School Computerization

closed

The TA will prepare an investment project to support the Government's strategy to improve the quality and efficiency of basic education to meet new labor market requirements. This will be done by improving computer literacy among teachers and students, establishing electronic libraries and developing multimedia computer courseware to overcome the problems of many unqualified teaching staff and lack of instructional materials. The project will target especially the poor and disadvantaged youths in rural areas (type 2 and 3 schools). The project will contribute in reducing the digital divide and in preparing for information technology-related jobs. The TA will prepare an investment project with the following outputs in mind: (i) it will establish at least 1,200 school information centers and the same number of electronic libraries; (ii) About 35 percent of primary and secondary students (1.5 million) will be able to use computers as a medium of instruction; (iii) About 50 percent of school administrators and teachers (100,000) will be able to use computers in improving the quality and efficiency of basic education; (iv) Multimedia computer courseware will be developed and distributed for all the subjects taught in primary and secondary schools to overcome low quality education; and (v) Ways of recovering operation and maintenance costs should be explored to make the project sustainable. The TA will have three components: (i) comprehensive study and survey for establishing school information centers, (ii) master plan to develop electronic library and multimedia computer courseware, and (iii) initial capacity building of school administrators and teachers in the use of information technology in education.