RURAL EDUCATION II

Evaluation covers the period 8/77-11/80 and is based on document review, site visits, and discussions with teachers. Although funding of the project was suspended due to the 7/80 coup, the Bolivian project staff seems eager to continue as many activities as possible. Personnel problems have been inherent in the project. The Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC) only created positions for and trained 16 of the 20 planned instructors at the Higher Institute of Education in Tarija (ISE/T). Low salaries and financial support caused 34% of the trained department heads to quit. The rest have had to support project activities personally. There is also poor communication between MEC project coordinators and chiefs. To date, only 62 of the 76 planned normal school and ISE/T teachers, administrators, and trainers have received overseas training. Four national administrators and 146 normal school teachers and administrators took part in in-country training. Rural school trainers formed six mobile units and provided in-service training to some 900 teachers in the remote primary school systems, a shortfall of 3,500. Inflation and revised construction designs have made funds to build six new normal schools insufficient. Funds will now be distributed on a priority basis. (Local groups, however, are unwilling to close deficient normal schools in deference to the new schools.) Recommendations for curriculum reform made at a national workshop have catalyzed indepth scientific research on curriculum development. A plan for producing teaching materials at ISE/T and normal schools has not been approved due to a lack of technical assistance and delays in buying equipment. It is recommended that MEC initiate new training at once and reincorporate as many trained personnel as possible; that six new mobile teams, with lower targets of teachers to reach, be trained; that the staff"s financial and communications difficulties be resolved; and that the terminal disbursement date be extended according to the revised construction schedule.