The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

World Bank Friday approved a US$ 130.7 million IDA credit to Bangladesh with a view to improve the quality of secondary education.

The credit from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank's concessionary arm, has 40 years to maturity with a 10-year grace period and it carries a service charge of 0.75 percent, said a World Bank press release.

The 'Secondary Education Quality and Access Enhancement Project' will finance activities in 121 Upazilas aimed at improving education quality and poverty-targeted stipends and tuition to girls and boys to increase access and retention.

Although Bangladesh has recorded impressive achievements in the education sector significant challenges remain. Completion rate at the secondary level is as low as 20 percent and many poor children, especially boys, are still left out of the secondary school system, the press release added.

Female enrollment in the secondary schools increased from 1.1 million in 1991 to 4.4 million in 2006 after an innovative World Bank financed initiative 'Female Secondary School Assistance Project' was launched in 1993, it said.

Schools and families received cash incentives under this project to keep girls in secondary school through completion.

"Achievement of high quality secondary education is a critical foundation for higher levels of education and skills which are likely to have a significant impact on economic development", said World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh, Xian Zhu.

"This project will ensure that poor children are not left out of the secondary school system. Importantly, it will also enhance secondary teacher and student performance, as well as in making schools more accountable to the community."

The project aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Education both at central and local levels and establish an effective monitoring and evaluation system.