Announcement of World Bank Support of the Guinea Equity and School Improvement Project on May 9, 1995

FO IMEIATRLES The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., 20433, USA IDA News Release No. 95/63/AFR Contacts: Eric Chinje (202) 473-4467 Sheela Reddi (202) 473-5091 IMPROVING EDUCATION FOR ALL IN GUINEA Washington, May 9, 1995-The Government of Guinea has launched a major reform of its education system with an emphasis on improving the level of education in the rural areas of the country and among women. In support of this effort, the International Development Association (IDA)1, the World Bank's concessionary lending arm, today approved a credit of SDR 28.5 million (US$42.5 million equivalent) for the Guinea Equity and School Improvement Project. Although primary school enrollment in Guinea has increased by over 70 percent since 1989, the highest in the region, pre-university education is still hampered by fewer opportunities for girls and rural students, and low levels of student learning. The reform program will address these problems. The proposed five-year operation will finance the construction and rehabilitation of primary schools, textbooks at the primary and secondary levels, and measures to strengthen school management and education quality. This is the fourth IDA-financed education project in Guinea and fits within the framework of a ten-year strategic design by the Government that has already reversed the declining enrollment trends of the 1980s. This success was made possible by an ambitious school construction program, a major redeployment of some 2,000 teachers from administrative posts and secondary schools to primary school classrooms, and a reallocation of resources in favor of the education sector. Government support for education has doubled since 1989, from 13 percent of the budget to 26 percent in 1994. The IDA credit, granted on standard IDA terms with 40 years maturity, will finance 30 percent of the total operation cost of about US$141.3 million. Seven other donors and the Government of Guinea will provide the remaining amount. 44, i44 tt rr" IDA Oorld Bank's concessionar lending affiliate) credits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), wthich are valued on the basis of a "basket" of currencies. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SDR of the IDA credit ref/ects the exchange rates at the time of the negotiations of the credit. Archives/Records Center, H B1-001 ( 1)