Uruguay has weathered the global recession better than other emerging economies due to its sound macroeconomic framework, creating, at the same time, inclusion and opportunities for all. Read More »
All three projects for Uruguay - The
Vocational Training and Technological Development Project,
and the First and Second Basic Education Quality Improvement
Projects... Show More + - had satisfactory outcomes, likely or highly
likely sustainability, substantial institutional development
impact, and satisfactory Bank performance. Borrower
performance for the Vocational Training Project was
satisfactory, while the two Education Quality Improvement
Projects had highly satisfactory Borrower performances. This
assessment confirms a number of education sector lessons:
1) Preschool attendance helps reduce grade repetition and
improves long-term academic achievement for low-income
students. 2) A longer school day may improve test scores for
disadvantaged students. To maximize performance in higher
grades, students in lower grades might spend part of the
extra time practicing the prerequisite basic skills. 3)
Educational quality depends on a strong and functional
supervisory chain that supervises teachers closely to see
that government policies and learning activities are carried
out effectively. 4) Enhance project efficiency through
instructional methods that enable most of the students to
achieve educational objectives within the prescribed
instructional time. Further research and experimentation
will help determine which instructional activities are more
cost-effective in the Uruguayan context. 5)
Vocational-technical education project appraisals may
overestimate the number of likely graduates and not
adequately take into account dropout rates or changing
demand for training. In future project appraisals take into
account country experience on dropout rates as well as
demand changes during times of economic hardship. Show Less -