DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, December 29. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has allocated a $40 million grant to Tajikistan, Trend reports.
The funding is intended to help the government improve the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) topics in secondary schools. This project also includes increasing awareness about climate change and encouraging girls to pursue STEM careers.
Tajikistan's Minister of Finance, Fayziddin Qahhorzoda, and ADB Country Director in Tajikistan, Shanny Campbell, signed the deal in Dushanbe.
The project's goal is to improve STEM teaching techniques for students in grades 5 to 11, using a skill-based approach to help students acquire critical analysis and teamwork abilities that will allow them to address real-world challenges.
The project encompasses the training of STEM teachers and the modernization of educational materials. It will involve the modernization of 20 schools in four regions of the country and an improvement in school management. Climate change-related topics will be integrated into STEM curricula and materials.
The project will directly benefit 11,500 students, including 5,600 girls in targeted schools, as well as approximately 4,000 STEM teachers, education specialists, school management, and communities in project implementation areas.
The partnership between the ADB and Tajikistan dates back to 1998. ADB has provided Tajikistan with over $2.5 billion in assistance since then.