OREANDA-NEWS. December 07, 2015. Improvements in the access, quality and equity of Suriname's educational system that will benefit 90,000 students and 6,500 teachers are part of a new phase of the country's Basic Education Improvement Program (BEIP), to be financed with a loan approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

BEIP will invest nearly US\\$12 million in developing the curriculum and textbooks for the 7th and 8th grades, in order to improve the level of education of students. This phase continues an earlier program, launched in 2003 with IDB support, that gradually developed the curriculum and textbooks for all the other preschool and primary grades.The program also will provide educators with training in new teaching tools and the development of on-line content.

Approximately US\\$5 million will be used to renovate classrooms and build residences for teachers in the countryside, where students are most vulnerable and have the highest risk of dropping out. As part of infrastructure improvements, funds also will be used to build a home for the Center for Continuous Education Improvement (CENASU in its Dutch language acronym) that will provide adequate space for training teachers and other professional development activities. CENASU does not currently have a home.

The IDB also will work closely with Suriname’s Ministry of Education, Science and Culture to strengthen the capacity of its departments through the acquisition of equipment and training sessions to support the ministry in its daily operations. About US\\$2 million will go toward improving these capacities.

The IDB loan is for 25 years, with a grace period of 5.5 years and an interest rate based on LIBOR.

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The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source oflong-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean.The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.