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ADB Technical Assistance to FSM modified to improve Chuuk State School System

Palikir, Pohnpei (FSM Information Services): March 5, 2010 - For the last several months, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been providing technical assistance to the FSM that focuses on strengthening economic management and planning at the FSM National Government and the State Governments. In July of 2009, an ADB consultant, along with a staff from the Office of Statistics, Budget, Overseas Development Assistance and Compact Management (SBOC), started consultations with various departments and agencies at the National Government and with Pohnpei and Chuuk State Governments as reported in Press Release #0110-25.

Recently, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has agreed to modify another on-going Technical Assistance No. 41579 in order to provide greater focus on improving the Chuuk State school system within the scope of improving education in the FSM as a whole. This is designed to improve delivery of state-level public services through enhancing performance oriented to public sector operations. The TA will be piloted in Chuuk State during phase 1 and rolled out to the other states in phase 2. This project will integrate a community-based approach to ensure success and ensure that the affected communities are taking full ownership of the process.

This change in the TA is a direct result from a meeting that President Mori had with the Vice President of the ADB in August of 2009, where the ADB agreed to undertake a study of the current Chuuk State School System. This technical assistance resulted in a hard hitting comprehensive report prepared by a fielded consultant who provided an overview of education problems in Chuuk and suggested short-term and long-term strategies for reforming the Chuuk Department of Education, thereby improving overall educational performance across the state.

The amended TA and the report by the ADB consultant are in line with JEMCO Resolution 2009-5 relating to the 2010 budget, which endorsed the creation of a "multi-agency task force made up of SBOC, Chuuk DOE, National DOE, and the U.S. Office of Insular Affairs and the U.S. Education Department. This task force will provide monitoring and technical assistance to the Chuuk Department of Education using the Chuuk State Department of Education's 2005 Reform Plan as the baseline for determining additional necessary interventions." The ADB report will strongly supplement the 2005 Reform Plan and serve as an additional and updated foundation for a comprehensive effort to improve education in Chuuk.

Members of the Task Force met in Chuuk on February 23, 2010, to organize and begin the consultative process and oversight that will be necessary to bring this reform effort about. President Mori arrived in Chuuk on March 3^rd to provide support for this project and to discuss matters further with the leadership of the Chuuk State Government to determine what additional support may be provided by the National Government.