The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage ( ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 06/23/2023 | Report No: ESRSC03652 Aug 08, 2023 Page 1 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Operation Data Operation ID Product Operation Acronym Approval Fiscal Year P181063 Investment Project Financing (IPF) PEQIP 2024 Operation Name Primary Education Quality Improvement Project Country/Region Code Beneficiary country/countries Region Practice Area (Lead) (borrower, recipient) Congo, Democratic Congo, Democratic Republic of EASTERN AND Other Republic of SOUTHERN AFRICA Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Democratic Republic Ministry of Primary, Secondary and 17-Jul-2023 31-Oct-2023 of Congo Technical Education Estimated Concept Total Project Cost Review Date Public Disclosure 20-Jun-2023 69,000,000.00 Proposed Development Objective To increase access to improved learning environments, and strengthen the quality of teaching practices and system management. B. Is the operation being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project Activities The Government of DRC rolled out its flagship policy on free primary education in 2019. This was the first high-level political commitment to the education sector in four decades. According to the Constitution, primary education is compulsory and free in public schools, but the education system has been dependent on fees charged to households since 1980s. In 2021, there were approximately 20.2 million children enrolled in primary education (including 17.9 million in public schools), across more than 59,000 schools staffed by nearly 460,000 teachers. The implementation of the free schooling policy led to an immediate surge in enrollment: between the academic years 2020-2021 and 2018- 2019, the number of students enrolled in public schools increased by an annual average of 12.3 percent. Despite these Aug 08, 2023 Page 2 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) strides, low completion rates indicate that many children are still out of school and that coverage is not yet universal. Important disparities exist: (i) across provinces, the gross intake ratio to last grade of primary education varies between 44 percent (Kasai Oriental) and 102 percent (Mai-ndombe); and (ii) between female and male students, with girls less likely than boys to complete primary education and go on to lower secondary. In addition, education quality is low, and the DRC faces a learning crisis: in Grade 2, 26 percent of children reach the minimum sufficient threshold on the national language proficiency, and 91 percent are below the minimum threshold in mathematics. In Grade 4, 16 percent of children have the minimum reading proficiency in French, and 97 percent of children score below the minimum level in mathematics. As a result, at late primary age, only 97 percent of children in DRC are not proficient in reading. There are several factors which affect access and learning outcomes in DRC. First, primary-level classrooms are over-crowded: there were 55 children per classroom in Grade 1 in 2019-2020, compared to 49 in 2018-2019. Primary schools are too far and too few, leading to long travel time and more risk, especially for girls. Second, learning materials and physical infrastructure are limited and inadequate. In addition, household poverty makes it more difficult for families to send children to school and increases the opportunity cost of schooling. With regards to teaching, teaching conditions and incentives are not adequate to attract and keep most skilled teachers. Currently, only a small share of teachers master the curriculum they are meant to be teaching and effective professional development is limited. Further, women are under-represented in the teaching profession (32% of primary teachers are women). At the system-level, the collection, production and use of data need to be improved to better inform decision-making. Finally, while education spending has increased, spending efficiency needs to be improved. The proposed Project would be implemented over a four-year period using an investment project financing (IPF) modality. In order to benefit from systems and complementary activities that have been strengthened and are being implemented under other Bank-financed operations, the Project would focus on five of the nine provinces targeted by the DRC Country Partnership Framework, which are also targeted Public Disclosure under the current DRC Girls' Learning and Empowerment Project (GLEP, P178684). The proposed project is designed to address the four factors that impact learning - learners, school inputs, teachers and system strengthening– using three complementary strategies: assessing learning, acting on evidence to make schools work for all learners, and aligning actors to make the whole system work for learning. Component 1: Improving Access to Quality, Girl-Friendly and Inclusive Primary Learning Environments The objective of this component is to improve access to quality learning environments that are also inclusive for girls and children with disabilities. In the most disadvantaged areas of the focus provinces, the project will finance the construction, furnishing and equipping of 420 disabled-accessible and eco- sensitive classrooms; as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene in 270 existing schools. The infrastructure will be built to mitigate the risks posed by climate change and natural hazards, including strategically located rooms that can serve as shelters in times of crisis. Component 2: Improving Teacher Effectiveness The objective of this component is to improve teaching effectiveness through the provision of essential teaching-learning materials for Grades 5 and 6; building the capacities of these teachers in key teaching-learning practices; ensuring that procedures and capacities are in place for teachers to be hired, evaluated and promoted on the basis of professional standards; and generating information on the quality of teaching-learning practices and learning outcomes for policy development. Sub-component 2.1: Strengthening classroom instruction The following activities will be financed through this subcomponent: i) procurement and distribution of textbooks and a teacher’s guides in French, Mathematics and Sciences for Grades 5 and 6 in all primary schools countrywide, ii) acquisition and distribution of locked cupboard for safe storage of textbooks and guidebooks, iii) production and distribution of printed guidance on the effective use and management of the textbooks and guidebooks, iv) training of inspectors, school directors and school teachers in five provinces, and v) technical assistance to analyze constraint on the timely production and distribution on textbooks at national level and the development of national policy on textbooks. Sub-component 2.2: Supporting Teacher Effectiveness Reforms The subcomponent includes the following activities: implementation of merit-based recruitment, ii) technical assistance for development of a specific strategy to promote women access and retention to the teaching profession, and iii) capacity- Aug 08, 2023 Page 3 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) building for provincial education officials on revised professional standards and evaluation criteria and mechanisms. Sub-component 2.3: Conducting Measurement of Students' Learning The subcomponent includes the following activities: i) dissemination of the result of the 2021 learning assessment evaluation and TA for the development of remediation strategy and budgeted actions plan, ii) operational activities to conduct a learning assessment in Grades 2, 4, and 6, iii) portion of DRC’s participation cost to the PASEC 2024 regional learning assessments exercise, and iv) classroom observations at the primary level. Component 3: Systems Strengthening and Project Management The objective of this component is to strengthen i) data systems to improve the availability and use of administrative and learning outcomes data, ii) gender-sensitive planning, monitoring and reporting at decentralized level and iii) capacities to achieve project results. Support will be provided to complement activities that will be funded through the GPE- System Capacity Grant (SCG). Sub-component 3.1: Strengthening management information The subcomponent will finance the following activities: i) capacity building and operational activities to produce the National Statistical Yearbook for the academic years 2024-2025 to 2026-2027, ii) technical assistance and training for the development and use of user-friendly school report cards, and iii) technical assistance as well as consultative and advocacy activities to develop for approval, a policy for the regular financing of the annual data collection exercise for the statistical yearbook. Sub-component 3.2: Strengthening gender-sensitive sector planning, policy, and monitoring To strengthen gender- sensitive strategic analysis and planning, the project will finance technical assistance, capacity building and consultative activities to support the MEPST to identify gender-related barriers on education participation and performance; and develop rolling budgeted action plans to address these constraints. In this perspective, the project will finance diagnostic activities to better document and analyze the dynamics in the production of gender inequalities, for the recruitment and retention of women teachers in the system. To ensure sustainability of interventions/activities, the latter will be embedded into the next Education Sector Strategy budgeted action plans and government medium term Public Disclosure budgetary framework. Finally, the project will finance part of the training of staff at provincial level on gender-sensitive analysis, planning, monitoring and reporting with a view to strengthening implementation of the government’s policy to decentralize planning and management of the education system. Sub-component 3.3: Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation The objective of this sub-component is to ensure capacities and systems are in place to achieve project results while adhering to corporate safeguards and requirements, including those pertaining to fiduciary functions and monitoring, reporting and evaluation. This subcomponent will finance project operating costs, including inter alia personnel costs associated with hiring/seconding staff and contracting technical assistance for the Project Coordination Team (PCT), equipment, supervision costs and incremental operating costs at departments working on project implementation. The subcomponent will also finance activities for monitoring, and reporting, including an overall project evaluation. Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response (CERC) D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1 Overview of Environmental and Social Project Settings D.1. Detailed operation location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The proposed Project would be implemented over a four-year period using a grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE). The Project would focus on five of the nine provinces targeted by the DRC CPF, which are also targeted under the current DRC Girls' Learning and Empowerment Project (GLEP, P178684). These provinces are: Ituri, Kasai, Kasai Central, Kasai Oriental and South Kivu, however, at this stage of preparation, the specific project locations have not been identified yet. Relevant activities financed under the project include: The re-construction/rehabilitation of existing classrooms and other infrastructures within the footprint of existing schools, furnishing, and equipping of 420 disabled-accessible and eco-sensitive classrooms; as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene in 270 schools in Aug 08, 2023 Page 4 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) disadvantaged communities. These activities will target two categories of disadvantaged communities, (i)where there is no school within a 30-minute walk and (ii) to replace existing classrooms made of temporary materials (straw or mud bricks) and to increase the number of classrooms in the communities. These activities may will likely carry environmental and social risks and impacts that include: EHS risks and community health and safety risks/impacts, waste generation, soil erosion and runoff, traffic safety risks, social conflict and exclusion, risks of SEA/SH for beneficiaries, labor issues, discriminatory employment, and etc. All five provinces targeted under the project have National parks and reserves or are adjacent to one: Park Kahuzi Biega (South Kivu), the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Ituri), Parc National de la SALONGA (Kasai), hunting area et reserve de Bushimaie (Kasai, Kasai Oriental et Kasai Occidental). These provinces are covered by the Congo Forest, the Eastern provinces (Ituri and South Kivu) are high conflict areas and have a high percentage of concentration of poor population. The rural population is dependent on natural resources surrounding urban areas resulting of loss of forest areas. Frontier forest loss can be found in the Kasais but also in Ituri and South Kivu. The centrally located Kasais provinces have a Tropical wet and dry climate (savanna climate) characterized by two rainy seasons (March to May, September to December) followed by two short dry seasons (June to August, January to February). The northeastern province of Ituri has a tropical climate with a dry season that last from December through February with very scare rain, South - Kivu has tropical savanna climate although has mild temperature due to high altitude. Student Enrollment rates across these provinces vary substantially. The provinces with lowest net enrollment rate for girls’ education at the lower secondary education were Kasai (3.1%), Kasai Central (11.3%), Ituri (12.0%), Kasai Oriental (20.4%), and South Kivu (27.5%). in fact, the project’s activities will be implemented in the three Kasai provinces to enhance the enrollment rates for girls in primary school to progress to the secondary level. Public Disclosure All provinces targeted under the project have been recently recorded security related issues (armed attacks, civil unrest, kidnapping and petty crime) as highlighted in the most recent Bank commissioned DRC Security Risk Assessment (SRA – Jan to Mar 2023. D.2 Overview of Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Managing Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (MEPST), using similar institutional and implementation arrangements used under previous and current World Bank operations in DRC. A Project Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established within the ministry and the involved departments would include those responsible for (i) civil works (Direction Nationale de construction d’entretien, de réhabilitation et de gestion des infrastructures scolaires, DINAC), (ii) textbooks and teachers’ guide (Direction des Programmes et du Matériel Didactique, DIPROMAD), (iii) status and quality of primary teachers (Direction des Ressources Humaines, DRH), (iv) generating and use of data on schools, students and teachers performance (Direction de l’Information et de Gestion de l’Education, DIGE , (v) Centre Indépendant pour l’Évaluation des Acquis Scolaires, CIEAS)and (vi) gender sensitive planning, policy and monitoring (DIGE ; Direction de l’Education à la Vie Courante, DEVC. Despite the reinforcement and transfer of skills carried out as part of past and current projects, these departments still lack the capacity to adequately implement all project activities. There’s Indeed limited capacity in the Government as a whole, and within the education sector institutions involved in the project to manage E&S risks, and the need to strengthen the capacity of the relevant MEPST’s departments is substantial. This capacity will be strengthened as needed through the provision of technical assistance to support the abovementioned technical directorates and services. The PIU will be established and staffed with technical personnel in key areas and to support the government and ensure adherence to fiduciary, social, environmental, and gender-related standards, and safeguards. Aug 08, 2023 Page 5 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) These personnel, which will include an environmental specialist, a social development specialist, and a GBV specialist at national level will be responsible for the execution of day-to-day activities, including the management of technical assistants hired under the Project. A detailed capacity needs assessment will be conducted during project preparation. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Substantial A.1 Environmental Risk Rating Moderate The environmental risk of the project is rated Moderate because the anticipated risks are minor and can be easily avoided or minimized. Those risks are mainly associated with the implementation of activities under Component 1, with re-construction, furnishing and equipping of 420 disabled-accessible and eco-sensitive classrooms. The main environmental risks and impacts of the project are related to the re-construction and rehabilitation of schools are expected to include: noise, dust, traffic, waste generation (cement, metal, wood and paint residues, liquid and others wastes), OHS risks, and community health and safety issues. The OHS risks associated with implementation of civil works will be mitigated by application of the WB Environmental Health and Safety guidelines (ESHS) and Good International Industrial Practices (GIIPs).In Component 2, the project will finance the procurement of textbooks and essential teaching-learning materials, including the technical assistance (TA) development of a national policy of textbooks; as well as improve the effectiveness of teaching-learning practices. These Technical Assistance (TA) activities are likely to have minimal or no adverse direct environment impacts, however, some risks could stem indirectly from the analytical works as outputs and downstream outcomes of the TA. Under Component 4, Public Disclosure Contingency Emergency Response Component, potential risks, and impacts stemming from the response to events of natural or man-made disasters or crisis are also expected to be minor and negligible since activities susceptible to cause major environmental and social risks and impacts will be included in an Exclusion List and will not be eligible for financing. The Environmental Risk Rating also takes into account the PIU limited ESF capacity. A.2 Social Risk Rating Substantial Overall, the project will have positive impacts, as it aims to improve children access to education, particularly girls and other vulnerable children – including IPs, teaching conditions and learning in primary schools in the targeted provinces. More specifically, it will bring learners into the education the system by breaking down physical barriers, supplying critical learning inputs, make teaching more effective by attracting strong candidates - mostly women in the teaching profession, by improving teacher’s status and their career management. The project will also address factors contributing to SEA/SH and GBV in and around schools and support positive changes in the learning environment. Potential risks include SEA/SH risks and violence against beneficiaries, conflict (specifically in Ituri, Kasai, North Kivu, and South Kivu), and risks of GBV among beneficiaries of project activities (presented below), and social exclusion of students from vulnerable groups. Although civil works under the project are expected to have limited scope (reconstruction/rehabilitation of classroom within the footprint of existing schools), and are unlikely to cause influx of labor into benefiting communities and lead to physical and economic displacement they carry some SEA/SH risks for female in and around schools related to the presence of reconstruction/rehabilitation workers at worksite Others could include labor issues (child labor, poor labor practices, insufficient wages, exclusion of vulnerable), discriminatory employment (recruitment, retention and promotion of women as teachers and directors, including women from IP communities and other marginalized groups); and social tensions as a result of its strong focus on providing benefits for girls and women. Given that intervention sites are yet to be known, and have yet to be selected Aug 08, 2023 Page 6 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) and screened, an ESMF will be prepared to address potential environmental and social risks. The project will likely procure civil works services (small classrooms, rehabilitations and non-complex works) from local contractors, and the project will prepare a Labor Management Procedures (LMP) to address potential labor issues. Risks of exclusion of IP children will be addressed through the elaboration of an Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF). A stakeholder engagement plan (SEP) will be prepared to strengthen project ownership and prevent potential conflicts between beneficiaries and will include a gender sensitive grievance redress mechanism promoted by the MEPST. In addition, the project will prepare a citizen engagement process in order to engage all beneficiaries in ownership of the project even after its closing. B. Relevance of Standards and Policies at Concept Stage B.1 Relevance of Environmental and Social Standards ESS1 - Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Relevant The project activities under component 1 might cause environmental and social risks and impacts associated during the rehabilitation of schools, such as wastes, noise, dust emissions, vegetation clearance, soil erosion, accidents and injuries and the health and safety of students, teachers and visitors during the civil works. As the exact construction sites are not identified at this stage, an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) updated from GLEP (P178684) Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) will be prepared. The ESMF will include (i) screening criteria to identify any subprojects with potential significant irreversible adverse impacts on natural habitats, physical cultural resources and existing land uses so that alternative sites can be identified or if necessary, exclude the subproject (ii) supervision Public Disclosure and reporting procedures, (iii) mitigation measures etc.; and (iv) guidance on engagement as per the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP). The ESMF will include a Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment prevention, response Action Plan with measures to address identified SEA/SH risks and a CERC section. The Draft ESMF will also provide guidance on the level of environmental and social assessment and types of instruments needed (i.e., ESIA, ESMP, etc.) for the preparation of subproject instruments during implementation. A detailed capacity needs assessment will be included as part of the ESMF. The project technical assistance (TA) activities under components 2,3 and 4 fall under capacity building activities which Have more diffuse and induced impacts, often playing out over a longer term and under policy and legal reforms with potentially downstream environmental and social impacts. Consequently, the Terms of Reference will be reviewed and approved by the Bank to ensure that it considers adequate assessment of environmental and social implications and that the advice provided through the TA for addressing those implications is consistent with the ESF. A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), including a Grievance Mechanism (GM), will ensure all interested parties, beneficiaries and affected communities (i.e., students, disadvantaged groups, women’s organizations, disabled peoples’ organization, local authorities, educational community, Indigenous Peoples’ groups) are engaged, especially in project design options in compliance with Environmental and Social Standard (ESS10). The ESMF will include a generic ESMP. This ESMP will address: (i) health and safety risks of students, teachers and visitors as traffic will increase during construction phase; (ii) labor management provisions; (iii) the risks and impacts to any cultural heritage; (iv) universal access to facilities;(v) energy efficient services in the new facilities; et (vi) stakeholder engagement etc. Learning experience from the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) is embedded in the project design, which the Emergency Response Manual (ERM) and other necessary documents will be developed to ensure that CERC can be activated at any time during the emergency period. Aug 08, 2023 Page 7 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) ESS10 - Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant The project will develop a Stakeholder Engagement Plan outlining actions required throughout the project cycle and will lead meaningful consultation with stakeholders at the national (Kinshasa Province) and provincial level, local schools, communities, potential beneficiaries (including adolescent girls), indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders. The project must collaborate closely during the sensitization campaigns with other WB financed projects (EESSE, Girls Empowerment, and Rural WASH projects) that will be targeting some similar groups with similar interventions. The project has proposed to establish a Grievance Mechanism (GM) on the EESSE GRM model, to allow all stakeholders and affected persons to submit grievances and provide feedback should they be negatively impacted by the project. The level - project GRM will incorporate the existing Allo Ecole (hotline) GM platform developed under the MEPST GRM implemented in EESSE project, which is equipped to manage both general and SEA/SH complaints, and to connect GBV survivors to available care. ESS2 - Labor and Working Conditions Relevant Labor and working conditions will apply to direct, contracted, primary supply workers, and community workers. The borrower will prepare Labor Management Procedures (LMP) that will detail how workers are going to be managed throughout the project cycle. The Project will need to ensure that labor procedures are in place and are consistent with the provisions of the World Bank’s ESS2 and National laws, which both specify that all contractors and sub- contractors and entities responsible for managing community workers must ensure there is no forced or child labor employed during construction. The LMP is a standalone document and will include provisions to ensure fair wages in line with local legislation and provide contractual hiring of workers (both male and female), adequate payment for Public Disclosure overtime work, and other measures. The LMP also include guidelines for a worker’s GM for all type of workers, as well as codes of conduct including description of unacceptable behaviors and sanctions, and adapted for project staff, school personnel, consultants, and workers of construction companies. In addition, the LMP is aligned with SEA/SH Prevention and Response Action Plan developed as part of the ESMF and describes other measures to prevent and respond to SEA/SH amongst workers and against teachers like the SEA/SH sensitive grievance mechanisms, Allo Ecole hotline equipped to receive and refer to GBV services all SEA/SH complaints, and information campaign about the unacceptable behaviors, ways to report misconduct and what services are available for survivors. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS): To ensure the health and safety of workers during the construction and operational phases, a Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) plan will be developed as part of the ESMF, and contractors will develop and implement site specific Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) plans in line with World Bank Group Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Guidelines for construction activities, and International Good Practices, including emergency preparedness and response measures, in line WHO guidelines on COVID19. The plan will include procedures on incident investigation and reporting, recording and reporting of non-compliance, emergency preparedness and response procedures and continuous training and awareness to workers. All technical assistance activities of the project will be assessed for potential adverse direct and downstream impacts and, if needed, relevant mitigation measures will be planned to achieve the objectives of ESS2. ESS3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant Component 1 may pose some risks and impacts related to topsoil disturbance and erosion due to earth movements and excavation, water contamination through uncontrolled spillages of fuel, oil, and lubricants from vehicles, generators, air pollution and dust emissions from construction vehicles. In addition, demolition works of old buildings, Aug 08, 2023 Page 8 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) roofing, may require asbestos removal. As such, the ESMF as well as the subproject level ESMPs will contain provisions to ensure that any asbestos removal work is conducted by a competent person who has adequate qualification, training, and experience in conducting the relevant removal in accordance with national and international requirements and in line with ESS3 and GIIP. In addition, the bidding documents will include detailed specifications for contractors to ensure that appropriate screening and identification of asbestos materials is conducted, as well as safe handling, collection, storage, and disposal of asbestos waste. The project is not expected to generate substantial GHG emissions or lead to significant water use. At this stage, it is estimated that GHG calculations and water balance studies will not be required for the project, which will be confirmed during preparation. All technical assistance activities of the project will be assessed for potential adverse direct and downstream impacts and, if needed, relevant mitigation measures will be planned to achieve the objectives of ESS3. ESS4 - Community Health and Safety Relevant The project activities are expected to include physical works which could pose a health and safety risk to students, community members, workers, induce labor influx, or potentially harm local communities. Community health and safety issues also include traffic and road safety, GBV/SEA/SH risks, and exposure to dust, noise, and vibrations from civil works to be supported mainly under Components 1. Distribution of textbooks under component 2 shall entail traffic and road safety risks. Seeing as the project will take place within schools in local communities, the Borrower will undertake an assessment to identify the risks and impacts on community health and safety as part of the ESMF, including but not limited to asbestos, accessibility to schools, security, fire risks and sanitation. The ESMF will be prepared prior to appraisal. Currently the risks identified relate to school re- construction/rehabilitation activities and include community exposure to nuisance and public health issues, potential labor influx for the construction activities Public Disclosure causing economic impacts (inflation), risks of SEA/SH for (community members, including towards students, teachers and students or among project workers and community female), risks related to the design and safety of the school infrastructure to be constructed/rehabilitated, exclusion of vulnerable and poor groups in access to the infrastructures like IP, elite capture . Regarding the management of some former education projects in DRC, the Borrower will need to proceed to an assessment/audit of each building’s adequacy for use in the project, including available space, asbestos and other safety considerations, and sanitation. These assessments will be carried out during implementation, and management plans for safety, waste and other risks included in the works contract and will be implemented by the contractor and will also be identified. The ESMF will contain requirements to prepare ESMP to identify risks and mitigation measures for Contractors to follow to protect community health and safety from rehabilitation /construction works, in line with the WB Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines. The project has assessed SEA/SH risk to identify the risks to local communities, and an SEA/SH Action plan will be done and included in the ESMF. This Action Plan will specify how to integrate the mitigation measures into project implementation, adapting as needed the measures put in place through the MEPST/RDC as in the Emergency Equity and System Strengthening in Education (EESSE) project. The codes of conduct, for all categories of workers involved in project implementation notably project staff, contractors and third-party workers, as well as the school staff in the schools to be rehabilitated, constructed, or benefitting from the project will be mandatory to be signed. The ESMF will propose measures to manage issues like labor influx, establishment of workers camps, child labor and workplace misconduct (also addressed in LMP) vis-à-vis the local communities. These measures will need to be accompanied by robust communication and stakeholder engagement to ensure that communities are well informed of the project impacts. The project will also (through the SEP and LMP) establish Grievance Mechanisms (GM) for workers and communities. The Project will emphasize the use of the MEPST's GRM to have coordination of information and all measures to manage grievance, as proposed above). The project will implement activities in certain areas like Nord Kivu, with Aug 08, 2023 Page 9 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) security issues where there are high levels of crime, civil unrest, and where armed groups continue to operate. The Bank team will rely on and update the existing DRC Security Risk Due Diligence Assessment (SDA) Report prepared in 2022-2023. The security risks will need to be monitored as the project moves into implementation and when choosing subproject sites. For areas with heightened security risks and constraints, a security management Plan (SMP) will be developed prior to operations commencing on the ground and propose mitigation measures for site specific sub- projects/activities, including appropriate measures to protect workers, contractors, communities and beneficiaries. It is not expected that the project activities will interfere negatively with provisioning and regulating ecosystem services due to scale and nature of project activities (e.g. fix and/or rehabilitation of existing building). However, careful planning and appropriate solutions will be implemented to counteract the negative impacts of these infrastructures on ecosystem services, thus such impacts shall be adequately captured in the ESMF. The project design will incorporate accessibility measures in accordance with the principles of universal access (WBG Good Practice Note on Non-discrimination and Disability, 2018). All technical assistance activities of the project will be assessed for potential adverse direct and downstream impacts and, if needed, relevant mitigation measures will be planned to achieve the objectives of ESS4. ESS5 - Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Relevant The project will finance civil works meant for the replacement and rehabilitation of existing classrooms and other infrastructures within the footprint of benefiting schools under component 1. Physical and economic displacement are therefore not expected at this stage. In the event of land taking, because of safety or sanitation considerations and/or legacy or tenure issues, a RAP, or RAPs, will be prepared. Public Disclosure ESS6 - Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Relevant Resources The project has a nation-wide geographic scope and only likely to involve small-scale civil works in a rural settings Component 1. The exact location of schools to be constructed and rehabilitated will be determined during project implementation. Proposed project activities may impact natural and modified habitats through earthmoving, excavation, clearance of vegetation. The Borrower will not implement any project activities that have potential to convert critical or natural habitats as defined under ESS6. In addition, the ESMF will include an E&S Screening Checklist to screen out these habitats and associated species, while the subprojects ESMPs will provide a more comprehensive and precautionary approach following ESS6 requirements. The purchase of natural resource commodities, such as food, timber, and fiber are not likely to be required but if the Borrower's is purchasing natural commodities, environmental and social assessment will include an evaluation of the systems and verification practices used by the primary suppliers. At this stage, specific provisions for the management of primary suppliers under this standard are not considered to be relevant. All technical assistance activities of the project will be assessed for potential adverse direct and downstream impacts and, if needed, relevant mitigation measures will be planned to achieve the objectives of the ESS6. ESS7 - Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Relevant Local Communities The standard is relevant as the project will intervene in areas with indigenous peoples in most of the 4 provinces of intervention: Kasai, Kasai - Central, Kasai - Oriental and North - Kivu. The Borrower is required to ensure that indigenous girls and women are included as beneficiaries of project activities, that culturally appropriate methods are Aug 08, 2023 Page 10 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) adopted to ensure participation of IP girls and teachers in the project, and that potential risks disproportionally affecting these groups are identified and addressed. Considering the findings of brief social assessment on access to education for IP communities conducted under EESSE and DRC Girls Empowerment Project, (i) identified exclusion (under pretext of insufficient space in classrooms) as a recurring source of marginalization and discrimination in accessing primary education (ii) IP children are either forced to sit on the ground in some cases, or parents bribe schools to get a place for their child (iii) recurring social conflicts with teachers around the stigmatization, marginalization and discrimination of IP children and children with disabilities. Additional hindrances to access of IP children to schools included i. the inadequacy of the infrastructures, ii. the lack of educational support (curricula) to allow their effective participation, iii. the long distances to be traveled to get to school, and iv. inter-ethnic conflicts due to the status attributed to IPs by society. Drawing from the results of the social assessment, and those of the larger education portfolio social assessment conducted under EESSE, the current project will develop IP consultation methods that are appropriate and ensure broad and meaningful participation of IP communities to address the issues identified above and other issues hindering increased access/enrollment of IP girls in primary school as well as recruitment of IP teachers. An Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) will be prepared, consulted and disclosed to ensure Indigenous Peoples and their representatives are included in project activities and benefit opportunities occurring where they live. The IPPF will guide the preparation and implementation of Indigenous Peoples Plans (IPPs), as necessary. During the preparation of the IPPs, the PIU will work closely with beneficiaries as well as with recognized civil society organizations representing IP. SEA/SH risks specific to IP girls and women will be assessed, and the SEA/SH mitigation measures designed by the project will be adapted to the needs of IPs. The IPPF will include tangible measures to enhance IP participation in education across the project intervention areas, such as increased participation of indigenous teachers, particularly women and include a clear roadmap for development of Public Disclosure IPP involvement, indicating project intervention zones (province or other) requiring an IPP, content of IPPs and timing and budget for their development. ESS8 - Cultural Heritage Relevant This standard is relevant to the project. Proposed project investments, mainly under components 1 and 4 may involve excavation works or ground works. While these works are not expected to directly affect intangible heritage, or tangible heritage, they may pose chance findings, therefore ESS8 is relevant and thus the ESMF will contain Chance Finds procedures. Moreover, the borrower will incorporate in the E&S Screening Checklist to be annexed to the ESMF specific measures to identify and avoid potential risks and impacts on cultural heritage. Stakeholder engagement activities, site specific ESIAs and ESMPs measures will include chance finds procedures. The Chance Find procedures which will also be included in the relevant subproject’s ESMPs which will be bidding to the contractors’ contracts. The ESMF will provide specific provisions to protect cultural heritage from the adverse risks and impacts of project activities as well as supporting its preservation, including meaningful consultation with the relevant stakeholders for cultural heritage. Project activities will be carried out in full respect of the cultural norms of the communities in line with national regulations and in a manner consistent with ESS8. All technical assistance activities of the project will be assessed for potential adverse direct and downstream impacts and, if needed, relevant mitigation measures will be planned to achieve the objectives of the ESS8. ESS9 - Financial Intermediaries Not Currently Relevant Financial Intermediaries will not be used on this project Aug 08, 2023 Page 11 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) B.2 Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Operations on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Operations in Disputed Areas No B.3 Other Salient Features Use of Borrower Framework The use of the Borrower Framework will not be considered for this project. Use of Common Approach No Not Applicable C. Overview of Required Environmental and Social Risk Management Activities C.1 What Borrower environmental and social analyses, instruments, plans and/or frameworks are planned or required by Appraisal? III. CONTACT POINT Public Disclosure World Bank Task Team Leader: Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil Title: Lead Education Specialist, Program Leader Email: hkamil@worldbank.org IV. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects V. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Hamoud Abdel Wedoud Kamil Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Africa Eshogba Olojoba Recommended on 23-Jun-2023 at 13:56:31 EDT ADM Environmental Specialist: Christine Kyala Foma Aug 08, 2023 Page 12 of 13 The World Bank Primary Education Quality Improvement Project (P181063) ADM Social Specialist: Donat Vema Tunamau Public Disclosure Aug 08, 2023 Page 13 of 13