38197 October 2006 · Issue 1 Results in Action A regular series of notes highlighting recent lessons emerging from the operational and analytical program of the World Bank`s Latin America and Caribbean Region. El Salvador Rural Schools Triple Enrollment and Deliver Higher Quality Featured Project coverage: the number of students attending rural El Salvador Secondary Education Project (P041680) secondary schools tripled from 7,160 in 1999 to Approval Date: 08/28/1997 21,593 in 2005. Enrollment was increased through Closing Date: 12/31/2005 offering means-tested scholarships, new classroom Total project amount USD 77 mil construction, and development of distance learning. Loan amount USD 58 mil Between 1999 and 2005, 6,156 scholarships were Task Team Leaders: Andrea Guedes and Joel Reyes awarded to students from poor families, allowing 5,328 of the recipients (87%) to finish secondary education. Construction of 106 new classrooms Education requires sustained and well-sequenced provided space to enroll 4,686 new students, and efforts to bring about tangible results. The recently another 354 classrooms were added through the completed Secondary Education Project in El Sal- distance education component, benefiting over vador builds upon earlier programs designed to 19,000 students around the country. However, this improve both the coverage increase of enrollment at and quality of primary edu- the secondary level would cation and has been suc- have been impossible cessful in achieving similar without the previous improvements at the sec- success of the EDUCO ondary level. It produced program that expanded these results despite a se- access to a complete cycle ries of natural disasters that of primary education in occurred during project rural areas and improved implementation (Hurricane primary completion rates to Mitch in 1998 and earth- around 90%. quakes in 2001). Quality of education outcomes was also enhanced in With the support of this project, gross enrollment a measurable way. Test results show improvements rates in secondary education in El Salvador in learning achievements in mathematics and increased from 34.5% in 1998 to 46.1% in 2005, language for both public and private schools. In exceeding the target rate of 40% envisaged at public schools, the percentage of students achieving the start. Rural areas saw the greatest growth in intermediate or superior levels in mathematics increased from 38% in 2002 to 46% in 2005. mechanism to schools and to the Ministry of In language, performance increased from 58% Education. to 68% in the same period. A similar trend was found in private schools. This improvement in Looking back, the following factors have learning outcomes was obtained through teacher contributed to the success of the Secondary training, curriculum development linked to labor Education Project in El Salvador: market skills, establishing standards for private schools and improving the M&E methodology and 1. Strong country ownership and long term vi- infrastructure. The new curriculum gives secondary sion. The Ministry of Education had clear, long level students a choice between a two year general term goals for reforming the education system in academic program and a three year technical/ the country and was able to maintain this vision vocational program with a strong focus on labor over time through political change and external market skills. 4,500 teachers were trained through shocks. The project therefore was part of a well a decentralized in-service teacher training system, articulated sequence of measures, building on which in turn relied on a self-diagnostic instrument earlier successes and preparing ground for future in each secondary school (PEI ­ Proyecto work. The Ministry managed the project directly, Educativo Institucional). The project also financed without a PIU, which meant that no institutional rehabilitation of 117 schools and setting up 149 memory was lost with project closure. learning resource centers, 365 libraries and 162 science laboratories in secondary schools, all of 2. Involving stakeholders. The continuity of the which improved the quality of educational resources program was based on the broad based support available to students and teachers. from schools and families, who were involved in decision-making through a variety of mecha- nisms (e.g., Proyecto Educativo Institucional that allowed schools to self-diagnose their needs and work out proposals for improvements; school- based projects that allowed students to make an input into curriculum reform; etc.). 3. Focus on Results. The project was one of the first in the Region to focus on outcomes rather than outputs, and that also helped to maintain to the strategic vision over time and through many tactical adjustments. Availability of reliable data was key in this process, and the Government was willing to collect and use such data from the very An important part of improving the quality of beginning of the project. education in El Salvador was the development of a national student assessment test (PAES), which About this Series has been taken by all graduating secondary students The "Results in Action" series showcases LCR since 1998. Test score data are used to analyze the operations and AAA that have produced good results factors that influence student achievement and to and highlights how they have achieved these. The compare learning outcomes over time and across series appears monthly. For more information contact Alan Carroll at acarroll@worldbank.org or Tatiana schools, thus providing an important feedback Proskurykova at tproskurykova@worldbank.org "en breve" is produced by the Knowledge Team of the Operations Services Department of the Latin America and the Caribbean Region of the World Bank - http://www.worldbank.org/lac