ADB Suggests Extension of $34M Education Project in Vietnam

Inspectors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have suggested 12-month extension of a $34-million project funded by the bank on teacher training for high schools and technical schools with the aim to fully reach its targets, the Vietnam News Agency said June 8. The project had recorded remarkable achievements from July 2007 to May 2010 thanks to the close cooperation between experts of Vietnam and Japan, Eiko Izawa, leader of the ADB’s inspection delegation said after a two-week inspection over the implementation of the project in Hanoi and several provinces. Up to 55.6% of the project have been completed, with 42% of investment disbursed, said a report by Vu Quoc Chung, the project’s director, adding that this is one of the projects using ADB’s loans showing best financial results. Under the project, standards for teachers and rectors of high schools have been built as well as 21 training facilities with modern and comprehensive equipment have been also built at 17 teachers’ training colleges. The project has also presented 3,522 scholarships worth $1.75 million to ethnic students at pedagogical schools. It plans to continue to hand over another 1,478 scholarships this year.