OREANDA-NEWS. March 01, 2016. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has approved a \\$20 million credit to finance a program that will help at least 156,000 students in the first and second cycles in Paraguay to improve their education by extending the school day from four to eight hours and implementing innovations such as the Scholas method and modules.

The program also will include a pilot effort to provide transportation options to students in rural schools, and will help to improve the autonomy and administrative capacity of educational institutions by making available new tools in the areas of administration, education, organization and community work.

“Paraguay is committed to offering a better, more inclusive and rounded education to the new generations, and will be a pioneer in gathering evidence on the effects of a longer school day on learning, and in emphasizing noncognitive skills as part of the educational model through Scholas,” said Mercedes Mateo-Berganza, IDB project team leader.

In this way, Paraguay will become the first country in the region to put into operation the agreement between the IDB and Scholas, the educational entity launched by Pope Francis, designed to implement coordinated educational programs to help vulnerable youths in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The first stage of the program will extend the school day in 664 institutions for early childhood and basic education, which will include implementing educational innovations that will help to improve the way in which the additional time is used, including the methodology and modules from Scholas Ciudadania, Art with Values and Sports with Values.

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The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-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.