@#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprcoverpage#doctemplate Report No: PIDIAF0016 Project Information Document (PID) Appraisal Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 11-Mar-2025 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprbasicinformation#doctemplate BASIC DATA A. Product Information Main: Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) Operation ID Product/Financing Instrument P166059 Investment Project Financing (IPF) Beneficiary Country/Countries Geographical Identifier Djibouti Djibouti Practice Area (Lead) Education Borrower(s) Implementing Agency Republic of Djibouti Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Additional Financing Request 2 Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date 12-Mar-2025 28-Mar-2025 Development Objective Current Development Objective (Approved as part of Additional Financing package on 31-Aug-2021) The project development objective is to increase equitable access to basic education, improve teaching practices, and strengthen MENFOP's management capacity. Components Component 1: Establishing foundations for quality preschool education Component 2: Expanding access to and improving retention in primary and lower secondary education Component 3: Building capacity to support teaching and learning Component 4: Strengthening MENFOP's management capacity and data systems @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprprojectfinancing#doctemplate COSTS & FINANCING (US$, Millions) SUMMARY Last Approved Proposed Page 1 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 Addition Total Total Operation Cost 30.35 11.35 41.70 Total Financing 30.35 11.35 41.70 Of which IBRD/IDA 15.00 6.50 21.50 FINANCING DETAILS Additional World Bank Group Financing Last Approved Financing Total International Development Association (IDA) 15.00 6.50 21.50 IDA Credit 10.00 0.00 10.00 IDA Grant 5.00 6.50 11.50 Non-World Bank Group Financing Trust Funds 15.35 4.85 20.20 Free-standing Single Purpose Trust Fund 3.80 0.00 3.80 Education for All - Fast Track Initiative 9.25 0.00 9.25 Global Partnership for Education FundNEW 0.00 4.85 4.85 Education for All Supervising Entity 2.30 0.00 2.30 IDA Resources Credit Grant SML Guarantee Total Djibouti 0.00 6.50 0.00 0.00 6.50 National Performance-Based 0.00 6.50 0.00 0.00 6.50 Allocations (PBA) Window for Host Communities and 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Refugees (WHR) Total 0.00 6.50 0.00 0.00 6.50 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidaprenvsocrisk#doctemplate Page 2 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 Other Decision (as needed) B. Introduction and Context Country Context Djibouti, a small, low-income country with a population of about 1 million, faces significant challenges due to limited economic diversification, heavy reliance on imports, and vulnerability to external shocks. With less than 1,000 square kilometers of arable land and low rainfall, the economy is susceptible to market downturns. The country’s strategic location as a global shipping hub is impacted by geopolitical tensions, leading to increased food prices and scarcity, especially for vulnerable populations. Poverty in Djibouti is widespread, with extreme poverty affecting 39 percent of the population, and levels of inequality among the highest in the Middle East and North Africa. Rural areas suffer the most, with 62.6 percent living in extreme poverty. Djibouti also has challenges in terms of human capital, with high rates of infant mortality, stunting, low educational outcomes, and health issues, particularly for women. Structural barriers limit women's participation in the economy, worsening their prospects. Natural disasters, including frequent droughts and floods, further burden the country. These events have caused significant damages and loss, particularly in rural areas with poor infrastructure. Djibouti is vulnerable to climate shocks reliance on neighboring countries for trade, and dependence on international trade for essential goods like water and food. The country hosts 32,643 refugees, primarily from Somalia, Ethiopia, and Yemen, and has adopted a National Refugee Law to support refugee integration and access to services. Djibouti also serves as a key transit point for migrants from the Horn of Africa seeking economic opportunities or fleeing drought and food insecurity. Despite challenges, the government’s approach to refugee protection is considered adequate by international agencies. Sectoral and Institutional Context The education system in Djibouti has made progress over the past two decades, with increased enrollment rates at all education levels, particularly primary and lower secondary. However, foundational learning remains a challenge, with low academic performance in numeracy and reading, despite some improvement in the latter. Repetition and dropout rates, especially for girls, remain high. The average years of schooling are low (9.2 years), and more than half of students still perform poorly in reading comprehension assessments. The projected productive potential for a child born in 2022 is just 41 percent of what it would be in a context where they would receive quality services. Gender disparities persist, with boys generally performing better, and girls facing additional barriers to education, especially in rural areas. Preschool attendance remains low (26.1 percent), and access to quality education varies across regions. The pupil-teacher ratio is higher than in similar countries, and disparities between urban and rural areas, as well as limited infrastructure, further hinder learning outcomes. Refugee children in Djibouti face challenges in accessing education, though the Page 3 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 government has committed to educating all children, including those in refugee camps. Nutrition and health issues, such as undernutrition and food insecurity, affect children's health and learning outcomes. To respond to these challenges, the government is putting into place education reforms to improve quality, access, and resilience, with a vision to ensure inclusive education. Key reforms include expanding preschool education, focusing on inclusion for vulnerable groups, updating curricula, enhancing teacher professional development, and leveraging technology to improve learning. A priority reform emphasizes reducing regional disparities and improving education completion and transition rates, particularly for girls, through better teacher support, improved learning environments, and local governance. C. Proposed Development Objective(s) Original Development Objective The project development objective is to increase equitable access to basic education, improve teaching practices, and strengthen MENFOP's management capacity. Current Development Objective The project development objective is to increase equitable access to basic education, improve teaching practices, and strengthen MENFOP's management capacity. Proposed New Development Objective There are no proposed changes in PDO. D. Project Description The AF to PRODA aims to further the momentum created by the Parent Project, with a focus on increasing equitable access to preschool and basic education, while improving learning outcomes for all children. It targets key challenges across the education system, focusing on improving access, enhancing teacher competencies, and addressing specific needs such as those of vulnerable populations (e.g., refugees, special needs students). Component 1. Establishing foundations for quality preschool education Goal: To ensure all children have access to one year of quality preschool education by 2030, particularly focusing on rural and remote areas. Key Actions: 1. Improving Access and Demand: Build new classrooms and rehabilitate and equip existing ones in vulnerable areas. Promote preschool education through community awareness campaigns to increase demand. Page 4 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 2. Improving Quality: Extend the quality assurance mechanisms from the Parent Project to all public and private preschools. Continue strengthening preschool teacher competencies through the TEACH/COACH program, which has already shown significant improvement in teacher skills. Component 2: Expanding access to and improving retention in primary and lower secondary education Goal: Increase access to education and improve retention, especially for vulnerable groups like refugees, children with special needs, and those at risk of dropping out. Key Actions: 1. Access to Education: Expand the Accelerated Learning Program (PEA) to rural areas and implement an informal education policy to integrate out-of-school youth. Build new classrooms, particularly in peri-urban areas, including facilities like separate toilets for boys and girls and climate-resilient features. Rehabilitate existing classrooms to ensure they meet quality standards. 2. Support for Retention: ▪ Establish clubs for adolescent girls and boys to promote hygiene and positive behavior. ▪ Provide hygiene kits and awareness campaigns to reduce school dropouts. ▪ Implement a health screening system in collaboration with the Ministry of Health to identify conditions affecting students' ability to learn. ▪ Implementing the sub-regional plans that focus on localized solutions for out-of-school children, especially girls. ▪ Provide specialized interventions for refugee children and children with special educational needs (EABS), including teacher training and building accessible classrooms. Component 3: Capacity building to support teaching and learning Goal: Improve the quality of education by closing learning gaps, enhancing teacher skills, and using data to inform decision- making. Key Actions: 1. Closing Learning Gaps: Develop a remedial education program targeting vulnerable primary and secondary students, with a focus on girls. This includes curriculum development, teacher training, and psychosocial support. Additional interventions will also be developed, based on international evidence, to target learning gaps in the early primary grades in reading, writing and math skills to ensure a strong foundation for future learning. 2. Teacher Skill Development: Scale up the primary school TEACH/COACH program, integrating it into the Ministry’s core training. Provide additional pedagogical support to teachers in vulnerable areas. 3. Using Learning Data: Support Djibouti's participation in an international learning assessment (PASEC) to benchmark education outcomes and use the results for policy development. Strengthen the national evaluation system to improve data-driven decision-making. Component 4: Strengthening MENFOP’s management capacity and data systems Page 5 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 Goal: Enhance the efficiency and capacity of the Ministry of Education (MENFOP) to manage education services and data, ensuring effective service delivery at the local level. Key Actions: 1. Modernizing Data Systems: Further develop MENFOP’s Education Management Information System (GOSE) to integrate all school data in one platform and ensure it is used effectively by all schools. 2. Support for Project Management & Monitoring: Strengthen MENFOP’s internal project management capacities in areas such as procurement, financial management, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E). 3. Empowering Local Education Authorities: Build capacity at the regional and central level to better manage and implement education plans. This includes providing equipment and supporting the delegation of decision-making powers to regional directorates. 4. Results-Based School Management: Pilot performance contracts for schools to improve school leadership and accountability. This includes professionalizing school directors, strengthening school management committees, and implementing results-based projects to address specific educational needs. Vulnerable Populations Focus Throughout the project, there is a strong emphasis on supporting vulnerable groups such as: • Refugees: Expanding educational opportunities for refugee children and integrating them into the national system. • Children with Special Educational Needs (EABS): Targeted interventions, including specialized teacher training, classroom adaptations, and provision of assistive technologies. • Girls: Focused actions to reduce gender-based school dropouts, including hygiene management and community awareness. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidlegalpolicyandscreeningrisk#doctemplate Legal Operational Policies Policies Triggered? Current Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Area OP 7.60 No Summary of Screening of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The environmental and social risk rating of the Additional Financing (AF) has been retained as Moderate, consistent with that of the parent project, and will be managed in accordance. The parent project’s environmental and social instruments will continue to apply to the AF, with necessary addition made into the Project Operating Manual (POM) if needed to reflect new activities, risks, and potential impacts. The ESMF will be updated, as needed, within two months after effectiveness to ensure appropriate risk mitigation measures. The AF will finance activities such as provision of equipment for preschool classrooms, construction and furnishing of additional classrooms in rural and urban areas, Page 6 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 and community awareness campaigns on preschool education. It will also support the establishment of school canteens, strategies for children with special needs, psychological support for teachers and students, capacity-building for the new General Directorates, training and coaching for teachers, and a performance contractor mechanism for schools. These activities are expected to generate positive impacts, including enhanced quality of early childhood education, increased enrollment and retention, and improved access in remote areas. Newly constructed classrooms will incorporate climate-resilient designs to withstand extreme weather conditions, ensuring the long-term sustainability of infrastructure. Water resource management measures will be integrated into construction activities to prevent overuse or contamination of local water supplies, particularly in areas with limited access to safe drinking water. Although the project involves activities across multiple sites, the cumulative environmental impacts are not expected to exceed manageable levels if appropriate mitigation measures are applied. The impacts are predictable and reversible with appropriate mitigation measures, such as implementing site-specific Environmental Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and conducting regular environmental monitoring. While MENFOP has some experience in managing environmental risks through prior projects, capacity at the regional level may require strengthening to ensure compliance and effective implementation of mitigation measures. Key environmental risks are associated with minor civil works, such as occupational and community health and safety risks, noise and vibration, dust generation, and construction waste management. The potential generation of construction waste, hazardous materials (e.g., paint, solvents), and food waste from canteens requires proper disposal to avoid environmental harm. Key social risks include labor-related risks, insufficient stakeholder engagement, risks related to land access and potential resettlement, the possibility of accidental discoveries (chance finds), risks exclusion of beneficiaries, exclusion of vulnerable groups (persons with disability, refugee, minorities, etc), especially where preschool enrollment capacity is limited—and non-functional grievance mechanisms. There is also a risk of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEA/SH) by project workers, who may interact with school communities, including children. There is also risk related to labor conditions, including child and forced labor, occupational health and safety for those involved in the constructions. Measures proposed in the project parent SEP, ESMF, and LMP to mitigate these risks will remain relevant and continue to apply to the AF. The AF will continue to use the parent project’s instruments, with addition made to the POM, if deemed necessary, to reflect new activities and risks. The existing Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) will also extend to the AF. To mitigate the SEAH risks, the GRM will strengthen the specific procedures for GBV including confidential reporting with safe and ethical documenting of GBV cases. In addition, part of the project’s stakeholder consultations, those affected by the project should be properly informed of GBV risks and project activities to get their feedback on project design and safeguard issues. The Stakeholder Engagement Plan of the parent project, including the GBV Action Plan, will be implemented throughout the project's duration. This plan aims to keep local communities and other stakeholders informed about the project's activities and specifically address issues related to gender-based violence (GBV). All environmental and social instruments will be updated, disclosed, and applied to both the parent project and the AF. The inclusive targeting plan includes clear communication around eligibility criteria ensuring that all residents regardless of their status and socio-economic background can benefit from the projects. Addressing these risks with appropriate management measures, the project can ensure that it achieves its objective while minimizing adverse social impacts. E. Implementation Institutional and Implementation Arrangements Page 7 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 Project implementation is the responsibility of MENFOP with targeted and continuous implementation support from the World Bank and technical assistants. Other development partners also provide technical assistance that supports implementation of the overall Education Action Plan (Plan d’action de l’éducation). Within MENFOP, the Secretary General will be the overall project lead, with project coordination, fiduciary management, and monitoring and evaluation support provided by the Directory General of Administration and the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). Technical directorates will prepare Annual Work Plans (AWP) with line-item budgets that detail specific activities and timelines for work to be undertaken, following a standard format approved at project effectiveness. The PIU will work closely with the directorates to ensure timely preparation of AWPs and implementation of project activities. AWPs will be approved by the Secretary General and will be monitored monthly by the monitoring and evaluation officer(s) in the PIU. The PIU will be further strengthened by closely collaborating with WB specialists in FM, Environmental & Social safeguards, and Procurement, and by incorporating their recommendations. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidisdscontactpoint#doctemplate CONTACT POINT World Bank Ryoko Tomita Senior Education Specialist Abdo Said Abdo Education Specialist Borrower/Client/Recipient Republic of Djibouti Implementing Agencies Ministry of Education and Vocational Training 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 Page 8 The World Bank Expanding Opportunities for Learning (P166059) – Additional Financing Request 2 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@afpidapproval#doctemplate APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Ryoko Tomita, Abdo Said Abdo Approved By Practice Manager/Manager: Fadila Caillaud 22-Feb-2025 Country Director: Fatou Fall 11-Mar-2025 Page 9