WB allocates another $25 million loan to Armenia for the development  of education system

ArmInfo.The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved today a $25 million loan for Additional Financing of the Education Improvement Project(EIP) in Armenia. The press service of the Bank reports.

The project will further assist the Government in improving school  readiness of children entering primary education, the physical  condition and availability of educational resources in general  education, and quality and relevance in higher education institutions  in Armenia.

Quality of education is a key challenge causing a mismatch between  the formal qualifications of graduates and the skills sought by  employers, therefore slowing overall productivity, and hampering  economic growth in Armenia. The project, which spans three education  levels, will help strengthen the education trajectory and the human  capital of Armenian children and is aligned with mid- to long-term  government and sectoral strategies.

"Establishing an equitable and high-quality education system is key  not only for growth but also in providing hope for a brighter future  for the youth of Armenia," says Carolin Geginat, World Bank Country  Manager for Armenia. "With this project, the Government aims to  improve the relevance and quality of, and access to, educational  services at all levels, including in the early years of a child and  for higher education. The project contributes in important ways to  strengthening Armenia's human capital and to enhancing the  competitiveness of the economy."

The project has two main components. The first component will focus  on enhancing the quality of general educationbyfinancing80 additional  community-based preschoolsin early education for children aged four  to six, as well as the training of teachers and principals assigned  to new preschools. Four upper secondary schools that are in poor  seismic condition and located in areas of climate risk will be  rehabilitated and refurbished.

Furthermore, under this component, data-drivenevidence-based policy  making for improving managing, teaching, and learning will be  promoted. 200 school laboratories in general education will be  equipped and furnished andwill be provided with resources to help  teachers deliver a project-based learning approach in the context of  the revised science, technology, engineering, and mathematics STEM  curriculum.

The second component will financehigher education institution (HEI)  projects to improvelabor market relevance, organizational efficiency,  and equity in enrollment and other opportunities. A call for  proposals under the Competitive Innovations Fund (CIF) will welcome  projects that aim to develop innovative approaches to strengthen STEM  education in both universities and basic education.

"This project will incentivize HEIs to attract more female students  into STEM fields of study and jobs, and have more female teaching  staff working in programs," says Renata Freitas Lemos, World Bank  Task Team Leader of the project. "Frequent community roundtables with  teachers, parents, and students at any stage of the proposed  activities will improve citizen engagement and participatory  monitoring of education outcomes."

The original EIP project has delivered strong results to date. 136  preschools have been established and around 3,500 five- and  six-year-old children have been enrolled across the country. 13  schools have been fully rehabilitated and refurbished, while 107 high  schools have been equipped with laboratory equipment and furniture  for STEM subjects along with E-learning materials. An education  management information system (EMIS) which captures the developments  at all levels, has been established and is fully operational and  expanded nationwide. 4,475 teachers and administrative staff have  been trained in information and communication technologies usage.  Grants for 18 research projects were awarded to 15 universities  across Armenia.

The World Bank will provide a $25 million IBRD loan of  variable-spread, with a 14.5-year grace period and a total repayment  term of 25 years. The Government contribution is $6.25 million.   Since joining the World Bank in 1992, and IDA in 1993, commitments to  Armenia have totaled approximately $2,502,870 million. 

Armenia has been a member of the World Bank since 1992 and a member  of the International Development Association (IDA) since 1993. As of  today, the WB has provided loans and grants to the republic in the  amount of about $2.5 billion.