Azerbaijan, Baku, 3 March / corr Trend I.Khalilova / The World Bank (WB) has extended the term of implementation of the second project on the development of the education system for Azerbaijan, which is directed at reforms in the educational sector for an additional year - up to 2009, the Baku Office of the WB said on 3 March. At the decision of the WB Board of Directors dated 27 May 2003, the project was to end on 31 March 2008.
The Education Sector Development Project for Azerbaijan is committed to sectoral reforms in the education sector based on the Education Reform Program of 1999. The purpose of the reform program is to address key sectoral issues, some of which need to be prioritized on the basis of additional analytical work, to improve the quality of education, and to coordinate the entire sector.
The project has five components: 1) Quality and relevance of general education through curriculum reform for grades 1-11, to develop and enhance the potential of teachers, and to provide reading material for school libraries/Design and adopt the national curriculum framework, and prepare and implement new national standards/Establish strong links between the development of education reforms and professional teachers /Utilize textbooks and reading material to stimulate routine reading. 2) Reforms within financing and budgeting to gain efficient use of financial, human and physical resources. 3) To supplement limited resources of specific schools in the three pilot districts to ensure that the poor are not discriminated against from quality education; 4) Management and planning capacity in the Ministry of Education to use available resources more effectively and efficiently. 5) Strengthening of coordination and monitoring mechanisms under the project.
The total cost of the project is $20.99mln, including $18mln of WB credit. It is the second credit for the reformation of education, while the first credit of $5mln was allotted in 1999. The second loan was adopted at the WB Board of Directors on 27 May 2003.
The project will be effective until 31 March 2008.
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