Announcement of IDA Assists Third Education Project in Afghanistan on April 2, 1979

FOR ' . IMMEDIATE RELEASE •World Bank H~18 H Street, N.W., Washin~ton, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE NO. 79/58 April 2, 1979 IDA ASSISTS THIRD EDUCATION PROJECT IN AFGHANISTAN The International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's affiliate for concessionary lending, has approved a $21 million credit to assist a third education project in Afghanistan. The $32 million project will help improve the basis for a sound education system in Afghanistan by assisting primary education. The project includes the construction, furnishing, and equipping of five primary teacher training institutes, an academy for teacher educators and administrators, and the renovation and expansion of two • existing teacher training instituteso Also included in the project are technical assistance for teacher and administrator training, curriculum development, and institution- building; feasibility studies for training in the areas of management, accounting, mining, and health manpower; and a pre-investment design for an agricultural extension staff training and resource center. The seven regional teacher training institutes and the academy for teacher educators and administrators will provide training for about 2,600 teachers and 300 teacher educators, administrators, and planners annua 11 y. The IDA credit is for 50 years, including a 10-year grace period. The credit carries no interest but bears a service charge of 3/4 of 1% a year to cover administrative costs. • NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents . FORM hlO. 1121 (5-76) T E CHN I CA L D A T A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Third Education Democratic Republic of Afghanistan $32 mill ion • IDA FINANCING: $21 million, standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Government of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: Ministry of Higher Education Kabul Afghanistan PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It includes: the construction, furnishing, and equipping of five primary teacher training institutes (TTis), an academy for teacher educators and administrators (ATEA), and the renovation and ex- pansion of two existing TTls; technical assistance for teacher and administrator training; institution-building; and project implementation; feasibility studies for training in the areas of management, accounting, mining, and health manpower; and a curriculum development pre-ii1vestment design for an agricultural extension staff training and resource center. PROCUREMENT: Civil works contracts will be awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding (ICB). To the extent possible, civil works will be divided into small components for bidding purposes in order to allow local bidders to bid for project components within their capabilities. • Local civil works contractors will be given a 7-1/2% margin of preference. Supple- mentary civil works contracts of $200,000 or less will be awarded on the basis of local procurement procedures acceptable to the Association. The aggregate of these will not, however, exceed $2 million. Equipment and furniture contracts in excess of $100,000 will be awarded on the basis of ICB. Domestic pr~ference of 15% of the c. i .f. price or the applicable customs duty (whichever is lowe,·) will be granted. Small items or groups of items costing less than $100,000 or items of a specialized nature for which ICB will not be practicable, will be procure9 under local procurement procedures acceptable to IDA, after obtaining price quotations from at least three manufacturers or suppliers wherever possible. These will not exceed an aggregate of $ 1 • 5 mi l 1 ion . CONSULTANTS: About 31 man-years of expert services, and about 40-1/2 man-years of fellowships will be provided. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: n.a. 1984 - 0 - •