The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) Concept Environmental and Social Review Summary Concept Stage (ESRS Concept Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 02/13/2024 | Report No: ESRSC04105 Feb 07, 2025 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Operation Data Operation ID Product Operation Acronym Approval Fiscal Year P181602 Investment Project Financing (IPF) UZB Edu SCB 2024 Operation Name Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (SCB) Project Country/Region Code Beneficiary country/countries Region Practice Area (Lead) (borrower, recipient) Uzbekistan Uzbekistan EUROPE AND CENTRAL Education ASIA Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Estimated Board Date Republic of Ministry of Preschool and School 27-Jun-2024 Uzbekistan Education Estimated Concept Total Project Cost Review Date Public Disclosure 18-Mar-2024 2,200,000.00 Proposed Development Objective The objective of the project is to strengthen the capacity of the Ministry of Preschool and School Education in informed planning, budgeting and sector coordination through enhanced education data quality. B. Is the operation 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 Activities The overall desired change that the Project intends to bring about is to drive the process toward better education outcomes through the availability of quality data and monitoring mechanisms: more timely, accurate, relevant and aggregated data available to end-users for decision-making, planning, management, monitoring and evaluation. The results-based system which will emerge from this intervention, which could consistently reflect on implementation, rate quality and address improvement of the quality of education services delivered by ministries will be a powerful tool for improving education in the country. Coherent data collection is the basis of such a system and fundamental to targeted, effective decision making. The implementation strategy retained by the Project is to (i) help identify bottlenecks that Feb 07, 2025 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) impede system alignment between education policy and practice in view of better learning outcomes and formulate relevant policy recommendations and solutions, and (ii) address the three key requirements for a functional national data management system, namely technology, processes and peoples. The strategy is to strengthen planning, management, and policy formulation functions of education ministries in relation to Partnership Compact for Education Reform implementation and more generally to foster evidence-based decision-making and accountability mechanisms through the provision of timely and accurate data and quality assurance systems. In terms of sector coordination and volume, efficiency, and equity of domestic financing, interventions will strengthen continuous policy dialogue through the establishment of education financing monitoring mechanisms at the level of the Ministry of Preschool and School Education. At systemic level, yearly sector planning exercises will be improved through capacity development and mobilization of expertise in evidence-based sector planning as linked to coordinated financing and education funding. Proposed interventions including the systemic tracking of expenditure, and the establishment of feedback mechanisms will ensure a more participatory budget process increasing participation of all relevant stakeholders, thus resulting in better adequacy, effectiveness, and efficiency. The project will cover the following 3 components: 1. Enhancing the capacity, effectiveness, and fairness of domestic financing, incorporating gender-sensitive, climate-responsive planning and policy formulation to achieve comprehensive systemic outcomes. 2. Mobilization of coordinated actions and financing to enable transformative change. 3. Strengthening the capacity of EMIS (education management information system) to drive evidence-based decision-making. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1 Overview of Environmental and Social Project Settings The purpose of the project is to advance education reform in Uzbekistan by addressing key issues identified in the Public Disclosure Endorsed Partnership Compact for Education Reform. The project aims to improve the quality of education, ensure effective sector coordination and financing, and enhance the efficiency, equity, and transparency of domestic financing in the education system through: (i) Strengthening Data and Evidence, The lack of a comprehensive national education statistics system hinders reform efforts. Existing data sources are disconnected and fail to provide comprehensive information for evidence-based planning and decision making for improving the education system, (ii) Improving Sector Coordination - Coordinated Financing and Funding: The lack of inclusive sector dialogue and coordinated action has led to fragmented interventions and inconsistencies in policy formulation, financing, and resource allocation, and (iii) enhancing volume, efficiency and equity of domestic Financing: Efficiency of public spending in education is hindered by poor coordination, unreliable information, overpricing and substandard quality in procurement, weak internal audit and anti-corruption systems, outdated teacher salary calculation, and low capacity of staff. The geographical scope of the proposed Project covers the whole of Uzbekistan. The project is Technical Assistance to fill the above identified gaps. According to the activities provided in the short note there will be neither civil works nor purchasing of equipment. D.2 Overview of Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Managing Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts The primary implementing agency for the proposed project will be the Ministry of Preschool and School Education (MoPSE). MoPSE will sign an agreement with UNICEF and UNESCO for execution of the project activities. MoPSE will be responsible for coordination of the relevant government offices as well as work closely with the Ministry of Economy and Finance on enhancing volume, efficiency, and equity of domestic financing. Feb 07, 2025 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) MoPSE with the support of the Bank will prepare relevant ESF instruments based on the triggered ESSs, and social dimensions and risks related to the project will be embedded in the project's activities, particularly labor management, stakeholder engagement, grievance management (including managing exclusion errors), and measures to promote inclusion of vulnerable groups. The Bank suggests the Borrower to consider the following areas during the preparation of ESF instruments: - Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP); - Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) (as part of the broader system); and - Labor Management Procedures (LMP). II. SCREENING OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Low A.1 Environmental Risk Rating Low The environmental risk is rated Low. Project activities will not support or design any kind of physical intervention or civil work. The project will focus on improving data collection and coordination to transform Uzbekistan's national education system governance. Low A.2 Social Risk Rating Public Disclosure The overall social risk rating is low. Based on this assessment, social risks are rated low. Public participation will be sought through stakeholder engagement to promote transparency, citizen feedback, and equitable access to participation for activities related to government capacity building. Relevant measures to promote public participation will be addressed as part of project design and implementation, guided by a SEP to be prepared by MoPSE. B. Relevance of Standards and Policies at Concept Stage B.1 Relevance of Environmental and Social Standards ESS1 - Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Relevant ESS1 is applicable for the operation. The application of ESS1 is to set out relevant roles and responsibilities for environmental and social management, particularly concerning to labor management and stakeholder engagement as further elaborated in ESS2 and ESS10 sections. No physical investments, nor activities requiring direct engagement with communities are envisaged under the operation. Both environmental and social risk ratings are low. A Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) will serve as the main instrument to promote public participation, transparency, and equitable access to project benefits, particularly related to capacity-building activities. ESS10 - Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant Feb 07, 2025 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) During Project preparation the MoPSE will carry out stakeholder engagement activities including (i) identifying the Project stakeholders; (ii) carrying out consultations with key stakeholders on project activities; (iii) broadening the Grievance Mechanism (GM). During the preparation stage, the Borrower shall meet and get feedback from vulnerable groups and their representatives. During implementation, MoPSE /PIU will hold an annual public consultation with stakeholders on the implementation of the project and, if necessary, produce and publish an accessible annual report on the progress of the project . The above measures shall be included in the project’s stand-alone SEP and Environment and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) which will be disclosed. Engagement with stakeholders will continue throughout Project implementation as will be indicated in the ESCP. ESS2 - Labor and Working Conditions Relevant ESS2 is relevant. The project shall be carried out following the applicable requirements of ESS 2, in a manner acceptable to the World Bank. Potential risks related to project workers may include discrimination based on gender, status, disability, and/or other during the hiring process; health and safety risks during travels to the project locations (air and land travel); and other risks related to working conditions such as no mechanism for raising concerns at the workplace. Labor Management Procedure (LMP) will be prepared by MoPSE to guide the management of labor, including personal safety measures and other provisions in compliance with ESS2 provisions and the national law where relevant and/or equivalent, such as fair and equal opportunity for hiring process and pay, grievance redress mechanisms at the workplace, codes of conduct about Gender Based Violence (GBV)/Sexual Abuse/Sexual Harassment (GBV/SA/SH). ESS3 - Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Not Currently Relevant Public Disclosure ESS3 is currently not relevant as the project activities will not involve use of natural resources, pollution and Green House Gas Emissions. ESS4 - Community Health and Safety Not Currently Relevant ESS4 is not applicable as the project activities will not present health and safety risks to communities. No direct community engagement is envisaged for the purpose of project implementation. ESS5 - Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Not Currently Relevant ESS5 is not applicable as the project activities will not require land and result in any access restrictions. No physical investments are envisaged under the project. ESS6 - Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Not Currently Relevant Resources ESS6 is currently not relevant given the project does not involve any activities that would potentially affect biodiversity or habitats, either positively or negatively, directly or indirectly, or depend on biodiversity to achieve the project objectives. ESS7 - Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Not Currently Relevant Local Communities Feb 07, 2025 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) Not relevant as there are no IP/SSAHUTLCs in Uzbekistan as per the standard definition of ESS7. ESS8 - Cultural Heritage Not Currently Relevant ESS8 is not applicable since the project does not finance any physical investments which may affect cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Similarly, the project will not finance feasibility and design studies with downstream impacts on cultural heritage. ESS9 - Financial Intermediaries Not Currently Relevant ESS9 is not applicable since the project does not finance and/or involve financial intermediation activities. B.2 Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Operations on International Waterways No OP 7.60 Operations in Disputed Areas No B.3 Other Salient Features Use of Borrower Framework TBD Public Disclosure Use of Common Approach No C. Overview of Required Environmental and Social Risk Management Activities C.1 What Borrower environmental and social analyses, instruments, plans and/or frameworks are planned or required by Appraisal? - Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) – by Appraisal - Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) – by Appraisal - Labor Management Procedures (LMP) spelled out in the Project Operations Manual – by Project Effectiveness III. CONTACT POINT World Bank Task Team Leader: Hiroshi Saeki Title: Senior Economist Email: hsaeki@worldbank.org TTL Contact: Victoriya Babakhodjaeva Job Title: Education Specialist Feb 07, 2025 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Uzbekistan Education System Capacity Building (scb) Project (P181602) Email: vbabakhodjaeva@worldbank.org IV. 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 V. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Hiroshi Saeki, Victoriya Babakhodjaeva ADM Environmental Specialist: Asferachew Abate Abebe ADM Social Specialist: Akbarjon Khamraliev Public Disclosure Feb 07, 2025 Page 7 of 7