ADB aids Islamic school

JAKARTA: The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) is providing US$85 million in financial aid for Indonesia's Islamic high schools in rural areas.

Indonesian Ambassador to the Philippines Abu Hartono and ADB President Mitsuo Sato signed the aid agreement in Manila Tuesday, Antara reported Saturday.

The financial aid is the result of a meeting between ADB officials and Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs in Manila on Feb. 24-25.

"The project, known as the Madrasah Aliyah (Islamic senior high school) Project, aims to improve the quality of state-run and private Moslem high schools in rural areas," Hartono said.

He said the money would also be used to develop effective learning and teaching methods, purchase school equipment and improve school management.

The project ends on Oct. 31, 2002.