Announcement of Ten Million Dollars IDA Credit for Education in Burundi on February 10, 1977

•World Bank 1818 H Street,. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. • Telephone: (202) 393-6360 I DA NEWS RELEASE NO. 77 /27 February 10, 1977 $10 MILLION IDA CREDIT FOR EDUCATION IN BURUNDI The International Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank, has approved a $10 million credit to finance a project that will expand and improve the educational system in Burundi. 111 i teracy among school "age chi 1d ren is high in Burundi . In 1975-76 enrollments at the primary school level were estimated to comprise only about 21 percent of the notional age group; at the secondary and higher levels, they comprised only 2.5 percent and 0.5 percent respectively. Coupled with this, the Burundi Government inherited, on independence in 1962, a colonial educational system that was hardly geared to the needs and realities of the country. In 1973, the Government initiated a reform program that would adapt • the educational system to these needs and realities. It cal led for the "rural- ization" of primary education by giving the' curriculum greater agricultural content since more than 90 percent of all primary school leavers have to make a living in agriculture; the replacement of French by Kirundi, the national language, as the official medi~m of instruction in primary schools; the reor- ganization and reorientation of secondary education; and the consolidation of the National University of.Burundi in order to avoid duplication and competi- tion among the three higher-level institutions formerly existing. The new project, to be fii1anced by the $10 mi J 1 ion IDA credit, wi 11 assist the Government in implementing and consolidating the reform of primary education. It will provide a substantial increase in the number of places in primary schools as well as technical and material assistance to the Rural Education Bureau, which is in charge of implementing the reform. Specifically, the project involves: (a) the construction and equipping of 100 multipurpose learning centers that will provide 27,000 new pupil places; (b) the expansion of the printing capacity of the textbook production unit of the Rural Education Bureau; the provision of equipment, vehicles, and 250 tons of paper for the unit; (c) the construction and equipping of facilities for the training of teachers in the teaching of practical subjects; and (d) a technical assistance component that will provide specialists needed to expedite the im- plementation of the education reform program. The $10 million IDA credit will meet 85 percent of the total project • cost, estimated at $11.7 million. It will be granted on standard IDA terms of 50 years, including 10 years of grace. It is interest free except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1 percent to cover IDA's administrative costs. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents. FORM NO. 1121 {5-76) T EC HN I CAL DAT A P..ROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Education Burundi $11 . 7 mi 11 ion • I DA FINANCING: $10 million, standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Government of Burundi Government of Belgium (provision of an architect/assistant project director) IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Ministry of National Education, Bujumbura, Burundi PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project will assist the Government in implementing and consolidating the reform of primary education. It will provide a substantial increase in the number of places in primary s~hools as well as technical and material assistance to the Rural Education Bureau which is in charge of implementing the (~·t:orm. Specifically, the project foresees: (a) the construction and. equipping of 100 multipurpose learning centers; (b) the expansion of the printing capa- city of the Rural Education Bureau's textbook unit; the provision of equipment, vehicles and 250 tons of paper for the unit; (c) construction and equipping of facilities for training of teachers in teaching of practical subjects; and (d) technical assistance. PROCUREMENT: The 100 centers will be constructed either on the basis of negotiated contracts between the Government and parties acceptable to IDA, or on the basis of competitive bidding advertised locally and in accordance with local procedures satisfactory to IDA. Contracts for extensions to the Teacher-Training School and textbook production units as well as for furniture, equip- ment and vehicles costing less than $50,000 equivalent each will be awarded on the basis of competitive bidding advertised locally and in accordance to local procedures satis- factory to IDA. Contracts for furniture, equipment and vehicles costing more than $50,000 equivalent each will be awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding :~ ~~~c.dance with Bank guidelines. CONSULTANTS: 38 man-years of technical assistance will be made available to the project as fol lows: Teacher-Training Specialist(4 man- years); Rural Community Development Specialist (2 man-years); Didactical Specialist (4 man- years); Teaching Aids Production Specialist (3 man-years); Evaluation Specialist (2 man- years); Architect/Assistant Project Director (5 man-years); Accountant (5 man-years); Pro- curement Specialist (3 man-years); and two Construction Supervisors (each for 5 man-years). In addition, 7,5 man-years of fellowships will be provided for in-service training of local Rural Education Bureau staff in other African countries with similar educational systemtlt ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1983 - 0 -