Announcement of World Bank Provides Eight Million US Dollars for a Second Education Project in the Dominican Republic on May 1, 1975

1818 H STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON D. C. 20433 TELEPHONE: EXECUTIVE 3-6360 Bank News Release No. 75/28 May 1, 1975 WORLD BANK PROVIDES $8 MILLION FOR A SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The World Bank is providing $8 million equivalent for a second education project in the Dominican Republic. The project, with a total estimated cost of $13.5 million, is designed to support priority areas in the development of the Government's education and training strategy. It seeks to broaden basic education opportunities in rural areas, which contain 60% of the country's population and in which illiteracy is high. It also aims to improve adult training in agricultural techniques, extend a reform of the secondary education cur- riculum to a greater proportion of enrolled students, and establish a national acheme for voc~tional training in industrial, construction and service activities. Primary teacher training programs and the introduction of the reformed secondary education cur- ~ riculum were initiated in 1971 under the First Education Project. The project, prepared with the assistance of Unesco, will establish 204 Rural Com- munity Learning Centers which will provide at least four years of basic education for children, and non-formal education and training courses for youths and adults. The project will also include the construction and equipment of four Agricultural Training Centers offering short courses in agricultural production techniques to farmers and in health, nutrition and home management to women. Equipment and teaching aids to enable the extension of the reformed secondary education curriculum to 14 existing lower second- ary schools will also be included. Two new vocational training centers will be con- structed; these and five existing training centers, which will be expanded and adequately equipped, will provide training in diverse occupations in the mechanical, electrical. construction and service sectors. Eight mobile training units will provide similar courses· in rural areas. Technical assistance to implement the programs, to improve education statistics and to prepare feasibility studies will also be included in the project. The World Bank loan to the Dominican Republic is for a term of 30 years, including • 10 years of grace, and interest is at 8-1/2% per annwn • Note: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents. 0 PROJECT: COUNTRY: T E CHNI CAL DAT A Second Education Project Dominican Republic • TOTAL COST: $13. 5 million BANK FINANCING: $8 million, 30 years, with 10 years of grace, interest at 8-1/2% per annum. OTHER FINANCING: Government of the Dominican Republic IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Secretaria de Estado de Educacion, Bellas Artes y Cultos, Avenida Maximo Gomez, Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Expansion and improvement of education and training opportunities in rural areas by establish- ing 204 rural community learning centers, which will offer formal and. non-formal education and training for both children and adults; 4 Agricultural Training Centers to serve farmers and other adults in rural areas; equipment and teach- ing aids to enable the extension of the reformed secondary education curriculum • to 14 existing lower secondary schools; expanding 5 a:.'.id constructing 2 vocational training centers, 8 mobile units and establishing a ~ational vocational training scheme; technical assistance to implement the above programs and for improving education statistics, for feasibility studies and for preparing a possible third education project. PROCUREi.~ENT: Contracts for furniture and, equipment will be awarded under international competitive bidding. Local manufacturers will be allowed a preferential margin of 15% of c.i.f. costs of competing imports or the current applicable import duty, whichever is lower. Items which cannot be grouped in packages of at least DR$5,000 will be purchased according to the Government's regular procurement practices, which have been found acceptable to the Bank, but such items will not in the aggregate exceed DR$320,000. Contractors for civil works will be prequalified and invitations to prequalify will be advertised locally. CONSULTANTS: Consultants will be retained by the Secretariat of Education to introduce multigrade teaching techniques to primary teachers; to establish a National Vocational Training scheme and implement it; to improve education statistics; to prepare feasibility studies on the development and production of books and teaching aids for primary and secondary education and to prepare a possible Third Education Project. • ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1979