Manila, July 13, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Asian Development Bank (ASX: ATB) will help boost job prospects for graduates in Mongolia through a US$13 million loan to improve the quality and relevance of education.
The Government is extending the country's education system from the current 10-year program to a 12-year system in 2008, in line with international standards.
The project will therefore develop a new national curriculum framework for the new system and strengthen standards, as well as improve training and establish an accreditation system for teachers.
"Education is perceived to be an important vehicle to reduce poverty and promote human development," says Wolfgang Kubitzki, an ADB Project Economist. "However, the country's education system is constrained by the limited capacity and poor condition of school facilities and outdated education programs. As a result, graduates have difficulty finding jobs."
The project will improve teaching and learning environments in primary and secondary schools by rehabilitating facilities and providing furniture and educational equipment in about 45 schools. At least 30 schools will also be upgraded with ICT equipment and other teaching facilities to serve as models for effective teaching.
Nationwide, about 560,000 students - including about 21,000 students from poor families - will benefit from the improved curriculum, well-defined education standards, and enhanced assessment systems, while about 21,400 teachers throughout the country will benefit from in-service teacher training programs.
The project will also rehabilitate and modernize six institutions to serve as models for vocational education, benefiting about 21,900 vocational students.
"Graduates of vocational and technical education institutions entering the labor force will soon possess knowledge and skills in line with industry requirements, contribute to higher labor productivity, and increase economic growth," adds Mr. Kubitzki.
ADB has been supporting work in Mongolia's education sector since the early 1990s. The loan is the third in a series following one, approved in 1996, to support fundamental policy reforms and a second, approved in 2002, focused on school and kindergarten rehabilitation, provision of learning materials, and limited support in curriculum development and teacher training.
To accompany the project, a $150,000 technical assistance grant will help strengthen the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, and enable it to set up a sector wide approach in the education sector.
The total cost of the project is estimated at US$16.4 million, of which the Government of Mongolia will shoulder $3.4 million. The German Agency for Technical Cooperation and UNICEF will provide US$600,000 and US$90,000 grants, respectively, for consulting inputs.
ADB's loan comes from its concessional Asian Development Fund. It carries a 32-year term, including a grace period of 8 years, and interest charge of 1% per annum during the grace period, and 1.5% thereafter.
The Ministry of Education, Culture and Sciences is the executing agency for the project, which will be carried out over five years to September 2011.
Contact
Graham Dwyer
Email: gdwyer@adb.org
Tel:+632 632 5253; +632 898 3413; +63 915 741 4363
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