Evaluates project to improve the primary education system in Ecuador. This loan completion review covers a period ending 12/31/74. No methodology is indicated. The loan resulted in the construction of 222 schools with 1,430 classrooms, as follows: 195 new schools with 1,310 classrooms; 26 schools not completed due to lack of funds, with 98 classrooms; one normal school with 22 classrooms; and 10 teacher”s lodgings in remote rural areas. Approximately $4.7 million was spent on the construction component of the project. Approximately $500,000 was spent on the textbook component, under which a total of 2.5 million primary school textboooks and 30,000 teacher”s guides were printed for grades 1-4. The estimated future capacity for textbook purchases by the Ministry of Education (MOE) is 1.1 million primary school textbooks and 30,000 teacher”s guides for grades 5-6. The MOE has not yet established a special fund for repair and replacement of primary textbooks, as stipulated in the Loan Agreement, due in part to its plan to provide all primary textbooks free out of its general budget. Approximately $160,000 in PL 480 funds was allocated to the MOE to maintain the schools constructed with loan funds. Achievement in this area has not been complete. The MOE has not yet prepared a satisfactory school maintenance plan, finalized a school maintenance manual, nor carried out maintenance training, as required by the Loan Agreement. MOE clearly needs further assistance in this area. Of the $641,000 allocated for imported construction materials, equipment, and office items, $141,00 was used to procure steel plate to construct prefabricated schools. A total of 1,276 classrooms classrooms have been built so far, about seven classrooms per eight hour shift. The Government of Ecuador (GOE) considered the $168,000 it spent for equipment for these structures as a counterpart contribution to the Project Revolving Fund. The loan is now fully disbursed, all project elements are completed, and no further field monitoring of the loan is needed.
