Iraq: Agreement Signed To Build And Repair Schools

In Tokyo: Sereen Juma (81-3) 3597 6650

e-mail: sjuma@worldbank.org

In Washington:   Shaha Riza 1(202) 458-1592

e-mail:  sriza@worldbank.org

TOKYO, October 13, 2004 – The World Bank today signed a $60 million grant agreement with Iraq’s Ministry of Education to finance the construction of new buildings for over 100 schools, and urgent repairs to140 primary and secondary schools across 18 governorates. Financed by the Iraq Trust Fund, a multi-donor trust fund administered by the World Bank, the project focuses on schools that are overcrowded or housed in unsafe buildings.

The Emergency School Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Project was signed today on the sidelines of an international donors meeting in Tokyo by Dr. Mehdi Al-Hafedh, Iraq’s Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation and Mr. Christian Poortman, World Bank Vice President for Middle East and North Africa. Education was presented as one of the key sectors targeted for reforms in Iraq’s National Development Strategy, unveiled today by the Interim Iraqi Government at the donors meeting.

Iraq boasted one of the best school systems in the region, but the decline in the education sector since the 1980s and the need for construction and repairs has placed great strains on an already fragile learning environment. The backlog in constructions has resulted in nearly one-third of schools having to conduct double or triple sessions each day.

Setting a target to eliminate double sessions and repair damaged schools in the next four years, the Ministry of Education turned to the World Bank to provide support in meeting this goal. The construction and repairs will be complemented by training and advisory support to Iraqi civil servants in key areas of education reform.

"The Emergency School Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Project represents an important step for Iraqis to achieve the education goals they shared with the international community today, aimed at creating a better future for their people," said Poortman.

This project is complemented by  emergency textbook-printing project financed by the multi-donor trust fund to print and distribute 69 million textbooks for the 2004-2005 school year.

For more information about the World Bank’s work in Iraq, visit:

www.worldbank.org/iq

For more information about the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq IRFFI), please visit:

http://www.irffi.org