Announcement of Fourth Education Project in Liberia to Use Thirteen Million Five Hundred Thousand US Dollars IDA Credit on December 9, 1982

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.* Telephone: (202) 477-1234 IDA NEWS RELEASE 83/27 Contact: Pam Brennan December 9, 1982 (202) 477-5344 FOURTH EDUCATION PROJECT IN LIBERIA TO USE $13.5 MILLION IDA CREDIT Primary education in Liberia will be improved with the help of an SDR $12.6 million ($13.5 million) credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's affiliate for concessionary lending. The project will establish a national textbook program for primary grades and finance further training for over one third of school teachers of that level. The number of books available for the primary level each year will increase from about 20,000 to 400,000. Access to primary education in rural areas will be expanded by about 6,600 school places. The current 52% primary enrollment ratio is below the average for West Africa. The 54 primary schools to be built, furnished, and equipped under the project will encourage an increase in the enrollment of children from poor families in rural areas as well as adult women seeking primary education. A new center in Monrovia offering clerical, business, and domestic training will considerably improve employment prospects for both men and women. A $9.8 million loan from the African Development Bank will among other things finance the education supervision, school construction, and project management. The Republic of Liberia will contribute $1.8 million toward the costs of civil works, technical assistance, and fellowships. The project is expected to be completed in 1988. The World Bank and Liberia have worked together to improve education since 1971. Bank Group assistance so far has totaled $17.5 million for three education projects, and more than $10 million for project-related training in other sectors. The Third Education Project, expected to be completed by the end of 1983, is providing funds for a Forestry Training Institute and for vocational training centers at secondary schools. The IDA credit is for 50 years, including 10 years of grace; it carries no interest but bears a small annual service charge (0.5% on the undisbursed balances of the credit and 0.75% on the disbursed balances). NOTE: IDA credits are denominated in SDRs (Special Drawing Rights), which are valued on the basis of a "basket" 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.