Announcement of Six Million Two Hundred Thousand US Dollars Loan for Secondary and Vocational Education in Costa Rica on June 21, 1973

INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR • RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT 1818 H STR.EET, N.W., 'NASH!NGTON 0. C. 20433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 Bank Press Release No. 73/44 Subject: $6. 2 million loan for secondary and June 21, 1973 vocational education in Costa Rica The World Bank has approved a loan of $6.2 million to assist Costa Rica in implement- ing its National Pian for Educational Development in the lower secondary and non-formal vocational education levels. The project, the first in Costa Rica's education sector to be supported by the Bank, will be carried out in the period 1973-77 at an estinated total cost of $9.h .million equivalent. · The Costa Rican National Plan for Educational Development is designed to overcome existing shortcomings and to improve the efficiency or the educational system by seeking ways to relate it more closely to the socio-economic needs of the country. The project 'Was prepared by the Government with the assistance of a Unesco mission. It includes the construction and equipping of: -- Six rural lower secondary schools to redress imbalances in educational opportunities throughout the country and to promote rural development in the areas of Jicaral, Hojancha, Pacayas, Santa Maria, Aguas ?areas and Buenos Aires. The curriculum will include a pre- vo. cational component in agriculture and home science in line with the main economic activity in the areas served by the schools. . • -- Workshop and laboratory facilities for 25 existing lower secondary schools, to give more emphasis to science, industrial arts and home science in order to help students to develop basic skills. The new facilities will serve 36,000 students, or about 60% of present enrollment at that level. -- Five new vocational training centers, including a new headquarters at San Jose for the National Institute of Apprenticeship (Ill.A). The four regional centers at Naranjo, Limon, Liberia and San Isidro will offer courses of a flexible nature and could enroll 3,200 trainees at any one time providing some 10,000 workers per year, with varied forms of training. Much of the training will initially be for agriculture-related occupations. The new INA headquarters will house the Institute's administration and will include classrooms and workshops for 1,500 students at any one time, in connnerce and services courses. It is expected to provide around 4,500 trained workers. per year. The loan will also finance re- lated technical assi$tance and training. All contracts for civil works, furniture and equipment will be awarded on the basis of . international competitive bidding. At the request of the Costa Rican Government, all manufacturers in the Central American Common Market will receive a margin of preference of 50% of the applicable external ta.riff or 15% of the c.i.f. price, whichever is lower. The loan to the Republic of Costa Rica will be f.or a term of 30 years, including 10 years of grace, with annual interest at 7 1/4% • • - 0 - ··-~  • June 21, 1973 TECHNICAL DATA PROJECT: Education I COUNTRY: Costa Rica TOTAL COST: $9.4 million equiv41.ent BANK FINANCING: $6.2 million, 30 years, 10 years of grace, 7 1/4~ interest per annum. • OTHER FINANCING: Government: $3.2 million. IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Ministry of Public Works and Transportation, San Jose, Costa Rica. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Construction, furniture and equipment for 4 new and 2 extensions of rural lower secondary schools; science laboratories and industrial arts and home science workshops for 25 existing lower secondary schools; and 5 vocational training centers; related technical assistance; assistance for project unit administration. PROCUREMENT: Civil works, furniture and equipment will be· ·pro·cuted through international competitive bidding. Manufacturers from the Central American Common Market countries will receive &,margin of preference of 50% of the applicable external tariff or 15% of the c.i.f. price, whichever is lower. CONSULTANTS: Six man-years of specialists services to improve existing agriculture and home science courses in lower secondary achools, to improve teaching methods for agriculture and,J1ome science i,n teacher training institutions and to advise on agril~,!tural training at ,vocational c,nters. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: December, 1978. - 0 •