The World Bank's Board of Directors approved a EUR 100 million loan to be extended to Romania under the Safer, Inclusive, and Sustainable Schools Project, aimed at upgrading to modern standards for safety, resilience, inclusion, sustainability, and digital access nearly 100 buildings across 55 schools in Romania.

"A child born in Romania today is expected to be only 58 percent as productive as they could be if they had access to better education and health services," notes Tatiana Proskuryakova, World Bank Country Manager for Romania.

"Romania has a high proportion of school buildings that fail to meet safety, basic sanitary, and energy efficiency standards," says Alanna Simpson, World Bank Lead Disaster Risk Management Specialist.

Today, more than 1,000 schools around the country are at high risk of severe damage or collapse in an earthquake or do not meet modern fire codes, sanitation, and air quality requirements, the WB's statement reads.

(Photo: Virgil Simionescu/ Inquam Photos)

andrei@romania-insider.com