World Bank Grants India $1.05 Billion Aid for Improving Education

For expansion of reach of primary school and the quality of engineering education, the World Bank has sanctioned two projects worth $ 1.05 billion (over Rs 4,800 crore) for India, reported PTI.

“The World Bank today approved two education projects worth USD 1.05 billion for India, designed to boost the number of children enrolling in and completing elementary school, and to improve quality of engineering education across the country,” it was quoted as saying in a statement.

The statement underlined that India made considerable progress in meeting its educational goals, particularly at the primary level, said report.

It may be mentioned that India made elementary education a fundamental right of every child through its 86th constitutional amendment in 2002.

In the same year, a nationwide Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) was initiated with a view to provide quality elementary education to all children.

The Bank has supported the SSA with total grants of USD 1.1 billion since 2003, it added.

“SSA – now the largest ongoing Education for All (EFA) program in the world – has been remarkably successful, particularly in achieving greater access to elementary education,” Roberto Zagha, World Bank Country Director for India, was quoted as saying.

There has been marked increase in the enrolment of children in elementary education, from 57 million in 2003 to 192 million in 2009.