Announcement of IDA Credit of Fourteen Million Dollars for Education Project in Madagascar on November 4, 1976

•World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A. • Telephone: (202) 393-6360 IDA PRESS RELEASE 77/12 NOVEMBER 4, 1976 IDA CREDIT OF $14 MILLION FOR EDUCATION P~CJECT IN MADAGASCAR Madagascar's efforts to decentralize its education system and to improve the quality and efficiency of basic educatfoM will be assJsted by a credit of $14 million from the International Development Association (IDA), an affiliate of the World Bank. The $17.5 million project includes the provision of buildings, • furniture and equipment for five regional educational centers and one National Teaching Materials Production Center; text book development; technical assistance and pre-investment studies for future projects. The project's emphasis is on institution building and improvement in the quality of education rather than expansion, though by training National Servicemen as teachers the project will help increase primary education enrollments. The IDA credit to Madagascar fs for 50 years, •ncluding 10 years of grace. It is interest free, except for a service charge of 3/4 of 1%. -o- • NOTE: Money figures are expressed in US dollar equivalents.  (5-76) T EC HN I CAL DA T A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Education Madagascar $17.5 million • IDA FINANCING: $14 million, standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Government of Madagascar IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Project Implementation Unit Ministry of Public Works Tananarive, Madagascar PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project will include: (a) the prov1s1on of buildings, furniture and equipment for the following institutions: i) five Regional Education Centers, together with vehicles for the school inspectorate; and ii) one National Teaching Materials Production Center; (b) textbook development; (c) technical assistance for: i) the National Teaching Materials Production Center in its ~ initial operating stages; ii) the statistical section of the Ministry of Education; iii) project evaluation; and (d) pre-investment studies for future projects. PROCU_REMENT: Contracts for ci vi 1 works, furniture and equipment wou 1d be awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding, except for civil works, furniture and equipment contracts costing less than US$50,000 equivalent, which would be awarded on the basis of local competitive bidding procedures. Where international competitive bidding procedures are used (i) qualified domestic civil works contractors would be allowed a margin of preference of 7-1/2 percent over the tender prices of competitors; and (ii) domestic manufacturers of furniture and equipment would be al lowed a preference of 15 percent, or the existing rate of customs duties, whichever is lower, over the c.i.f. price of competing suppliers. CONSULTANTS: The project will provide for about 20 man-years of architectural and engineering services. Consultants have been appointed • ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1980 ·- 0 - •