Nepal - Primary Education Project

Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No. P-3762-NEI REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ON A PROPOSED CREDIT OF SDR 12.10 MILLION TO THE KINGDOM OF NEPAL FOR A PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT April 5, 1984 This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EQUIVALENT US$1 = NRs 14.90 NR 1 = US$0.067 NRs 100,000 = US$6,700 NRs 1,000,000 = US$67,000 FISCAL YEAR July 16 - July 15 SCHOOL YEAR January-December PRINCIPAL ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS USED ADB - Asian Development Bank CTSDC - Curriculum, Textbook, and Supervision Development Center DEC - District Education Committee DEO - District Education Officer FC - Field Coordinator HMG - His Majesty's Government IDA - International Development Association JTA - Junior Technical Assistant JEMC - Janek Educational Materials Center MOEC - Ministry of Education and Culture NESP - New Education System Plan NPC - National Planning Commission. OCE - Office of the Controller of Examinations PIU - Project Implementation Unit PMU - Primary Materials Unit PSTU - Primary Supervision & Training Unit RC - Resource Center RETT - Radio Education Teacher Training RP - Resource Person SBU - School Building Unit SEDEC - Science Education Development Center SLC - School Leaving Certificate SMC - School Management Committee SOE - Statements of Expenditure TA - Technical Assistance UNDP - United Nations Development Programme UNESCO - United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund USAID - United States Agency for International Development  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY NEPAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT Credit and Proiect Summary Borrower: Kingdom of Nepal Amount: Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) 12.10 million (US$12.78 million equivalent) Terms: Standard Project Description: The project, which represents the first intervention by IDA in primary education in Nepal, has been designed as a pilot project, which would seek to: (a) achieve low-cost qualitative improvements in primary education; and (b) strengthen the administrative and technical capacity in the education sector. The project would provide assistance to about 700 primary schools in six of Nepal's 75 districts through the provision of effective in-service teacher training systems with follow-up supervision, better school management and community support, better teaching materials, and improved physical facilities. Communication problems and economic constraints would be addressed in part through the clustering of schools around a resource center which would assume some of the educational responsibilities for teacher training and supervision. Technical assistance would be extended to the Curriculum, Textbook, and Supervision Development Center and other agencies of the Ministry of Education and Culture respomsible for project planning and implementing the Government's educational policies. A reform of the examina- tion system for the School Leaving Certificate would be undertaken. Benefits and Risks: Project benefits could be considerable if ways to address difficult issues under conditions of tight financial con- straints and difficult communications are successfully developed. In the long-term these developments will assist in raising Nepal's low literacy level (19%), improving agri- cultural productivity, and creating an effective primary education subsector, which would provide the base for improved secondary and higher education. The project is spread over six districts with poor communications and the absorptive capacity of the Ministry is limited. While the most accessible districts have been selected for the project and the strengthening of the Ministry is one of This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  - ii- the objectives of the project, the risks due to these limitations cannot be entirely removed. Risks will, how- ever, be reduced by inter alia,(a) a simplified delivery system for inservice teacher training and supervision; (b) the provision of technical and management assistance; (c) intensive monitoring and evaluation; and Cd) the appointment of well qualified and motivated staff. Estimated Cost: Item US$ Millions Local /a Foreizn Total la