CREDIT AND PROJECT SUMMARY
Borrower: India, acting by its President.
Beneficiaries: Government of India and the Governments of Assam, Haryana,
Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu
Amount: SDR 180 Million (US$ 260.3 million equivalent)
Terms: Standard, with 35 years maturity.
Description: The project would support the GOI District Primary Education
Program to build national, state and district managerial and
professional capacity for sustainable primary education
development. It would support district-based programs aimed at
decreases in dropout, increases in learning achievement, and
improved access to primary education. Priority would be given to
female and SC/ST students through both targeting and special
strategies, and to enhanced community participation. The project
would include three components:
Building National Institutional Capacity to support, monitor and
evaluate a national, decentralized primary education development
program by establishing a strengthened framework for national
management and professional technical assistance.
Building State Institutional Capacity in six states to appraise,
supervise and manage district-level projects and institutions for
improving the quality and effectiveness of primary education and
to provide technical support for program management, textbook
development, improved teaching, improved planning and
management and research and evaluation.
Improving Quality and Access in Primary Education in 23 districts
in 6 states through strengthened district institutional capacity,
strengthened community participation and awareness, improved
facilities, teacher in-service training, learning materials and
teaching aids, targeted interventions for girls, SC and ST students,
early childhood education and construction of new schools and
classrooms.
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Benefits and Risks: The project would be a first investment in a longer-term program to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of the citizens of India, particularly the rural poor, and hence increase their productivity and social welfare. It would establish the institutional framework necessary for the implementation of the District Primary Education Program over the medium term. It would provide access to primary education for an estimated 1.4 million additional children, enable more than 1.5 million children to complete primary education by reducing dropout, and improve the quality of instruction and learning achievement for approximately 14 million children. It is expected that 60 percent of children benefitting from the project would be girls. Implementation risk is high because the project would be supporting a newly created program. Although policy and political commitment is high at the national level, financial and managerial risks will need to be closely monitored at both national and state levels. The project would seek to address these risks through the development of project monitoring systems, annual planning and budgeting exercises, annual progress reviews involving all program donors, a program of evaluation studies, and a mid-term review. Intensive supervision would be provided by an expanded education team in the Resident Mission.
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Estimated Project Costs:
Local Foreign Total
US$ Million
Build National Institutional Capacity 17.8 2.7 20.5
Build State Institutional Capacity 23.8 0.9 24.7
Improve Quality & Access in Primary Education
Build District Institutional Capacity 12.0 0.5 12.5
Improve Retention 41.4 1.3 42.7
Increase Access 93.7 3.8 97.5
Improve Learning Achievements 70.4 2.0 72.4
Subtotal Improve Quality & Access 217.4 7.7 225.1
TOTAL BASE COST 259.0 11.3 270.4
Contingencies 38.1 2.0 40.1
TOTAL PROJECT COST 297.1 13.4 310.5
Financing Plan:
Local Foreign Total
US$ Million
IDA 246.9 13.4 260.3
GOI 50.2 - 50.2
TOTAL PROJECT COST 297.1 13.4 310.5
Estimated Disbursements:
IDA FY FY95 FY96 FY97 FY98 FY99 FY2000 FY2001 FY2002
Annual 8.0 32.3 35.7 42.6 45.8 42.3 33.6 20.0
Cumulative 8.0 40.3 76.0 118.6 164.4 206.7 240.3 260.3
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Economic Rate of Return: Not Applicable.
Poverty Category: Program of Targeted Interventions. One of the project's
main objectives is to improve quality and access in primary
education for tribal populations, scheduled castes and girls.
The project contains specific strategies for interventions
targeted for these groups.