Announcement of World Bank and IDA Provide Support for Primary Education Project in Papua New Guinea on December 24, 1980

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE eJ\/orld Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 81/41 December 24, 1980 I DA NEWS RELEASE NO. 81 / 30 WORLD BANK AND IDA PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR PRIMARY EDUCATION PRbJECT IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA Improvement of Papua New Guinea's system of primary education will be assisted by a $6 mil lion loan from the World Bank and an SDR 9.4 million ($12 mill ion) credit from the World Bank's affiliate for concessionary lending, the International Develop- ment Association (IDA). The $37.7 mill ion project is expected to improve literacy and numeracy, with a resulting impact on health, nutrition, and population control, and to foster institu- tion bu i 1ding in the education sector. In 1978, the government announced a target of achieving universal (95%) enrollment of the relevant age group in grades one through six by the end of the century. In 1979, the primary school enrollment ratio in Papua New Guinea was 58% and is expected to rise to 68% by the completion of the project. Two-thirds of this increase would be girls whose enrollment has lagged behind that of boys at a ratio of about 2:3 primarily because parents need girls at home to care for ~ounger children and other tasks. The project will provide funds for local and overseas in-service training programs for educational administrators and planners through study tours and fellowships. To supplement the training, the project will also finance the services of educational planners to assist the provinces in preparing education plans. A major objective is to improve prima~y teaching materials. The institutional capacity for maintaining a continuous supply of improved textbooks and facilities for trial printing of texts will be provided under the project. It is estimated that some 150,000 children will receive improved textbooks relevant to Papua New Guinea. Another component of the project is designed to improve the present weak examination programs, promote greater use of measurements in diagnosis of learning and teaching problems, and produce meaningful test results for student placement. The facilities of the Port Moresby in-service Teachers College will be con- verted, improved, and expanded,and teaching staff there will be trained in the use of media. In addition, the proportion of indigenous teacher trainers at the country's primary teacher training colleges is expected to increase from the current 28% to 50% through fellowships and training. About 430 teachers and headmasters will be trained annually to improve their capability. Almost half of the funds provided by the World Bank and IDA will be used to establish a Provincial Primary Education Fund to assist the provinces in improving the quality of and access to primary education. The Provincial Fund wi 11 finance a variety of subprojects designed to reduce constraints to enrollment expansion or improved ·--- education quality in each province. NOTE: IDA credits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the basis of a 11 basket 11 of currencies. The U.S. dollar equivalent of the SDR amount of the IDA credit reflects the exchange rates existing at the time of negotiation of the credit.  - 2 - The $6 mi11 ion World Bank loan to the Government of Papua New Guinea is for a term of 20 years, including a 5-year grace period, with interest at 9.25% per annum. The SOR 9.4 million ($12 million) IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace. The credit bears no interest but bears • a service charge of 3/4 of 1% per annum to cover administrative costs. • • FORM NO. 1121 (5-76) T ECHN I CAL D A T A • PROJECT: Primary Education COUNTRY: Papua New Guinea TOTAL COST: $37. 7 mi 1 l ion BANK FINANCING: $6 million for a term of 20 years, including a grace period of 5 years, with interest at 9.25% per annum IDA FINANCING: SDR 9.4 million ($12 million), standard IDA terms OTHER FINANCING: Government of Papua New Guinea: $13.9 million Local communities: $5.8 million IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: National Department of Education (NOOE) P.S.A. Haus, Private Mail Bag P.O. Soroka, Papua New Guinea CABLE: EDUCOFF BOROKO PROJECT DESCRIPTION: It consists of: a) strengthening local planning and admin- istrative capacity by financing in-service training programs for senior educational administrators and planners; b) assisting in preparation of pro- ,.vincial educational plans; c) improving primary teaching materials, including textbooks; _ d) improving and expanding physical facilities of an in-service training college to help train teaching staff in the use of media, including textbooks; and e) assisting provinces to extend access to and improve quality of primary education through financing provincial education programs. PROCUREMENT: The main $3 mill ion civil works contract at the Port Moresby in-service Teachers College and the Curriculum Development Centre and equipment, paper and materials bid packages over $100,000 equivalent will be awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding in accordance with Bank g~idelines. Domestic manufacturers will be allowed a preferential margin of 15% or the existing customs duty, whichever is lower, over the c.i .f. price of competing imports. Civil works and furniture contracts estimated to cost less than $300,000 and contracts for goods to be financed through the Provincial Fund will be awarded on the basis of government procedures acceptable to the Bank. Equipment and furniture purchases which cannot be reasonably grouped to form packages in excess of $100,000 and aggregating less than $1,300,000 will be made on the basis of a) contract awards following competitive bidding advertised locally; orb) from existing government stores contracts. CONSULTANTS: Two man-years of specialist services in low-cost school construction technology will be provided. ~CONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: n.a. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1988 - 0 -