The World Bank will lend Tanzania a $300m (£243m) educational loan, Tanzania’s presidency has said, amid a row over pregnant schoolgirls.

The announcement was made after President John Magufuli met Hafez Ghanem, the World Bank’s vice-president for Africa, in Dar es Salaam.

The loan was withdrawn earlier this week over Tanzania's controversial policy of prohibiting teenage mothers from re-admission to school after giving birth.

However, a senior World Bank official told BBC Swahili on Wednesday that the bank would be open to dialogue.

The details of Friday’s meeting have not been made public but Mr Magufuli insisted the funds had never been withdrawn “as people who don’t wish us well were saying”.

He also said Mr Ghanem’s visit confirmed that the bank “would not abandon Tanzania”.

Tanzania is currently facing growing international pressure over human rights concerns (see earlier post).

The European Union has said its ambassador to Tanzania was forced to leave earlier this month because of pressure from the authorities for voicing concern about a planned crackdown on gay people.

The EU’s strongly worded statement came shortly after Denmark had announced that it was withholding $9.8m in aid after "unacceptable homophobic comments" from a senior politician and ally of the president.