Announcement of Tunisia Receives World Bank Aid for Education on March 30, 1981

. . . FOR IMMEDTA TE RELEASE .World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington 1 D.C. 20433, U.S.A.• Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE N0.81/63 March 30, 1981 TUNISIA RECEIVES WORLD BANK AID FOR EDUCATION Tunisia's vocational education and technical manpower training capacity will be expanded and improved with a World Bank loan of $26 mi 11 ion for an education project, the fourth to be supported by the Bank in the country. Under the project, construction of new vocational training centers, as well as extensions and added equipment for existing centers, wi 11 be financed. Seven new vocational training centers and one apprentice center wi 11 be esta- blished, and extensions will be made to 13 existing vocational and two apprentice centers, creating a total of 3,600 additional training places. The centers, located in the northern industrial region of Tunis, the coastal cities of Sfax, Sousse and Gabes, and the mining center of Gafsa,will offer courses, in 57 different di sci pl ines to produce about 5,400 construction and metal workers, auto mechanics, electricians, secretaries and other skilled workers. Courses for • supervisors will also be offered at Gabes. Better regional distribution of voca- tional training opportunities is expected to result from the ,project's imple- mentation. The Office of Training and Employment,which is attached to the Ministry of Social Affairs, is responsible for implementing the project; it will receive tech- nical assistance to strengthen its capacity to plan, coordinate and manage its vocational and apprentice training programs. Toward the $47 mi 11 ion total cost of the project, the Government of Tunisia wil 1 provide $21 mill ion. The World Bank loan is for 17 years, including 4 years of grace, with interest at 9.6% per annum. NOTE: Money figures are expressed in U.S. dollar equivalents . • FORM NO. 1121 (5-76). T E C H N I C A L DAT A PROJECT: COUNTRY: TOTAL COST: Fourth Education Tunisia $47 mil 1 ion • BANK FINANCING: $26 mil 1 ion, for 17 years, including 4 years of grace, with interest at 9.6% per annum OTHER FINANCING: Government of Tunisia, $21 mill ion IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATION: (Office of Training and Employment) Office des Travailleurs Tunisiens a 1 'Etranger, de 1 'Emploi et de la Formation Professionnel le (OTTEEFP) Rue Asdrubal, Tunis, Tunisia PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The project will increase the supply of skilled manpower through the establishment of eight new centers and the addi- tion of 30 new section~; to existing centers; improve the quality of vocational and apprentice training by re-equipping workshops; and help establish an institutional framework and a long-term strategy for vocational and apprenticeship training in Tunisi~ The project consists of: (a) construction and equipping of seven vocational training . . . centers, one apprentice center and extensions to 13 existing vocational and two apprentice centers; (b) furniture and equipment for existing workshops in four voca- tional centers and one apprentice center; and (c) technical assistance to strengthen the Office of Training and Employment's planning, coordination and management capacity for the administration of its programs. PROCUREMENT: All contracts for civi 1 works will be awarded on the basis of local competitive bidding under normal government procedures which are acceptable to the World Bank and do not exclude foreign bidders. Equipment and furniture items amounting to $20.5 mill ion will be grouped where possible into large packages. Contracts for furniture and equipment in excess of $100,000 will be awarded on the basis of International Competitive Bidding (ICB). Items estimated to cost less than $100,000, and not exceeding $1 .8 mill ion, will be procured under govern- ment procedures. In ICB comparisons, local manufacturers of furniture and equipment wi 11 be al iowed a margin of preference equal to the existing ate of customs duty applicable to competing imports or 15% of the C. I .F. price, whichever is lower, CONSULTANTS: The project will finance about 13 man-years of expert services, and 3 man-years of fellowships for training of key personnel in the Office of Training and Employment (OTTEEFP) in such areas as planning, management, and new approaches to vocational training. ECONOMIC RATE OF RETURN: n.a. ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1986 - 0 - •