World Bank Board Approves US$100 Million for Tanzania’s Science and Technology Higher Education Project

Contacts

In Washington: Aby Toure (202) 473 8302

akonate@worldbank.org

In Dar es Salaam: Rosalie Ferrao (255-22) 2163251

rferrao@worldbank.org

Washington, May 27, 2008 -- The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved an International Development Association (IDA) credit[i]of US$100 million for the first phase of the Government of Tanzania’s Science and Technology Higher Education Program (STHEP). 

The Program’s objective is to boost Tanzania’s competitiveness through improvements in teaching science and technology at the higher education level, and aims at enhancing the quantity and quality of higher education graduates through improved learning environments. This STHEP will enable the various public educational institutions of higher learning to make the much needed critical investments in training, capacity building, infrastructure and equipment, modern information and communications technology (ICT) and library systems, which will contribute to the achievement of the goals of the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (known by its Swahili acronym, MKUKUTA).

“We are pleased to be associated with the Government of Tanzania’s efforts to provide students and faculty with the necessary training and access to much needed modern science and technology and engineering facilities to complement and strengthen learning. We hope that the Government will use this credit effectively to build capacity of the students who can meet the demands of the public and private sectors,” said John Murray McIntire, World Bank Country Director for Tanzania, Uganda and Burundi.

One component of the five-year program is to strengthen the institutional capacity of key higher education agencies including the Ministry of Education; the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology; Tanzania Commission for Universities; the Higher Education Student Loan Board; the National Council for Technical Education; Tanzania Education Authority; and the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology.

Successful implementation of this program will result in:

·         a greater number of graduates from science and technology degree programs;

·         improved scores on formal assessments of learning of S&T students in their final year of first-degree studies; and

·         an increased number of new degree-holding teachers hired as teachers in secondary schools each school year who are qualified to teach mathematics; sciences and English.

“The overall purpose of the Science and Technology Higher Education program is to enhance Tanzania’s capacity to apply knowledge to economic activity by building and strengthening its higher education system” said Arun R. Joshi, Task Team Leader for the STHEP.

Overall the program’s interventions will contribute significantly to improving quality of life and social services by enhancing the quality of both secondary and tertiary education.

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For more information on the World Bank’s work in sub-saharan Africa visit:

www.worldbank.org/afr

For more information on the World Bank’s work in Tanzania visit:

http://www.worldbank.org/tz

For more information on the project visit:

http://web.worldbank.org/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=258799&menuPK=287369&Projectid=P098496