EDUCATION SECTOR LOAN : AID LOAN 512-L-078 HISTORY AND FINAL REPORT

IT IS TOO EARLY TO EVAL THE QUALITY OF EDUC & EMPLOYMENT PREPARATION BECAUSE THE SCHOOLS HAVE NOT PRODUCED GRADUATES. HOWEVER, THE GP PHILOSOPHY & GUIDELINES HAVE INFLUENCED EDUC PLANNING IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUC & CULTURE(MEC) & HAVE LED TO PLANS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOL DEVEL. SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION HAS CHANNELED FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO COMMUNITIES, REQUIRED OFFICIALS TO STUDY THE NEEDS OF SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, RAISED THE VALUE OF NEIGHBORHOOD LAND, PROMOTED CULTURAL ACTIVITIES, AND IDENTIFIED & DEVELPED THE APTITUDES OF STUDENTS FOR AGR, INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL & HOME-MAKING OCCUPATIONS. THE USE OF PHYSICAL, FINANCIAL & EVAL CONTROL SYSTEMS HAS RESULTED IN DOCUMENTED SCHOOL MAINTENANCE & BUDGETING, SELF-EVAL PROCEDURES IN GP SCHOOLS & MGMT EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN TRND BY PREMEN IN CONSTRUCTION & HUMAN RESOURCES. 204 SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN BUILT & EQUIPPED, 72 FEWER THAN EXPECTED BY 1974. A 26% REDUCTION OF SCHOOL UNITS WAS OFFSET BY AN 11% INCREASE IN CONSTRUCTION AREA. NO "COLEGIO POLYVALENTE"(-CP-GRADES 9-12- WAS CONSTRUCTED. STUDIES ON CURRIC & EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE CP SCHOOL WERE COMPLETED & APPROVED BY MEC TO BE CARRIED OUT THROUGH ANOTHER LOAN. A MODEL & METHODOLOGY FOR CONVERSION OF EXISTING GINASIOS INTO GP SCHOOLS WAS ADOPTED, BUT CONVERSION WAS DEEMED UNECONOMICAL. THE FUNDACAO BETULIO VARGAS(FVG) DEVELOPED A BATTERY OF DIFFERENTIATED APTITUDE TESTS & A VOCATIONAL INTERESTS QUESTIONNAIRE WHILE TESTING NORMS FOR GRADES 6 THROUGH 10 WERE ESTABLISHED IN EACH STATE. THERE ARE 4 CURRICULUM OPTIONS FOR PRACTICAL ARTS: INDUSTRIAL ARTS, HOME EDUCATION, COMMERCIAL BUSINESS TECHNIQUES, AND AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUES. ALL LOAN GP SCHOOLS HAVE RECEIVED STANDARD LIBRARY COLLECTIONS OF 1,740 BOOKS. MANY OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE BOOK BANKS. HOWEVER, LACK OF SALARY INCENTIVES FOR LIBRARIANS HAS MADE RECRUITMENT OF STAFF DIFFICULT.