The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$1 million technical assistance grant to help the government of Tajikistan improve the accessibility and quality of general secondary education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The technical assistance grant will support the development of a feasibility study for a follow-on investment project to strengthen secondary STEM education in Tajikistan, targeting grades 5-11. Follow-up investment project is included in the indicative program of ADB projects in Tajikistan for 2023.

Fusing science, technology, engineering, and math, STEM emphasizes collaboration, communication, exploration, problem solving, critical thinking, and ingenuity—skills students need to improve their performance and succeed, regardless of career goals.

The technical assistance grant will prepare a detailed analysis of secondary STEM education in the country, select secondary schools for refurbishment and renovation as part of the follow-on investment project, prepare procurement plans and tender documents for selected schools, and support pre-action and launch of the follow-on project.