BOLIVIA - RURAL EDUCATION I

5-YEAR PROJECT ASSISTS GOB DECENTRALIZE PLANNING, ORGANIZATION, IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION OF COMPREHENSIVE FORMAL AND NONFORMAL RURAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS. EDUCATORS AND OFFICIALS USE BASELINE DATA GATHERED BY LOCAL TEACHERS TO MAKE MATERIALS AND CURRICULA MORE RELEVANT TO RURAL NEEDS. PRIMARY-LEVEL TEXTS USING BILINGUAL EDUCATION TECHNIQUES ARE DEVELOPED. MATERIALS AND CURRICULA ARE TESTED IN LOCAL SCHOOLS AND FED BACK TO DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS (DEDC) FOR CONSTANT PROGRAM ADJUSTMENT TO COMMUNITY NEEDS. 20 NUCLEAR AND 200 SECTIONAL SCHOOLS ARE CONSTRUCTED OR REFURBISHED. IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES UPGRADE 500 TEACHERS. VACAS RURAL NORMAL SCHOOL CURRICULUM IS REFORMED TO INCLUDE TECHNICAL TRAINING, RADIO PROGRAMMING, BILINGUAL AND NONFORMAL MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT, SOCIO-LINGUISTIC RESEARCH. DEDC ADMINISTRATORS RECEIVE ON-JOB TRAINING IN PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, EVALUATION. TEACHERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO STAY IN RURAL AREAS BY PROVISION OF NON-SALARY INCENTIVES (HOUSING, CREDIT, ETC.). SPECIFIC NONFORMAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ARE NOT PROPOSED, BUT DEVELOPED ACCORDING TO INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY NEEDS AS PERCEIVED BY COMMUNITY COUNCILS AND RESOURCE GROUPS. NONFORMAL EDUCATION WORKING GROUP (10 TECHNICIANS WORKING WITH COCHABAMBA DEDC) AND MULTISECTOR WORKING GROUP HELP IN ACTUAL IMPLEMENTATION. PROJECT IS IMPLEMENTED AND ADMINISTERED BY RURAL EDUCATION DIVISION OF MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND CULTURE AT NATIONAL LEVEL AND BY EDUCATION DIRECTOR OF DEDC AT DEPARTMENT LEVEL. GOB PROVIDES SALARIES AND LABOR; USAID CONTRIBUTES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, TRAINING, CAPITAL.