World Bank opens treasury for Chhattisgarh schools, approves $300 million loan

World Bank has taken a big step to increase the quality of education in government schools of Chhattisgarh. The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$ 300 million loan for government schools in Chhattisgarh.
The maturity period of the loan is 18.5 years with a grace period of 5 years. The US$300 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) uses a program-for-results (PforR) financing tool that links the distribution of funds directly to the achievement of specific program outcomes.
The project aims to benefit around 4 million students, most of whom come from poor and vulnerable communities in the state. Let us tell you that about 86 percent of the schools in the state are run by the government.
The World Bank said enrollment at the primary school level is 95 percent, while it is only 57.6 percent at the senior secondary level, and the enrollment of boys is 10.8 percent lower than that of girls.
The World Bank said that the non-availability of science and commerce education in senior secondary schools, lack of trained science and mathematics teachers, and lack of necessary infrastructure such as laboratories and facilities, is the reason for the low enrolment.
The Chhattisgarh Accelerated Learning for a Knowledge Economy Operation (CHALK) aims to improve access to education across all grades and to address the growing demand for science and commerce studies at the senior secondary level.
The World Bank said that with the help of the loan, residential facilities will also be available for male students and teachers in schools in remote locations.
The project will help develop and operate around 600 model composite schools from class 1 to 12 offering science and commerce at the senior secondary level. These schools will provide quality education through trained teachers.