EVALUATION REPORT ON THE PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT FUNDED BY LOAN 518-L-027 AND GRANT 518-11-690-075.1

ECUADOR"S FINANCIAL SITUATION WORSENED SIGNIFICANTLY AFTER THE PROJECT WAS LAUNCHED WHICH MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN FUNDS FOR SUCH THINGS AS INSPECTION, CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION, AND MAINTENANCE, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO THE LONG RANGE SUCCESS OF THE PROGRAM. THE COURSE OF ACTION CHOSEN BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS LOCKED IT INTO A PROGRAM OF BUILDING A RELATIVELY INSIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF EXPENSIVE CLASSROOMS WHILE THE COUNTRY SUFFERS FROM A CLASSROOM SHORTAGE SO SEVERE THAT AN INCREASED DROPOUT RATE SEEMS INEVITABLE. THE TEXTBOOK PROGRAM IS BEHIND SCHEDULE BUT IT IS PROGRESSING STEADILY TOWARD ITS GOALS. THE TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM, ORIGINALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT, HAS BEEN SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED. THESE CHANGES CONFIRM THE IMPROBABILITY OF THE THREE NORMAL SCHOOLS TO BE CONSTRUCTED SERVING AS VEHICLES FOR EDUCATION REFORM AS WAS PLANNED. THE EVALUATORS MAKE 22 RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDING; (1)REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CLASSROOMS TO BE CONSTRUCTED UNDER THE PROJECT FROM 3,000 TO 1,300; AND (2)DESIGN A LOWER COST STANDARD CLASSROOM THAT COULD BE USED AFTER THIS PROGRAM TERMINATES.