The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 06/03/2020 | Report No: ESRSC01035 May 21, 2021 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Armenia EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA P170001 Project Name EU4Innovation STEM Project Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Education Investment Project 4/30/2020 Financing Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Ministry of Finance Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Proposed Development Objective The Project Development Objective is to increase the capacity of the National Institute of Education to formulate and Public Disclosure manage key policies affecting general education quality and improve the learning environment for delivery of STEM education in selected regions. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Total Project Cost 3.61 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] This project will provide advisory services and technical assistance for the capacity building of NIE to develop and manage continuous professional development framework for teachers. It will also support in equipping selected schools with selected STEM equipment and material. D. Environmental and Social Overview May 21, 2021 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] Republic of Armenia is a land-locked mountainous country located in the South Caucasus, bordering with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Turkey. The country comprises of ten administrative regions, called marzes: Aragatsotn, Ararat, Armavir, Gegharkunik, Kotayk, Lori, Shirak, Syunik, Tavush and Vayots Dzor. Municipality of the capital city of Yerevan is a self-standing administrative unit. Population of the country slightly exceeds 2.9 million, over 60% of which resides in urban settlements. The Center for Education Project (CEP), the project implementing entity under the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport (MoESCS), is located in Yerevan. The project will deliver technical assistance to the National Center for Education Development and Innovation (NCEDI) (Component I of the project) that operates throughout the country. Purchase and installation of laboratory equipment, including minor works for the upgrade of these laboratories, will be implemented in a selected pilot region, which is not picked yet (Component II of the project). No environmental and social risks are anticipated under the project, other than minor risks associated with occupational health and safety, and safety of students and school personnel related to the installation of new equipment. NCEDI is the national institution with a mandate of developing education policy analysis and methodologies. Work of the NCEDI applies to and benefits all public schools in the country. There are no known social issues or concerns of exclusion with regard to the work of NCEDI. Component I - capacity building of NCEDI - will benefit all students in public school institutions. Component II - STEM Pilot - will benefit students of schools to be selected for the installation of laboratory equipment aimed at enhanced teaching of STEM disciplines. Public Disclosure D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The project (small grant-financed operation) activities will be implemented by CEP. This institution is best placed for this task given its mandate and more than 15 years of experience with teacher training and methodological support, curriculum development and education policy analysis. CEP has operated within MoESCS since 1996 and has extensive expertise with the implementation of World Bank-financed operations. The CEP comprises a core group of technical, administrative, and support staff with adequate experience in the World Bank’s procedures. It would be recommended that CEP uses services of a part-time Environmental and Social Specialist/Consultant during the course of the project implementation to conduct environmental and social management of the proposed investments into school laboratories according to the guidance of the Project's Operations Manual (POM) and the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) checklist. II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Low Environmental Risk Rating Low The project will have negligible environmental risks, because the only type of physical works to be supported by this operation is installation of low-cost laboratory equipment for the improved teaching of STEM disciplines in the selected schools and minor works for interior improvement in the beneficiary school laboratories. As for the TA to be delivered to the NCEDI, it will have no direct or indirect environmental impacts. Social Risk Rating Low May 21, 2021 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) The project does not envision any activities that may cause negative social impacts. No land acquisition or asset loss is expected to occur under the project. Project benefits will apply to all students of public educational institutions in the country (delivery of technical assistance to NCEDI under Component I) and to students of the chosen pilot region (delivery and installation of laboratory equipment to STEM laboratories under Component II). Because the project- related risk to human populations and the environment is minimal or negligible, a Low risk rating is proposed. 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 World Bank finances an ongoing Education Improvement project (P130182) in the Republic of Armenia and has good understanding of how the sector is run in the country. Safeguard instruments prepared for that project by the Bank and by the Borrower, as well as information entered on it into the ISRs and IRT was carefully studied for the purpose of understanding context of the proposed new operation, and for better assessing its environmental and social risks. The environmental and social screening is also based on information on project activities described in the project Concept Note and UNICEF reports on inclusive education services in Armenia (2009 and 2017). The project will finance the delivery of TA to the NCEDI, which has no direct or indirect environmental implications and is likely to have positive indirect long-term social impact by improving quality of education in the Republic of Public Disclosure Armenia. Environmental and social impacts expected from the investment component of the project are negligible, because physical activities in the schools of the selected region will be confined to the installation of STEM laboratory equipment at schools and minor improvement of interior of beneficiary school laboratories. If any unanticipated impacts occur, they will be local and of a small-scale. The project will ensure adequacy of labor and working conditions, in a way that is materially consistent with ESS2. Guidance will be required for CEP to undertake eligibility screening of activities proposed for the project support under Component II. No radioactive or highly toxic materials will be eligible for supply to the laboratories. Environmental and social review of work designs will also be required to ensure that safety of laboratory operation is built into the designs, including safety of power supply and adequacy of ventilation. Precautionary measures will be applied to avoid nuisance to teachers and students in case minor works inside laboratory premises are undertaken while classes are ongoing in the rest of a school building. CEP will apply due diligence by following procedures to be spelled out in the Project Operations Manual (POM) and the Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) checklist. Among other aspects of the project management, the POM will include a Labor Management Procedure, a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) and a grievance redress mechanism (GRM). Due to negligible environmental impacts expected from the project, there is no need for carrying out its full-scale environmental and social assessment. However, the POM will include guidance on the application of the ESMP checklist to mitigate any associated environmental and social risks and to avoid threats to health and safety of people during minor works at school premises as well as during operation of the renovated laboratory facilities and the installed simple training equipment. It is recommended that CEP uses services of a part-time Environmental and Social Specialist/Consultant during the course of the project implementation to conduct environmental and social management of the proposed investments into school laboratories according to the guidance of the POM and ESMP checklist. May 21, 2021 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) No disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged or vulnerable groups, or barriers of their participation, are expected. Armenia has made progress on promoting an inclusive education model over the last 10 years. However, at this stage it is not possible to screen for potential exclusion impacts at the level of individual schools. Mechanism for ensuring that project benefits are equally accessible to all targeted students will be integrated into the criteria for selecting individual investments. Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: Borrower's framework will not be considered neither for the project in general nor for any of its components and parts. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure The project will directly impact teachers in the public education system via training and training methodologies to be developed. In the pilot region, it will also have a direct impact on students and teachers who will benefit from the new STEM equipment installed in the school laboratories. Other interested parties include parents, other academic institutions, and civil society organizations involved in topics of education. The CEP will undertake a brief stakeholder mapping and outline the stakeholder engagement activities that will be implemented in the course of the project. Given the scale of the project, it would be recommended to describe stakeholder engagement activities within the POM rather than preparing a stand-alone SEP. During the project preparation phase, a concrete coordination mechanism will be discussed and agreed with key implementation stakeholders. The ESCP will include a provision that stakeholder engagement activities in line with ESS10 will be provided in POM. Public Disclosure 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 ESS2 is relevant for CEP staff and consultants to be engaged under the project, as well as any other consultants and contractors who will be hired for project implementation. CEP will prepare a Labor Management Procedure for the project which will apply to all project staff and consultants. The Labor Management Procedure will include a Labor Management Plan for contractors, in the event that contractors for physical works are hired. At this stage, it is expected that no such contracts may be necessary, given that STEM equipment installation will not require substantial physical works. A Code of Conduct will be prepared for and signed by all project staff and consultants. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management The only type of pollution that may be generated in the operation phase is indoor pollution from performing of chemical tests at school laboratories equipped with the project's support. This risk should be avoided by installing proper ventilation system in the beneficiary laboratories. The respective provision will be included in the ESMP checklist. Where dismantled laboratory equipment cannot be reused, it should be recycled or disposed of by licensed contractors. The relevant provisions will be included in the ESMP checklist. May 21, 2021 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) ESS4 Community Health and Safety The ESS is not considered relevant to the project. Minor works for the installation of low-cost laboratory equipment and for interior improvement inside the beneficiary laboratory premises will be undertaken within school buildings and will be of a very small scale. No impact on communities may be caused by these activities. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement The ESS is not considered relevant to the project. Physical works to be financed by the project are confined to installation of low-cost equipment in the school laboratories and interior improvement of the beneficiary laboratories. These activities will not require private land take, will not restrict use of the private property or cause any other type of involuntary resettlement. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources The ESS is not relevant to the project. Only type of works eligible for the project support is minor works for the installation of low-cost equipment in the school laboratories and interior improvement in the beneficiary laboratories. Therefore, project-supported activities cannot affect biodiversity and living natural resources. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities The ESS is not relevant to the project. No indigenous peoples are known to reside in Armenia. Public Disclosure ESS8 Cultural Heritage The ESS is not considered relevant to the project. Delivery of technical assistance to NCEDI and installation of STEM equipment in the selected school laboratories will not have an impact on tangible or intangible cultural heritage. In an unlikely case of a school building being listed among historic structures of the Republic of Armenia, the POM and the ESMP checklist will require to exclude any works on the exterior of the building and written permission for interior works from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries The ESS is not relevant to the project. No financial intermediaries will be involved in project implementation. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways No Project will not finance any activities that may have impact on or be impacted by international waterways OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas No Project will not support any activities in the disputed areas May 21, 2021 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) III. WORLD BANK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DUE DILIGENCE A. Is a common approach being considered? No Financing Partners No financing partners are relevant for this project. B. Proposed Measures, Actions and Timing (Borrower’s commitments) Actions to be completed prior to Bank Board Approval: Delivery of an advanced draft POM, which will include guidance on: - environmental and social screening; - environmental and social review of work designs; - maintaining institutional capacity within CEP to conduct environmental and social screening; - labor management procedures; - stakeholder engagement activities; - grievance redress mechanism. Preparation of Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) checklist. Possible issues to be addressed in the Borrower Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP): The ESCP will outline the Borrower's commitment to: Finalize POM to the Bank's satisfaction and adhere to it throughout project implementation, specifically with regard Public Disclosure to the following E&S activities: - maintaining institutional capacity/staff for addressing environmental and social aspects for project implementation; - conducting environmental and social screening of each proposed sub-project; - conducting environmental and social review of each sub-project design; - developing and implementing stakeholder engagement activities; - establishing and maintaining a functioning GRM; - applying Labor Management Procedure (including measures on occupational health and safety and Code of Conduct for all project staff, consultants and workers). IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Katia Marina Herrera Sosa Title: Senior Economist Telephone No: +1-202-473-0748 Email: kherrerasosa@worldbank.org Contact: Hanna Katriina Alasuutari Title: Senior Education Specialist Telephone No: 5220+85402 / 1-202-45885402 Email: halasuutari@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient May 21, 2021 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank EU4Innovation STEM Project (P170001) Borrower: Ministry of Finance Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Ministry of Education, Science, Culture and Sport V. 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 VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Katia Marina Herrera Sosa, Hanna Katriina Alasuutari Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Satoshi Ishihara Recommended on 03-Jun-2020 at 13:48:4 GMT-04:00 Public Disclosure May 21, 2021 Page 8 of 8