Announcement of Twelve Million Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars Credit for a Second Education Project in the Philippines on December 14, 1972

• INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 1818 H STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON D. C. 20433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 IDA Press Release No. 72/68 Subject: $12.7 million credit for a December 14, 1972 second education project in the Philippines T~e International Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank, today announced a credit of $i2.i million co help finance an education project in the Philippines, designed to provide qualified manpower for the country's economic development. The project will assist improvements in such areas as education planning, management and curriculum development; science teacher training; training of technicians for indust.ry and agricult.ure; and training of skilled craftsmen and farmers. The Philippines has attained one of the highest literacy rates in • Southeast Asia and is now giving high priority to making its educational system more responsive to the needs of the country by provich.:ag a broad, general education and promoting the training of skilled manpower. Department of Education and Culture is the Government agency charged with The developing and implementing education programs based on general objectives and policies set by a Board of National Education. Curriculum and teaching standat·ds will be improved under the project. The IDA credit will finance equipment, books and materials for a Curriculun Coordinating Unit to be formed in the Office of Planning Service recently established in the Department of Education and Culture. This Unit will co- ordinate curriculum research and educational materials development and prepare a program to remedy textbook shortage. IDA funds will also help to finance physical facilities, including office accommodation and equipment, for an Educatiou Development Counci1 that will be set up to supervise a new Educ.a.ti on Development Center combining the Science Education Center of the University of the Philippines and the Social • Studies Education Center of the Department of Education. The project will also support an ongoing program of science teaching by establishing two additional Regional Science Tra:f.ning Cent:ers sod upgradjng · two .other Centers by providing books and equipment. /more IDA P.R. No. 72/68 -- Philippines -- education - 2 - Equipment will be provided under the project to 13 existing agricultural high schools, making it possible for them to introduce a practically oriented • curriculum. Laboratories, workshops and equipment will also be provided to the Central Mindanao University (<MU) in Bukidnon Province and the Central Luzon State Unive·rsity (CI.SU) in Neuva Ecija Province. With this assistance, the two agricultural universities are expected to develop into strong regional centers offering courses and providing training adapted to local needs. Three pilot barrio (village) development schools will be established in the vicinity of QfiJ and another three such schools near CLSU. These schools will provide a progran of 50% practical classroom work and 50% supervised farming and m-e designed for students t:ho do not plan to go on to college. In addition, CMU and CI.SU will be assisted in setting up °'social laboratories" designed to give on-the-job training to agricultural extension workers in the villages. To further strengthen extension work, CMU and the University of the Philippines will also be aided in expanding their agricul- tural radio stations. To provide middle-level manpower for industry, two technical institutes will be established and a third technical institute will be developed from the Iligan Institute of Technology in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte Province. These technical institutes will offer three-year post-secondary courses and are expected to train about 800 technicians a year. The training of skilled • craftsmen will be expanded and improved by the establishment of 10 Regional Manpower Training Centers with an estimated combined annual output of 7 ,200 craftsmen. The Government will train instructors, teachers and supervisors for these institutes and training centers. The total cost of the project is estimated at $17.7 million, of which $12.7 million will be financed by the IDA credit and the remainder by the Govemment. A Project Unit in the Department o.f Education and Culture will execute the project. Technical assistance will be provided and is expected.to extend until 1979. Const-ruction and..equippJ.ng. .of. ..s.choo.ls is scheduled for comple.tion in 1976 . The project was prepared with the assistance of Unesco under the Bank- Unesco Cooperative Progr8- and is the second Bank Group operation for education in the Philippines. A Bank loan of $6 million was made in 1964 to help finance the expansion of the University of the Philippines College of Agriculture. ~ The IDt\. credit to the aepublic of the Philippines is for a term of 50 years, including 10 years of grace. It will be interest free except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to cover IDA'.s administrative expenses. - 0 - • December 14, 1972 TECHNICAL DATA PROJECT: Second Education COUNTRY: Philippines TOTAL COST: $17. 7 million IDA FINANCING: $12.7 million, 50 years, 10-year grace period; free of interest; service charge of 3/4 of 1% to cover IDA's administrative expenses. OTHER FINANCING: Government of the Philippines IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: A Project Unit will be established in the Department of Education and Culture, Manila, Philippines, which will be responsible for implementing the project. • PROJECT DESCRIPTION: To help fina..,ce a project consisting of the following components: a new Curriculum Coordinating Unit, a new Education Development Center, two new and two existing Science Teaching Centers, equipment for 13 existing agricultural high schools, expansion of two agricultural colleges, six new pilot village schools, two new technical institutes, and additional equipment to a third. Assistance to a new and an existing radio station attached to agricultural colleges, 10 new regional manpower training centers and technical assistance in the form of specialist services and overseas fellowships. PROCUREMENT: Civil works contracts will be awarded after international competitive bidding. Contracts for furniture and equipment will also be subject to international competitive bidding, except for contracts under $40,000 up to a total of $250,000 which may be awarded after local competitive bidding. A 15% preference margin will be g:1.ven to bids for equipment, materials and supplies substantially of Philippine origin offered by Philippine manufacturers or suppliers. OONSULTANTS: 62 man-years of specialist services for educational planning and management, curriculum reform, textbook development, agricultural and technical education, and project implementation; 56 man-years of overseas fellowships. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: ·Construction and equipping of schools is • scheduled for completion in 1976; technical assistance is expected to extend until 1979 • - 0 -