Suriname to Improve Students' English Language, Digital Skills and Skills for Work with IDB Support

-The project will benefit approximately 66,000 students and 4,000 teachers.  

The IDB Board of Directors approved a $40 million project to promote the necessary skills in Suriname for its development, growth and competitiveness. The project will focus on English language skills, digital skills, and skills for developing tourism, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), agriculture, and industrial maintenance. 

The project will improve Suriname's educational system's readiness for information and communication technology and support the development of teachers' digital skills. The plan includes strengthening the Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture's (MOESC) capacity and digital governance, developing teachers' digital skills, and fostering the enabling conditions for effectively integrating digital technologies into teaching and learning.  

English Language Initiative 

The initiative for English language includes updating pedagogical proposals and curriculum following international good practices, introducing new assessment tools aligned with the curriculum, and providing updated teaching materials enriched with digital solutions ,when possible. This includes textbooks for students, lesson plans and audio equipment for teachers.  

To improve the quality of English language programs in secondary schools, the project will increase the number of fully certified English teachers and strengthen the capacity of the teacher training institute (IOL) that prepares them. Approximately 200 practicing teachers will obtain upgraded qualifications as part of the program. Additionally, it will improve the quality of teacher education activities and professional development opportunities for teacher trainers.   

Digital Skills Enhancement 

To foster digital skills, the project will distribute classroom educational technology kits to approximately 65% of primary and lower secondary schools, benefiting around 66,000 students and 3,500 teachers. These kits will include energy-efficient devices appropriate for students according to their learning stages and needs. The project also entails minor renovations to accommodate equipment installation, provide safety measures, and improve schools' resiliency to floods and sea level rise. Provisions, including solar panels, will also strengthen schools' access to reliable electricity and connectivity during learning hours. 

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) 

The project will support the MOESC’s capacity to offer Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs aligned with the needs of the economy. This will improve MOESC’s ability to prepare the country’s future workforce to thrive in a rapidly changing labor market. The project will develop and implement approximately 10 TVET programs in Tourism, ICT, Agriculture, and Industrial Maintenance, benefiting more than 3,400 students. This will include developing curricula and pedagogical materials; renovations and equipping of existing facilities aligned with industry requirements; and training for teachers to impart new programs. School counselors will be trained to guide workplace learning opportunities.  Retention strategies will be implemented for about 1,600 TVET students from Grades 12-15 who are at risk of dropping out of school. 

The $40 million IDB loan has a disbursement period of 5 years and a grace period of 5.5 years.