FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No: PADHI00375 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT ON A PROPOSED GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 49.40 MILLION (US$65.00 MILLION EQUIVALENT) AND A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF US$55.05 MILLION FROM THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION TO THE CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC FOR A CAR ACCELERATING RESULTS IN EDUCATION PROJECT May 28,2024 Education Global Practice Western and Central Africa Region This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective April 30,2024) Franc of the African Financial Currency Unit = Community (CFAF) CFAF 611.443= US$1 SDR 0.75876564 = US$1 FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31 Regional Vice President: Ousmane Diagana Regional Director: Trina Haque Country Director: Cheick Fantamady Kante Practice Manager: Scherezad Joya Monami Latif Task Team Leaders: Boubakar Lompo, Tanya Savrimootoo ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AFD Agence Française de Développement (French Development Agency) AfDB African Development Bank AFWES Africa Western and Central Education Strategy ALP Accelerated Learning Program AM Accountability Mechanism (World Bank) AME Association Meres Educatrices (Association of Mother Educators) AWPB Annual Work Plan and Budget CAR Central African Republic CEMAC Communauté Economique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale (Central African Economic and Monetary Community) CFAF Franc of the African Financial Community CMT Contract Management Team COOPI Cooperazione Internazionale (International Cooperation) CPD Continuous Professional Development CPF Country Partnership Framework CRI Corporate Results Indicator DRM Domestic Revenue Mobilization E&S Environmental and Social EBESP Emergency Basic Education Support Project ECVMH Enquête Harmonisée sur le Conditions de Vie des Ménages (Harmonized Survey on Households Living Standards) ECW Education Cannot Wait EMIS Education Management Information System ESF Environmental and Social Framework ESP Education Sector Plan ESPSP Education Sector Plan Support Project ESS Environmental and Social Standards EU European Union EYOS Equivalent Years of Schooling FCV Fragility, Conflict, and Violence FM Financial Management GBV Gender-based Violence GDP Gross Domestic Product GEA Girls’ Education Accelerator GEI Girls’ Education Initiative GER Gross Enrollment Rate GHG Greenhouse Gas GPE Global Partnership for Education GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism GRS Grievance Redress Service HCI Human Capital Index HDI Human Development Index HRMIS Human Resources Management Information System IDA International Development Association IDP Internally Displaced Person IFR Interim Financial Report IMF International Monetary Fund IPF Investment Project Financing IRR Internal Rate of Return KfW Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (Credit Institute for Reconstruction) LEG Local Education Group M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MEPIC Ministère de l’Economie, du Plan et de la Coopération (Ministry of Economy, Planning, and International Cooperation) MFB Ministère des Finances et du Budget (Ministry of Finance and Budget) MFPRA Ministère de la Fonction Publique et du Réforme Administrative (Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reform) MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MNE Ministère de l’Education Nationale (Ministry of National Education) NDC Nationally Determined Contribution ND-GAIN Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative NGO Nongovernmental Organization NLA National Learning Assessment NPV Net Present Value NRC Norwegian Refugee Council OHADA Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires (Organization for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa) PASEC Programme d’Analyse des Systèmes Éducatifs de la CONFEMEN (CONFEMEN Educational System Analysis Program) PCU Project Coordination Unit PDO Project Development Objective PER Public Expenditure Review PFM Public Financial Management POM Project Operations Manual PPSD Project Procurement Strategy for Development PSC Project Steering Committee PTA Parent-Teacher Association RF Results Framework RPC Regional Pedagogical Center SDG Sustainable Development Goal SEA Sexual Exploitation and Abuse SH Sexual Harassment SMC School Management Committee STEP Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement STG System Transformation Grant STR Student-teacher Ratio TA Technical Assistance TC Technical Committee TFP Technical and Financial Partner TLM Teaching and Learning Material TORs Terms of Reference TSA Treasury Single Account TTCe Primary Teacher Training Center TTCo Primary Teacher Training College TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training UN United Nations UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund VAT Value-added Tax WASH Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) TABLE OF CONTENTS DATASHEET................................................................................................................................. i I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT ...........................................................................................................1 A. Country Context........................................................................................................................... 1 B. Sectoral and Institutional Context ................................................................................................ 3 C. Relevance to Higher Level Objectives ........................................................................................... 7 II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................................9 A. Project Development Objective (PDO) ......................................................................................... 9 B. Project Components .................................................................................................................. 10 C. Project Beneficiaries .................................................................................................................. 16 D. Results Chain ............................................................................................................................. 17 E. Rationale for World Bank Involvement and Role of Partners....................................................... 17 F. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design .................................................................. 18 III. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS ................................................................................20 A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements........................................................................ 20 B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation Arrangements ...................................................................... 20 C. Sustainability ............................................................................................................................. 20 IV. PROJECT APPRAISAL SUMMARY .......................................................................................21 A. Technical, Economic and Financial Analysis ................................................................................ 21 B. Fiduciary .................................................................................................................................... 22 C. Legal Operational Policies .......................................................................................................... 24 D. Environmental and Social........................................................................................................... 24 V. GRIEVANCE REDRESS SERVICES .........................................................................................26 VI. KEY RISKS ..........................................................................................................................27 VII. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING.......................................................................29 ANNEX 1: Implementation Arrangements and Support Plan ...................................................40 ANNEX 2: Complementarity of Interventions Between the EBESP, the ESPSP, and the HC Project ...........................................................................................................................51 ANNEX 3: The Situation of Teachers in the CAR .......................................................................54 ANNEX 4: Support Provided by the Key Development Partners in the Education Sector .........55 ANNEX 5: Economic and Financial Analysis ..............................................................................57 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padbasicinformation#doctemplate DATASHEET BASIC INFORMATION Project Operation Name Beneficiary(ies) Central African CAR Accelerating Results in Education Republic Environmental and Social Risk Operation ID Financing Instrument Classification Investment Project P502128 Substantial Financing (IPF) @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padprocessing#doctemplate Financing & Implementation Modalities [ ] Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) [✓] Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) [ ] Series of Projects (SOP) [✓] Fragile State(s) [ ] Performance-Based Conditions (PBCs) [ ] Small State(s) [ ] Financial Intermediaries (FI) [ ] Fragile within a non-fragile Country [ ] Project-Based Guarantee [ ] Conflict [ ] Deferred Drawdown [ ] Responding to Natural or Man-made Disaster [ ] Alternative Procurement Arrangements (APA) [ ] Hands-on Expanded Implementation Support (HEIS) Expected Approval Date Expected Closing Date 18-Jun-2024 31-Oct-2030 Bank/IFC Collaboration No Proposed Development Objective(s) The project development objective is to improve access to quality basic education and strengthen capacity for sector management. Components Component Name Cost (US$) i The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Component 1: Increase access to improved learning environments 70,500,000.00 Component 2: Improve teaching quality 34,000,000.00 Component 3: Strengthen data system and sector management 15,555,000.00 Component 4: Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) 0.00 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padborrower#doctemplate Organizations Borrower: Central African Republic, Central African Republic Implementing Agency: Ministry of National Education @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padfinancingsummary#doctemplate PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) Maximizing Finance for Development Is this an MFD-Enabling Project (MFD-EP)? No Is this project Private Capital Enabling (PCE)? No SUMMARY Total Operation Cost 120.06 Total Financing 120.06 of which IBRD/IDA 65.00 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS World Bank Group Financing International Development Association (IDA) 65.00 IDA Grant 65.00 Non-World Bank Group Financing Trust Funds 55.05 Global Partnership for Education Fund 55.05 IDA Resources (US$, Millions) ii The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Guarantee Credit Amount Grant Amount SML Amount Total Amount Amount National Performance-Based 0.00 65.00 0.00 0.00 65.00 Allocations (PBA) Total 0.00 65.00 0.00 0.00 65.00 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@paddisbursementprojection#doctemplate Expected Disbursements (US$, Millions) WB Fiscal Year 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 Annual 0.25 20.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 6.60 3.21 0.00 Cumulativ e 0.25 20.25 50.25 80.25 110.25 116.85 120.06 120.06 @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padclimatechange#doctemplate PRACTICE AREA(S) Practice Area (Lead) Contributing Practice Areas Education CLIMATE Climate Change and Disaster Screening Yes, it has been screened and the results are discussed in the Operation Document @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padrisk#doctemplate SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONS RISK- RATING TOOL (SORT) Risk Category Rating 1. Political and Governance  Substantial 2. Macroeconomic  Substantial 3. Sector Strategies and Policies  Substantial 4. Technical Design of Project or Program  Moderate 5. Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability  High iii The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 6. Fiduciary  Substantial 7. Environment and Social  Substantial 8. Stakeholders  High 9. Other  High 10. Overall  High @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padcompliance#doctemplate POLICY COMPLIANCE Policy Does the project depart from the CPF in content or in other significant respects? [ ] Yes [✓] No Does the project require any waivers of Bank policies? [ ] Yes [✓] No ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL Environmental and Social Standards Relevance Given its Context at the Time of Appraisal E & S Standards Relevance ESS 1: Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Relevant Impacts ESS 10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Relevant ESS 2: Labor and Working Conditions Relevant ESS 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Relevant ESS 4: Community Health and Safety Relevant ESS 5: Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Relevant ESS 6: Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Not Currently Relevant Resources ESS 7: Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Relevant Traditional Local Communities ESS 8: Cultural Heritage Not Currently Relevant ESS 9: Financial Intermediaries Not Currently Relevant NOTE: For further information regarding the World Bank’s due diligence assessment of the Project’s potential environmental and social risks and impacts, please refer to the Project’s Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary (ESRS). iv The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padlegalcovenants#doctemplate LEGAL Legal Covenants Sections and Description Schedule 2, Section I, A, 2. a) The Recipient shall, no later than three (3) months after the Effective Date, update and thereafter maintain, the steering committee for the Project (the “Project Steering Committee” or “PSC”) with terms of reference, composition, and resources acceptable to the Association. Schedule 2, Section I, A, 3. a) The Recipient shall establish no later than three (3) months after the Effective Date, or such later date as agreed by the Association, and thereafter maintain, throughout Project implementation, Project Technical Committee with composition, terms of reference and roles and responsibilities acceptable to the Association and set forth in the POM. Schedule 2, Section I, A, 4. b) The Recipient shall no later than two (2) months after the Effective Date recruit or designate the following key staff for the Project Coordination Unit (i) a project coordinator; (ii) a procurement specialist; (iii) a financial management specialist; (iv) a monitoring and evaluation specialist, (v) an environmental specialist, (vi) a social management specialist, (vii) a GBV specialist; (viii) an internal auditor, and (ix) an external auditor each with terms of reference, qualification and experience acceptable to the Association, and shall maintain these positions filled throughout the period of implementation of the Project. Schedule 2, Section I, A, 4. c) The Recipient shall no later than three (3) months after the Effective Date set up an accounting and reporting system. Per ESCP, the PCU will prepare, consult upon, and disclose the draft Labor Management Plan (LMP) by Project appraisal and finalize, adopt, and disclose no later than three months after the project effective date, then implement throughout Project implementation. Per ESCP, the PCU will establish the worker grievance mechanism no later than three months after the project effective date and thereafter maintain and operate it throughout Project implementation. Per ESCP, the PCU will prepare, consult upon, and disclose the draft Sexual Exploitation and Abuse / Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH) assessment and plan by project appraisal and finalize, adopt and disclose it no later than three months after the project effective date. Per ESCP, the PCU will prepare, consult upon, and disclose the draft Security Risks Assessment (SRA) and Security Management Plan (SMP) by project appraisal and finalize and adopt no later than three months after the project effective date. Per ESCP, the PCU will prepare, consult upon, and disclose the draft Generic Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) by project appraisal and finalize, adopt and disclose it no later than three months after the Project Effective Date, then implement throughout Project implementation. Per ESCP, the PCU will prepare the draft Stakeholders Engagement Plan (SEP) by project appraisal and finalize no later than three months after project effectiveness. @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padconditions#doctemplate Conditions Type Citation Description Financing Source the GPE Grant Agreement has been executed and Effectiveness Article IV, section 4.01 (b) IBRD/IDA, Trust Funds delivered and all conditions precedent to its v The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) effectiveness or to the right of the Recipient to make withdrawals under it (other than the effectiveness of this Agreement) have been fulfilled The Recipient shall update and thereafter adopt a Project Operations Manual Effectiveness Article IV, section 4.01 (a) IBRD/IDA, Trust Funds (POM), with conditions and contents acceptable to the Association vi The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT A. Country Context 1. The Central African Republic (CAR) is a landlocked country of approximately 6.1 million people, 50.4 percent of whom are ages 15 and under. It is one of the poorest and most fragile countries in the world. The country is rich in natural resources, but its economic potential remains largely untapped, and it has yet to translate it into a driver for inclusive growth and development. Instead, the following challenges persist: (a) poverty remains extremely high, especially outside the capital city of Bangui; 1 (b) human capital, 2 gender equality3 and human development indices 4 are among the lowest in the world; and (c) cyclical violence over the past 40 years continues to hamper development. The institutions are weak; citizens have limited access to basic services; and public infrastructure is inadequate with only 8 percent of the general population having access to electricity and only 2 percent outside of Bangui. 5 2. Progress toward macroeconomic stabilization and peacebuilding continues to move slowly. Since 2021, insecurity and conflict-related violence stemming from the post-election crisis have decreased, but the situation remains precarious. The conflicts have damaged schooling infrastructure, and security concerns have caused children to drop out of school. The situation has led to over 515,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and about 35,000 refugees in the country, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of September 8, 2023. 6 This has contributed to strains on social sectors in host communities and added yet another dimension to the educational challenges facing the impacted population. On the macroeconomic front, there have been some signs of improvements since 2023. Economic growth settled at 0.9 percent in 2023, a slight increase from 0.5 percent in 2022, mainly due to limited fuel imports and mixed agricultural performance. Higher transportation prices disrupted trade and local production, negatively affecting economic activity in the service sector. Despite improved security conditions, timber production has declined, mainly due to the structural decline in global demand and prices. While transportation costs rose, inflation fell from 5.6 percent in 2022 to 3.2 percent in 2023, reaching its lowest level since 2021. Even with spending moderation efforts, the overall fiscal balance remains structurally in deficit. The fuel shortage in the last quarter of 2023 reduced fuel tax collection and dampened recent tax collection efforts. Domestic revenue mobilization (DRM) efforts, including the introduction of a new tax on electronic communications, along with moderation in current spending and expansion in external grant financing, reduced the overall fiscal deficit from 5.3 percent in 2022 to 3.5 percent in 2023. 7 The medium-term outlook shows a gradual improvement in economic performance but remains vulnerable to headwinds. Real gross domestic product (GDP) growth is projected to recover gradually, reaching 1.3 1 Around 69.0 percent of the population lives below the national poverty line (US$775, PPP 2015 constant). Poverty rates are much higher in rural areas (74.2 percent) than in urban areas (61.1 percent). There are also large variations in poverty rates across the seven regions, with the highest rates in Haut Oubangi (84.7 percent) and the lowest in Fertit (67.7 percent). See Central African Republic Poverty Assessment (World Bank 2023). 2 In 2022, Human Capital Index (HCI) for the Central African Republic was 0.29, which means that a child born in the Central African Republic just before the pandemic will be 29 percent as productive when she grows up as she could be if she enjoyed complete education and full health. 3 The Central African Republic ranks 166 out of 170 countries on the 2021 Gender Inequality Index, and its 2021 fertility rate among adolescent girls ages 15–19 was an alarming 16 percent. Based on the latest available data, only 9.3 percent of girls completed lower secondary school, compared to 15.2 percent of boys, affecting women’s ability to actively participate in the labor force. Also, gender-based violence (GBV) in the Central African Republic has reached alarming levels. In the first half of 2022, according to the United Nations, 11,732 GBV cases were recorded, surpassing the total cases in 2021.3 (See United Nations Human Development Reports (UNDP), “Gender Inequality Index (GII).” https://hdr.undp.org/data- center/thematic-composite-indices/gender-inequality-index#/indicies/GII. 4 The Central African Republic ranked 188 out of 191 countries in the HDI. (See the UNDP HDI 2022). 5 The majority of the country, especially in the east, has limited accessibility due to lack of paved infrastructure (World Bank Data 2020). 6 See UNHCR database. https://data.unhcr.org/fr/country/caf. 7 Public debt increased to 55.7 percent of GDP in 2023 in the form of net domestic bond issuance. Domestic debt is estimated to reach 21 percent of GDP in 2023. The yield on three-year bonds is 11 percent, one of the highest in the Communauté Economique et Monétaire de l’Afrique Centrale (Central African Economic and Monetary Community - CEMAC). 1 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) percent in 2024 before averaging 1.8 percent in 2025–26. This is partly due to the base effect and depends on the second disbursement of budget support by the African Development Bank (AfDB) as well as the implementation of policy adjustments to pave the way for improved fuel supply. Under the right conditions, 8 the overall fiscal balance is expected to gradually improve from 2024 to 2026. The country is expected to remain at high risk of external debt and overall debt distress, although government debt is projected to remain sustainable. 3. The CAR has one of the lowest human capital indexes in the world, scoring 0.29 on the 2022 Human Capital Index (HCI). This means that a child born in the CAR will only be 29 percent as productive when she grows up as she could be if she enjoyed complete education and full health. The low HCI reflects, in addition to poor health outcomes, the acute challenges in education, particularly the low rates of school completion and low learning outcomes. An 18- year-old in the CAR is expected to complete, on average, only 4.6 years of education. If adjusted for the quality of learning, it is equivalent to only 2.7 years of schooling. 9 This places the CAR lower than the average for the Sub-Saharan African region and among the lowest for low-income countries. 4. The CAR is also highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with direct implications on the environment, food security, education attainment, and the broader economy. Due to the combination of political, geographic, and social factors, as well as its low readiness to improve resilience through adaptation and mitigation actions, the 2021 Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative (ND-GAIN) Country Index recognized the CAR as highly vulnerable to climate change and other global challenges, ranking it 184 out of the 185 countries. 10 Climate-related shocks disproportionally affect the most vulnerable populations, resulting in increased food insecurity, political instability, conflict, and also poorer education and health outcomes. The CAR is at risk for numerous natural hazards, mostly floods, wildfires, and droughts. Vulnerability to these hazards is exacerbated by poverty and political insecurity which hinder the country’s ability to recover from natural disasters. Excess rainfall is expected to be strongest felt in the central and southern areas of the country. 11 Heavy rainfall is also expected to result in flooding, causing riverbank erosion and overflows, landslides, and waterlogging of agricultural fields, leading to likely crop failures.12 The agricultural sector, which accounts for 34 percent of GDP and 69 percent of the active population, especially in rural areas, 13 depends heavily on variability of rainfall and climate change. 5. The impacts of climate change exacerbate existing challenges, including those posed by the macroeconomic and security situation, to educational attainment, especially for girls. The prolonged period of violence and conflict in the CAR has impacted the normal functioning of schools, leading to closures, destruction of educational infrastructure, and displacement of both students and teachers, disrupting educational attainment and perpetuating cycles of poverty and instability. Schooling conditions are worsened by climate-related shocks, such as droughts and flooding, which impede children’s access to education by damaging infrastructure and forcing families to prioritize survival over schooling. The fragile state of the CAR’s educational facilities, many of which lack resilience to weather-related disasters, exacerbates 8 This assumes that DRM efforts continue, particularly in improving the collection of taxes, especially value-added tax (VAT), and other revenues through a Treasury Single Account (TSA), while additional spending pressures are carefully monitored. 9 See the HCI brief: https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/64e578cbeaa522631f08f0cafba8960e-0140062023/related/HCI-AM23-CAR.pdf. 10 The ND-GAIN Country Index is composed of vulnerability and readiness scores, wherein a low vulnerability score is better and a high readiness score is better: the Central African Republic has a high vulnerability score (173 out of 185 countries) and a low readiness score (192 out of 192 countries). See ND-GAIN for full rankings and methodology. https://gain.nd.edu/our-work/country-index/rankings/. 11 Recent disasters from floods in the southwest areas surrounding the urban areas of Bangui left over 14,500 people homeless in 2009 and is estimated to have cost US$6 million, with losses estimated at US$2.6 million. 12 See Climate Risk Country Profile: the Central Africa Republic (World Bank 2021). https://climateknowledgeportal.worldbank.org/sites/default/files/2021-06/15875-WB_Central%20Africa%20Republic%20Country%20Profile- WEB.pdf. 13 See the Central African Republic Poverty Assessment (World Bank 2023). 2 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) the situation, leading to frequent school closures and a significant disruption in schooling. This scenario underscores a vicious cycle where climate vulnerability hampers educational attainment, further limiting the country’s capacity to adapt to climate change, and it highlights the critical need for integrated solutions that address both education and environmental resilience. Furthermore, climate-related migration and displacement disrupt access to education. While families with the means to migrate can move to places with better availability of resources such as food and water, often their children are forced out of school as a result, with girls at heightened risk of leaving school and not returning. 14 B. Sectoral and Institutional Context 6. The CAR has yet to achieve universal basic education, 15 and learning outcomes for those who do attend school tend to be very low, which means that most children exit the primary school system without achieving minimum proficiency in foundational literacy and numeracy. 16 The system is characterized by a large share of out-of-school children, including approximately 338,000 out of the estimated 881,000 primary-school-age children (ages 6–11) and about 152,000 of the estimated 528,000 lower-secondary-school-age children (ages 12–15). The system is also characterized by overcrowded classrooms, low primary completion rates, and poor transition from primary to secondary education. There are also high levels of internal inefficiencies such as high repetition and dropout rates and delayed entry to primary school. Children from rural areas, especially girls, tend to be disproportionately affected. There is also a significant share of internally displaced school children in the system. For those enrolled, the language of instruction is French, adding yet another barrier to learning since the local language Sango17 remains the primary spoken language of both children and teachers. 7. Enrollment has steadily increased over the past decade despite the fragile country context, and the public sector remains the main service provider, 18 particularly at the primary level. There were over 45,000 children enrolled in 409 preprimary schools in 2021–2022, over three times more children than in 2015. Over the same period, enrollment at the primary level increased by nearly 70 percent, reaching over 1.2 million students (56 percent of whom are girls). There are more than 3,500 primary schools and over 83 percent are owned by the government. Lastly, enrollment in secondary education increased by 56 percent between 2015 and 2022, reaching over 170,000 secondary students (38 percent of whom are girls) in 225 secondary schools (including 120 public schools). 14 See “African Children Bearing the Brunt of Climate Change Impacts” (UN 2023).https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/09/1140312#. 15 The education sector is organized into four main levels. The first level is three years of preprimary education. This level targets learners ages 3–5 and is not compulsory. The second level is six years of primary education for learners ages 6–11. Primary education is compulsory, and learners are assessed through an end-of-cycle examination (certificat d’études du fondamental1). The third level is four years of lower secondary education (general lower secondary) for learners ages 12–15. Access to lower secondary is conditioned on successful completion of an entrance examination, and completion is marked by the end-of-cycle examination (brevet des collèges). The fourth level is three years of upper secondary (general upper secondary) for learners ages 16–18, and completion is marked by the end-of-cycle examination (baccalaureat). There are postprimary pathways available for those who choose to enroll in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) streams. In addition, the system offers second- chance education programs for children who have never been to school or who dropped out of school early. Learners who successfully complete the second-chance education program are eligible to enter/reenter the formal schooling system. The University of Bangui is the only public higher education institution in the Central African Republic and includes a teacher training college (Ecole Normale Supérieure). There are also 25 private higher education institutions offering 2–3-year degrees. 16 Foundational literacy and numeracy skills refer to having achieved minimum reading and numeracy proficiency levels in reading and numeracy. They provide the fundamental building blocks for all other learning, knowledge, and higher-order skills that children and youth attain through education, and in general, learning throughout life. 17 Unlike many other countries in West Africa, Sango is spoken by most across the Central African Republic, avoiding the issue of multiple mother tongues and national languages. 18 There are also about 586 private schools and 221 community schools. 3 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 8. Access to preprimary education remains very low, resulting in a missed opportunity for children to develop the necessary cognitive and socioemotional readiness to engage and thrive in early primary grades. The lack of access at the preprimary level also contributes to the delayed entry at the primary education level. The gross enrollment rate (GER) at preprimary was only 7 percent 19 in 2021. A closer look indicates that there are also strong disparities in access within the country, with a GER of 37 percent in Bangui compared to the rest of the country which averages 4 percent. Participation tends to be much higher for higher income households. 9. Enrollment at the primary level has improved over time but is still characterized by significant inefficiencies— delayed entry, large class sizes, high repetition and dropout rates, and low completion and transition to lower secondary rates. In 2022, the GER was 102 percent at the primary level 20 and 38 percent in lower secondary. The household survey, Harmonized Survey on Households Living Standards (Enquête sur les Conditions de Vie des Menages Harmonisée, ECVMH) 2021, also indicated that about 28 percent of children in primary and 60 percent in lower secondary are overage by at least two years or more. In grade 1, 33 percent of students were 2 or more years older than the official age of entry (age 6), indicating some degree of delayed entry and repetition. Repetition rates averaged 13 percent at the primary level in 2021–2022. 21 Both of these issues contribute to the low Primary Completion Rate (PCR) which was only 63 percent in 2021 22 (63 percent for girls, 64 percent for boys). The transition rates to lower secondary are low at 42 percent (38 percent for girls and 44 percent for boys). 23 The household surveys also indicate strong disparities in access across regions—Bangui has the highest access rates in primary (130 percent) and lower secondary (82 percent) compared to Yade which has the lowest rates for primary and lower secondary (85 percent and 21 percent respectively)—and across areas, especially at the lower secondary level with 61 percent in urban areas versus 17 percent in rural areas. 10. Girls lag behind boys in terms of both school enrollment and completion. Gender parity has not been achieved in basic education, with a Gender Parity Index of 0.9 at the primary level and 0.6 at the lower secondary level. Educational attainment for girls tends to be lower than for boys, and girls living outside Bangui are the most disadvantaged. In 2021, only 30.0 percent of girls ages 16–18 had completed primary education as compared to 39.5 percent of boys of the same age. Similarly, among youth ages 20–22, only 6.0 percent of girls and 9.0 percent of boys had completed lower secondary education. Dropout rates were also highest among adolescent girls—in 2021, 19.0 percent of girls ages 12–18 had dropped out of school compared to 16.0 percent among boys of the same age. 24 11. There are high levels of out-of-school children, especially among girls and in rural areas. Overall, 38.4 percent of children ages 6–11- and 28.7 percent of youth ages 12–15 were out of school according to the ECVMH 2021. Girls and children from rural areas are disproportionately affected. The out-of-school rate for primary-school-age children (ages 6–11) in rural and urban areas was 47.3 versus 25.1 percent and 39.3 versus 16.4 percent for lower-secondary-school- age children (ages 12–15). The rate among rural primary-school-age girls was 49.4 percent compared to 45.3 percent for rural boys, and 45.5 percent compared to 32.7 percent at the lower secondary age. Evidence 25 suggests that a lack of family support, the cost of education, distance from school, and parents considering their child too young to attend 19 These calculations were made using household survey data from Enquête sur les Conditions de Vie des Ménages Harmonisée (ECVMH) (see ECVMH 2021). 20 See ECVMH 2021. 21 See statistical yearbook Annuaire Statistique 2021/2022. Tome II Prescolaire, Fondamental, Alphabetisation et Education de Base Non Formelle. 22 Calculations were made using household survey data. See ECVMH 2021. 23 See statistical abstract 2021–2022. 24 See ECVMH 2021. 25 Reasons for not enrolling or dropping out are provided in the ECVMH 2021. The reasons are also supported by the training focused on skills and employability of young people (FACEJ) study. 4 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) are the main reasons for not having ever enrolled children in school. The cost of education, examination failures, teenage pregnancies, and security concerns are also widely cited as reasons for dropping out of school. Girls’ enrollment and completion of basic education is also impeded by: (a) a lack of appropriate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools; and (b) a lack of female teachers and female role models in schools. These two factors contribute to an unsafe and non-inclusive school environment for girls. 12. Learning outcomes are low. The CAR is facing a serious learning crisis. The CONFEMEN Educational System Analysis Program (Programme d'analyse des systèmes éducatifs de la CONFEMEN, PASEC) 2019, 26 a large-scale regional assessment in the Francophone countries of Africa, ranked the CAR 13 out of 14 countries in language and last in mathematics. Only about 11.6 percent of learners in grade 2 and 10.1 percent in grade 6 had achieved the desired reading levels. Similarly, only 22.7 percent of learners in grade 2 and 1.8 percent in grade 6 had achieved the desired levels in mathematics. The analysis also indicates that girls tend to slightly underperform compared to boys. Similarly, according to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS6 2019), only 4.7 percent of children ages 7–14 demonstrated the minimum reading competency skills. Among children from the poorest households, only 0.5 percent had achieved that benchmark compared to 13.3 percent for the children from households in the richest quintile. Only 3 percent of children attending grade 3 at the primary level had the required reading skills, while less than 1.0 percent had the expected numeracy skills. For those who continue to attend school, results tend to improve. Overall, learning poverty, 27 which measures the share of children unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10, is estimated at 92.6 percent. There are core factors which underlie the CAR’s low education performance. 13. The CAR has an insufficient number of schools, a shortage of classrooms, and a lack of adequate sanitary facilities at the primary and secondary levels, which hinders access to education, especially in peri-urban and rural areas. Children living in rural areas often travel long distances, between 5 km to 12 km, to reach the nearest primary school. Secondary schools are even less accessible since there has not been any expansion of secondary schools since the 1960s to keep pace with the growth in primary enrollment. Existing classrooms tend to be overcrowded and in poor condition. It is estimated that only 35 percent of primary school classrooms are in good physical condition and only 11 percent of schools have separate latrines for girls. Approximately 56 percent of schools (mainly in urban areas) operate in double shifts, averaging only about five hours of class time and even less time on task. The primary class sizes average 68 children but for many regions, and especially in early grades, class sizes are often over 100 children and can reach over 250 children in some cases. For example, in the area of Bambari, the average class size for grades 1, 2 and 3 are 203, 216 and 254, respectively. Extremely large class sizes, especially in early grades, make acquisition of foundational literacy and numeracy very difficult, if not impossible. 14. There is a lack of adequate and appropriate teaching and learning materials (TLM) in schools. On average there are 4 students per textbook at the primary level for both languages/reading and mathematics. The disparities are even wider across some regions and in some grades. For example, Haute-Kotto averages 26 students per language textbook and 31 students per mathematics textbook in grade 6. Moreover, textbooks and teacher guides are usually in French although the local language, Sango, is the most widely used by students and teachers alike. This constitutes a constraining factor in acquisition of early literacy skills. Reforms to the language of instruction and part of the 26 The survey was conducted during the 2021–2022 school year, which experienced a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 27Learning poverty is measured by combining: (a) learning deprivation which measures the share of students below a minimum proficiency in reading, and (b) schooling deprivation which measures the share of primary-school-age children who are out of school. 5 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) curriculum (grades 1 and 2) are underway under ongoing projects to introduce reading and numeracy in Sango and strengthen acquisition of oral French as a second language (L2). 15. There is an acute shortage of qualified teachers in the system and very low participation of female teachers. In 2021, there were about 1,100 teachers at the preprimary level (93 percent of whom are women), about 14,600 at the primary education level (17 percent of whom are women), and just over 3,200 teachers at the secondary education level (15 percent of whom are women). As part of the Education Sector Plan (ESP, 2020-2029), the Government of the CAR has identified a gap of about 16,000 additional primary school teachers that are needed to reduce the average student-teacher ratio (STR) to about 50:1 by 2029. The government is committed to addressing the acute shortage. In 2024, the government onboarded approximately 1,500 primary and secondary teachers. Despite these efforts, the shortfall is estimated at around 14,500 teachers, not accounting for the teachers exiting the system, for example, those going into retirement, who will also need to be replaced. Part of this gap can be filled from the pool of about 8,000 teachers who either are in the process of completing their training or have been previously trained but who are not yet integrated into the public service. The lack of teachers contributes to overcrowded classrooms which impedes effective instruction. The lack of female teachers can also be a contributing factor to low enrollment and retention of girls. The STR in public schools is about 94:1, although this can reach over 200:1 in some areas. The current preservice teacher training system does not have the capacity to produce the required number of teachers. Only about 33 percent of primary teachers have completed preservice training. The current World Bank projects supported the expansion of the preservice training colleges, the teacher training college in Bambari and the teacher training college in Bossangoa. In addition, although the Regional Pedagogical Centers (RPCs) in the country were initially set up to support in-service teacher training, they have since been used to provide preservice training due to the lack of training institutions. There are 10 RPCs, and each can accommodate a maximum of 50 student-teachers per year. The government intends to strengthen the system’s capacity by expanding existing RPCs and constructing new RPCs to support both preservice and in-service teacher training, while increasing the number of trained female teachers. 16. There is a lack of provision of in-service teacher training. The system currently relies on the 10 RPCs distributed among 10 academic inspections to carry out in-service teacher training in addition to the preservice teacher training duties. In-service teacher training remains sparse and ad hoc, largely funded by development partners through projects. As such, in-service training tends to be limited in time and scope. Moving forward, in addition to RPCs, school- based continuous professional development (CPD) modalities, which provide regular school-based or cluster-based support, need to be explored to ensure that all teachers are adequately supported in making transformations to their classroom instruction that will facilitate learners in achieving foundational learning goals. 17. The share of public spending on education is low, and the sector relies on nonstate actors to ensure education service delivery. According to the 2020 Public Expenditure Review (PER), the CAR spent 12 percent of total public spending on education and the equivalent of 2 percent of GDP. This is significantly lower than the recommended benchmarks of 15 percent to 20 percent of total public spending and between 4 percent to 6 percent of GDP. According to the PER, 67 percent of public expenditures is spent on wages and salaries. However, household contributions to education remain a significant source of financing in the education system. In 2022, 73 percent of teachers at the primary school level were community teachers, paid directly through household contributions. Household contributions, collected through school fees, are also important to support school operating costs. The sector also relies on development partners for heavy investment such as school construction. As such, community and school level associations are very important structures in the education system, including the School Management Committees (SMCs), the Association of Mother Educators (Association Meres Educatrices, AME)28 and Parent-Teacher 28 The ongoing World Bank projects supported the establishment of AMEs (an association of mother educators), which have two objectives: (a) to 6 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Associations (PTA). The latter are key stakeholders to mobilize communities at the local level and support education sector delivery. In addition, the CAR has historically been reliant on external financing from development partners to balance its public accounts, but since 2021, budget support has significantly been reduced due to concerns regarding a series of policy choices. The government is working closely with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to establish macro-fiscal adequacy with a view to returning to budget support. Two existing investment project financing (IPF) operations, the Human Capital and Women and Girls’ Empowerment (Maïngo) Project (P171158) and the Health Service Delivery and System Strengthening Project (SENI-Plus) (P177003), were restructured to provide emergency financing to sustain social services. C. Relevance to Higher Level Objectives 18. The project is fully aligned with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty and boost prosperity on a livable planet, the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) 2021–2025 (Report No. 150618-CF), and the Africa Western and Central Education Strategy (AFWES) 2022 (Report No. 172861). More specifically, the project is aligned with the focus area 1 of the CPF which highlights the role of human capital and connectivity in boosting inclusion by improving basic services, mostly in regions affected by violence, to rebuild confidence in the government, while fostering greater social cohesion. It is also closely aligned with the pillars of the AFWES, specifically: (a) improving teaching and learning; and (b) expanding opportunities for learning. The project design leverages the lessons learned and recommendations of the AFWES. 19. The project is equally aligned with the 2020–2029 ESP. The ESP is part of the strategic priorities of the National Plan for Peacebuilding and Consolidation (2017–2021). 29 Education is one of the major determinants of pillar 2 of this plan, which aims to renew the social contract between the state and the population by promoting (a) regional equity; and (b) the provision of basic services in disadvantaged areas. The ESP is also directly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4) for 2030 and to the Continental Education Strategy for Africa (2016–2025). 20. The proposed design is also well-aligned with the priority reform presented in the Partnership Compact.30 The priority reform identified in the compact aims to provide equitable and inclusive basic education supported by qualified teachers. There are three main pillars identified: (a) improve teacher policy and teacher training; (b) increase access and support retention of children in school through formal and alternative education pathways, with a view to increase equity and inclusivity, and to support the introduction of Sango in the curriculum; and (c) strengthen governance of the sector, including support for better education data collection and reporting. 21. The project adheres to the Paris Agreement and is well-aligned with the country’s national climate strategies. The CAR’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), a key component of the Paris Agreement framework, outlines its strategies for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapting to climate impacts. These commitments emphasize sustainable land use practices, forest management, and the enhancement of agricultural resilience to climate change, aiming to address both environmental sustainability and food security. The CAR is committed to integrating climate change into its development plans and strategies and aspires to reduce its emissions by 5 percent and 25 percent in 2030 and 2050, respectively. 31 The CAR is also committed to the Central African Forest Initiative, which seeks develop a low-cost community preschool education, and (b) to increase the enrollment and retention of girls in schools. 29 The 2024-2028 National Development Plan is under preparation and investing in education is expected to remain an important pillar of the strategy on human capital development. 30 See “Partnership Pact. Central African Republic” (GPE 2023). https://www.globalpartnership.org/fr/content/pacte-de-partenariat-republique- centrafricaine-2023. 31 See “An Overview of Agreed Commitments and Announcements from the Africa Climate Summit, Nairobi, September 4–6, 2023” (African Development Bank 2023). https://www.afdb.org/sites/default/files/documents/africa_climate_summit_commitments_and_announcement_compilation_final_sept_7_2023. 7 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation while promoting economic development. This project supports the CAR in its aim to build a more resilient infrastructure and community by integrating climate change considerations into the education infrastructure design with the aim of to building a more resilient infrastructure and community. The project is also well-aligned with the adaptation and mitigation measures identified in the National Adaptation Plan, in particular the integration of climate change in basic education learning materials, training of teachers on questions of climate change, and integration of these areas in preservice education. docx.pdf. 8 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION A. Project Development Objective (PDO) 22. The World Bank has supported critical interventions in the education sector in the CAR over the past eight years. The proposed project will build on, and where relevant, scale up both the successes and lessons learned during implementation, specifically the Emergency Basic Education Support Project (EBESP) (P164295, closing on June 30, 2024) and the Education Sector Plan Support Project (ESPSP) (P173103, closing in 2025). Figure 1 summarizes how the new proposed project is building on the ongoing engagement in the sector to lay the building blocks for a solid, functional education system in the CAR. Annex 2 provides more details on the complementarity between the three ongoing projects and the proposed project. Figure 1: Link between the CARE project and other ongoing engagements in the education sector. 9 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 23. The proposed IPF would be financed by a World Bank International Development Association (IDA) grant of US$65.00 million and co-financed by a Global Partnership for Education (GPE) grant in the amount of US$55.05 million. 32 The GPE grant is sourced from three main funding windows available to the CAR: (a) US$35.05 million from the System Transformation Grant (STG); (b) US$10.00 million from the multiplier fund; and (c) US$10.00 million 33 for the Girls’ Education Accelerator (GEA). Under the GPE’s STG window, 20 percent of the funding (US$7.19 million) is used to incentivize the country's progress on key agreed policy reforms. Three triggers that unlock this part of the financing have already been agreed with the government: (a) the recruitment of statisticians at the level of the central administration and academic inspections to guarantee reliable data collection; (b) the creation of a database on teachers (US$3.50 million in total); and (c) the recruitment and integration of 1,500 teachers each year into public service from 2024 to 2028 (US$3.69 million). The project is larger than any other project supported by the World Bank in the education sector in the CAR and aims to lay the building blocks for a strong and resilient education sector. The project would be implemented over a six-year period to enable the sector to fully implement the reforms and activities proposed. PDO Statement 24. The PDO is to improve access to quality basic education 34 and strengthen capacity for sector management. PDO Level Indicators Key results PDO indicators Access (a) Students enrolled in newly constructed classrooms (number) (disaggregated by gender) (b) Student-to-textbook ratio in grades 1–6 in select subjects (number) Quality (c) In-service teachers showing improved content and pedagogical skills 35 (percentage) (d) Share of qualified teachers integrated36 into the civil service (percentage) (disaggregated by gender) System (e) Dissemination of results of learning assessment in reading and mathematics (text) B. Project Components Component 1: Increase access to improved learning environments (US$70.5 million equivalent, including GPE US$34.7 million) Subcomponent 1.1: Targeted schooling infrastructure 37 (US$29.0 million, including GPE US$10.0 million) 25. This subcomponent will finance: (a) the construction of community preprimary classrooms, based on the model adopted under the ESPSP, with priority given to rural areas (outside of Bangui) where enrollment in preprimary is 32 The GPE Board will approve the grant on June 27, 2024. The project would be restructured in case the GPE financing does not materialize, and activities would be scaled down accordingly. 33 The GEA allocation for the Central African Republic will be officially announced during the GPE board meeting on June 4-6, 2024. If the amount is less than the expected US$10.00 million, the project will be restructured, and the GEA activities will be scaled down accordingly. 34 Basic education refers to preprimary, primary, and lower secondary levels. 35 This indicator would be measured through assessments administered at baseline and endline. Classroom observations may be added to the overall assessment. Details will be further developed in the project operational manual with strategically placed technical assistance (TA) that uses global best practices. 36 Integration of teachers is defined as teachers being engaged as civil servant and being on the government payroll. 37 The project is expected to contribute to a "green school" through awareness and education of all students in the preservation of the environment and sustainable development, by making the school greener through the systematic planting of 40 trees by companies during the construction of schools. Nature can be brought back to the heart of education with trees providing shade to school playgrounds and other areas of the school. In addition, in each new school built, at least one classroom will be equipped with a solar grid to allow students to study in the evening. 10 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) extremely low; (b) the construction of new primary classrooms in all of the 20 administrative regions, including separate latrines for boys and girls, and adequate WASH facilities for girls; (c) the rehabilitation of old or dilapidated classrooms and latrines in primary schools; and (d) the construction of secondary schools (collège de proximité) in at least five localities where enrollment in lower secondary is lowest among girls. 38 26. The component will integrate climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, contributing to more resilient educational facilities. Some activities that the component will consider are as follows: (a) Operational manual. Draft a manual for three different types of school construction (community preprimary classrooms, new primary classrooms, and secondary schools). Consultation meetings will be held with all stakeholders including, government officials, a committee of private sector and academia (including civil engineers), development agencies, and representatives of the PTA. The manual will be updated and revised as per the consultations, and it will be ultimately approved by the ministry. All school constructions will be built according to this operational manual. (b) Sustainable building designs. Incorporate climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable building designs in the construction and rehabilitation of classrooms and latrines. This includes using locally sourced, sustainable materials that are durable and have a low carbon footprint. Implementing energy-efficient designs, such as solar-powered lighting and natural ventilation, can reduce energy consumption and ensure classrooms remain functional during power outages. (c) Rainwater harvesting systems. Equip all new and rehabilitated buildings with rainwater harvesting systems. This will not only provide a sustainable water source for latrines and gardening activities but also prevent waterlogging around the school premises, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases. (d) Disaster-resilient infrastructure. Ensure that all constructions and rehabilitations are carried out with disaster- resilient techniques to withstand extreme weather events like floods, droughts, and storms. This includes elevated building foundations, reinforced roofing, and proper drainage systems. (e) Green spaces and tree planting. Incorporate green spaces and tree planting within school compounds. Trees and vegetation can provide shade, reduce the heat island effect, and enhance the resilience of school infrastructure to climate impacts. Additionally, involving students in tree planting can foster environmental stewardship. (f) Gender-sensitive climate adaptation. Design gender-segregated latrines by considering climate resilience and safety. They should address both adaptation and mitigation while promoting gender inclusivity. For instance, they can be made accessible during floods, and they can be enhanced by using solar lighting to ensure they are well-lit, especially at night. (g) Waste management systems. Implement sustainable waste management systems in schools, including composting organic waste and recycling programs. This can be used as an educational tool for students to learn about waste reduction and resource conservation. Subcomponent 1.2: Teaching and learning materials for preprimary and primary levels and support to remedial education programs (US$10.5 million, including GPE US$3.6 million) 27. This subcomponent will support the development, production, and distribution of a preprimary learning package, along with teacher guides and structured lesson plans. The packages will be rolled out in community preprimary classrooms, which are located mainly in rural areas, with the objective of increasing attendance and improving learner readiness for primary school. It will also build on the ESPSP project which is supporting the development of a new curriculum for the first two grades of primary education, with Sango as the main language of 38 The new constructions will be staffed through a combination of new recruitment and redeployment of nonteaching staff with teaching accreditations into teaching positions. The latter will be informed by the ongoing analysis carried out by the Ministère de l’Education Nationale (MNE) on its personnel. 11 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) instruction, by (a) extending the scope by supporting the development of the curricula for the remaining four grades of primary education (grades 3–6) in which the new curriculum development will ensure that there are clear and coherent curricular goals for foundational learning in the primary grades; and (b) supporting the production and distribution of textbooks and supplementary materials, in Sango and French, as well as teacher guides with structured lesson plans. Training of teachers, head teachers and inspectors on new TLMs will be supported under Component 2. 28. In addition to the provision of new TLM, this subcomponent will also support the scale-up of the remediation program developed under the EBESP in primary schools. The program has been successfully piloted in 4 out of 20 regions (7 regions are targeted by project close). It focuses on identifying students lagging and at risk of dropping out, including students from indigenous peoples’ (IP) communities, through school-level assessments administered by the head teacher, and providing these students with tailored academic support by teachers. It also includes an outreach strategy led by the school, with the support of the AMEs and SMCs, to engage parents and guardians in monitoring the child’s progression. The subcomponent will finance: (a) the distribution of TLMs; (b) training of teachers and headteachers; and (c) support remediation and outreach activities in additional regions. 29. Integrating climate change into the component will consider the following activities: (a) Climate education content. The resources will integrate climate change education into the curriculum at all levels, ensuring that teaching materials include content on local and global environmental issues, adaptation strategies, and mitigation practices. This could cover topics such as sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and renewable energy sources, which would be tailored to age-appropriate levels. (b) Energy-efficient technology for education. In areas where digital resources are utilized, the project will ensure that the devices and infrastructure employed are energy-efficient and, where possible, powered by renewable energy sources. This could include the use of solar-powered tablets or laptops and solar charging stations in schools. (c) Sustainable distribution networks. For the distribution of physical TLMs, the project will establish sustainable logistics strategies. This will involve optimizing distribution routes to minimize carbon emissions or partnering with local suppliers to reduce transportation distances. (d) Training on environmental sustainability. Part of the training for teachers, head teachers, and inspectors will include modules on environmental sustainability, climate change adaptation and mitigation, and how to incorporate these topics into everyday teaching. This will empower educators to integrate climate consciousness into their classrooms effectively. (e) Community engagement in environmental education. The project component will encourage the schools to engage with parents, guardians, and community members on the importance of climate resilience and environmental stewardship. This can be facilitated through community workshops, school projects involving tree planting, or local environmental clean-up days, which would link educational content with real-world actions. (f) Remedial education programs with environmental focus. The component will aim to tailor aspects of the remedial education programs to focus on environmental literacy and climate-smart practices. This approach not only supports students who are lagging but also raises awareness and fosters proactive attitudes toward climate change among students at risk of dropping out. Subcomponent 1.3: Supporting learning opportunities for out-of-school children (US$14.5 million, including GPE US$10.1 million) 30. The ALP was developed under the EBESP project and has successfully provided learning opportunities for out- of-school children (ages 9–15), including vulnerable children who have aged out of the system, such as girls and children from indigenous people’s community. The ALP enables these children to complete the equivalent of six years of primary 12 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) education, sit for the end-of-primary examination, and potentially enroll in formal lower secondary education or in a post primary TVET program. The EBESP project has: (a) supported the development of curricula for the three levels of the program and a policy document formally setting up the ALP; (b) piloted the ALP in 4 out of 20 regions, benefitting nearly 8,000 out-of-school children, including over 3,700 girls (ages 9–15), and targeting 16,000 children by project close. Under the proposed project, this subcomponent would scale up the program to the remaining 13 regions. 39 It will support further finetuning the ALP curriculum based on the feedback from the pilot phase. It will also include the printing and distribution of textbooks and instructional materials for program participants, and teacher guides tailored to the ALP. Training of teachers, head teachers and inspectors on the ALP curriculum and TLM is financed under Component 2. 31. Integrating climate adaptation and mitigation activities into Subcomponent 1.3 presents a unique opportunity to incorporate environmental education into nontraditional learning environments. This initiative can significantly contribute to raising awareness and building resilience among vulnerable communities. Some of the activities include: (a) Climate-resilient curriculum. To refine the ALP curriculum to include specific modules on climate change adaptation and mitigation, sustainable agriculture, water conservation, and renewable energy. (b) Eco-friendly materials. To ensure that textbooks and instructional materials for the ALP are produced using sustainable materials, such as recycled paper and eco-friendly inks. (c) Outdoor learning and experiential activities. To incorporate outdoor learning activities that allow students to directly engage with their environment. This could include field trips to local ecosystems, community gardens, or renewable energy facilities, providing hands-on learning experiences that reinforce the curriculum's climate adaptation and mitigation content. (d) Community engagement projects. To encourage students to participate in community engagement projects focused on environmental stewardship, such as tree planting initiatives, clean-up campaigns, or community- based adaptation projects. This not only reinforces learning but also fosters a sense of responsibility and agency among students to contribute to their community's resilience. (e) Innovative instructional technologies. To leverage low-carbon and energy-efficient technologies to deliver the ALP curriculum, such as solar-powered learning devices or digital platforms that can be accessed without relying on grid electricity. This can help reduce the carbon footprint of the educational process while ensuring accessibility in remote areas. (f) Integration of traditional knowledge. To incorporate local and indigenous knowledge systems into the curriculum, focusing on traditional practices that contribute to environmental conservation and climate resilience. This approach respects and revitalizes indigenous cultures while providing students with a rich, diverse understanding of environmental stewardship. Subcomponent 1.4: School grant and girls’ education initiative (US$16.5 million, including GPE US$11.0 million) 32. This subcomponent will build and expand on the ongoing school grant program which supports schools to achieve agreed objectives outlined in the school improvement plans, such as supporting school-based teacher training, and activities pertaining to remedial education. In addition to the school grant program, the GEI program aims to specifically support the enrollment and retention of girls in primary school, as well as support the transition to and completion of lower secondary education. The program will target girls living in vulnerable areas, including schoolgirls from IP communities. 40 The GEI program will (a) provide school kits, support school fees for newly enrolled girls and 39 Given the large number of IDPs, the ALP will concentrate as a priority in the areas of displacement and return, so as to enable internally displaced children (ages 9–15) who are out of school to return to school and have a chance to complete the primary education cycle in order to continue in secondary school or benefit from training opportunities. 40 At the lower secondary level, the GEI program will prioritize girls who completed the ALP, girls at risk of dropping out due to teenage pregnancies 13 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) examination fees for grade 6 and grade 10 girls, provide hygiene kits; and (b) outreach activities to promote school retention within the community and with parents of girls at risk or who have dropped out of school. Part of the grant will promote girls’ resilience to climate change and will go toward school initiatives to bring innovation to solve day-to- day climate-related problems in the community. The grants will be managed by the AMEs at the school level to ensure greater ownership by and participation from the community. Component 2: Improve teaching quality (US$34.0 million equivalent, including GPE US$12.0 million) Subcomponent 2.1: Support teachers’ in-service training in basic education (US$3.2 million, including GPE US$1.9 million) 33. This subcomponent will finance: (a) the implementation of a teacher training program for community preprimary teachers on new TLM and associated pedagogical approaches; (b) the implementation of a teacher training program for primary teachers focused on TLM and core areas in the new curriculum developed under the EBESP, including the modules on conflict-sensitivity training, cross-cutting training on gender-sensitive pedagogy, and training to reduce gender bias in the classroom; and (c) the training of ALP teachers on the new TLM and associated pedagogical approaches. Training will be initially delivered through RPCs and followed up with regular and continued training and support through a school-based or cluster-based modality. Head teachers and inspectors will also be trained to better support teachers and ensure new content and pedagogical approaches are accurately incorporated in classroom instruction. The use of educational technology (e-readers, tablets, radio programs) will be leveraged to facilitate training, as needed. Subcomponent 2.2: Strengthen preservice teacher training (US$9.7 million, including GPE US$4.2 million) 34. This subcomponent will support the increase of qualified new teachers through (a) the construction and equipment of five new RPCs which could each accommodate at least 100 teacher students per year; (b) renovation and expansion of at least one existing teacher training establishment; (c) printing and distribution of TLMs based on the preservice curriculum developed under the ESPSP and capacity building of instructors; and (d) implementing a dual certification program 41 for lower secondary school teachers. The curriculum will be adjusted to reflect new content introduced in the new primary curriculum developed under Component 1; and (d) training of instructors deployed to new RPCs. The construction of RPCs will be rolled out in phases, with the first two scheduled to be constructed by year 2 of the project. The construction of the third remaining centers will be contingent on the integration of a budget line in the Ministry of National Education (Ministère de l’Education Nationale, MNE) budget to capture the minimum operational costs of the centers constructed. The same budget line will be used to finance the operational costs of the three remaining centers. Subcomponent 2.3: Increase qualified primary teachers in the system (US$21.1 million, including GPE US$5.9 million) 35. This subcomponent aims to support the government to establish a career pathway for community teachers, including those from the IP community, and support their integration into civil service. It will also support performance- based recruitment of new teachers, including those from the IP community and particularly emphasize the recruitment of female teachers. This subcomponent will support: (a) the establishment of a clear performance-based alternative certification program which would allow the integration of competent and qualified community-teachers into civil and girls from the IP communities. 41 The dual certification program qualifies a teacher to teach two subjects at the lower secondary level. It helps reduce the number of teachers required at the school level, thereby increasing efficiency in public spending, whilst ensuring proficiency in content and pedagogical knowledge. 14 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) service; (b) the performance-based recruitment of new teachers, with defined targets for hiring women (see proposed details below); and (c) the development of a teacher policy, which covers core areas inter alia, pre-service and in-service teacher training, recruitment, deployment, redeployment, career management. 36. Under the proposed project design, 2,000 of the more than 8,000 community teachers would be integrated into public service after successfully completing the training and certification process. The project would also support the recruitment of 4,350 contract teachers to be distributed between the three sub-cycles (preschool, primary and secondary education) as contract teachers, with a commitment from the government to gradually integrate them into public service (including issuing of pay slips) from the fourth year of the project. The project will build on the lessons learned from the salary support provided under the MAINGO and SENI-Plus projects, including well-defined physical verification mechanisms of newly contracted teachers. This will support the ongoing payroll integrity measures being enforced by the Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reform (Ministère de la Fonction Publique et de la Réforme Administrative, MFPRA) and facilitate the integration of teachers into the MFPRA database and on public payroll. To further ensure an efficient deployment strategy, the MNE will adopt a three-pronged approach: (a) prioritizing recruitment and deployment in schools outside of Bangui, where the needs are the most acute; (b) prioritizing local recruitment (prefecture level) of teachers recruited from the communities where they are deployed to encourage retention; and (c) issuing teacher contracts of at least five years at the assigned teaching post. Contract teacher salaries will be paid through the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) until teachers are transferred to the MFPRA and paid through the public payroll. The project will explore mobile money payment where possible. The MNE is also committed to increasing the share of women in the teaching force by prioritizing women both in the selection of community teachers eligible for participating in the training and certification program, and in the recruitment of contract teachers from the existing pool of qualified teacher training college graduates. Component 3: Strengthen data system and sector management (US$15.5 million equivalent, including GPE US$8.3 million) Subcomponent 3.1: Learning assessments (US$3.3 million, including GPE US$2.9 million) 37. The ESPSP is currently supporting the MNE to set up a National Learning Assessment (NLA) team. Building on these ongoing activities, this subcomponent will support: (a) the development and implementation of an NLA in early and late primary grades which will be administered once during project life. The assessments will focus on foundational literacy and numeracy skills, and it will help produce systemwide evidence to support decision-making and set policy reforms; and (b) the participation of the CAR in the regional learning assessments by PASEC in 2024 and 2029. This allows for regional benchmarking and linking to the Global Proficiency Framework (GPF) for regional and international comparability. Altogether, the project will enable the collection of three learning assessment data points. Subcomponent 3.2: Strengthen education planning and management (US$2.9 million, including GPE US$1.7 million) 38. The objective of this subcomponent is to strengthen the MNE’s capacity to produce timely and reliable data and analysis, and to support the use of data in decision-making and planning at the central and local levels of the education. Specifically, the subcomponent will finance: (a) the timely preparation of reliable education statistics for decision- making; and (b) capacity building of decentralized ministry units to develop simple planning tools, such as school report cards, to track basic education statistics and support school level planning and resource management. Subcomponent 3.3: Project management and capacity building (US$9.3 million, including GPE US$3.7 million) 15 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 39. The objective of this subcomponent is to strengthen the capacity of the PCU to undertake the tasks required for project implementation. The project will finance project operating costs, including salaries of staff (a project manager, a project financial specialist, a procurement specialist, an accountant, a social specialist, an environmental specialist, a gender-based violence/sexual exploitation and abuse/sexual harassment (GBV/SEA/SH) specialist, a security specialist, a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) specialist, engineers, support staff) and PCU activities. This subcomponent will finance impact evaluations of key activities, and it will also finance studies to support effective policy dialogue and decision- making for education policy reforms, including the education textbook policy. Component 4: Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) (IDA US$0.0) 40. A no-cost CERC will be included to allow for an immediate response in the event of an eligible crisis or emergency. This will allow for rapid reallocation of project financing in the event of a natural or man-made disaster or crisis that has caused, or is likely to imminently cause, a major adverse economic and/or social impact. The reassignment of the project fund to this component, including the amount, will be determined at the time of eligible crisis or appearance or cross‐sectoral interventions. GPE funds will not be used for CERC. C. Project Beneficiaries 41. Overall, approximately 3.6 million students, teachers and staff including those from indigenous communities will benefit from the proposed interventions. Approximately 90,000 students will benefit from new classroom and school construction. An additional 90,000 students will benefit from rehabilitation and 200,000 students will benefit from construction of latrines. Over 2.5 million preprimary and primary students will benefit from textbooks and learning materials. Over 8,000 preprimary and primary teachers will receive teacher guides and teaching materials. The project is also expected to support over 15,000 teachers to participate in in-service teacher training and 4,000 in preservice teacher training programs. Around 5,000 teachers are expected to participate in the certification program on a pathway to civil service, while 3,000 head teachers and 250 meso-level staff (inspectors) are expected to be trained on the new tools with a view to better support teachers. Around 50 central level staff will receive capacity building on learning assessments. The breakdown of the main project beneficiaries is shown in table 1: Table 1: Project Beneficiaries Teachers, Component Directors, Preprimary Education Primary Education Inspectors Secondary Education Coverage Main activity All Girls Boys All Girls Boys All Girls Boys Newly constructed In targeted 1.1 classrooms 20,000 12,000 8,000 90,000 40,000 50,000 28,500 11,500 17,000 prefectures Installation WASH facilities 20,000 12,000 8,000 90,000 40,000 50,000 25,000 10,000 15,000 Supply of textbooks and Nationwide teachers' 1.2 guides 2,600,000 1,170,000 1,405,000 25,000 In targeted Remedial prefectures education - - - 250,000 100,000 150,000 - - - In targeted 1.3 ALP expansion - - - 60,000 25,000 35,000 - - - prefectures 16 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) School 1.4 grant/GEI - - - 1,750,000 800,000 950,000 10,000 10,000 - Nationwide 2.1 In-service teacher training 19,600 Nationwide 2.2 Pre-service teacher training 4,000 Nationwide 2.3 Certification and onboarding program 6,350 Nationwide D. Results Chain 42. The theory of change of the project assumes that achieving higher order objectives of human capital development requires that children have access to conducive learning environments, learning-focused inputs, and effective teaching and learning practices. It also requires stronger system management which uses data and makes evidence-based decisions. Figure 2: Theory of Change E. Rationale for World Bank Involvement and Role of Partners 17 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 43. Public sector provision of education services as well as public financing of the education sector are indispensable in the CAR. The country has been affected by multiple severe internal conflicts, leading it to be the least developed economy in terms of the Human Development Index (HDI), GDP per capita, and poverty incident rate. Given the importance of the role of education in peacebuilding and poverty reduction, there is a strong rationale for the government to intervene in the education system to ensure inclusive economic growth and development. Government intervention is required to provide equal opportunities for all children in the CAR. With appropriate actions by the government, children and youth who have been adversely affected by the security crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic can have the opportunity to receive a formal education and contribute to the stability of the country in the medium and long term. With the support of the project, it is expected that the government will increase access rates at the early childhood development (ECD) level, improve access to primary schools and higher levels, improve retention rates, enhance the learning and teaching environment at the primary and lower secondary levels, and reduce inequality across regions and sociodemographic groups. The World Bank has the technical, local and global expertise, contextual understanding, and the operational readiness to support the CAR in realizing this broad agenda. The World Bank is the largest development partner in the education sector in the CAR and works closely with other key development agencies through the local education group (LEG) on alignment in relation to policy and investment priorities, for example, through the preparation of the Partnership Compact. (Annex 4 provides a breakdown of investments supported by other main development partners.) F. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design 44. The proposed project design incorporates key lessons learned from the ESP, the CAR PER, the community teachers’ capacity assessment that is ongoing, and best practices used in previous World Bank-supported education operations. Key lessons on improving approaches to school construction and rehabilitation, the teaching and learning environment, remedial and accelerated learning programs for disadvantaged students, and community engagement in education management are discussed in the following paragraphs. 45. International evidence suggests that physical characteristics of learning spaces tend to have significant impact on educational progress. The impact of the learning environment has been estimated to explain about 16 percent of the variation in student learning.42 A literature review of the relationship between school resources and student test scores 43 found that better resources such as textbooks, basic furniture, blackboards, school libraries, and better infrastructure have a positive impact on test scores. The review concluded that a fully functional school—one with better‐quality roofs, walls, or floors; desks, tables, and chairs; gender-segregated latrines; and a school library—appears to be conducive to student learning. Project interventions around the world confirm that an improvement of the physical characteristics of schools such as lighting, temperature, noise, and air quality are associated with better student performance. Improvements in physical learning environments can support teachers in their role to help their students’ educational progress. 44 46. The project builds on the achievements and lessons learned during the implementation of the previous and current education projects in the CAR and countries with a similar context, suggesting the following lessons: • Integrated investments. Schools often receive disparate improvements (painting, improved sanitation, climate change resilience, energy efficiency, etc.), often several years apart. The project will provide integrated 42 Barrett et al. (2019), The Impact of School Infrastructure on Learning: A Synthesis of the Evidence. International Development in Focus (Washington, DC: World Bank). 43 Glewwe et al. (2011), “School Resources and Educational Outcomes in Developing Countries: A Review of the Literature from 1990 to 2010,” in Education Policy in Developing Countries, edit. by Glewwe, 13–64 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press). 44 Bruns and Luque (2015), Great Teachers: How to Raise Student Learning in Latin America and the Caribbean (Washington, DC: World Bank). 18 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) investments that address the needs for improved climate change resilience, inclusion, and sustainability. An approach is needed that can provide schools with immediate functionality and respond to the long-term benefits in improved durability. Through the EBESP and the ESPSP, and in consultation with beneficiaries, a minimum package of interventions can result in a strong improvement in access and quality of education. These interventions might include providing a preschool class; constructing classrooms for a primary school; constructing a local lower secondary school; providing teacher training, ALP and remediation courses; and designing a school improvement plan through community involvement. In the long term, this approach can enhance the effective utilization of school infrastructure. • Use of framework contracts with well-established and vetted contractors can fast-track implementation in construction. Under IDA-financed projects, the MNE was able to finalize classroom plans for all levels of education and identify more than 10 construction companies that performed to the best standards and delivered on time. The implementation of framework contracts with this type of efficient company should make it possible to reduce the risks of noncompletion of civil work and deliver construction on time. Based on this same experience, the MNE committed to integrating a team of 5 to 6 civil engineers into its directorate in charge of school construction to strengthen its capacities in terms of civil work planning and monitoring. • Community-led rehabilitation is a viable and cost-effective way of achieving targets. Timely completion of construction/rehabilitation programs in a fragile, conflict and violence (FCV) context such as the CAR requires specific measures, especially in a context of low institutional capacity. Evidence from IDA-financed projects has shown that the community-led approaches can significantly reduce transaction costs, build local capacity, and contribute to reducing implementation delays. • Lessons learned from the grant program under the EBESP, ESPSP and the Maïngo project teach that (a) the implementation of grants for school improvement plans (SIP) to respond to the challenges encountered by schools produces excellent results; and (b) the involvement and empowerment of communities in defining and implementing SIPs, and the provision of scholarships for the school enrollment and retention of the most disadvantaged children, particularly for girls, are a guarantee of success of the projects. A detailed school grants operations manual for training and support should provide clear guidance on the application process, roles and responsibilities, procurement procedures, disbursement and management of funds, responsibilities and M&E, sustainability, etc. • Institutional strengthening. The experience of ongoing education projects shows the need to invest in capacity building at different levels of central and decentralized administration to ensure the sustainability of project investments and the effectiveness of the positive outcomes of project approaches. Strengthening the capacities of the statistical studies and planning department makes it possible to regularly produce education statistical directories, and this effort must be continued at the decentralized level. • Political commitment. The government has shown strong commitment to address the main challenges facing the education sector through the priority areas outlined in the ESP and in the Partnership Compact. The government, for example, began recruitment of additional teachers in 2022 and 2023. It is expected that an additional 1,500 teachers are going to be integrated to the civil service in 2024, and the government is committed to continue this effort for the next 5 to 6 years. • Effective teachers are critical to improving the overall quality of the teaching and learning environment. Qualified teachers and their quality of teaching in the classroom are the most important factors in improving learning. Strengthening capacity for primary teachers, including community teachers, for the use of scripted lessons and explicit methods can be effective in a context where there is a dearth of teachers and where a large portion of teachers have not received any pedagogical training. Scripted lessons have been used in various countries with significant success, most notably by Bridge International Academies.45 The use of scripted lessons 45 Kwauk and Perlman (2016), Bridge International Academies: Delivering Quality Education at Low Cost in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda (Washington, 19 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) helps teachers learn the content they are teaching and provides pedagogical strategies for content delivery. Though their teaching may not be adequate initially, over time teachers will have a stronger sense of the knowledge content as well as how to deliver it effectively to their students. III. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 47. Institutional and implementation arrangements. This project will complement the operations under implementation and support the achievement of the country's ESP. The MNE will have project oversight; it will be the implementing agency. The World Bank-funded PCU under the MNE will be responsible for the day-to-day project management under the direct supervision of the Minister. The PCU will include technical, fiduciary, and environmental and social framework (ESF) (environment, social, GBV and security) staff under the coordination of a PCU manager. The implementation of activities will be closely coordinated with technical teams at the MNE and supported by strategic TA. The Project Operational Manual (POM) will outline the specific technical and operational roles and responsibilities of all the PCU members. During project preparation, the World Bank assessed the fiduciary and ESF capacity of the MNE. During project implementation, the World Bank will work with the MNE to develop a citizen engagement strategy and communication strategies. B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation Arrangements 48. The results framework (RF) will serve as the core tool for M&E in the project. The PCU will be responsible for preparing a semi-annual report on the technical, physical, and financial progress of the project, including updating the latest values of the RF indicators. The M&E specialist of the project will be responsible for aggregating data from the various sources, ensuring validity and accuracy of the data when possible. The M&E specialist will also provide all data files used to calculate the indicators. The main directorates and services with implementation responsibilities will report on activities executed under the project. Responsibilities for data collection for each indicator are defined in the M&E table below. 49. Joint implementation support missions. The project will conduct biannual joint implementation support missions (the government, the World Bank, GPE) to assess implementation progress and troubleshoot challenges in a timely manner. Further, a midterm review will be conducted at the start of year 4 involving all major stakeholders including the GPE. C. Sustainability 50. The project is closely aligned with the government goals and priority reform identified during the preparation of the Partnership Compact. It is also well-aligned and consistent with the 2020–2029 ESP which seeks to transform the education system to support quality inclusive education and teacher training programs to build human capital that serves the needs for economic and social development. Both the project and the Partnership Compact recognize the importance of shifting focus to critical issues of quality of education. 51. Sustainability is ensured through broad consensus on project interventions and objectives. The project activities have been designed with the technical teams of the MNE and in consultation with development partners and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) working in the education sector, as well as potential beneficiaries including DC: Brookings). https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/BRO1600220BridgeFINAL-1.pdf. 20 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) students, teachers, school head teachers, parents, and communities. Consultations were primarily carried out through workshops during project preparation. Sustainability is also achieved, importantly, by ensuring project interventions are anchored within the existing system; supporting existing structures, processes, and mechanisms; and building capacity where needed to ensure readiness, full ownership at the central and sub-national levels, and different stakeholders in the sector like communities and parents, and viability of activities. The project is also building on existing interventions from ongoing project and leverages the experience gained. IV. PROJECT APPRAISAL SUMMARY A. Technical, Economic and Financial Analysis 52. The proposed project focuses on improving access and quality at the basic education level. The interventions are based on global evidence of what works to improve learning outcomes (in line with the 2018 World Development Report) and are adapted based on the CAR context, challenges, and by lessons learned from past and ongoing operations. Specifically, it responds to the critical need for construction and rehabilitation of schooling infrastructure at the preprimary, primary and lower secondary levels, especially in rural areas outside of Bangui. The proposed project will also support interventions which aim to strengthen the teacher-learner interaction in the classroom, including school-based and continuous teacher training, teaching, and learning materials in the local language Sango, remedial education, and alternative education programs. The timely preparation of education statistics reports and the national and regional learning assessments will also provide critical data to measure and track student learning outcomes. The technical design of the project is closely aligned with the priority reforms identified in the Partnership Compact which was finalized in August 2023, as well as in the 2020–2029 ESP. 53. Alignment with the Paris Agreement. The project is consistent with the CAR’s climate strategies and aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement on both mitigation and adaptation.  Assessment and reduction of mitigation risks. Most project activities are universally aligned with mitigation goals, such as improvements in student learning, training and capacity building, M&E, and dissemination activities to minimize activities that result in GHG emissions of carbon lock-in. School rehabilitation and construction will incorporate sustainable building designs that minimize emissions, such as use of materials that are more durable and have a lower carbon footprint, energy efficiency measures, use of solar power, rainwater harvesting, green spaces and tree planting, and waste management. Assessments will be conducted to evaluate potential GHG emissions and implement measures to reduce them. Therefore, any mitigation risks have been reduced to low.  Assessment and reduction of adaptation risks. The project has been screened for climate and disaster risks. Some school locations are assessed as susceptible to climate hazards such as heavy rainfalls and flooding. The project will manage climate and disaster risks through targeted adaptation measures. Specifically, the project will ensure that rehabilitated or newly built school classes and all items procured are climate-safe and eco- friendly. The project will support provision of training and awareness campaigns to increase the capacity of teachers, students, school management, and communities to prepare for and respond to climate change- induced emergencies. Therefore, residual risks have been reduced to an acceptable level. Economic analysis 54. Investing in education is an essential part of the inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction strategy in the CAR. By prioritizing basic education, the project focuses on equipping children with the foundational literacy and 21 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) numeracy skills necessary to complete basic education with adequate learning levels and successfully pursue post-basic education, increasing the likelihood of securing more productive employment. Cognitive skills of the population, rather than mere school attainment, are related to long-term economic growth. 46 Investing in education is also an important tool for peacebuilding in a FCV context; and it is key in fostering girls’ well-being and promoting women empowerment. 47 55. An economic and financial analysis was conducted to assess the economic rationale for the proposed investment project (annex 5). The analysis suggests that there is a strong rationale supporting the investment in education in the CAR. The returns to education analysis indicates that an additional year of schooling in the CAR yields, on average, a 7.0 percent increase in annual earnings. This is even higher (8.3 percent) for women. In addition, the cost- benefit analysis for the base scenario, under conservative assumptions, shows strong support for the project investment. The cost-benefit analysis was carried out on quantifiable interventions impacting both access and quality of education outcomes under Components 1 and 2. The proposed intervention have a strong economic justification with a Net Present Value (NPV) of US$24.8 million, a benefits-to-cost ratio of 3.1, and an estimated Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 22.7 percent. These returns are a lower bound because only private outcomes for the students are considered as part of the benefits of the project, and the base scenario is based on conservative assumptions. The NPV and IRR increase substantially under less restrictive assumptions, showing that the project has the potential to generate tremendous benefits, assuming a favorable environment. B. Fiduciary (i) Financial Management 56. A financial management (FM) assessment was undertaken to evaluate the adequacy of the project FM arrangements. The objective of this assessment was to determine whether the project implementing agency has acceptable FM arrangements for the project’s implementation. The project will be implemented by the PCU of the ESPSP (P173103) under the overall coordination of the MNE. The MNE has a track record of experiences in coordinating World Bank-financed projects through the PCU of ESPSP. The FM assessment was carried out in accordance with the FM manual for the World Bank's IPF operations that became effective on March 1, 2010 and were reissued on September 7, 2021. The FM arrangements for CARE will build on the existing institutional and fiduciary arrangements of the ongoing ESPSP managed by the PCU-ESPSP. ESPSP’s FM performance was rated Moderately Satisfactory, and the FM risk was rated Substantial, following the last implementation support mission of November 2023. The current FM staffing is adequate and consists of an FM specialist with good experience in managing donors funded projects supported by an accountant both competitively recruited. This staffing will be reinforced with an additional FM specialist fully dedicated to CARE’s accounting and disbursement tasks. The FM specialist will be recruited within three months after effectiveness based on terms of reference (ToRs) acceptable to the World Bank. ESPSP’s current accounting software will easily integrate CARE’s accounts. Its parameters should be configured within three months after effectiveness to consider CARE’s specificities. 57. The existing ESPSP’s FM manual of procedures as part of the POM is acceptable to the IDA and will be updated to consider the CARE’s context. The unaudited interim financial reports (IFR) are prepared every quarter and timely submitted to the World Bank with acceptable quality. CARE’s interim financial report will be submitted to the World Bank on a quarterly basis and within 45 days following the quarter. In addition, ESPSP’s internal audit arrangements will 46 Hanushek, Eric A. and Ludger Woessmann (2008), “The Role of Cognitive Skills in Economic Development”, Journal of Economic Literature, Vol. 46, No.3, pp. 607-668 47 Mehra, Rekha (1997), "Women, Empowerment, and Economic Development," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, vol. 554(1), pages 136-149 ; Ojobo, J.A. (2008); “Education: A catalyst for Women Empowerment in Nigeria”, Journal of Education and science, 4(1) 93-108; Habib, K., Shafiq, M., Afsan, G., & Qamar, F. (2019), “ Impact of education and employment on women empowerment”, European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 8(3), 62-74. 22 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) be extended within three months after effectiveness to CARE and the PCU-ESPSP should ensure that the project internal auditing is included in its internal auditor’s workplan and that the audit is conducted using a risk-based approach. Furthermore, transaction-based disbursements will apply, and the amount of the initial advance will be specified in the disbursement letter. Finally, ESPSP’s current external audit arrangements are acceptable, and the 2022 audit report was timely submitted with an unmodified opinion. While waiting for arrangements completion with the CAR’s Supreme Audit Institution (Cour des Comptes) to start being involved in the process of the external auditors’ selection and their reports reviewing, an independent external auditor will be appointed within six months after effectiveness based on TOR agreed with the World Bank to carry out CARE’s external audit, and the audit report will be submitted within six months following the end of the fiscal year. 58. The overall FM risk prior to the mitigation measures was considered High. The proposed FM risk mitigation measures are considered adequate to reduce the residual risk to Substantial. An FM action plan is summarized in the risk assessment table below. Subject to the successful completion of the actions recommended in the action plan to address the risks identified, the proposed FM arrangements are considered acceptable to the World Bank. (ii) Procurement 59. All procurement activities under the project will be carried out using procedures as stated in the (a) the World Bank Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers as of September 2023 and (b) the “Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants,” dated October 15, 2006, and revised in January 2011, and as of July 1, 2016, the IPF Anti-Corruption Guidelines. The Systematic Tracking of Exchanges in Procurement (STEP) system will be used for all procurement transactions, including post review contracts. 60. The PCU gained experience during the implementation of the EBESP and ESPSP II projects. The performance of the procurement has been improved with the recruitment of the new procurement specialist and the support provided by the World Bank through capacity-building programs (monthly procurement clinics). However, weaknesses are still noted in procurement planning and contract monitoring, leading to disputes and delays in the implementation of contracts. The implementation of contracts is affected by the weak technical and financial capacities of the local private sector. In addition, the MNE, a key actor of the procurement, is not fully implicated in the Contract Management Team (CMT) established within the PCU. Given the huge workload of procurement activities under the two ongoing projects (EBESP and ESPSP II) and to avoid delays in the implementation of procurement plans, a new Procurement Specialist will be recruited and will work conjointly with the other procurement specialist. The two procurement specialists will be supported by an assistant who will be fully dedicated to STEP. 61. The project has prepared a Project Procurement Strategy for Development (PPSD) and a procurement plan. The proposed PPSD will aim to advance the use of procurement as a mean for sustainable development, taking into consideration social, environmental, and economic impacts. World Bank’s sustainable procurement guidance documents will be followed, and international best practices will be integrated as much as possible. Infrastructure contractors can be required to meet: (a) multiple uses and benefits of construction works; (b) environmental co- benefits; (c) social co-benefits and job creation; and (d) climate adaptation and mitigation measures. 62. A project manual will be developed for the project. The manual will include a specific section on complaints and contract management, with consideration of the weaknesses in the implementation, which were noted in the ESPSP II project. 63. The risk associated to the procurement is assessed as High. The main risk is related to the weaknesses noted in the contract management system of the PCU leading to disputes and delays in the implementation of contracts. A CMT has been established within the PCU but does not include some key actors of the project such as the Ministry. In 23 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) addition to this, monthly procurement clinics are organized by the World Bank’s procurement team in the CAR where specific cases are discussed including contract administration. The internal control system of the PCU will be enhanced and applied at all levels of the procurement processes. The procurement risk is High but reduced to a residual risk rating of Substantial in view of the articulated risk mitigation measures. C. Legal Operational Policies @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padlegalpolicy#doctemplate Legal Operational Policies Triggered? Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Area OP 7.60 No D. Environmental and Social 64. The overall environmental and social (E&S) risk of the project is Substantial. Overall, the project is expected to have positive impacts given that planned activities aim to: (a) improve access to quality basic education, especially for girls; (b) strengthen teaching practices; and (c) strengthen capacity of education system for better service delivery. However, the project will have some E&S risks. 65. The main environmental risks center on working conditions, including occupational health and safety and community health and safety, resource efficiency and pollution, mainly due to disposal and management of construction waste; nuisances related to air and noise emissions; storm water runoff; land disturbance; and water pollution from hydrocarbon spills. Key social risks include risks of SEA/SH; limited ESF capacity and experience of the PCU and project implementation actors; exclusion of marginalized and vulnerable social groups including Mbororo Peuhls and indigenous peoples; security risks for project workers and beneficiaries, given the high presence of nonstate armed groups across the territory; and involuntary resettlement leading to physical or economic displacement. 66. SEA/SH risk is Moderate, using the World Bank SEA/SH risk screening tool. The preliminary assessment was based on the country context and project-specific indicators, specifically: (a) the recent formalization of institutional codes of conduct and internal regulations for teachers and administrative staff that include prohibitions against SEA/SH within the entire education system, (b) the presence of a SEA/SH expertise within the PCU, and (c) existing SEA/SH sensitive Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) under ongoing education projects that applies to actors of the new projects. However, previous consultations conducted by the ongoing education projects have revealed GBV issues, such as SEA/SH concerns and absence of measures to do SEA/SH background checks on teachers. The new project is subject to the humanitarian situation of the country due to security risks which further exacerbates the SEA/SH project risk on beneficiaries and project workers. The government has recently instituted codes of conduct and internal regulations for the education sector; however, government capacity to implement and monitor SEA/SH measures is still limited. Thus, the project will maintain measures that were put in place for the ESPSP to address substantial SEA/SH risks. 67. Indigenous peoples (IP)/Sub-Saharan Africa’s historically underserved traditional local communities. The project has national coverage and will be implemented in areas where indigenous peoples (the Aka people) are present, namely in the Ombella-Mpoko and Mambere-Kadei prefectures. However, it is expected that no activities requiring civil works would be implemented within IP territories to protect cultural heritage sites. CARE is addressing potential exclusion risks of indigenous peoples by incorporating IP considerations into other areas of the project design, for any of the project component should prefectures with IP presence be selected for related activities, specific client IP considerations will also be included in the POM. 24 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 68. E&S risk management instruments. To address potential E&S risks and impacts, the project has prepared and disclosed an Environmental and Social Commitment Plan on the world bank site on May 25, 2024. As per the provisions of the ESCP, the draft Stakeholder Engagement Plan was prepared and disclosed on the world bank site on May 4, 2024, and the final version will be disclosed in-country no later than three months after project effectiveness. The following draft instruments were also prepared and disclosed in-country on April 30, 2024: (a) a generic Environmental and Social Management Plan, Resettlement Plan(s); (b) Labor Management Procedures; (c) an SEA/SH risk assessment and associated action plan; and (d) security risk assessment / security management plan. As per ESCP provisions, final versions will be disclosed no later than three months after project effectiveness. 69. Climate change. The project has been screened for climate and disaster risks. The CAR is susceptible to various climate and disaster risks, which worsen the challenges faced in achieving development progress, especially for the most vulnerable populations. The country's position on the 2021 ND-Gain Index is 184 out of 185, highlighting its vulnerability to climate change and its readiness to improve resiliency. As stated in the CAR’s NDC, 48 the entire nation is exposed to severe climate hazards, primarily droughts and heavy rainfall leading to floods. Among those most at risk are rural communities, women, children, and the elderly. The country is committed to combat climate change through adopting strong adaptation efforts ensuring climate-smart investment. The project includes a few activities to address vulnerabilities and minimize anticipated risks from climate hazards (see table 3). For instance, the project will train school management (school leaders, teachers, and other SMC and AME members) on climate change and how it affects communities, schools, and children’s learning. Mitigation measures will also be included in the training, which will cover themes such as energy efficiency where applicable (since most of schools have no access to electricity), restoring nature to absorb more carbon, recycling, and cleaning up the environment. These training sessions will be part of the school capacity-building effort under component 1. Under component 2, reading materials will be distributed to primary- school-age children and include guidance regarding actions to mitigate and respond to the impact of climate change. 49 70. Gender and disability inclusion. The project will support key interventions and include indicators addressing some of the barriers that vulnerable children, especially girls and children with disabilities, face. School closures and limited learning environment are likely to accentuate the existing risks and create additional risks of exclusion on gender and disability inclusion. The risk of dropping out of school increases as young girls may face greater expectations of caregiving for children and relatives at home instead of studying. The project design includes mitigation measures to address risks of exclusion in primary education with a special focus on gender and disability inclusion. For instance, the school grant can be used for activities to empower girls and support the most vulnerable including children with disabilities and children of IDPs and host communities. In addition, the project components that focus on increasing female teachers, improving WASH facilities, and teacher training on gender bias, also seek to improve inclusion of girls in the CAR's school system. The project will support provision of training for school management to ensure they pay special attention to monitoring of enrollment and retention of the most vulnerable. Community outreach campaigns will be carried out to encourage communities to continue their engagement with education and support of girls’ education. For well-being and protection, the project will provide psychosocial support to children and teachers. A project GRM to 48 Climate Change Laws of the World, “Central African Republic First NDC” (2022). https://climate-laws.org/documents/central-african-republic- first-ndc-updated-submission_ba88?id=central-african-republic-first-ndc-updated-submission_799e. 49 A separate note detailing the full extent of incorporation of climate change adaptation and mitigation measures has been prepared and is available upon request. 25 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) respond to GBV/SEA/SH incidents will be set up and necessary actions to support survivors in a timely manner will be taken. 50 71. Citizen engagement. This is integrated into the project design through various mechanisms. Consultations were conducted to seek feedback on the project with a LEG. 51 A finalized Stakeholder Engagement Plan will be used to ensure engagement is maintained and updated throughout project implementation. The project will support mobilization and capacity building of school stakeholders including school leaders, teachers, and SMC and AME members engaged in participatory processes. For example, the AMEs will be leading the implementation of the GEI at the school level, including ensuring the outreach activities to the households of girls at risk of dropping out. The feedback will be integrated into project activities or inform any necessary corrective measures. The project will also enhance the voices of vulnerable groups, such as girls, children with disabilities, and children from IDPs and host communities. The PCU will be responsible for supporting community mobilization and capacity building in targeted areas and will foster citizen engagement through the participatory decision-making process in schools that includes SMC and AME members, parents, and teachers. The project includes one intermediate result indicator related to beneficiary feedback in the results framework. V. GRIEVANCE REDRESS SERVICES 72. Grievance redress. Communities and individuals who believe that they are adversely affected by a project supported by the World Bank may submit complaints to existing project-level grievance mechanisms or the World Bank’s Grievance Redress Service (GRS). The GRS ensures that complaints received are promptly reviewed in order to address project-related concerns. Project-affected communities and individuals may submit their complaint to the World Bank’s independent Accountability Mechanism (AM). The AM houses the Inspection Panel, which determines whether harm occurred, or could occur, as a result of World Bank noncompliance with its policies and procedures, and the Dispute Resolution Service, which provides communities and borrowers with the opportunity to address complaints through dispute resolution. Complaints may be submitted to the AM at any time after concerns have been brought directly to the attention of World Bank Management and after Management has been given an opportunity to respond. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank’s GRS, visit http://www.worldbank.org/GRS. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank’s Accountability Mechanism, visit https://accountability.worldbank.org. 50 Other specific activities may be to support the national and technical committees to combat GBV, harmful traditional practices, and child marriage to establish a specific national action plan against harmful practices, carry out media campaigns or training in secondary schools, for example, or even promote the knowledge of the law criminalizing female genital mutilations. 51 The LEG is a collaborative forum of stakeholders within the education sector who develop, implement, monitor, and evaluate ESPs at the country level. LEGs are led by the national government and are composed of education development partners such as donors and development agencies, teachers’ organizations, civil society organizations, and private education providers. 26 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) VI. KEY RISKS 73. The overall residual risk of the project is rated High. This is due to a combination of factors including a state of extreme fragility of the country plagued by decades of underdevelopment and poor governance. The explanations of the key risks are provided below. 74. Political and governance risk is rated Substantial. Since the disputed presidential elections of 2020, the political situation in the country has remained tense. While calm has returned to the capital, areas in the interior of the country remain a security risk, which has affected the implementation and monitoring of projects. To mitigate this risk, the finalization of a teacher’s policy and revisions to the 1997 Education Orientation Law will include: (a) communications with policy makers and the public on the implications of resource mobilization, including from donors; (b) more civil society involvement with the education sector management; and (c) improvements in service delivery to beneficiaries. 75. Macroeconomic risk is rated Substantial. The macroeconomic context in the CAR has been very challenging, fueled by the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, ongoing conflict and insecurity, and the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine on commodity prices. In addition, the country’s heavy dependence on primary commodity exports, such as diamonds and timber, leaves it vulnerable to fluctuations in global commodity prices, which can impact export revenues and fiscal stability. Although the macroeconomic outlook has improved, it remains fragile and negative impacts on domestic revenues could impact the public spending on education. To mitigate this risk, the project has planned a carefully phased approach to ensure the operational budgets for the first two RPCs are fully funded before expanding to the remaining three RPCs. 76. Sector strategies and policies risk is rated Substantial. The government validated the 2020–2029 ESP in May 2020, and it was endorsed by technical and financial partners (TFPs) in July 2020. An Education Sectoral Review was conducted in May 2022 to allow the government and TFPs to identify any bottlenecks and propose mitigation measures. However, the implementation of the project could be affected by the limited buy-in at the political level and the capacity of the MNE. Furthermore, the capacity of the government to finance its education system remains weak, despite the state's commitment to increase the budget for education to 20 percent of its budget in 2026 and 23 percent in 2029. To mitigate this risk, the project will support the finalization of a teachers’ policy and the updating of the 1997 Education Orientation Law, as well as their adoption by authorities. 77. Institutional capacity for implementation and sustainability risk is rated High. Although the Ministry has gained some experience in managing IDA-funded projects, the staff turnover rate at management levels may be a critical issue affecting project implementation as the new staff has to be informed and trained to be able to take over project activities and these constant changes pose a challenge to effective implementation. A training plan including key staff at the MNE will be developed and implemented to mitigate this risk. Senior and junior experts will be embedded in the PCU to support the implementation of specific activities, in particular subcomponents 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 2.1 and 2.3. 78. Fiduciary risk is rated Substantial. Overall, the FM and procurement environment remains weak. The conflict severely deteriorated the administration capacity for public investments, budget control, transparency, and fails to provide an environment that facilitates strong institutions and promotes governance. Specifically, for the project, the capacities of fiduciary specialists — the financial management specialist, accountant, and procurement specialist — would be strengthened to manage the overall fiduciary responsibility under the project; the project will elaborate a project operation manual with well-described procurement, M&E and FM processes, and annual post procurement reviews, and FM audits will be undertaken by an external auditor during the project to reduce the FM risk. 27 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 79. Environmental and Social risk are rated Substantial. Environmental risk is rated Moderate. The anticipated social risks and impacts are those related to: (a) moderate risks of SEA/SH specific to the project as assessed through the SEA/SH risk; (b) limited capacity and experience of the client for overall ESF compliance, including effective stakeholder engagement, the assessment of SEA/SH risks, and development of an associated SEA/SH action plan with appropriate proportional accountability response framework and monitoring and evaluation measures; (c) risks of exclusion of marginalized and vulnerable social groups including Mbororo Peuhls and indigenous peoples, as well as girls and children in vulnerable situation; (d) security risks for project workers and beneficiaries given the high presence of nonstate armed groups across the territory; (e) physical and/or economic displacement resulting from land acquisition for school construction; and (h) low to moderate scale labor influx in communities where rehabilitation and construction works are due. Implementation of GRM and specific training activities will help reduce the risk. 80. Stakeholders risk is rated High. Large areas of the country are remote, with some areas still under conflict, reducing the effectiveness of implementation oversight. Furthermore, the lack of clear responsibilities, with delineated mandate for each of the technical directorates within the MNE, can limit healthy collaboration among staff and reduce the synergy of the reforms promoted by the project. The project will benefit from the report of the organizational audit of the ministry under the ongoing ESPSP to develop strategies to significantly reduce this risk. 81. Other risk is rated High. This category captures the risk associated with the recruitment of 6,350 contract teachers who will be progressively integrated onto public payroll by year 4. Under sustained favorable conditions, the macroeconomic outlook is expected to improve, along with stronger DRM capacity, creating the necessary fiscal space to accommodate critical social spending, including in education. To mitigate this risk, the project will progressively onboard contract teachers and regularly assess the status of integration of previous cohorts. This risk is also mitigated by the government commitment under the IMF Staff-Monitored Program to embark on structural reforms that will improve the medium-term macro fiscal outlook. In addition, the government continues discussions with donors to unlock much-needed budget support, critical to constrain the fiscal deficit and create fiscal buffers, and it is currently preparing a new five-year development plan for which it expects substantial support from the donor community to increase development aid. Finally, a clear plan for the progressive integration of these 6,350 teachers into the public service will be developed and endorsed by the Government and will clearly indicate a budgetary line in the state budget and its regular financing mechanism, as well as protection in the event of cash stress. 28 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) VII. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING @#&OPS~Doctype~OPS^dynamics@padannexresultframework#doctemplate PDO Indicators by PDO Outcomes Baseline Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Closing Period Improve access to quality basic education Students enrolled in newly constructed classrooms (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 50000 100000 150000 200000 200000 Students enrolled in newly constructed classrooms - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 20000 40000 70000 90000 90000 Student to textbook ratio in grades 1-6 in select subjects (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 4 3 3 2 2 In-service teachers showing improved content and pedagogical skills (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 25 30 40 50 75 75 Strengthen capacity for sector management Share of qualified teachers integrated into the civil service (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 20 30 40 55 55 Share of qualified teachers integrated into the civil service - Female (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 5 8 10 15 15 Dissemination of results of learning assessment in reading and mathematics (Text) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Intermediate Indicators by Components Baseline Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Closing Period 29 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Component 1: Increase access to improved learning environments Preprimary classrooms constructed as per construction standard (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 50 75 100 150 150 Primary classrooms rehabilitated or constructed as per construction standard (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 100 300 500 600 700 700 Secondary classrooms rehabilitated or constructed as per construction standard (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 200 300 400 540 540 Textbook policy is adopted (Text) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Revised curriculum (with Sango as LOI) for grades 3-6 in Sango is developed (Text) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Student beneficiaries participating in ALP (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 7500 20000 30000 40000 50000 60000 60000 Student beneficiaries participating in ALP - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 3000 7500 12500 17500 20000 25000 25000 Student beneficiaries participating in remedial educatio (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 99000 149000 199000 249000 299000 349000 349000 Student beneficiaries participating in remedial education - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 52470 83840 117140 154380 194350 237320 237320 Primary Completion Rate (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 61 63 65 67 68 69 71 Students supported with better education (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 100000 250000 500000 1000000 1263542 1263542 30 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Students supported with better education - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 40000 100000 250000 350000 563673 556673 New or rehabilitated classrooms and toilets designed with climate change considerations in their layouts to reduce energy usage through ensuring natural light, ventilation, etc. (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 550 750 1000 1350 1350 Girls benefiting from the Girls Education Initiative (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 200000 200000 200000 200000 200000 200000 AMEs operational in public primary schools (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 378 378 878 2000 3000 3378 3378 Girls benefiting from scholarship to lower secondary school (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 5000 10000 10000 10000 10000 Component 2: Improve teaching quality Teachers trained (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 13000 14000 15000 16100 16100 Teachers trained - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 2500 3000 3000 3000 3000 Community-teachers successfully completed certification program (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 1500 2000 2000 2000 2000 Community-teachers successfully completed certification program - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 250 400 500 750 750 Teachers participating in school-based CPD (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 1500 2500 3500 4500 4500 Teachers participating in school-based CPD - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 31 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 0 0 50 100 150 300 300 Head teachers trained (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 1500 3500 3500 3500 3500 Head teachers trained - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 75 75 75 75 75 New teacher training facilities constructed (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 0 3 5 5 5 5 Contract teachers recruited (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 2000 3000 4350 5350 6350 6350 Contract teachers recruited - Female (Number) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 400 600 870 1070 1270 1270 Component 3: Strengthen data system and sector management Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in reading (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 26.2 30.1 35.0 40.1 40.1 47.9 47.9 Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in reading - Female (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 20.0 22.5 22.5 30.0 40 40 Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in mathematics (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 11.6 20 25,7 25.7 35 37,1 37.1 Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in mathematics - Female (Percentage) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 0 10 12.5 12.5 20 27.5 30 Statistical yearbook is developed and published (Text) Jan/2024 Jun/2025 Jun/2026 Jun/2027 Jun/2028 Jun/2029 Oct/2030 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Component 4: Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) 32 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: PDO Indicators by PDO Outcomes Improve access to quality basic education Students enrolled in newly constructed classrooms (Number) Number of students who benefit from improved learning environment in newly constructed educational Description institutions Frequency Annual Data source Project data Methodology for data Reports from learning interventions collection Responsibility for PCU data collection Students enrolled in newly constructed classrooms – Female (Number) Number of female students who benefit from improved learning environment in newly constructed Description educational institutions Frequency Annual Data source Project data Methodology for data Reports from learning interventions collection Responsibility for PCU data collection Student-to-textbook ratio in grades 1–6 in select subjects (Number) Description Average number of students for every textbook in schools Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology ford This is collected as part of project data but also the data from the Education Management Information System collection (EMIS). Efforts will be made to report disaggregated data per prefecture. Responsibility for PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) data collection In-service teachers showing improved content and pedagogical skills (Percentage) Description Percentage of in-service teachers showing improved content and pedagogical skills Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) data collection Strengthen capacity for sector management Share of qualified teachers integrated into the civil service (Percentage) Percentage of community teachers who successfully complete the certification program and are integrated Description into the public service Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) data collection Share of qualified teachers integrated into the civil service – Female (Percentage) Percentage of female community teachers who successfully complete the certification program and are Description integrated into the public service 33 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) data collection Dissemination of results of learning assessment in reading and mathematics (Text) Description NLAS and PASEC reports have to be shared with all education stakeholders from the central to the local level. Frequency Based on NLAS and PASEC sessions Data source Project data Methodology for data Reports from learning interventions collection Responsibility for PCU data collection Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Component 1: Increase access to improved learning environments Preprimary classrooms constructed as per construction standard (Number) Description Number of preprimary classrooms constructed as per construction standard Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Primary classrooms constructed or rehabilitated as per construction standard (Number) Description Number primary education classrooms constructed as per construction standard Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Secondary classrooms constructed or rehabilitated as per construction standard (Number) Description Number secondary education classrooms constructed as per construction standard Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Textbook policy is adopted (Text) Adoption of a framework to direct the effective and efficient planning and management of the national Description selection, provision and distribution of textbooks Frequency Annual Data source The policy is adopted by the MNE Methodology for data Decree is shared with the PCU collection 34 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning collection Revised curriculum (with Sango as LOI) for grades 3-6 in Sango is developed (Text) Description Development of the Sango curricula for grades 3 to 6 of primary education Frequency Annual Data source Project data Methodology for Data This is collected as part of project data. Collection Responsibility for Data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) Collection Student beneficiaries participating in ALP (Number) Description Children and adolescents ages 9–15 who are out-of-school and/or displaced enrolled in ALP Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Student beneficiaries participating in ALP- Female (Number) Description Children and adolescents ages 9–15 who are out-of-school and/or displaced enrolled in ALP- Female Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Student beneficiaries participating in remedial education (Number) Total number of grades 1, 3 and 5 students who benefit from remediation activities focused on reading and Description mathematics Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Student beneficiaries participating in remedial education – Female (Number) Total number of grades 1, 3 and 5 students who benefit from remediation activities focused on reading and Description mathematics- Female Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Primary Completion Rate (Percentage) Description Percentage of students completing the last grade of primary education. Frequency Annual Data source Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. 35 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Students supported with better education (Number) Description Total number of students benefiting from the project. Frequency Annual Data source Project data Methodology for data Reports from learning interventions collection Responsibility for data PCU collection Students supported with better education- Female (Number) Description Total number of students benefiting from the project- Female. Frequency Annual Data source Project data Methodology for data Reports from learning interventions collection Responsibility for data PCU collection New or rehabilitated classrooms and toilets designed with climate change considerations in their layouts to reduce energy usage through ensuring natural light, ventilation, etc. (Number) Number of classrooms constructed and toilets designed with climate change considerations in their layouts to Description reduce energy usage through ensuring natural light, ventilation, etc Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Girls benefiting from the Girl's Education Initiative (Number) Description Total number of girl beneficiairies of interventions under the GEI Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection AMEs operational in public primary schools (Number) Description Total number of AMEs operational in beneficiary public primary schools Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Girls benefiting from scholarships to lower secondary education (Number) Description Total number of girl beneficiairies of scholarships in lower secondary education Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated 36 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) collection data per prefecture. Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Component 2: Improve teaching quality Teachers trained (Number) CRI Description Number of teachers trained Frequency Annual Data source Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Teachers trained- Female (Number) CRI Description Number of teachers trained- Female Frequency Annual Data source Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Community teachers successfully completed certification program (Number) Description Number of community teachers successfully completed certification program Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Community teachers successfully completed certification program- Female (Number) Description Number of community teachers successfully completed certification program- Female Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Teachers participating in school based CPD (Number) Description Number of teachers successfully participating in the CPD Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Teachers participating in school based CPD – Female (Number) Description Number of female teachers successfully participating in the CPD Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook 37 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Head teachers trained (Number) Description Number of school managers receiving training Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Head teachers trained – Female (Number) Description Number of female school managers receiving training Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection New teacher training facilities constructed (Number) Description Number of new teachers training facilities built Frequency Annual Data source Project data + Statistical yearbook This is collected as part of project data but also the EMIS data. Efforts will be made to report disaggregated Methodology for data data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Contract teachers recruited (Number) Description Number of contract teacher recruited Frequency Annual Project data + decree of integration (arrêtés d’intégration) + monitoring table from the Directorate of Human Data source Resources, MNE Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data . Efforts will be made to report disaggregated data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning + Directorate of Human Resource collection Contract teachers recruited- Female (Number) Description Number of contract teacher recruited- Female Frequency Annual Project data + decree of integration (arrêtés d’intégration) + monitoring table from the Directorate of Human Data source Resources Methodology for data This is collected as part of project data with . Efforts will be made to report disaggregated data per prefecture. collection Responsibility for data PCU + Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning + Directorate of Human Resource collection Component 3: Strengthen data system and sector management Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in reading 38 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Description Percentage of students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in reading Frequency Based on NLAS and PASEC sessions Data source NLAS and PASEC reports + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of NLAS and PASEC reports but also EMIS data. collection Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in reading – Female Description Percentage of female students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in reading Frequency Based on NLAS and PASEC sessions Data source NLAS and PASEC reports + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of NLAS and PASEC reports but also EMIS data. collection Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in mathematics Description Percentage of students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in mathmatics Frequency Based on NLAS and PASEC sessions Data source NLAS and PASEC reports + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of NLAS and PASEC reports but also EMIS data. collection Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in mathematics – Female Description Percentage of female students in grade 6 who achieve the minimum proficiency in mathematics Frequency Based on NLAS and PASEC sessions Data source NLAS and PASEC reports + Statistical yearbook Methodology for data This is collected as part of NLAS and PASEC reports but also EMIS data. Collection Responsibility for cata Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection Statistical yearbook is developed and published (Text) Description Statistical yearbook is developed and published Frequency Annual Data source Statistical yearbook Methodology for data Publication of Statistical yearbook collection Responsibility for data Directorate of Studies, Statistics and Planning (EMIS) collection 39 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) ANNEX 1: Implementation Arrangements and Support Plan 1. The PCU that managed the IDA-funded project gained experience during the implementation of the EBESP and ESPSP. Additional specialists will be recruited and trained to strengthen the capacity of the PCU, which will manage both the ESPSP and the CARE. 2. Figure 1.1 presents the institutional and implementation arrangements for the project. Figure 1.1: Institutional and implementation arrangements Steering Committee Director of Cabinet, MNE Technical Committee Director General of National Pedagogical Research Institute MNE MEPIC PCU MFB MFPRA PCU Project Coordinator Component 1 – Component 2 – Improve Component 3 – Component 4 – Increase access to teaching quality Strengthen data systems Contingent improved learning and sector management Emergency environments Response Component (CERC) Components and Subcomponents and Subcomponents and Component and technical units (leads) technical units (leads) technical units (leads) technical units Directorate of National Pedagogical Directorate of Studies, (leads) Equipment, Research Institute, Statistics and Planning, Emergency Unit Construction and Directorate of Human Institut de Linguistique Resources, Emergency Unit, Maintenance of Appliquée, Emergency Key actors involved: Directorate of Learning School Buildings, Unit, Directorate of School inspectorates, Assessment and Directorate of Emergency Unit local communities, Construction, and NTTC Primary and Secondary school principals and (subcomponent1) Education teachers, and PCU Key actors involved: Key actors involved: School inspectorates, local Key actors involved: School School inspectorates, communities, TTCes, school inspectorates, school local communities, and principals and teachers, and principals and teachers, and PCU PCU PCU 3. Project and sector strategic oversight. The Project Steering Committee (PSC) established for the ESPSP will also be the PSC for the CARE, and it will be adjusted accordingly within three months of project effectiveness. The PSC will be chaired by the Director of Cabinet of the MNE, and it will have, as 40 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) members, representatives from the Ministry of Economy, Planning, and International Cooperation (Ministère de l’Economie, du Plan et de la Coopération, MEPIC), the Ministry of Finance and Budget (Ministère des Finances et du Budget, MFB), the MFPRA, and the education PCU. 4. Strategic direction. The PSC will provide overall strategic direction for project implementation and ensure that the different ministries coordinate as needed. Specifically, the PSC will be responsible for (a) ensuring consistency of project activities with regard to sectoral policy; (b) validating the biannual progress report of the project as well as the Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWPB); (c) identifying and finding solutions to difficulties that may arise in the implementation of the project; and (d) taking proactive measures to ensure effective project implementation. 5. Project Technical Committee (TC). The TC will be responsible for: (a) validating the monthly monitoring tables of the project; (b) collaborating with the PCU team for the development and validation of project technical documents; (c) periodically evaluating the progress of project indicators and making technical proposals to improve the implementation of activities; (d) preparing and submitting the various documents to the PSC for examination and validation; and (e) disseminating the conclusions and recommendations of the PSC meetings. The TC is composed as follows: (a) chair: representative of the MNE; (b) vice-chair: representative of the MNE; (c) reporting: PCU. It also includes representatives of the MFPRA, the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Social Protection and Vocational Training, the Ministry of Gender Promotion, Protection of Women, Families and Children, the Ministry of Youth Promotion, Sports and Civic Education and the MFB. Other organizations may also be invited to participate (PTAs, AMEs, SMCs). 6. Project implementation. The MNE is responsible for implementing the project and providing oversight of project implementation and M&E of project activities with the support of the PCU. The MNE provides guidance to its directorates and technical units that will be in charge of implementing project activities within their functional missions. External service providers, such as consultants and NGOs, will be sought to work with the directorates in the implementation of activities for which the needed expertise is lacking within the ministries. Table 1.1 presents the responsibilities of the MNE directorates by components and subcomponents. 7. At the school inspectorate level, the school inspectorate services (inspections académiques) will support the implementation of project activities through the regular administrative channels. 8. At the school level, the SMCs and AMEs, through the provision of school grants, will (a) manage the school grants provided according to agreed principles and approaches (Subcomponent 1.4); (b) supervise the attendance of teachers and children in the ALP classrooms as well as carry out activities to support children’s integration into the formal school system; and (c) ensure student and teacher presence in remedial programs. The SMC and AME, led by their elected president and comprising parents, school staff, and local resource persons, will be in charge of supporting schools to deliver the agreed results and for monitoring and reporting on the functioning of schools while the school principal will be responsible for all of the project activities taking place in the schools. 9. Project coordination and implementation. The PCU currently supporting the MNE in implementing the ESPSP will be expanded and will have responsibility for overall coordination of the CARE project activities. The PCU will be responsible for achieving project objectives; coordinating technical, FM, safeguards, M&E, and reporting activities of the project; and liaising with all actors 41 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) involved in implementation of the project. The PCU will also organize discussions and ensure that project activities are technically validated by the MNE Directorates and services involved in the implementation of project activities. The PCU comprises the following specialists: a project coordinator, an M&E specialist, an environmental safeguards specialist, a social safeguards specialist, a GBV/SEA/SH specialist, a fiduciary specialist, a security specialist, and an internal auditor. Also under the proposed project, additional specialists or assistants (communication specialist, engineers, etc.) may be recruited to strengthen the PCU. Operational costs will be shared between the two projects until the end of the ESPSP (scheduled to close on June 30, 2025), after which they will be financed solely by the CARE. 10. Project operations manual (POM). The ESPSP POM will be revised before project effectiveness to include the CARE. The revised POM will set forth the operational and procedural steps for project implementation, including a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities of the implementing agencies/units. With regard to the provision of school grants, the POM will describe (a) the number of selected schools in the targeted prefectures; (b) methods that will be used to calculate the amount of the school grants; (c) the procedure for allocating and monitoring school grants; (d) the list of eligible materials to be financed under the grants, as well as the ineligible materials (negative list); and (e) contracting arrangements for school construction (table 1.1). Table 1.1: Detailed responsibilities by components and subcomponents MNE Directorates/Services Project Key Actors Involved in the Subcomponents Responsible for Technical Components Implementation Oversight Component 1: Subcomponent 1.1: Targeted • Directorate of Equipment, • School inspectorates Increase schooling infrastructure Construction and • Local communities access to Maintenance of School improved Buildings learning Subcomponent 1.2: TLM for • National Pedagogical • School inspectorates environments preprimary and primary levels and Research Institute • School Principals and support to remedial education teachers programs • AMEs and SMCs Subcomponent 1.3: Supporting • Emergency Unit • School inspectorates learning opportunities for out-of- • Local communities school children • School principals and teachers Subcomponent 1.4: School grant • Bangui Academic • School inspectorates and GEI Inspectorate • AMEs • Local communities • School principals and teachers Component 2: Subcomponent 2.1: Support • National Pedagogical • School inspectorates Improve teachers’ in-service training in Research Institute • TTCes/TTCos teaching basic education • Institut de Linguistique • General inspection quality Appliquée • Local communities • School principals and teachers Subcomponent 2.2: Strengthen • National Pedagogical • TTCes/TTCos preservice teacher training Research Institute • Teacher trainers • Directorate of Equipment, 42 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) MNE Directorates/Services Project Key Actors Involved in the Subcomponents Responsible for Technical Components Implementation Oversight Construction and Maintenance of School Buildings • NTTC Subcomponent 2.3: Increase • • TTCes/TTCos qualified primary teachers in the • Teacher trainers system • National Pedagogical Research Institute • MFPRA and MFB • School principals, teachers Component 3: Subcomponent 3.1: Learning • Directorate of Studies, • School inspectorates Strengthen assessments Statistics and Planning • TTCes/TTCos and NTTC data systems (EMIS) • School principals and sector • Directorate of Learning management Assessment (NLAS) • Emergency Unit Subcomponent 3.2: Strengthen • Directorate of Studies, • School inspectorates education planning and Statistics and Planning • TTCes/TTCos and NTTC management (EMIS) • School principals • Directorate of Learning • Directorate of Human Assessment (NLAS) Resources (HRMIS) • Directorate of Human Resources (Human Resources Management Information System, HRMIS) • Emergency Unit Subcomponent 3.3: Project Primary and Secondary PCU management and capacity Education Directorate building Note: TTCes: Teacher Training Centers; TTCos: Teacher Training Colleges; NTTC: National Teachers Training College Financial Management and Disbursement Arrangements 11. An FM assessment was undertaken to evaluate the adequacy of the project FM arrangements. The objective of this assessment was to determine whether the project implementing agency has acceptable FM arrangements for the project’s implementation. The project will be implemented by the PCU of the ESPSP (P173103) under the overall coordination of the MNE. The MNE has track record of experiences in coordinating World Bank-financed projects through the PCU of ESPSP. The FM assessment was carried out in accordance with the FM manual for World Bank IFP Operations that became effective on March 1, 2010 and were reissued on September 7, 2021. The FM arrangements for CARE will build on the existing institutional and fiduciary arrangements of the ongoing ESPSP (P173103) managed by the PCU-ESPSP. ESPSP’s FM performance was rated Moderately Satisfactory, and the FM risk was rated Substantial following the last implementation support mission of November 2023. The current FM staffing is adequate and consists of a FM specialist with good experience in managing donors 43 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) funded projects supported by an accountant both competitively recruited. This staffing will be reinforced with an additional FM specialist fully dedicated to CARE’s accounting and disbursement tasks. The FM specialist will be recruited within three months after effectiveness based on ToRs acceptable to the World Bank. ESPSP’s current accounting software will easily integrate CARE’s accounts. Its parameters should be configured within three months after effectiveness to consider CARE’s specificities. 12. The existing ESPSP’s FM manual of procedures as part of the POM is acceptable to IDA and will be updated to consider the CARE’s context. The IFRs are prepared every quarter and timely submitted to the World Bank with acceptable quality. CARE’s interim financial report will be submitted to the World Bank on a quarterly basis and within 45 days following the quarter. In addition, ESPSP’s internal audit arrangements will be extended within three months after effectiveness to CARE and the PCU- ESPSP should ensure that the project’s internal auditing is included in its internal auditor’s workplan and that the audit is conducted using a risk-based approach. Furthermore, transaction-based disbursements will apply, and the amount of the initial advance will be specified in the disbursement letter. Finally, ESPSP’s current external audit arrangements are acceptable, and the 2022 audit report was timely submitted with an unmodified opinion. While waiting for arrangements completion with the CAR’s Supreme Audit Institution (Cour des Comptes) to start being involved in the process of the external auditors’ selection and their reports reviewing, an independent external auditor will be appointed within six months after effectiveness based on ToR agreed with the World Bank to carry out CARE’s external audit, and the audit report will be submitted within six months following the end of the fiscal year. 13. The overall FM risk prior to the mitigation measures was considered High. The proposed FM risk mitigation measures are considered adequate to reduce the residual risk to Substantial. An FM Action Plan is summarized in the risk assessment table below. Subject to the successful completion of the Actions recommended in the Action Plan to address the risks identified, the proposed FM arrangements are considered acceptable to the World Bank. Country Public Finance Management 14. The overall fiduciary environment of the country is weak, and the fiduciary risk including fraud and corruption is High. According to the 2023 Transparency International Corruption Index, the country ranks 149 out of 180 countries. On public financial management (PFM), significant progress has been achieved toward the digitalization of government processes including with the launch of a new PFM information system and an online tax return system supported by the World Bank-financed Public Sector Digital Governance Project (P174620). The CAR also adopted a new the Public Finance Organic Law in 2018 aligned with the Economic Community of Central African States directive; for treasury management, a TSA was set up and the MFB started using the central bank’s settlement and clearing system for most government payments in 2020. 15. A new law on the governance and accountability of state-owned enterprises was promulgated in January 2020, increasing the MFB’s oversight powers. Despite notable achievements, the CAR’s PFM systems still exhibit overall weaknesses. Budget execution lags at 77 percent of the allocated primary expenditure (2020) due to cumbersome procedures, limited capacity in line ministries, and excessive concentration of PFM functions, leading to bottlenecks and delays in transaction processing. The full operationalization of the TSA has yet to be realized. Quarterly budget execution reports provide limited information on ministry expenditures, and external audit functions are underdeveloped, with an ill- 44 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) equipped Court of Accounts and unaudited reports. Reflecting these weaknesses, the CAR received a score of 2.5 on both Quality of Budgetary and Financial Management and Transparency, Accountability, and Corruption in the Public Sector in the 2022 Country Policy and Institutional Assessment. 16. Public procurement remains a concern, marked by the frequent use of single-source selection and a lack of transparency in government bidding and contract awards. The project will support the development of capacity to enable achievement of its objectives. During the project implementation, and with the progress expected because of the implementation of the PFM reforms, the project could consider a gradual switch toward the reliance of part of some country PFM systems when they are assessed adequate for use and present limited risks to the project. Inherent Risk Assessment, Mitigation Measures and Residual Risks 17. Risks have been assessed (table 1.2) and a FM action plan has been developed for the project (table 1.3). Table 1.2: FM Risks Risk Risk rating Risk mitigating measures incorporated Residual into project design risk INHERENT RISK High Substantial Country level Some PFM reforms being supported by • Post-conflict country is risky from some partners: a fiduciary perspective. High • Public Sector Digital Governance Project High • Poor governance and slow pace of (P174620) financed by the World Bank implementation of PFM reforms • Commitments at the top level of might hamper the overall PFM government to fight corruption and environment. introduce digitalization as a mean to improve transparency Entity level • POM to provide details on procedures to • There is weak fiduciary capacity. strengthen controls over the • Nature of the operations involving identification, approval and monitoring Substantial a great number of stakeholders in High of the project activities the FCV environment may • The POM to clarify roles and increase exposure to fiduciary responsibilities of the various risk. stakeholders • Capacity of the key stakeholders including citizens to be strengthened Project level • Qualified fiduciary staff to be recruited • The PCU will need to be within the PCU Substantial established: PCU staff has limited Substantial • Well-designed procedures to be knowledge and experience. combined with training to key • Poor collaboration with and statehooders among the multiple sectors and stakeholders may increase fiduciary risk given the overall limited fiduciary capacity in the sector. 45 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Risk Risk rating Risk mitigating measures incorporated Residual into project design risk CONTROL RISK Substantial Substantial Budgeting • The POM to define the arrangements for • The AWBP may be delayed. budget formulation, execution, and • There are concerns about poor Substantial control. Substantial quality due to capacity • Quarterly IFR will provide analysis of the constraints. budget performance. • Delays are present in the • Capacity of the stakeholders will be submission of inputs from strengthened as well. different sectors for consolidation. Accounting • An accounting software’s parameters to • There is difficulty tracking project be revised to consider CARE’s Moderate expenditures. Substantial specificities • Weak capacity may undermine • World Bank supervision to review the the timely production of accurate operational effectiveness of the and reliable information. accounting system Internal controls and internal audit • The work program of the current • Internal control may fail to High internal auditor to be updated to include Substantial identify significant control CARE’s auditing breakdown during the • Periodic reviews of the risk management identification, approval, and and controls over the management of execution of the project activities. the project activities • There may be weak capacity of • Use of Geo-Enabling Initiative for the implementers to understand Monitoring and Supervision to and contribute to the restrictions to field visits effectiveness of the internal control processes. Funds flow • Capacity of key players to be • There may be delays in processing strengthened and paying the beneficiaries due • Funds flow arrangements to be to additional internal controls. described in the POM, and the project’s • Security threats in the country High staff to be trained on the World Bank’s Substantial may pose a serious risk to disbursement procedures payment of beneficiaries, availability of funds in risky areas. Financial reporting • Accounting system and software to • Some delays may occur in Substantial record the project’s transactions Moderate submitting good quality IFRs. • Qualified and experienced FM staff to be • There may be reports of poor recruited within the PCU. quality. • Capacity of the key stakeholders to be • There may some difficulties to get strengthened if required. timely information from key • Increased frequency of World Bank FM actors. supervision 46 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Risk Risk rating Risk mitigating measures incorporated Residual into project design risk External auditing • There may be weak capacity of • Audit TORs and short list of independent the SAI to audit the project High firms to be subject to the World Bank’s Substantial transactions. review • An audit may not be carried out in • IFR to be reviewed to enable the project compliance with acceptable audit to improve its quality so that financial standards. statements are made available on time • Delays may occur in submitting • Close monitoring of audit the audit report and recommendations during FM supervision implementing audit reports recommendations. Fraud and corruption • Internal audit and control to be • The nature of project activities strengthened. may be prone to fraud, lack of • Periodic review of the effectiveness of transparency, and weak control in High the risk management and controls over project activities implementation. the management of the project Substantial • Colluding practices and abuse of activities. administrative positions may • The POM to include anti-corruption affect project facilities. measures with a specific safety mechanism that will enable citizens to denounce abuses or irregularities Overall FM risk High Substantial Table 1.3: FM Action Plan Responsible Action Deadline and conditionality entity Staffing: No later than three months after the PCU-ESPSP Appoint one FM Specialist effectiveness date Update the FM manual under ESPSP PCU-ESPSP By effectiveness Configure ESPSP’s accounting software PCU-ESPSP No later than three months after the parameters to consider CARE’s specificities effectiveness date Extend ESPSP’s internal audit arrangements to PCU-ESPSP No later than three months after the CARE and update internal auditor’s workplan effectiveness date accordingly Recruit an independent external auditor in line PCU-ESPSP No later than six months after the with ToRs approved by the Bank effectiveness date 47 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Other Information about FM and Disbursements Arrangements 18. Staffing. For the implementation of this project, PCU-ESPSP’s FM staffing will be reinforced with one FM specialist to be recruited within three months after effectiveness based on ToRs acceptable to the World Bank. 19. Budgeting. The PCU-ESPSP will prepare the project’s AWPB. The budget execution will be monitored on a quarterly basis through the IFR, and any variances will be explained, and remedial measures indicated. The process to identify the activities to be undertaken and the role of the respective parties in the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the budget will be developed in the manual of procedures. Disbursement and Flow of Fund Arrangements 20. Disbursements will be made in accordance with the World Bank Disbursement Guidelines for Projects, dated February 1, 2017. Transaction-based disbursements will apply. An initial advance in CFAF will be made into the designated account, and subsequent disbursements will be made against submission of statements of expenditures or records, as specified in the disbursement letter. The other methods of disbursing the funds (reimbursement, direct payment, and special commitment) will also be available to the project (figure 1.2). More detail will be provided in the POM and in the Disbursement and Financial Information Letter. Figure 1.2: Funds Flow Diagram 48 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 21. Internal controls and Internal audit. The internal control procedures will be documented in PCU-ESPSP’s FM manual of procedures, considering gaps in its existing FM manuals/regulations to ensure that CARE has an effective internal control system covering the procedures required to support activities under different components. A review of the internal control systems noted no major internal control or accountability issues. 22. Internal audit. Acceptable internal audit arrangements are in place within PCU-ESPSP. PCU- ESPSP’s internal auditor should ensure that CARE’s internal auditing is included in the workplan and that the audit is conducted using a risk-based approach. 23. Accounting policies and procedures. The CAR is a member of the Organization for the Harmonisation of Business Law in Africa (Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires, OHADA), and as such adheres to the SYSCOHADA, the accounting standards in use in the OHADA country members. SYSCOHADA complies with the generally accepted international accounting standards. ESPSP’s current accounting software is in place and will easily integrate CARE’s accounts. Its parameters should be revised within three months after effectiveness to consider CARE’s specificities. The project code and chart of accounts will reflect the specific needs of the project. 24. Reporting. The FM team of the PCU-ESPSP will be required to prepare an IFR on a quarterly basis. The IFR will include: (a) sources and use of funds; (b) use of funds per activity; (c) designated accounts activities statement; and (d) use of funds according to procurement methods and thresholds. The format and content of the IFRs have been agreed with the Recipient during negotiations. The IFR 49 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) reports will be submitted to the World Bank 45 days after the end of the quarter to which they are related. 25. External financial audit. While waiting for arrangements completion with the CAR’s Supreme Audit Institution (Cour des Comptes) to start being involved in the process of the external auditors’ selection and their reports reviewing, an independent external auditor will be appointed as per TOR agreed with the World Bank to carry out CARE’s external audit. The shortlist will be reviewed by the World Bank. The audit will comply with the International Standards on Auditing. In line with the World Bank access to information policy, the audit reports will be disclosed. The external audit reports will be submitted to the World Bank no later than six months following the end of the fiscal year. 26. Transparency, accountability, and anti-corruption efforts will be supported via a complaint handling mechanism, a communication strategy to inform the public through the media on all aspects of the project, and the publication on the implementing entity or government websites of budgets, financial reports and audited financial statements. The PCU-ESPSP will also have to deal with fraud and anti-corruption in accordance with the World Bank anti-corruption guidelines referred to in the financing agreement. Furthermore, the updated POM will include a specific safety mechanism that will enable citizens to denounce abuses or irregularities. 27. Implementation support plan. FM implementation support missions will be carried out twice a year based on the substantial FM residual risk rating. These FM implementation support missions will then be conducted once per year as soon as the FM residual risk becomes Moderate. Implementation support will also include desk reviews such as the review of the IFRs and audit reports. In-depth reviews may be done where deemed necessary. The FM implementation support will include FM training missions for all implementing entities and will be an integrated part of the project’s implementation support plan (table 1.4). Table 1.4: FM Implementation FM activity Frequency Desk reviews Interim financial reports review Quarterly Audit report review of the project Annually Review of other relevant information such as interim Continuous as they become available internal control systems reports On-site visits Review of overall operation of the FM system Twice per year (implementation support mission) Monitoring of actions taken on issues highlighted in As needed audit reports, auditors’ management letters, internal audit and other reports Transaction reviews (if needed) As needed Capacity-building support FM training sessions During implementation and as needed 50 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) ANNEX 2: Complementarity of Interventions Between the EBESP, the ESPSP, and the HC Project 1. The World Bank has supported critical interventions in the education sector in the CAR over the past eight years. The proposed project will build on the successes and lessons learned during the implementation of previous projects, specifically the EBESP (P164295, closing in 2024) and the ESPSP (P173103, closing in 2025). The proposed project design will scale up ongoing core project activities in the education sector, introduce complementary interventions to respond to specific gaps, including girls’ specific interventions, and further strengthen implementation. • The EBESP has, for example, developed the manuals and guides for the ALP and the initial and continuing training of primary school teachers, which will be used for the extension of the ALP and the implementation of training on the new project. • The EBESP and ESPSP have finalized the plans and specifications for the construction of school infrastructure for all levels of education as well as the bidding documents, which will be used in this project. • The EBESP, ESPSP and Maïngo have developed school improvement plans that will strengthen community participation in the management of education and school governance. This experience in implementing school subsidies with communities will allow scaling up to all primary schools in the country through the new project. • The lessons learned from the implementation of the EBESP and ESPSP will also be leveraged to fast-track implementation and ensure timely disbursement. For example, the use of framework contracts will allow the most efficient companies (based on experiences of the ongoing projects) to be awarded rehabilitation and construction of classrooms over the first two years of the project. Table 2.1: Complementarity of Interventions Activities Level of EBESP (2018–2024) ESPSP (2021–2025) HC project (2022–2026) Link to new project education Construction Preprimary   • Constructing 89 • Constructing 150 and classrooms in 9 community-based ECD rehabilitation prefectures classrooms in 15 schools prefectures Primary • Constructing and • Constructing and • Constructing and rehabilitating 800 rehabilitating 800 rehabilitating 2,000 classrooms in 8 classrooms in 9 classrooms in 20 prefectures and prefectures prefectures Bangui Secondary • Constructing and • Constructing 8 • Constructing rehabilitating 250 lower secondary 10 lower secondary classrooms in 5 schools (collège de schools (collège de prefectures and proximité) in 5 proximité) in 5 Bangui prefectures prefectures • Constructing and • Constructing and rehabilitating 200 rehabilitating 500 classrooms in 7 classrooms in 10 prefectures and prefectures and 51 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Activities Level of EBESP (2018–2024) ESPSP (2021–2025) HC project (2022–2026) Link to new project education Bangui Bangui School grants Primary • Providing school • Providing school • Providing school grants • Providing school provision grants to SMCs grants to SMCs for to SMCs to support grants to SMCs to for school school improvement girls complete primary support girls complete improvement plans education and primary education and plans transition to secondary transition to education secondary education and school improvement plans Secondary • Providing school grants • Providing school to SMCs to support grants to SMCs to girls complete lower support girls complete secondary education lower secondary education and school improvement plans ALP Nonformal • Developing • Scaling up • Continuing to scale up the full “catch- the ALP in the most the ALP in the most up” curriculum educationally educationally deprived covering primary deprived prefectures prefectures with high education with high out-of- out-of-school rates • Training school rates and and large numbers of government large numbers of displaced children and officials to run displaced children youth the program and youth • Setting target of • Supporting 7,987 • Setting target of 100,000 children children and 16,000 children youth (ages 9–15) in selected prefectures Remedial Primary • Developing a • Scaling up the • Continuing to scale up program remedial remedial program in the remedial program program two selected school in the remaining • Benefitting inspectorates for school inspectorates 73,758 children 99,000 children for 150,000 children Sango as a Primary • Developing curricula • Developing curricula language of and related and related instruction instructional and instructional and learning materials learning materials for for grades 1 and 2 grades 3 to 6 • Piloting the project • Completing the pilot in in two selected the two inspectorates school inspectorates Teachers Preprimary Primary • Harmonizing of • Expanding two • Constructing five RPCs curricula for both existing teacher • Expanding the preservice and training Bossangoa TTCo in-service colleges/centers • Providing preservice • Training of the • Developing lower teacher training 52 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Activities Level of EBESP (2018–2024) ESPSP (2021–2025) HC project (2022–2026) Link to new project education teacher trainers secondary curricula through (TTCo, TTCe) (enseignant implementation of the along with polyvalent) new harmonized officials from the • Providing preservice curricula National teacher training • Providing in-service Pedagogical through teacher training using Research implementation of scripted lessons for Institute and the the new harmonized community and secondary TTCo curricula assistant teachers • Constructing a • Providing in-service • Expanding in-service TTCo teacher training teacher training • Providing quick using scripted modalities with basic pedagogical lessons for school-based or teacher training community and cluster-based focused on assistant teachers approaches for more French and regular, targeted mathematics support to teachers • Recruiting and • Recruiting and • Integrating performing training of ALP training of ALP community-teachers teachers teachers in the civil service System All • Providing • Providing EMIS • Supporting the strengthening EMIS for better for better decision- modernization and decision-making making decentralization of the • Strengthenin • Providing EMIS g community HRMIS for effective • Building capacity participation in teacher to manage the EMIS education management at the decentralized management • Providing NLAS level • Providing school for • Strengthening grant for tracking/evaluating NLAS for tracking and resilience progress on learning evaluating progress on • Building capacity to learning manage future crisis • Supporting PASEC (political turmoil, 2024 and 2028 floods, COVID-19, • Scaling up SMCs etc.) and AME • Studies 53 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) ANNEX 3: The Situation of Teachers in the CAR 1. The CAR faces challenges with overcrowded classes and an insufficient number of teachers. The average STR is 94:1, with significant disparities depending across regions (for example, 208:1 in Bambari). A disparity in the allocation of qualified teachers persists across the country, with teacher-parents, as of 2021–2021, representing 67 percent of all teachers and an insufficient number of teachers with initial training (only 33 percent of teachers are trained). While 1,000 teachers have been trained since 2013, and 1,000 others are currently being trained (2022–2023 cohort), recruiting new teachers has been difficult due to an absence of incentive measures in favor of the profession and the low attractiveness of the profession. There is a low number of female teachers (17 percent), and there is an absence of an educational resources management system with insufficient data on teachers and their status, etc. See figures 3.1 and 3.2. Figure 3.1: Evolution of Teachers, by Qualification (%) Figure 3.2: Evolution of Teachers, by Gender (%) 54 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) ANNEX 4: Support Provided by the Key Development Partners in the Education Sector Source of financing Partner Amount allocated In Title of the Key themes Period of (millions) preparation/ program execution in progress French Development Finn Church Aid / EUR 10 million In preparation Education For All, • Rehabilitation/construction of The granting Agency (Agence Mercy Corps CAR Prefectures of classrooms process is Française de Mambéré and • Implementation of accelerated suspended. Développement, AFD) Mambéré-Kadéï education programs – PEA • Capacity building of educational authorities • Training of teachers on psychosocial support and children's rights, etc. • Support for Parents’ Associations (APE) in income-generating activities (AGR) • Disease prevention in school and community settings French Embassy French Embassy EUR 716,500 In progress Support so • Quality: reform of the curricula for 2021–2023 secondary initial training of secondary education education teachers. • Improvement of supervision in secondary education (training for inspectors, heads of schools and educational advisors). African Development In Preparation In preparation • School construction Bank (ADB) Education Cannot UNICEF, Norwegian US$40 million In progress • Multi-Annual resilience program 2023–2026 Wait (ECW) Refugee Council (preschool, primary, gender and (NRC), Plan disability) International ECHO UNICEF, NRC, Plan EUR 9.6 million: In progress Education in • Access: Construction/rehabilitation, 2021–2025 International, UNICEF: 1,8 Emergency (EiE) and equipment of school buildings and International NRC: 2,8 learning spaces, girls' education, RRM Development COOPI: 1,5 education, second-chance courses, Cooperation Plan International: 1,75 radio education (Cooperazione NRC: 1,75 • Quality: Teacher training, provision of Internazionale, school and educational kits COOPI) • Protection: Support for the granting 55 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) of civil documentation (supplementary judgments), promotion of a safe environment for the education of children (Safe School Declaration) • Governance: Capacity building of Parent Teacher Associations (PTA) and their support in IGA for school management GPE – Knowledge and Ministry of National To be confirmed In preparation • Use of data Innovation Exchange Education (MNE) • Promotion of digital technology for (KIX) teachers Plan International US$5 million In progress ECW 2023–2026 NRC US$9 million In progress ECW 2023–2026 UNICEF US$26 million In progress ECW • Multi-Annual Resilience Program 2023–2026 (preschool, primary, gender and disability) US$20 million Signing European Union • Multi-Annual Resilience Program 2023–2026 (EU) (preschool, primary, gender and disability) US$5,2 million In progress KfW (Kreditanstalt • Basic education: Access, quality, 2022–2024 für Wiederaufbau; governance with a focus on transition Credit Institute for to secondary education Reconstruction) US$1,5 million In progress KfW • Integrated WASH-Education Program 2020–2023 for preschool and Primary Education EU UNICEF (20M) EUR 30 M In progress Support program The three education subsectors: 2022–2027 AFD (10M) for the education • Technical education and professional sector in the CAR training: 8M EUR • Basic education (access-quality- governance, with F1–F2 transition focus): 20M EUR • Higher education (partnership and digital library University of Bangui): 1.5M EUR 56 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) ANNEX 5: Economic and Financial Analysis 1. This section examines the economic and financial rationale for investing in the CAR’s basic education sector. The analysis presents the empirical evidence on the private returns to education in the labor market. It also includes the cost-benefit analysis of the proposed project, along with a sensitivity and fiscal sustainability analysis. 2. The PDO aims to improve access to quality basic education and strengthen capacity for sector management. The project will achieve this objective through three main components. 3. Component 1 focuses on providing the necessary conditions for learning to happen in the classroom, through (a) a targeted school construction program to build additional preprimary, primary and lower secondary classrooms in underserved areas, primarily rural areas (outside of Bangui). It will also rehabilitate existing but dilapidated classrooms and construct and rehabilitate water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. All schooling infrastructure will incorporate climate resilience strategies, for example, by utilizing locally sourced, renewable materials and employing energy- efficient, and also inclusive design principles to ensure the infrastructure is disability-accessible. About 150,000 students are expected to benefit from the classroom construction and rehabilitation, and over 123,000 would benefit from the installation of water, sanitary and health facilities; (b) development, production and distribution of TLMs, including those supporting the rollout of the new Sango curriculum and implementation of the remedial education program in primary grades. The project is expected to benefit over 1,200,000 children enrolled in preprimary and primary levels; (c) the expansion of the ALP which provides an alternative education pathway for out-of-school children ages 9–15, allowing them to complete primary education and reenter the formal schooling system. The ALP is expected to serve 100,000 children over the course of the project implementation; and (d) a school grant and a GEI program which will provide resources to school to implement school-based activities and also provide targeted support to about 200,000 girls from vulnerable areas. 4. Component 2 focuses on strengthening teaching practice in the classroom. It will achieve this objective by supporting a low cost and continuous school-based teacher training program that will target over 11,000 teachers in the system, and it will directly support the rollout of the new curriculum. It will also support the training, certification and onboarding of community teachers to increase the availability of qualified teachers in service as well as support the recruitment of additional qualified teachers in the system. 5. Component 3 will finance other key activities such as the implementation of a NLA to measure learning outcomes in early and late primary grades as well as the CAR’s participation in regional benchmarking assessments, EMIS data collection and reporting, and support to overall project management. External efficiency 6. Investing in education yields significant returns both at the individual and societal levels and is an integral part of a human capital driven approach to economic growth and poverty reduction. 52 The proposed project seeks to contribute to the human capital development agenda for the CAR by increasing educational attainment and learning outcomes, two key elements for boosting the labor force productivity. In turn, higher productivity is expected to contribute to poverty reduction and equitable economic growth. Investing in basic education is key in the CAR—about 38 percent of children ages 6–11 and 28.7 percent of children ages 12–15 are out of school (figure 5.1), and 50 percent of this latter group has never attended school (58 percent among girls, 38 percent among boys). In addition, 64 percent of youth (ages 15–24) have left school and are either working or inactive. 52 See Behrman (1999); Glewwe (2002); Huffman (2001). 57 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Figure 5.1: Out-of-school rate (left) and activity status of youth in the CAR (right) Out-of-school rate, by gender Activity status of children and youth (ages 6–24) Source: Calculations based on ECVMH 2021. 7. Empirical evidence suggests that each additional year of schooling correlates with higher earning potential and greater productivity in the CAR. About 61.0 percent of wage earners in the country are employed in the services sector, compared to 24.0 percent in agriculture and 15 percent in industry. 53 The private returns to education for each additional year of schooling is associated with an additional 7.0 percent additional earnings as compared to earners with no schooling (figure 5.2 below). Although the average returns to education for the CAR are lower than for Sub-Saharan Africa (12.4 percent), it is similar to the returns to education in most neighboring countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, and Chad. The return to education is higher among women, with 8.3 percent compared to 6.7 percent for men. Every additional year of schooling in the CAR is associated with a 1.5 percent increase in the likelihood of being employed in a wage employment and a 1.8 percent decrease in the likelihood of being poor. 54 Figure 5.2: Returns to Education Source: Calculations based on ECVMH 2021 for the Central Republic of Africa. Note: See Montenegro and Patrinos 2021 for regional comparison. 53 Calculations based on ECVMH 2021 54 Calculations based on ECVMH 2021 58 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) Cost-benefit analysis 8. The cost-benefit analysis is used to estimate the economic viability of the proposed investment projects by comparing the costs involved with the expected benefits. The analysis includes Components 1 and 2 of the project, which account for over 86 percent of the project’s budget. Component 3 is not included in the analysis because learning assessments and benefits from strengthened data collection and reporting, including EMIS, are not quantifiable. The cost-benefit analysis captures the increase in lifetime earnings of project beneficiaries as a result of project activities and compares them to the costs incurred on the project. The estimated benefits and costs are compared, and the project’s NPV and IRR are calculated. 9. The analysis does not include the indirect effects of the proposed investment in basic education, including the effects of higher educational attainment for girls on early marriage and teenage pregnancy, health, nutrition, and well- being, as well as women’s agency and decision-making. 55 As such, the NPV and IRR are considered lower bound estimates based on quantifiable returns. 10. The following assumptions are used in the estimations in the cost-benefit model: • Improvements in learning outcomes can be translated into a number of equivalent years of schooling (EYOS). Translating the expected increase in the test score into EYOS is another way to measure the impact of the project on education quality. An approach to allowing improvements in learning scores to be expressed in terms of the number of additional years of schooling provides the number of years of schooling necessary to achieve a similar improvement in learning outcomes.56 This approach provides EYOS estimations for textbook and teacher training interventions in Africa. 57 To assess the labor market outcomes associated with the project, the expected learning improvements are translated into a number of EYOS. 58 • Providing one textbook per child is associated with learning improvement that is equivalent to 1.034 years of schooling.59 The probability of successful implementation for textbook-related projects is estimated at 29 percent. 60 • Training all teachers is associated with learning improvement that is equivalent to 0.752 years of schooling. 61 The probability of successful implementation is estimated at 37 percent. 62 • Survival and retention rates are estimated from the 2021 household survey (ECVMH), 63 and are as follows: grade 6 at 40.7 percent; grade 10 at 9.9 percent; grade 13 at 2.1 percent. • Earnings are estimated for different levels of education and age using the ECVMH 2021. • Discount rate of 15 percent, inflation rate of 2 percent, maintenance cost for new construction of 5 percent annually. • The exchange rate is US$1 = CFAF 600. 55 See Wodon (2018); Mehra (1997); Ojobo (2008); Habib et al. (2019). 56 See Evan and Yuan (2019). 57 See Evan and Yuan (2019). 58 These estimates were made using data from Evan and Yuan (see Evan and Yuan 2019). 59 See Evan and Yuan (2019). 60 See Schiefelbein and Wolff (2007). 61 See Evan and Yuan (2019). 62 See Schiefelbein and Wolff (2007). 63 See ECVMH 2021. 59 The World Bank CAR Accelerating Results in Education (P502128) 11. Table 5.1 presents the cost-benefit analysis results for the base scenario. The IRR and NPV of costs and benefits of both access and quality related interventions of the project confirm the economic rationale for the investment. The present value of the overall project benefits is estimated to be US$88.6 million while the present value of costs is estimated to be US$28.8 million. The corresponding NPV of the intervention benefits is US$24.6 million. The IRR associated with this NPV is 23 percent. Overall, the benefit/cost ratio indicates that for every US$1.0 invested the return is US$3.1. Table 5.1: Net NPV in millions of US$ and IRR in base scenario Component 1 Component 2 Total IRR 18.6% 26.8% 22.7% Discounted cost (present value of costs) US$24.9 US$3.9 US$28.8 O/w project cost US$21.0 US$8.1 US$29.1 Maintained/incremental costs US$3.5 US$0.0 US$3.5 Present value of incremental benefits US$73.4 US$15.2 US$88.6 NPV US$13.2 US$11.3 US$24.6 Benefit/cost ratio 2.9 3.9 3.1 Source: Estimations based on ECVMH 2021, project costs and targeted beneficiaries. Fiscal Sustainability Analysis 12. The long-term success and sustainability of the proposed interventions beyond the life of the project, including support to the continuous teacher training, certification and regularization of community teachers, the provision of adequate TLMs, and support to the ALP and remedial education program, hinges on the commitment from the Government of CAR to increase its public financing in the education sector. Basic education is compulsory and a fundamental right for every child in the CAR. The public sector remains the largest service provider, especially at the primary level, accounting for over 82 percent of enrollment at this level of education. Public financing and provision of these services are required to improve the efficiency and equity of service delivery as the private sector does not always serve the most vulnerable communities. 13. According to the PER 2021, public spending in the education sector represented 11.2 percent of total government spending in 2012 (CFAF 13,644 million; US$25.2 million), and 11.7 percent in 2020 (CFAF 25,148 million; US$46.4 million). This remains lower than the recommended 20 percent of spending on education. As a share of GDP, the CAR’s public spending on education varied between 1.1 percent and 1.8 percent of GDP between 2012 and 2020, respectively. This is lower than the recommended 4.0 percent to 6.0 percent, and also lower than the Sub-Saharan African average (4.7 percent). 14. The macroeconomic prospects for the CAR are uncertain but conditioned on resumption of budget support and strengthening of policies, the economy is estimated to grow in real terms, by 3.8 percent in 2025. During the latest discussions and agreement with the IMF, several reforms and objectives were agreed on, including increasing revenue mobilization, enacting governance reforms, and prioritizing pro-poor spending. The government has committed itself to preserving social expenditures, including education. 60