The Inter-American Development Bank will support the modernization and strengthening of Suriname’s basic education system with a $12.5 million loan approved today by the Board of Executive Directors, the Bank announced.
The resources will assist the Ministry of Education and Community Development in reorganizing the present primary and junior secondary education system into a single 10-year basic education cycle. To accomplish this task, the ministry will adopt a new curriculum, redesign textbooks, undertake new techniques of teacher training, reform the existing examination system and acquire new teaching materials.
As part of the program primary and junior secondary schools now in poor condition will be rehabilitated, and the management capacity and autonomy of schools will be enhanced.
The Ministry of Education and Community Development* will be strengthened and equipped with instruments and tools to conduct more effective evaluations.
By the end of the program, dropout and repetition rates are expected to be reduced by 20 percent while the percentage of students completing 6th grade is expected to increase by 10 percent.
The total cost of the program is $14 million. The IDB loan is for a 25-year term, with a five-year grace period, at a variable interest rate. Part of the interest will be defrayed by the Intermediate Financing Facility. Local counterpart funds total $1.5 million.