Announcement of Three Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars for Education in the Central African Republic on April 13, 1972

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION 1818 H STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON D. C. 20433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 IDA Press Release· No. 72/27 Subject: $3.9 million for education i.n April 13, 19 72 the Central African Republic The International Development Association (IDA) today announced a development credit equivalent to $3.9 million to the Central African Republic to help finance an education project. The project is designed to help alleviate the serious shortage of skilled manpower and thereby give support to the cotmtry's economic development. The principal aim of the Central African Republic's educat:f.onal system • should be to provide trained manpower for economic development and the replacement of expatriates at a cost within the financial capacity of the country. The main objective of the proposed project is to assist the Government in the implementation of its educational policy through the preparation of a long-term educational developwent plan, providing lower secondary school facilities for a broader curriculum, adding facilities for science and practical subjects to the existing lycees., improving facilities for technical and commercial courses, and establishing a college to train secondary school teachers. It comprises the following items: ., construction, furnishing and equipping of four new lower secondary schools and extension of an existing one -- for 2,850 additional students, including the provision of boarding facilities and staff • housing; • provision of additional facilities for science and practical subjects in four lycees -- to increase their capacity by about 380 students; /more  IDA p .R. No. 72/27 -- Central African Republic -- education - 2 - • extension of tho technical lycee -- to accommodate an additional 150 students; • construction of a new secondary teacher training college for about 150 students; • provision of technical assistance for project implementation and the preparation of a long-term educational development plan. A project unit will be established in the Ministry of Education to provide overall supervision of the project and liaison with the Association. The salaries of the project unit personnel and the operational expenditures of the unit are included in the estimated project cost. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization {Unesco) participated in the preparation of this project under the World Bank/Unesco Cooperative Program. The total cost of the proje:ct is $5.4 million, of which $2.8 million represents the foreign exchange component. The credit will cover all the foreign exchange costs and $1.1 million of local costs. • The IDA credit will be for a term of 50 years, with a 10-year grace period. It will be free of interest but a service charge of 3/4 of 1% will be made to meet !~A's administrative expenses. The project is expected to be completed by June 1977. - 0 - •  April 13, 19 72 PBOJEcr: Education COUNTRY: Central African Republic TOTAL COST: $s.·4 million IDA FINANCING: $3.9 million, 50 years, 10 years of grace, interest free but a service charge of 3/4 of 1% to meet IDA's administrative expenses. OTHER FINANCING: Government IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Ministere d'Education Nationale, Bangui, Central African '.Republic; cable Address: MINEDUCA.TION, Bangui. • PBOJEcr DESCRIPTION: Construction, fumishing and equipping of four new lower secondary schools and extension of an existing ·one; provision for additional science and practical subjects facilities in four lycees; extension of the technical lycee; construction of a new secondary school teacher training college; provision of technical assistance for project implementation and preparation of a long-term educational plan. PROCUREMENT: Civil works, educational equipment and furniture: subject to international competitive bidding. CONSULTANTS: To be selected. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: June 1977 -o-