INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: ISDSA407 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 08-Dec-2011 I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Mongolia Project ID: P125445 Project Name: Mongolia Global Partnership for Education Early Childhood Education Pr Task Team Leader: Prateek Tandon Estimated Appraisal Date: 19-Aug-2011 Estimated Board Date: 01-Mar-2012 Managing Unit: EASHE Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Sector: Pre-primary education (100%) Theme: Education for all (100%) Financing (In USD Million) Financing Source Amount Borrower 2.12 EFA-FTI Education Program Development Fund 10.00 Total 12.12 Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment Is this a Repeater project? No 2. Project Objectives The Project Development Objective is to assist the Government to cope with the surge in total fertility rates by providing access to early childhood education for children in disadvantaged communities. 3. Project Description The project has three components: Public Disclosure Copy Component 1: Increasing Kindergarten Capacity in Urban and Rural Areas ($11,060,000) 1.1. Build 40 new kindergartens, of which 21 will be built in aimag centers and 19 in Ulaanbaatar. 1.2. Supply furniture, equipments, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, toys, teaching materials and kitchen for the new kindergartens. Component 2: Creating Alternative Pre-school Classes in Rural Areas ($755,000) Provide 150 mobile ger-kindergartens in rural areas to serve herder's children. Each ger-kindergarten consists of two gers, desks, chairs, a board, carpet, toys, stereo player, portable toilets and other learning materials. Component 3: Grant Management and Monitoring and Evaluation ($300,000) The existing Education for All Fast Track Initiative (EFA-FTI) project implementation unit (PIU) will execute the proposed project and provide smooth and quality implementation to the project. Procurement and Financial Management will follow the World Bank's rules and procedures. Monitoring and evaluation of the progress and outcomes of the project objectives and activities fall under this component. 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The proposed project will be located in a total of 19 districts in Ulaanbaatar and 21 Aimag centers. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Feng Ji (EASCS) Jun Zeng (EASCS) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No Explanation Page 1 of 4 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered Yes No Explanation Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 ✖ The potential impacts on the environment are mainly associated with Component 1 which proposes to build 40 new kindergartens in urban areas of aimag centers and Ulaanbaatar. The potential impacts on the environment are minor, site-specific, and reversible in nature; for these impacts mitigation measures can be designed readily. Given the nature and small scale of the Public Disclosure Copy proposed civil works under the project, a formal environmental assessment report was not considered necessary. However, as the construction activities are going to be undertaken in urban areas, there are likely to be some concerns relating to inconveniences or nuisances to surrounding areas during construction. Therefore, for the purpose of enhancing environmentally-friendly measures and mitigating any adverse impacts caused by the construction activities, an Environmental Safeguard Guideline will be prepared including a checklist on construction sites, a checklist on Environmentally-Friendly Design Criteria, a standardized Environmental Management Plan, institutional arrangements to follow the Guideline, as well as requirements on monitoring, supervision and reporting. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 ✖ The project will not convert, degrade or restore any natural habitats or critical natural habitats. Forests OP/BP 4.36 ✖ The project will not finance activities that would involve significant conversion or degradation of critical forest areas or related critical natural habitats as defined under the policy. Pest Management OP 4.09 ✖ The project will not procure any pesticides nor will any use of pesticides result from the project. Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 ✖ The project will not adversely affect sites with archeological, paleontological, historical, religious, or unique natural values. The chance of finding cultural relics during construction might occur and relevant clauses will be included in all construction contracts. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 ✖ The Social Specialist visited the project area to conduct a screening to determine whether ethnic minority peoples are present in, or have collective attachment to, the project area. Within 40 proposed sites, 39 of them located in Mongolian areas and no Indigenous People's community was identified in these project areas. One kindergarten will be constructed in Ulgii soum of Bayan-Ulgii Province, where Kazakh communities are present; the beneficiaries of this kindergarten are Kazakh families, according to the PIU. Moreover, a certain number of mobile Kindergartens will be distributed to the province. The Kazakh communities are "Indigenous People" as defined in the World Bank's OP4.10; and therefore, the subcomponent will trigger Bank's Public Disclosure Copy OP4.10 on Indigenous People. As per OP4.10, the client has undertaken a social assessment in order to evaluate the sub-component's potential positive and adverse effects on the Indigenous People, and to examine project alternatives where adverse effects may be significant. The client engaged in free, prior and informed consultation with Kazakh communities and assessed whether the Kazakh Communities provided their broad support to the sub-project or not. To carry out the social assessment, the client hired a social consultant whose qualification, experience and TOR were acceptable to the Bank. Since the Kazakh communities are the overwhelming majority of direct sub- component beneficiaries, and the element of an Indigenous Peoples Plan will be included in the overall project design, a separate IPP is not required. Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 ✖ According to the PIU and MECS, all 40 construction sites will be located on state-owned land, and the use of this land will not result in any: (i) relocation or loss of shelter; (ii) loss of assets or access to assets; or (iii) loss of income sources or means of livelihood. The Social Specialist of the Task Team reviewed the available legal documents of those lands including "Government Resolution letters", "Land Certificates", and "Land Drawings". During the mission, the Task Team also visited 10 randomly selected proposed construction sites both in UB and in provincial areas and found no involuntary resettlement is needed to support the construction of the proposed kindergartens and their supporting facilities, including electrification, heating, water supply and sewage pipelines. The proposed construction sites will be located near existing roads and the client confirmed that there will be no recent plan to construct access roads to those kindergartens. No linked project has been identified during the mission. Page 2 of 4 Based on above information, the Task Team concludes that the project will not trigger the Bank's OP4.12 on Involuntary Resettlement. Therefore, no further actions is required from this perspective. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 ✖ Projects on International Waterways OP/BP ✖ 7.50 Public Disclosure Copy Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 ✖ II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: As the construction for kindergartens is going to be undertaken in urban areas, there are likely to be some concerns relating to inconveniences or nuisances (e.g. dust, noise, construction waste) to surrounding areas during construction. However, these potential impacts on the environment are deemed to be minor, site-specific, and reversible in nature, and for which mitigation measures can be readily designed. The Bank's OP/BP 4.10 on Indigenous Peoples was triggered because one of the subcomponents will be implemented in Bayan-Ulgii, which has a majority of Kazakh inhabitants. The Kazakh is an ethnic group distinct from Mongolians and according to OP4.10, the Kazakh communities are Indigenous People. All proposed 40 construction sites will be located on state-owned land and the use of land will not result in any (i) relocation or loss of shelter; (ii) lost of assets or access to assets; or (iii) loss of income sources or means of livelihood. Therefore, Bank's OP4.12 on Involuntary Resettlement was not triggered. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: N/A 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. N/A 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. On environmental safeguards: Given the nature and small scale of the proposed civil works under the project, a formal environmental assessment report was not considered necessary. For the purpose of enhancing environmentally-friendly measures and mitigating any adverse impacts caused by the construction activities, an Environmental Safeguard Guideline has been prepared. It includes a checklist on construction sites, a checklist on Environmentally-Friendly Design Criteria, a standardized Environmental Management Plan, institutional arrangements to follow the Guideline, Public Disclosure Copy as well as requirements on monitoring, supervision and reporting. These guidelines will be included in the requisite bidding documents. Institutional Capacity At the management level, MECS, in cooperation with the Education Donor Consultative Mechanism (EDCM) and the World Bank, the Trustee of the Global Partnership for Education, will lead project activities. The PIU will be responsible for everyday implementation of the grant at the operational level. The MECS will appoint a Designated Technical Officer who manages the proposed civil works under their respective components. Separately a designated Safeguards Officer will be appointed in MECS who will be responsible for scrutinizing the environmental safeguards issues involved in each civil works project. The institutional capacity is deemed to be adequate for the project. On social safeguards: A social assessment was conducted in July 2011 to evaluate the subcomponent's potential positive and adverse effects on the Kazakh communities in Bayan-Ulgii and examine project alternatives where adverse effects may be significant. The assessment showed the strong support from the communities for the implementation of the subcomponent. Since the Kazakh communities are the overwhelming majority of the beneficiaries in Bayan-Ulgii, and the element of an Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) will be included in the overall project design, a separate IPP is not required. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. On environmental safeguards: Public consultations have been conducted including consultation meetings with the project affected people and other stakeholders regarding the project and their concerns. Their feedback has been taken into account in the Environmental Safeguards Guidelines and the project design. The Environmental Safeguards Guidelines have been publicly disclosed on the MECS website, as well as in the two largest libraries within Ulaanbaatar (40 hardcopies of the guidelines were delivered to both the Mongolian National Library and the Library of Natsagdorj.) All 21 aimag education departments have disclosed the guidelines on their websites. On social safeguards: Free, prior and informed consultation with Kazakh communities has been conducted during the social assessment exercise. Focus group discussions with parents of kindergarten age children, kindergarten teachers, residents near project site and other stakeholders were conducted. Local government leaders, education professionals, and NGOs were interviewed. Page 3 of 4 B. Disclosure Requirements Date Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? Yes Date of receipt by the Bank 22-Jun-2011 Public Disclosure Copy Date of "in-country" disclosure 27-Jun-2011 Date of submission to InfoShop 08-Jul-2011 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors Indigenous Peoples Development Plan/Framework Was the document disclosed prior to appraisal? Yes Date of receipt by the Bank 22-Aug-2011 Date of "in-country" disclosure 13-Oct-2011 Date of submission to InfoShop 07-Dec-2011 If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level (to be filled in when the ISDS is finalized by the project decision meeting) OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated in the credit/loan? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] OP/BP 4.10 - Indigenous Peoples If the whole project is designed to benefit IP, has the design been reviewed and approved by Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] the Regional Social Development Unit or Sector Manager? The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the World Bank's Infoshop? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public place in a form and language Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional responsibilities been prepared for Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Public Disclosure Copy the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included in the project cost? Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project include the monitoring of safeguard Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed with the borrower and the same Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? III. APPROVALS Signed and submitted by: Name Date Task Team Leader: Prateek Tandon 08-Dec-2011 Approved By: Regional Safeguards Coordinator: Comments: Sector Manager: Luis Benveniste (SM) 08-Dec-2011 Comments: Page 4 of 4