ArmInfo. Another 26 schools in Armenia will be included in the program to improve the seismic resistance of buildings. The decision was made at the December 13 sitting of the RA government.
According to the Acting Minister of Territorial Administration and Development of the Republic of Armenia Suren Papikyan, the project is implemented on credit resources of the Asian Development Bank. The total cost of the program is estimated at $ 107 million, of which $ 88.5 million will be provided by ADB, and $ 18.5 million - by the RA government. In total, 46 schools are involved in the program, of which 20 have already begun construction work. According to the submitted document, now another 26 schools will be involved in the list of schools, the development of design and estimate documentation for which is at the final stage. Schools were selected on the basis of research conducted by a specially created working group and approved in July of this year by an interdepartmental commission. Nevertheless, as the Acting Minister stressed., there is a need to upgrade more than 400 schools, but at this stage priority is given to 46. At the same time, it is possible that some educational institutions will be demolished and new ones will be built instead. Suren Papikyan stressed that the implementation of the entire program began in 2015.
To note, as ArmInfo reported earlier, on November 12, 2015, the Armenian government approved a loan agreement with the Asian Development Bank signed on October 19, 2015 in the amount of $ 85.5 million to increase the seismic safety of schools. Loan servicing payments will be made every six months. The interest rate is 2% per annum, the repayment period is 25 years, of which 5 years is a grace period. In the period from 2015 to 2030, more than 400 schools will appear in Armenia within the framework of the loan program of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which will meet modern standards for earthquake- resistant construction. The total cost of this ADB program is $ 617 million.