Grenada - OECS Education Development Project : Proposed Amendment To The Loan And Credit Agreements

This amendment to the Loan and Development Credit Agreements between Grenada and the Bank and the Association for the OECS Education Development (Loan No. 7187-GR and Credit No. 3809-GR) that will authorize the use of undisbursed Loan and Credit amounts to finance rebuilding and repairing secondary schools destroyed and/or damaged by Hurricane Ivan. As a result of Hurricane Ivan, more than 80 percent of the building structures on the island sustained some form of damage, including 90 percent of the housing stock. The damage caused to schools was only second to the damage in the housing sector. Out of the 58 primary public schools, 25 suffered major structural damage or destruction. The remaining 33 suffered relatively lesser damages such as windows, doors and furnishings destroyed, roof partially or completely destroyed, and roof structure damage. Of the 19 secondary schools, 14 suffered major damages and only 5 escaped with minimum damage. Currently, the majority of the schools remain closed and the students unable to attend classes. As part of their reconstruction effort and the urgency in resuming classes, the Government of Grenada has requested that US$5.3 million equivalent within the US$11.3 million OECS Education Development Project, identified during the emergency mission following Hurricane Ivan, be directed towards the rebuilding, repairing, furnishing, and equipping secondary schools. The reconstruction and rehabilitation of primary schools would be financed under a proposed new loan/credit (The Grenada Hurricane Ivan Emergency Recovery Project) as well as by other donors. Given the new priorities resulting from Hurricane Ivan, Grenada's Ministry of Education identified several activities previously planned under the project which are no longer a priority, thus freeing up resources to be reallocated to the new needs.