World Bank loans $120m for education development in Guangdong

BEIJING -- The World Bank has approved a $120 million loan to improve learning and teaching in selected public schools in less developed parts of Guangdong province.

While China has improved access to education, a disparity in performance between urban and rural areas remains due to a lack of resources, trained teachers, and school management skills, said the World Bank.

"Disadvantaged groups such as children left-behind by migrant parents and children with disabilities are disproportionately affected," noted the bank.

To address the inequality, the Guangdong Compulsory Education Project will introduce technology, build new classrooms, and improve teacher training. A new system of teacher assessment will be introduced, and the quality of education for left-behind children and children with disabilities will be improved.

Focusing on 16 counties with substantially lower per capita GDP than the rest of the province, the project will cost $280 million, of which the Word Bank loan will lend $120 million.

Scheduled for completion in 2023, the project will benefit approximately 555,000 students, around 40 percent of all students in the counties concerned.

Approximately 23,000 teachers will be trained, around 15 percent of teachers in the counties.

"As China transitions from middle- to high-income status, investment in reducing social inequality and access to high quality education for all will be crucial," said Amer Hasan, World Bank senior economist and project team leader.