The World Bank Report No: ISR8964 Implementation Status & Results Lesotho EFA Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund Grant for Lesotho (P116426) Public Disclosure Copy Operation Name: EFA Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund Grant for Lesotho Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 4 Status: ARCHIVED Archive Date: 01-Jan-2013 (P116426) Country: Lesotho Approval FY: 2010 Product Line: Recipient Executed Activities Region: AFRICA Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Implementing Agency(ies): Key Dates Board Approval Date 30-Jun-2010 Original Closing Date 31-May-2013 Planned Mid Term Review Date 24-Sep-2012 Last Archived ISR Date 23-Apr-2012 Effectiveness Date 01-Nov-2010 Revised Closing Date 31-May-2013 Actual Mid Term Review Date 26-Nov-2012 Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objective is to provide improved facilities at existing primary schools, support and contribute to expand access to pre-primary education and support improvements in quality of teaching. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No Component(s) Component Name Component Cost Component 1: Improve the Quality of Primary School Infrastructure 12.60 Component 2: Support and Contribution to the Expansion of Pre-Primary Education 2.00 Component 3: Contribution to Improvements in Quality of Teaching 10.60 Overall Ratings Public Disclosure Copy Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Unsatisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Unsatisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Implementation Status Overview This report was prepared after the November 26 to December 7, 2012, mission and reflects the discussions held and agreements reached during the Project’s Mid-term Review (MTR), which took place during this period. The ratings for Progress towards achievement of the project development objective (DO), and implementation progress (IP) are Moderately Unsatisfactory and Moderately Page 1 of 6 The World Bank Report No: ISR8964 Satisfactory, respectively. While overall implementation of project activities improved since the last ISR, this was not yet sufficient for satisfactory progress regarding the project’s impact. Project implementation is fully mainstreamed in the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET), and although this is a step in the right direction, it has proven very challenging. During the MTR, the Bank and MoET teams engaged in the process of identifying bottlenecks and solutions to accelerate implementation and improve project outcomes, considering two possible scenarios: (i) project closure on May 31, 2013, as per Grant Agreement, and (ii) a possible 18 months extension to reach the Project PDO. A set of benchmarks which Public Disclosure Copy would trigger the extension was also discussed. Below is a summary of the status of each Component. Component 1: Improve the quality of primary school infrastructure The project was expected to finance the construction and refurbishment of 330 new classrooms and 100 toilet blocks (corresponding to 64 schools) and to furnish the new classrooms while taking into account issues of gender and disability. Civil works were to take place in the 10 districts of Lesotho, through 3 batches. So far, civil works are on-going in 11 schools of one batch, with progress at the 45%. Thus progress towards achievement of DO is rated Unsatisfactory for this component. Nonetheless, the efforts made to speed up implementation in the past 6 months were significant and thus, IP is rated Moderately Satisfactory. Component 2: Support and contribution to the expansion of pre-primary education This component aimed to support 100 existing and 20 new reception classes by financing the services of care givers, procurement of learning materials, and procurement of catering services. It is expected having reached approximately 3,600 children at project closing. Although implementation of this component has started late, implementation was able to catch up and both DO and IP ratings are Satisfactory for this component. Component 3: Contributions to improvement in quality of teaching This component finances a set of quality driven interventions by (i) conducting analytical work to understand the conditions of education service delivery, teaching, and learning (school resources survey, classroom-based observation, skills profiles and training needs, and assessment of student outcomes measurement); (ii) assisting in increasing the qualification level of the teaching force in ‘difficult’ schools (these are schools located in the most remote and/or difficult to access areas of the country) by attracting and/or retaining more qualified teachers in targeted schools through incentives and/or upgrading the qualifications of teachers working there; (iii) providing additional in-service teacher training aimed at improving literacy and numeracy teaching; and (iv) providing textbooks in core subjects and for grades 4 to 7 where there are deficits and learning materials for the implementation of the new curricula. Progress towards achievement of DO and IP have been uneven, and thus, both are rated MS for this component. While activities such as the implementation of the teachers’ incentives schemes are moving at a regular pace, and procurement of textbooks is on target, activities around curricula revision and in-service teacher training are lagging behind. Key Decisions for Disclosure The following were the major agreements made during the MTR regarding moving forward: (i) the Project Development Objective (PDO) remains valid and achievable; (ii) MoET would like to pursue an 18 months extension of the project in order to achieve the PDO; (iii) a tracking system for monitoring submission and processing of contracts will be put in place. The Bank is currently reviewing this request. The following benchmarks were agreed to be submitted by MoET to the Bank by January 31, 2013: (i) strategic technical assistance to support implementation and business process; (ii) all units of MoET to jointly revise the implementation arrangement section of the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) emphasizing roles, accountabilities, streamlining procedures (e.g.: coordination of Planning and Procurement units); (iii) restructuring proposal; (iv) analysis of alternative civil works modalities; (v) reconciled Statement of Expenditure and approved Withdrawal Application, conditional on the Bank assisting in approving and entering eligible contracts in the system. Public Disclosure Copy Locations No Location data has been entered Results Project Development Objective Indicators Page 2 of 6 The World Bank Report No: ISR8964 Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Direct project beneficiaries Number Value 0.00 3000.00 24600.00 Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Public Disclosure Copy Comments Indicator lagging behind. Female beneficiaries Percentage Value 0.00 75.00 55.00 Sub Type Supplemental Classrooms constructed by the project meeting Percentage Value 0.00 3.00 100.00 the agreed standards Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target off track. Enrollment in reception classes supported by Number Value 0.00 2760.00 3600.00 the project Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Decline in shortfall of classrooms at primary Percentage Value 0.00 10.00 330.00 level Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target off track. Repetition rate (grade 1) Percentage Value 26.00 24.20 23.00 Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Qualified teachers (from total number covered Number Value 0.00 0.00 1600.00 by the project) retained or attracted to difficult Date 01-Nov-2010 05-Dec-2011 schools Comments 0.0 for first year (indicator on track with activities already started). Decline in shortfall of qualified teachers at Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 10.10 primary level Date 01-Nov-2010 05-Dec-2011 Comments 0.0 for first year (indicator on Public Disclosure Copy track with activities already started). Intermediate Results Indicators Page 3 of 6 The World Bank Report No: ISR8964 Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Number of additional classrooms built or Number Value 0.00 0.00 330.00 rehabilitated at the primary level resulting from Date 01-Nov-2010 05-Dec-2011 Public Disclosure Copy project interventions. Comments Target not met for the first year (33 classrooms). Toilet blocks constructed Number Value 0.00 4.00 100.00 Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target off track. Classrooms furnished Number Value 0.00 0.00 330.00 Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target off track. Reception classes supported Number Value 0.00 120.00 120.00 Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target met . Teachers in difficult schools targeted by the Number Value 0.00 760.00 800.00 project receiving a grant Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target close to be met. Number of additional qualified primary teachers Number Value 0.00 0.00 800.00 resulting from project interventions. Date 01-Nov-2010 05-Dec-2011 Comments Indicator on track-first year setup indicator scheme. Teachers and principals in grade 1 to 3 Number Value 0.00 0.00 4450.00 targeted by the project that were trained in Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 teaching methods adapted to the new Comments Target off track. curriculum Textbooks purchased and distributed by the Number Value 0.00 6500.00 13300.00 project Date 01-Nov-2010 05-Dec-2011 Public Disclosure Copy Comments Target for the first year surpassed (3,300) System for learning assessment at the primary Yes/No Value Yes Yes Yes level Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target for sub-indicator has already been exceeded. Utility of the learning assessment system Number Value 3.00 3.00 3.00 Page 4 of 6 The World Bank Report No: ISR8964 Sub Type Supplemental Teachers in difficult schools targeted by the Amount(USD) Value 0.00 380.00 800.00 Public Disclosure Copy project enrolled in training programs Date 01-Nov-2010 07-Dec-2012 31-May-2013 Comments Target off track. Data on Financial Performance (as of 13-Nov-2012) Financial Agreement(s) Key Dates Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Original Closing Date Revised Closing Date P116426 TF-97043 Effective 25-Aug-2010 25-Aug-2010 01-Nov-2010 31-May-2013 31-May-2013 Disbursements (in Millions) Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P116426 TF-97043 Effective USD 20.00 20.00 0.00 1.43 18.57 7.00 Disbursement Graph Public Disclosure Copy Key Decisions Regarding Implementation The following were the major agreements made during the MTR regarding moving forward: (i) the Project Development Objective (PDO) remains valid and achievable; (ii) MoET would like to pursue an 18 months extension of the project in order to achieve the PDO; (iii) a tracking system for monitoring submission and processing of contracts will be put in Page 5 of 6 The World Bank Report No: ISR8964 place. The Bank is currently reviewing this request. The following benchmarks were agreed to be submitted by MoET to the Bank by January 31, 2013: (i) strategic technical assistance to support implementation and business process; (ii) all units of MoET to jointly revise the implementation arrangement section of the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) emphasizing roles, accountabilities, streamlining procedures (e.g.: coordination of Planning and Procurement units); (iii) restructuring proposal; (iv) analysis of alternative civil works modalities; (v) reconciled Statement of Expenditure and approved Withdrawal Application, conditional on the Bank assisting in approving and entering eligible contracts in the system. Public Disclosure Copy Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Projects There are no related projects. Public Disclosure Copy Page 6 of 6