FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No: PAD3212 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT ON A PROPOSED CREDIT IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 145.2 MILLION (US$200.0 MILLION) TO THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA FOR THE RWANDA QUALITY BASIC EDUCATION FOR HUMAN CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT July 9, 2019 Education Global Practice Africa Region This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective as of May 31, 2019) Currency Unit = Rwandan Franc (RWF) RWF 912 = US$1 SDR 0.72588958 = US$1 FISCAL YEAR July 1 – Jun 30 Regional Vice President: Hafez M. H. Ghanem Country Director: Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Senior Global Practice Director: Jaime Saavedra Chanduvi Practice Manager: Safaa El Tayeb El-Kogali Task Team Leaders: Lianqin Wang and Huma Kidwai ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AWP Annual Work Plan BEQAD Basic Education Quality Assurance Department BLF Building Learning Foundations CBC Competency-based Curriculum COM Construction Operations Manual CPD Continuous Professional Development CPF Country Partnership Framework CPS Country Partnership Strategy DA Designated Account DEO District Education Officer DDE District Director of Education DFID U.K. Department for International Development DP Development Partner E&S Environmental and Social EDPRS Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy EMIS Education Management Information System ENSO El-Niño-Southern Oscillation ESIA Environmental and Social Impact Assessment ESMF Environmental and Social Management Framework ESMP Environmental and Social Management Plan ESRS Environmental and Social Review Summary ESS Environmental and Social Standards ESSP Education Sector Strategic Plan FA Framework Agreement FM Financial Management FY Fiscal Year GBV Gender-based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GER Gross Enrollment Ratio GoR Government of Rwanda GRC Grievance Redress Committee GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism GRS Grievance Redress Service HCP Human Capital Project HDI Human Development Index HGSCA Home-Grown School Construction Approach ICT Information and Communication Technology IDA International Development Association IFR Interim Financial Report IPF Investment Project Financing IRR Internal Rate of Return KPI Key Performance Indicator LADS Language and Digital Skills LARS Learning Achievement in Rwandan Schools LMP Labor Management Procedure M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MCF Mastercard Foundation MIFOTRA Ministry of Public Service and Labor MINALOC Ministry of Local Government MINECOFIN Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning MINEDUC Ministry of Education NBR National Bank of Rwanda NECDP National Early Childhood Development Programme NCB National Competitive Bid NCC National Council for Children NCPD National Council of Persons with Disabilities NGO Non-governmental Organization NIRP National Independent Review Panel NISR National Institute of Statistics Rwanda NST National Strategy for Transformation NUDOR National Union of Disabilities' Organizations of Rwanda PCR Pupil-to-Classroom Ratio PDO Project Development Objective POM Project Operations Manual PPSD Project Procurement Strategy for Development PRAMS Procurement Risk Assessment and Management System PS Permanent Secretary RAP Resettlement Action Plan RDB Rwanda Development Board REB Rwanda Education Board RHA Rwanda Housing Authority RISA Rwanda Information Society Authority RFQ Request for Quotation RMS Results Measurement System RPPA Rwanda Public Procurement Authority RPF Resettlement Policy Framework RWF Rwandan Francs SBD Standard Bidding Document SC Steering Committee SDR Special Drawing Rights SEACMEQ Southern and East African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality SEO Sector Education Officer SEP Stakeholder Engagement Plan SORT Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool SPIU State Project Implementation Unit STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics STEP Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement TA Technical Assistance TTC Teacher Training College TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training UK United Kingdom UNICEF United Nations Children's Fund UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UR University of Rwanda UR-CE University of Rwanda-College of Education USA United States of America USAID United States Agency for International Development VSO Voluntary Services Overseas VVOB Flemish Association for Development Cooperation and Technical Assistance WB World Bank WEF Women Economic Forum The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) TABLE OF CONTENTS DATASHEET ........................................................................................................................... 1 I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT ...................................................................................................... 6 A. Country Context................................................................................................................................ 6 B. Sectoral and Institutional Context .................................................................................................... 7 C. Relevance to Higher Level Objectives............................................................................................. 11 II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................. 11 A. Project Development Objective ..................................................................................................... 11 B. Project Components ....................................................................................................................... 12 C. Project Costing and Beneficiaries ................................................................................................... 20 D. Results Chain .................................................................................................................................. 21 E. Rationale for World Bank Involvement and Role of Partners......................................................... 23 F. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design .................................................................... 24 G. Climate Co-Benefits ........................................................................................................................ 25 III. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS ............................................................................ 26 A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements .......................................................................... 26 B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation Arrangements......................................................................... 27 C. Sustainability................................................................................................................................... 27 IV. PROJECT APPRAISAL SUMMARY ................................................................................... 28 A. Technical, Economic, and Financial Analysis .................................................................................. 28 B. Fiduciary.......................................................................................................................................... 31 C. Legal Operational Policies ............................................................................................................... 32 D. Environmental and Social ............................................................................................................... 32 V. GRIEVANCE REDRESS SERVICES ..................................................................................... 36 VI. KEY RISKS ..................................................................................................................... 36 VII. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING ................................................................... 38 ANNEX 1: IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND SUPPORT PLAN ................................... 55 ANNEX 2: COST-EFFECTIVE ELEMENTS OF THE INNOVATIONS UNDER THE PROJECT .............. 70 ANNEX 3: BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMING LANDSCAPE IN RWANDA .............................. 72 ANNEX 4: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES ADDRESSED THROUGH PROJECT COMPONENTS ... 74 ANNEX 5: ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS ........................................................... 76 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) DATASHEET BASIC INFORMATION BASIC_INFO_TABLE Country(ies) Project Name Rwanda Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project Project ID Financing Instrument Environmental and Social Risk Classification Investment Project P168551 Substantial Financing Financing & Implementation Modalities [ ] Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) [ ] Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) [ ] Series of Projects (SOP) [ ] Fragile State(s) [ ] Disbursement-linked Indicators (DLIs) [ ] Small State(s) [ ] Financial Intermediaries (FI) [ ] Fragile within a non-fragile Country [ ] Project-Based Guarantee [ ] Conflict [ ] Deferred Drawdown [ ] Responding to Natural or Man-made Disaster [ ] Alternate Procurement Arrangements (APA) Expected Approval Date Expected Closing Date 30-Jul-2019 31-Oct-2024 Bank/IFC Collaboration No Proposed Development Objective(s) The PDO is to improve teacher competency and student retention and learning in basic education. Components Component Name Cost (US$, millions) Page 1 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning 46.50 Improving the school environment to support student learning 140.50 Developing institutional capacity to strengthen teaching and learning 13.00 Organizations Borrower: Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN), Republic of Rwanda Implementing Agency: Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), Republic of Rwanda PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) SUMMARY -NewFin1 Total Project Cost 200.00 Total Financing 200.00 of which IBRD/IDA 200.00 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS -NewFinEnh1 World Bank Group Financing International Development Association (IDA) 200.00 IDA Credit 200.00 IDA Resources (in US$, Millions) Credit Amount Grant Amount Guarantee Amount Total Amount National PBA 200.00 0.00 0.00 200.00 Total 200.00 0.00 0.00 200.00 Expected Disbursements (in US$, Millions) WB Fiscal Year 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Annual 20.00 45.00 45.00 45.00 40.00 5.00 Cumulative 20.00 65.00 110.00 155.00 195.00 200.00 Page 2 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) INSTITUTIONAL DATA Practice Area (Lead) Contributing Practice Areas Education Climate Change and Disaster Screening This operation has been screened for short and long-term climate change and disaster risks Gender Tag Does the project plan to undertake any of the following? a. Analysis to identify Project-relevant gaps between males and females, especially in light of Yes country gaps identified through SCD and CPF b. Specific action(s) to address the gender gaps identified in (a) and/or to improve women or Yes men's empowerment c. Include Indicators in results framework to monitor outcomes from actions identified in (b) Yes SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONS RISK-RATING TOOL (SORT) Risk Category Rating 1. Political and Governance ⚫ Moderate 2. Macroeconomic ⚫ Moderate 3. Sector Strategies and Policies ⚫ Moderate 4. Technical Design of Project or Program ⚫ Substantial 5. Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability ⚫ Substantial 6. Fiduciary ⚫ High 7. Environment and Social ⚫ Substantial 8. Stakeholders ⚫ Low 9. Other ⚫ Low 10. Overall ⚫ Substantial Page 3 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) COMPLIANCE Policy Does the project depart from the CPF in content or in other significant respects? [ ] Yes [✓] No Does the project require any waivers of Bank policies? [ ] Yes [✓] No Environmental and Social Standards Relevance Given its Context at the Time of Appraisal E & S Standards Relevance Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Relevant Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant Labor and Working Conditions Relevant Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant Community Health and Safety Relevant Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Relevant Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Not Currently Relevant Resources Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Not Currently Relevant Local Communities Cultural Heritage Not Currently Relevant Financial Intermediaries Not Currently Relevant NOTE: For further information regarding the World Bank’s due diligence assessment of the Project’s potential environmental and social risks and impacts, please refer to the Project’s Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary (ESRS). Legal Covenants Sections and Description The Recipient shall no later than two (2) weeks after the Effective Date, fully establish and thereafter maintain Page 4 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) during Project implementation, a Steering Committee. Sections and Description The Recipient shall no later than eight (8) weeks after the Effective Date, establish MINEDUC-SPIU with core staff and thereafter maintain during Project implementation. Sections and Description The Recipient shall no later than eight (8) weeks after the Effective Date, establish REB-SPIU with core staff and thereafter maintain during Project implementation. Sections and Description The Recipient shall within one (1) week after the Effective Date adopt such POM as shall have been approved by the Association. Conditions Type Description Disbursement No withdrawals shall be made under disbursement Category (3) until the association notifies the Recipient that the Association is satisfied with the Construction Operation Manual prepared and adopted by the Recipient Page 5 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT A. Country Context 1. Landlocked and hilly, Rwanda is a small, low-income country in East Africa with a population of 12.2 million (2017). Between 2006 and 2016, Rwanda’s per capita gross domestic product (GDP) grew at 5 percent a year, one of the fastest rates in the world, second only to Ethiopia’s among African countries.1 The per capita GDP in 2018, while still modest at US$787 (current prices), was about four times greater than it was 25 years earlier. 2. Rwanda has regained its political and social stability since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi. With the pain of the genocide slowly receding, the social fabric is mending; physical infrastructure is being rebuilt and improved; and citizens, especially the young, are turning to the future with optimism and expectation.2 For survivors of the genocide—in which more than a million people perished in just 100 days—the Gacaca courts settled nearly 2 million cases between 2001 and 2012 while promoting forgiveness by victims, ownership of guilt by perpetrators, and reconciliation in communities. Paul Kagame was reelected as the President in August 2018. Parliamentary elections in September 2018 filled 64 percent of the seats with women. 3. From 2008 to 2018, Rwanda implemented economic and structural reforms that dramatically improved the lives of its citizens. Two successive five-year Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategies— EDPRS (2008–2012) and EDPRS2 (2013–2018)—were implemented with donor support through the sector-specific programs of line ministries and the district development plans of decentralized local government structures. A learning-by-doing approach driven by Imihigo (performance contracts) between the President and ministries and districts has boosted the Government’s implementation capacity at the national and local levels. The results under EDPRS and EDPRS2 are impressive: the poverty head count rate fell from 59 percent in 2000 to 39 percent in 2013, and Rwanda’s social indicators, including for gender equality, rose to levels matching those of lower-middle- income countries.3 4. Rwanda is now implementing its National Strategy for Transformation (NST), the successor to EDPRS2, covering 2017–2024.4 It is a further step toward Vision 2050,5 which calls for attainment of upper-middle-income status by 2035 and a much higher quality of life for Rwandans by the middle of the 21st century. Past successes, combined with a continuing sense of vulnerability, shape this audacious goal and unite national effort around it. The strategy builds on innovation, integration, agglomeration, and competition as key drivers for sustained, inclusive growth and focuses on six priority areas: (a) human capital development; (b) export dynamism and regional integration; (c) well-managed urbanization; (d) competitive domestic enterprises; (e) agricultural modernization; and (f) capable and accountable public institutions. 5. The Government of Rwanda (GoR) emphasizes human capital development to support the economic and social transformation of the country. The World Bank’s assessment of Rwanda’s human capital indicates that a child born there today would only be 37 percent as productive in adulthood as a healthy child attaining a 1 World Bank and Govt. of Rwanda. 2019. Future Drivers of Growth in Rwanda: Innovation, Integration, Agglomeration and Competition. Washington D.C. World Bank. 2 See, for example, Mangwiro, Mpiwa. 2018. “How Rwanda Continues to Heal, 24 Years after the Genocide.” City Paper (April 8). https://city-press.news24.com/Voices/how-rwanda-continues-to-heal-24-years-after-the-genocide-20180409. 3 World Development Indicators accessed in 2019 at http://www.worldbank.org/en/region/afr. 4 GoR. 2017. 7 Years Government Programme: NST1(2017–2024). Kigali: MINECOFIN. 5 World Bank and GoR 2019. Page 6 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) complete cycle of basic education. This result puts Rwanda in the bottom quartile of countries assessed.6 To improve its ranking, Rwanda became one of 28 early participants in the World Bank’s Human Capital Project (HCP) launched in 2018. Under the HCP, countries establish national priorities toward greater equality and economic growth and a business plan for implementation, particularly through investments in basic education and health. B. Sectoral and Institutional Context 6. Rwanda has a 6-3-3 formal schooling structure: six years at the primary level and three years each at the lower and upper secondary levels. Seven is the official age of entry to P1; younger children may attend preschool between the ages of three and six. Basic education comprises the primary (P1–P6) and lower secondary (S1–S3) cycles and is free and compulsory for those ages seven to 15. National examinations take place at the end of P6, S3, and S6, and the results of these exams determine eligibility for admission to the next cycle. Grade repetition is high in Rwanda as there is no automatic promotion. In upper secondary education, students follow different tracks of study: sciences, humanities, languages, teacher training, and technical and vocational studies. 7. The Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) manages basic education through multiple agencies, including the Rwanda Education Board (REB), and cross-ministerial collaboration at subnational levels. The agencies are responsible for systemwide functions (for example, policy, finance, curriculum, standards, assessment, teacher training, and data), with some, such as REB, playing a more direct role in service delivery. In 2018, about 2.5 million primary school students were enrolled in 2,909 schools nationwide, of which 25 percent were public schools, 61 percent government aided, and 13 percent private.7 At the secondary level, more than 658,000 students were enrolled in 2018 in 1,728 schools, of which 30 percent were government schools, 52 percent government aided, and 18 percent private.8 MINEDUC collaborates with local government structures under the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) in three key areas of service delivery: school construction, provision of material resources, and management of teacher recruitment, deployment, and appraisal. 8. Rwanda has built a well-functioning system for basic education over the past 25 years, with impressive gains in widening access to primary education. The gross enrollment ratio (GER) in primary education rose from 123 percent in 2012 to 139 percent in 2017, putting Rwanda among Sub-Saharan African countries with the highest GERs. The exceptionally high ratio is characteristic of countries with a recent history of rapid expansion and is consistent with declines in the out-of-school rate, which fell from 13.5 percent in 2013 to 4.1 percent in 2016.9 It also reflects a high rate of grade repetition in primary education, which averaged about 16 percent in 2017, up from 12 percent in 2012. By P6, an estimated 85 percent of learners have repeated at least once, reflecting significant and persistent inefficiency in student flow.10 9. Preschool services are not widely available in Rwanda, which contributes to inefficient student flow in the early primary grades. The preschool GER was only about 21 percent in 2017. Many parents send their underage children to primary schools that absorb them into Grade 1 (P1) classes. In 2015, only one-third of P1 6 World Bank. 2018. Rwanda Human Capital Index. Accessed at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/human-capital. 7 As in other countries, in government schools, teachers are paid and managed directly by the government. In government-aided schools, teachers (and possibly other inputs) are paid by the government but are managed by nongovernment entities, such as the church and other religious organizations. In private schools, teachers are funded and managed by nongovernment entities, typically private owners. 8 The share of enrollment bears a close match to the share of schools by school type. 9 The out-of-school rate for 2016 is from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics’ database, accessed September 2, 2018, at http://data.uis.unesco.org. 10 MINEDUC. 2017. Education Sector Analysis. Page 7 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) students started the grade at age seven, while half were underage, and a fifth were overage. The influx of underage children has led to severe overcrowding and strained the capacity of poorly resourced primary school teachers who typically have no training in early childhood education. Many underage children attend school irregularly and drop out during the year, only to reenroll in P1 the following year. An estimated 50 percent of underage children repeat P1. 10. The survival rate in basic education is low, reflecting high dropout; disparities by urban-rural residence and by household income are significant. Only 68 percent of P1 students reach P6, and only 38 percent reach S3, the end of basic education.11 The transition rate between P6 and S1 is 42 percent for boys and 37 percent for girls; the gap widens considerably between students in urban and rural areas, and between those from rich and poor households. Rwanda’s completion rates in 2015 are estimated at 61 percent for primary education and 34 percent for lower secondary education. High costs and low quality of education services, along with long distances to school, are prominent reasons for dropping out. Other factors include poverty, lack of education of the household head, and a late start in P1.12 11. Learning outcomes are low by national and international standards. The 2014 Learning Achievement in Rwandan Schools (LARS) study assessed learning against the country’s curriculum standards and found that P3 students averaged 54 percent and 59 percent on their tests for literacy (in Kinyarwanda) and mathematics respectively; for P6, the scores averaged 43 percent and 44 percent on literacy (in English) and mathematics respectively; for S3 students, the corresponding scores averaged 53 percent and 55 percent respectively.13 Gaps in learning outcomes are modest between girls and boys: in mathematics, for example, girls averaged the same score as boys in P3 and fell short of boys by an average of 1.4 percentage points in S3; by contrast, rural students lagged behind their urban counterparts by 6.4 percentage points in P3 and 3.6 percentage points in S3. In the World Bank’s global assessment of learning for the HCP, Rwanda scored 358 on a scale where 625 represents advanced attainment and 300 minimum attainment. This puts Rwanda in the bottom quartile of countries assessed.14 12. Rwanda has achieved gender parity in basic education. This achievement, along with favorable results in economics, education, health, and politics, has contributed to Rwanda ranking sixth among 149 countries on the World Economic Forum’s 2018 global assessment of gender parity.15 Rwanda’s gender parity is less favorable in some areas, however: it falls to the 109th place for literacy16 among those ages 15 and above, reflecting past gender biases in schooling; the 107th place for enrollment in tertiary education; and the 112th place for employment in professional and technical jobs. Ongoing efforts are being made to promote gender equality across all sectors.17 In education, these include encouraging girls to pursue tertiary education, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. As the quality of basic education improves and as 11 See Bashir S., Marlaine Lockheed, Elizabeth Ninan, and Jee-Peng Tan. 2018. Facing Forward: Schooling for Learning in Africa. Washington, DC: World Bank. 12 Compared with children who start P1 on time, those who start late are more likely to drop out to seek employment. 13 Burdett, Newman, and Zoe James. 2018. Learning Achievement in Rwandan Schools (LARS) III: Primary 6 (P6) and Secondary 3 (S3) Results Report.” Oxford, U.K.: High Quality Technical Assistance for Results (HEART). 14 World Bank. 2018. Rwanda Human Capital Index. Accessed at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/human-capital. 15 Women Economic Forum (WEF) (2019) identifies the following areas in which Rwanda ranks among the top 20 countries globally for gender parity: labor force participation, wage equality for similar work, sex ratio at birth, and representation in parliament and in ministerial positions. 16 WEF (2019) measures literacy as the ability to both read and write and make simple arithmetic calculations. 17 For details, see Gender Monitoring Office. 2017. Strategic Plan 2017–2020. Kigali: GoR. Page 8 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) sustained support to girls in post-basic education bears fruit, the gender gap in the country’s lagging areas is expected to narrow, enabling Rwanda to maintain or further improve its global ranking on gender parity. 13. MINEDUC’s Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP) (2018–2024) gives priority to improving completion rates and learning outcomes in basic education. The plan aims to achieve these outcomes by (a) ensuring that children start school at the right age, acquire literacy and numeracy skills, and complete their schooling; (b) promoting continuous professional development (CPD) to enhance teacher skills and competence; (c) fostering the system’s ability to attract and retain high-quality teachers and to manage teachers effectively; (d) strengthening governance and accountability by developing school leaders and fostering coordinated education planning between centralized and decentralized entities; (e) improving STEM instruction to boost the relevance of education for the labor market; (f) promoting information and communication technology (ICT) for teaching and learning; (g) widening access to school readiness programs; (h) increasing equity in school participation and achievement for boys and girls, including children and youths with disabilities; and (j) expanding and modernizing school infrastructure, facilities, and related resources. 14. Constructing additional classrooms is integral to the ESSP strategy of expanding and modernizing school infrastructure and is consistent with the 16th National Leadership Retreat Resolutions.18 The Government has been adding about 2,000 classrooms a year for the past nine years, but the facilities remain insufficient, especially at the primary level where the pupil-to-classroom ratio (PCR) in 2018 averaged 82 in public schools (up to 95 in Grade 1 and up to 90 in Grades 1 and 2). The PCR greatly varies geographically and by schools, rising to 227 in the most overcrowded schools. The situation is worst in Eastern Province, followed by Western and Southern Provinces. Nearly all classrooms in primary schools are used by two shifts of students. Nevertheless, class sizes in primary schools often exceed 65 students; in extreme cases, they exceed 100 students.19 Currently, the country needs more than 22,000 classrooms to phase out double shifting and reduce overcrowding. The Government uses a Rwanda-specific ‘Home-Grown School Construction Approach’ (HGSCA), also known as ‘unconventional approach’ (Uburyo Budasanzwe in Kinyarwanda) for construction. This approach has an established record of success over the past nine years (about 18,300 classrooms constructed). One of its features is mobilization of volunteer community labor through Umuganda (‘coming together in common purpose to achieve an outcome’), a home-grown solution model rooted in Rwandan culture. 15. Adding new primary schools is also critical to the Government’s construction strategy for basic education. The share of children of primary school age living more than a 30-minute walk from the nearest school20—the recommended international norm—was about 46 percent in 2017.21 Wide disparities exist between localities, however: a 15 percentage-point gap between urban and rural areas for primary school-age children and a 26 percentage-point gap for lower secondary school-age children. In rural Southern and Western districts, children living at least an hour’s walk away from school constituted more than a fifth of the lower secondary school-age population in 2017. Global experience in emerging economies suggests that shortening the distance to school is essential to improve school participation, attendance, and progression.22 It is crucial for children with 18 Resolutions of the 16th National Leadership Retreat (March 8–11, 2019) call for strengthening programs to improve the quality of education, including (a) construction of more classrooms to reduce overcrowding, (b) recruitment of more qualified teachers for primary and secondary schools, and (c) regular updates of education curricula. 19 Observed during schools visits in 2019 by members of the World Bank project preparation team. 20 A 30-minute walk covers 2 kms for primary school-age children and 3 kms for lower secondary school-age children. 21 Based on data from the 2016/17 Rwanda Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey 5. http://www.statistics.gov.rw/datasource/integrated-household-living-conditions-survey-5-eicv-5 22 See Bashir et al. 2018. Page 9 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) disabilities and beneficial for all children by enabling consistent and punctual attendance and reducing fatigue. Adding new schools also helps alleviate overcrowding in existing schools. 16. To achieve the ESSP-II goals, the country is investing to enhance teachers’ professional competence while expanding the teaching force. The ESSP envisions a mix of in-service training and continuous school-based support to help teachers deliver Rwanda’s competency-based curriculum (CBC), which was launched in 2016. The school-based support would come in part through the creation of communities of practice to strengthen teaching of early grade reading and numeracy; to boost the English proficiency of all teachers, especially those teaching P4 and higher grades, where the language of instruction is English; and to enhance the teaching of mathematics and science. As the Government is planning on expanding school infrastructure to phase out double shifting, it has begun the process of hiring additional teachers, starting with a new batch of 3,000 in 2018. Commensurate increase in teacher hiring is being prioritized in planning and budgeting. 17. Important policies announced by the Government in January 2019 aim to make teaching a more attractive profession, with better pay and clear pathways for career progression. 23 A 10 percent salary increase came into effect in March 2019 for primary and secondary teachers in government and government-aided schools. The pay rise addresses a long-standing concern about teachers’ financial well-being and their social status and morale. The new policies also introduce incentives for teaching as a career. To attract qualified new teachers, the policies give education courses a higher priority for university scholarships and provide subsidies for students at teacher training colleges (TTCs). 18. The new policies seek to strengthen systemwide support and accountability for improved performance of teachers. TTCs and model schools24 will be resourced to enhance the pipeline of future teachers through curriculum reform and role modeling of effective teaching. National- and school-level assessments will be strengthened, and all teachers in the upper primary and secondary grades will sit for a standardized English test, which gauges baseline competency, enables support for self-learning, and provides incentives to attain, within three years, the competency level recommended for teachers. A coordinated and transparent framework is being put in place whereby teacher management decisions that were previously made by districts alone will now be made under MINEDUC leadership with involvement of MINALOC and the Ministry of Public Service and Labor (MIFOTRA). Teacher deployment will now utilize a central database and consider each teacher’s performance on a national test and preferences for choice of district. Reporting arrangements for teacher management will be restructured to strike an appropriate balance between quality assurance and responsiveness to local conditions. 19. The Ministry of Education aims to strengthen its school inspection system to provide quality assurance support to teachers and school leaders. As part of the ongoing reforms, the Sector Education Inspectors (formerly known as Sector Education Officers [SEOs]) will report to both MINEDUC’s Department of Basic Education and Quality Assurance and to district authorities under MINALOC. MINEDUC and the districts will collaborate on recruitment, deployment, performance appraisal, performance rewards, monitoring, and sanctioning of education staff all along the management chain, involving the District Director of Education (DDE), District Education Officer (DEO), Sector Education Inspector, and Head Teacher. District authorities will continue to oversee the daily management of schools and teachers, while MINEDUC will focus on assessing teacher competencies and determining follow-up action. 23 MINEDUC, February 5, 2019. Press Release on Education Sector strategies to promote quality education. http://www.mineduc.gov.rw/index.php?id=113&tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=791&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1% 5Baction%5D=detail&cHash=decd352dbb0c447173b339ebda944811 24 Model schools will provide practical training to TTC students and disseminate good teaching and learning practices to other schools. Page 10 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) C. Relevance to Higher Level Objectives 20. Consistency with the Country Partnership Strategy. The World Bank’s Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) for Rwanda for FY14–FY18 (extended to FY20) focuses on accelerating job creation, enhancing private sector-led economic growth, improving the productivity and incomes of the poor, and supporting government accountability.25 Recent World Bank analytical work highlighted Rwanda’s weak human capital base and its adverse impact on Rwanda’s progress in all three CPS thematic areas.26 Agreeing with this analysis, the GoR requested World Bank assistance to tackle the problem. The Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project is the response to this request. The project aims to help strengthen Rwanda’s basic education system through investments in teacher preparation, recruitment, and professional development (to improve teaching practice) as well as in infrastructure and teaching and learning resources (to enhance students’ attendance and learning environment). Through these investments, the project seeks to equip more Rwandan children with the foundational skills and competencies required for success in the country’s modernizing economy. 21. The proposed project is the first comprehensive engagement in basic education in Rwanda by the World Bank, complementing ongoing operations in post-basic education and skills development. Through the Eastern and Southern Africa Higher Education Centers of Excellence Project (ACE II) Project (P151847), Rwanda receives World Bank support for its postgraduate higher education system in key fields and, through the Priority Skills for Growth Project (P252350), support for building priority skills for private sector-led growth—at the undergraduate, polytechnic, and vocational and technical school levels. With a broadening of its presence in the education sector, the World Bank can learn from its own experience as well as that of the many development partners (DPs) active in the education sector in Rwanda. The country enjoys strong and open relationships with these DPs coordinated through the Education Sector Working Group that is co-chaired (for the current period) by MINEDUC, the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) and United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). 22. Contribution to poverty reduction and shared prosperity. The project tackles a crisis in learning and school completion in Rwanda and helps the country strengthen its human capital base for sustained growth. By thus enabling Rwanda to realize its Vision 2050 goal of becoming a high-income country, the project contributes to efforts to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity. II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION A. Project Development Objective 23. The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve teacher competency and student retention and learning in basic education27. 25 World Bank. 2017. Performance and Learning Review of the CPS, Rwanda, FY14–FY18, Report No. 106731-RW. 26 World Bank. 2019. Future Drivers of Growth in Rwanda: Innovation, Integration, Agglomeration, and Competition. Washington, DC: World Bank; Bashir et al. 2018; World Bank. 2018. Rwanda Economic Update (13th edition), with a Special Focus on Schooling for Learning: Strengthening Resilience of Education in Rwanda. Washington DC: World Bank. 27 In the context of this project, basic education is from preprimary to Grade 9, comprising two years in preschool, P1–P6 in the primary cycle, and S1–S3 in the lower secondary cycle. Page 11 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 24. PDO-level indicators focus on: Objectives Indicators (a) Share of P1-S3 public and government-aided school teachers awarded Improving certificate of achieving at least intermediate level of competency in English, teacher (overall and female) (percentage) competency (b) Gain in average scores of targeted lower secondary teachers on tests of mathematics and science (overall and female) (percentage) Improving student (c) Share of P1 students who reach P6 (overall and female) (percentage) retention (d) Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools achieving Improving grade-level proficiency in English (overall and female) (percentage) learning (e) Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools achieving grade-level proficiency in numeracy (overall and female) (percentage). 25. Corporate results indicators (CRI) will measure: • Teachers recruited or trained (overall and female) (number) • Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (overall and female) (number) 26. More details on the definition of the PDO indicators are provided in the Results and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) section. The project also has a set of intermediate outcome indicators to reflect key milestones toward achieving the intended final outputs and results of the interventions (see the Results Framework and M&E section). B. Project Components 27. The project will be delivered through three interrelated components. Component 1: Enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning (US$46.5 million equivalent) 28. This component will focus on enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning. This includes supporting the development of strong English language proficiency and digital literacy skills of all teachers in government and government-aided schools, strengthening of mathematics and science content knowledge and pedagogy skills for teachers in basic education, and enhancing the preparation of new teachers through strengthening of the 16 TTCs and developing model schools to disseminate innovative teaching and learning practices throughout the country. Subcomponent 1.1: Improve teachers’ English language proficiency and digital skills (US$7.5 million) 29. The objective of this subcomponent is to improve teachers’ English language proficiency and digital literacy through development of a facilitated online course and assessment system. This responds to an urgent need, given that the language of instruction from P4 onwards is English and that the increasing demand for ICT to improve teaching practices in Rwanda means that teachers are increasingly required to equip themselves with digital skills. Page 12 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 30. Course material and assessment tools for English language proficiency are being produced by REB, University of Rwanda-College of Education (UR-CE), and DPs. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) course material for digital literacy skills is currently being used in Rwanda. The project will review all course material to ensure high quality and relevance to the context of teachers in Rwanda. All course material will be reviewed by REB gender and inclusion specialists to ensure that the content is gender sensitive and inclusive and accessible by all teachers regardless of gender or ability level. Following the review, the project will support the creation of interactive digital versions of these courses for teachers across the country. Both courses will involve a combination of self-study and face-to-face support from mentors. In addition to the digital version, several print versions of the course material for both courses will be provided to school libraries for teachers to take home and study content. 31. Assessments will also be developed and help place learners at various levels of competency (from Beginner to Advanced). REB/UR-CE certification indicating the level of proficiency for English and digital literacy will be provided to teachers upon completion of the courses. This certification may be linked to teacher promotion and pay opportunities for teachers. In addition, a module on digital ethics (with guidance on how to address and prevent cybercrimes and cyber bullying) will be developed and teachers will be required to take this course before course completion. The course content and the assessments will be tested and refined over the first year of use in TTCs and model schools (see Subcomponents 1.3 and 1.4) and thereafter will be scaled up to all teachers in the country. 32. To host these two online courses, the project will rebuild the REB e-learning platform to make it adaptive, user-friendly, and attractive and available for both computer and smartphone use. To mitigate risks related to poor or inconsistent internet access, some content will be made available offline through methods such as data drives and USBs. This platform will serve to train teachers as well as to manage, analyze, and improve teacher learning results and targeting and serve as an important tool for identifying where face-to-face training interventions are most relevant, thereby improving capacity of the system to target specific needs. Subcomponent 1.2: Support professional development of mathematics and science teachers (US$12.5 million) 33. This subcomponent seeks to modernize instructional tools and enhance the knowledge and pedagogical practice of mathematics and science teachers in upper primary through lower secondary grades (P4–S3). The project will widen the use of scripted lessons for S1 that have already been developed by UR-CE and tested with success in 30 pilot schools,28 and it will add new lesson scripts for biology in S1, for all four subjects in S2–S3, and for two subjects—mathematics and science and elementary technology—in P4–P6. The project will also provide complementary inputs such as laptop computers, projectors, formative assessment tools, and science kits. Two areas of innovation in mathematics and science education will receive particular support: virtual science laboratories and project-based learning, for which modules will be implemented in the lower secondary grades (S1–S3), beginning in the 16 TTCs, the 17 model schools, and the 30 pilot schools. 34. The project will also support a customized training program for mathematics and science teachers in P4– P6 and S1–S3 in the 16 districts not already covered by the Mastercard Foundation (MCF).29 Completion of the training program will lead to a certificate-level professional development award from UR-CE, thus creating an 28 Such lessons are aligned to the Rwandan CBC framework and are prepared using open source digital resources. They compensate for teachers’ generally weak background in mathematics and science, reduce the burden of lesson preparation, and improve the quality of content presented to students. 29 The MCF is supporting 14 districts in training teachers in the use of the scripted lessons prepared by UR-CE that are currently available. Page 13 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) incentive for teachers to participate and transition to more effective pedagogical practices embedded in the modernized instructional tools. UR-CE will develop and offer online versions of the training program by subject area. The project will encourage the sharing of good practices among teachers through Communities of Learning, and it will provide training to instructional leaders at the school, sector, and district levels, in mentoring and coaching, to strengthen their capacity and effectiveness in supporting teachers to implement the practices embedded in the new instructional tools. 35. The project will foster gender equity within this subcomponent by (a) ensuring that women are prioritized to participate as trainers or trainees in the customized training program; (b) including gender-responsive pedagogy in the training program; (c) including a unit on gender equity in the STEM coaching course for school subject leaders and managers; and (d) ensuring that all scripted lessons and exercises are free of gender stereotyping and bias. 36. The project will support data collection and analysis to monitor implementation and evaluate the impact of the new instructional tools and teacher training and support, with a focus on teacher content knowledge and pedagogical practice and on student learning. It will fund periodic policy workshops and other dissemination activities to foster accountability for results and dialogue informed by the progress of mathematics and science instruction in Rwandan basic education. Subcomponent 1.3: Strengthen the preparation of new teachers (US$9.5 million) 37. This subcomponent aims to bolster the preservice training of preprimary and primary teachers in all 16 TTCs, including a comprehensive package of support to TTC leaders, tutors, and students. 38. TTC leaders and tutors will be supported to effectively manage, coach, support, and assess TTC students through participation in ongoing workshops (focusing on topics including leadership, mentoring, effective use of student performance data, behavior management, conflict resolution, and socio-emotional skill development); online courses in English and digital literacy skills (developed under Subcomponent 1.1); and study visits (whereby select members of TTCs will join colleagues from REB to visit regional and international best examples and return to share learning at national, regional, and school levels). The evaluation of TTC tutors’ and students’ performance will be enhanced through inclusion of innovative approaches including video recording of teaching sessions in TTCs and practice schools followed by self-assessments and feedback from peers and the principal. Maintaining and discussing portfolios of best tutor and student work throughout the school year will also be introduced as an additional assessment strategy. 39. TTC students will be supported through the development of new inclusive textbooks based on the CBC and supplementary learning materials, a mentor program (whereby two regional/international volunteers will live on campus at each TTC and engage with tutors and students to support their English proficiency and digital skills [Subcomponent 1.1]), and high-quality practical training provided through model schools (Subcomponent 1.4). TTC tutors will be guided to provide more targeted support to students based on individual needs through better use of intake assessments and formative assessment strategies. 40. The teaching and learning environment in all TTCs will be enhanced for optimal student learning. The project will support construction and renovation and provision of ICT facilities and teaching and learning materials. TTCs are boarding facilities with separate buildings for male and female students—each will receive an Essential Package for Gender-Sensitive Teaching and Learning to ensure that all students feel safe and comfortable to learn (see Subcomponent 2.4) in a space that is healthy and violence free. Each TTC will be equipped with a set of Page 14 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) materials for students with special needs (including braille books, large print books, touch and feel learning materials, abacus, number lines, wheelchairs, canes, pencil holders, and so on) and teachers will be trained on how best to use those materials to enhance student learning. 41. Communities of practice across all 16 TTCs will be strengthened in this project. Each year of the project, two to three instructional leaders from TTCs will join members of REB and UR-CE to conduct an in-depth institutional review of each TTC, resulting in peer exchanges around institutional strengths and areas for improvement. An electronic journal will be initiated for sharing innovative pedagogical strategies, best practices, and challenges across all TTCs. An annual conference will be initiated whereby TTCs will showcase innovative teaching and learning practices being implemented at their school as well as engage with all organizations, individuals, and DPs working toward enhancing teaching and learning in the country. UR-CE and TTC leaders, tutors, and students may prepare research papers and posters and engage in roundtable discussions on various topics related to pedagogy, curriculum, and technology across TTCs at this conference. Subcomponent 1.4: Develop model schools to support innovative instructional practices (US$17.0 million) 42. The project will create a dynamic network of 17 ‘model schools’30 (16—one near each TTC—and one newly constructed school on the UR-CE campus) to support preservice teacher preparation and in-service teacher development. Rather than replace the current practice schools used by students during their teaching practicums, these model schools will provide an additional ‘fully equipped’ practice location for students. 43. Instruction within these schools will be improved through training education leaders and school heads to support teachers, manage schools, and use ICT effectively. Communities of practice will be created in model schools to improve teachers’ content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and ICT skills, with online courses and face- to-face instruction to improve the use of English and digital skills in teaching (see Subcomponent 1.1). Mathematics and science teachers will be trained in content knowledge and pedagogy under the mathematics and science subcomponent of the project (see Subcomponent 1.2). Study visits will help teachers integrate new features into their own teaching and learning. School infrastructure will be improved to include a conference room for use by visiting trainers and teachers, video facilities for recording model lessons, a three-classroom preschool block, teaching and learning materials, equipment for science/ICT/language laboratories, and a set of materials for students with special needs (with accompanying training for teachers on material use). Each model school will be equipped with an Essential Package for Gender Sensitive Teaching and Learning (see Subcomponent 2.4). Coding clubs will be set up so that boys and girls can learn how to code. To support equal participation in coding activities, school-based facilitators will ensure that equal numbers of boys and girls are encouraged to participate in the coding clubs and will engage them in discussions around potential future careers that involve strong coding skills. 44. Head teachers and teachers within model schools will be given training in how to plan for TTC student teacher practicums and internships: helping student teachers from TTCs to prepare written lesson plans and assessment tools; providing support for classroom management and conflict resolution; using co-teaching (a form of team teaching in which a more experienced educator works together with another to plan, organize, instruct, and teach) to model effective lessons; and guiding student teachers in the use of ICT and scripts for more effective teaching, and portfolios as a form of assessment. TTCs and model schools will develop frameworks for conducting classroom observations and providing effective feedback, with technical assistant support. 30 MINEDUC will propose a Kinyarwanda title for these model schools. Page 15 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 45. Best practice lessons will be developed in model schools and disseminated to schools across the country. These modern lessons will be based on the Universal Design for Learning (including boys and girls with and without disabilities)31 and disseminated online and offline. Model school personnel will organize annual open days, conduct workshops for neighboring schools, mentor teachers in nearby schools, and provide support for the induction of new teachers. Head teachers and teachers in model schools, along with SEOs, will provide opportunities for teachers, head teachers, and students from nearby schools to benefit from a short visit to model schools to observe classes and use the science laboratories. In addition, model school personnel will visit other schools to conduct workshops and mentor teachers. These programs will be consistent with teaching standards and include the concept of the mentor as a co-learner. Model schools will highlight innovative instructional practices at the Annual Symposium for Teaching and Learning in Rwanda (see Component 1.3). Model school leaders will also participate in an annual gathering with leaders of TTCs to review and enhance their respective teaching and learning experiences. Component 2: Improving the school environment to support student learning (US$140.5 million equivalent) 46. Under the project, critical issues of overcrowding and long distances to schools will be addressed through the construction of additional classrooms and primary-level new schools. The learning environment for the youngest students will be enhanced through development and launch of an educational entertainment learning program for children in preprimary through the early primary grades and the provision of a teaching and learning kit to all public preprimary classrooms in the country. The project will also support an inclusive and gender- sensitive learning environment. Subcomponent 2.1: Reduce overcrowding and distance to schools (US$126.0 million) 47. Overcrowding in classrooms is a major issue inhibiting learning in Rwanda. To reduce overcrowding, the Government will need to build 22,000 additional classrooms in the next five years. This project will finance the construction of 11,000 furnished classrooms and approximately 14,680 latrines, which is 50 percent of the required school infrastructure. The Government has committed its own budget to construct the remaining 50 percent. 48. Construction of additional classrooms will begin with the most overcrowded schools. All 30 districts will be covered, and approximately 2 million students in more than 1,400 targeted schools will have their learning conditions improved. Among the planned 11,000 additional classrooms, approximately 9,000 (with more than 12,000 latrines) will be built in existing public schools.32 The remaining approximately 2,000 classrooms (with more than 2,660 latrines) will be added through construction of separate new schools that are either near the largest overcrowded schools or in areas lacking primary schools so that distance to schools from children’s homes can be reduced, particularly for the youngest children. 49. An average of approximately 7.5 classrooms are to be added to each school. Construction for this number of classrooms per site is considered appropriate to implement through the Rwanda ‘Home-Grown School Construction Approach (HGSCA)’. This approach, which has been in practice by the Government since 2009, follows a hybrid arrangement combining centralized, decentralized, and community-based activities, with the following features: 31 UNICEF. Nov 29, 2018. Making digital learning accessible for all children in Kenya. https://www.unicef.org/innovation/stories/digitaltextbookkenya. 32 In this document ‘public’ schools mean public plus government-aided schools, exclusive of private schools. Page 16 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) • Capacity for mass production: On average, construction of 2,000–3,000 classroom per year (plus latrines and school furniture) • Timely delivery: All yearly construction programs delivered in six months, starting on July 1 and ending in December • Highly cost-effective: About half the cost of classic centralized procurement of works • Quality construction through gradual improvement • Strong ownership: Community participation through unskilled labor, resulting in high community ownership and increased social cohesion and peace building 50. All construction work under this project will adhere to MINEDUC’s school construction standards (2009) and the Rwanda Building Code Regulation (2010) that mandate key inclusive design features such as construction of ramps all the way up to higher floors and disability-friendly and gender-segregated sanitation blocks. The regulation also mandates relevant environment and climate disaster mitigation measures such as para-seismic design and flood defense mechanisms. All these features are already effectively incorporated in MINEDUC’s standard designs for school infrastructure since 2009. 51. As the bulk of the construction activities under the HGSCA approach are at the district and “sector” (sub- district) levels, the supervision capacity of the 30 sectors will be enhanced by the recruitment of 30 civil engineers to supervise the works and 15 field officers to supervise the implementation of the environmental and social standards (ESS). A specific Construction Operations Manual (COM) has been developed to describe in detail the roles and responsibilities of all actors under the project-financed ‘HGSCA approach’, the implementation mechanism, as well as the enhancements agreed upon by the Government and the World Bank to comply with the World Bank’s fiduciary requirements and the current Environmental and Social Framework. The project will finance the preparation of site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs), Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), valuation, and environmental audits. 52. A School Construction and Maintenance Strategy will be updated under the project to guide the sector’s infrastructure development. The new strategy will expand the scope to cover preprimary and other emerging needs. Subcomponent 2.2: Enrich early learning environment (US$13.5 million) 53. This subcomponent aims to enhance early learning by preprimary and lower primary school-age children through the development of engaging educational entertainment content to supplement learning in classrooms. These materials will be accessible through radio, TVs, and phones for children, parents, and teachers in school and at home, so that learning can take place at any time and in any place. This is particularly important for Rwanda where a large proportion of children remain unenrolled in any preprimary program. 54. An audio-visual program will be developed to foster core literacy and numeracy skills, emerging science concepts, and social and emotional skills for students from preprimary through P3. A local team of educators, researchers, and writers will be trained and supported to develop world-class educational stories that are uniquely Rwandan. The content of the programs will be based on the national curriculum. Key education messages around enrollment, progression, and completion will also be integrated into the content. During development, the content of the programs will be reviewed by gender and inclusion specialists in REB to ensure that it reflects an inclusive and gender-sensitive approach to address existing stereotypes in schools and communities. Content produced through this activity will be available through media broadcast (radio, television, and phones), online Page 17 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) through the e-learning platform (see Subcomponent 1.1), and offline (through flash drives provided to schools and communities). Content will be created in both Kinyarwanda and English, with characters and settings that are culturally relevant, and will include educational songs, stories and skits, as well as brief clips. 55. The project will provide these preprimary classrooms with a teaching and learning material kit to support children’s development in numeracy, literacy, and socioemotional skills. The kit will contain numeracy materials that can be used to classify, sort, make patterns, compare, and count and literacy materials including a set of preprimary textbooks, blocks, posters, and flashcards so that children can practice their emerging literacy skills. Additionally, the kit will help children learn about the world around them by providing learning material related to vegetables, fruits, animals, tools for different professions, and the human body. The kit will also contain simple pretend play items such as dolls, cars, and items related to arts and culture such as musical instruments. Further, the learning environment of preprimary classrooms will include items such as posters and wall charts that are designed to support literacy, numeracy, and socioemotional development. Before procurement, the contents of the kit will be reviewed by gender and inclusion specialists at REB to ensure that the materials are accessible to all boys and girls in the preprimary classrooms. Each kit will include a teacher training manual, outlining optimal maintenance and use of the items in the kit to enhance teaching and learning for students. Each preprimary classroom will also be equipped with a projector system so that preprimary teachers are able to integrate audio- visual programs into their lessons. Subcomponent 2.3: Support gender sensitive teaching and learning environment (US$1.0 million) 56. The project will address critical gender-based issues in Rwandan schools (including high numbers of girls dropping out in secondary school, teen pregnancy, and gender-based violence (GBV) toward both boys and girls in school settings through two main activities. 57. The experience of one organization has shown that young Rwandan girls (ages 10–19) eagerly participate in the production and consumption of radio shows and magazines regularly. These have become key platforms for girls to share and receive vital information and engage in conversations around important topics. The project will support the use of these already popular platforms to share education-related messages around gender across the country. Under the project, young girls and boys (ages 10–19 years) will participate in communication and outreach on gender-related education issues including repetition and dropout, sexual and reproductive health, GBV, teen pregnancy, and perceptions and expectations around gender roles and power dynamics, especially within schools. Messages will be delivered ‘by the youth for the youth’ through entertaining and engaging ways over national radio stations for maximum reach across the country. 58. Various organizations in Rwanda have successfully tested gender sensitive approaches in schools on a small scale. Combining different models found to be effective in the country, the project will support the development and piloting of a comprehensive, schoolwide gender-sensitive teaching and learning approach (including interventions for school leaders, teachers, students, staff, and communities) in all model schools (see Subcomponent 1.4). A key feature of the program will be to gather learning that will inform strategies around national scale-up of the approach to be adopted by all schools in the country. School leaders will be supported to ensure that their schools are an equally safe space for male and female teachers and students. Teachers in the model schools will be provided with training and ongoing support to incorporate gender-sensitive pedagogy into their teaching practice in the classroom including critical discussions around the content and instructional strategies used by teachers with students. After-school clubs will be set up for boys and girls to facilitate discussions around key topics including health and hygiene, sexual and reproductive health, teen pregnancy, GBV, perceptions and expectations around gender, leadership skills, and career options. All model school leaders, Page 18 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) teachers, staff, and students will be equipped to identify and safely report cases of GBV or sexual violence in and around the schools. Examples of best practices in terms of gender-sensitive approaches will be video documented and shared with other teachers in the country through various online and offline platforms. Component 3: Developing institutional capacity to strengthen teaching and learning (US$13.0 million equivalent) 59. This component will support the development of institutional capacity to strengthen teaching and learning in Rwanda and upgrade the skills and knowledge of key staff in the Single Project Implementation Units (SPIUs) who manage and implement the project. Subcomponent 3.1: Support quality assurance systems (US$5.0 million) 60. The project will strengthen key systems and policies that underpin achievement of the PDO and are integral to quality assurance in basic education including teacher recruitment, school inspection, and learning assessments. 61. Teacher recruitment. The project will support enhancing the current teacher recruitment process through development of national teacher standards that specify the qualifications and content knowledge (including English and ICT proficiency, foundational skills, pedagogical skills, and behavioral attributes) that an applicant to a new teacher post must have, as well as set up a national teacher recruitment practice at the district level. Data on new teachers’ skills assessment during the recruitment process will inform the TTC training programs and will support development of an implementation plan for the Cabinet paper on improving teacher preparation and management. 62. School inspection. The project will bolster the current school inspection system with innovative strategies. Quality assurance of schools in Rwanda is carried out at the national level by the Basic Education Quality Assurance Department (BEQAD)33 under MINEDUC and at the local level by SEOs under the supervision of the DDE who is accountable to the Mayor of the District. The effectiveness of the current school inspection system has been constrained by several challenges, including a focus on the enforcement of rules rather than provision of constructive support to schools. This project will help the school inspection system move to a focus on supporting teaching and learning. It will strengthen the ESIA to carry out more effective and efficient school inspections using improved and digitized tools in all 416 sectors across 30 districts, with training and on-site support for SEOs and DEOs. 63. National learning assessment. The project will strengthen the current national learning assessment by addressing the specific challenges it faces. Rwanda developed its first national learning assessment—LARS—in 2011. Two rounds of LARS34 have since been completed to evaluate learning outcomes based on the criteria and expectations set by the national curriculum. These efforts, largely financed by DPs, have enabled some capacity to be developed in REB to manage the sample-based evaluation process, but assessments have been sporadic in nature. The project will support (a) a technical review of LARS; (b) development of improved assessment 33 The BEQAD has 46 national inspectors, 30 of whom are assigned as focal points for each of Rwanda's districts. These focal points receive monthly reports from the DDE based on the regular inspections conducted by the SEOs. After reviewing the reports, the focal points will share report findings with the district mayor and discuss follow-up actions with the DDE. 34 The first round of LARS took place in 2011 and analyzed P3 literacy and numeracy achievements, and the second (LARS II) was done in 2014 and analyzed P2 and P5 literacy and numeracy achievements. LARS III was conducted in 2018 and analyzed P3 numeracy and literacy achievements, and P6 and S3 literacy and numeracy achievements. Page 19 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) framework, instruments, and methodology; (c) piloting of the new assessment system; (d) implementation of LARS for three rounds during the project cycle (that is, baseline in 2019 or 2020, midline in 2022, and endline in 2024); and (e) completion of comprehensive analyses and national reports to inform policy development and instructional practice. 64. Regional/international learning assessment. Rwanda intends to benchmark itself against regional and international standards for student achievement. Such measures are pertinent for assessing the education system’s performance in producing the human capital required for Rwanda to compete successfully in regional and global markets. As such, the project will support MINEDUC's efforts to gain membership and participate in the next round of an international or regional assessment. Rwanda will produce its national report on the assessment reports to inform policies. Subcomponent 3.2: Strengthen project management, implementation, and monitoring capacity (US$8.0 million) 65. The project will enhance the capacity of the key implementing agencies to effectively manage and support the project. The project will finance key staff in Single Project Implementation Units (SPIU) at MINEDUC and REB in key functions, including coordination and management, financial management (FM), procurement, ESS, and operations and planning throughout the project implementation period. It will also support the purchase of equipment and furniture required to make SPIUs fully functional at both MINEDUC and REB, including IT equipment and accessories, office furniture, and vehicles and motorcycles for field visits. In addition, the project will support operating costs for both SPIUs, including maintenance and office stationery. 66. The project will enhance project management capacity by (i) financing project planning activities such as development of the annual work plans) and Procurement Plans; (b) supporting M&E activities and training on ESS, fiduciary arrangement and requirements, citizens’ engagement, and climate disaster management; (c) financing critical evaluations to capture important innovative approaches; and (d) providing technical assistance (TA) for data management, planning, and M&E, including development of simulation models to project student enrollment, teacher recruitment, and infrastructure needs, informing policy development to reduce repetition and dropout. C. Project Costing and Beneficiaries 67. The main beneficiaries of the project will be about 2 million (with 50 percent female) children and students at the basic education age (preprimary to lower secondary) and about 10,000 students in the 16 TTCs (62 percent female) as well as in UR-CE (through the model school near its campus). Rural students are likely to benefit relatively more from the project than urban students because the proposed ICT-enabled approaches and tools will be able to bring teaching and learning resources and practices to the currently hard-to-reach rural classrooms. Girls are also expected to benefit specifically because the project will be focused on addressing the dropout rates of girls. Another important group of direct beneficiaries will be about 40,000 (55 percent female) teachers, as well as the academic and managerial staff and head teachers of the TTCs and UR-CE. SEOs, DEOs, and MINEDUC and REB staff will also benefit from the project through extensive capacity building in project management, support, and monitoring. 68. Local communities and parents will benefit from the massive construction of new classrooms and schools and improved teaching and learning for their children. In addition, over the medium term, the project will benefit senior secondary schools and technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and higher education institutions; they will get better prepared new entrants into their institutions. In the long term, public and private Page 20 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) sector employers will benefit as well; they will be able to recruit more qualified and more productive young individuals. Finally, the project will benefit the industries and firms that provide goods and services under the project. The budget includes expected project costs and opportunity costs incurred when children enroll in school. Table 1 summarizes the project costing and coverage in terms of beneficiary groups. Table 1. Project Financing and Beneficiary Summary Coverage Estimated Components Cost (US$, Beneficiary Grade Level Geographic millions) Component 1: Enhancing teacher effectiveness 46.5 for improved student learning Subcomponent 1.1: Improve teachers’ English In-service Pre-P to S3 National 7.5 language proficiency and digital skills teachers Subcomponent 1.2: Support professional Students and P4–S3 National (with 12.5 development of mathematics and science teachers teachers teacher trainings in 16 districts) Subcomponent 1.3: Strengthen the preparation of S4–S6 students Directly S4–S6; National (all 16 9.5 new teachers (future primary impact on Pre-P TTCs) teachers) to P6 Subcomponent 1.4: Develop model schools to Students and Pre-P to S6 17 districts (16 17.0 support innovative instructional practices teachers schools near TTCs and 1 in UR-CE) Component 2: Improving the school environment 140.5 to support student learning Subcomponent 2.1: Reduce overcrowding and Students and Pre-P to S3 National 126.0 distance to schools teachers Subcomponent 2.2: Enrich early learning Students and Pre-P to P3 National 13.5 environment teachers Subcomponent 2.3: Support gender sensitive Students and S1–S6 National (with focus 1.0 teaching and learning environment teachers on model schools and TTCs) Component 3: Developing institutional capacity 13.0 to strengthen teaching and learning Subcomponent 3.1: Support quality assurance 5.0 Systemwide systems Subcomponent 3.2: Strengthen project 8.0 management, implementation, and monitoring Systemwide capacity Total 200.0 D. Results Chain 69. Problem statement. Insufficient preservice and in-service teacher development and an inadequate school environment adversely affect teacher competency, student retention, and learning outcomes in Rwanda. A results chain, summarized in Figure 1, describes the components, activities, and expected medium- and long-term benefits. 70. Central to the project’s theory of change is the creation of conditions for student success in every classroom: (a) competent and effective teachers whose quality is assured at entry into the teaching profession and who benefit from continuous support from instructional leaders and peer learning through communities of practice; (b) manageable class sizes and reasonable distances from children’s homes to schools; (c) adequate Page 21 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) provision of instructional materials, equipment, and facilities for use by teachers and their students; and (d) alert learners who maintain regular attendance at school.35 Translating these conditions into better outcomes for student progression and student learning requires a robust system for performance management. Routine monitoring and reporting of student progression and learning, including national assessments and benchmarking to regional standards, provide the metrics for systemwide tracking and appraisal. They also inform the structuring of incentives toward better performance by teachers and their managers at the school, sector, and district levels. Figure 1. Project Results Chain 71. The project promotes teacher competency and effectiveness through multiple channels and activities. First, an e-learning platform containing interactive, self-paced courses and assessment tools for English and digital literacy provides teachers with the resources for self-evaluation, learning, and preparation for formal certification of proficiency in English and digital skills at the required level for teachers. Second, the country’s 16 TTCs—which train prospective preprimary and primary school teachers—will be revamped with new physical facilities and skills development for TTC leaders, tutors, and students (future teachers), to improve the quality of the pipeline of entrants to the teacher workforce. Third, for incumbent teachers in P4–S3, the focus will be on CPD and participation in communities of practice, with a focus on the teaching of mathematics and science, including using ICT-enabled tools. Finally, 17 model schools will be supported to serve as authentic spaces for developing, testing, prototyping, and disseminating innovations in teaching and learning practices in basic education. 72. Through the construction of new classrooms and new schools, the project will ease overcrowding in classrooms. The extra classrooms will enable a more efficient organization of classes for age-appropriate 35Rigorous impact evaluation identifies ‘structured pedagogy’ to be, by far, the most effective intervention to foster learning outcomes. The term describes a package of teacher training, ongoing teacher support, resources for teachers, and classroom materials for students. Page 22 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) instruction, with each class containing a manageable number of students of similar ages. The project will enrich the classroom environment for preschool and early grade instruction, by providing interactive learning programs and materials, as well as related teacher training, to ensure that by P3, all children gain a solid foundation in literacy and numeracy for continued learning in subsequent grades. By carefully selecting sites for the new schools, the project will help reduce the distance to school for children who currently travel long distances, thus promoting regular school attendance by these children and reducing dropout. A gender-sensitive curriculum and home- grown communication tools tackle the issues of female dropout at the secondary level and low participation in STEM subjects, as well as experience of GBV for both boys and girls. 73. The project will strengthen key systems toward achieving the PDO. These systems pertain to (a) new teacher recruitment standards and practice; (b) school inspection; and (c) student learning assessment systems including both national and regional benchmarking of learning outcomes. All three systems are integral to the feedback loop of performance management in basic education. Assessing quality at entry for aspiring primary school teachers ensures that those recruited meet minimum professional standards and that soon after being appointed, they can teach in their classrooms effectively. School inspection is crucial as it looks at all of the factors affecting school management and teacher performance: physical infrastructure, availability of material resources, teaching practices, and school leadership and administration. Regional benchmarking of learner achievement provides Rwanda with an objective metric to assess itself against standards of student achievement. E. Rationale for World Bank Involvement and Role of Partners 74. The support proposed through the project is closely aligned with Rwanda’s NST (2018–2024) which focuses on human capital development as a key step in creating a competitive economy with accountable governance mechanisms and well-functioning public institutions. The strategy highlights the importance of improving access to quality basic education to transform Rwanda into a knowledge-based economy with a highly skilled workforce. It responds to gaps in Rwanda’s provision of pre- and in-service professional development programs for teachers and a lack of instructional leadership capacity at the school and district levels. 75. The World Bank has a prior history of engagement in the education sector in Rwanda, but the proposed project will mark its first comprehensive support for basic education. This program will benefit from the recent 2018 World Development Report on Education, which provides insights for improving the delivery of education services in challenging contexts. Role of Partners 76. Rather than overwhelming the system or reinventing the wheel, the project focuses on building upon and complementing the successful work that has been ongoing in basic education in Rwanda (see Annex 3). The project design and proposed implementation arrangements are informed by experiences from a wide range of ongoing interventions by DPs, particularly in school-based support for better teaching and learning. For instance, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been funding national-level projects Soma Umenye and Mureke Dusome to support Kinyarwanda literacy skills in schools and communities from P1 to P3 over the past several years. Similarly, the DFID-funded project Building Learning Foundations (BLF) has been focusing on the teaching and learning of English and mathematics from P1 to P3 at a national scale. Each of these projects has components of school leadership, teacher training, content development, and assessment of learning for students in the early grades and are currently applying for extensions to be able to continue implementation. The project will learn from materials and approaches developed through these projects to improve reading and mathematics skills in P1–P3. Similarly, the project will expand a training program that was initially piloted for mathematics and Page 23 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) science teachers by the MCF by supporting the training program for upper primary (P4–P6) teachers of mathematics and science, as well as training for lower secondary (S1–S3) mathematics and science teachers in 16 districts where the MCF is not currently working. 77. Further, the strong presence of platforms such as the National Platform of Local Education Partners for the Education Sector and the Rwanda Education non-governmental organizations (NGO) Coordination Platform (RENCP), which support the ongoing policy dialogue within the sector, will be engaged in regular reviews of project implementation. F. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design 78. The design of this project benefitted from lessons learned under previous projects implemented in similar contexts by the World Bank and from other World Bank projects in Rwanda. Key lessons learned, and subsequent measures taken in the design of the project are discussed in the following paragraphs. 79. Strong government commitment and stakeholder ownership are essential for the achievement of project objectives and for the momentum of reforms to be sustained. The Office of the President and leadership in the country have communicated that education is a priority and that they are committed to addressing the gaps faced in providing universal access and high quality of basic education in Rwanda. There is strong support for the specific activities addressed within the project including classroom and school construction, enhancement of TTCs, strengthening of the teacher selection and deployment mechanism, learning assessments, and the national school inspection system. Project components were defined in close collaboration with ministry leadership and technical teams and based on gaps detailed by the Government itself. 80. Teacher training on optimal use of learning materials is crucial. Previous experience has shown that providing materials without guidance for teachers on how best to use them in lesson planning and implementation does not lead to optimal integration of materials into lessons. Each project activity that involves teaching and learning materials (for instance laptops, literacy and numeracy manipulatives, and educational audio-visual program) will be accompanied by clear guidelines, training, and follow-up sessions to ensure that teachers understand the most effective strategies to use these resources to boost learning and implement them in the classroom. 81. Improving data flow between schools and the ministry is essential to sustained progress of the education system. Using paper-based methods to transfer school-level inspection information to the ministry level is a time-consuming process that lends itself to error, reduces ability of sector-level officials to engage with head teachers and teachers around actual support provision, and limits timely feedback from the ministry to the schools. The project will work toward digitizing the process of data flow between schools and the ministry to allow information to be communicated quickly and increase support and feedback for schools toward improved teaching and learning practices. 82. Optimal school environment is key to effective teaching and learning. When classes are overcrowded, children are forced to share minimal space, resources, and the teacher’s attention, and it becomes extremely difficult for teachers to manage, teach, and assess students. A lack of an adequate number of schools and classrooms at accessible distances from children’s homes has led to the current situation in Rwanda where some classrooms have 80-100 children in one room. Student learning would remain a challenge in such classrooms, despite teacher training and provision of teaching and learning materials. Therefore, the project includes construction of additional classrooms and new schools as a key priority to ensure student learning. Lack of an Page 24 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) adequate amount of inclusive and gender-sensitive materials and approach to teacher leaves many students behind. The project aims to ensure the development and use of materials and related training to ensure gender- sensitive and inclusive learning spaces for all teachers, students, and staff, beginning with TTCs and model schools and using learning to scale up to the entire country. 83. Learning and exposure in early grades are critical to children’s subsequent education. An early and strong foundation sets the stage for optimal learning for children in primary school and beyond. Exposure to and productive engagement with certain features in their environment has been shown to enhance student’s learning in the early grades. Considering the importance of the child’s earliest learning environment and its impact on later years, the project will ensure that children in all public preprimary classrooms will have access to developmentally appropriate teaching and learning materials, facilitated by teachers who understand how best to spark a sense of exploration and learning using those materials. Importantly an audio-visual educational program will provide children in preprimary through P3 with early exposure to the English language in preparation for the transition to English as the language of instruction in P4. 84. Flexibility in project design allows for implementation of best practice. Complex and challenging initiatives are best introduced in phases across zones. This gives time to learn lessons from the zones that implement the initiatives early so that the program activities can be fine-tuned and strengthened as they are rolled out to all zones over time. The project implementation plan allows that the first year will be a time for development and piloting of several such initiatives/activities with flexibility to adjust and improve the design as needed in response to feedback from stakeholders before full-scale implementation. G. Climate Co-Benefits 85. Rwanda suffers from extreme precipitation and droughts. Floods occur regularly in Rwanda from heavy rains and are often associated with the El-Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The deluge reduces biodiversity, lowers agricultural productivity, enables certain diseases to spread, and causes damage to infrastructure. Droughts are also a recurring natural disaster in Rwanda frequently associated with ENSO; they result in famines, loss of animals, depletion of water resources, increased incidence of meningitis and other diseases, and loss of income. Projected volatility in the weather is expected to increase the risk of both droughts and flooding in the coming years. 86. The project includes several components to minimize anticipated risks from climate changes, especially, heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides. Under this project, education facilities to be constructed will be reinforced with additional flood defense mechanisms to improve resilience. The model schools will demonstrate eco-friendly and risk-resilient infrastructure. The project also has several soft components to mitigate the impact of climate change including preservice teacher training in TTCs and model schools and educational entertainment where climate change subjects will be incorporated. The project is supporting the strengthening of an e-learning platform for teachers; a disaster recovery plan of the platform will be prepared to prevent any potential loss of materials and data due to a natural disaster. Finally, the subcomponents on professional development of mathematics and science teachers and on model schools will include materials to enhance students’ understanding of climate change. Page 25 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) III. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 87. The project will be implemented by MINEDUC, REB, and the districts with MINEDUC assuming overall responsibility. UR-CE will provide the necessary technical support and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) will provide identification, procurement, and monitoring of select capacity-building activities. Sectors will also play a key role in implementation of the project, and procurement at the sector level shall be considered as community procurement under community-driven development. Implementation will be mainstreamed within MINEDUC and REB with the project activities falling under the responsibility of the relevant departments/agencies. The Chief Budget Manager of each agency will be responsible for the timely implementation and results of the activities through their respective SPIUs. A Steering Committee (SC) will guide, oversee, and review implementation progress. The Permanent Secretary (PS) will chair the SC meetings. All Chief Budget Managers of the agencies implementing the project, their respective SPIUs, and project coordinators will attend the meetings. Attendance to SC meetings will be as follows: a representative of the MINECOFIN, a representative of MINALOC overseeing districts, and representatives of Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), RDB, Rwanda Information Society Authority (RISA), Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA), University of Rwanda (UR), and National Early Childhood Development Programme (NECDP) and other relevant institutions that might be appropriate as further detailed in the Project Operations Manual (POM). 88. Project implementation arrangements have been designed to support the existing GoR arrangements for project implementation. Following this strategy, at the national level, two SPIUs will oversee coordination and support of implementation: one located within MINEDUC and one in REB. Similarly, districts are responsible for implementation at the subnational levels. The MINEDUC-SPIU will oversee overall project coordination. 89. The MINEDUC-SPIU will oversee overall coordination, administration and FM, internal audit, disbursement, procurement, M&E, planning operations, environmental and social (E&S) matters, and communication of the project. It will carry out the consolidation of project documents, including the POM; budgeted Annual Work Programs (AWPs); Results Framework and M&E reports; and progress reports. It will also facilitate internal and external communication and other supporting activities. The MINEDUC-SPIU reports to the PS of MINEDUC. The key staff of the unit are presented in Annex 1. Table 2. Subcomponents by Implementation Agency Component 1 Component 2 Component 3 Key Implementation Agency C1.1 C1.2 C1.3 C1.4 C2.1 C2.2 C2.3 C3.1 C3.2 REB ✓ ✓* ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ MINEDUC ✓+ ✓+ ✓ ✓ ✓# Note: *Implementation of activities co-led with UR-CE; + All activities under Subcomponents 1.3 and 1.4 will be led by REB, except construction elements that will be implemented by MINEDUC. 90. Activities under MINEDUC are Subcomponents 1.3 (infrastructure for TTCs) and 1.4 (infrastructure for model schools), 2.1 (construction of additional classrooms and new schools), 3.1 (school inspection), and 3.2 (MINEDUC-SPIU staff support and capacity development). REB will be responsible for implementation of the following components: Component 1 (teacher training) and Subcomponents 2.2 (school readiness), 2.3 (gender), 3.1 (teacher recruitment standards and learning assessment system), and 3.2 (REB-SPIU staff support and capacity building). Table 2 summarizes subcomponents by responsible entity. Page 26 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 91. Implementation will be guided by the POM and the budgeted AWPs. The manual describes how the implementation of project activities will occur and states the relations, roles, and responsibilities of each participating department and/or implementing agencies. The POM includes a distinct volume for school construction, named the COM, which is composed of two parts: the HGSCA and the conventional approaches. The MINEDUC-SPIU will update the POM and COM on a regular basis. Budgeted AWPs will be prepared by both SPIUs on an annual basis and consolidated by the MINEDUC-SPIU. AWPs are supported by Implementation and Procurement Plans. 92. The project has been designed and will be implemented in collaboration with the National Platform of Local Education Partners made up of education DPs and civil society organizations. Annex 1 provides details of implementation arrangements of the Government and an organization chart. B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation Arrangements 93. Project monitoring indicators. The project will monitor and report on progress on the PDO-level indicators and sub-indicators, intermediate results indicators, and relevant core sector indicators, which are listed in the Results Framework and Monitoring section, along with baseline and target values. 94. Monitoring implementation. For monitoring of implementation progress and performance of project initiatives, the project will rely on reporting and evidentiary data and documentation submitted by the specific implementing SPIUs and consolidated by the MINEDUC-SPIU on a regular basis. Each implementing agency’s SPIU has a leading person responsible for M&E. The MINEDUC-SPIU will consolidate project planning at the beginning of each year and quarterly progress reports to update the Results Framework and monitor project implementation and progress. The MINEDUC-SPIU will also conduct regular and needs-based work meetings and joint field visits. The M&E specialist in the Department of Planning at MINEDUC will support this M&E network. The Department of Planning will also be responsible for maintaining a functioning Education Management Information System (EMIS) database. EMIS data collection through a web-based database application are ongoing, which will enable timely, disaggregated, and user-friendly data at the school level. Student learning indicators will be collected through the national assessment—LARS. REB will develop the numeracy and literacy assessments and prepare reports in collaboration with international assessment experts, and implementation of these assessments will be conducted by a third-party firm. For details, see M&E Plan under the Results Framework section. C. Sustainability 95. The sustainability of the project derives from its strong ownership by the GoR and the implementing entities directly involved (MINEDUC, REB, RDB, and UR-CE). The project design aligns well with the country’ goal under Vision 2050 to transform itself into a knowledge-based economy and a regional leader in innovation and technology. The activities supported by the project are also fully consistent with the Cabinet Resolutions issued after the 2019 National Leadership Retreat that articulate the commitment of the country’s top leadership to address identified gaps in access to quality basic education in Rwanda. These resolutions highlight support for classroom and school construction, enhancement of TTCs, strengthening of the mechanism for teacher selection, deployment and appraisal, learning assessments, and the national school inspection system. 96. The activities outlined for each project component were jointly designed with technical teams within MINEDUC, REB, and UR-CE working in close consultation with stakeholders and partners on the ground. Ministry- level leaders were regularly informed and updated on progress during project preparation. Wherever possible, implementation of project activities will rely on collaborations with partners with the relevant expertise and an Page 27 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) established in-country presence over years of work in basic education. Further, each activity has been designed with an eye toward sustainability, as exemplified by the following: (a) the construction of classrooms and new schools will follow a home-grown solutions method that has been used with confirmed success; its impact on beneficiaries will continue well after the project ends; (b) improvement in teaching practice and learning environment within schools focuses on enhancing the capacity of current systems and building capacity within stakeholders rather than just the provision of consumable resources; and (c) the third component of the project specifically focuses on enhancement of key policies and structures of accountability in Rwanda to ensure the sustainability of activities and benefits for stakeholders beyond the life of the project. IV. PROJECT APPRAISAL SUMMARY A. Technical, Economic, and Financial Analysis Technical Analysis 97. The project supports government priorities in education through interventions that are strongly aligned with global best practices and research evidence. First, a vast body of research and accumulated practice and experience have demonstrated that teacher effectiveness is the most important school-related factor influencing student achievement. The project focuses mainly on enhancing teachers’ subject knowledge and pedagogy skills as well as their capacity in using innovative teaching practices to facilitate student learning. It also places emphasis on establishing teacher standards, improving quality at entry of new teachers, and teacher management. Second, investing in high-quality early learning can have a substantial and long-lasting impact on children’s cognitive development, successful schooling, and future career. The project invests significantly in provision of innovative audio-visual programs as well as learning materials to preschool children and early grades of primary school. Third, mathematics and science are the keys to unlocking the potential for a country’s rapid economic development. The project supports the development of ICT-enabled learning materials, training of teachers, and project-based learning of mathematics and science. Fourth, research evidence shows that learning results can be improved if there is an effective student learning assessment system in place. The proposed review and enhancement of the LARS and the participation in a regional/international assessment will allow MINEDUC to monitor and benchmark progress of Rwanda’s education system in achieving its learning goals. Finally, there is clear evidence that high- quality infrastructure is associated with improving student attendance and better learning. The project will construct additional classrooms in targeted schools and new schools for preprimary and primary students. 98. The design of the project builds on the successful interventions and pilots in the country. Rwanda currently has a multitude of ongoing innovative programs financed either by the Government or various DPs, and the project will benefit from and complement with these other programs. Such an approach would yield high success rates in project implementation and achieve quick wins. The ‘HGSCA’ approach is a home-grown Rwanda- specific construction practice that is implemented through a hybrid arrangement of centralized, decentralized, and community-based activities. The basic concept behind this approach is to save costs wherever possible, without compromising quality or speed of the work, while enhancing community solidarity through participation in the work. This approach has worked well in Rwanda, and the project will use this practice in building most of the additional classrooms and new schools. Rwanda has had success in providing early childhood development experience to children and their parents through a radio program. The project will scale up this good practice and will add a visual component to enrich children’s learning experience. The English e-learning course will use Page 28 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) materials developed by REB. The mathematics and science activities will be based on the approach piloted in 30 schools in the country and already implemented by Africa Institute for Mathematical Sciences in 14 districts. 99. In summary, the project design is imbedded in the government strategy to prioritize learning and build a solid human capital foundation. It targets critical areas to achieve transformational change in basic education based on local and international good practices and uses technology to create an enabling environment and tools for accelerated learning and improved classroom practice. The project complements other DPs’ initiatives and programs and scales up successful pilots and practices in the country to achieve quick wins. 100. Choice of financing instrument. The Investment Project Financing (IPF) funding instrument was chosen to best respond to the design of the project and to the current country context in which there are capacity constraints in applying the Program-for-Results funding instrument in the education sector. Disbursement-linked indicators were considered for the three policy and quality assurance areas under Subcomponent 3.1 at the earlier stage of project design but were later dropped because the Government had already adopted relevant policies during project preparation and expressed the need for supporting policy implementation. Economic and Financial Analysis 101. The project is expected to improve internal efficiency in primary education by improving the school environment for learning and grade-to-grade progression. Over the past three years, the repetition rate in P1 has averaged around 21 percent and in P5, around 15 percent; these high rates are one of the reasons for the prevalence of overage students. According to data from the 2017 LARS assessment, overage students scored significantly lower on numeracy and literacy than their peers who are not overage for the grade. High repetition rates also tend to correlate with overcrowding and double shifting in the early grades. Estimates based on a reconstructed cohort survival rate method indicates that for every 100 children who enter P1, only 29 percent eventually reach P6 without repetition, implying wasted years for individual students and wasted budget for the Government. 102. The cost-benefit analysis for the project uses the standard methodology for computing the aggregated private returns to work in adulthood of the students benefitting from project interventions. Because the method ignores the expected positive externalities, it tends to underestimate the full net value of the project. Project benefits consist of increased wage incomes resulting from the additional children completing primary and lower secondary education and from their future enhanced labor market earnings. The increase in earnings is associated with the expected gains in student learning in primary and lower secondary education because of improved conditions for teaching and learning in schools. The improvement in these conditions arises from the construction of new facilities to reduce crowding, investments in teacher training, provision of high-quality scripted lessons and tools for ICT-enabled pedagogy, and gender-sensitive learning environment for all students. Project costs include the costs of interventions, private expenses on education, and opportunity costs of being in school and doing school work. 103. The analysis builds on research findings from East and West Africa on the relationship between interventions and learning outcomes (as measured by Southern and East African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SEACMEQ) assessments) and the relationship between learning outcomes and labor market outcomes. Table 3 summarizes these findings. Page 29 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Table 3. Impact of Intervention on Learning Outcomes and Increase in Salary36 Estimated Increase in Student Increase in Learning Achievement (%) Salary (%) Classrooms construction aiming to reduce class size by at least 10 students 12.3 1.7 Targeted training teachers with modern curriculum objectives and strategies 10.9 1.5 Training teachers on using programmed learning materials 11.5 3.9 Training teachers on developing classroom strategies for learning 17.3 2.3 Targeted preservice training 13.4 1.2 Decentralization: hiring teachers with strengthened MINEDUC capacity of 15.2 1.0 assessment and oversight Girls: increase in lifetime earnings resulting from a decrease in primary dropout 37 — 0.25 Media campaign for parents to read to children 11.8 1.6 Testing sample students in Grade 4 in mathematics and reading (such as 7.7 0.9 regional/international assessment or LARS assessments) Using the above-mention methodology and references, the Net Present Value (NPV) of the project – i.e. the present value of the benefits minus costs - is estimated to be US$722 million, corresponding to an estimated internal rate of return (IRR) of 21 percent. Table 4 summarizes the results of the cost-benefit analysis, including the main channels of impact. This NPV is likely to be a conservative estimate. Additional benefits are likely to materialize from the project’s various innovative interventions that have been adopted precisely for their cost- effectiveness in improving the teaching and learning (see Annex 2 for an explanation of these benefits). However, these benefits could not be quantified for the cost-benefit analysis at this stage for lack of robust estimation models. Table 4. Net Benefits and Internal Rate of Return Present Value Present Value of Estimated Direct Subcomponents of Costs Benefits (US$, Main Impact Channels Beneficiaries (US$, millions) millions) 1.1. Improve teacher’s English language 6.0 183.1 Teachers, preprimary Improved teacher skills, proficiency and digital literacy S1–S3, annually: student learning 47,870 1.2. Support professional development 10.1 42.9 Students, P4–S3, Improved teacher of mathematics and science teachers annually: 1,420,000 competency on Teachers in 16 districts: mathematics and 3,000 science, student learning 1.3. Strengthen preparation of new 7.6 12.1 TTCs’ students, Improved teachers’ teachers annually: 9,485 competency 1.4. Develop model schools to support 13.7 142.7 Students, P1–S3, Improved teachers’ innovative instructional practices annually: 37,910 pedagogical skills TTCs’ students, annually: 9,485 Teachers, annually: 47,870 36 Schiefelbein, E., and L. Wolff. 2007. Cost-effectiveness of Primary School Interventions in English Speaking East and West Africa: A Survey of Opinion by Education Planners and Economists. Washington, DC; Santiago, Chile, H. A. Patrinos, and G. Psacharopoulos. 2010. Returns to Education in Developing Countries. 37 Chaaban, J., and W. Cunningham. 2011. “Measuring the Economic Gain of Investing in Girls. The Girl Effect Dividend.” World Bank Paper 5753. Page 30 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Present Value Present Value of Estimated Direct Subcomponents of Costs Benefits (US$, Main Impact Channels Beneficiaries (US$, millions) millions) 2.1. Reduce overcrowding and distance 157.1 466.8 Students: 1,805,000 Reduced repetition, to schools improved attendance and retention 2.2. Enrich early learning environments 10.9 64.8 Students, preprimary Enhanced children’s to P3, annually: school readiness 1,510,000 2.3. Supporting gender-sensitive 0.8 5.0 Students P1–P6 (girls), Improved retention, learning environment for students annually: 19,000 reduced dropout 3.1 Support quality assurance systems 4.0 14.9 Systemwide Improved project interventions effectiveness Total 210.2 932.4 Net Present Value US$722.2 million IRR 21.5% B. Fiduciary Financial Management 104. The implementing agencies (SPIUs at MINEDUC, REB, RDB, and UR) were assessed to determine the adequacy of their FM capacity. Findings were mixed: The SPIUs at UR and RDB satisfy the World Bank’s minimum requirements under the World Bank Directive. However, the SPIUs at MINEDUC and REB will need to be established and fully staffed with the agreed qualified staff before they receive any World Bank funds. 105. The initial FM risk was assessed as Substantial; the residual risk for the project is also Substantial as the key staff for SPIUs at MINEDUC and REB are yet to be in place and operational. Other key areas of risk identified include: (a) limited experience in managing World Bank-financed projects, especially an IPF project; (b) complex implementation arrangements through multiple agencies; and (c) management of expenditures for school construction relating to decentralized activities at the district and sector levels. These risks are being mitigated by ensuring that (a) SPIUs at MINEDUC and REB are fully staffed with qualified personnel no later than eight weeks after effectiveness; (b) only two Designated Accounts (DAs) are used for simplified funds flow and other implementing agencies are served from these two DAs; (c) the required FM manual is prepared (which is part of the POM); and (d) FM staff are trained before the project receives funds. 106. The project will adopt the report-based (interim financial report [IFR]) method of disbursement. For this standard IPF, there will be two DAs for components under MINEDUC and REB. These DAs will be segregated and denominated in U.S. dollar and opened in the National Bank of Rwanda (NBR). All project payments will be made from these DAs. The MINEDUC DA will disburse funds related to school construction to districts and to RDB for capacity-building activities. RDB and districts will open segregated Project Accounts in a bank acceptable to IDA, to which all funds relating to capacity development for all components and school construction activities will be transferred from the MINEDUC DA. In line with current practices, all costs related to activities carried out by UR under the project will be managed in collaboration with REB and the required payments will be made by REB. This practice does not require UR to operate a separate DA. Page 31 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Procurement 107. Procurement for the proposed project will be carried out in accordance with the ‘World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers’, dated July 1, 2016, and updated in November 2017 and August 2018 (‘Procurement Regulations’). The project will be subject to the World Bank’s Anticorruption Guidelines, dated July 1, 2016, and beneficiary disclosure requirements. 108. The Project Procurement Strategy for Development (PPSD) has been developed to understand the project implementation context, market situations and associated potential risks to achieve value for money, and the PDOs. The PPSD sets out the selection methods to be followed in the procurement of goods, works, and non- consulting and consulting services financed under the project. The PPSD describes the overall project operational context, market situations, and implementing agencies’ capacity and identifies possible procurement risks and mitigation measures. Following the market analysis, based on information obtained from the industry and the implementing agencies’ prior experience, the PPSD advises whether there is supply market risk or not. The underlying Procurement Plan will be updated at least annually or as required to reflect the actual project implementation needs and improvements in institutional capacity. 109. The proposed project will use Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement (STEP), a planning and tracking system that will provide data on procurement activities, establish benchmarks, monitor delays, and measure procurement performance. 110. A procurement capacity and risk assessment has been carried out by the World Bank for the implementing agencies at national and local levels. The MINEDUC-SPIU, REB-SPIU, and districts are major implementing agencies. The project procurement risk is rated ‘High’ because the MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU are under formation and have no prior experience, there are procurement capacity constraints at district and sector levels, school construction is highly decentralized and involves many implementing agencies (MINEDUC, 30 districts, and 416 sectors), there are many procurement line items, and the HGSCA or the ‘unconventional’ approach for construction is new to the World Bank, with procurement and supply of construction materials at multiple levels. .C. Legal Operational Policies . Triggered? Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Areas OP 7.60 No . D. Environmental and Social 111. Environmental and Social risk classification for the project is Substantial . Proportionate mitigation measures have been proposed for this project (see Table 5). On capacity, MINEDUC has no experience in implementing a World Bank-financed IPF project, and its SPIU does not have experience working with the World Bank Environmental and Social Standards (ESS). The required environmental and social development personnel are yet to be recruited. In order to oversee the implementation of the required ESS instrument, MINEDUC will recruit one environment and one social safeguards staff at the SPIU level, and 15 environment and social safeguards officers at the District level. Mentoring and intensive implementation support will be needed, Page 32 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) particularly in the early stages of implementation. These recommendations are also reflected in the Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP)38. Table 5: Summary of ESS Risks and Mitigation Measures ESS Risks and Mitigation Measures ESS1: Assessment The potential environmental and social risks and impacts from the works are typical to those and Management of associated with construction works including noise, dust emissions, vegetation clearance, soil Environmental and erosion, accidents and injuries. As well, it is likely that the construction of new schools will require Social Risks and land acquisition. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) 39 was prepared to Impacts provide guidance for screening of these potential risks and managing unavoidable environmental and social impacts. Once project sites are identified, site-specific ESMPs will be prepared that will include clearly defined mitigation measures for construction and operational phases, roles and responsibilities, time plans, costs and implementation arrangements for each mitigation measure recommended. Each ESMP will incorporate a Labor Management Procedure (LMP) and an Occupational Health and Safety Plan. ESS2: Labor and Anticipated key labor risks and impacts are mainly associated with the planned construction works. Working Conditions There may be instances of child labor associated with the use of local labor. The workers hired to rehabilitate and construct additional classrooms and new schools are likely to be few in number and may require some skilled workers from outside of the area of work (for instance for the installation of technical equipment). Due to the nature of these activities, labor camps and influx are not anticipated. To ensure health and safety of workers during the construction and operational phases of the project, a Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) plan in line with Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) will be prepared as part of each ESMP and include procedures on incident investigation and reporting, recording and reporting of non-conformances, emergency preparedness and response procedures, and continuous training and awareness of workers. In addition, the Project will implement the LMPs that set out the way in which project workers will be managed. An LMP40 has been prepared to guide all labor-related issues under this operation (as per the national laws and the World Bank ESS2 requirements). ESS3: Resource Where possible, the Project design will explore the use of hydra-form bloc technology in order to Efficiency and limit the use of baked bricks during classroom construction and reduce the need for firewood, Pollution Prevention avoiding detrimental impacts on the environment. The classroom rehabilitation activities could and Management explore landscaping to prevent erosion and planting of sapling shade trees and re-vegetation which contribute towards the carbon sequestration process and reduce soil run off. Using energy saving bulbs or solar power for school lighting should also be considered. The following will be further assessed: (a) Promoting the sustainable use of construction materials and other raw materials extracted from the natural environment; (b) Promoting sustainable use of water and energy resources; the Project could consider installing tanks for rain water to supplement current water supply or alternative energy solutions for cooking fuel; and (c) Adoption of good practices for 38ESCP disclosed by MINEDUC on May 24, 2019 at http://197.243.16.104/~mineduc/newweb/fileadmin/user_upload/SPIU_DOCUMENTS/Environmental_and_Social_Commitment_Plan__ ESCP_.pdf and by the World Bank on June 24, 2019 at http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/172671561360748537/Environmental-and-Social-Commitment-Plan-Quality-Basic- Education-for-Human-Capital-Development-Project-P168551 39ESMF disclosed by MINEDUC on May 24, 2019 at http://www.mineduc.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Draft_Final_Environmental_and_Social_Managememnt_Framework__ESMF__2.pdf and by the World Bank on May 31, 2019 at http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/690541559571499080/Environmental-and- Social-Management-Framework 40 LMP will be disclosed by the end of July 2019 Page 33 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ESS Risks and Mitigation Measures managing e-wastes. There is also a potential of rehabilitation activities that could involve demolition or replacement of existing infrastructure which may contain hazardous materials such as asbestos. The ESMF includes the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA) guidelines and measures to consider for removal and disposal of hazardous materials such as asbestos. ESS4: Community As the Project will involve civil works, the community health and safety issues could potentially Health and Safety include gender-based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse of students from interactions with construction workers (given the fact that the construction work will be carried out in existing schools for additional classrooms). The Project design will need to ensure consideration for universal access in toilet/latrine construction, and for disability and inclusive education in new school building construction. Where possible, toilet construction will also require portable water to improve hygiene in and around schools. However, in case the toilets to be constructed are pit latrines, such latrines (especially in rural areas) are usually not clean and represent potential health risks to students and the surrounding community. Other potential risks include incidences of increased erosion, runoff and landslides affecting local community properties. ESS5: Land The Project will finance the construction of new schools, laboratories, additional classrooms on Acquisition, existing schools, and latrines for existing and new schools. As such, the Project will involve land Restrictions on Land acquisition which may lead to physical or economic displacement. A Resettlement Policy Use and Involuntary Framework (RPF)41 has been prepared that will guide the Project during implementation. As well, Resettlement where land acquistion is required, a resettlement action plan (RAP) will be prepared. ESS6: Biodiversity The Project is not anticipated to have activities with impacts on biodiversity or living natural Conservation and resources. The Project implementation sites will be located in modified landscapes (i.e. those Sustainable already used for schools, training centers and universities). However, the ESMF includes specific Management of measures to avoid or minimize any negative impacts. Risks will be managed by using known Living Natural mitigation measures that will be included in the site ESMPs. Resources ESS7: Indigenous At this stage the Project sites are not finalized. We expect to explore the relevance of this standard Peoples/Sub- as we get more information about selected locations for the subproject sites. Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities ESS8: Cultural Although no impacts to cultural heritage are anticipated, the Project has incorporated “chance Heritage find” procedures in the ESMF when physical cultural resources are encountered during construction. At this stage, ESS8 is not relevant. ESS9: Financial This ESS is not currently considered relevant. Intermediaries ESS10: Stakeholder A draft Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP)42 has been prepared that identifies the key stakeholders Engagement and and the approaches to be used to consult with them and ensure their participation. It contains a 41RPF disclosed by MINEDUC on May 24, 2019 at http://www.mineduc.gov.rw/fileadmin/user_upload/Resettlement_Policy_Framework__RPF_.pdf and by the World Bank on May 31, 2019 at http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/929961559571883066/Resettlement-Policy-Framework 42 SEP disclosed by MINEDUC on May 24, 2019 at http://197.243.16.104/~mineduc/newweb/fileadmin/user_upload/SPIU_DOCUMENTS/Stakeholder_Engagement_Plan__SEP_.pdf and by the World Bank on May 31, 2019 at http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/717601559271389152/Stakeholder-Engagement-Plan- SEP-Quality-Basic-Education-for-Human-Capital-Development-Project-P168551 Page 34 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ESS Risks and Mitigation Measures Information summary of the consultations held during preparation and a comprehensive list of the direct and Disclosure indirect stakeholders. It is cross referenced in the ESMF and the ESCP. 112. Disability and inclusion. Despite the existence of a strong legal framework of laws and policies ensuring the rights of people with disabilities in Rwanda, students with disabilities face profound obstacles in accessing education. Barriers include physical and attitudinal, as well as the lack of a tailored curriculum to address special needs and limited capacity of teachers to support students with (different kinds of) disabilities. The project has identified several entry points to support inclusion, such as teacher training and sensitization, inclusive teaching and learning materials, inclusive construction approach that complies with the accessibility building code, and checklists to make classroom more inclusive and child friendly and to assess and identify children with special needs. More details are in Annex 5. 113. Gender and GBV. While Rwanda has closed the gender gap in various sectors, including education attainment in basic education, significant efforts are necessary to ensure equality in the quality of learning and experience of girls and boys in school. This project addresses the issue of gender through two approaches: (a) integrating gender in all proposed activities of the project to ensure equal participation and provision, such as construction of gender-segregated latrines, ensuring gender parity in targets for teacher training, student participation, and learning outcomes, especially in STEM interventions, gender-positive representations in the early learning resources to be developed for children, and so on; and (b) a stand-alone Subcomponent (2.3) that supports gender-sensitive pedagogy and behavior change communication (through radio shows) addressing issues of dropout, GBV, sexual reproductive health, aspirations, and so on. Using the GBV risk assessment and mitigation tool, this project has been assessed against all 40 questions and the final rating indicates a lower risk categorization for GBV. Nevertheless, to mitigate potential impacts of labor influx on GBV and child abuse in and around schools, the grievance redress mechanism will have the capacity to refer the victims to the corresponding One Stop Center. Moreover, for the supervision of the project, grassroots organizations, such as the National Women’s Council, will be mobilized to participate. A code of conduct will be required in the bidding documents. More details are in Annex 5. 114. Citizen engagement. Stakeholders and beneficiaries will be directly involved in various subproject activities, for instance, through consultation and participation in subproject identification and design as per the SEP and feedback regarding satisfaction with the completed subproject and service delivery. The project will conduct annual surveys throughout the life of the project to gather feedback regarding satisfaction with the completed subproject and service delivery. The results of the surveys will be taken into account in the subsequent civil works and will inform the process to address social issues that may surface during project implementation. These annual surveys will use gender-disaggregated data to measure and assess how the schools are changing the lives of girls and boys, particularly in reducing travel time, improving learning environment, and enhancing social capital. The findings will serve as a tool to define school network social issues and recommendations for further improvements in the sector as well as progress satisfying the gender indicators. Civil society, local councils, and nongovernmental organizations operating in each district will be involved in prioritizing subprojects in close coordination with the targeted communities. The private sector will be involved in subproject implementation through contracting/consulting business. More details are in Annex 5. Page 35 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) V. GRIEVANCE REDRESS SERVICES 115. A Project level Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) will be established. In order to handle site-level grievances, Grievance Redress Committees (GRCs) will be established at each cell level (the smallest administrative unit of the local authorities). A second layer of GRCs will be set up at sector level to handle issues that are not resolved at the cell level and a final level of GRCs will be established and operationalized at the district level (combining representatives of the District authorities and the MINEDUC-SPIU) in order to handle issues that have not been resolved at the two lower levels. A grievance is expected to be resolved in 14 working days at each level of the GRCs. In case an issue is not resolved in 14 days, it will be referred to the next level of GRC as found appropriate. The District and SPIU are responsible for resolving all grievances. Details of the GRM at Project level will be provided in the Project Operational Manual (POM). 116. Communities and individuals who believe that they are adversely affected by a World Bank (WB) supported Project may submit complaints to existing project-level grievance redress mechanisms or the WB’s Grievance Redress Service (GRS). The GRS ensures that complaints received are promptly reviewed in order to address Project-related concerns. Project affected communities and individuals may submit their complaint to the WB’s independent Inspection Panel which determines whether harm occurred, or could occur, as a result of WB non-compliance with its policies and procedures. Complaints may be submitted at any time after concerns have been brought directly to the World Bank's attention, and Bank Management has been given an opportunity to respond. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank’s corporate Grievance Redress Service (GRS), please visit http://www.worldbank.org/en/projects-operations/products-and- services/grievance-redress-service. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank Inspection Panel, please visit www.inspectionpanel.org. VI. KEY RISKS 117. The overall risk of the project is considered Substantial. Key risks that could adversely affect the achievement of the PDO and the sustainability of results are as described in the following paragraphs. 118. Technical design of project - Substantial. The project is complex with various components and subcomponents and implementation at national, district, and subdistrict levels. The project design relies on strong coordination between various education agencies of the Government, including MINEDUC, REB, UR, and RDB. To mitigate this risk, the project will ensure that the capacity of the MINEDUC-SPIU to coordinate and supervise the activities is well supported. Additionally, the education sector in Rwanda is currently witnessing significant reform in response to the country’s insufficient performance on the Human Development Index (HDI). This attention to the HDI has strengthened the political will and attention toward the education sector and the Government has responded by promulgating several new sector reform resolutions (in the Cabinet in February 2019 and during the 16th National Leadership Retreat in March 2019). The project is at risk of having to adapt and restructure until the Government and partners consolidate and establish their interventions and budgetary focus. To mitigate this risk, the project team has been making additional efforts to coordinate and align with the government priorities and DP response and capacity. However, this risk may affect timely delivery of the project. Page 36 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 119. Institutional capacity for implementation and sustainability - Substantial. There are significant systemic challenges related to education information and management, as well as incommensurate supply of human resource within the ministry. Although the project will invest in resourcing the SPIUs at MINEDUC and REB and digitizing school inspection to make data collection, management, and analysis more efficient, it might take time for the relevant directorates to develop adequate capacity to perform core functions. The capacity already built through ongoing projects of the World Bank and several key partners will be useful and can be transferred to the new SPIUs. 120. Fiduciary - High. The overall fiduciary risk rating for this project is assessed as High due to (i) lack of experience in MINEDUC and REB in managing IPF projects; (ii) current fiduciary staffing gaps in the SPIUs of the key implementing agencies: (iii) the involvement of multiple implementation agencies; and (iv) the anticipated complex management of expenditures for school construction activities that are decentralized to the district and sector levels. These risks are being mitigated by ensuring that the SPIUs at MINEDUC and REB are fully staffed with qualified fiduciary staff before disbursement and that a clear and thorough manual of fiduciary procedures, including flow of funds and procurement guidance, is developed to support school construction activities at the district and sector levels. The team also plans to conduct an extensive training to all fiduciary staff under the project just after effectiveness of the project. 121. Environment and social - Substantial. The social risk rating is Substantial at this stage because there are significant adverse social risks and impacts related to this project. The primary social risks include significant land acquisition required for the construction of 11,000 additional classrooms, including those in new schools, and the existence of potential encroachers on existing school land that would require compensation. These risks are considered Substantial at this stage and proportionate mitigation measures will be required to manage them. This risk rating could change during implementation when appropriate mitigation measures are implemented. . Page 37 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) VII. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING Results Framework COUNTRY: Rwanda Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project Project Development Objectives(s) The PDO is to improve teacher competency and student retention and learning in basic education. Project Development Objective Indicators RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ PD O Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 To improve teacher competency PDO 1: Share of P1-S3 public and government-aided school teachers awarded certificate of 0.00 10.00 30.00 50.00 70.00 achieving at least intermediate level of competency in English (Percentage) PDO 1 (female): Share of P1-S3 public and government-aided school teachers awarded 0.00 10.00 30.00 50.00 70.00 certificate of achieving at least intermediate level of competency in English - Female (Percentage) PDO 2: Gain in average scores 0.00 4.00 8.00 12.00 15.00 of targeted lower secondary Page 38 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ PD O Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 teachers on tests of Mathematics and Science (Percentage) PDO 2 (female): Gain in average scores of targeted lower secondary teachers 0.00 4.00 8.00 12.00 15.00 on tests of Maths and Science - Female (Percentage) Teachers recruited or trained 0.00 0.00 10,000.00 20,000.00 30,000.00 40,000.00 (CRI, Number) Teachers recruited or trained - Female (RMS 0.00 4,500.00 9,000.00 13,000.00 18,000.00 requirement) (CRI, Number) Number of teachers trained 0.00 10,000.00 20,000.00 30,000.00 40,000.00 (CRI, Number) To improve student retention in basic education PDO 3: Share of P1 students 42.00 44.00 47.00 50.00 54.00 who reach P6 (Percentage) PDO 3 (female): Share of P1 students who reach P6 - 42.00 44.00 47.00 50.00 54.00 Female (Percentage) To improve student learning in basic education PDO 4: Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools achieving grade-level 0.00 60.00 proficiency in English (Percentage) (Percentage) Page 39 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ PD O Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 PDO 4 (female): Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools 0.00 60.00 achieving grade-level proficiency in English - Female (Percentage) PDO 5: Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools achieving grade-level 40.70 44.00 50.00 60.00 proficiency in numeracy (Percentage) PDO 5 (female): Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools 41.30 44.00 50.00 60.00 achieving grade-level proficiency in numeracy - Female (Percentage) Students benefiting from direct interventions to 0.00 150,000.00 400,000.00 1,000,000.00 1,600,000.00 2,000,000.00 enhance learning (CRI, Number) Students benefiting from direct interventions to 0.00 75,000.00 200,000.00 500,000.00 800,000.00 1,000,000.00 enhance learning - Female (CRI, Number) PDO Table SPACE Page 40 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Intermediate Results Indicators by Components RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 Component 1: Enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning 1.1.a. Share of P1-S3 teachers in public and government- aided schools registered in 0.00 30.00 50.00 65.00 80.00 English e-learning courses (Percentage) 1.1.b. Share of P1-S3 teachers in public and government- aided schools registered in 0.00 30.00 50.00 65.00 85.00 digital literacy e-learning courses (Percentage) 1.1.c. Share of P1-S3 teachers in public and government- aided schools achieving 0.00 10.00 35.00 50.00 60.00 Intermediate level or above on the online digital literacy assessment (Percentage) 1.2.a. Number of new or updated high-quality scripted 6.00 13.00 16.00 22.00 27.00 27.00 lessons in Maths and Science subjects for P4-S3 (Number) 1.2.b. Share of trained lower secondary teachers using the modernized instructional 0.00 0.00 15.00 30.00 50.00 75.00 package in beneficiary schools in target districts (Percentage) 1.3.a. Establishment of English and digital skills volunteer No Yes Yes support program in 16 TTCs (Yes/No) Page 41 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 1.3.b. Share of TTC final year students awarded certificate of advanced competency in 0.00 10.00 30.00 50.00 70.00 English through digital platform (Percentage) 1.3.c. Share of TTC final year students awarded certificate of advanced competency in 0.00 10.00 30.00 50.00 70.00 digital literacy through digital platform (Percentage) 1.3.d. Number of TTCs with a completed in-depth institutional review by peer 0.00 5.00 12.00 14.00 15.00 TTC principals, REB and UR-CE (Number) 1.3.e. Number of TTCs with satisfactory improvements to 0.00 8.00 16.00 16.00 16.00 infrastructure and facilities (Number) 1.4.a. Number of model schools with satisfactory 0.00 8.00 17.00 17.00 17.00 infrastructure and facilities improvements (Number) 1.4.b. Number of model lessons developed, recorded by model schools, and made 0.00 10.00 20.00 30.00 40.00 available online and sent to schools without internet access (Number) 1.4.c. Number of TTCs satisfied with model schools' coaching 0.00 5.00 12.00 14.00 15.00 in their practical training (Number) Page 42 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 Component 2: Improving the school environment to support student learning 2.1.a. Number of additional classrooms built by the project in existing public and 0.00 2,200.00 5,500.00 8,800.00 11,000.00 11,000.00 government-aided schools and new schools (Number) 2.1.b. Number of latrines built by the project in existing public 0.00 2,935.00 7,339.00 11,739.00 14,683.00 14,683.00 and government-aided schools and new schools (Number) 2.1.c. Average pupil to classroom ratio in public primary schools that are newly constructed by the project or 91.00 86.00 77.00 69.00 64.00 64.00 that benefit from additional classrooms through the project (Number) 2.2.a. Number of edutainment episodes produced locally and 0.00 48.00 100.00 152.00 178.00 broadcasted on national radio or television (Number) 2.2.b. Number of classrooms receiving pre-primary teaching 0.00 200.00 400.00 700.00 1,000.00 1,200.00 and learning kits (Number) 2.3.a. Number of after-school clubs set up in model schools for boys and girls at secondary 0.00 0.00 8.00 17.00 17.00 17.00 level to discuss gender-related issues (Number) Component 3: Developing policy and institutional capacity to strengthen teaching and learning 3.1.a. New national teacher recruitment policy finalized, No Yes Yes Page 43 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 officially endorsed, and implemented (including teacher recruitment tests) in all districts (Yes/No) 3.1.b. Share of Sector Education Officers using digital reporting tool to collect school information and provide feedback to schools on 0.00 30.00 50.00 70.00 70.00 instructional practice and student learning environment (Percentage) 3.1.c. LARS conducted every 2 years (Yes/No) No Yes Yes Yes 3.1.d. Rwanda participating in an international or regional assessment program (process No Yes completed and data analyzed and published) (Yes/No) 3.2.a. Simulation models fully developed to project future student indicators, teachers' recruitment and infrastructure No Yes Yes Yes Yes needs, and used for education planning, budgeting and policy development (Yes/No) 3.2.b. Beneficiary survey conducted, with online component launched and No Yes Yes Yes Yes survey results processed in a timely manner (Yes/No) 3.2.c. Share of grievances 0.00 50.00 70.00 80.00 80.00 80.00 received and addressed within Page 44 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline Intermediate Targets End Target 1 2 3 4 the project Grievance Redress Mechanism timeframe (Percentage) IO Table SPACE UL Table SPACE Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: PDO Indicators Methodology for Data Responsibility for Data Indicator Name Definition/Description Frequency Datasource Collection Collection Sample- based Number of P1-S3 teachers in assessments PDO 1: Share of P1-S3 public and public and government- on e-learning government-aided school teachers aided schools who pass Administrative data and Rwanda Education Annual platform awarded certificate of achieving at least intermediate level or above reports Board (REB) or on paper if intermediate level of competency in in English assessment, e-learning English divided by total number of platform is teachers in those schools. not yet ready PDO 1 (female): Share of P1-S3 public and government-aided school teachers awarded certificate of achieving at least intermediate level of competency in English - Female PDO 2: Gain in average scores of targeted Gain in test scores between URCE/REB Tests designed by Annual REB, UR-CE lower secondary teachers on tests of 1st and 3rd workshops for database and URCE/REB and Mathematics and Science each cohort of S1-S3 URCE teacher administered at each Page 45 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) teachers participating in UR- training teacher training CE teacher training program workshop workshop. on content knowledge and report pedagogical practice in math and science in 16 target districts. The test scores are the averages for 4 subjects: biology, chemistry, Maths, and physics. Unit of measurement: percentage point. The baseline value is to be determined. The intermediate and end targets are estimated based on current partial assessments of lower secondary school teachers' knowledge of chemistry, mathematics and physics; these may be adjusted based on actual baseline data for the first cohort of teachers whose training will have been completed by year 2 of project implementation. PDO 2 (female): Gain in average scores of targeted lower secondary Unit of measurement: teachers on tests of Maths and percentage point. Science - Female Page 46 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) MINEDUC report on online and Administrative data and Annual MINEDUC Teachers recruited or trained offline reports teacher training Teachers recruited or trained - Female (RMS requirement) Number of teachers trained Denominator is number of students who entered Primary 1 six (6) years EMIS Department of before. Numerator is Annual School survey PDO 3: Share of P1 students who reach P6 database Planning, MINEDUC number of students who entered Primary 6 minus number of repeaters in Primary 6 in current year. PDO 3 (female): Share of P1 students who reach P6 - Female Number of Primary 3 students at public and government-aided schools achieving or surpassing PDO 4: Share of P3 students in public and Baseline, benchmark for English Sample-based government-aided schools achieving midline, and LARS report REB proficiency on the national assessment grade-level proficiency in English endline LARS assessment, divided by (Percentage) the total number of Primary 3 students in those schools. Baseline and intermediate target values to be Page 47 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) determined. The baseline value is not 0 and is to be determined, but the Portal doesn't allow "n/a" (or any text) for indicators that take a numeric unit of measure, so the value 0 was entered for the baseline. Endline target is set at 60% to indicate the project's goal for the majority of P3 students to achieve proficiency in English. Baseline value is expected by year 2 of project implementation, based on which endline target may be adjusted. PDO 4 (female): Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools achieving grade-level proficiency in English - Female Number of Primary 3 students at public and government-aided schools achieving or surpassing Baseline, PDO 5: Share of P3 students in public and Sample-based benchmark for numeracy on midline, and LARS report REB government-aided schools achieving assessment the national LARS endline grade-level proficiency in numeracy assessment, divided by the total number of Primary 3 students in those schools. The baseline value is the Page 48 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) LARS result of 2017, and will be updated using the actual baseline data to be obtained by year 2 of project implementation, based on which intermediate and endline target values may be adjusted. PDO 5 (female): Share of P3 students in public and government-aided schools achieving grade-level proficiency in numeracy - Female Administrative data and reports. This is the total number of student beneficiaries from all the project interventions because all project interventions have been designed to Students benefiting from direct Annual REB report REB enhance learning, interventions to enhance learning including through improved teacher effectiveness, enriched learning environments and increased progression in the education system. Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female Page 49 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ME PDO Table SPACE Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: Intermediate Results Indicators Methodology for Data Responsibility for Data Indicator Name Definition/Description Frequency Datasource Collection Collection 1.1.a. Share of P1-S3 teachers in public Report from Administrative data and Annual REB and government-aided schools registered REB reports in English e-learning courses 1.1.b. Share of P1-S3 teachers in public Report from Administrative data and Annual REB and government-aided schools registered REB reports in digital literacy e-learning courses 1.1.c. Share of P1-S3 teachers in public E-learning Administrative data and and government-aided schools achieving Annual REB platform reports Intermediate level or above on the online digital literacy assessment Number of full-year scripted Mathematics lessons (Maths, SET, physics, and Science chemistry, biology, VSL, PBL) 1.2.a. Number of new or updated high- for Rwandan Administrative data and organized to cover an entire Annual REB, UR-CE quality scripted lessons in Maths and Schools reports school year of instruction, Science subjects for P4-S3 (MS4RS) and including items for Report lesson-specific formative assessment Number of trained S1-S3 MS4RS teachers using all three report, based Data collected by SEOs 1.2.b. Share of trained lower secondary essential items in the on data in collaboration with teachers using the modernized modernized instructional Annual collected by REB, UR-CE REB, as part of routine instructional package in beneficiary package (i.e., scripted Sector reporting responsibility schools in target districts lessons, laptop computer, Education and projector) within 6 Officers months of completing the (SEOs) Page 50 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 1st training workshop, divided by the number of S1-S3 teachers trained in the same cohort under the URCE teacher training program on content knowledge and pedagogical practice, beneficiary schools in the 16 target districts At least 2 mentors per TTC 1.3.a. Establishment of English and digital having started their REB compiling data One time REB report REB, TTCs skills volunteer support program in 16 mentoring program in collected by TTCs TTCs English and digital skills for TTC students 1.3.b. Share of TTC final year students Administrative data and awarded certificate of advanced Annual REB report REB, TTCs reports competency in English through digital platform 1.3.c. Share of TTC final year students Administrative data and awarded certificate of advanced Annual REB report REB reports competency in digital literacy through digital platform 1.3.d. Number of TTCs with a completed REB compiling data Annual REB report REB, TTCs in-depth institutional review by peer TTC collected by TTCs principals, REB and UR-CE "Satisfactory" defined as implementation of at least Report from 1.3.e. Number of TTCs with satisfactory Administrative data and 85% of infrastructure and Annual MINEDUC MINEDUC, REB, TTCs improvements to infrastructure and reports facilities improvements and TTCs facilities identified in annual work plan Page 51 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) "Satisfactory" defined as implementation of at least Report from 1.4.a. Number of model schools with Administrative data and 85% of infrastructure and Annual REB and REB, MINEDUC satisfactory infrastructure and facilities reports facilities improvements MINEDUC improvements identified in annual work plan Report to 1.4.b. Number of model lessons REB Administrative data and developed, recorded by model schools, Annual REB from model reports and made available online and sent to schools schools without internet access 1.4.c. Number of TTCs satisfied with Report from TTC students and tutor "Satisfied" as indicated in Annual REB, TTCs model schools' coaching in their practical REB beneficiary surveys beneficiary surveys training Report from 2.1.a. Number of additional classrooms school Administrative data and built by the project in existing public and Annual MINEDUC construction reports government-aided schools and new unit schools Report from 2.1.b. Number of latrines built by the school Administrative data and Annual MINEDUC project in existing public and government- construction reports aided schools and new schools unit EMIS 2.1.c. Average pupil to classroom ratio in database, public primary schools that are newly Report from Administrative data and Annual MINEDUC constructed by the project or that benefit school reports from additional classrooms through the construction project unit Page 52 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Report from 2.2.a. Number of edutainment episodes Annual contractor, Administrative records Contractor, RTV/RBA produced locally and broadcasted on RTV/RBA national radio or television Report from 2.2.b. Number of classrooms receiving Annual Administrative records REB REB pre-primary teaching and learning kits 2.3.a. Number of after-school clubs set up Report from Administrative data and in model schools for boys and girls at Annual MINEDUC MINEDUC reports secondary level to discuss gender-related issues 3.1.a. New national teacher recruitment Policy policy finalized, officially endorsed, and One time District reports MINEDUC, REB, districts document implemented (including teacher recruitment tests) in all districts 3.1.b. Share of Sector Education Officers Report from using digital reporting tool to collect Data submissions from Annual MINEDUC MINEDUC, districts school information and provide feedback SEOs and districts to schools on instructional practice and student learning environment Baseline, Report from Report from REB and midline REB and independent REB 3.1.c. LARS conducted every 2 years and independent consultants endline verification Achievement of indicator 3.1.d. Rwanda participating in an over project years will be Information from Report from international or regional assessment aligned with the One time international MINEDUC program (process completed and data international or regional assessment program analyzed and published) assessment program schedule Page 53 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 3.2.a. Simulation models fully developed to project future student indicators, Report from One time Report from MINEDUC MINEDUC teachers' recruitment and infrastructure MINEDUC needs, and used for education planning, budgeting and policy development 3.2.b. Beneficiary survey conducted, with Report from Online and offline Annual MINEDUC online component launched and survey MINEDUC survey documents results processed in a timely manner The most updated GRM timeframe will be used each Information 3.2.c. Share of grievances received and year. A comprehensive GRM Report from Annual provided in GRM MINEDUC addressed within the project Grievance database will be developed MINEDUC database Redress Mechanism timeframe that will include information on the time of receipt and redressal of each grievance. ME IO Table SPACE Page 54 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ANNEX 1: IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND SUPPORT PLAN A. Project Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 1. National ESSP. The ESSP 2018–2024 is a five-year plan currently under implementation by MINEDUC. Donor coordination is through the Local Education Group, which meets regularly. Joint reviews ensure that execution of each donor intervention is consistent with the sector plan objectives. The project supports the ESSP. 2. Institutional arrangements. The MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU will implement the project at the national level and MINEDUC will be responsible overall for smooth and timely implementation. Similarly, the districts will be responsible for implementation of the project at the subnational levels. The overall organization of the project implementation and monitoring comprises a SC; the ministerial departments and agencies, including REB, RDB, and UR; and districts/sectors at the decentralized level. The MINEDUC-SPIU is in charge of day-to-day coordination and management of the entire project. REB will be responsible for project coordination and implementation, through its SPIU, of activities under its responsibility (Table 1.1 on matrix of responsibility), with support from the district at a regional level. The Department of Planning of MINEDUC will provide overall inputs related to monitoring of performance indicators of the project. The different entities will interact as detailed in the following paragraphs. 3. Steering Committee. The SC will oversee project implementation. The PS will chair the SC. The SC will meet monthly to discuss project activities and possibly less frequently later (as specified in the POM). In addition to MINEDUC’s normal managerial attendance, sessions will also be attended by the officer overseeing World Bank’s financial projects in MINECOFIN, a representative of MINALOC overseeing districts, and representatives of MININFRA, RDB, RISA, RHA, UR, and the NECDP and other relevant institutions that might be appropriate as further detailed in the POM. The SC will provide overall strategic guidance for effective and timely project implementation and ensure sectoral coordination and consistency of project activities with sector policies and strategies. In addition, it will review on a regular basis progress of the implementation plan, progress reports submitted to the World Bank, AWPs, financial audits, and any other issues related to the project needing managerial decision. In this context, it will decide actions for facilitating implementation, particularly in troubleshooting cases of slow implementation, bottlenecks, or conflicts, and propose corrective actions as needed. 4. MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU. For the two SPIUs, a detailed description of positions (titles and quantity) agreed with MINEDUC is presented in Figure 1.1. The key positions are as follows: (a) For MINEDUC-SPIU: The MINEDUC-SPIU will be under the administrative responsibility of the PS. It will comprise a coordinator, a school construction manager and team, E&S safeguards specialists, a corporate service manager overseeing the FM/accounting, procurement, and M&E functions, and an IT and communications specialist. (b) For REB-SPIU: The REB-SPIU will be under the administrative responsibility of the REB Chief Budget Manager. Key positions include a coordinator supervising the FM/accounting, procurement, and M&E functions and a Quality Basic Education program manager overseeing a team of specialists. Page 55 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Figure 1.1. Overall Project Implementation Structure Source: Created by the task team based on discussions with MINEDUC. 5. Roles and responsibilities a. The MINEDUC-SPIU will be the unit in charge of overall administration and reporting for the entire project. It will support the SC as the secretariat. Particularly, it will be consolidating budgeted AWPs of the entire project, supporting production of progress reports, facilitating communication, providing support to the networks of operations and M&E officers located in each agency in charge of each component, and any other supporting activities, as requested by the SC. Specifically it will handle FM, accounting, internal audit, disbursement, procurement, M&E, planning of activities, E&S matters, and communication related to project activities under its responsibility. The MINEDUC-SPIU will consolidate and maintain a POM that includes descriptions of how the project and each component will be implemented, outlining the roles and responsibilities of the entities and their relationship with each other (Table 1.1). Procurement Plans from the MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU will be submitted separately by the respective agencies in STEP for World Bank review and clearance. It is the responsibility of the MINEDUC-SPIU to consolidate all Procurement Plans at the subnational level for submitting in STEP for subsequent World Bank review and clearance. Page 56 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Table 1.1. Matrix of Responsibilities Estimated Cost Project Component Responsible Entity (US$, millions) Component 1 Enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning 46.5 Subcomponent 1.1 Improve teachers’ English language proficiency and digital skills 7.5 REB Subcomponent 1.2 Support professional development of mathematics and science 12.5 REB and UR teachers Subcomponent 1.3 Strengthen the preparation of new teachers 9.5 REB and MINEDUC Subcomponent 1.4 Develop model schools to support innovative instructional 17.0 REB and MINEDUC practices Component 2 Improving the school environment to support student learning 140.5 Subcomponent 2.1 Reduce overcrowding and distance to schools 126.0 MINEDUC Subcomponent 2.2 Enrich early learning environment 13.5 REB Subcomponent 2.3 Supporting gender sensitive teaching and learning environment 1.0 REB Component 3 Developing institutional capacity to strengthen teaching and 13.0 learning Subcomponent 3.1 Support quality assurance systems 5.0 REB and MINEDUC Subcomponent 3.2 Strengthen project management, implementation, and monitoring 8.0 MINEDUC, REB, capacity and RDB TOTAL 200.0 b. The REB-SPIU will work closely with the MINEDUC-SPIU for efficient and coordinated project implementation. A close relation will be developed by both SPIUs through a network of M&E, FM, and procurement specialists, which will be led by MINEDUC-SPIU-related specialists. Monthly meetings, standard reports, and channel of communication will be described in the POM. To facilitate project implementation and prompt payments, each SPIU (MINEDUC and REB) will have a DA as per FM arrangements and their own internal auditing function. c. The E&S safeguard functions will be handled by the MINEDUC-SPIU through two specialists at the central level and 15 E&S field officers located at the district level. d. Ministerial implementing agencies. The Chief Budget Manager of each agency/department will lead the implementation of one component or subcomponent of the project (see Table 1.1). When two or more departments are involved, one department will ensure the leadership of the activity, as defined in the responsibility matrix in the POM. The Chief Budget Manager of each agency will be responsible for the timely implementation, performance, and results achieved by the component or subcomponent under its responsibility. The Chief Budget Manager will be guided by the overall five-year implementation plan of the project agreed upon at appraisal and the AWPs approved annually by the World Bank. e. Department of Planning. In addition to specific activities financed by the project, the Department of Planning will also have the responsibility of providing timely inputs for the Results Framework and its performance indicators. The Department of Planning of MINEDUC will help monitor the performance of the project toward its development objectives through the Results Framework and related performance indicators. The department will work closely with the MINEDUC-SPIU on the Page 57 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) reporting to the SC on project progress. Reports will be produced on a six-monthly basis or before any World Bank support missions. B. Project Coordination, Management, and Implementation 6. Overall project coordination. The project SC, chaired by the PS of MINEDUC, will handle overall project coordination, with support from the MINEDUC-SPIU. 7. Project management. Project management will be handled by both the MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU, as set up by MINEDUC. Key functions of responsibility for both SPIUs include administration, FM, disbursement, internal audit, procurement, M&E, E&S development matters, and communication. The MINEDUC-SPIU coordinator will attend the SC meetings (as Secretary) and will report to the minister. The flow of funds and related arrangements are described in the respective sections of the Project Appraisal Document and in the POM. 8. Project implementation. The Minister of Education will lead the overall project implementation, and each MINEDUC agency will be responsible through its SPIU. There will be both centralized support from MINEDUC and the decentralized-level support from district offices and sectors, including ‘One Stop Centers’ for construction activities and operations under the leadership of MINALOC. 9. Project Operation Manual. The POM comprises chapters on (a) project description and roles and responsibilities; (b) administration and coordination; (c) budget and budgetary control; (d) disbursement procedures and banking arrangements; (e) FM, procurement and accounting procedures; (f) internal control procedures; (g) accounting system and transaction records (f) reporting requirements; (i) audit arrangements; (j) corruption and fraud mitigation measures; (k) E&S requirements; and other arrangements and procedures as shall be required for the effective implementation of the project such as communication and good governance. The POM describes how the project activities will be implemented, the fiduciary and safeguards arrangements and the relationships, and roles and responsibilities of each contributing unit, including the SC, MINEDUC departments, SPIUs, districts, and M&E units. The MINEDUC-SPIU is in charge of updating the POM each year based on lessons learned during the previous year. 10. Construction Operation Manual. The COM will detaile guidelines, methods and procedures for construction activities to be carried out under the project. 11. Annual work programs. The MINEDUC-SPIU will initiate and consolidate AWPs with line item budgets, following inputs from all agencies and departments, using a standard format. The MINEDUC-SPIU will submit consolidated AWPs annually to the SC for endorsement two months before the start of the fiscal year (that is, April 1). The SC will submit endorsed AWPs to the World Bank for approval before implementation of AWPs. The agencies in charge of implementation will monitor monthly these approved AWPs, with support from the MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU. MINEDUC and the World Bank will use AWPs to monitor progress during the year. 12. Monitoring and evaluation. The M&E of the project will be implemented at two levels: (a) on the Results Framework indicators and (b) on the implementation progress of activities at the component and subcomponent levels. At the Results Framework level, the two specialists under the MINEDUC-SPIU, with support from MINEDUC’s Department of Planning, and the team composed of two specialists and one officer at the REB -SPIU level, will monitor and report on the PDO indicators and their progress. At the activities level, a focal point for M&E will be designated by each subcomponent (in MINEDUC and REB) and be part of a ‘M&E network’ headed Page 58 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) by the MINEDUC M&E specialists’ team. This network will meet on a regular basis and monitor progress of activities implementation, as described in the costing and implementation plan. It is expected that this M&E network will strengthen close links among team members around implementation issues and successes (cross fertilization). Standard documentation will be developed to monitor progress of the project, shared and agreed with all subcomponents, and compiled by the MINEDUC-SPIU. Within each subcomponent, a close monitoring of activities will be set up though regular visits and/or mobile monitoring. Details of the M&E arrangements will be part of the POM. 13. Progress reports. The MINEDUC-SPIU will prepare semiannual reports summarizing progress on project activities of the last six months for MINEDUC and REB subcomponents, indicator values, and proposing the planning of new activities for the next six months, using a standard format discussed and agreed at the appraisal. The MINEDUC-SPIU will send draft progress reports to the SC for approval before submitting to the World Bank. C. Financial Management Arrangements 14. An FM assessment of the key implementing agencies under the project (MINEDUC, REB, UR, and RDB) was undertaken in January 2019. The objective of the assessment was to determine whether the implementing agencies maintain adequate FM arrangements capable of ensuring that: a) Project funds are used for the purposes intended in an efficient and economical manner; b) The project’s financial reports are prepared in an accurate, reliable, and timely manner; and c) The project’s assets and resources are safeguarded. 15. The FM assessment was carried out in accordance with the World Bank Directive (‘Financial Management Manual for World Bank IPF Operations’, effective March 1, 2010), and the World Bank Guidance (‘Financial Management in World Bank IPF Operations’ issued and effective February 24, 2015). The assessment covered the six key FM elements: (a) budgeting; (b) funds flow; (c) accounting; (d) internal control; (e) financial reporting; and (f) auditing arrangements. 16. The implementing agencies were assessed to determine the adequacy of their FM capacity. The assessment indicated that some of the agencies had their SPIUs in place with adequate FM systems, while others were establishing their SPIUs. Nevertheless, the key risk areas identified related to (a) limited experience in management of World Bank-financed projects (this being the first IPF project in the ministry); (b) staffing gaps in the SPIUs; (c) complex implementation arrangements through multiple agencies; and (d) management of expenditures for school construction relating to decentralized activities at district and sector levels. 17. These risks are being mitigated by ensuring that (a) the SPIUs at MINEDUC and REB are equipped with qualified staff before effectiveness; (b) only two DAs are used for simplified funds flow and other implementing agencies are served from these two DAs; (c) the required FM manual is prepared (under the POM); (d) the COM is put in place before any disbursement of funds to these activities; and (e) FM staff are trained before the project receiving funds. 18. General FM arrangements. The design of the FM arrangements has been aligned as far as possible to existing country systems. MINEDUC is the primary implementing agency and will be responsible for consolidation and submission of the overall project annual work plan and budget to the World Bank. REB, UR, and RDB will be responsible for implementation of their respective components and making payments for eligible project expenditures. Since the financing instrument is the standard IPF, adequacy of the FM staffing and FM manual in Page 59 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) the SPIUs for MINEDUC and REB will be key requirements for the project meeting the FM requirements. The detailed arrangements will be included in the FM manual. 19. Under district-level activities relating to construction and refurbishment of classrooms and schools, MINEDUC currently uses a modality that involves collaboration with the districts. It involves bulk purchasing of construction materials centrally by MINEDUC and delivered to the building sites at the districts. The funds to finance the district-level local materials, skills, and labor will be disbursed directly from the MINEDUC DA to the districts’ accounts opened for this purpose. Details will be provided in the FM manual, the POM, and the COM. Figure 1.2. Funds Flow 20. Funds flow and disbursement arrangements. The project will adopt the report-based IFR method of disbursement. For the standard IPF, there will be two DAs for components under MINEDUC and REB. The two DAs will be segregated and denominated in U.S. dollar and opened in the NBR from which all project payments will be made. The MINEDUC DA will disburse funds related to school construction to the districts. RDB will open a Project Account in a bank acceptable to IDA, to which all funds related to select capacity development activities will be transferred from the MINEDUC DA. This MINEDUC DA will also be used for payment of the centrally purchased bulk materials, transport costs to school construction sites, and other related expenditures under MINEDUC components and activities. In line with current practices, all costs related to activities to be carried out by UR under the project, will be done in collaboration with REB and the required payments will be made by REB. A separate DA is not required for UR. The detailed modalities will be reflected in the Financial Management Procedures and Policies Manual (FMPPM). As part of ensuring the Project’s readiness for implementation, it was agreed that the Project will provide retroactive financing to allow Government to be reimbursed for any payments made towards project startup cost. 21. The Project budget and allocations are as captured in the disbursement table below: Page 60 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Table 1.2. Disbursement Table Amount of the Percentage of expenditures Category Credit Allocated to be Financed (expressed in US$) (inclusive of Taxes) 1. Goods, non-consulting services, consulting services, incremental operating costs and training under Component 1, 2.2, 2.3, and 3 of the project and US$48,000,000 100% implemented by, or related to implementation by REB 2. Goods, non-consulting services, consulting services, incremental operating costs and training under Component 3 of the project and implemented by US$7,750,000 100% MINEDUC 3. Works, goods, non-consulting services, and consulting services, all for school construction under Components 1 and 2 of the project and US$144,250,000 100% implemented by MINEDUC TOTAL AMOUNT US$200,000,000 22. Financial reporting and audit: MINEDUC-SPIU will prepare and submit the consolidated semi-annual IFRs and annual audited financial statements to the Bank. The semi-annual IFRs will be submitted within 45 days after the end of every calendar semester. It is recognized that the Government’s own financial reporting requirements mean that the project will report monthly to MINEDUC and MINECOFIN management. However, project reporting to the World Bank will be on a semi-annual basis. Since there are two DAs under the project (one each for MINEDUC and REB), REB will submit its reports to MINEDUC for consolidation and subsequent submission to the World Bank. UR activities will be under REB while RDB activities will be undertaken under MINEDUC on a statement of expenditures basis. REB IFRs will be submitted to MINEDUC within 30 days of the end of the semester period to facilitate consolidation and submission to the World Bank. The project financial statements will be audited annually by the State Audit Organization and copies of the audited financial statements will be submitted to the World Bank within six months of the end of the fiscal year. In Rwanda, the State Audit Organization has the responsibility of auditing all World Bank-funded projects. 23. FM Actions: The actions agreed to ensure that the Project meets the required FM requirements are summarized in the table below: Table 1.3. Financial Management Action Plan Responsible Description of Action Required Timeline Status Official Key FM staff appointed, including Financial Management Specialists for the MINEDUC and PS (MINEDUC) Eight weeks after the Board Ongoing REB SPIUs DG (REB) Date Project Financial Management Procedures and Ongoing - draft is being Policies Manual (FMPPM), as part of the POM, PS (MINEDUC) Eight weeks after the Board finalized based on the World prepared and approved by the World Bank. Date Bank team’s comments. Schools Construction Operations Manual (COM) Prior to disbursement of Ongoing- draft is being prepared and approved by the World Bank. PS (MINEDUC) category 3 prepared (the HGSCA section has been completed) Training of all Financial Management staff Immediately after key FM conducted staff are in place Page 61 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) 24. Conclusion of the FM assessment. The FM risk is assessed as ‘Substantial’ with the residual risk for the Project being also Substantial as the key staff for the two SPIUs (MINEDUC and REB) are yet to be fully established and functional immediately after the project effectiveness. D. Procurement Arrangements 25. Procurement for the proposed project will be carried out in accordance with the ‘Procurement Regulations’. The project will be subject to the World Bank’s ‘Anticorruption Guidelines’ and beneficiary disclosure requirements. 26. The PPSD is developed to understand the project implementation context, market situations and associated potential risks in order to achieve value for money, and the PDOs. The PPSD sets out the selection methods to be followed in the procurement of goods, works, and non-consulting and consulting services financed under the project. The PPSD describes the overall project operational context, market situations, and implementing agencies’ capacity and identifies possible procurement risks and mitigation measures. Following the market analysis, based on information obtained from the industry, and the implementing agencies’ prior experience, the PPSD has informed that there is no risk of supply market in the country. The underlying Procurement Plan will be updated at least annually or as required to reflect the actual project implementation needs and improvements in institutional capacity. Box 1.1. Summary of the PPSD Rwanda is a low-income non-fragile country that does not fall under the small country category. The present government, functioning since 2000, is providing a stable policy framework for overall development. Rwanda topology has various hills and valleys and construction of the buildings during the entire year may not be possible due to intense rainfall and landslide. GoR Procurement Law N°62/2018 of 25/08/2018 provides the policy framework for public procurement in Rwanda and Article 2 ‘Scope of this Act’ states that “In case this Law conflicts with provisions of a bilateral or multilateral treaty or other form of agreement related to public procurement to which the GoR is a party, the provisions of those agreements prevail.” The Procurement Law has legal precedence over the GoR’s regulations, rules, directives, circulars, and instructions including Cabinet decisions. As per the provisions of the law, the provisions stipulated in the World Bank’s Financing Agreement prevail over the Procurement Act. In case of conflicts (if any) between the World Bank’s Procurement Regulations and the GoR’s Procurement Law, the former prevail. This exception provides that the project completely adheres to the agreed World Bank’s Procurement Regulations (applicable version). The MINEDUC-SPIU will be in charge of overall project coordination. Two SPIUs are in charge of implementation: one located within MINEDUC and one in REB. The MINEDUC-SPIU will be in charge of overall coordination, planning and M&E, internal audit, and communication of the project, in addition to administration, FM, procurement, disbursement, E&S matters related to the MINEDUC activities under the project. Implementation will be guided by the POM. The Construction Department within MINEDUC has limited experience and recently moved from administrative control of REB. The MINEDUC has procured some construction materials (centralized) required for school construction activities after grouping them to focus on specific market segment like cement, steel and sheet, and hollow sections. REB has prior experience in procurement similar to the Page 62 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) envisaged procurement transactions through the project. The consultancy contracts were procured through Single Source Selection and REB has limited experience in procuring the consultancy contracts through a competitive process. REB has in the past awarded a major supplies contract (US$4.2 million) for procurement of teaching and learning materials and a consultancy contract of US$3.8 million. Salient construction materials such as cement, steel bars, and corrugated sheets are available in the national and regional market. A few remaining salient construction materials (for building) need to be imported and transported through either Mombasa or through Dar Es Salam by road (1,500 km). There is no perceived supply risk as there are adequate number of potential providers who are interested in participating in the bidding opportunity at the central level; the supply market may be limited at the district and sector levels. This may vary from one district/sector to another. The procurement profile of the project mainly includes procurement and supply of construction materials at various levels required for construction of school infrastructure, including among others, additional classrooms, latrines for new schools and ‘ground plus one’ story construction at densely populated secondary cities and the city of Kigali implemented through HGSCA. The small-value construction activities envisaged at TTCs and model schools will be awarded to the qualified contracts identified through procurement process. The project will also procure textbooks and education kits besides various consultancies. A substantial portion of the allocated amount is likely to be spent on the school construction activities. The estimated cost of these per school is very small (US$10,000 for additional classroom except G+1 classroom). These are located at villages spread across four provinces, the city of Kigali, 30 districts, and 416 sectors. The classrooms and latrines will be constructed by following separate procurement of construction materials and labor contract. The construction materials will be procured at the central (MINEDUC), District (30 Districts), and Sector (416 sectors) levels. The approximate ratio of the central to the district level is 35 percent to 65 percent. Furniture may or may not be procured by the District, which is based on the decision of the District. A substantial portion of the spend is allocated to the District and central level. The labor contract is only for skilled labor, and the community also contributes voluntary and paid labor. The procurement and financial activities at the Sector level are aggregated, packaged at Districts level, and subsequently monitored and reported to the World Bank. These procurement activities will be carried out by Sectors under the supervision of Districts, under signed Memoranda of Understanding. Though this arrangement might have some advantages and cost savings, it may create a substantial burden on MINEDUC, District and Sector administrations in terms of number of procurement transactions, storage, and management of large quantities of materials and single responsibility for delivery to the construction sites (though the police and defense personnel help, the primary responsibility lies with the MINEDUC, District and Sector administrations). The fragmented contracting arrangement may result in delayed results and demands huge coordination tasks in lieu of likely cost savings. The separate material and labor contracts may involve additional risks to MINEDUC to store, preserve, and maintain issue and receipts [inventory management] of the procured materials and ensure minimum stock-outs at the District stores. The project will attempt to address these challenges in the initial stages of the implementation. MINEDUC is implementing a similar construction program through the GoR budget. The gained implementation experience will be aligned to the World Bank-funded project. The Framework Agreement (FA) for District and Sector-level procurement activities (for similar requirement) requires reordering based on the phase of construction. The FA may be excluded for locally manufactured construction materials such as bricks. This may be worked out by the technical team duly considering the local conditions. The District and Sector-level procurement activities may be processed Page 63 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) using the selection method RFB and particular type of contractual arrangement, Framework Agreement. As per the Procurement Regulations paragraph 6.58 (More details can be found in Annex XV of the FAs), FAs may be appropriate and fit for procurement of construction materials used for construction of school infrastructure using the HGSCA approach. The project will be the first in the education sector (GoR) to follow the World Bank’s new procurement framework in its implementation with three levels of implementation (two SPIUs, 30 Districts, and 416 Sectors) and many players/stakeholders in the implementation process. The SPIUs for the project are newly constituted and yet to establish fully functional offices including procurement specialists (staffed). The supply of construction materials is carried out at multiple levels. Some of these materials are procured, stored, and distributed based on the phase of construction. The project involves many risks of contractors using HGSCA method. This amplifies the risks for by the GoR, MINEDUC, besides other procurement risks. It requires efficient procurement, material/inventory management, and man power/labor management to undertake uninterrupted construction at a highly decentralized level. The project will apply the same rigorous quality checks and inspection as for contracts awarded to third parties and efficient M&E framework. The project procurement risk is High. After taking all these mitigation measures and institutionalization, the risk may be further assessed and revised. 27. Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement. The project will use STEP, a planning and tracking system, which will provide data on procurement activities, establish benchmarks, monitor delays, and measure procurement performance. 28. e-Procurement system. Implementing agencies of the project will be using the Rwanda e-Procurement system (Umucyo) for all procurement under the project. The e-Procurement system assessment was carried out against the multilateral development banks’ requirements and has been accepted for use for procurement under World Bank-funded projects. 29. Beneficial ownership pilot. At present, the project procurement involves no procurements within Operations Procurement Regional Committee thresholds, and hence a beneficial ownership pilot is not applicable. 30. Procurement risk assessment. A procurement capacity and risk assessment has been carried out by the World Bank for the implementing agencies to review the organizational structure and functions, experience, staff skills and capacity, procurement cycle management, quality and adequacy of supporting and control systems, and record keeping. Both the MINEDUC-SPIU and REB-SPIU are under formation and have not yet hired procurement staff. They each need to hire at least one procurement specialist before project effectiveness. UR-SPIU and RDB- SPIU have well-established procurement structure and staff and the existing procurement staff are adequate to provide the necessary procurement support to the project. 31. School construction and expansion will follow the HGSCA. This is the first time a World Bank-financed project will use this approach. The HGSCA is a method adopted by MINEDUC as one of the strategies to fast-track the construction of classrooms and latrines using minimum resources available. The National Procurement Team is set to prepare all the requirements and technical specifications of the construction materials to be bought from the national level (such as cement, iron bars, metallic hollow sections, iron sheets and ridges, and furniture). Each activity related to procurement has a time frame. Procurement of local materials and furniture is done at the district or sector level and it is determined by the District Technical Committee, which also gives guidance to the National Procurement Team and Sector Technical Committee. Once the materials are supplied, skilled laborers Page 64 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) will be sourced on a competitive basis to carry out the construction work. Paid unskilled labor will also be mobilized from the community. Districts will be responsible for the bidding process of furniture, doors, windows, and similar fixtures while the sectors will manage procurement of local materials (such as sands, stones, bricks, and gravels). Because of the use of the HGSCA approach, a big proportion of the allocation of school construction will be spent through the procurement of goods (construction materials). Each construction item procured at national and district levels will have line items in the Procurement Plan and the procurement process shall follow World Bank procedures. Sector-level procurements shall be consolidated at the district level for planning, monitoring, and reporting. Construction material procurement at the MINEDUC level can be aggregated for all schools whereas procurement of local materials for schools within a district is consolidated at their respective district level. Procurement of the project covers a wide range of activities under the three components: teaching, works, and policy (including procurement of textbooks, computers, scripted lessons preparations, Internet services, construction works, bulk purchase of factory-produced construction materials, local materials, TAs, and consulting firms). In addition, the project will engage the staff of UR in many areas. 32. The key procurement risks are as follows: (a) the HGSCA approach may result in inefficient procurement management as it involves many procurement activities and many implementing agencies; (b) the absence of established SPIUs for MINEDUC and REB can cause delays in project implementation, especially at an early stage of the project, until the SPIUs are fully staffed and become operational; (c) complex project implementation arrangement due to multiple implementing agencies and many procurement line items pose a potential risk of lack of coordination between the implementing agencies; (d) Procurement Plan implementation may be delayed due to low capacity of the SPIUs (as they are newly formed) and districts; and (e) efficient slicing and packaging of the activities is required to ensure economy of scale (value for money) and efficient process (because of the unique nature of some of the activities, procurement of local materials, development of scripted lessons, and Internet services). 33. The proposed mitigation measures for the identified risks are as follows : (a) the PPSD analyzes the circumstance and informs on the most efficient slicing and packaging of procurement of materials and works; (b) deadlines are set for fully staffing the new SPIUs is eight weeks after the project effectiveness; (c) where it becomes critical, the World Bank may finance hiring short-term consultants to fill the gap; (d) the PS-MINEDUC will take the lead to coordinate the project and chair the SC and the MINEDUC-SPIU coordinator will report to the PS; (e) the POM and COM are clearly defined; and (f) relevant SPIU staff are provided basic training on the use of World Bank procurement regulation and on STEP, before effectiveness of the project. 34. Project procurement risk rating. The Procurement Risk Assessment and Management System (PRAMS) was finalized at the Project Concept Note stage and based on the PRAMS assessment the risk rate was ‘Substantial’. However, based on the latest findings from further assessment of the proposed implementation arrangement and the new approach to be used, the subsequent PRAMS risk rating is changed to ‘High’. 35. The project procurement profile comprises procurement of classroom construction, use of the HGSCA approach, hiring of firms and individual consultants, and procurement of goods, IT equipment, and non- consultancy services. The HGSCA is an approach where factory product construction materials are purchased at the MINEDUC level, local materials are purchased at the district level, and construction work is done by contractors (labor contract) to be selected at the district level. Given the value and nature of procurement items and the careful evaluation of various options for the procurement approach and contracting strategy, a national market approach using National Competitive Bidding (NCB) and Request for Quotation (RFQ) would be the optimum selection arrangement for the procurement of works, goods/supplies, and non-consultancy services, Page 65 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) whereas for consultancy services, an international market approach using the Quality- and Cost-Based Selection and Individual Consultant selection methods is identified as the optimum selection arrangement. The international or national market approach will be used on a case-by-case basis, depending on the complexity and value of the activities and the national market soundness. 36. Starting July 1, 2017, all procurement entities in the country started using the Rwanda e-Procurement system for projects financed by the Government and most DPs. The e-Procurement system is used for World Bank- financed projects starting January 1, 2019, for all post review contracts, and will be applied to prior review procurement soon, following the interface of STEP and E-GP (Rwanda E-Procurement system). 37. Suppliers of goods, works, and services are adequately available in the country. However, since market limitation for specialized consultancy services is expected, risk and mitigation measures are recommended with a market approach and selection methods in the PPSD. 38. There is an internal audit structure. In addition, an external procurement audit is undertaken on an annual basis by the Office of Auditor General in Rwanda. The Rwanda Public Procurement Authority (RPPA) also conducts an annual procurement audit, though not regularly. 39. There are adequate complaint review and resolution mechanisms in Rwanda. The National Independent Review Panel (NIRP) is independent of the Government and deals with complaints received from bidders, consulting firms, or individuals, as provided in the Procurement Law. The e-Procurement system includes a feature for submitting and addressing complaints electronically in the system, and hence all complaints and responses are available in the system for public disclosure and auditing. 40. In general, the assessment revealed that the track record of the procurement performance of MINEDUC, REB, UR, and the districts is satisfactory; however, since the SPIUs of both MINEDUC and REB are under formation and are not yet fully staffed nor is there prior experience in World Bank-financed projects or projects of this nature, these are deemed potential risks. 41. Use of national procurement procedures. All contracts falling under the national market approach shall follow the procedures set out in the Rwanda Public Procurement Law, ‘Law Governing Public Procurement N°62/2018 of 25/08/2018’. The RPPA governs the purchase of works, goods, and services using public resources by the national and district government entities, sectors, health and education institutions, and the city of Kigali. The RPPA, as a regulatory body, sets out the rules and procedures of public procurement and provides a mechanism for enforcement of the law. The procurement function is decentralized to individual procuring entities. The RPPA has oversight and regulatory function including undertaking procurement reviews and audits. The provisions of the procurement law are consistent with the World Bank Procurement Regulations Section V - paragraph 5.4, National Procurement Procedures. 42. Procurement of works. The procurement of works is mainly classroom constructions using the HGSCA approach. The works contract (other than through International Competitive Bidding) will use national procurement procedures and Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs) as agreed with and deemed satisfactory to the World Bank. Small-value works will be undertaken through RFQ procedures. The RFQ will indicate the specifications of works and the delivery/completion time and contract award will be based on comparing price quotations from several qualified contractors (with a minimum of three) to ensure competition. When the value of the contract of such works exceeds the RFQ threshold and when procurement follows NCB procedures, the Page 66 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) national SBDs issued by the RPPA and acceptable to the World Bank will be used. Direct Contracting shall be used where the PPSD recommends and where it is to the benefit of the project and in accordance with the Procurement Regulations. Community procurement will follow the procedure set out in the national Procurement Law. 43. Procurement of goods and non-consultancy services. Goods and non-consultancy services to be procured under the project include construction materials (such as cement, iron bars, metallic hollow sections, iron sheets and ridges, local materials, furniture, textbooks, computers, scripted lesson preparation, and Internet services) to be bought from the national level. Procurement of goods and non-consultancy services (other than through International Competitive Bidding) will use the national procedures and SBDs as agreed with and deemed satisfactory to the World Bank. Direct Contracting will be used where the PPSD recommends as beneficial to the project procurements while approaching the international market will be done using the World Bank’s standard procurement documents. Procurements while approaching the national market will be done using the National Standard Bidding Documents with an additional annex to address the World Bank’s Anticorruption Guidelines and to ensure universal eligibility. 44. Procurement of consultancy services. Consulting services to be procured under the project mainly include TA in the form of both firm and individual consultants. Procurement methods to be used will be specified in the PPSD. Any staff required for project implementation support will be recruited/selected following project implementation support personnel (paragraph 7.32 of Procurement Regulations). 45. Operating costs. The items to be identified as operating costs in the PPSD will be procured using the Borrower’s national procurement and administrative procedures acceptable to the World Bank including selection of the project implementation support personnel. The Borrower will also pay for costs associated with any resettlement, land acquisition, compensation, and relocation of services from counterpart funds. 46. Record keeping. All records pertaining to the award of tenders, including bid notification, registration pertaining to sale and receipt of bids, bid opening minutes, bid evaluation reports, all correspondence pertaining to bid evaluations, communications sent to/with the World Bank in the process, bid securities, and approval of invitation/evaluation of bids will be retained by respective agencies in electronic or hard copy and uploaded in STEP. 47. Disclosure of procurement information. The following documents shall be disclosed on the agencies’ websites: (a) a Procurement Plan and updates; (b) an invitation for bids for goods and works for all contracts; (c) Request for Expression of Interest for selection/hiring of consulting services; (d) contract awards of goods, works, and non-consulting and consulting services; (g) a monthly financial and physical progress report of all contracts; and (h) an action-taken report on the complaints received on a quarterly basis. 48. The following details shall also be published in the United Nations Development Business and the World Bank’s external website: (a) an invitation for bids for procurement of goods and works following open international market approaches; (b) Request for Expression of Interest for selection of consulting services following open international market approaches; and (c) contract award details of all procurement of goods and works and selection of consultants using open international market approaches. 49. Fiduciary oversight by the World Bank. The World Bank shall prior review contracts according to prior review thresholds set in the PPSD/Procurement Plan. All contracts not covered under prior review by the World Bank shall be subject to post review during implementation support missions and/or special post review missions, Page 67 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) including missions by consultants hired by the World Bank or by a third-party independent auditor delegated by the World Bank. The World Bank may conduct, at any time, independent procurement reviews of all the contracts financed under the loan. 50. Contract management. Currently, high-risk and high-value procurements have not been identified for increased contract management support. However, if such a contract is identified in the due course of implementation, the agencies will develop key performance indicators (KPIs) for such identified contracts and the KPIs will be monitored during actual execution of contracts. The World Bank team will provide additional due diligence and an independent review of the contract performance of such identified procurements. A fully staffed MINEDUC SPIU will be responsible for overall project/contract management. E. Implementation Support Plan 51. This is a comprehensive and ambitious project with several innovations, and it is also the first IPF project under MINEDUC. The World Bank’s implementation support will be critical to help the Government achieve the PDO and meet the fiduciary and E&S obligations. The implementation support includes the following main approaches. 52. Formal implementation support missions will be carried out three times for the first year and then semiannually with a focus on project results, implementation bottlenecks, and ESS and fiduciary requirements. MINEDUC, REB, and other relevant agencies, including RDB and UR-CE, will participate in these missions. All missions will include fiduciary and E&S reviews. The World Bank team in Kigali will conduct continuous project implementation support, paying special attention to fiduciary and E&S aspects and monitoring at the MINEDUC, REB, and other implementation agencies. In addition to the formal implementation missions, the World Bank team will also undertake intermittent technical missions focusing on specific components to deal with emerging project issues on time. 53. The World Bank team will also conduct workshops on FM, procurement, and ESS at the launch of the project. The FM team will support the Government to ensure all required procedures are completed and disbursement can take place immediately after the project becomes effective; it will perform all required implementation support during the project period. Concerning procurement, the supervision missions will focus implementation support on the key procurement issues and systemic weaknesses identified and indicated in the Appraisal Summary. The World Bank E&S team consisting of E&S specialists will regularly guide the project team at MINEDUC in applying the agreed E&S instruments and will review compliance during the technical and project implementation missions. Special attention will be given to HGSCA for the construction of classrooms and new schools. 54. The World Bank team will monitor and report on achieving project results as per the project ’s Results Framework. This will be done through the proposed technical meeting and implementation support missions. MINEDUC and REB, with TA, will monitor implementation progress and performance of project activities including meeting fiduciary and E&S requirements. MINEDUC and REB will largely obtain data from the implementing institutions and their monitoring systems. The World Bank will rely on reporting and evidentiary data and documentation submitted by MINEDUC (including REB’s input) and will also work closely with the TA specialists and SPIUs to ensure that these deliver on their mandate. Page 68 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Table 1.4. Implementation Support Plan Time Focus Skills Needed First six months • Project start-up • Project management • Induction of SPIUs and county project teams to project management, fiduciary • Education (various requirements, ESS, key project documents, and project Results Framework areas in the project) • Capacity building in fiduciary matters, execution of the Procurement Plan, and • FM FM requirements • Procurement • Support MINEDUC and REB to launch key project tenders: infrastructure, • Environment procurement of goods, and TA • Social • Capacity building in execution of E&S plans • M&E • Support MINEDUC and REB to establish M&E framework and tools Provide implementation support to the first set of activities, including construction of classrooms and schools (for example, missions, on-site visits, field trips, ongoing supervision, and capacity building) The remaining first • Support MINEDUC and REB to launch remaining key project tenders under the Same as above year Year 1 plan • Provide implementation support to the first set of activities, including construction of classrooms and schools (for example, missions, on-site visits, field trips, ongoing supervision, and capacity building) Support MINEDUC and REB to meet the fiduciary and E&S requirements, and produce M&E reports Years two–five • Support MINEDUC and REB to launch remaining project tenders Same as above • Provide implementation support to all activities (for example, missions, on-site visits, field trips, ongoing supervision, and capacity building) • Support MINEDUC and REB to meet the fiduciary and E&S requirements and perform M&E reports Support MINEDUC to undertake midterm review and the end-of-project evaluation Page 69 of 80 The World Bank Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ANNEX 2: COST-EFFECTIVE ELEMENTS OF THE INNOVATIONS UNDER THE PROJECT Component Traditional Approach Project Approach Cost-effectiveness Elements Subcomponent 1.1 Training teachers on core skills e-Learning with a blended approach allowing Reaching a larger number of teachers through online courses available in face-to-face sessions only teachers the space and time for self-study at at each school will cut the costs of face-to-face only sessions; greater their own pace and level acquisition of skills by teachers (due to the blended approach) will enhance student learning. Subcomponent 1.2 Teachers prepare their own Teachers are provided with scripted lessons Money and time are saved on the preparation of lesson plans; mathematics and science and virtual science labs to enhance the discrepancies between teachers’ abilities to prepare the plans are lessons based on the teaching and learning of mathematics and reduced, facilitating weak teachers to improve; money and time on curriculum often with no science remediation of students who may not acquire the required learning in science labs or required lab the classroom; virtual science labs cut the recurring costs associated materials with physical science labs and allow access to much richer resources. Subcomponent 1.3 Facilitators or staff may be Language and digital skills (LADS) volunteer Estimated cost of one LADS volunteer mentor is US$200 per month hired to support the teaching mentors from English-speaking countries live (transportation and other support), compared to a facilitator or staff and learning of English with TTC students providing opportunities for who may cost up to US$200 per session. This indicates a huge cost language and digital literacy interactive learning in English language and savings and provides more consistent support to students to acquire skills for face-to-face practice of ICT skills; access to online courses the skills needed. instruction in TTC classrooms provides opportunities for students to engage or training sessions in self-study in addition to in-person practice with the LADS mentors Subcomponent 1.4 Traditional teacher trainings Future teachers (TTC students) and teachers Teachers are exposed to more examples of best practice pedagogy are often one-off workshops; who are already in service are able to see through online and offline video recordings by accessing these aspiring teachers have best practice in action by visiting model resources at their own location and at a time convenient to them, insufficient practice in an school classrooms or through video instead of the more expensive alternative of travelling to various enabling school environment recordings of lessons available online and locations around the country to see master teachers in action. Engaging offline. TTC students are exposed to the best in dialogue around lessons observed first-hand increases teacher practice in teaching in the country through understanding of effective pedagogy, thus reducing the number of observations and time spent at these model training sessions or remediation sessions teachers may otherwise schools where good instructions and coaching require reaching the same level of understanding. TTC students gain are given; boys and girls have exposure to enough teaching experience before entering the teaching force, which enhanced ICT skill development through reduces the risk of poor instruction to their students. Exposure to ICT features such as after school coding clubs skills (such as through coding clubs) enhances prospects and occupational choices for boys and girls. Subcomponent 2.1 Conventional approach to HGSCA approach to construction (utilizing Using the GoR’s home-grown solution to construction (which relies construction (contracted out to Rwanda’s home-grown solution—involving a heavily on community-level engagement) cuts construction costs by 40 a firm) community approach) percent. Due to the high level of ownership by the communities, the construction quality is improved, and the classrooms may last longer. Page 70 of 80 The World Bank Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Component Traditional Approach Project Approach Cost-effectiveness Elements Subcomponent 2.2 Preprimary material produced Preprimary learning material developed in- Development of age-appropriate preprimary material in-country will and imported from other country. The launch of the educational support the Government’s ‘Made in Rwanda’ efforts as well as countries entertainment program for preprimary and stimulate the market for such material (currently almost nonexistent). early grades of primary school children The difference in prices between a preprimary kit imported from through radio, TV, and Internet outside the country and the one created within the country is estimated to be over US$800 per kit. The educational entertainment program will reach a large population of children, their teachers, and parents (both in school and at home), which is a very efficient and effective way to provide early learning opportunities. The rate of return for supporting children's pre-literacy and pre-numeracy skills before entry into P1 has been found to be high. Subcomponent 2.3 Absence of an explicit gender- Supporting the development and pilot of a This has positive social and economic impact in terms of promoting sensitive approach in learning gender-sensitive approach in all model gender equality and social cohesion. Cases of teen pregnancy, gender environments schools including training of teachers in stereotypes, poor sexual choices, and GBV inhibit productivity of boys gender-sensitive pedagogy and setting up of and girls in school, translate into wasted resources in school, and after-school clubs for boys and girls to discuss missed economic opportunities after school. gender-related topics including attendance, repetition and dropout, teen pregnancy, sexual and reproductive health, and GBV. The radio program will be delivered to address education-related gender issues through the ‘by the youth for the youth’ approach Subcomponent 3.1 No uniform teacher Strengthening the national teacher Teachers being selected and deployed strategically would reduce recruitment and deployment recruitment and deployment strategy; instances of teacher turnover, saving financial costs, opportunity costs, strategy; inspection system digitization of the school inspection tools and and missed student learning during the time it takes to replace teachers using paper-based tools; weak transform inspection to school support; who leave the system prematurely (in some cases this replacement national learning assessment strengthening the national learning process may take months); electronic inspection tools will save cost and (LARS), and no regional or assessment (LARS) free up time for inspectors to support teachers as part of a teaching international benchmarking for improvement feedback loop. Having a strong national learning learning outcomes assessment system will enable timely and effective monitoring of student learning and reduce the amount of funds put into producing parallel learning assessment tools. Subcomponent 3.2 No simulation model for Development of a simulation model for More strategic educational planning (based on consistently available, strategic education planning strategic education planning and policy up-to-date statistics) will help in more efficient functioning of system and policy development development; building local capacity of staff and better spending of available resources; building the capacity of the to use the model staff to use this model will avoid mistakes in using this planning tool which would have profound consequences in efficiently and effectively using financial resources for education. Page 71 of 80 The World Bank Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ANNEX 3: BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMMING LANDSCAPE IN RWANDA Key Partner Intervention Areas Coverage Period BLF • Provision of teaching and learning materials for science and mathematics (printed All districts; P1–P3 June 2017 (DFID funded; implemented by Consortium of books with supporting audio-visual materials on removable media, 2 smartphones for to March Education Trust Fund, Voluntary Services teachers to watch the instructional videos and film their own classes for self- All public and 2021 Overseas (VSO), British Council) reflection and peer discussion, English pupil activity books for P2 and P3) government-aided • Teacher development for foundational skills in English and mathematics schools • Systems strengthening: strategic advisory on data collection and data use; budgeting and financial planning, tracking and improved public FM practices, decision-making and accountability practices • Head teacher training in accredited CPD by UR-CE • Coaching support from program specialists and SEOs • Promotion of inclusive education USAID Soma Umenye (Read and Learn) • Training of lower primary Kinyarwanda teachers All districts; P1-P3 2016 to (implemented by a Consortium Chemonics, • Production and distribution of Kinyarwanda student textbooks 2021 Room to read and Cambridge Education) • Provision of classrooms, graphic-print rich materials, supplementary readers, shelves All public and govt.- • School leadership training, coaching and Communities of Practice aided schools • Development of a Dashboard to monitor lower primary education goals progress • Annual Kinyarwanda Early grade assessments • District based early grade assessments • Promotion of Inclusive Education • Support to Preservice curriculum Mureke Dusome (Let’s Read) • Fostering partnerships between schools and community to improve literacy outcomes All districts 2016- (Funded by USAID; Implemented by Save the for children in P1-P3. 202043 Children and its partners, Umuhuza & Urunana • Strengthen the capacity of school leadership DC) • Increase parental involvement/ community engagement /social and behavior change communication. • Foster a culture of reading through civil society platforms • Strengthening the children’s book industry. Itegure Gusoma • Pre-primary schools equipped appropriate teaching and learning materials 80 pre-primary schools Mar 2017- (Funded by USAID; Implemented by UNICEF • Teachers, head teachers, and education stakeholders trained in early grade reading randomly selected Mar 2020 (Get ready to Read) through VSO) and play-based education 16 districts • Parents and community members equipped with skills to support pre-primary reading. 43 Extension request may begin in January next year for US$2.1 million over 18 months. Page 72 of 80 The World Bank Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Key Partner Intervention Areas Coverage Period UNICEF • Supports management information systems Country wide • TTC Curriculum reform • Increasing access to basic education, especially for vulnerable children; • Improving the quality of education; • Increasing access to quality pre-primary education • Addressing gender barriers in education. VVOB (Flemish Association for Development • Continuous professional development services through effective diploma courses 14 districts; 250,000 2018-2021 Cooperation and Technical Assistance) offered to secondary teachers and school leaders secondary students (Funded by Mastercard Foundation) VVOB project to Induction system for Newly • Induction system for newly qualified teachers: mentoring and supervising new Four districts; 93 2017-2021 Qualified Teachers (Funded by Belgium, The primary school teachers primary schools ELMA Foundation) VVOB project: Girls on MARS: improving • Diploma course/certificate for Primary school principals, mentor teachers, and newly Six districts; primary 2017-2021 mathematics teaching and learning in primary qualified teachers to improve the learning outcomes in mathematics especially for schools education (with a special focus on girls. girls, through effective implementation of the competence-based curriculum. (Funded by Belgium, The ELMA Foundation) VSO • Volunteers in teacher development 15 districts and 13 TTCs • Advocacy: Central level &district level • Teacher training • Girls’ education • Leadership/management training • Early childhood education development ICT Integrated Classroom Project Korea • Provides equitable and quality learning using ICT in teaching 60 centers of Education and Research Information Services • Increase access to digital world excellence in ICT (KERIS) • Utilizing digital devices and internet-based learning contents and enhancement teachers’ competency Smart classroom initiative (MINEDUC/REB) • Smart classrooms to be increased across education levels Primary and secondary 2014-2024 • Provision of a projector, digitized content, and Internet connectivity, with storage schools; TVET and • In secondary schools, two smart classrooms will be provided, each with computers, a higher education projector, digitized content, and Internet connectivity institutions (long term) The One Laptop per Child Programme (OLPC) • Project aims to enhance education through the use of technology in primary schools. Primary schools 2008 - (MINEDUC, REB) • Teacher Training in Schools with this OLPC Programme ongoing Page 73 of 80 The World Bank Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ANNEX 4: CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES ADDRESSED THROUGH PROJECT COMPONENTS Project Components Gender Inclusion Climate Change COMPONENT 1: Enhancing teacher effectiveness for improved student learning Subcomponent 1.1: Ensure that content is appropriate for male and Ensure that content is accessible to all Improve teachers’ English female users and supports positive gender users (includes visual and audio content) language proficiency and digital messages. and supports positive messages around skills teachers/students with varying levels of ability Subcomponent 1.2: Ensure equal participation of male and female Climate change topics in training of Support professional teachers in STEM; enhance engagement of mathematics and science teachers development of mathematics and secondary girls in STEM activities. science teachers Subcomponent 1.3: Ensure both male and female volunteer coaches Each TTC to be equipped with a set of Climate change topics in training at TTCs Strengthen the preparation of for digital literacy and English language materials to support teaching and learning new teachers proficiency at each TTC. of students with special needs Subcomponent 1.4: Develop a gender-sensitive approach to teaching Each model school to be equipped with a Climate change subjects in teaching Develop model schools to and learning in all 17 model schools through set of materials to support teaching and resources for model school development training for leaders and teachers, after-school support innovative instructional learning of students with special needs practices clubs for boys and girls to discuss key gender issues affecting schools; reporting to inform scaling up to all schools in the country. COMPONENT 2: Improving the school environment to support student learning Subcomponent 2.1: Construction of separate male/female latrines Construction to follow Rwanda’s Climate-resilient design for construction Reduce overcrowding and guidelines around inclusion for distance to schools infrastructure (ramps leading to each level Reducing distance to school would reduce of classrooms) the impact of floods and other climate change disaster on students and schools Energy-efficient approach in newly constructed schools Subcomponent 2.2: Disseminate positive gender messages through Disseminate positive messages about Topics on climate change in education Enrich early learning audio-visual programs for preprimary through varying levels of ability through audio- entertainments environment primary school-age children to be broadcast visual programs for preprimary through nationally, dispelling negative gender perceptions primary school-age children to be and ensuring strong educational outcomes for broadcast nationally, dispelling negative boys and girls; review all teaching and learning perceptions about disability and ensuring strong educational outcomes for all Page 74 of 80 The World Bank Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Project Components Gender Inclusion Climate Change materials in preprimary kit to ensure they are children; review all teaching and learning accessible to all children. materials in preprimary kit to ensure they are accessible to all children. Subcomponent 2.3: (See component 1.4) Supporting gender sensitive Develop a gender-sensitive approach to teaching teaching and learning and learning in all 17 model schools through environment training for leaders and teachers, after-school clubs for boys and girls to discuss key gender issues impacting schools; reporting to inform scaling up to all schools in the country; and broadcasting of key gender-related education messages nationally through the radio. Component 3: Developing institutional capacity to strengthen teaching and learning Subcomponent 3.1: Ensure equitable hiring of male and female Support quality assurance teachers. Capacity building for both male and systems female inspectors. All student data gathered through learning assessments to be disaggregated by gender. Subcomponent 3.2: Training and sensitization of stakeholders Strengthen project management, to raise their awareness of climate disaster implementation, and monitoring management and Co-Benefits of climate capacity change mitigation Page 75 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) ANNEX 5: ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS 1. This annex summarizes the Project’s response to key E&S issues of the context as well as the potential risks and impacts associated with the Project. It outlines the Project’s response to (a) potential E&S risks and impacts of civil works, (b) disability and inclusion, (c) gender, (d) GBV, and (e) citizenship engagement. Potential E&S Risks and Impacts of Civil Works 2. The Project is undertaking basic infrastructure works to improve the learning environment of students by reducing overcrowding and distance to schools. While most of the construction works will include the rehabilitation of existing school buildings and construction of additional classrooms, the Project will also construct new schools focusing on primary grades (see Subcomponent 2.1 for more details). 3. The potential E&S risks and impacts from the works are expected to be associated with construction works, which will include noise, dust emissions, vegetation clearance, soil erosion, accidents, and injuries. It is likely that the construction of new schools will require land acquisition. The volume of construction works raises the risk of sexual exploitation and abuse that will have to be addressed during implementation. However, these risks will have to be addressed in the site-specific ESMPs by incorporating mitigation actions to be implemented during Project execution. Mitigation Measures 4. The ESMF and RPF that have been prepared and disclosed by MINEDUC on May 24, 2019 will assess the potential E&S risks and impacts. The ESMF and RPF will provide guidance on mainstreaming E&S issues in school construction and rehabilitation works. The ESMF and RPF will give recommendations on preparation of the corresponding site-specific ESMPs and RAPs, as appropriate. An SEP has also been prepared and disclosed. It will guide the Project on stakeholder identification and the information to be shared or disclosed, throughout the Project cycle. An LMP has also been prepared and disclosed to guide all labor-related issues under this operation (as per national laws and the World Bank ESS2 requirements). 5. The MINEDUC-SPIU plans on holding several consultation meetings with education sector stakeholders to introduce the Project and get feedback that could inform Project design and selection of schools for Project implementation. 6. The MINEDUC-SPIU will use a construction methodology (called HGSCA) that relies heavily on voluntary community participation. This method has successfully been applied by the GoR to build several thousand classrooms in the last 10 years. This method has been improved with the involvement of different DPs to address their corresponding requirements. To ensure compliance with ESS2 requirements on labor and working conditions, the unskilled labor will be contracted with a signed contract and an agreed daily payment fee instead of voluntary work under Umuganda. However, the voluntary labor offered during the last Saturday of every month by the entire community will also be used where necessary under this project. 7. Land availability is an issue identified for more than a third of the targeted sites, where school land will need to be acquired through expropriation. For Activity 1, the scope of the land availability issue is largely limited to ‘public schools’ (only 29 percent of the total number of schools). The remaining (71 percent) are government - Page 76 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) aided schools built on land belonging to various religious denominations that are important landowners. MINEDUC, through districts, is engaging with them to explore the possibility of voluntary land donation for construction of additional classrooms. The engagement of these key stakeholders is part of the SEP that will be done at each district, and the results of this exercise will be documented and shared with the World Bank. 8. As for Activity 2, one-third of the proposed new public primary schools require land acquisition. MINEDUC has conducted a detailed evaluation of the land situation of identified school sites. At sites with no land acquisition requirement, new school construction will be prioritized to start civil works in the first year, while new schools with the need for land acquisition will be constructed in the second year of Project implementation (after preparing RAPs and full compensation of affected households, if any). 9. The MINEDUC-SPIU does not have experience working with the World Bank ESS and does not yet have the required E&S development personnel to oversee the preparation and implementation of the required ESS instruments. The MINEDUC-SPIU is expected to recruit two ESS staff at the SPIU level (one environment and one social) and these staff will provide technical support to the other Project implementation partners. At the district level, MINEDUC will recruit 15 ESS officers (called field officers). Each staff will be assigned two districts to follow up on Project implementation and compliance to ESS requirements and national environmental laws. The ESS capacity needs for the districts and schools implementing the Project will be incorporated into Project activities and allocated the required resources. Disability and Inclusion 10. The GoR has made remarkable progress in promoting inclusive education, through aligning national laws to reflect international principles and recognizing that disability is a cross-cutting issue that should be mainstreamed across all relevant sectors and ministries.44 Despite the existence of a strong legal framework of laws and policies ensuring the rights of people with disabilities, students with disabilities face profound obstacles in accessing a meaningful education. Barriers include physical and attitudinal barriers as well as the lack of a tailored curriculum to address special needs and limited capacity of teachers to support students with (different kinds of) disabilities. There is no formal system to identify children with disabilities, it is difficult for children with disabilities to get to schools, and inclusive school teachers face difficulties in ensuring the participation of children with disabilities as they manage large classes with insufficient training. There is a shortage of specialists in schools to support children with disability. There are social norms embedded in the culture that make it difficult for a parent to acknowledge that they have a child with disability. There is a lack of awareness in schools and classrooms about the barriers to learning faced by children with disability; hence, learning difficulties are not properly identified. A major challenge is the lack of materials (such as adapted text books and assistive devices); little support is currently provided to teachers to be inclusive.45 11. The GoR, represented through MINEDUC, the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), and the National Council for Children (NCC), has shown significant support for disability inclusion in education. This Project presents an opportunity to improve educational and long-term poverty outcomes for persons with disabilities in Rwanda, if well-conceived and targeted interventions are incorporated into the Project and implemented through appropriate entry points. Project activities such as teacher training enhancements can lead to improved educational outcomes for students with disabilities. 44 NCPD. 2016. Report on National Assessment of Centers Caring for Child with Disabilities in Rwanda. 45 MINEDUC. 2016. A Study on Children with Disabilities and Their Right to Education. Page 77 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Entry Points for Inclusion 12. The Project aims to systematically include resource persons in the planning of consultations (for example, NCPD, NCC, National Union of Disabilities' Organizations of Rwanda (NUDOR), and UNICEF representatives) to support implementation. In addition, the following entry points have been identified: (a) Teacher training to foster positive teacher attitudes toward students with disability and to equip teachers with relevant skills to tailor various modes of delivery (oral and written) (b) Teaching and learning materials that are inclusive (disability, gender) and avoid stereotyping (focus on representation, illustrations, language, transformational roles) and available in a range of formats (large print, Braille, audio, and so on) (c) Application of accessibility building code to all new classroom construction (d) A simple toolkit for teachers to provide an interim measure of support and guidance on how to make their classrooms more inclusive and child friendly (e) A checklist to assess or identify children experiencing difficulties in learning and design and implement practical initiatives on how these difficulties may be overcome (f) Additional interventions not within the scope of the Project, but complementary to it, including improved coordination between special education teachers and general education teachers— institutional coordination arrangements (that is, co-teaching, teaching assistants, and so on)—and diversity in teacher workforce in terms of gender, including measures to ensure that teachers with disabilities are being included in the workforce Gender 13. The Government has worked hard to reduce the gender gap in the country. It has signed and ratified the main international conventions on Women’s Rights as the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and its Constitution recognizes equality between all marginalized groups and empowers the state to provide resources to mainstream gender equality. It grants 30 percent quotas for women in decision-making structures. Beyond the normative structure, the Government has had substantial achievements in terms of gender equality, such as being the first country in the World to have a majority of women in Parliament. Some of the latest socioeconomic data also show that the ratio of female to male force participation of the low-income cohort was 88.3 percent by 2014, and the enrollment in primary school for girls was 94 percent by 2013. Maternal mortality has decreased from 1,070 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to about 290 deaths per 100,000 live births by 2015. By 2015, Rwanda was recognized as one of the countries with the highest average rate reduction of maternal mortality; however, efforts need to continue to reach the sustainable development goal of 70 per 100,000 live deaths (with no country having a maternal mortality rate of more than twice the global average). 14. While Rwanda has closed the gender gap in educational attainment among both primary and secondary school children, boys are more likely to repeat in the lower primary grades, resulting in ‘male underachievement’. Gender equality challenges in Rwanda are primarily in literacy, dropout, retention, and repetition rates. The literacy rate among adult males is 75 percent but only 68 percent among adult females.46 By age 12, an estimated 13 percent of boys drop out of school at least once, compared to only 5 percent of girls. However, girls are more likely to drop out or underperforming in the later (secondary) years? 46 UNICEF. 2017: UNICEF Gender Action Plan, 2018–2021 Page 78 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) Entry Points 15. The Project provides an opportunity to promote gender inclusion through teaching methods that are more targeted to students’ learning levels, addressing sociocultural barriers to quality education, and gender response to in-service teacher training. For details see Subcomponent 2.3 and Annex 4. Gender-based Violence 16. GBV and violence against children is still a problem in Rwanda. The latest Demographic and Health Survey 2014–2015 found that 35 percent of women ages 15–49 have experienced physical violence since age 15. The same survey demonstrates that overall, 48 percent of women who have ever experienced any type of physical or sexual violence from anyone sought help to stop the violence, and 28 percent of women never sought help but told someone, while 23 percent never sought help and never told anyone. Women and girls who are victims of violence are at a greater risk of unwanted pregnancy and HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. This risk might increase with the influx of workers for school construction under this project. 17. In terms of actions to prevent and respond to GBV, the Isange One Stop Centers provide GBV survivors with medical, psychosocial, and legal support. Currently 23 districts have a One Stop Center running and fully staffed. It strives to ensure the best possible response for victims of GBV and child abuse, including for refugees. A law preventing and punishing GBV has been promulgated since 2009. There are GBV and child protection committees from the grassroots levels to the national level, a Gender Desk in Rwanda National Police, and free hotlines in Rwanda National Police to report cases of GBV. Moreover, civil society organizations, such as Rwanda’s Men Resource Center, have conducted extensive work around the country to sensitize the population to further prevent the use of violence against women. To enhance this structure for the prevention and response to GBV, the project will provide trainings to workers on positive gender relations and strategies to foster peaceful, conflict- free work spaces. Mitigation Measures 18. Using the GBV risk assessment and mitigation tool, this project has been assessed against all 40 questions and the final rating indicates a lower risk category for GBV. This Project is not anticipated to involve labor influx, as no labor camps are expected as mainly local labor will be employed. The proposed implementation approach will mainly employ labor from within the community. The project implementation arrangement will involve some contractors who also expect to employ local labor for skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled labor in the school construction process. 19. In terms of mitigating the risk derived from the project related to potential impacts of labor influx on GBV and child abuse, the grievance redress mechanism will be structured to cover not only safeguards, but also non- safeguards grievances, considering potential concerns such as GBV and child abuse. For this case, the grievance redress mechanism will have the capacity to refer the victims to the corresponding One Stop Center. Moreover, for the supervision of the project, grassroots organizations, such as the National Women’s Council, will be mobilized to participate. A code of conduct will be required in the bidding documents. 20. At the institutional level, the Government has integrated gender into policy and strategic planning instruments. The country’s National Gender Policy (2010) illustrates its political will to ensure the same opportunities and human endowments for men and women through different sectors. As for its EDPRS, gender is Page 79 of 80 The World Bank Rwanda Quality Basic Education for Human Capital Development Project (P168551) highlighted as cross-cutting issue in all sectors. A Gender Responsive Budgeting Project was initiated by the MINECOFIN in partnership with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion to ensure budget allocation to government interventions are gender sensitive. Citizen Engagement 21. Engagement of beneficiaries will continue throughout Project implementation with the involvement of civil society, project-affected people, and various stakeholders. Before the commencement of works, community meetings will be organized at the village level on the importance of socioeconomic benefits of classroom construction and construction of new schools, encouraging community members to participate in the community works organized through Umuganda every last Saturday of the month. During Project implementation, the districts will conduct monthly awareness campaigns and meetings. Local community administration at the sector, cell, and Umudugudu levels will be engaged in this process. The feedback received during regular consultations with the community will be considered into the subsequent civil works. 22. Stakeholders and beneficiaries will be directly involved in various subproject activities (for instance, through consultation and participation in subproject identification and design as per the SEP and feedback regarding satisfaction with the completed subproject and service delivery). The meetings of Parent-Teacher Associations at the school level, which will be held during subproject execution, will be informed about the progress of the Project and will have sites visits so that they can report back about subproject progress with respect to the expectations to the community they represent. They will also put forward some recommendations and implementation of the recommendations made will be reviewed in subsequent meetings. 23. Correspondingly, different categories of citizens have representatives in Cell council, Sector council and District council respectively. These councils will be informed about subproject expectations prior to implementation commencement. Progress will be shared with them during regular meetings so that they can be informed about the extent to which the expectations are being met and share their recommendations. The community work held each last Saturday of the month will be a good occasion to share with citizens in general the progress of the construction subproject in their region and get their views on areas for improvement. 24. The Project will conduct annual surveys to gather community feedback regarding satisfaction with the completed subproject and service delivery. These surveys will be integrated in the annual overall project monitoring activities, the results of these surveys will be considered in the subsequent civil works and will inform the process to address social issues that may surface during Project implementation. These annual surveys will use gender-disaggregated data to measure and assess how schools are changing the lives of girls and boys, particularly in reducing travel time, improving the learning environment, and enhancing social capital. The findings will serve as a tool to define school network social issues, recommendations for further improvements in the sector, and progress towards satisfying the gender indicators. Civil society, local councils, and nongovernmental organizations operating in each district will be involved in prioritizing subprojects in close coordination with the targeted communities. The private sector will be involved in subproject implementation through contracting/consulting business. Page 80 of 80