Contacts: In Dhaka: Mehrin A. Mahbub (880-2) 8159001, mmahbub@worldbank.org In Washington: Erik Nora (202) 458 4735, enora@worldbank.org   August 14, Dhaka: The Government of Bangladesh today signed a credit agreement worth US$130.7 million with the International Development Association (IDA) to improve the quality and performance of secondary education and to ensure greater accountability at school level.  The Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project is built upon the success of its predecessor ‘Female Secondary School Assistance Project’ which is universally acknowledged as a pioneer in improving access for girls in secondary education. Female enrollment in the secondary level increased from 1.1 million in 1991 to 4.4 million in 2006 after that project was launched in 1993. Despite these achievements, completion rate at the secondary level is still low and many poor children, especially boys, are still left out of the secondary school system.  The Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project covering 121 Upazillas will provide targeted stipends to poor girls and boys to increase access and retention. One of the main objectives of the project is to improve secondary school educational performance, with emphasis on English Language and Mathematics. The project will assist in strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Education both at central and local levels, and establish an effective monitoring and evaluation system.  Mr. Mohammad Mejbahuddin, Additional Secretary, Economic Relations Division and Mr. Vinaya Swaroop, Acting Country Director, World Bank signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Bangladesh and the World Bank respectively at Economic Relations Division of the Ministry of Finance.  The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s concessionary arm, has 40 years to maturity, including a 10-year grace period; and carries a service charge of 0.75 percent.  For more project information, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org.bd/external/projects/main?pagePK=64283627&piPK=73230&theSitePK=295760&menuPK=295793&Projectid=P106161
For more information on the World Bank in Bangladesh, please visit: http://www.worldbank.org/bd  # # # |
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