Yemen, USA discuss joint education cooperation

Yemen and the USA discussed here on Thursday the joint cooperation relations in educational areas. Education Minister Abdul-Razaq al-Ashwal discussed with senior advisor to the Secretary and director of the International Affairs Office at the US Education Department Maureen McLaughlin aspects of enhancing and coordinating the education cooperation between Yemen and the USA. Al-Ashwal valued the USA efforts to improve the education level in Yemen, inviting Ms. McLaughlin to visit the country and get acquainted with the educational condition and the ministry's priorities in the current stage. The Minister is visiting Washington to negotiate with the World Bank (WB) on a grant agreement of $65 million to support the basic education development project. The negotiations have been ended up with signing the agreement, which is to be in force as of the second quarter of 2013. Al-Ashwal has also held talks with WB executive director Mirza Hasan on the needs of the Yemeni education sector, including outfitting schools, training teachers and improving early children learning and preschool education. He said that the negotiations with the WB have led to add $1 million to the Bank's grant to Yemen, stepping up the value of grant to $66 million, adding that 50% of the additional amount would be allocated to setting up a national inclusive education vision, while the rest of the amount would finance the activities of the basic education development project's second stage. The basic education development project aims to reduce the education gender gap, enhance the quality of education and improve management and efficiency in the education sector.