US aid to education in Paraguay : the rural education development project

project (1970-76) to improve the availability and efficiency of rural education in Paraguay is assessed. As a result of the project, a much better educational program is available to many more students and is delivered by a system and a staff responsive to change. Although fewer rural primary schools were built than targeted (32 of 120) due to rising costs, they have greatly improved rural students' access to formal education, afforded students more time to help with farmwork, and reduced seasonal dropout and transportation costs. The project also revised primary and secondary school curricula, introduced a textbook production and distribution system, and shifted administrative responsibility from the Ministry of Education (MOE) to two Regional Education Centers. These Centers, which have conveniently been located in rural areas, have provided pre-service and inservice teacher training, demonstrated use of the new curricula, helped diffuse reforms in formal education, and have become effectively decentralized units of administration. On the other hand, the reforms have been limited in both scope and implementation. The new curricula are in use in only 10% of schools nationwide (although in all AID-built schools) and improving achievement scores and retention/promotion rates have annoyed teachers - who are very poorly paid - by imposing greater workloads at no extra pay. Unfortunately, the MOE's budget is so inadequate that even necessary instructional materials are in short supply. This continual underbudgeting threatens to unravel the project's achievements. The project taught several lessons: (1) Provision by local communities of land, labor, and continued maintenance excellently demonstrates the impact of local citizenry on educational reform. (2) Despite the skills provided by over 20 years of A.I.D. assistance, it was a new and committed Minister of Education who provided the political catalyst needed to make the project work. (3) Realistic and effective national budget allocations are needed to ensure sustained educational reform. In a word, responsibility for expanding and refining the program now rests with the Government of Paraguay.