Announcement of IDA Assists Education in Burundi on May 12, 1983

(.';;. / FOR MEDIATE' .RELEASE 0 '·' -wod~J Bank ' - , ./"l / J \\ 1818 HStreet, N.W., Washington,D.C':{!0433, U.S.A.•T~lephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 83/74 Contact: Pushpa Schwartz May 1.:2, 1983 (202) 477-'3294 IDA ASSISTS EDUCATION IN BURUNDI Education in the Republic of Burundi, in East Afri~a, will be ~mproved under a project that will use a credit of SOR 14.5 million ($15.8 million) from the International Development Association (IDA). IDA is the· :World Bank's affiliate for concessionary lending. About 18,000 primary and secondary school-age children, out-of-school youths, and adults ~iill benefit every year from the use of the educational facilities provided under the $19.3 million third education project. At present, the percentage of children attending primary school (29%)' and secondary school (2.5%) are among the lowest in the world. Twenty-four community schools to provide children and adults with basic education and other practical skills will be built in rural areas throughout Burundi. Two teacher training institutes and four junior secondary . • schools will also be constructed. People in rural areas, mostly women, will benefit from 20 new social centers providing: .~ourses in trades such as cot ton weavi.ng and masonry. In addition, the project will finance materials and equipment to produce about 800,000 textbooks and about 120,000 teachers' guides. Consulte.nts will be provided to help carry qut a countrywide mapping exercise to rationalize the location of future schools. The Republic of· Burundi will contribute $3.5 million toward project costs. The IDA credit is for SO years, including 10 years of grace; it carries no interest but has a small annual service charge (0.5% on the undisbursed balances of the credit and 0.75% on the disbursed balance$). NOTE,.: IDA credits are denominated in SDRs ( Special Drawing Rights), which are valued .on the basis of a "basket" of currencies. The U.S. dollar equlvf!lent of the SDR amount of the IDA credit reflects the exchange ra6?s existing at the time of the negotiation of the credit • • ;J