government

Despite spending, students struggle

The government is getting a loan from the World Bank to improve education, its third such loan in the past 12 years.

The government has spent about $3.5 billion on education in the past 10 years, but the investment has not paid many dividends, acknowledged Ministro de Educación Salvador Rodríguez.

In the 2008 budget, the Ministerio de Educación (Meduca) was allocated $640 million dollars. That figure is expected to jump to $673 million under the 2009 budget.

The government will also receive a $35 million loan from the World Bank in the form $7 million payments for the next five years.

The $35 million loan is the third that Panama has received from the World Bank in the past 12 years to improve the quality of education.

The first, which also totaled $35 million, was made in July 1996 and formed the basis of the “10-year plan” to overhaul the country's education system that was launched by President Ernesto Pérez Balladares.

The 10-year plan, however, lasted just until Balladares left office. His successor, Mireya Moscoso, ended it because, “It was too theoretical and did not have a consensus.”

The second loan was given to the government in 2006. It was for $5 million, and waslater augmented by a $2 million match from the state. It was also aimed at improving basic education.

Reflecting on the money spent on these educational programs, Rodríguez said, “A little progress has been made, but not at the pace that was expected.”