World Bank Supports Higher Education In Angola With 500 Million Dollars

The Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Development Project (TEST) was presented by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation of Angola, Maria do Rosário Bragança.

The Angolan government official stressed that higher education is a strategic pillar for the development of a more prosperous and equitable society, highlighting "the central role in empowering individuals, offering them the necessary tools to innovate, create and lead".

"Universities, institutes and higher schools are not just teaching-learning institutions, they are places where creativity, innovation and learning to develop critical thinking must be exercised, they are true granaries where leaders, entrepreneurs, scientists and visionaries of the world are trained. tomorrow," he said.

Maria do Rosário Bragança stressed that the Government intends to guarantee decent, well-equipped facilities for higher education, with modern classrooms, laboratories, libraries and digital resources, with social support equipment, such as residences for students, sports and leisure spaces, to promote “academic excellence and innovation”.

The minister highlighted that, to guarantee the quality of education, there must also be qualified teachers, the "pillars of the educational system", who "deserve decent working conditions, adequate remuneration and continuous professional development".

In view of the current economic and financial difficulties, it is necessary to promote robust global partnerships, continued the minister, highlighting the financial support from the BM, through a loan, and from the Global Partnership for Education, through a donation of 50 million dollars ( 46.9 million euros).

In her intervention, the BM representative in Angola, Juan Carlos Alvarez, said it was the first time that the international financial institution has invested in Angolan higher education, in a project to be developed in several phases.

Juan Carlos Alvarez indicated that this financing instrument, with several phases, allows "a longer time horizon, in this case ten years", and highlighted the long-term support of this financial institution to the Angolan Government.

"We are very pleased to bring in a financial partner, the Global Partnership for Education, which is financing this operation with a grant of 50 million dollars", said the head of the BM, highlighting that, through this program, they will help Angola " transforming the way teachers are trained".

The BM representative highlighted that these investments will benefit 150 thousand higher education students, including teacher training institutions.

TEST comprises three phases, the first with a value of 150 million dollars (140.5 million euros), the second with 175 million dollars (164.4 million euros) and the third with another 175 million dollars, totaling the package to 500 million dollars (469.7 million euros).