Announcement of Philippines Engineering and Science Education Project on January 30, 1992

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20433, U.S.A.* Telephone: (202) 477-1234 BANK NEWS RELEASE NO. 92/43 Contact: Pastor Sison Tel: (202) 458-0344 PHILIPPINES: ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE EDUCATION PROJECT The following is additional information on a project announced in today's World Bank News. DATE: January 30, 1992 WORLD BANK GROUP SUPPORT: World Bank loan: $85 million. The World Bank loan is for 20 years, including five years of grace, with a variable interest rate, currently 7.73 percent, linked to the cost of the Bank's borrowings. It also carries an annual commitment charge of 0.25 percent on the undisbursed balance. TOTAL COST: $130.7 million OTHER FINANCING: Government of Philippines, $29.8 million; Private universities, $15.9 million IMPLEMENTING AGENCY: Department of Science and Technology ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: 1997 PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objectives of the Engineering and Science Education Project are to: (a) improve the institutional mechanisms and criteria for funding and monitoring the quality of engineering and science education; (b) strengthen eligible colleges of engineering and science by increasing their financial and resource management capabilities, adjusting enrollment patterns to respond to science and technology manpower needs, introducing new courses and programs concerned with environmental and technological management, and improving the quality of instruction and laboratory practices in priority engineering and science fields; (c) improve science and math instruction in secondary schools to better prepare students for engineering and science colleges; and (d) strengthen the Department of Science and Technology's capacity to plan and coordinate science and technology manpower development programs. The project includes a policy action plan and an investment component. The policy action plan will: (a) improve the institutional framework for funding and monitoring engineering and science education; and (b) establish targets and actions to improve the enrollment structure, as well as financial and resource management, of selected project institutions. The investment component will support: (a) the development of programs, faculty, and laboratories for engineering education at five state and 14 private institutions, science education at four state and six private institutions, with environmental programs strengthened at three of these institutions, and technology management at one state and two private institutions; (b) expanded reference book and journal collections, staff development, and network- ing arrangements for libraries at three engineering and seven science colleges; (c) in-service teacher training, library books, laboratory equipment, and facilities for improved science and math education in 110 high schools and 22 teacher training institutions; and (d) the development of science and technology manpower planning and monitoring capacity within the Department of Science and Technology.