YEREVAN, October 26, /ARKA/. The Armenian parliament has ratified today y a $25 million loan agreement with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a division of World Bank that will be used by the government for Additional Financing of the Education Improvement Project (EIP).

The money will be spent on improving school readiness of children entering primary education, the physical condition and availability of educational resources in general education, and quality and relevance in higher education institutions of the country.

The project has two main components. The first component will focus on enhancing the quality of general education by financing 80 additional community-based preschools in early education for children aged four to six, as well as the training of teachers and principals assigned to new preschools. Four upper secondary schools that are in poor seismic condition and located in areas of climate risk will be rehabilitated and refurbished.

Under this component, data-driven evidence-based policy making for improving managing, teaching, and learning will be promoted. Some 200 school laboratories in general education will be equipped and furnished and will be provided with resources to help teachers deliver a project-based learning approach in the context of the revised science, technology, engineering, and mathematics STEM curriculum.

The second component will finance higher education institution (HEI) projects to improve labor market relevance, organizational efficiency, and equity in enrollment and other opportunities.

The original EIP project has delivered strong results to date. Some 136 preschools have been established and around 3,500 five- and six-year-old children have been enrolled across the country.

Some 13 schools have been fully rehabilitated and refurbished, while 107 high schools have been equipped with laboratory equipment and furniture for STEM subjects along with E-learning materials.

An education management information system (EMIS) which captures the developments at all levels, has been established and is fully operational and expanded nationwide.

Some 4,475 teachers and administrative staff have been trained in information and communication technologies usage. Grants for 18 research projects were awarded to 15 universities across Armenia.

The World Bank will provide a $25 million IBRD loan of variable-spread, with a 14.5-year grace period and a total repayment term of 25 years. The Government contribution is $6.25 million.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992, and IDA in 1993, commitments to Armenia have totaled approximately $2,502,870 million. -0-