Projects

Project Information

Senior Secondary Education Project

Country and Location

Uzbekistan

Date of Approval

8 February 2000

Project Description

The Project will support ongoing education reforms by assisting with the improvement of the compulsory senior secondary education (SSE) system (grades 10 to 12). It will support the establishment of a broad-based SEE that meets international standards to develop a flexible workforce to support the country's economic transition. Human development is a critical requirement in Uzbekistan's transition toward a market economy. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Operational Strategy highlights the importance of education as one of three priority areas for ADB's support to Uzbekistan and its transition to a market economy.

Loan Amount and Terms

It is proposed that ADB provide a loan of US$57.0 million from its ordinary capital resources (OCR). It is proposed further that ADB finance 100 percent of the foreign exchange cost of the Project and 2.3 percent of the local cost. The Government will finance US$75.2 million equivalent in local cost. The Borrower will be the Republic of Uzbekistan. The OCR loan will have a term of 25 years, including a grace period of 5 years, with interest determined in accordance with ADB's pool-based variable lending rate system for US dollar loans; and will carry a commitment charge of 0.75 percent per annum.

Period of Utilization

Until 30 June 2005

Borrower

The Republic of Uzbekistan

Executing Agency

Ministry of Higher and Senior Secondary Education (MOHSSE)

Procurement

All ADB-financed procurement for the Project will be in accordance with ADB's Guidelines for Procurement. Civil works will be fully financed by the Government and will follow the Government's procedures acceptable to ADB. Each contract for the supply of goods, equipment, furniture, and instructional materials estimated to cost more than US$500,000 equivalent will be awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding procedure (ICB), while contract packages of US$500,000 equivalent or less will follow international shopping, local competitive bidding, direct purchase procedures or local procedures as applicable. Advance procurement action has been allowed for the first ICB for school equipment.

Consulting Services

The Project will require 426 person-months of consulting services (244 international and 182 domestic) to support implementation and capacity building for the CSSE and the project schools. The consultants will be engaged in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants and other arrangements satisfactory to ADB for the engagement of domestic consultants. Advance procurement action has been allowed for the recruitment of consultants.

Technical Assistance

The Government has requested TA support for (i) a review of the status of the development of the SSE and schools system (1998 to 2001), and (ii) establishing and operationalizing M&E functions within the CSSE. The review will assess external and internal efficiency, as well as adequacy of the recurrent budget for a sample of new SSE schools. Results will be used to explore options and strategies for maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of the SSE subsector. Disseminating the findings in time for the NPPT review in 2001 will permit their integration into the NPPT strategies for 2002 and beyond. Concurrently, the TA will develop M&E functions and tools for the SSE subsector, to collect timely and reliable management information on the SSE system and programs.