Sector Assistance Program Evaluation on Education in Uzbekistan

Table A6.4: Ongoing Loan Projects
 
I. 
Information and Communication Technology in Basic Education 
The Information and Communication Technology in Basic Education Project (ICTBEP)
was approved on 27 October 2005 in the amount of $30.0 million (Loan No. 2191-UZB [SF]). 
The project became effective on 22 June 2006 and is scheduled to be closed on 30 June 2011. 
The Ministry of Public Education (MOPE) is the executing agency. 
 Project 
Objectives. 
The project aims to improve the quality, relevance, and the access 
to basic education by integrating information and communication technology (ICT) in the 
teaching and learning practices in Uzbekistan. The project is developed ensuring a wide 
national coverage, including urban and rural areas, and giving special attention to poorest 
schools, which will account for 70% of the involved schools. 
Project Benefits. 
The project will directly benefit those students in grades 5–9 in the 
860 cluster leader schools (CLS), totaling 540,000 during the life of the project. The benefits 
come from better learning and teaching conditions through internet connections and the 
provision and application of ICT in classrooms. Direct beneficiaries will include 7,740 teachers in 
CLSs, 63,200 teachers in non-CLSs, 1,720 CLS school management staff, 18,000 management 
staff in non-CLSs, 220 lecturers at regional in-service teacher training institutes, and 600 local-
language e-material developers, whose skills will improve thanks to the targeted training 
provided under the project. Given the central role of the CLSs in the school system, an 
estimated 6 million students and 200,000 teachers will indirectly benefit from the project. Finally, 
the project will seek to extend ICT facilities in schools to the wider community. It is estimated 
that one quarter of the rural schools would make their ICT facilities available to their local 
communities for use, which would benefit over 1 million households in mostly poorer rural areas.