WB to lend $53m grant to ensure quality primary edu

The International Development Association (IDA) of World Bank will give $53.525 million grant to Bangladesh to ensure quality primary education for all children of the country.

In this regard, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) and the World Bank signed an agreement on Thursday. ERD Secretary Fatima Yasmin and Country Director of the World Bank, Dhaka office Mercy Miyang Tembon signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides, said a press release.

The grant will ensure education from pre-primary up to grade 5 through an inclusive and equitable education system. Besides, it will enhance the quality of teaching-learning practice being applied in schools that enable children to acquire the essential grade-level competencies stipulated in the curriculum.

It will also provide all communities with learning environment that support participation of all children, ensure continuity of education, and ensure strong governance, adequate and equitable financing and better management of the primary education system so as to enable the provision of quality education that is efficient, inclusive and equitable, it added.

The Additional Grant Financing has been approved by the World Bank Board on May 30 in 2020 and the RDPP was approved by planning minister on June 21, 2022.

The World Bank (WB) is the largest multilateral development partner of Bangladesh. It has been providing development assistance to Bangladesh in education and energy sector, inland connectivity and logistics, regional and global integration, and urbanization and adaptive delta management sector after having membership in 1972.

Since then, the WB has committed more than $33.5 billion in grants, interest-free and concessional credits to the country.