INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Report No.: ISDSC422 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 14-Dec-2011 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: West Bank and Gaza Project ID: P129861 Project Name: West Bank Gaza: Education-to-Work Transition (P129861) Task Team Leader: Ernesto P. Cuadra Estimated Appraisal Date: 13-Feb-2012 Estimated Board Date: 15-May-2012 Managing Unit: MNSHD Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Tertiary education (50%), Vocational training (50%) Theme: Education for the knowledge economy (60%), Improving labor markets (40%) Financing (In USD Million) Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 Special Financing 5.00 Total 5.00 Environmental Category: C - Not Required Is this a Repeater project? No B. Project Objectives The proposed project seeks to improve the speed and relevance of education to work transition of young Palestinian attending tertiary education institutions (TEIs) by: (i) fostering partnerships between TEIs and employers; and (ii) enhancing the capacity ofthe Ministry of Education and Higher Education to use labor market data to improve its capacity for TVET policy formulation and monitoring. C. Project Description Public Disclosure Copy Partnerships between TEIS and businesses will be promoted through a competitive system of grants that the MOEHE will promote among West Bank and Gaza Tertiary Education Institutions(TEIs) in order to motivate them to work together with the private sector inthe development and implementation of apprenticeship type schemes. Through the MOEHE's Quality Improvement Fund (QIF), the project will finance a round of competitive grants to TEIs aimed at improving the transition to work of higher education graduates. Specifically, TEIs would be invited to partner with the business community to develop and implement work-integrated learning programs aimed at (i) providing students with practical training, and (ii) improving the quality and relevance of the curriculum and teaching practices of TEIs professional programs. The proposed project consist of a single competitive system of grants component which will be implemented by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE) through its Quality Improvement Fund (QIF) with the support of the MOEHE's Project Coordination Unit (PCU). The proposed US$5.0 million project will enhance education-to-work transition by improving the quality and relevance of targeted tertiary education programs that are in high demand in West Bank and Gaza. The types of investments to be supported by the project include: (i) funds to finance innovative labor market relevant education programs that have strong partnerships with private sector businesses through QIF, including but not limited to centers for collaborative teaching, curriculum improvement in the areas of professional, entrepreneurial, general and life skills; teaching materials and equipment; teacher training and mentoring; (ii) international and local technical assistance and related consulting services for capacity building of TEIs to form partnerships with private sector businesses; (iii) consulting services for targeted research, data collection and program evaluation; (iv) awareness and information campaign, and dissemination of good practices; and (v) management of the fund. By focusing on TEIs, the proposed project complements the forthcoming EU/GIZ support for TVE institutions (secondary and post-secondary) and also the proposed World Bank Palestinian Market Development Project (PMD) by promoting apprenticeship partnership between TEIs and the private business sector. Although this type of partnership between TEIs and the business community has not been fully tested in WB&G, successful international examples exist in countries such as the US, Canada, Germany, and the UK. D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The project does not have a specific location and there will no financing of civil works E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies The implementing agency has experience in implementing World Bank funded programs. The project will strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education to monitor project activities through a tracer study of higher education graduates F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Public Disclosure Copy II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No TBD Explanation Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 ✖ n/a Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 ✖ n/a Forests OP/BP 4.36 ✖ n/a Pest Management OP 4.09 ✖ n/a Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 ✖ n/a Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 ✖ n/a Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 ✖ n/a Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 ✖ n/a Projects on International Waterways OP/BP ✖ n/a 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 ✖ n/a Public Disclosure Copy III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 23-Jan-2012 B. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed. The specific studies and their timing1 Public Disclosure Copy should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS: n/a IV. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Task Team Leader: Name: Ernesto P. Cuadra Date: 13-Dec-2011 Approved By: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Name: Hocine Chalal (RSA) Date: 15-Dec-2011 Comments: Sector Manager: Name: Mourad Ezzine (SM) Date: 19-Dec-2011 Comments: Public Disclosure Copy 1 Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the InfoShop and (ii) in country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected persons.