684 schools receive ADB grants

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: At least 684 state and private high schools in Southeast Sulawesi received grants totaling Rp 49.48 billion (US$5.8 million) from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) from 1999 through 2002.

Burhan Said, a consultant with ADB's Assistance Scheme for Facilities Improvement, said the funds were used to build laboratories and libraries, to buy books and to construct new classrooms or renovate school buildings.

"The funds were directly transferred to the bank accounts of each school and were administered by the management of each school," Burhan was quoted by Antara as saying on Saturday.

Burhan said each school received between Rp 60 million and Rp 100 million, depending on their respective needs.

ADB disbursed Rp 2.26 billion to 23 schools in 1999, Rp 7.5 billion to 117 schools in 2000, Rp 17.07 billion to 280 schools in 2001 and Rp 22.68 billion to 264 schools in 2002.

Burhan said the ADB would provide similar grants in 2003, but the amount of money and the schools that will receive the money had yet to be determined. --Antara