ELEMENTARY EDUCATION PROJECT

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The Elementary Education Project will assist the Government in its efforts to attain its goals of universal elementary education, and, support educational development that contributes to participative economic growth and poverty alleviation. The proposed instrument is a Sector Investment Credit (SIC) for which the Partners will pool funds with the Government to support Savia Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) through a sector-wide approach. Targets for SSA are all 6-11 year old children to be in schools, or alternative centers by 2003; all 6-11-year-olds to complete five years of primary schooling by 2007; all 6-14-year-olds to complete eight years of elementaryschooling by 2010; elementary education to have satisfactory quality with emphasis on education for life; to bridge all gender, and social disparities in primary education by 2007, and in elementary education by 2010; and, to reach universal retention by 2010. SSA spans across several Five-Year Plan periods, from 2001, and 2002, to 2008. The Project will 1) establish, construct, and extend primary and upper primary schools; provide training in social mobilization and educational management; ensure salaries of teachers hired under the program; and, support interventions to enroll out-of-school children. In addition, to narrow existing gender and social gaps. The project shall provision school textbooks to girls, and students from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes; support special schools and facilities for girls, which includes adequate residential schools; ensure female teachers are available, to aim at parity with male teachers; and, provide grants to districts to support students with disability. Finally, to improve quality, teachers training will be provided, and, school grants available for repair and maintenance, materials and equipment, as well as teacher grants for teaching and learning materials will be financed.