The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
REPORT NO.: RES27720
RESTRUCTURING PAPER
ON A
PROPOSED PROJECT RESTRUCTURING
OF
SECOND GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION
APPROVED ON APRIL 14, 2015
TO
LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
EDUCATION
EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC
Regional Vice President: Victoria Kwakwa
Country Director: Ellen A. Goldstein
Senior Global Practice Director: Jaime Saavedra Chanduvi
Practice Manager/Manager: Harry Anthony Patrinos
Task Team Leader: Plamen Nikolov Danchev
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
BEQUAL - Basic Education Quality and Access in Lao PDR
CA - Coordinating Agency for Global Partnership for Education Grants
DESB - District Education and Sports Bureau
DFAT - Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
DP - Development Partners
EFA-FTI - Education for All – Fast Track Initiative
ESWG - Education Sector Working Group
EU - European Union
GA - Grant Agent of the Global Partnership for Education Grants
GPE - Global Partnership for Education
GPE II - Second Global Partnership for Education Project
GoL - Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic
IDA - International Development Association
IP - Implementation Progress
LAK - Laotian Kip (currency) US$ 1 = LAK 8000
Lao PDR - Lao People’s Democratic Republic
PDO - Project Development Objectives
SBG - School Block Grant
SBM - School Based Management
SDP - School Development Plan
US$ - United States Dollars
VEDC - Village Education Development Committee
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
BASIC DATA 4
Product Information 4
Organizations 4
Processing 4
Project Development Objective (PDO) 4
Summary Status of Financing 4
Policy Waivers 5
PROJECT STATUS AND RATIONALE FOR RESTRUCTURING 5
A. Background 5
B. Summary of Project Status 5
C. Rationale for Restructuring 7
DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED CHANGES 8
D. Scope and cost of components 8
Component 1 8
Component 2 9
Component 3 9
E. Change in Loan Closing Date 10
F. Change in Implementation Schedule 10
G. Reallocation between Disbursement Categories 10
H. Change in Disbursement Estimates 10
I. Change in Results Framework 10
SUMMARY OF CHANGES 11
DETAILED CHANGES 11
Results Framework 12
Project Development Objective Indicators 12
Intermediate Indicators 15
Components 19
Loan Closing Date(S) 20
Reallocation Between Disbursement Categories 20
Disbursement Estimates 20
ANNEX I: DESCRIPTION OF THE READING READINESS PROGRAM UNDER COMPONENT 2 22
ANNEX II. ACTION PLAN FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 26
ANNEX III: RATIONALE FOR THE CHANGES IN THE RESULTS FRAMEWORK 28
ANNEX IV. OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES TO GPE II COMPONENT COSTS 42
ANNEX V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CHANGES TO GPE II COMPONENTS, ACTIVITIES AND COSTS 43
ANNEX VI. OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION SECTOR FINANCING, PLANNING AND COORDINATION 47
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
BASIC DATA
Product Information
Project ID Financing Instrument
P149130 Investment Project Financing
Original EA Category Current EA Category
Partial Assessment (B) Partial Assessment (B)
Approval Date Current Closing Date
14-Apr-2015 15-Jul-2019
Organizations
Borrower Responsible Agency
Lao People's Democratic Republic Ministry of Education and Sports
Project Development Objective (PDO)
Original PDO
The objective of the project is to support the Government of Lao PDR in improving pre-primary and primary education
quality.
This will be done by: (i) providing additional funding at school, district and provincial levels, as well as
strengtheningoverall capacity to manage these resources to achieve minimum education quality standards and (ii)
enhancing the teaching and learning environment in schools through improved teaching practices, instructional
resources and analytical products to support early grade literacy.
OPS_TABLE_PDO_CURRENTPDO
Summary Status of Financing
Net
Ln/Cr/Tf Approval Signing Effectiveness Closing Commitment Disbursed Undisbursed
TF-18969 14-Apr-2015 04-Jun-2015 04-Jun-2015 15-Jul-2019 16.80 5.47 11.33
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Policy Waiver(s)
Does this restructuring trigger the need for any policy waiver(s)?
No
I. PROJECT STATUS AND RATIONALE FOR RESTRUCTURING
A. Background
1. The Second Global Partnership for Education Project (the project, or GPE II) is a US$ 16.8 million grant from the Global
Partnership for Education (GPE), approved on April 14, 2015 and effective since June 4, 2015. The grant’s supervision has
been entrusted to the World Bank, acting as GPE Grant Agent (GA) under the oversight of the Lao PDR Education Sector
Working Group (ESWG)1 and the GPE coordinating agencies (CA) in Lao PDR – UNICEF, the European Union (EU) and the
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). The GPE II supports the efforts of the Government of Lao PDR
(GoL) to strengthen the governance and improve the quality of primary and preprimary education through the following
key interventions:
(a) enhancing the school based management (SBM) capacity at school, district and central levels through a
nationwide SBM training based on harmonized training materials focusing on school self-assessment, school
development planning and management of school block grants (SBGs) (GPE II Component 1, original costs US$ 6.4
million, actual costs US$1.5 million)
(b) improving the transparency of the school funding model by establishing a national system of school bank accounts
(GPE II Component 1, no associated project costs)
(c) providing additional funding for non-wage expenditures of primary schools and kindergartens through
complementary SBGs to help schools achieve minimum education quality standards (GPE II Component 1, US$ 5.04
million),
(d) strengthening the capacity of central, provincial and district authorities to support schools and monitor their SBM
and SBG implementation, and support sector wide monitoring (GPE II Components 1 and 3, US$ 2.76 million), and
(e) pilot a new reading pedagogy approach aimed at improving the early grade literacy among students in Grades 1
and 2 to enhance their ability to understand curriculum in later grades (GPE II Component 2, US$ 2.5 million)
B. Summary of Project Status
2. The GPE II is half way through its four-year implementation period, with 33 percent of the grant (US$ 5.47 million)
disbursed to date. Both the implementation progress (IP) and the likelihood for accomplishing the project development
objective (PDO) ratings were last rated Moderately Unsatisfactory (MU), reflecting the significant implementation delays
of approximately 24 months, the inability of the project to implement Component 2, and the modest grant’s
disbursements at the time of the last implementation support mission in December 2017. The reasons for the delays are
as follows:
1 The Lao PDR’s ESWG is the GPE’s local education group (LEG) in charge of GPE grants. The Lao PDR ESWG comprises of GoL and DPs representatives,
including the World Bank as a GPE II grant agent, The ESWG is chaired by the Minister of Education and Sports and co-chaired by the Development
Partners with largest education portfolio in the Lao PDR – the EU and DFAT.
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
(a) The project was designed with the assumption that shortly after project effectiveness a consensus would be
reached among the development partners (DPs) and the GoL on harmonized SBM training materials and approach.
However, such consensus was reached with a 12-month delay in July 2016. The Ministry of Education and Sport
(MOES) and DPs approved a training package with significantly reduced training content, aligned with the objectives
of GPE II and the absorptive capacity of the trainees, with focus on the most important aspects of SBM – school self-
assessment, school development planning and management of school block grants. Relatedly, the time required for
covering these essential topics was reduced from 10 to 3 days. The lecturing approach was replaced by interactive
training design whereby the initial 2 days of the training are used to build capacity on school self-assessment against
the education quality standards and using SBGs to achieve the development objectives of the school, followed by a
two week break in which trainees, together with the Village Education Development Committee (VEDC) jointly draft
the school development plan (SDP) and bring it together for the final third day of the training, where the drafts are
discussed and further improved. The decision of MOES to pursue a quality implementation of the SBM training
through recruitment of well qualified trainers (instead of the originally planned cascade training) has incurred
additional 6-month delay until the Project could train and recruit the best available 110 trainers to deliver the training
nationwide. Finally, the actual implementation of the training has taken 4 months longer than planned due to ad hoc
revisions of incorrect training session budgets that disrupted the flow of funds, the pace of training delivery, and the
trainers’ deployment scheme. This has added up to a total of 22-month delay compared to the original
implementation schedule. In the end of February 2018, the training was completed in all 148 districts in the country.
Significant share of the current project disbursement is attributed to the successful completion of this key activity.
(b) The GPE II conditions the disbursement of the complementary SBGs on school compliance with the following
three key criteria: (i) school participation in the national SBM training, (ii) submission of credible School Development
Plan (SDPs), and (iii) school bank accounts opened to receive both the GoL and the GPE II SBGs. The delay of the SBM
training has triggered a domino effect across all activities tied to it, including the disbursement of the SBGs. With the
completion of SBM training, all primary schools have now met the first two conditions (SDPs are submitted by schools
as a key output from the SBM training). Meanwhile the Ministry of Education and Sports has assisted all primary
schools and kindergarten to open their bank accounts. Thus, all SBG disbursement conditions have been met. The
first annual payment of complementary SBGs was disbursed in end May 2018, increasing the grant disbursements
from 13 to 33 percent, while the second SBG payment in November 2018, along with other planned activities, will
drive disbursements to over 50 percent by the end of the 2018 calendar year.
(c) The complex procurement process for selection of technical advisors to develop and implement the reading
development pilot intervention for primary grades 1 and 2 under GPE II Component 2 lasted approximately 24
months and ended unsuccessfully in December 2017, with all three bidding consortia’s withdrawing from the process.
The program was originally designed to inform the GoL’s efforts to improve the primary education curriculum
supported by the DFAT’s BEQUAL program. However, the GoL has decided to accelerate the primary education
curriculum work, starting revisions four months after GPE II project effectiveness (October 2015). These new
timelines were not foreseen at the GPE II preparation and approval stages. The procurement delays under GPE II
have completely ruled out the possibility for the program to inform the curriculum revisions. The latter are being
presently finalized and prepared for national rollout. A potential renewal of the procurement process without
changing the primary Grades 1 and 2’ focus of the program would lead to overlaps with the ongoing BEQUAL
interventions around the new curriculum rollout. The revised curriculum’s approach to Lao language acquisition
employs many elements of the GPE II reading development program. The curriculum also takes on board the key
recommendations from the EGRA 2012 assessment, including better scope and sequence of Grades 1 and 2 curricula.
Finally, the curriculum rollout has a national coverage, as opposed to GPE II pilot’s coverage of 80 primary schools.
The geographical, technical and implementation overlaps, taken together with the implementation delays, render
the GPE II reading intervention redundant. The project’s inability to implement the program has been reflected in
the PDO downgrade to MU.
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
3. Even though the grant’s disbursements are significantly lower than the original projections, the GPE II has brought
about significant education system changes that cannot be tracked and fully assessed by the level of disbursements. Such
system changes include:
(a) the shift from cash based distribution of school block grants to a national system of school bank accounts,
combined with the GoL authorization for the World Bank to have independent access to school bank account
statements for verification of the GoL and GPE II SBG disbursements. This represent an important stride towards
greater transparency of fund flows, it facilitates the monitoring and verification of SBG transfers, and addresses the
key lessons learned from the pilot implementation of the SBGs under the previous GPE grant (Catalytic
Fund/Education for All – Fast Track Initiative (EFA FTI) Project, P114609)
(b) tying the SBG disbursements to the development of SDPs, which has been defined as a policy intent by the GoL,
but is being implemented for the first time under the GPE II project.
(c) prioritizing quality over quantity. Achieving system changes and upgrading implementation arrangements after
project effectiveness have led to implementation delays, but the resulting improvements (effective SBM training,
rigorous monitoring of school compliance for SBG disbursements, transparency of fund flows) appear to be fit for
purpose and sustainable.
4. The Project has maintained good fiduciary standards – there have been adequate financial management controls and
procedures in place, all interim financial reports have been submitted, albeit with slight delays at few instances, and the
annual project audit reports have been received with an unqualified opinion. The project has complied with all legal
covenants and environmental and social safeguards.
C. Rationale for Restructuring
5. The most critical issue addressed by the proposed restructuring is the project’s inability to implement its original reading
development program (and thus accomplish the PDO) within the current project timeframe. A solution has been identified
and endorsed by ESWG2 that shifts the current focus of GPE II Component 2 from reading development for students in
primary Grades 1 and 2 to reading readiness program for children aged 5 (preprimary education) in the target
communities of the IDA funded Early Childhood Education Project (ECE project, P145544) in the Northern Lao PDR. The
new GPE II reading readiness program will align with and complement the efforts of the GoL, the World Bank and other
DPs (UNICEF, IFAD, WFP) to achieve geographical convergence and complementarity of interventions packaged into
holistic early childhood development programs. This solution also overcomes the duplication of efforts with the ongoing
nationwide primary education activities supported by the DFAT’s BEQUAL program, while adhering to the PDO focus on
improving the quality of preprimary and primary education. The proposed reading readiness intervention would be
anchored to the ongoing early childhood education programs supported by the ECE project. This will facilitate the
implementation of the new program and will enable the GPE II to take advantage of the ECE project impact evaluation
and the knowledge generated through it to inform the reading readiness program design and evaluate its impact without
the need to initiate a completely new impact evaluation. Detailed description of the program is provided in Annex I.
6. The ESWG resolution also recommends greater allocation of GPE II funds to the frontline of delivery, including more
resources for the new reading readiness program and for the complementary SBGs, which will increase the positive impact
of the project interventions on beneficiaries and ultimately increase the likelihood for achieving the PDO. Considering the
above, the GoL has requested that the Project’s Grant Agreement be amended to:
(a) Replace “Grades 1 and 2” with “children aged 5 years in preprimary preparatory groups and kindergartens” under
Part 2, 2.1 of Schedule 1 to the Agreement (to reflect the proposed new reading readiness program);
2The ESWG has issued two decisions for the restructuring of the GPE II - an executive level resolution dated January 18, 2018 and a technical level
decision dated January 29, 2018.
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
(b) Extend the Project’s implementation period by seventeen months and fifteen days and establish a later closing
date of December 31, 2020 in Section IV.B.2 of Schedule 2 to the Agreement (to allow sufficient time for the design
and implementation of the reading readiness program);
(c) Introduce changes to the Project’s results framework indicators (to reflect the above described amendments and
to address several shortcomings of the original results framework); and
(d) Reallocate funds across the financing categories of eligible expenditures in Section IV.A.2 of Schedule 2 to the
Agreement to reflect the changes in the project’s components and costs as described in the Section II. Description of
Proposed Changes.
7. In line with paragraph 50 of the Bank Directive on Investment Project Financing, the restructuring paper confirms that
(i) the PDO will remain achievable with the requested project extension, and (ii) the GoL has adopted an action plan with
specific timed measures to ensure satisfactory implementation progress. The action plan has been discussed and agreed
upon with the Bank, it is an integral part of the GoL restructuring request and is also included in Annex II to the
restructuring paper for ease of reference. The already accomplished criteria for disbursement of the complementary
SBGs, as described in paragraph 2(b), will ensure satisfactory performance of the project, with sizeable and regular
disbursements throughout the project lifetime. All relevant project documents (the GPE II project implementation
manual, the SBG manual and the GPE II procurement plan) have been updated by the GoL to reflect the key parameters
of the proposed restructuring, and have been reviewed and considered satisfactory by the Bank.
II. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED CHANGES
D. Changes in components and cost: The restructuring proposes cost reallocations across and within components amounting
to 32 percent of the GPE II grant, including reallocation of 9 percent of the grant between components (6 percent (US$ 1
M) from Component 1 to Component 2 and 3 percent (US$ 0.5M) from Component 3 to Component 2, and reallocation of
23 percent of the grant within Component 1 (US$ 3.9 M from SBM training to SBGs). These changes significantly increase
the project resources at the frontline of delivery, further supporting the accomplishment of the PDO and the anticipated
project outcomes. Detailed description of the reallocations and changes at component, subcomponent and activity levels
is presented in Annex IV and V to the restructuring paper.
8. Changes to Component 1: Strengthening School-Based Management. To improve targeting of priority districts to
reach the most disadvantaged schools, and maximize the impact of the SBGs on meeting the minimum education quality
standards, the ESWG has recommended the following changes:
(a) Improve the accuracy of targeting of interventions. Historical review of the indicator used to determine the GPE
II priority districts3 (Girls survival rate to Grade 5) reveals very high volatility, with around 20 districts moving
between disadvantaged and more advantaged groups from year to year. The ESWG has identified and approved
a set of eight indicators that provides greater consistency in determining the most disadvantaged districts, leading
to an increase in the number of GPE II priority districts from 80 to 88. The addition of 8 disadvantaged districts to
the pool of GPE II priority districts will frontload the GPE II support to additional 418 primary schools and 163
kindergartens, and will brings immediate benefits to 39,500 additional children and students that would have
otherwise received GPE II support only in the final year of project implementation.
(b) Increase the GPE II complementary SBGs to match the GoL’s larger than planned investments in SBG. To match
the GoL’s significant increase in SBG spending since project effectiveness4, and to support the achievement of the
GoL’s SBG target of LAK 100,000 (US$ 12.5) per student per year, the GPE II investment in complementary SBGs
will be slightly increased from LAK 20,000 (US$ 2.5) to LAK 30,000 (US$ 3.75) per primary student per year, and
from LAK 15,000 (US$ 1.9) to LAK 50,000 (US$ 6.25) per preprimary student per year. The proposed increase
3 Schools and kindergartens in priority districts are eligible to receive three annual payments of complementary SBGs from GPR II, as opposed to
non-priority districts, which will receive only one annual payment of SBGs in the final year of GPE II implementation.
4 GoL has increased the spending on SBGs from LAK 20,000 (US$ 2.5) to LAK 70,000 (US$ 8.75) per primary student per year, and from LAK 15,000
(US$ 1.9) to LAK 50,000 (US$ 6.25) per preprimary student per year
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The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
complies with the requirement that GPE II matching funds be equal to or lower than the GoL SBG support. This
change will result in increasing the GPE II investment in complementary SBGs by US3.91 million to US$ 8.95
million, also covering the additional 8 disadvantaged districts.
(c) Update SBM training costs and reallocate Component 1 efficiency savings to Component 2.: As a result of the
GoL’s decision to transform the original 10-day cascade SBM training into a 3-day flat training (as per details in
2a), the project has achieved efficiency savings of about US$ 4.9 million. The ESWG recommends reallocation of
these savings to support complementary SBG (US$ 3,91 million) and the implementation of the new reading
readiness program under Component 2 (US$ 1 million).
9.Changes to Component 2: Improving Learning Outcomes and Assessment Capacity. To avoid duplication of efforts
with the national primary education curriculum activities of the DFAT’s BEQUAL program, as described in paragraphs 2(c)
and 5, the GoL and the Bank have agreed upon, and the Lao PDR ESWG has endorsed, to introduce the following changes
to Component 2:
(a) Refocus the GPE II reading development intervention from Grade 1 and 2 of primary schools to the final year of
preprimary preparation of children aged 5 (detailed description of the program is provided in Annex I);
(b) Increase the target communities from 80 to 127 and implement the intervention in the World Bank’s ECE project
convergence districts, thus facilitating implementation and impact evaluation, maximizing impact on early
childhood development outcomes, and achieving greater efficiency. The 127 remote, mountainous, and mostly
ethnic communities are located in the GPE II priority districts;
(c) Increase the funding for Component 2 from US$ 2.5 million to US$ 4.0 million by using the efficiency savings from
Component 1 (US$ 1 million) and Component 3 (US$ 0.5 million) to support the fifty percent increase of the
program beneficiaries and ensure sufficient resources for the required technical assistance;
(d) Revise the implementation schedule, as described in paragraphs 13 (a) – (c), and extend the project’s closing date
to December 31, 2020 to allow sufficient time for the program implementation (paragraph 12).
(e) Mitigate the risk of a repeated procurement failure to recruit the reading readiness technical advisors (TAs) by (i)
shifting from firm selection methods to selection of individual consultants based on clearly defined, task-specific
terms of reference, and (ii) recruitment of a literacy program supervisor by the Grant Agent to provide capacity
building to GoL, supervision, coordination and quality assurance of the team of experts individually recruited by
the GoL. The request for additional GA supervision fees required to support these risk mitigation measures is an
integral part of the restructuring package).
10. Changes to Component 3: Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation. The key activities under the
component are kept mostly unchanged, including the support for collection of sector wide indicators, monitoring and
evaluation activities, data collection on service delivery standards indicators for a panel of representative schools, and
additional qualitative data collection. At the same time, the number and scope of the workshops related to project
implementation are reduced to reflect the implementation delays, with the resultant efficiency savings of US$ 0.5 million
reallocated to support the implementation of Component 2. To address the issue of suboptimal coordination among the
various implementing units (IUs) of the MOES, between IUs and the project implementation unit (PIU), and between PIU,
and DPs, the ESWG has recommended, and the GPE II project has initiated the selection of a project coordinator.
11. The above-described changes under the three components will result in adjustments to the project component costs
as shown in Section IV. Detailed changes.
E. Change in Loan Closing Date
12. In view of the challenges and solutions presented in paragraphs 2 (c), 5, 6 and 9 (d), the restructuring proposes to
extend the project closing date by seventeen months and fifteen days to December 31, 2020 to provide the required
additional time for implementation of the refocused reading readiness program and ensure the PDO remains achievable.
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F. Change in Implementation Schedule:
13. In view of the proposed reprogramming of Component 2, the implementation schedule of the project needs to be
adjusted accordingly to reflect the following timelines:
(a) program design and trial, training of master coaches, coaches and teachers: April 2018 - August 2019;
(b) baseline impact evaluation data collection: August/September 2019
(c) actual implementation of the reading readiness program in 127 communities, along with ongoing process
monitoring, classroom observations and coaching of teachers during the academic year September 2019 - June 2020;
(d) impact evaluation endline data collection and analysis: July -December 2020.
14. It is proposed to adjust the schedule for disbursement of the complementary SBGs by one academic year to reflect the
delayed completion of the national SBM training and the SBG disbursement compliance verification process. This will
allow the project to implement the original plan for provision of three annual payments of complementary SBGs to all
schools and kindergartens in the GPE II priority districts and one annual payment to the non-priority districts. Therefore,
the proposed new SBG disbursement schedule includes the following SGB transfers:
(a) first annual payment of complementary SBGs – by end May 2018 (SBG for academic year 2017/2018)
(b) second annual payment of complementary SBGs – by November 2018 (SBG for academic year 2018/2019)
(c) third annual payment of complementary SBGs – by November 2019 (SBG for academic year 2019/2020)
G. Reallocation between Disbursement Categories
15. In line with the proposed increase of the complementary SBGs for preprimary and primary students described in
paragraph 8 (b), the disbursement category “School Grants” needs to be revised accordingly from US$ 5.04 million to US$
8.95 million.
H. Change in Disbursement Estimates
16. The restructuring proposes to update the disbursement estimates as shown in table in Section “IV. Detailed changes”
to reflect (i) the actual disbursements to date and the accrued implementation delays, (ii) the proposed new scope, scale
and implementation schedule of Component 2, and (iv) the increased amount of the complementary SBGs under
Component 1 and their updated disbursement schedule.
I. Changes in Results Framework
17. The restructuring proposes to revise ten (of which one PDO indicator), drop eight (of which three PDO indicators),
and introduce eight new indicators (of which four PDO indicators) to align the results framework with the above
described changes, address methodological, measurement and precision issues of the original indicators, and provide
baseline, intermediate and endline targets that were omitted in the original results framework. Additional details on the
revisions are provided in Section “IV. Detailed Changes”, while the rationale for the changes for each affected indicator
is provided in Annex III.
III. SUMMARY OF CHANGES
Changed Not Changed
Change in Results Framework ✔
Change in Components and Cost ✔
Change in Loan Closing Date(s) ✔
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The World Bank
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Reallocation between Disbursement Categories ✔
Change in Disbursement Estimates ✔
Change in Implementation Schedule ✔
Change in Implementing Agency ✔
Change in DDO Status ✔
Change in Project's Development Objectives ✔
Cancellations Proposed ✔
Change in Disbursements Arrangements ✔
Change in Overall Risk Rating ✔
Change in Safeguard Policies Triggered ✔
Change of EA category ✔
Change in Legal Covenants ✔
Change in Institutional Arrangements ✔
Change in Financial Management ✔
Change in Procurement ✔
Other Change(s) ✔
Change in Economic and Financial Analysis ✔
Change in Technical Analysis ✔
Change in Social Analysis ✔
Change in Environmental Analysis ✔
IV. DETAILED CHANGE(S)
OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_RESULTS_TABLE
RESULTS FRAMEWORK
Project Development Objective Indicators
PDO_IND_TABLE
Percentage of public primary schools that meet the minimum quality of service delivery
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 71.00 71.00 80.00 Revised
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Date 28-Apr-2017 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of Grade 1 and 2 teachers in pilot schools who show improvement in teaching practices (measured
through objective classroom observations using SSME tool)
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 80.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Percentage of Grade 2 students in pilot schools that cannot read a single word (female)
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 15.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Percentage of Grade 2 students in pilot schools who cannot read a single word (male)
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 15.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Primary education dropout rate
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 5.20 4.70 4.50 New
Date 30-Sep-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of children in target classrooms with awareness of print
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 35.00 35.00 55.00 New
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Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of Lao-Tai speaking children in target classrooms with awareness of print
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 45.00 45.00 60.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of non Lao-Tai speaking children in target classrooms with awareness of print
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 25.00 25.00 50.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of boys in target classrooms with awareness of print
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 35.00 35.00 55.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of girls in target classrooms with awareness of print
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 35.00 35.00 55.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of 0 scores to a letter sounding task in the Lao alphabet
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
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Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 100.00 100.00 80.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of girls with 0 scores to a letter sounding task in the Lao alphabet
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 100.00 100.00 80.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of boys with 0 scores to a letter sounding task in the Lao alphabet
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 100.00 100.00 80.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of Lao-Tai speaking children with 0 scores to a letter sounding task in the Lao alphabet
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 100.00 100.00 80.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of non Lao-Tai speaking children with 0 scores to a letter sounding task in the Lao alphabet
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Breakdown
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 100.00 100.00 80.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of teachers trained in the reading readiness program who implement the approach with high fidelity.
Unit of Measure: Percentage
14
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Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 75.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Intermediate Indicators
IO_IND_TABLE
Number of districts with annual costed district education plans
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 148.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of public primary schools in the GPE II priority 88 districts with school development plans meeting
minimum quality
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 80.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 15-Jul-2019
Number of pilot schools provided with kit of instructional materials for Grades 1 and 2
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 80.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Evaluation framework for reading instruction in Lao language to ethnic students developed and submitted to MoES.
Unit of Measure: Yes/No
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value No No Yes Revised
15
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Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Number of Grades 1 and 2 teachers trained as a part of project interventions, disaggregated by gender
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 400.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Percentage of trained principals and PAs in pilot schools who observe lessons and provide feedback to teachers
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 80.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Percentage of public primary schools receiving complementary GPE II block grants
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 100.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of public primary schools whose principals and heads have received capacity building on school based
management
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of Village Education Development Committees receiving capacity building on school based
management
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
16
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Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of public primary schools receiving government block grants
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 96.00 96.00 100.00 Revised
Date 28-Apr-2017 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of supported Village Education development Committees meeting at least twice per school year.
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 99.40 99.40 100.00 Revised
Date 28-Apr-2017 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of public primary schools receiving grants with budget information publicly available to communities
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 8.50 8.50 80.00 Revised
Date 28-Apr-2017 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Number of pedagogical advisors and school principals trained as part of the project interventions, dissagregated by
gender
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 120.00 Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 15-Jul-2019
Percentage of trained District Education Sports Bureaus that use the Financial Reporting System
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
17
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Value 0.00 0.00 100.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Disability related indicator piloted for inclusion in sector statistics
Unit of Measure: Text
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value No No Yes Marked for Deletion
Date 15-Jul-2015 15-Dec-2017 16-Jul-2019
Number of direct project beneficiaries
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 26090.00 900000.00 Revised
Date 15-Jul-2015 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Percentage of female direct project beneficiaries
Unit of Measure: Percentage
Indicator Type: Custom Supplement
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 50.00 50.00 New
Number of master coaches trained to develop instructional materials, train coaches and teachers, and supervise
the program implementation
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 10.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Number of Teacher Training Colleges’ faculty trained to coach and train teachers in applying the reading readiness
approach
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
18
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Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 24.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Number of teachers trained by coaches and master coaches in applying the reading readiness approach
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 127.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
Number of classrooms implementing the reading readiness program provided with kit of instructional materials
Unit of Measure: Number
Indicator Type: Custom
Baseline Actual (Current) End Target Action
Value 0.00 0.00 127.00 New
Date 06-Mar-2018 06-Mar-2018 31-Dec-2020
OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_COMPONENTS_TABLE
COMPONENTS
Current
Current Proposed Proposed
Cost Action
Component Name Component Name Cost (US$M)
(US$M)
Strengthening School-Based Strengthening School-Based
12.70 Revised 11.70
Management Management
Improving Reading Outcomes Improving Reading Outcomes
2.50 Revised 4.00
and Assessment Capacity and Assessment Capacity
Project Management and Project Management and
1.60 Revised 1.10
Monitoring and Evaluation Monitoring and Evaluation
TOTAL 16.80 16.80
OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_LOANCLOSING_TABLE
19
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LOAN CLOSING DATE(S)
Original Revised Proposed Proposed Deadline
Ln/Cr/Tf Status Closing Closing(s) Closing for Withdrawal
Applications
TF-18969 Effective 15-Jul-2019 31-Dec-2020 30-Apr-2021
OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_REALLOCATION _TABLE
REALLOCATION BETWEEN DISBURSEMENT CATEGORIES
Financing %
Current Allocation Actuals + Committed Proposed Allocation
(Type Total)
Current Proposed
TF-18969-001 | Currency: USD
iLap Category Sequence No: 1 Current Expenditure Category: GDS,NON-CS,CS,TR&OC EXCL SCH GR
11,760,000.00 742,066.89 7,850,000.00 100.00 100
iLap Category Sequence No: 2 Current Expenditure Category: TF18969 - SCHOOL GRANTS
5,040,000.00 0.00 8,950,000.00 100.00 100
Total 16,800,000.00 742,066.89 16,800,000.00
OPS_DETAILEDCHANGES_DISBURSEMENT_TABLE
DISBURSEMENT ESTIMATES
Change in Disbursement Estimates
Yes
Year Current Proposed
2015 0.00 0.00
2016 2,000,000.00 1,597,660.00
2017 6,000,000.00 182,260.00
2018 6,000,000.00 3,574,930.00
2019 2,800,000.00 5,140,000.00
2020 0.00 5,300,000.00
20
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2021 0.00 1,005,150.00
21
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Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
ANNEX I: DESCRIPTION OF THE READING READINESS PROGRAM UNDER COMPONENT 2
I. Target group:
127 preprimary teachers and about 500 children aged 5 years with indicative ethnic composition 30% Lao-Tai, 25%
Khmu, 27% Hmong, 5% Prai, 4%Phong, 4% Akha, and 5% other ethnic groups, enrolled in kindergartens or preprimary
classes in 127 communities in 14 districts in 5 provinces of Northern Laos (Houaphanh, Phongsaly, Oudomxay,
Xayaboury, and Borikhamxay). These districts belong to the GPE II pool of priority districts, moreover, they are among
the most disadvantaged in the country with respect to all key education disadvantage indicators, malnutrition,
stunting, and poverty.
II. Language of the Reading Readiness Program
In line with the legal provisions concerning the official language of instruction, the reading readiness program will be
developed in the official Lao-Tai language with the objective to improve Lao-Tai reading readiness of all target children,
70 percent of which belong to non-Lao Tai language groups. While mother tongue instruction may be appropriate in
certain contexts, the existence of 47 ethnicities in Lao PDR, further branching into 160 ethnic groups that speak 82
distinct living languages without written forms (except for the Hmong ethnic group) precludes the identification of
effective approaches for developing mother tongue reading readiness programs. The revised primary education
curriculum, supported by BEQUAL, and the revised preprimary curriculum, supported by UNICEF, are both based on
Lao-Tai language. The reading readiness program under the GPE II project will be designed and delivered in alignment
with the revised curricula and the legal provisions for the official language of instruction.
III. Content of the Reading Readiness Program (RRP):
The GPE II RRP will comprise 20 instructional sessions pack consisting of:
1. Culturally Sensitive Literature: Lao-Tai language literature appropriate for a 5-year-old audience of pre-readers.
Topics will be varied, dealing with settings and situations that are familiar and common to all ethnic minority groups
and are characteristic of the Lao rural environment
2. Picture Books and Posters: depict settings and situations relevant and common to all ethnic minority groups. Designed
to elicit conversations and discussions in the classroom. Containing scenes and events that can be leveraged to support
oral language skills by engaging children in activities that involve listening, understanding and speaking.
3. Visuo-haptic Props: allows teachers to introduce and complement phonics instruction with a visuo-haptic exploration
of the letters and sounds in the Lao language (such as 3D letters, crepe letters on a sheet, tracing letters along
lines/dotted lines, etc.)
4. Teacher Guide: includes (i) session by session scope and sequence, detailing the progression of skills and material for
all the instructional activities included in the program’s package and (ii) description of how teachers should conduct
the activity with the children and the list of items (letters, words, stories, etc.) that should be used for each session
IV. RRP Activities:
1. Setting up of RRP team, recruitment of TAs and procurement of contracted services
(a) Reading Readiness Program Team (RRPT) of the Ministry of Education and Sports:
Research Institute for Education Sciences (RIES, master coaches)
Department of Early Childhood Education (DECE, master coaches)
Department of Teacher Training and Education (DTTE, master coaches)
Teacher Training Colleges Faculty (TTC master coaches and coaches)
(b) Reading Readiness Technical Advisors (RRTA)
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International consultant: Reading Readiness Specialists
International consultant: Linguist Specialist in Ethnic Languages spoken in Lao PDR
Local Consultant: Lao Ethnic Languages Specialist
(c) Contracted services:
Illustrators (procured by GoL through GPE II grant)
Editor to stitch each lesson and package the material in books and a teacher guide (procured by GoL through GPE
II grant)
Printing firm (procured by GoL through GPE II grant)
Firm to produce the visuo haptic props (such as letter blocks, etc.) (procured by GoL through GPE II grant)
2. Preparation of the RRP content framework: RRPT and RRTA conceptualize the initial framework of activities and
materials.
3. Pre-testing and Quality Control: RRPT and RRTA ensure that cultural specificity of each ethnic group is taken in
consideration and confirm the activities planned are feasible in the target areas. Pretesting should be conducted in
kindergartens and preprimary classes reflecting as close as possible the ethnic composition and profile of the pilot
communities. The pre-testing phase should allow sufficient time for the material developers to progressively learn
and master how the lessons should be applied in the classroom.
4. Material Development Workshops: involves the RRP core team and Technical Advisors (TAs); takes stock of the pre-
testing and quality control feedback and develops the RRP material
5. Printing and distribution of RRP material
6. Trainings:
(a) The RRPT will double as master trainers for the coaches, master trainers for the teachers, overall supervisors and
coaches of coaches (or coaches themselves) throughout implementation.
(b) Initial trainings of the RRPT by the RRTA. RRPT will be provided with opportunities to practice the lessons they
developed to improve them, and to master the use of the lessons.
(c) RRPT will then train TTC coaches in using the lessons, mentoring the teachers on how to use the material effectively
in the classrooms. Regional or national meetings with coaches should be regularly organized to take stock of difficulties
and address issues early on.
(d) The RRPT along with the coaches will then train the teachers in the target communities.
(e) Refresher teacher trainings will be organized locally (lead by coaches of the RRPT), scattered throughout the
implementation year to ensure issues are tackled and concerns are addressed in a timely manner,
V. GPE II RRP Implementation schedule:
04/2018-08/2019: RRP Preparation Activities 1 to 6 (a)-(d)
09/2019-06/2020: RRP implementation + Activity 6 (e)
06/2019-11/2020: Endline Impact Evaluation data analysis
VI. Impact Evaluation (IE) Design:
The RRP impact evaluation will be anchored to the existing Early Childhood Education project impact evaluation which
covers 376 villages, of which 135 villages with existing preprimary classes, 119 villages with existing kindergartens and
122 villages with no early childhood education programs (see diagram below).
The 135 villages with preprimary classrooms have been receiving early childhood development community awareness
campaigns (CAC).Among them, 73 villages have been receiving additionally non-formal community child development
playgroups (CCDGs) for children aged 3 and 4before they transition to the school readiness program delivered in the
existing preprimary classrooms., The other 63 villages have been receiving multi age teaching (MAT) for children of
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Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
ages 3 to 5, grouped together within the preprimary classrooms. This impact evaluation cluster evaluates the impact
of MAT and CCDG on child development and school readiness by directly comparing the two modalities against each
other.
Out of the 119 villages with formal kindergartens (CAC), the ECE project has been providing the CAC intervention to
61 communities, while the remaining 58 villages have not received any support, thus acting as a control group. It is
assumed that these 119ommunities are at a comparative advantage to the rest of the villages as they boast the most
expensive ECE modality in Lao PDR – the kindergarten. This study cluster aims at assessing the impact of the CAC on
top of the kindergarten service over the child development outcomes.
The third cluster consist of 122 villages with no existing ECE programs, of which 74 villages have been receiving the
CAC intervention, while the remaining 48 villages have been acting as a pure control group. This cluster study aims at
isolating the impact of the CAC on child development outcomes in the absence of any ECE program.
The transition from the ECE impact evaluation (ECE IE) to GPE II RRP impact evaluation (GPE II RR IE) will occur in
August-September 2019, when the ECE IE endline measurement will be conducted and will serve as a baseline
measurement for the GPE II RRP. Since the GPE II RRP will be implemented only in villages with existing preprimary
classrooms or kindergartens, the third cluster of 122 will be dropped from the GPE II IE. The remaining 254 villages
will be re-randomized at the endline measurement of the ECE IE and regrouped into 127 GPEII RRP treatment villages
and 127 control villages. Thus, the children receiving the GPE II RRP will be coming from households that have and
have not been benefitting from the ECE project interventions. It is estimated that the population of 5 year olds in the
254 GPE II RRP will be at least 1000, thus ensuring sufficient statistical power.
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The measurement of the GPE II RRP impact on emergent literacy skills of the target children will be made using the
same direct assessment instrument employed for the ECE IE. It includes literacy items ranging from basic to higher
order literacy skills, starting from awareness of print to initial sound discrimination and identification, to letter name
knowledge, letter sounding, name writing and listening comprehension. The re-randomization of the study sample
will enable the GPE II impact evaluation to determine not only the impact of GPE II RRP alone, but also the combined
impact of the various ECE IE modalities and the GPE2 RRP.
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ANNEX II. ACTION PLAN FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
Project New disbursements
# Action Completed by: Responsibility
Component (million USD)
Completion of the remaining training sessions in 20
districts under the national school based management
1. 1 (SBM) training (total coverage of SBM: 148 districts, 590 February 2018 MOES (ECU, IFEAD) 0.2
DESB officers, 8,600 primary school principals and 17,200
VEDC members)
Bank accounts opened for 8600 public primary schools and
2. 1 February 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0
2630 public kindergartens
First verification of government school block grants (SBG)
tranche disbursement to school bank accounts and school
3. 1 April 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) and WB 0
compliance with the conditions for complementary GPE II
SBGs
First annual payment of complementary school block
4. 1 grants disbursed to 5760 public primary schools and 1512 May 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) 2.50
public kindergartens in the 88 priority districts
5. 3 GPE II Project coordinator recruited May 2018 MOES (ECU) 0.12
Study tour on National Student Assessment, SBM and MOES (ECU, DOF, IFEAD,
6. 1 June 2018 0.05
school bank account system to Cambodia RIES, ESQAC)
First annual disbursement of DESB operating costs grants
7. 1 June 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0.09
to 88 priority districts
First annual disbursement of PESS operating costs grants
8. 1 June 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0.05
to 18 provinces
Recruitment of individual consultants (international and
9. 2 local) for design and implementation support of GPE II June 2018 MOES (ECU, RIES, DTTE) 1.20
reading readiness program under Component 2
Training on SBG reporting system, SBM/SBG DESB officers
10. 1 June 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF, IFEAD) 0.45
support visits for 18 PESSs and 148 DESBs
Second verification of government SBG tranche
disbursement to school bank accounts and school
11. 1 November 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) and WB 0.00
compliance with the conditions for complementary GPE II
SBGs
Second annual payment of complementary school block
12. 1 grants disbursed to 5760 public primary schools and 1512 November 2018 MOES (ECU, DOF) 2.5
public kindergartens in the 88 priority districts
26
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Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Project New disbursements
# Action Completed by: Responsibility
Component (million USD)
Second annual disbursement of DESB operating costs
13. 1 January 2019 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0.09
grants to 88 priority districts
Second annual disbursement of PESS operating costs
14. 1 January 2019 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0.05
grants to 18 provinces
Reading readiness program developed, reading materials
designed, printed and distributed to 127 communities,
15. 2 August 2019 MOES (ECU, RIES, DTTE) 1.50
master coaches and coaches recruited and trained,
teachers in 127 communities trained
Third verification of government SBG tranche
disbursement to school bank accounts and school
16. 1 November 2019 MOES (ECU, DOF) and WB 0.00
compliance with the conditions for complementary GPE II
SBGs
Third annual payment of complementary school block
17. 1 grants disbursed to 8390 public primary schools and 2630 November 2019 MOES (ECU, DOF) 3.90
public kindergartens in the 88 priority districts
Third annual disbursement of DESB operating costs grants
18. 1 January 2020 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0.15
to 148 districts
Third annual disbursement of PESS operating costs grants
19. 1 January 2020 MOES (ECU, DOF) 0.05
to 18 provinces
Reading readiness pilot ongoing implementation support,
20. 2 June 2020 MOES (ECU, RIES, DTTE) 1.30
coaching, monitoring and evaluation
21. 3 Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation Ongoing MOES 0.37
Total new disbursements 14.65
Current disbursements 2.15
Total disbursement 16.80
27
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ANNEX III: RATIONALE FOR THE CHANGES IN THE RESULTS FRAMEWORK
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
Project Development Objective (PDO) Statement
PDO Statement: The objective of
the project is to support the
Government of Lao PDR in Unchanged
improving pre-primary and primary
education quality.
PDO Indicators
The restructuring introduces this new PDO indicator to capture the anticipated reduction of
school dropout rates in primary education as a result of the Project’s provision of
significantly larger than planned school block grants under Component 1. One of the root
causes for dropouts is the inability of parents to pay fees to the schools to compensate for
the inadequate non-wage expenditure support for schools. The project will increase the
availability of non-wage resources at the school level, including utilities, teaching and
New indicator: Primary learning aids /materials, and non-capital improvements to the classroom environment. This
education dropout rate investment is likely to reduce the need for informally collecting fees from parents. Noting
that cost barriers only partially explain the reasons for dropping out of school, the midline
and endline targets for this indicator employ conservative estimates for the GPE II impact
on this indicator. The baseline is based on official government statistics for dropout rates
while the estimates for midline and endline take into account the government targets set
forth in the Education Sector Development Plan for the period 2016-2020, combined with
trend analysis and conservative adjustment of the project targets.
Percentage of schools that meet Revised to:
the minimum quality of service Percentage of public primary The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
delivery5 schools that meet the
5Minimum quality of service measured through a subset of the Lao PDR Education Quality Standards, as presented in the PAD. No change in the indicators
planned under the restructuring.
28
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Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
minimum quality of service 1. Revises the definition of the indicator to clarify it measures the minimum quality of
delivery service delivered by the public primary schools (excluding the 5 percent of private
primary schools from the measurement).
2. Establishes the indicator’s baseline of 71 percent (baseline was omitted in the original
results framework) to reflect the results from the SABER Service Delivery Baseline
Survey, conducted in February-April 2017 on a national representative sample of
primary schools in Lao PDR.
3. Changes frequency of reporting from “yearly” to “Baseline in YR2” (2017) and “endline
in YR5” (2020) to reflect the two data collection points for the SABER Service Delivery
Survey.
4. Changes “Data Source / Methodology” from “EMIS, FRS, DOI” to “SABER SD baseline
and endline survey” to reflect the revised approach to measuring this PDO indicator.
This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
Percentage of Grade 2 students in
replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
pilot schools who cannot read a Dropped
under Part 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years in preprimary
single word (male)
preparatory groups and kindergartens.
This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
Percentage of Grade 2 students in
replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
pilot schools that cannot read a Dropped
under Part 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years in preprimary
single word (female)
preparatory groups and kindergartens.
Percentage of Grade 1 and 2
This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
teachers in pilot schools who show
replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
improvement in teaching practices Dropped
under Part 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years in preprimary
(measured through objective
preparatory groups and kindergartens.
classroom observations)
The restructuring introduces this new indicator to capture the outcome from the new
New indicator: Percentage of
reading development intervention for children aged 5 years in preprimary preparatory
children in target classrooms
groups and kindergartens, disaggregated by gender and by ethnicity - Lao Tai vs. non-Lao
with awareness of print
Tai speakers. It measures the gains in children’s abilities to handle print materials (books),
29
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
open them correctly, know the correct directionality of the written language, make a
difference between a text and other graphic elements in a print material. This is a key
indicator for measuring reading readiness among children of preschool age. The
measurement is done through a direct assessment and will be administered as part of the
impact evaluation endline survey. The baseline for this indicator (and the proposed
disaggregation) reflects the midline results (December 2017) of the 5-year-old children in
the communities under rigorous impact evaluation through the IDA funded ongoing ECE
Project. The GPE II reading readiness program will be implemented in the same
communities. The endline target for the non- Lao Tai speakers is set at 50 percent, compared
to a baseline of 25 percent (improvements by 25 percentage point), or increasing twice the
share of ethnic children with awareness of print achieved within the 9 months of the
program implementation. While the end target for Lao Tai speaker is higher at 60 percent,
the expected gain for Lao Tai speakers compared to non-Lao Tai speakers is more modest,
with an increase by 15 percentage points. Even though the end target for Lao Tai is higher
at 60 percent compared to 50 percent for ethnic students, the gap between the two groups
will narrow towards the endline measurement.
The restructuring introduces this new indicator to measure the share of children in the
reading readiness program classrooms who cannot sound any of the letters of the Lao
alphabet shown to them. The indicator is disaggregated by gender and ethnicity - Lao Tai vs.
non-Lao Tai speakers. The measurement is done through a direct assessment and will be
administered as part of the impact evaluation endline survey. The baseline for this indicator
(and the proposed disaggregation) reflects the midline results (December 2017) of 5-year-
old children in the communities under rigorous impact evaluation through the IDA funded
New indicator: Percentage of 0
ongoing ECE Project. The GPE II reading readiness program will be implemented in the same
scores to a letter sounding task
communities. Since the indicator is negatively formulated, good progress will result in
in the Lao alphabet
reduction of the percentage of children who cannot sound a single letter of the Lao
alphabet. Due to the current preprimary curriculum’s focus on learning letter names, rather
than letter sounds, the baseline ECE project impact evaluation measurement of the letter
sounding task has produced 100 percent 0 scores among Lao Tai and non-Lao Tai children
alike. Since the starting point in terms of this ability is the same for both groups, it is
expected that the exposure to the same content and dosage of the reading readiness
program under GPE II for 9 months would produce the same gains in performance at the
30
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
endline measurement – from 100 percent 0 scores among Lao and non-Lao Tai speakers at
baseline to 80 percent 0 scores at endline measurement.
New indicator: Percentage of
This new indicator measures the extent to which the project teachers deliver the reading
teachers trained in the reading
readiness program with precision and quality reflecting the original concept, design and
readiness program who
intentions. It captures the effectiveness of the training program and the coaching support
implement the approach with
through classroom observations based on rigorous methodology.
high fidelity.
Intermediate Results Indicators
The restructuring introduces the following changes to the indicator:
i. Refines the original formulation of the indicator definition by dropping the clarification
in parenthesis and the female percentage, and introduces a subindicator for gender
diaggregated measurement;
ii. Establishes a frequency of measurement, which was omitted in the original results
framework.
iii. Revises the end target to reflect the significant demographic transition in Lao PDR,
Revised to: Number of direct
especially in the GPE II priority districts. The revised estimates for the end target are
project beneficiaries
based on latest EMIS data for 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. The project implementation
period for the estimates covers the period 2017-2020 (school years 2015/2016 is not
Modified measurement
Direct project beneficiaries included due to no project activities). Estimates are based on the following parameters:
frequency, midline and endline
(number) of which female (%) (i) 500,000 primary students (grade 1 to 5) and children aged 5 in pre-primary groups in
targets, and includes baseline
schools in GPE II priority districts; (ii) 300,000 primary students (grade 1 to 5) and
gender disaggregation that was
children aged 5 in pre-primary groups in schools in non-priority districts to be included
omitted in the original results
in the final year of GPE II implementation; (iii) Grade 1 new entrants totaling 90,000 in
framework
for 2018/19 and 2019/2020 from priority districts (45,000 per year); (iv) 590 DESB staff
trained in 2017/18; (v) 8,390 school principal trained in SBM in 2017/18 and 110 SBM
master trainers trained and recruited (altogether 8,500); (vi) 17,000 VEDC members
trained in 2017/18; (vii) 500 students receiving reading readiness program in 2019/20;
127 teachers trained in the new pedagogical approach to reading in 2018/19 and
2019/2020.. This makes a total of 916,717 beneficiaries. This number does not reflect
the negative demographic trends. Considering the impact of shrinking population,
31
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
especially in the GPE II priority districts, this estimate is conservatively adjusted to
900,000.
iv. Introduces gender disaggregated baseline, intermediate and endline targets that were
omitted in the original results framework. Female/Male ratio at 50:50 percent, in line
with most recent school and general census.
Component 1
Revised to: Percentage of The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
Percentage of schools in 80 public primary schools in the 1. Amends the indicator’s definition to reflect the increased number of priority districts
districts with SDPs meeting GPE II priority 88 districts with from 80 to 88, and clarifies that the indicator measures only public primary schools.
minimum quality6 school development plans 2. Establishes a baseline and midline intermediate targets (which were omitted in the
meeting minimum quality original results framework)
The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
1. Amends the indicator’s definition to clarify that the indicator measures only public
Revised to: Percentage of primary schools.
Percentage of schools receiving public primary schools 2. Establishes a baseline that was omitted in the original results framework to reflect the
grants with budget information receiving grants with budget SABER Service Delivery Survey finding that 8.5 percent of the public primary schools
publicly available to communities information publicly available publicize their school budget to the community;
to communities 3. Changes the frequency of measurement, the data source, methodology and the
responsibility for data collection to reflect the fact that this indicator will be measured
through the baseline and endline SABER Service Delivery Survey.
The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
Percentage of supported village Modified measurement 1. Establishes a baseline to reflect the SABER Service Delivery Survey finding that 99.4
education development frequency methodology, percent of the schools meet more than twice per year (average frequency is 3.5 times)
committees meeting at least twice responsibility, established 2. Changes the frequency of measurement, the data source, methodology and the
per school year baseline responsibility for data collection to reflect the fact that this indicator will be measured
through the baseline and endline SABER Service Delivery Survey.
6 No changes to the methodology for evaluation criteria for the school develeopment plans (it remains unmodified as described in the PAD).
32
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
1. Amends the indicator’s definition and measurement unit from number to percentage to
capture the extent to which VEDCs in the country have been covered by the national
Revised to: Percentage of
training on SBM, as opposed to the original definition that reports on the number of
Number of VEDCs members village education development
VEDC members trained;
receiving capacity building on SBM committees receiving capacity
2. Drops the gender disaggregation to reflect the fact that the new indicator’s definition
disaggregated by gender building on school based
measures institutional coverage, rather than individuals;
management
3. Changes the data source, methodology and the responsibility for data collection to
reflect the structural changes of the Ministry of Education (DPPE is replaced by DOP with
respect to data collection responsibilities).
The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
Revised to: Percentage of 1. Amends the measurement unit from number to percentage to safeguard against
Number of school principals and
public primary school whose demographic shifts and related school closures and to capture institutional coverage,
head of schools receiving capacity
principals and heads have rather than counting people.
building on SBM, disaggregated by
received capacity building on 2. Clarifies that measurement covers public primary schools only;
gender
school based management 3. Drops gender disaggregation to reflect the measurement of institutional coverage,
rather than individuals.
The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
1. Amends the measurement unit from number to percentage to safeguard against
Revised to: Percentage of demographic shifts and related school closures and to capture institutional coverage.
Number of schools receiving public primary schools 2. Adjust accordingly the targets from numbers to percentage, aiming at endline universal
government block grants receiving government block coverage of 100 percent
grants 3. Clarifies that measurement covers public primary schools only;
4. Establishes a precise baseline that reflects the SABER Service Delivery Survey finding
that 96 percent of the public primary schools have received government block grants.
The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
Revised to: Percentage of
1. Amends the measurement unit from number to percentage to safeguard against
Number of schools receiving public primary schools
demographic shifts and related school closures and to capture institutional coverage.
complementary GPE block grants receiving complementary GPE
2. Adjust accordingly the targets from numbers to percentage, aiming at endline universal
II block grants
coverage of 100 percent
33
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
3. Clarifies that measurement covers public primary schools only.
Number of districts with annual
costed district education Unchanged
development plans
Component 2
Percentage of trained principals This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
and PAs in pilot schools who replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
Dropped
observe lessons and provide under GPE II Component 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years
feedback to teachers in preprimary preparatory groups and kindergartens.
Number of Grades 1 and 2 teachers This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
trained as a part of project replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
Dropped
interventions, disaggregated by under Part 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years in preprimary
gender preparatory groups and kindergartens.
This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
Number of pilot schools provided
replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
with kit of instructional materials Dropped
under Part 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years in preprimary
for Grades 1 and 2
preparatory groups and kindergartens.
Number of pedagogical advisors This indicator is marked for deletion from the results framework to reflect the proposed
and school principals trained as a replacement of the original reading development program for students in Grade 1 and 2
Dropped
part of project interventions, under Part 2 with a reading development program for children aged 5 years in preprimary
disaggregated by gender preparatory groups and kindergartens.
New indicator: Number of This new indicator measures a key output from the proposed new reading development
master coaches trained to program for children aged 5 years in preprimary preparatory groups and kindergartens. The
develop instructional materials, baseline, intermediate and endline targets, the frequency of measurement, the
train coaches and teachers, methodology and the responsible units are informed by the design of the reading readiness
and supervise the program program and its coverage (127 communities).
34
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
implementation
New indicator: Number of This new indicator measures a key output from the proposed new reading development
Teacher Training Colleges’ program for children aged 5 years in preprimary preparatory groups and kindergartens. The
faculty trained to coach and baseline, intermediate and endline targets, the frequency of measurement, the
train teachers in applying the methodology and the responsible units are informed by the design of the reading readiness
reading readiness approach. program and its coverage (127 communities).
This new indicator measures a key output from the proposed new reading development
New indicator: Number of
program for children aged 5 years in preprimary preparatory groups and kindergartens. The
teachers trained by coaches
baseline, intermediate and endline targets, the frequency of measurement, the
and master coaches in applying
methodology and the responsible units are informed by the design of the reading readiness
the reading readiness approach
program and its coverage (127 communities).
New indicator: Number of This new indicator measures a key output from the proposed new reading development
classrooms implementing the program for children aged 5 years in preprimary preparatory groups and kindergartens. The
reading readiness program baseline, intermediate and endline targets, the frequency of measurement, the
provided with kit of methodology and the responsible units are informed by the design of the reading readiness
instructional materials program and its coverage (127 communities).
Evaluation framework for reading
instruction in Lao language to
ethnic students developed and Unchanged
submitted to the Ministry of
Education and Sports
Component 3
Revised to: Percentage of The restructuring introduces the following modifications:
Number of district officers trained
trained District Education 1. Amends the indicator’s measurement unit from number to percentage to measure the
in financial management,
Sports Bureaus that use the extent to which DESB, as institutions, have been capacitated to use, and actually use the
disaggregated by gender
Financial Reporting System financial reporting system, instead of counting DESB participants in training sessions.
35
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Revisions to the results framework
Rationale / Comments / Explanatory notes
Current version (PAD) Proposed changes
2. Drops gender disaggregation to reflect the measurement of institutional coverage, as
opposed to individuals.
This indicator is marked for deletion. The activity is being implemented under the ECE
project, with a dedicated pilot for child disability screening, the results from which will
Disability related indicator piloted
Dropped inform the potential long list of indicators to be considered for inclusion in the education
for inclusion in sector statistics
management information system (EMIS). This ECE project activity is being closely
coordinated with UNICEF, tasked to lead the efforts for refining the EMIS.
36
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
strikethrough – content marked for deletion
bold underscore – proposed new content
Project Development Objective Indicators
Cumulative Target Values Responsibility
Baseline
Proposed Unit of YR1 YR2 YR3 YR4 YR5 End Data Source/ for
Indicator Name July Frequency
change Measure July July July July December Target Methodology Data
2015
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Collection
5.2
Primary education dropout rate New Percentage 5.2 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.5 4.5 Yearly EMIS ECU, DOP
(2015)
Modified EMIS, FRS,
frequency, Yearly DOI DESB and
Percentage of schools that meet
methodology, 71 Baseline SABER SD reported to
the minimum quality of service Percentage N/A 71 N/A N/A 80 80
responsibility, (2017) YR2 baseline and ECU, Survey
delivery7
established Endline YR5 endline firm
baseline survey
Percentage of Grade 2 students in Baseline
pilot schools who cannot read a Dropped Percentage 15 YR1, end- RIES RIES
single word (male) line YR4
Percentage of Grade 2 students in Baseline
pilot schools that cannot read a Dropped Percentage 0 15 YR1, end- RIES RIES
single word (female) line YR4
Percentage of Grade 1 and 2
teachers in pilot schools who
Baseline YR1
show improvement in teaching Dropped Percentage 0 0 0 0 80 80 RIES RIES
end-line YR4
practices (measured through
objective classroom observations)
Percentage of children in target 35 35 55 55 Baseline
Direct ECU, IE
classrooms with awareness of New Percentage F: 35 N/A N/A F: 35 N/A F: 55 F: 55 YR3 Endline
Assessment Survey firm
print8 LT: 45 LT: 45 LT: 60 LT: 60 YR5
7 Minimum quality of service measured through a subset of the Lao PDR Education Quality Standards, as presented in the PAD. No change in the indicators
planned under the restructuring
8 Disaggregated by gender and ethnicity - Lao Tai (LT) vs. Non-Lao Tai (NLT) speakers
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
NLT: 25 NLT: 25 NLT: 50 NLT: 50 Impact
(2018) Evaluation
100 100
80 80 Direct
Percentage of 0 scores to a letter F: 100 F: 100 Baseline
F: 80 F: 80 assessment ECU, IE
sounding task in the Lao New Percentage LT: 100 N/A N/A LT: 100 N/A YR3 Endline
LT: 80 LT: 80 Impact Survey firm
alphabet9 NLT: 100 NLT: YR5
NLT: 80 NLT: 80 Evaluation
(2018) 100
Percentage of teachers trained in ECU, DTT,
Start, Mid &
the reading readiness program 0 Classroom Master
New Percentage N/A N/A 0 0 75 75 end points
who implement the approach (2018) observation coaches /
of program
with high fidelity. Coaches
Intermediate Results Indicators
Cumulative Target Values
Baselin Responsibil
Proposed Unit of e YR1 YR5 Data Source/ ity for
Indicator Name YR2 YR3 YR4
change Measure July July July Decemb End Target Frequency
Methodology Data
July July
2015 201 2017 2018 2019
er Collection
6 2020
Modified
Number of direct project 1,200,000 Baseline Y1
endline, 0 0 500,000 900,000
beneficiaries10 (number) of Number N/A N/A 900,000 Midline Y3 EMIS, DOI ECU
Established F:0 F:0 F:50 F:50
which female (%) F:50 Endline Y5
midline
Component 1
Modified
Percentage of public primary
definition,
schools in the GPE II priority 88
established Percenta DESB, DPPE,
80 districts with SDPs school 0 N/A N/A N/A 50 80 80 Yearly DESB
baseline & ge ECU
development plans meeting
intermediate
minimum quality11
targets
9 Disaggregated by gender and ethnicity - Lao Tai (LT) vs. Non-Lao Tai (NLT) speakers
10 Disaggregated by gender
11 No changes to the methodology for evaluation criteria for the school develeopment plans (remains unmodified as described in the PAD)
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Modified
DESB, DPPE,
definition, Yearly
Percentage of public primary ECU
frequency, Baseline
schools receiving grants with Percenta 8.5 SABER SD DESB
methodology N/A 8.5 N/A N/A 80 80 YR2
budget information publicly ge (2017) baseline and ECU
responsibility Endline
available to communities endline
established YR5
survey
baseline
Modified DESB, DPPE,
Yearly
Percentage of supported VEDCs frequency ECU
Baseline
village education development methodology Percenta 99.4 SABER SD DESB
N/A 99.4 N/A N/A 100 100 YR2
committees meeting at least responsibility, ge (2017) baseline and ECU
Endline
twice per school year established endline
YR5
baseline survey
Modified
Number Percentage of VEDCs definition,
members receiving capacity measurement Number DESB, DPPE, DESB,
17,900
building on SBM school based unit, Percenta 0 0 60 90 100 100 Yearly ECU DPPE, DOP,
100
management disaggregated by responsibility ge GPE2 M&E ECU
gender intermediate
targets
Number Percentage of public Modified
primary schools whose principals definition,
Number
and head of schools have measurement 8,900
Percenta 0 0 60 90 100 100 Yearly GPE2 M&E MoES, DOP
received capacity building on unit, 100
ge
SBM school based management, intermediate
disaggregated by gender targets
Modified
GPE2 M&E,
Number Percentage of public definition, Number 8,900 8,90 8,90 Baseline
8,900 8,900 World Bank
primary schools receiving measurement Percenta 96 N/A 0 0 8,900 YR2 MoES, DOF
96 100 verification
government block grants unit, ge (2017) 96 100 Yearly
mechanism
established
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
baseline &
intermediate
targets
Number Percentage of public Modified GPE2 M&E
Number 5,50
primary schools receiving definition, 5,500 8,900 8,900 World Bank
Percenta 0 0 0 0 Yearly MoES, DOF
complementary GPE II block measurement 60 100 100 verification
ge 60
grants unit mechanism
Number of districts with annual Unchanged DESB GPE
costed district education Number N/A N/A 50 88 148 148 Yearly DESB Project
development plans M&E
Component 2
Percentage of trained principals and
PAs in pilot schools who observe Percenta PA in
Dropped N/A 80 Yearly DESB
lessons and provide feedback to ge DESB
teachers
Number of Grades 1 and 2 teachers
trained as a part of project GPE2
Dropped Number 0 400 Yearly DTTE
interventions, disaggregated by M&E
gender
Number of pilot schools provided with
GPE2
kit of instructional materials for Dropped Number 0 80 Yearly RIES
M&E
Grades 1 and 2
Number of pedagogical advisors and
school principals trained as a part of GPE2
Dropped Number 0 120 Yearly DTTE
project interventions, disaggregated M&E
by gender
Number of master coaches trained to
develop instructional materials, train GPE2
New Number 0 N/A N/A N/A 0 10 10 Yearly ECU, DTTE
coaches and teachers, and supervise M&E
the program implementation
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Number of Teacher Training Colleges’
faculty trained to coach and train GPE2
New Number 0 N/A N/A N/A 0 24 24 Yearly ECU, DTTE
teachers in applying the reading M&E
readiness approach.
Number of teachers trained by
coaches and master coaches in GPE2
New Number 0 N/A N/A N/A 0 127 127 Yearly ECU, DTTE
applying the reading readiness M&E
approach
Number of classrooms implementing Start, Mid
the reading readiness program & end GPE2
New Number 0 N/A N/A N/A 0 127 127 ECU, DTTE
provided with kit of instructional points of M&E
materials program
Evaluation framework for reading Unchanged
instruction in Lao language to ethnic
Framework GPE2
students developed and submitted to Yes / No No No No No No Yes Discrete ECU, RIES
submitted M&E
MoES the Ministry of Education and
Sports
Component 3
Modified
Number Percentage of trained definition,
District Education Sports Bureaus measurem
Number
that use the Financial Reporting ent unit, 148 148 148 148
Percenta 0 0 0 Yearly GPE2 M&E MoES, DOF
System officers trained in financial established 0 100 100 100
ge
management, disaggregated by baseline &
gender intermedia
te targets
Disability related indicator piloted for
Dropped Yes / No 0 No No No Yes Yearly EMIS EMIS
inclusion in sector statistics
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
ANNEX IV. OVERVIEW OF THE CHANGES TO GPE II COMPONENT COSTS
The restructuring envisions reallocations amounting to 32 percent of the grant, including 9% between components (6
percent (US$1 M) from Component 1 to Component 2, and 3 percent (US$ 0.5 M) from Component 3 to Component 2),
and 23% within Component 1 (from SBM training to SBG)
Original cost US$ (millions) Revised US$ (millions) Change US$ (millions)
Component 1 12.7 11.7 -1
Component 2 2.5 4 +1.5
Component 3 1.6 1.1 - 0.5
COMPONENT 1 - CHANGES
Activity/Subcomponent Original cost US$ (millions) Revised US$ (millions) Change US$ (millions)
School Block Grants 5.04 8.95 + 3.9
SBM training 6.4 1.5 - 4.9
COMPONENT 2 – CHANGES
Activity/Subcomponent Original cost US$ (millions) Revised US$ (millions) Change US$ (millions)
Reading intervention 4
Dropped as a standalone
study and integrated as an
Studies to support
2.5 interim analytical work + 1.5
interventions for ethnic
underpinning the reading
students
readiness program
development
COMPONENT 3 - CHANGES
Activity/Subcomponent Original cost US$ (millions) Revised US$ (millions) Change US$ (millions)
Project Management
1.6 1.1 -0.5
and M&E
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
ANNEX V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE CHANGES TO GPE II COMPONENTS, ACTIVITIES AND COSTS
Costs
# Component, subcomponents, activities
Restructuring Original (PAD and cost tabs)
1 Component 1 SBM and SBG (total cost) 11,699,950 12,700,000
Number of priority districts 88 80
Number of schools 5,760 5,342
Number of kindergartens 1,512 1,349
Number of children in kindergartens,
580,147 540,648
preprimary and primary schools
Non-priority districts 60 68
Number of schools 2,853 3,271
Number of kindergartens 1,118 1,281
Number of children in kindergartens,
353,347 392,846
preprimary and primary schools
1.1 SBM training 1,500,000 6,378,000
1.1.1. SBM initial capacity building (costs) 1,350,000 6,378,000
Presentation materials replicating the main
chapters of the 2 volumes of SBM guidelines.
Presentation materials developed specifically for
the training, Resource materials: 2 volumes of SBM
guidelines and 1 volume of SBG guidelines
Additional resource materials: 2 volumes of SBM
guidelines and 1 volume of SBG guidelines. Training materials cover the following topics:
SBM training content Education Sector Management; Education
Presentations cover the following topics: Sector Development Plan, Sector Statistics,
Education quality standards, Roles of Village Education Indicators at national, provincial,
Education Development Committees, Self- district and village levels, Education quality
Assessment, School development Plans, School standards, Roles of Provinces, roles of Districts,
Block Grants Roles of Village Education Development
Committees, Self-Assessment, School
development Plans, School Block Grants
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Costs
# Component, subcomponents, activities
Restructuring Original (PAD and cost tabs)
Cascade training: 10 central master trainers
Flat type, 110 master trainers train 36 provincial
train 18 provincial trainers who train 296
officers, 592 district officers, 8600 school principals
SBM training design district officials who train 8600 school
and 17200 village education development
principals and 17200 village education
committee members
development committee members
3 days in total
2 days training for school principals and district
officers.
2 week break for school principals to draft school
10 days (lecturing, no specific deliverable
SBM training duration development plan jointly with village education
required from trainees)
development committee members.
Third day training for school principals and village
education development committee members –
review and discussion of SDPs
Phase 1 – GPE II priority districts in year 1 of
GPE implementation.
SBM training coverage All districts, starting with GPE II priority districts
Phase 2 – GPE II non-priority districts in the
final year
SBM training and recruitment of 110 SBM
1.1.2 100,000 NA
trainers
1.1.3 SBM and SBG study tour 50,000 NA
1.2 SBG financial reporting system (FRS) 790,000 20,000
1.2.1 FRS training 670,000 20,000
PESS, DESB officers
Combines training on SBG FRS, refresher training on PESS, DESB officers trained on FRS
FRS training content and target
SBM and SBG, instructions for DESB support visits
to schools and use of
1.2.1 SBG FRS Software Upgrade 120,000 NA
1.3 SBGs 8,917,950 5,040,000
US$ per capita SBG for primary schools 3.75 2.50
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Costs
# Component, subcomponents, activities
Restructuring Original (PAD and cost tabs)
US$ per capita SBG for preprimary classes 6.25 1.88
US$ per capita SBG for kindergartens 1.88 1.88
SBG for primary schools (including attached
1.3.1 7,273,594 4,650,000
preprimary groups)
1.3.1.1 priory districts (3 transfers) 6,118,654 3,612,500
1.3.1.2 non- priority (1 transfer) 1,154,940 1,037,500
1.3.2 SBG for kindergartens 517,804 390,000
1.3.2.1 priory districts (3 transfers) 396,045 270,000
1.3.2.2 non- priority (1 transfer) 121,759 120,000
1.3.3 Earmarked school grant (ESG) 1,126,552 NA (see point 1.5)
Money channeled to schools for reimbursing DESB
officers for 2 annual SBM and SBG support visits in
ESG target and purpose case DESB officers visit them and provide the NA
required support (converts 3/4 of the original DESB
grants to ESG)
PESS grants 18 provinces (US$ 3000 per
1.4 162,000 162,000
PESS per year)
1.5 DESB grants 330,000 1,100,000
DESB grants annual amount US$ 1,000 US$ 3,660
Three annual payments to 88 priority districts Three annual payment to 80 priority districts
DESB grants timeline
One annual payment to 60 non-priority districts One annual payment to 68 non-priority districts
Block grant supporting general operating costs for
GPE II related activities. DESB receive additional
proceeds from the ESG only if they visit schools and
DESB grants target and purpose Block grant supporting general operating costs
provide the required support to schools and VEDCs
on relevant topics, priority given to topics related
to SBM, SDP and SBG
Component 2 (Reading Development and
2 4,000,000 2,500,000
Assessment Capacity)
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
Costs
# Component, subcomponents, activities
Restructuring Original (PAD and cost tabs)
Target schools/preschools 127 80
5-year olds in preprimary preparatory groups or
Target children Students in Grades 1 and 2
kindergartens
Local and International TA for RR
2.1 700,000 1,200,000
development and implementation
2.2 Impact evaluation data collection 150,000 (endline only) 250,000 (baseline and endline)
2.3 RR impact evaluation design NA (ECE project IE) 50,000
Direct implementation costs (printing
materials, training of master coaches,
2.4 coaches, and teachers, continuous coaching 3,150,000 1,000,000
of teachers, classroom observations and
process monitoring)
Component 3 (Management M&E
3 1,100,000 1,600,000
Contingency)
Sub-component Project Management (incl.
3.1 540,000 1,040,000
workshops)
Sub-component M&E (including sector wide
3.2 560,000 560,000
monitoring)
The World Bank
Second Global Partnership for Education (P149130)
ANNEX VI. OVERVIEW OF EDUCATION SECTOR FINANCING, PLANNING AND COORDINATION
1. Government expenditures on education
Over the period 2010/11–2015/16 the actual budget allocation for the education sector has increased more than 2.3
times, while the share of the education sector expenditure in the total domestic primary budget of Lao PDR has been
following a modest upward trend until the peak reached in 2015/2016:
2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16
Actual budget allocated for education in billion LAK 1,730 2,009 3,302 3,942 3,714 4,001
Actual share of education sector in the State Budget 13.2% 13.0% 14.5% 15.5% 14.6% 18,4%
Since 2015, however, the fiscal situation in the country has been confronted with strong headwinds of lower than expected
economic growth, slump in domestic revenue, growing public debt, further confounded by budgetary commitments
around infrastructure mega-projects (such as the high-speed railroad connection with China). The period 2015-2017 have
seen significant contraction of the overall public spending envelope. The GoL has recently revised its mid-term fiscal
framework (MTFF) 2016-2020 to adapt to lower GDP growth forecast and domestic revenue projections. However, in this
grave context of expenditure restraints, the GoL has managed to ring-fence the education budget, which explains its surge
in proportion of domestic expenditure in 2015/16 (18.4 percent compared to the national target of 17 percent). The latest
available actual budget execution data for 2015/16 (including Overseas Development Aid, or ODA) is presented in the
table below, indicating that education expenditure has overpassed the target of 17% percent share of education budget
in the total domestic primary budget.
2015/16 Actual Education Expenditure and Financing Gap
2015/18
ESDP financing requirements 4,416
Actual expenditure 4,000
Actual education share in domestic primary expenditure 18.4%
Financing gap (billion LAK) 416
Financing gap (US$ million) 49
Source: Budget execution data (MOES), ESDP Financing Plan and revised MTFF 2016-2020 (MoF)
Section V of the Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP) for 2016-2020, approved by the GoL in November 2015,
provides a summary of the resources and financial requirements for implementation of the plan. In line with the adjusted
MTFF, the ESDP projections for 2017-2020 are currently being updated based on the last mid-term macro fiscal
projections. The ESDP financing gap is likely to increase, unless a number of ESDP policy targets are revised downward.
The MOES, which has already started to work on this scenario, is taking important steps to increase budget efficiency,
notably with the establishment of a Planning and Budgeting Committee as a platform for enhanced strategic allocation of
resources, and a Teacher Allocation Committee to address the deployment inefficiencies burdening the education budget.
2. Non-wage education expenditures
As highlighted above, the GoL has kept up to their promise of allocating at least 17 percent of the budget to the education
sector in 2015/16. This percentage, however, hides a persistent discrepancy between the main categories of expenditure,
and particularly the wage and non-wage funding in the sector. Regular and substantial public wage increases, decided
outside the influence and control of MOES, have been continuously crowding out the required non-wage recurrent
expenditures. In 2015/16, the wages represented about 75% of the education recurrent budget, or even more when
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certain staff allowances are added to it. It is widely recognized that there are significant inefficiencies in the management
of this part of the budget, in particular teacher deployment. In terms of wage budget for education in the total budget of
the country, the data for 2015/16 shows that education sector received 23.1 percent of the national wage budget and 10
percent of the non-wage recurrent and investment budgets.
The 2017 budget, however, have seen encouraging improvements across all budget indicators when compared to
2015/16. The share of wages in 2017 has increases only modestly by 0.4 percent to 23.5 percent, while the education non-
wage recurrent to the total non-wage recurrent funding has leaped by more than 1.5 percent to 12.3 percent. The only
shares that dropped were the investment expenditure and the domestic capital expenditures. The table below shows a
comparison between 2015/16 and 2017 budget ratios:
Approved budget 2015/16 2017 % change
Education recurrent to primary recurrent budget 17.9% 19.2% 1.30%
Education wages to total budget wages 23.1% 23.5% 0.40%
Education non-wage recurrent to total non-wage recurrent 10.1% 12.3% 2.20%
Education investment to total investment (including ODA) 9.0% 5.0% -4.00%
Education domestic capital to total domestic capital 6.5% 3.1% -3.40%
Education Chapter 62 to total Chapter 62 (operating costs) 10.8% 12.4% 1.60%
Education Chapter 63 to total Chapter 63 (equipment) 7.5% 9.6% 2.10%
Education Chapter 66 to total Chapter 66 (capital) 3.1% 4.7% 1.60%
Source: Budgetary Policy Note, Annex V, 2017, EU, Lao PDR
The main non-wage expenditure of non-tertiary education sub-sectors is channeled through per capita based school block
grants (SBGs) that cover kindergartens, preprimary classrooms, primary, lower- and upper secondary, and technical and
vocational schools.
Ring-fencing non-wage expenditure for education against the backdrop of tightening fiscal space has been possible due
to the agreement between the World Bank and the GoL on the targeted use of the proceeds from the energy sales from
the World Bank financed and state-owned Nham Theun 2 (NT2) dam. The GoL has earmarked the proceeds for supporting
key poverty reduction programs, including the non-wage school block grants (SBGs) for the education sector as per the
table below:
FY17 US$ M
NT2 proceeds allocation across poverty reduction FY15/16 US$ M Allocation and Disbursement
allocations
programs
Allocated Disbursed Undisbursed Allocated
Public Investment Projects 18.8 15.8 2.95 18.1
School Block Grants 7.5 7.5 0 7.2
Free Maternal and Child Health Scheme 3.1 3.1 0 3.0
Health Equity Fund 8.3 1.8 6.5 22.1
Total Poverty Reduction Programs 18.9 12.4 6.5 32.4
Total 37.7 28.25 9.5 50.5
Source: World Bank and Ministry of Finance
The NT2 earmarked allocations have ensured availability of stable funding sources for SBGs, which triggered the 2016
MOES resolution to significantly increase the per capita school block grant amounts, compared to the levels the GoL
committed to at the time of GPE II approval in 2015. Effective 2016, the per capita SBGs have been increased as follows:
LAK 50,000 per child in kindergartens/crèches (compared to LAK 15,000 commitment at GPEII approval)
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LAK 50,000 per student in preprimary preparatory group (compared to LAK 15,000 commitment at GPEII approval)
LAK 70,000 per student in primary education (compared to LAK 20,000 commitment at GPEII approval)
LAK 100,000 per student in lower and upper secondary education and TVET
Further, MOES has set mid-term targets for further increase of per capita SBGs amounts as follows:
LAK 100,000 per student in kindergartens/crèches, preprimary preparatory groups and primary education
LAK 150,000 per student in lower and upper secondary education and TVET
The GPE II restructuring increases slightly the per capita amounts of the complementary SBGs to achieve the above targets
of LAK 100,000 per student and child in primary/preprimary education. The GPEII baseline data collection conducted in
February/March 2017 in a national representative sample of primary schools found that:
96% of the sample public schools received SBGs
The reported amounts were in the range between LAK 50,000 and LAK 80,000 in 2015/16, on average LAK 54,716 per
student
3. Education funding by subsectors
Over the five-year period 2010-2015 the total funding for education more than doubled (from LAK 1,596 billion to LAK
3,741 billion). Preschool funding rose from LAK 57 billion to LAK 178 billion, while funding for primary education
increased from LAK 283 billion to LAK 1,404 billion. In terms of relative share of the subsectors within the total education
funding, the total ECE subsector spending share increased modestly from 4 percent to 5 percent, while the total primary
subsector expenditure rose from a relatively low 18 percent base in 2010 to 38 percent in 2015.
No Sub sectors 2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015
Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total
1 ECE 55 57 28 31 36 56 94 114 99 101 109 178
2 Primary 279 283 316 659 342 732 1,093 1,183 1,142 1,247 1,066 1,404
3 Lower Secondary 106 118 146 215 173 273 451 497 467 547 489 504
4 Upper Secondary 106 123 146 250 154 302 383 463 398 436 405 425
5 TVET 26 33 37 196 47 163 85 208 99 185 101 104
6 Teacher Education 27 27 38 47 52 66 81 98 88 110 80 82
7 Higher Education 69 238 71 172 109 184 173 273 188 316 196 238
8 Non-Formal Education 5 6 12 30 12 29 20 26 21 37 14 18
9 Administration 169 711 166 210 179 252 891 935 436 922 564 787
10 Sport 0 0 0 0 6 10 4 14 0 50 1 1
Total 842 1,596 960 1,808 1,112 2,066 3,274 3,812 2,939 3,952 3,024 3,741
Source: MOES
2009/2010 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 2014/2015
No Sub sectors
Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total Recurrent Total
1 ECE 7% 4% 3% 2% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 3% 4% 5%
2 Primary 33% 18% 33% 36% 31% 35% 33% 31% 39% 32% 35% 38%
3 Lower Secondary 13% 7% 15% 12% 16% 13% 14% 13% 16% 14% 16% 13%
4 Upper Secondary 13% 8% 15% 14% 14% 15% 12% 12% 14% 11% 13% 11%
5 TVET 3% 2% 4% 11% 4% 8% 3% 5% 3% 5% 3% 3%
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6 Teacher Education 3% 2% 4% 3% 5% 3% 2% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2%
7 Higher Education 8% 15% 7% 10% 10% 9% 5% 7% 6% 8% 6% 6%
8 Non-Formal Education 1% 0% 1% 2% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 1% 0% 0%
9 Administration 20% 45% 17% 12% 16% 12% 27% 25% 15% 23% 19% 21%
10 Sport 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0% 0% 0% 1% 0% 0%
Total 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Source: MOES
4. Education Sector Development Plan (ESDP) 2016-2020.
The 2016-2020 ESDP was approved by the Lao PDR Education Sector Working Group (ESWG) in November 2015, even
though there are no formal minutes of the meeting. The ESWG’s Focal Group 3 (in charge of development, monitoring
and reporting of ESDP) has had regular meetings that have endorsed and recommended further refinement of the ESDP
key performance indicators (KIP), it has reviewed, consulted and generally endorsed the Performance Monitoring
Framework and the ESDP’s draft Annual Performance Monitoring Reports (APMRs), as well as the subsector APMRs.