The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 05/18/2021 | Report No: ESRSA01178 May 19, 2021 Page 1 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Guyana LATIN AMERICA AND P174244 CARIBBEAN Project Name Guyana Education Sector Program Project Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Education Investment Project 5/21/2021 6/15/2021 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Co-operative Republic of PIU in MOE, Ministry of Guyana Education Proposed Development Objective Public Disclosure The objective of the Project is to: (i) improve learning conditions at the Nursery level in select areas; (ii) increase use of technology-assisted learning at the Primary level in select areas, and (iii) improve functionality of the education management information system nationally. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 6.70 B. Is the project 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 [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] The proposed Project would support the Government’s efforts to address longer-term structural constraints in early childhood level, primary education and education sector management, while also supporting continuity of learning and learning recovery in the short- and medium-term. The Project would achieve its development objective through the implementation of three components: May 19, 2021 Page 2 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) Component 1: Improving Learning Conditions at the Nursery level. This component aims to improve teaching and learning conditions in both schools and homes to increase school readiness. This will be achieved through three subcomponents: teacher training at the Nursery level to improve pedagogy and delivery of the new curriculum, provision of accompanying materials to support learning in class and at home, and caregiver education to support home-based learning. Methods of delivery will be adapted as the health crisis unfolds, and activities can be delivered at schools, in the home, online, or through phone as required. Component 2: Promoting Technology-Assisted Learning at the Primary level. This component aims to increase access to technology at the primary level to supplement teaching and support student learning in foundational skills in mathematics and literacy. This component has two subcomponents: implementation of tablet programs and smart classrooms. The design of the tablet program will be adapted to the current context as needed, by assigning tablets to students to use at home, exclusively or as part of a hybrid distance/in-person model. The software on the tablets will also include offline capability to ensure ability to use in areas with low connectivity. Smart Classrooms will be equipped with smartboards, tablets, and projectors, and can be used to support a hybrid distance/in person model by linking teachers in classrooms to students at home, as well as provide support to in-person learning once physical schooling resumes. Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Project Management. The aim of this component is to strengthen the management of the education system and support Project management. The component has two subcomponents. The first supports scaling up OpenEMIS to the national level in the nursery, primary and secondary, to enable the MOE to more efficiently manage education sector data and use information for more effective planning Public Disclosure and policymaking, and allow principals to inform decision making at the school level. The second subcomponent would finance project management, monitoring and evaluation, and auditing activities. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] The project proposes to support activities under three components. Component 1 focus on the Nursery 1 and 2 levels and finances: (i) teachers training; (ii) learning material for students, and; (iii) training for primary caregivers education aiming to support the new Curriculum, which is currently being developed. Component 2 focus on the Primary level, in select schools, and finances: (i) tablets to support Mathematics and Literacy and teachers training; (ii) equipment for select classrooms (smartboards, tablets, and projectors) in both rural and urban areas, including teachers training. Component 3 focus on Institutional Capacity and Project management and finances: (i) the scaling up of the Education Management Information System (EMIS), through the acquisition of the EMIS hardware and other equipment and also training for the teachers and school leaders; and, (ii) the project management, including consultants, equipment and operational costs. The activities proposed under Component 1 target students in the Nursery levels 1 and 2 located in administrative regions where Indigenous Peoples presence is significant (administrative regions 1, 7, 8 and 9). The activities proposed under Component 2 will target students at the Primary level in select schools and classrooms where the use of digital platforms are suitable. These schools have not been selected yet. May 19, 2021 Page 3 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) There are no major environmental issues related to the project interventions. Since the project will support IT equipment, the project will prepare and adopt an e-waste guidelines. The most relevant social issues associated with the project stem from the proposed activities under Component 1 in regions where the presence of indigenous students and indigenous peoples is significant. The proposed project shows awareness of this issue and proposes activities under Component 1 that are tailored to the conditions faced in these regions. These conditions include the limited availability of overall infrastructure and internet services, and the need to adapt the textbooks and training activities to the cultural diversity of the region. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The Ministry of Education (MoE) will be the implementing agency through establishment of a Project Implementation Unit (PIU) housed in the MoE Planning Department. Technical responsibilities for implementation overall would lie with the Chief Education Officer of the MOE. For Component 1 and 2, technical responsibility for implementation would lie with the Assistant CEO for Nursery and the Assistant CEO for Primary respectively. For Component 3, technical responsibility would reside with the EMIS unit. The MoE has experience of implementing Bank funded projects and familiar with the Bank’s safeguard policy requirements. However, MoE does not have experience with ESF and this project will help in developing capacity on ESF. The PIU would consist of a Project Coordinator, a Procurement Officer, a Financial Officer, an M&E Officer, an Environment Officer (part-time for e-waste management) and a Social Development Officer (part time, when needed). II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Moderate Public Disclosure Environmental Risk Rating Low The project environmental risk is classified as low due to the nature of the project interventions. The project will not support any physical works or procurement of heavy machineries. The project includes several capacity building training, awareness programs, curriculum development at nursery level, promoting technology assisted education program through procurement of tables, introducing smart class rooms, strengthening the Education Management Information System (EMIS) and project management support. The project activities are not expected to have any major adverse impact on the environment and human health. The environmental risk rating will be reviewed periodically throughout the project life cycle to ensure that it continues to accurately reflect the level of risk that the project presents. Social Risk Rating Moderate The social risk is classified as moderate. The social risks identified at this stage mainly relate to social exclusion risks and exacerbating inequalities between the indigenous and non-indigenous students and caregivers if the cultural adaptation and specific needs of these groups are not taken into account. The social risk of exclusion and inequality could particularly present itself in: i) inadequate training to Nursery school teachers impeding them to fully assist students from Indigenous communities; ii) inadequate trainings and textbooks impeding students, in particular indigenous students, from Nursery 1 and 2 to fully benefit from the project support; and, ii) the risk of having inadequate training impeding primary caregivers, in particular indigenous caregivers, to fully benefit from the project support. The project activities will only be limited to training, equipment, and consultants’ services, thus no risks linked to land acquisition, physical and economic displacement are foreseen. Although the project proposes May 19, 2021 Page 4 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) activities targeting regions where the presence of Indigenous Peoples is significant, the project also proposes to tailor these activities to the specificities of these regions, where the deficiencies in internet services is severe, requiring continuing the use printed learning materials instead of devices such as tablets, supported by the project under its component 2. Also, the project acknowledges the importance of adjusting the activities financed to the specific cultural issues associated with the different Indigenous communities living in these regions, since some of the students in Nursery 1 and 2 level are from these indigenous communities. Nevertheless, it is essential to ensure that the activities targeting students of the Nursery levels 1 and 2 in these regions will adopt adequate design and implementation solutions appropriate to the cultural diversity in place. The project will build capacity to fulfill this essential requisite only when the consultants with expertise in training and adaptation of textbooks will have been hired and can start their activities. The appropriate interaction of these consultants with the stakeholders from this culturally diverse region, including from Indigenous communities, will provide the basis for designing and implementing the adequate training and adaptation of textbooks. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: The standard is relevant. The potential social risks and impacts under the Project are limited to social exclusion risks linked to the provision of training and textbooks and support to caregiver education which target administrative Public Disclosure areas of Guyana where the presence of Indigenous Peoples is significant (regions 1, 7, 8 and 9). The potential environmental risks are appropriate management of the e-waste to be generated through the implementation of the component 2 on increased access to technology at the primary level through implementation of tablet programs and smart classrooms. These environmental risks and impacts to the project interventions are likely to be negligible and consistent with the requirements of ESS1, it was agreed at the concept stage that no further environmental assessment will be necessary after the initial screening at the project concept. The e-waste to be generated from the tablet program and smart class room initiative will be managed through developing and implementing e-waste management guidelines, which will be prepared as a standalone document and will be included later on in the Project Operational Manual. The MoE prepared and disclosed a draft Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) prior to Decision Meeting (DM). The ESCP included all necessary measures that the project will need to address during implementation to comply with the ESF, as well as monitoring and reporting arrangements. In particular, the ESCP included the elements of a SEP (including the requirements for a project level GRM) following ESS10 footnote 3, which states that “depending on the nature of the scale of the risks and impacts of the project, the elements of a SEP may be included as part of the ESCP and preparation of a standalone SEP may not be necessary”. This is a different approach from the one proposed in the C-ESRS and in line with the project moderate risk. The stakeholder engagement process with IPs will be covered in detail under the IPPF. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure May 19, 2021 Page 5 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) This standard is relevant. Key stakeholders involved may include: parents, students, nursery and primary school teachers, District Education Officers (DEOs) and Regional Education Officers (REOs). In the administrative regions 1, 7, 8 and 9, where the presence of Indigenous Peoples is significant, the consultations will also involve the Toshaos and other village-level leaders and representatives of Indigenous communities. Consultations will also be covered and cross-referenced in the IPPF, which will take place prior to the project Appraisal. The MoE has prepared a draft Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP), incorporated into the ESCP, prior to DM, consistent with the requirements of ESS10 (Footnote 3, which states that “depending on the nature of the scale of the risks and impacts of the project, the elements of a SEP may be included as part of the ESCP and preparation of a standalone SEP may not be necessary). The SEP outlined the strategy to identify and map key stakeholders, including vulnerable groups. It included methods that will be used to eliminate any barriers to participation of stakeholders and in particular, vulnerable groups. The SEP has included and will continue to include other interested parties, various beneficiaries including disadvantage and vulnerable groups. As a result of COVID-19, the SEP included provisions for virtual consultations where face to face consultations are not feasible as established in the World Bank (WB)’s Technical Note, “Public Consultations and Stakeholder Engagement in WB-supported operations when there are constraints on conducting public meetings, March 20, 2020.” For any face to face consultations, proper physical distancing and hygiene protocols, including, but not limited to, staying 6 ft apart and the wearing of face masks, must be observed. The project-level Grievance Mechanism (GM) which is included in the SEP will ensure that all project level complaints are received and resolved in a timely manner and will include considerations for any gender-Based Violence (GBV) complaints. Public Disclosure The draft SEP was disclosed prior to the project DM to allow meaningful stakeholder consultation and inputs, which will be incorporated in the revised SEP that will be finalized within 30 days of project effectiveness. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions This standard is relevant. The project will hire several consultants for project‘s capacity building program, developing curriculum, strengthening the Education Management Information System (EMIS). In addition, the project will likely to hire workers/technicians for installation and maintenance of smart classroom facilities. The project will prepare and disclose draft Labor Management Procedures (LMP) with a dedicated Grievance Mechanism (GM) for project workers by appraisal and code of conducts for project workers (including PIU staff). The LMP will be finalized within 30 days of project effectiveness. Social and environmental risks/impacts related to Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) are not expected. The project proposes to finance activities supporting training, acquisition of equipment and consultant work. These providers will be supporting the implementation of activities under five different subcomponents, resulting, very likely, in contracts of short duration probably entailing few and short visits to schools and classrooms. Also, the project concept note highlights that the implementation of the activities financed will be determined and adapted as the public health situation unfolds. May 19, 2021 Page 6 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The standard is considered relevant considering the potential e-waste management from tablets and smart class room facilities. It will be addressed through preparation of e-waste guidelines and implementation of the guidelines. The guidelines will be prepared as standalone document and will be included in the project operation manual later on. E-waste management plan will be prepared during implementation based on the e-waste guidelines as required. it may be noted that the greenhouse gases (GHG) estimation will not be carried out since it will not be significant for the project. ESS4 Community Health and Safety Although Community Health and Safety risks/impacts are not expected, given the nature of the project financed activities (training, equipment, consultants), the standard is considered relevant since the project will deal with student, teachers and other staff who comes from the nearby communities. The implementing agency will take measures to improve the environmental conditions (hand washing facilities, regular cleaning of classroom and toilets, provision of safe drinking facilities etc.) of the selected schools during the project lifecycle to avoid or minimize transmission of any communicable disease through students, teachers and other staff. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement This standard is not considered relevant. The project proposed activities will not entail land acquisition, restriction on Public Disclosure land use and involuntary resettlement. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources The ESS6 is not relevant for the project since the project activities will not have any impact on biodiversity and living natural resources. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities ESS7 is relevant for the project. It finances activities under Component 1 that target administrative regions of Guyana in which the presence of Indigenous Peoples is significant. These activities are: (i) training of teachers in Nursery 1 and 2, including follow-up mentorship and classroom observation using open source TEACH ECD tool (currently employed at the Primary level); (ii) acquisition and adaptation of textbooks and other learning materials; and, (iii) support to a training program to be designed and implemented to strengthen parenting awareness, knowledge, and skills in support of children’s emerging literacy and numeracy (complementing the acquisition and adaptation of textbooks). Project awareness of the specificities of the targeted regions: the activities proposed under Component 1 reflect the project awareness with respect to the specific cultural, geographic and infrastructural conditions of the regions targeted. For that reason it is proposed to focus on: (i) Nursery 1 and 2 levels; (ii) training activities not relying on May 19, 2021 Page 7 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) internet but on CD-ROM and other methods provided by traveling inspectors; and, (iii) acquisition and adaptation of textbooks and other materials instead of digital platforms, such as tablets and Smart Classrooms. Indigenous Peoples in the targeted regions: Four administrative regions of Guyana have a significant presence of Indigenous People. These are the administrative regions 1, 7, 8 and 9. According with the 2012 Census, in these four regions live approximately 78,800 inhabitants (10% of the country 755,400 inhabitants), and approximately 66 percent (52,200 inhabitants) of the four regions inhabitants are Indigenous Peoples. The presence of Indigenous Peoples in these regions varies: the highest is found in region 9 (85 percent), and the lowest in region 7 (35 percent) The total Indigenous Peoples population in Guyana corresponds to approximately 9 percent of country’s inhabitants. Indigenous Peoples of Guyana are not homogeneous and groups are traditionally separated from each other by natural environments and by their distinct languages, and living and dispersed settlements. In Nursery, there are in total approximately 3,650 students and 211 teachers. While there is no explicit policy that addresses any special education program for Indigenous children, the Ministry of Education Guyana Strategic Plan 2014 – 2018 urged to “focus on increasing the learning achievements at all levels of education and for all subgroups and decreasing the differences in learning outcomes between the subgroups, especially between the students in coastal and hinterland schools.” The plan recognizes the accomplishments under the 2008-2013 strategy and prioritizes: (i) Increase provision of nursery places, especially in remote hinterland regions; (ii) Improve Literacy and Numeracy learning outcomes at Primary Level; (iii) Improve sanitary facilities and providing basic utilities such as water and a source of power to hinterland and riverine schools; (iv) Universal Secondary Education all over the nation; (v) Creating Education Television Channel touches all regions including Public Disclosure remote hinterland areas. ESS7 – Measures and Actions. Considering the scope and scale of the project proposed activities targeting students attending Nursery 1 and 2 levels in the country regions where the presence of Indigenous Peoples is significant, the following is proposed: (i) Prior to appraisal, prepare an Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) in scope and scale proportionate to the scope and scale of the project activities proposed under Component 1. A main focus of the IPPF will be the extra care that will be taken for designing and implementing the activities financed (training, textbooks, learning material) acknowledging and reflecting the cultural identities of the different Indigenous communities involved. (ii) Prepare an Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP), also in scope and scale proportionate to the scope and scale of the project activities under Component 1, prior to the start of the specialized consultant services for the development of the training and textbooks adaptation to be financed during the project implementation. This sequencing will allow for the IPP to inform the specialized consultant services developing and implementing the project activities targeting areas where Indigenous Peoples presence is significant. ESS8 Cultural Heritage The ESS8 is not relevant for the project since it will not have any impact on tangible and intangible cultural heritages. May 19, 2021 Page 8 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) ESS9 Financial Intermediaries The ESS9 is not relevant since the project does not include financial support to Financial Intermediaries (FIs) or FIs providing financing or guarantees to other FIs. B.3 Other Relevant Project Risks None C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No B.3. Reliance on Borrower’s policy, legal and institutional framework, relevant to the Project risks and impacts Is this project being prepared for use of Borrower Framework? No Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: Public Disclosure None. IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Ingrid Bjerke Title: Education Specialist Telephone No: +1-202-458-1725 Email: ibjerke@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: Co-operative Republic of Guyana Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: PIU in MOE Implementing Agency: Ministry of Education V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT May 19, 2021 Page 9 of 10 The World Bank Guyana Education Sector Program Project (P174244) The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Ingrid Bjerke Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Maria Gonzalez de Asis Cleared on 04-Dec-2020 at 17:05:5 GMT-05:00 Public Disclosure May 19, 2021 Page 10 of 10