Advance Action on Procurement and Retroactive Financing

Country/Borrower: Kyrgyz Republic

Title of Proposed Project: Second Education Project

Name and address of the Executing Agency

Mr. Anatoly Ivannikov
Ministry of Education
257 Tynystanov Str., Bishkek 7200040
Kyrgyz Republic
Tel No. +996 312 662934
Fax No. +996 312 621520

Brief description of project:

The Project will build on past ADB assistance to continue to enhance quality and participation in primary (grades 1-4) and general secondary (grades 5-11) education, and will assist the Government to deliver education to children in poor areas and from disadvantaged families. The Project will (i) support the Government's efforts in modernizing curriculum, based on a student-centered approach, which will be linked with developing improved learning assessment system and a new generation of textbooks and learning materials; (ii) strengthen in-service teacher training, and incentives for teachers in rural areas; and (iii) rehabilitate facilities and provide educational equipment for 90 priority schools in rural areas to improve the learning environment. The impact of the Project will be improvement of the general education system, which is responsive to the needs of a modern market-oriented economy and focused on poorer areas. The outcome of the Project is increased enrollment in primary and general secondary education in poorer areas of the country, and student performance raised through (i) improving the curriculum and learning assessment systems, (ii) strengthening the teaching profession, and (iii) upgrading facilities and equipment.

Brief description of goods and works to be procured:

The Government has requested advance procurement action and retroactive financing for office equipment and vehicles for the central project implementation unit (CPIU) and regional project implementation units (RPIUs) and for office equipment for the curriculum writing groups, and recruitment of the staff for CPIU and RPIUs, including a project manager, finance manager, accountant, and procurement specialist. The advance action will be undertaken in accordance with ADB's Guidelines for Procurement. Retroactive financing will apply to expenses incurred after appraisal of the Project until the date the Grant becomes effective and for an amount not exceeding $100,000.

Date of advance action approval: 10 March 2005