In 2015 the World Bank provided a grant to the Government of Burkina Faso to increase access to pre-school and secondary education in the most vulnerable areas. It will also go towards improving the quality of teaching and learning in the country focusing on mathematics, natural and computer sciences, as well as languages. This project is comprised of three components and their respective subcomponents. The components include: (1) Expanding equitable access to pre-school education in the two poorest regions and to secondary education in the five poorest regions component. The objective of this component is to increase access and quality of early childhood education through the piloting of an interactive audio instruction program and short-track certification program, piloting a formal short-track teacher training mechanism, and increase private secondary school places in urban areas. (2) Improving the quality of teaching and learning component. The objective of this component is to develop a basic education curriculum that effectively integrates and streamlines pre-school, primary and lower secondary curricula. (3) Contributing to strengthening education institutional capacity at central and decentralized entities component. The objectives of this component are to contribute to strengthening the ministry capacity for data management and planning, reinforce school level management and support the functioning of the Project Coordination Unit (PCU). In addition about 1000 selected students, predominately girls from poor families will receive help to cover other schooling costs.