Millions of Myanmar students to benefit from project: World Bank

YANGON, May 23 (Xinhua) -- About 8.2 million students of Myanmar will benefit from better-financed schools and more than 100,000 poor students will receive direct financial through the Decentralizing Funding to Schools Project, a press release issued by the World Bank said Friday.

The project is the first World Bank engagement on education in Myanmar, the release said.

The project financed by a 80 million U.S.dollars credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and 20 million U.S. dollars from the Government of Australia through the Myanmar Partnership Multi-Donor Trust Fund, will improve and expand the Myanmar Government's School Grants Program and Student Stipends Program, it said.

The project provides direct support to the Ministry of Education to expand funding for the national schools grants program that benefits all schools under the Ministry of Education, and a student stipends program focusing on 40 townships.

The project will also contribute to important longer-term goals in Myanmar's education sector.

"Improving access to quality education and focusing on the most disadvantaged and poor children in remote areas of the country, is essential to reducing poverty and development of the country," said Kanthan Shankar, World Bank Country Manager in Myanmar.

The World Bank has carried out a Public Expenditure and Fiduciary Assessment and is currently working on a multi-year public expenditure review, focusing on the health and education sectors, the release said.

Meanwhile, the World Bank has granted 80 million U. S. dollars for Myanmar National Community Development projects in three townships in Chin and Shan States and Taninthayi Region in Myanmar, according to earlier reports.

The six-year project, the first World Bank project in 25 years in Myanmar, started in March and will be in its first year -- covering 400 villages in three rural townships, including remote areas in Shan State.

source: Global Post

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news-agency/140523/millions-myanmar-students-benefit-project-world-bank