SRI LANKA MCC SCORECARD DELIVERED; "INVESTING IN PEOPLE"

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001732

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EB/IDF/ODF AND SCA/INS

MCC FOR D NASSIRY AND E BURKE

E.O 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREL PGOV ETRD ECON KMCA MCC CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA MCC SCORECARD DELIVERED; "INVESTING IN PEOPLE"
STATS UNDERSTATE REALITY

REF: STATE 159723


1. SUMMARY: The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Scorecard
results were delivered to officials at the Ministry of Planning and
Implementation. Officials paid particular attention to the
below-median statistics listed in the Investing in People category,
and asked Embassy to forward relevant information pertaining to Sri
Lanka's performance results and high primary school attendance. END
SUMMARY.


2. DCM and EconOff met with Ms. Dhara Wijayatilake, Secretary,
Ministry of Planning and Implementation and Mr. V. Sivagnanasothy,
Director, Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring of the
same ministry regarding Sri Lanka's MCC Scorecard.


3. The Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) officials were especially
concerned to learn of the potential impact of the three below-median
results in the "Investing in People" category (i.e., leading to a
technical ineligibility). They, along with the Embassy, believe
that for these particular categories, the measurements belie the
reality in Sri Lanka. Due to the successful performance of Sri
Lanka in health and education, GSL officials believe that Sri Lanka
should be deemed to pass the "Investing in People" category.

SRI LANKA'S HEALTH CARE RESULTS ARE GOOD


4. The Health Expenditures measurement, as reported by the World
Health Organization per the scorecard, falls just below the median
score. While this measurement pertains to GDP invested in health
care, measurements about the actual health of Sri Lankans (measured
by infant mortality of 16 per 1,000 and life expectancy of 73 years,
per World Bank statistics) indicate that the health situation in Sri
Lanka is quite good.

SRI LANKA'S PRIMARY EDUCATION ENROLLMENT AND RESULTS ARE EXCELLENT;
ENROLLMENT OF GIRLS AT 95 PERCENT


5. Despite falling below the median in Primary Education
Expenditures, Sri Lanka's enrollment and literacy rates are
commendable. As indicated in the letter below, Sri Lanka's
enrollment of primary school-age boys is 97.1 percent, while for
primary school-age girls, it is 95.6 percent.

LETTER RECEIVED PROVIDING PERTINENT EDUCATION STATISTICS


6. The Ministry forwarded the following letter to the DCM regarding
Sri Lanka's academic statistics. While the statistics do not fit
the exact parameters of the UNESCO and World Bank figures, they
should be sufficient to determine that Sri Lankan children are in
school, and that girls are not significantly underrepresented.

BEGIN LETTER:

Dear James Moore,

MCC Score Card for Sri Lanka - 2007

I refer to the discussion you had with Secretary, Ministry of Plan
Implementation today on the above subject.

As agreed at the Meeting, I am pleased to inform you that the
indicator for investing in people - the Girls Primary Education
Completion Rate is very impressive in Sri Lanka.

The Net Enrollment Ratio (NER),the indicator of participation in
primary education, is defined as the percentage of official primary
school age children who enrolled in primary school. The NER is
computed for two age groups: 6-10 years and 11-14 years for 2002
and the data is given below:

Net Enrollment Ratio:
6-10 years Male - 97.1 percent Female - 95.6
percent
11-14 years Male - 93.5 percent Female - 96.3
percent

These rates when compared with what has been achieved in developed
countries such as USA (92.7 percent) appears to be highly
impressive.


COLOMBO 00001732 002 OF 002


The proportion of pupils starting Grade 1 who reach Grade 5 both
males and females are given below:

Male - 94.7 Female - 96.5

You may note that these rates are also very good and indicates (sic)
that performance of girls are (more) impressive than boys.

I am also attaching you the relevant pages of the Millennium
Development Goals in Sri Lanka - A Statistical Review 2006 published
by the Department of Census and Statistics, Sri Lanka which
highlights these achievements.

Accordingly, I would kindly request you to make necessary changes in
the draft score card (sic) be discussed in the MCC Decision Making
Forum to reflect the reality.

Thanks and Best regards,


V. Sivagnanasothy
Director
Department of Foreign Aid and Budget Monitoring
Ministry of Plan Implementation

END LETTER


7. COMMENT: Post urges that Sri Lanka continue as an MCC-eligible
country. It has achieved admirable results for a Lower Income
Country in the "Investing in People" subcategories, despite negative
statistics covered on the FY07 scorecard. Sri Lanka's good health
and educational status, with long life expectancy, high literacy
rates and almost universal enrollment of girls through primary
school and into higher education, indicate that it is achieving
desired results, although perhaps more economically than some other
countries.

BLAKE