The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors has approved the allocation of $105 million to Uzbekistan for the implementation of the BILIM program, aimed at modernizing primary school education. The funding includes a concessional loan of $100 million from the International Development Association and a grant of $5 million from the International Finance Facility for Education (IFFEd). This is the first joint project between the World Bank and IFFEd.
The total budget for the program will be $378 million, of which $273 million will be financed by the Government of Uzbekistan. The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Preschool and School Education in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
The program will cover the Republic of Karakalpakstan, as well as the Khorezm, Kashkadarya, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, and Navoi regions. These regions account for approximately 45% of all schools in the country and face the greatest challenges in terms of education quality and a shortage of educational infrastructure.
According to the World Bank, the number of schoolchildren in Uzbekistan will exceed 7.6 million by 2026. To meet demand, the country needs to build approximately 300 new schools annually. Despite a high primary education enrollment rate of over 99%, students' results in reading and mathematics still remain below international benchmarks.
The World Bank noted that the program will help improve teaching quality, develop students' basic skills, and prepare them for the demands of the modern labor market and innovative economy.