New Delhi (NVI): The World Bank today signed a USD 68 million project with Central Government and the government of Nagaland to promote and enhance quality of education in selected schools across the state.
The project Enhancing Classroom Teaching and Resources Project in the Northeastern state of India aims to enhance classroom teaching, resources as well as improve teaching practices and learning environment.
With this project, the World Bank will enhance classroom instruction, build technology systems to provide teachers and students with more access to blended and online learning, create opportunities for the professional development of the teachers and also allow better monitoring of policies and programs, the Ministry of Finance said in a statement.
“Such an integrated approach will complement conventional delivery models and help mitigate the challenges posed by COVID-19,” it added.
The ministry also informed that about 1,50,000 students and 20,000 teachers in the government education system in Nagaland will benefit from the statewide reforms in schools.
The agreement was signed by CS Mohapatra on behalf of the Government of India, Shanavas C, Principal Director, Department of School Education on behalf of the Government of Nagaland and Junaid Ahmad, Country Director, India on behalf of the World Bank.
After signing the pact, Mohapatra said that human resources development plays a key role in any development strategy and the Government of India has taken several concrete steps to transform the education landscape in India.
He added that the education project in Nagaland will address the critical gaps faced by students and teachers and play an important role in the development of the state.
“Today, Nagaland faces challenges of weak school infrastructure, lack of opportunities for the professional development of teachers and limited capacity on the part of communities to partner effectively with the school system,” the statement said.
It added that the COVID-19 pandemic has further accentuated these challenges and created additional stress and disruptions to the state’s school education system.
Junaid also said that even as the number of children attending school in India has increased over the last few years, there is a growing need to significantly improve learning outcomes to meet the demands of the labor market and fuel future growth.
“This project is designed to support the Government of Nagaland’s ongoing efforts to improve and develop a more resilient education system in the state,” he added.
Moreover, strengthening Nagaland’s Education Management and Information System (EMIS) will enable wider access to education resources, support professional development and performance evaluation systems for teachers and education managers, facilitate school leadership and better management, and support examination reforms, the ministry noted.
Around 15 out of 44 higher secondary schools in Nagaland will be developed into school complexes that operationalize the envisioned learning environment during the project period.
Meanwhile, the USD 68 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a final maturity of 14.5 years including a grace period of 5 years.
-RJV
