The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) AFRICA | Congo, Republic of | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2016 | Seq No: 6 | ARCHIVED on 28-Jun-2019 | ISR36037 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Literacy Education, Youth and Civic Education (MEPSAJEC) Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 28-Apr-2016 Effectiveness Date: 04-Aug-2017 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 10-Jun-2019 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 27-May-2019 Original Closing Date: 31-Jul-2023 Revised Closing Date: 31-Jul-2023 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To improve education outcomes of primary and lower secondary school children and to increase the effectiveness of select management systems. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Providing quality education for all:(Cost $35.00 M) Improving scope, quality and management of human resources:(Cost $18.00 M) Improving system performance:(Cost $10.00 M) Unallocated:(Cost $7.00 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Unsatisfactory Unsatisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Implementation Status and Key Decisions Overview. The Education Sector Support Project (PRAASED) for the Republic of Congo is focuses on improving education outcomes of primary and lower secondary school children and increasing the effectiveness of select management systems. The project was approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors on April 28, 2016. It became effective on August 4, 2017, and publicly launched on September 14, 2017. Steering committee (SC) for the project was established as of 22 September 2017 by the Ministry of Plan, Statistics, and Regional Integration, which also presides the SC. All three education ministries are represented in the SC along with the Prime Minister's office, the Ministry of finances, and the civil society. The project has three major components and several subcomponents, and activities have been rather slow. Progress by Component/Sub-components: Component 1: Providing quality education for all 6/28/2019 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Subcomponent 1.1: Curriculum revision and implementation. Now that the manager of Component 1 has been recruited, it is expected that the implementation of this subcomponent would start, especially following the successful Mid-Term Review mission of May 2019. Subcomponent 1.2: Provision of Learning Materials. The implementation of this subcomponent depends on the availability of counterpart funds which are very unlikely to materialize. The project team and the PCU will work during project restructuring `to find solutions to this issue and get textbooks in the hands of Congolese students by the start of next school year. Subcomponent 1.3: Improved Assessment. The World Bank has agreed to cover the Government's costs to participate in the 2019 PASEC (Program for the Analysis of Education Systems in CONFEMEN countries) and the revised MoU for the implementation of PASEC 2019 which ensures Congo's participation has been signed. An SDI survey is also planned and should be implemented this school year (2019-2020) as well. The SDI will cover both primary and secondary levels and also provide information on teacher classroom practices. Subcomponent 1.4: Expand the use of remediation in schools and classrooms. Activities on this subcomponent, will begin once the large- scale assessment and high-quality evaluations program are completed in 2019. It is a pre-requisite to identify department-, district-, school-level weaknesses in terms of learning outcomes to design a robust remediation program that will be custom-designed to address those weaknesses. Teachers will also be evaluated and trained so they can deliver the remediation programs which should i) be designed around and ii) take into account teachers' strengths and weaknesses. Subcomponent 1.5: Improvements to school environments. This subcomponent is solely financed by counterpart funding. Hence, the implementation of this subcomponent is affected by the unavailability of counterpart funding. It is likely that the construction program will be significantly curtailed or maybe cancelled because of the lack of resources and the expected shortened lifespan of the project after restructuring. The implementation of this subcomponent will concentrate on the rehabilitation of some classrooms in areas of special needs. Component 2: Improving the Quality and Management of Human Resources. Subcomponent 2.1: Personnel recruitment and deployment. The process of installing biometrics system is in progress but has been set back. A firm was already selected through competitive bidding to carry out this activity, and the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) was about to start negotiations with the firm. However, according to World Bank procurement specialists, the procurement procedure used was inadequate which led to the cancellation of the process. A new request for expression of interest has been issued and the recruitment process is underway. Once the biometric identification is realized, the team will work with the three Ministries in charge of education as well as the Ministry of Civil Service and the Ministry of Finance, to design and implement a system to efficiently manage personnel issues in the education system. Subcomponent 2.2: Training and professional development. This subcomponent is largely funded under the Government's counterpart funding. The restructuring will explore avenues to maintain some teacher training and teacher professional development activities as this is crucial for the quality of education. Component 3: Improving System Performance. Subcomponent 3.1: Improved monitoring & evaluation. Mapping/census of all Government & private teaching and learning institutions has been finalized. More than 1,400 pre-primary schools; 3,000 primary schools; 1,400 lower secondary schools; 270 upper secondary schools; and 560 qualifying centers among other institutions have received a data collection team. Detailed information on these institutions have been collected and all have been geo-mapped. This newly available information will spur the improvement of the education system performance. In addition, similar exercises will be done on a yearly basis, at least for MEPSA, to maintain a steady and up-to-date informational base on the education sector. Subcomponent 3.2: Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building. Four major strategic studies have been implemented and they are: (i) organizational and functional assessment of the teacher training institutes (3 ENIs and ENS); (ii) assessment of the directorate of in-service training; (iii) assessment of INRAP; and (iv) organizational and functional assessment of the MEPSA and DDEPSA. The results of all these studies have been presented and endorsed by the government. The findings from these strategic studies will be used as a basis for the envisioned institutional strengthening and capacity building. Subcomponent 3.3: Project Management. The May 2019 Mid-Term Review mission noted that the staff of the PCU is currently complete with the presence of: a coordinator, managers for the three components of the project, a procurement specialist, a management specialist, a monitoring & evaluation specialist, and a communications specialist. The social safeguarding specialist as well as the internal auditor are being recruited. The environmental safeguards specialist will be recruited in a timely manner, that is, when school rehabilitation activities are scheduled. Subcomponent 3.4: Additional Strategic Studies. Several studies will be implemented to inform the government about the areas where the education system needs to be strengthened. An expanded Service Delivery Indicators (SDI) survey is planned in both primary and secondary schools. The expanded SDI will also visit households to integrate household-level factors into the analysis and indicate potential demand-side reforms. The recruitment process for the SDI firm is underway and the survey could begin by February 2019. In the context of improving quality assurance and setting up the National Quality Assurance Agency in higher education, the MES' "Quality Assurance" team went on a study tour on December 17-21, 2018, to the ANAQ-Sup of Dakar, Senengal. This should lead to a new strategic study on higher education in Congo and pave the way for the Bank's future engagement in the sub-sector. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating 6/28/2019 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Political and Governance Substantial Substantial Substantial Macroeconomic Substantial High High Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Substantial Substantial Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Substantial Substantial Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability Substantial Substantial Substantial Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Moderate Moderate Moderate Other -- -- -- Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Improve education outcomes of primary and lower secondary school children IN00670472 ►Primary completion rate - total (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 73.00 73.00 73.00 75.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The project faced many delays since effectiveness (delay in signing the financing agreement, delay in recruiting PIU staff) combined with the absence of counterpart funding. As a result, the current value for Comments: this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a narrower focus on activities that are directly linked to this indicator, as well as a revision of targets. IN00670474 Primary completion rate - female (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 73.00 73.00 73.00 75.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 IN00670496 ►Transition rate to lower secondary (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 67.00 67.00 72.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The project faced many delays since effectiveness (delay in signing the financing agreement, delay in recruiting PIU staff) combined with the absence of counterpart funding. As a result, the current value for Comments: this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a narrower focus on activities that are directly linked to this indicator, as well as a revision of targets. 6/28/2019 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) IN00670497 Transition rate to lower secondary, female (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 67.00 67.00 72.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 IN00670498 ►Transition rate to upper secondary (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 67.00 67.00 72.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The project faced many delays since effectiveness (delay in signing the financing agreement, delay in recruiting PIU staff) combined with the absence of counterpart funding. As a result, the current value for Comments: this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a narrower focus on activities that are directly linked to this indicator, as well as a revision of targets. IN00670499 Transition rate to upper secondary, female (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 67.00 67.00 72.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 IN00670500 ►Primary repetition rate (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 21.00 21.00 21.00 17.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The project faced many delays since effectiveness (delay in signing the financing agreement, delay in recruiting PIU staff) combined with the absence of counterpart funding. As a result, the current value for Comments: this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a narrower focus on activities that are directly linked to this indicator, as well as a revision of targets. Increase the effectiveness of select management systems IN00670473 ►System for learning assessment at the primary level (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The project faced many delays since effectiveness (delay in signing the financing agreement, delay in Comments: recruiting PIU staff) combined with the absence of counterpart funding. As a result, the current value for this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a revision of targets 6/28/2019 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) for this indicator. According to the revised implementation schedule, the system for learning assessment is expected to be established in 2020. IN00670475 Utility of the learning assessment system (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.00 Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Providing quality education for all IN00670501 ►Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 630,000.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 Studies to pave the way for reforms, the revision of curricula, the distribution of textbooks have been finalized. But in the absence of counterpart funding, no activity has started yet (provision of textbooks, Comments: training of trainers) which explains why the value remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a revision of targets for this indicator. IN00670505 Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 50.00 IN00670506 ►French and mathematics curricula revised for all primary grades (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The project faced many delays since effectiveness (delay in signing the financing agreement, delay in recruiting PIU staff) combined with the absence of counterpart funding. As a result, the current value for this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a revision of targets Comments: for this indicator. Based on the revised implementation plan, it is expected that the revision of curricula will commence this year. IN00670508 ►Number of additional classrooms built or rehabilitated at the primary level resulting from project interventions. (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 250.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 6/28/2019 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Due to the absence of counterpart funding, no construction/rehabilitation activity has started. The restructuring which is underway will propose a revision of targets for this indicator as the IDA funding will Comments: allow for the rehabilitation of a fewer number of classrooms. IN00670510 ►Percentage of public primary schools with 1:1 student-to-textbook coverage in French and mathematics (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 90.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 Due to the absence of counterpart funding, no activity has started yet. As a result, the current value for this indicator remains unchanged. The restructuring which is underway will propose a revision of the Comments: description and targets for this indicator, as the IDA funding will allow the purchase of a fewer number of textbooks. IN00670511 ►Number of additional qualified primary teachers resulting from project interventions. (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,000.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 Due to implementation delay, no training activity has started yet. The restructuring which is underway will propose a revision of targets for this indicator as the IDA funding will allow for the training of a smaller Comments: number of teachers. Based on the revised implementation, training will start next year with 500 teachers expected to be trained in 2020. IN00670507 ►Creation of national learning assessment instrument (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The design of the learning assessment system is expected to start in 2020. Comments: IN00670509 Implementation of the first national assessment by Year 4 of the project (Yes/No, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 14-Dec-2018 31-Jul-2023 Improving scope, quality and management of human resources IN00670502 ►Percentage of benevoles registered with biometric data (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 95.00 6/28/2019 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Date 22-Jan-2016 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 The tender for the installation of a biometric system has been launched. The system is expected to be in Comments: place by April 2020 to start registering teachers. Improving system performance IN00670503 ►Annual consultation with indigenous groups (in collaboration with associations for indigienous peoples) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 This indicator relates to capacity building activities provided to communities in the management and distribution of textbooks. Since implementation of textbooks has not started yet, the value for this indicator Comments: remains unchanged. It is expected that consultations will start next year, when the provision of textbooks has started. IN00670504 ►Publication of annual statistics, starting in Year 2 (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No Yes Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 14-Dec-2018 13-Jun-2019 31-Jul-2023 All data has been collected and treated, and the Annual Statistical book 2017-2018 is ready. Statistics are Comments: expected to be published online and in hard-copy format over the summer. Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P152910 IDA-58060 Effective USD 30.00 30.00 0.00 4.42 26.68 14% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P152910 IDA-58060 Effective 28-Apr-2016 07-Dec-2016 04-Aug-2017 31-Jul-2023 31-Jul-2023 Cumulative Disbursements 6/28/2019 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report CONGO - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 6/28/2019 Page 8 of 8