The project would expand and improve the education system in the West African nation, officials told Xinhua during a round table conference with donors in Banjul on Thursday.
The conference brought together representatives from six international organizations including World Bank, Kuwait Fund, Saudi Fund for Development, Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa and Islamic Development Bank (IDB).
World Bank’s education economist for Education Sector Africa Region, Ryoko Tomita, said the institution would contribute 18.8 million U.S. dollars to Gambia’s education sector.
Madam Tomita said the donor representatives’ visit to the project sites, mostly schools, would give them clear information to guide the program.
“We will know where to go and how to go that will ensure the improvement of the education sector in the Gambia” she said.
Abdi Moalin Abdullahi of IDB’s education projects, said IDB would contribute 20 million U.S. dollars to the program.
He said IDB had agreed to support 140 students for their masters’ degree studies both in the country and abroad as part of a higher education program.
“IDB and Gambia government are long partners which came since 1973 and the Bank have spend over US$400 Million in all sectors,” he said.
“We have agreed to fund basic education, higher education and Madarassa, an Islamic education study, in the country and to make linkages between University of the Gambia and international universities,” Moalin told the conference.
At the initial stage, 53.47 million U.S. dollars were demanded by the country’s education sector but this was later increased.
Speaking at the opening session, Gambia’s Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Hon Abdou Colley, assured donors the judicious use of the fund to its direction in order to achieve the goals of the project.
The joint donor conference also include the consultations and dialogue on education sector’s policies and plans. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
