROVE PRIMARY EDUCATION The quality of primary education for some 300,000 children in Peru will be improved as a result of a project to be started soon. The project is part of a government program to improve the quality and management of this level of education, and to make it available to more children. The World Bank is lending the Government of Peru $27 million to help finance the project, which will be carried out in low-income neighborhoods of 10 urban centers and 10 rural areas. The quality of primary education in these areas is particularly poor. About 87 percent of enrolled primary school children are in public schools. In 1981, the total primary enrollment was 3.2 million. Although this number is in line with the country's population growth, there are still many children who have no access to schools. In the same year, nearly a half-million youngsters were out of school. Among the problems confronting Peru's public primary school system are the low quality of education, lack of funds and facilities, weak organization, and inadequate staffing. There is also a problem for children who speak Indian languages but are unable to speak Spanish. And, in many cases, parents cannot send their children to school because they are too poor to pay for clothing, transportation, and books and other materials. The project includes the construction of about 1,250 classrooms in some 150 schools. Textbooks and other learning materials will be provided for about 300,000 students. In-service training will be given for 2,500 school principals, 1,000 regional and local supervisors, and 17,000 teachers. A curriculum for multigrade rural schools will be developed, and bilingual education will be made available for Aymara- and Quechua-speaking children. The textbook unit in the National Institute for Research and Educational Development will be strengthened. Training for Education Ministry staff in management, and school construction planning and supervision will be provided. The budgeting process and information system in the ministry will be improved. The project is expected to be finished by 1991 at a total cost of about $47 million. The government is making an outlay of $20 million for the project. The World Bank loan is for 17 years including four years' grace, with a variable interest rate, currently 9.89 percent, linked to the cost of the Bank's borrowings. It also carries an annual commitment charge of 0.75 percent on undisbursed balances and a front-end fee of 0.25 percent on the amount of the loan. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents. �' � ,Т" _' -�1 �' � � �',1 � 1 � . 1� . 4 + . ' . . . , . •..} . �. д '> l г ..: � � �.i• ' i.. +,.; ' �i . 4. Г. . . 4. l % '•� 1S1 �У. � l 1