Basic education and skills training sector program

Under the project, 80% of A.I.D. funds will be used for a Commodity Import Program to generate local currency for use by the GOZ in support of project objectives; the remaining 20% will finance TA, U.S. training, and commodities. Priority activities will be as follows. TA and long- and short-term training will be provided to help the the Ministry of Education and Culture (MOEC) establish a a National Education Service Center (ESC) to integrate key MOEC functions and provide a mechanism for educational system innovation and improvement. In addition, the project will help the MOEC: (1) increase the number and expertise of secondary teachers, train teacher supervisors, and produce teacher training materials; (2) upgrade existing secondary school curricula and teaching methods and develop new curricula in mathematics, languages, and social science, and expand the use of educational technology, especially radio, in rural and remote areas; and (3) develop (especially through training by technical consultants) a systematic capability for educational research, evaluation, and planning. The project will also help the Ministry of Manpower Planning and Development implement its proposed National Vocational Training and Development System (NVTS). To this end, the project will support: (1) a National Vocational Training and Development Center to coordinate NVTS activities, develop vocational and instructor training modules and skills tests, establish skills training programs for 300 people annually, train instructors, and establish a national training information depository; (2) 3 new Regional Vocational Training Centers to meet industrial and commercial training needs; (3) 6 new vocational training schools to provide skills training in rural areas; (4) 5 new polytechnic colleges to meet advanced technology manpower needs; and (5) a management training institute.