Finance for educational development and improvement of health infrastructure in Ecuador

(Quito, 16 February 2012).- To support the Ecuadorian government with implementation of major projects in the education and health sectors, CAF - Latin American development bank - approved funds totaling US$110 million.

For Krützfeldt Hermann, CAF director representative in Ecuador, "the programs respond to the existing needs of vulnerable sectors of the population and will contribute to national development, providing tools to improve education and health, two key sectors for the growth of a country and for improving the quality of life of all Ecuadorians."

"With this approval - Krützfeldt said - CAF reaffirms its role as an institution that works hand in hand with the development of Ecuador and the strengthening ?? of projects that have a direct impact on improving the quality of life of the population."

The approval for US$70 million will go to the Education Infrastructure Program to be led by the National Education Service (DINSE) with the participation of the Institute of Works Procurement. The program will rehabilitate and adapt the education institutions that have suffered the ravages of time or the impact of the climate. The funds will be used for school infrastructure and equipment, benefiting approximately 426,260 students from rural areas and marginal urban areas of the country.

The approval also covers new education infrastructure making use of the new information and communication technologies and teaching models with construction of the Millennium Schools and Replica Colleges. With this new infrastructure 61,262 students from primary school through high school will be able to access a quality education in its area of influence, with indirect benefits for the community through participation in the building of the works.

The second approval for US$41.5 million is for the Program for Physical Infrastructure, Equipping, Maintenance, Studies and Care and Coordination for Health, executed by the Ministry of Public Health and the Institute for Works Procurement. The program covers expansion, remodeling, rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, construction of new facilities, equipping of health facilities, and technical studies for future works. The program will raise standards of health in a framework of equal opportunities, benefiting the poorest sectors of the country.