ANNEX. UPDATE TO TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT June 20, 2024 Progress of the Program 1. After eleven months of implementation, ORSEP is considered to be moderately satisfactory. The disbursement rate is 24 percent. 2. The Operation has experienced significant start-up delays for several reasons: a. Insufficient understanding of the PforR instrument at MENA and central ministry level - despite the many working sessions organized during preparation - delayed approval of legal documents (Program and Project creation decrees to allocate the resources needed to start activities). b. The newness of the Program for Results approach for MENA requested additional working sessions once the Program was up and running. MENA formulated a detailed, budgeted work plan for the first 18 months of the Operation. However, administrative difficulties concerning the signing of decrees put the brakes on the momentum and prevented the implementation of activities as planned. 3. MENA is aware of the administrative bottlenecks that have severely disrupted the start-up of the PRSEP and has formally committed to putting in place all the necessary measures to speed up the implementation of activities. To date, all administrative difficulties have been resolved. All decrees have been signed and the implementation of activities - which had got off to a timid start - is accelerating. In addition, the World Bank is strengthening MENA's institutional capacities through the Rapid Results Initiative, financed by the GPE fund dedicated to capacity building. 4. Result Area 1: Improve equitable access to preprimary and primary education in a safe environment. One of the three RLDs scheduled for 2023 have been achieved, while the other two will be reached in the first half of 2024. a. For RLD 1.1 - MENA has planned its school health program to provide preschool and CP1 pupils in vulnerable areas with a school health support package over the next 3 years, and has signed an agreement with MSHP: Partially achieved.The plan to deliver a school health package to community preschool and pre-primary and CP1 pupils in public schools in vulnerable areas is available, but the memorandum of understanding has not yet been signed. A draft protocol is available, but discussions are still ongoing between the legal departments of the two ministries (MENA and MSHP) to identify the opportunities and the relevance of a more binding administrative document that would enable the two ministries to assume greater responsibility (although this is not a World Bank request). This change of legal vehicle causes delays of several weeks. These delays are also disrupting the 2023/2024 school health campaign, which will have to be postponed. b. RLD 2.1: MENA has planned 80% of school construction needs for the next 2 years using an improved school map tool. Partially achieved. The planning document is available, but the environmental and social studies of selected sites have not yet been completed. Planning calls for these studies to be completed in the first half of 2024. c. RLD 3.1: MENA has validated its national inclusive education strategy. Achieved subject to independent verification. 5. Result Area 2: Improve the quality of teaching and classroom practices. The two DLRs planned for 2023 are behind schedule. a. DLR 4.1: MENA has provided preschool and CP1 classes with the package of teaching inputs as defined in the PNAPAS. Partially achieved. Pedagogical inputs relating to learning reform are finalized and validated by the scientific commission. Negotiations between publishers and MENA have been finalized, and 9 publishers have been pre-selected. Procurement procedures are underway at MENA, and the package of teaching inputs will be distributed before the start of the next school year (a year behind the initial schedule). The PNAPAS deployment strategy will be that of the global approach at the "cours préparatoire (CP)" sub-cycle level for the 2024-2025 school year (see technical appendix for more details). b. DLR 5.1 MENA has updated its strategy for initial and in-service teacher training linked to PNAPAS. Partially achieved. Adjustment of initial training modules is underway and will be finalized in the first half of 2024. c. DLR 5.2: MENA has trained preschool and CP1 teachers in the new approaches to early learning as defined in PNAPAS. Not achieved. In accordance with the revised deployment of PNAPAS, training is planned for August 2024.. 6. Result Area 3: Strengthen management capacity and accountability throughout the service delivery chain . The three DLRs expected for 2023 and one DLR planned for 2024 have been achieved, subject to independent verification. a. DLR 7.1: During the year in which the technical and coordination structure is created, MENA has produced an annual work plan for its first year of activity. Achieved subject to independent verification. The latest discussions between MENA and the Ministry of Finance call into question the establishment of a BCPENA (expected in year 3). b. DLR 8.1: MENA has defined the organizational framework for the regionalization of recruitment. Achieved subject to independent verification. c. DLR 9.1: MENA has trained all DRENAs in the OPCs mechanism. Achieved subject to independent verification. d. DLR 9.2: MENA has decentralized the Inspectorate General to educational zones. Planned for 2024 but achieved in 2023 subject to independent verification. 7. For the technical assistance component: all contracts scheduled for 2023 are currently being finalized. This is notably the case for the recruitment of independent verification agencies, the definition of a family literacy program, the preparation of a procedure and operating manual for the Cellule d'Appui et de Coordination, and for the development of applications for i) monitoring class observations, ii) monitoring textbook distribution, iii) monitoring teacher training and iv) monitoring medical check-ups. 8. The additional financing of $60.65 million expands the Program’s scope of intervention within the education sector plan (ESP) but remains structured around the same result areas as the initial Program and is based on the same institutional arrangements. Proposed changes to the Operation 9. The additional financing comes one year after the start of the initial Program. Most of the information and conclusions contained in the technical evaluation of the initial Program remain relevant. However, after one year of implementation, certain adjustments to the initial Program are relevant. The additional funding therefore represents an opportunity to restructure certain interventions identified in the initial Program. 10. The technical evaluation has been adjusted to consider i) the need to restructure some results and implementation modalities of the initial Program, ii) the expansion of the Program's scope of intervention within the ESP, as part of the additional financing. 11. To justified restructuring, the technical evaluation includes a status of the Program’s progress, and proposes adjusted MENA’s interventions to achieve some results. 12. To justify the additional funding, the technical evaluation integrates evaluation elements relating to the challenges of lower secondary education (collège). It also integrates information relating to girls' enrolment and formulates the results that the country has set itself to meet these challenges. 13. The restructuring of the initial Program and the additional funding to integrate secondary schooling requires some adjustments to the program's development objectives and indicators. Program Development Objective (PDO) and Development Indicators 14. The inclusion of lower secondary education in the Program requires: • an adjustment to the Program Development Objective (PDO) • an adjustment of the result areas, their names and their indicators • the introduction of new disbursement-related indicators (DLIs) • the introduction or revision of disbursement results in existing DLIs • the revision of performance indicators. 15. To reflect the new mandate for secondary education, the PDO no longer refers solely to preschool and primary education; it includes basic education,1 as follows: 16. The initial PDO is designed to: (a) improve equitable access to education and school health services in preschool and primary education, (b) to improve learning outcomes, and (c) strengthen performance-based management along the education service delivery chain. 17. The revised PDO is designed to improve (a) equitable access to education and school health services in basic education, (b) learning outcomes, and (c) performance-based management along the education service delivery chain. 18. The Result Areas have been updated. The three ORSEP result areas have been expanded to include the lower secondary level. The titles of Result Areas 2 and 3 require no change, while the reference to “preschool and primary education� in Result Area 1 has been updated to “basic education� to include lower secondary education. a. The new title is “Increasing equitable access to basic education in a secure and resilient environment�. b. This replaces the former title, “Increasing equitable access to preschool and primary education in a secure and resilient environment�. 19. The following performance indicators at PDO level are proposed to monitor Program’s achievement: Result Area 1: Increase equitable access to basic education in a safe and resilient environment o Maintained. Net access rate to the first year of primary school (CP1), disaggregated by gender o Maintained. Percentage of students who have updated their vaccinations after being referred to a vaccination center following medical check-up o New. Net access rate to lower secondary education, disaggregated by gender Result Area 2: Improving the quality of teaching and classroom practices o Maintained. Level of learning weakness among CE1 pupils o Maintained. Percentage of pupils in CE1 reaching the minimum threshold for reading skills o New. Secondary school completion rate for girls o Maintained. Percentage of teachers visited applying the new reading teaching practices o New: “Students in grade 8 (5ème) have improved their French language skills by 5 percentage points compared to the baseline� 1 Basic education runs from preprimary to the end of second cycle of secondary school. o New. Percentage of lower secondary school teachers visited applying the new teaching practices linked to the collège reform Result Area 3: Strengthen management capacity and accountability to deliver results throughout the service delivery chain o Maintained. Number of strategic documents validated by the MENA Support and Coordination Secretariat o Maintained. Implementation of OPC at the DRENA level Restructuring of initial Program Main Changes Table 1: Main changes in results-related Disbursement Indicators as part of the restructuring of the Initial Operation DLI initial financing Revision as part of restructuring Result Area 1 DLI 1: Students and School Management Committees (Comité de Gestion Modification of the title of DLR 1.2 to introduce the interministerial des Etablissements Scolaires; COGES) in vulnerable areas benefit from a order MENA / MSHP in place of the memorandum of understanding. support package that promotes health, nutrition and cognitive development of young children. Extension of target achievement date for DLR 1.1 and 1.2 DLI 2: Access to learning is facilitated by an expanded construction scheme Extension of the availability date for the school building program. based on an improved school mapping tool. DLI 3: MENA has provided support for students as part of a national No change. inclusive education strategy. Result Area 2 DLI 4: The National Program for the Improvement of Early Learning is Extension of DLR 4.1 target achievement date and reallocation of implemented throughout Côte d’Ivoire. allocated amounts DLI 5: Teachers’ ability to adopt new pedagogical approaches is Extension DLR 5.1, 5.2 and 5.3 target achievement date strengthened. DLI 6: Learning outcomes for grade 3 (CE1) pupils are improved in No change. reading/writing and mathematics. Result Area 3 DLI 7: Planning and monitoring within MENA are strengthened. Cancellation of the DLR on the creation of BCPENA and reallocation of funds to the partner coordination function within the CAC DLI 8: The reform to regionalize the recruitment of preschool and primary Restructuring (IDA): Change in the title of the indicator: The territorial school teachers is implemented. and gender dimensions of human resources management are strengthened. DLI 9: Objectives and Performance Contracts (OPCs) are implemented. No change Results area 1 20. For DLI 1, the restructuring is intended to introduce the interministerial order in place of the memorandum of understanding, in order to give greater weight to the collaboration between the two ministries. The signing of this decree requires an extension of the closing date, but does not alter the initial approach or implementation methods. 21. For DLI2, the restructuring is intended to give the MENA and Environment National Agency (Agence Nationale De l’Environnement -ANDE) teams time to finalize all the social and environmental studies for the sites that have been identified. Results area 2 22. In the case of DLI 4 and DLI 5, start-up delays prevented the delivery of teaching inputs and teacher training as initially planned. To mitigate these delays, the Directorate of Pedagogy and in-service training (Direction de la Pédagogie et de la Formation Continue DPCF) is planning a new strategy for rolling out the early learnings reform by sub-cycle (for the lower primary cycle), rather than by cohort as initially planned. The Ministry therefore plans to introduce the early learning reform simultaneously for CP1 and CP2 at the start of the 2024/2025 school year. 23. Pedagogically, such an approach is possible, and in no way alters the quality of learning for pupils at the end of the sub-cycle, i.e. those in CP2. This approach was also used in the PAPSE program, whose tools and approaches are being scaled up here. 24. For future CP1 pupils (start of the 2024/2025 school year), this new approach changes nothing. For future CP2 pupils (who are in CP1 this school year), an adjustment will be made during the first trimester to compensate for the fact that they did not benefit from PNAPAS in CP1. 25. The following is a comparative study of the CP1 program implemented this year and the new PNAPAS program developed and to be implemented in 2024-2025. ✓ For reading /writing « current» reading and writing Programme PNAPAS Observations program Letters / sounds studied : Letters / sounds studied : Only the letter sounds: k-ê-z-x- a-o-i-u-l-s-r-t-e-é-d-p-n-m-ai/ei- a-l-o-t-i-r-u-s-é-d-e-p-n-b- w-on present in PNAPAS would è/é-v-b-ou-au/eau- an/en- c-f-j- m-c-f-h-v-g-è-k-j-ê-z-y-x-w- not have been studied in CP1 in g/gu-h-ch-oi ai-ou-ei-an-on-oi-au-ch-en 2023-2024. 26. In reading-writing, only 17% of the PNAPAS letter-sounds were not studied in the current CP1 program. Technically, any student who has been exposed to CP1 learning with the current program shouldn't have too much difficulty following the learning of the new CP2 PNAPAS program, since over 83% of them would have studied all the basic letter-sounds. ✓ For mathematics Current maths program Programme PNAPAS Observations Topics of study: Topics of study: Numbers from 21 to 100 ; Structuring the environment - Structuring the environment; subtraction, (on/under- in front of/behind- near/far - Pre-digital activities ; Some notions of from, etc.); - Numbers and operations (0 to geometry and Pre-numerical activities (sorting and 100- addition- subtraction. measurement are not classifying, ordering, matching, etc.) - Geometry present in the old maths Numbers and operations (numbers - Measurement program from 0 to 20; ordering from 0 to 20; addition) 27. In mathematics, too, most of the basics were covered in CP1. New concepts such as geometry, measurement and counting up to 100 will be covered during the CP2 refresher period at the start of the 2024-2025 school year, before the actual CP2 learning process begins. 28. Technically, it is possible for pupils who have not benefited from the new program during the 2023-2024 school year in CP1 to be subjected to CP2 learning according to a global approach to learning within the cycle based on specific pedagogical strategies that will be implemented. 29. Similar experiences of this comprehensive approach have already been implemented in other schools. These include the Cours Préparatoires Uniques (CPU) and bridging classes. For the CPU, an alternative program combining the two CP1 and CP2 programs is designed to be run in a single CPU year. This strategy has been implemented for more than 02 decades in certain schools in Côte d'Ivoire to overcome certain contingencies such as teacher shortages, insufficient classrooms and the advanced age of pupils. Pupils from these programs have progressed to CE1 and have continued their education without difficulty. 30. Textbooks designed for CP2 have the following features: • decodable CP2 starts with 4 weeks of review activities focusing on the fundamentals of CP1; • decipherable CP2, six (06) weeks are set aside for revision of CP1 basics. 31. Technically, the strategy of deployment by sub-cycle (CP1 and CP2) is possible and should in no way alter the quality of teaching and learning in CP2. However, to reinforce this new deal, the following pedagogical arrangements will be made by the DPFC from the start of the 2024-2025 school year: • for the CP2 reading-writing program, the revision period will be extended from 04 to 06 weeks for the 2024-2025 school year; • for the mathematics program, the revision period will be maintained at 06 weeks 32. In-service teacher training in the implementation of the PNAPAS will be strengthened to enable CP2 teachers to bring their pupils (those from the old program) up to standard before entering the new CP2 program. Local pedagogical monitoring and supervision of teachers holding CP2 classes will be further strengthened during the 2024-2025 school year. Here, all supervisors will be asked to prioritize the supervision of CP2 teachers during the first 4 months, i.e. from September to December, to ensure that their pupils are ready to receive the teachings of the new PNAPAS program. 33. Finally, this provision will also have a pedagogical impact on the CE1 program, which will be slightly reorganized to include a 06-week consolidation period for CP2 learning before the actual start of the CE1 program. 34. The various technical and pedagogical measures listed above will make it possible to make up for a year's delay without affecting the quality of teaching and learning. Results area 3 35. For DLI 7, as part of the strengthening of the Ministry's institutional set-up and in line with recommandation of the EGENA, the establishment of a national education program coordination office (Bureau de Coordination des Programmes de l'Éducation Nationale et de l'Alphabétisation - BCPENA) was initially planned. However, this decision was deferred to reflect the current vision of the Ministry of Finance and Budget concerning the management of projects financed by Technical and Financial Partners. This vision recommends limiting the centralization of resources from several partners within a single entity, to reduce the risk of underperformance. Therefore RLD related to the setting up of BCPENA is deleted. 36. For DLI 8, the restructuring will enable us to change the title of the indicator as follows: The territorial and gender dimensions of human resources management are strengthened (instead of: The reform of regional recruitment of pre-school and primary school teachers is implemented. This reformulation offers the opportunity to introduce DLRs linked to human resources management as part of additional funding (see below). Main changes introduced with the additional financing 37. The additional financing falls within the initial limits of the government program (the ESP), which has been extended by one year and covers the period up to the end of 2026. MENA teams have also begun the preparatory phase of a new ESP, which will start in 2027 and cover a 10-year period. 38. The additional financing expands the scope of the ORSEP, as shown in table X.1 below. This additional financing from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) offers the opportunity to strengthen support for the transformation of the education system, which started under the original Operation. It will integrate lower secondary education, and the Program will cover the entire basic education system, which corresponds to compulsory schooling from age 6 to 16. Table 2: Scope of the initial and additional financing interventions within the government’s ESP Program Original Financing Additional Financing ESP effect ESP pillar Effect 1: Preschool-age children access quality preschool education services. ➢ Product 1.1 Preschool-age children have an adequate education offer. ACCESS and QUALITY ➢ Product 1.2 Preschool-age children benefit from a safe school, family and community environment conducive to demand for preschool education services. Effect 2: Children (girls and boys) ages 6 to 11 and children (girls and boys) ages 10 and over, who ACCESS and QUALITY are illiterate or outside the education system, have access to quality education and complete primary school and have access to quality literacy or nonformal education services. ➢ Product 2.1 Primary-school-age children have an adequate education offer. ➢ Product 2.2 Primary-school-age children benefit from a school, family and community environment conducive to the demand for services. ➢ Product 2.3 Children ages 10 and over, who are illiterate or outside the education system, have an adequate supply of literacy or nonformal education. Effect 3: Students ages 12 to 15 have access to quality education and complete lower secondary ACCESS and QUALITY education. Effect 4: Students ages 16 and 18 have access to quality upper secondary education. ACCESS and QUALITY Effect 5: Students over the age of 12 have access to quality technical and vocational training. ACCESS and QUALITY Effect 6: Students have access to quality higher education that ensures their professional ACCESS and QUALITY integration. Effect 7: Results of scientific research and technological innovation are valued and contribute to the ACCESS and QUALITY economic and social development of Côte d’Ivoire. Effect 8: Institutional and organizational frameworks ensure a strong governance, management, planning, and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system that supports the quality of services, internal and external intervention effectiveness, and resources management efficiency. ➢ Product 8.1 Governance reforms to ensure adequate management of education and GOVERNANCE training sector are implemented. ➢ Product 8.2 Planning and M&E system ensures effective and efficient management of ESP implementation. Changes to Result Area 1 39. In the same way that the initial financing was aimed at increasing access to primary education, the additional financing will be geared toward ensuring that students, particularly girls, have access to and remain in lower secondary education. 40. This additional financing will contribute to tackling the main challenges facing lower secondary education in Côte d'Ivoire. In particular, the need to support the MENA to: (a) increase access to this level of education, particularly in rural areas and for the most disadvantaged sections of the population; (b) to take the necessary measures to ensure that girls, who tend to drop out midway through the cycle, continue their education; (c) speed up the implementation of the lower secondary education reform initiated in 2017, which aims to completely overhaul the objectives of this education sub-cycle; (d) strengthen the current performance contract process in order to improve governance; and (e) improve the distribution of funding from partners, which is presently largely earmarked for primary education (including the initial ORSEP). Access to lower secondary education 41. According to the 2021 General Population and Housing Census (Recensement Général de la Population et de l’Habitat; RGPH), the population of Côte d’Ivoire is estimated at 29,389,150. The number of adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 is estimated at more than half the national population. 42. Article 1 of Law 2015-635 of September 17, 2015, amending Law No. 95-696 of September 7, 1995 on education, stipulates that national education for children ages 6 to 16 is compulsory. This compulsory schooling puts a great deal of pressure on secondary schools, which must increase their intake capacity, particularly in the most disadvantaged areas, in order to meet demand. 43. At lower secondary level, there was 3,018 lower secondary schools in 2022, representing an annual growth rate of nearly 10 percent since 2015, which bears testimony to the considerable efforts made. But the needs of the education system are far from being met. Access to lower secondary education varies from region to region, with a gross access rate of 81percent in Abidjan, compared with just 18 percent in Bagoué and 19 percent in Folon. 44. The net secondary school enrolment rate was barely 50 percent in 2022. The completion rate was 69 percent in 2022, compared with 48 percent in 2018. The data show major disparities between different regions, with particularly low enrolment rates in the Folon, Nawa, Haut Sassandra and San Pedro regions. 45. To date, the secondary school network remains mainly urban, with major regional disparities. In Abidjan, the number of secondary school students is 60 percent higher than the number of 12- to 15-year-olds in the region. 46. For children from rural areas, continuing their secondary education means moving away from their families, which puts them at risk, particularly girls, of sexual abuse. These concerns often leads to children dropping out of school. 47. Distance from schools is one of the reasons behind the effort to support changes to local lower secondary school policy in Côte d’Ivoire. A local lower secondary school is a small-scale establishment built in remote areas of the country to be closer to the rural population. MENA’s vision is to enable school-age children in rural areas to increase their chances of accessing lower secondary education and to be closer to their families. The local lower secondary schools in Côte d’Ivoire are built according to a standard blueprint and comply with the following criteria: (a) the site hosting the school must take into account students from primary schools in localities situated within a 5km radius; (b) the number of classrooms built is based on the principle of “base 2�, i.e., 2 classrooms per level from grade 6 (6ème) to grade 9 (3ème), i.e., eight classrooms in total; (c) the secondary school has latrines for students and teachers, water points, administrative offices, teachers’ rooms, and specialized rooms. 48. The Government seeks to increase the number of local lower secondary schools in order to meet the demand for secondary education, bring educational facilities closer to rural populations and, in so doing, increase the representation of the public sector, which accounts for only 50 percent of service offer. Every year, Côte d’Ivoire commits public resources by paying subsidies to private secondary schools. The majority of these subsidies are used to support public schools that take in pupils who have been unable to secure a place in the public system on leaving primary school. The amount falls short of the real cost of schooling, compelling some families to pay additional sums, and other families to keep their children from going to school because they cannot afford the payments. In early 2024, the MENA validated the standard plans for the construction of local colleges. Issue of girls’ schooling at college (refer to Gender Annex) 49. Gender disparities are a concern, especially at the lower secondary schools. Admission rates to grade 6 (6ème) and enrollment rates for girls and boys are close, but there is still a significant gap (6 points) in cycle completion. This gap highlights the progress that still needs to be made in keeping girls in lower secondary school until they complete the full cycle. The dropout rate for girls at secondary school (30 percent) can be explained by a range of factors, including early marriage, gender-based violence within the school system, pregnancy, domestic work, opportunity costs, and lack of health infrastructure. 50. School statistics for 2022–2023 suggest that the lower secondary school environment has become more violent than in the previous year in terms of sexual violence, where the number of reported cases is up by 32 percent (table X.2). The highest rates of violence experienced by children are found in lower secondary education, with relatively high rates of sexual violence, genital mutilation, and forced marriages, mainly affecting girls. These discriminatory practices are compounded by the unequal distribution of traditional roles assigned to girls and forms of gender-based violence (GBV), considerably hinder education, particularly for girls. These forms of violence against children, especially girls, have a negative impact on their participation in education. Table X.2: Number of reported cases of violence, by type and by class for the 2022–2023 school year LEVEL OF EDUCATION TYPES OF VIOLENCE Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 TOGETHER (6ème) (5ème) (4ème) (3ème) PHYSICAL VIOLENCE ASSAULT AND BATTERY 651 631 412 379 2 073 BEATING 1007 720 314 201 2 242 PUNISHMENT 1 005 954 817 613 3 389 SEXUAL RAPE 45 108 174 272 599 VIOLENCE HARASSMENT (girls) 62 99 162 208 531 FONDLING 163 238 261 241 903 GENITAL MUTILATION （girls） 39 78 49 96 262 PSYCHOLOGICAL FORCED MARRIAGE （girls） 3 8 20 15 46 VIOLENCE HUMILIATION 1 000 1126 830 694 3 650 INTIMIDATION 635 553 461 444 2 093 Source: MENA/DESPS, Pocket statistics for 2022, table 49. 51. Other factors affecting gender disparities in schools include the low representation of women among secondary school teachers. While 37 percent of primary school teachers are women, only 17 percent of lower secondary school teachers are women. Women are also poorly represented in science subjects, and only 12 percent of women hold head teacher positions in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classes, leading to less than 40 percent of girls in secondary school favoring STEM. 52. The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality with the creation in December 2018 of a Directorate of Gender Equality and Equity (Direction de l’Egalité et de l’Equité du Genre; DEEG) in the education/training sector to reduce these disparities in access, retention and completion in all cycles of education. 53. The DEEG validated its strategy document in 2021. The strategy identifies the following factors as hindering the enrollment of girls in school in Côte d’Ivoire: harmful social and cultural practices, a lack of understanding of gender as a development approach, an absence of strategies for integrating girls into educational practices, the low level of commitment and involvement of the education community in promoting gender equality and equity, the persistence of GBV, pregnancies during schooling, gender disparities in access to STEM training, and a school environment that offers girls little protection against violence. 54. Factors relating to school infrastructure and equipment play a significant role in the enrollment of girls. Insufficient teaching hours, overcrowded classrooms, and inadequate physical conditions create an environment unsuited to learning, causing counterproductive emotional reactions in pupils, especially girls. 55. Furthermore, health problems, menstrual hygiene and GBV disrupt emotional well-being at schools. These various factors interact in complex ways and require cross-sectoral solutions in a holistic approach to improve the academic performance of students in secondary education. Adolescents do not benefit sufficiently from education and training programs or information. The services and information available are often partial or do not meet their needs. 56. The lack of understanding of gender as a development approach, coupled with a lack of knowledge among education stakeholders such as teachers, school management committees (COGES) and school administration, is a major obstacle to addressing gender disparities. This limits the education system's ability to identify and effectively address situations of disparity and inequality. Indeed, a major obstacle for teachers, school management committees, and school administration in addressing gender disparities in lower secondary schools results from a lack of understanding and knowledge about the best practices to support girls in schools. For the education system to be able to meet its commitment to gender equality, it should identify and address this obstacle. 57. Weak monitoring and enforcement of laws and policies in support of girls’ education remains a crucial challenge. Despite the existence of a legal framework intended to improve the living and working conditions of learners, particularly girls and women in the education and training sector, the adoption of these laws does not automatically guarantee an effective transformation toward an egalitarian education system. These laws are often unknown to the public due to limited communication efforts to raise awareness. Schools play a crucial role in enabling all adolescents and children to acquire knowledge, socioemotional skills, including self- regulation, resilience and the ability to think critically, thus forming the basis for a healthy future. 58. Access to education and to safe and supportive school environments is linked to better health outcomes . In turn, good health is associated with lower dropout rates, improved educational attainment, employment, and productivity. 59. The additional financing will help to: ➢ Increase access capacity in the secondary education sub-sector by complementing the efforts made by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in a national program to build and put into operation (equipment/assignment of teachers) local secondary schools (also known as rural collèges) in the most disadvantaged areas, in close collaboration with the Regional Councils. ➢ Encourage the retention of girls in the system by providing a retention support package. This support package will help to implement, at the school level, activities that encourage the retention of girls and relate to (a) sexual and reproductive health; (b) hygiene, water and sanitation education; (c) individualized plans for girls at risk of dropping out; (d) awareness-raising activities to keep girls in secondary schools in the most vulnerable areas. This package will improve the learning environment to make it fairer, healthier and safer, but it will also focus more on girls at risk of dropping out. It will be based on a cross-sectoral approach combining educational initiatives with health, sanitation and social support. A pilot phase will be implemented over a period of two years, which will be evaluated to improve its effectiveness and enable it to be scaled up. This minimum package will capitalize on all the interventions piloted and evaluated in Côte d'Ivoire (cf annex on gender). While the package has yet to be discussed, steered and decided, the examples below illustrate the activities that could be put in place: o sexual and reproductive health: health workers/educators intervene in schools with teachers and pupils on issues of sexuality, in order to provide reliable and comprehensive information on sexuality, share knowledge of the risks that certain behaviors can generate, identify sexual health care organizations/centers, and understand gender-based sexual violence. o hygiene, water and sanitation education: school-based interventions by professionals from the sector to raise awareness among teachers and students of the risks associated with water and sanitation, and to teach essential hygiene rules (use of latrines, hand-washing). o individualized plans for girls at risk of dropping out: support educational teams in identifying girls at risk of dropping out of school, identify the reasons for dropping out using specific tools (questionnaires/observations), liaise with services likely to be competent in formulating a solution (health, community, etc.), formulate an action plan with all these stakeholders to support the student in continuing her schooling. o Awareness-raising activities to keep girls in school: community outreach by professionals, organization of specific activities (such as the "my school champions girls' schooling" competition). Changes to Result Area 2 60. In the same way that the initial financing supports the reform of early primary education, the additional financing will be directed toward lower secondary reform. This reform was validated in 2023 by the adoption of its framework document. Learning at secondary school: Reform of secondary school as a guarantee of quality 61. The implementation of the law on the policy of compulsory schooling up to the age of 16 (end of lower secondary) has had two significant effects: (a) an increase in demographic pressure for lower secondary schooling, leading to an obligation to build lower secondary schools to increase capacity; (b) a profound change in the core mission of lower secondary. The main function of lower secondary schools is no longer to select the best pupils and prepare them for longer studies in high school. Its new mission is to welcome and prepare all children from primary school for a successful entry into adult life, whether they enter working life directly at the age of 16, undertake vocational training or continue their secondary studies in high school. The aim of lower secondary schools is to provide all children with a common base of knowledge, skills and culture. 62. The reform of lower secondary policy applies to all lower secondary school in the country: public and private, urban (which often forms a single establishment with a high school) and local, rural lower secondary schools. 63. The lower secondary reform has several objectives: (a) an equity objective that focuses on reducing gender, geographical and social inequalities in children's access to and retention in lower secondary, in order to provide them with a comprehensive, quality education; (b) an internal efficiency objective that aims to guarantee every child a comprehensive basic education, while ensuring the quality of education for all students, boys and girls, by limiting and reducing repetition and dropout; (c) an external efficiency objective that provides all children with a foundation of knowledge, skills, culture and attitudes that will form the basis of their ability to integrate into the economic and social fabric, whether or not they go on to secondary education; and (d) an efficiency objective that focuses on controlling the investment and operating costs of local secondary schools, so that they can be deployed throughout Côte d’Ivoire. 64. Launched in 2017 with the support of AFD, the action plan for lower secondary education reform, which was confirmed in the framework document validated in 2022, is based on the following actions: • Overhaul the organization and content of teaching at lower secondary school to ensure that all students complete compulsory education • Develop the skills of staff responsible for implementing the reform • Develop the initial and continuing training system • Steer and organize the rollout. Impact of reform on teacher training 65. Initial training. The Ecole Nationale Supérieure (ENS) provides initial teacher training over a period of two years. The ENS and MENA, with financial support from the MCA Côte d’Ivoire, began a review of the content of the training programs for bivalent teachers in 2021, which will be implemented in 2022–2023. The revision of the ENS’s curricula for the initial training of bivalent lower secondary teachers focuses in particular on gender, social inclusion, reading and mathematical skills and life skills. 66. Continuous training. The framework document for Côte d’Ivoire's national in-service teacher training strategy (approved in April 2022) sets out guidelines for the national in-service training plan. 67. In-service training for bivalent teachers is provided by the Directorate of Pedagogy and In-Service Training (Direction de la Pédagogie et de la Formation Continue; DPFC) through the Pedagogy and In-service Training Branch (Antenne de la Pedagogie et de la Formation Continue; APFC) under the authority of the DRENAs. 68. This framework document for in-service training specifies that continuing teacher education must be integrated into regional training plans. These plans must be in line with main national guidelines and also address specific local needs. It also specifies that 30 percent of in-service training must be delivered by distance learning. 69. MENA has opted for bivalent training for all secondary school teachers. The training of dual-disciplinary teachers includes two priorities. Priority 1 is school subjects and includes consolidation of basic learning (reading, writing and arithmetic) initiated at primary level; basic teaching content of the new collège programs; revitalization of the teaching of science and technology; and artistic, sporting and cultural education designed as a lever for social advancement. Priority 2 is cross-curricular teaching skills and includes lesson preparation (design, implementation and evaluation of learning); teaching practices in the classroom, including those linked to cognitive neuroscience; differentiated teaching; prevention of violence at school; social inclusion. Reform and evaluation of learning at secondary level 70. To date, there are no systematic learning measures for lower secondary school students apart from the brevet des collèges. The Ivorian government has undertaken to take part in the 2024 Program for the Analysis of Education Systems of CONFEMEN (Programme d’Analyse des Systèmes Éducatifs de la Conférence of Ministers of Éducation des États et Gouvernements de la Francophonie; PASEC) survey, which plans to assess students’ skills at lower secondary level as well as at primary level. However, these results will not be available for several years, and PASEC is a survey that is conducted, at best, every four years. MENA would like to systematize the evaluation of collège students’ skill levels in order to have regular, standardized measurements of students’ skill levels and thus adjust the collèges reform, if need be. 71. The additional financing will: ➢ Support the implementation of the collège reform by validating the essential operational documents (common skills base, curricular framework, national operational plan for the in-service training of bivalent collège teachers) and, as the reform is implemented, to support the continuing training of bivalent teachers in literature and mathematics in accordance with the new collège curricula developed with the support of partners. ➢ Institutionalize standardized national evaluation of student skill levels in grade 7 (5ème) based on PASEC / Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)-type methodology to provide tools for measuring (in the medium and long term) secondary school learning and for purposes of international comparison. Changes to Result Area 3 72. In the same way that the initial financing supports better management/allocation of human and financial resources through the regionalization of recruitment and implementation of performance contracts for the DRENAs, the additional financing will support the Ivorian government in its drive to increase the number of women in senior administrative positions and extend the OPCs system to the collège level. Promoting women to head of school positions 73. In Côte d’Ivoire, only 12 percent of headteachers are women. Women remain vastly underrepresented in school leadership positions and face major obstacles to successfully fulfilling their roles. However, while research focusing on women headteachers is still limited, new data2 suggest that female headteachers can adopt practices that contribute to better educational outcomes for students. However, women remain vastly under-represented in school leadership positions and face major obstacles to successfully fulfilling their roles, and research focusing on women school leaders is still limited. Objective and performance contracts for colleges 74. For several years, MENA has been proposing to improve the management system by adopting Objectives and Performance Contracts (OPCs) in the governance of the Ivorian education system in order to provide appropriate responses to the dysfunctions observed. 75. Local managers are best placed to take into account local realities in achieving national objectives. Involving local staff in the decision-making processes and making them more accountable promises to improve implementation and provide greater oversight. 76. The aim of the OPCs is to ensure that learners succeed at school by improving the governance of the education system around the following objectives: ✓ Strengthen responsibility, accountability and reporting ✓ Strengthen the culture of M&E ✓ Improve the administration and management of the system. 77. The OPC is a contract signed between the head of an educational structure and his or her superiors. This contract sets quantified objectives for a given period and defines the implementation and monitoring/evaluation procedures. It is a tool for steering priorities and supporting planned actions to ensure the success of learners. In this management model, the contract is first and foremost a management tool that aims to better mobilize and empower the players involved, to improve the effectiveness of their activities. 78. The aim of the collège OPCs is to support school heads and their teams in implementing the collège reform and improving student retention and success, with a particular focus on girls’ education (table X.3). 79. The additional funding will provide incentives to: ➢ Encourage the appointment of women as headteachers. Headteachers are strategic levers for promoting quality education for all girls and boys. ➢ Pilot the collèges OPCs scheme in local collèges. The collèges OPCs are a useful tool for supporting the implementation of the collège reform and developing activities to keep girls in school. Table 3: Main changes in results-based disbursement indicators under additional funding Domaine de résultat 1 Addition of DLR to the current DLI 2: Access to learning is facilitated by an • DLR 2.3: MENA has built and made operational 5 new local expanded construction scheme based on an improved school mapping secondary schools in accordance with the school map tool. Addition of a specific DLI and associated RLD on girls' schooling New DLI S3: Fewer girls drop out of lower secondary education. • DLR S3.1: Minimum support package for the retention of girls. • DLR S3.2: Reduction in the dropout rate for girls in secondary schools as they are beneficiaries of the retention support package. 2 J. Bergmann, C. Alban Conto, and M. Brossard (2022). Increasing Women's Representation in School Leadership: A Promising Way to Improve learning. Florence, Italy: UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre. Domaine de résultat 2 Addition of a DLI and associated DRLs specific to the implementation of New DLI S5: The college reform is gradually being implemented. middle school reform • DLR S5.1: Availability of operational documents. • DLR S5.2: Teacher training for grade 7 (6ème) teachers. • DLR S5.3: Training for grade 8 (5ème) teachers. • DLR S5.4: Training for grade 9 (4ème) teachers. Technical Assistance Component (refer to IPF annex) 80. The Operation’s Project (technical assistance; TA) component (initial funding of US$20.7 million) provides strategic support and finances key aspects to help MENA coordinate and implement the Program, which initially targeted primary education. This component will receive additional funding to support the expansion of the Program to the lower secondary level. It is implemented by the Educational Services Improvement Project (Projet D'amelioration de la Prestation des Services Educatifs; PAPSE) Project Coordination Unit (PCU), which may call on certain United Nations agencies, in particular UNICEF, to build capacity and transfer skills to the relevant technical departments of the Ministry .(i) The TA component of the additional funding will provide TA to help MENA support key aspects of the system linked to equitable access and retention in lower secondary education. TA will be provided to the following Directorates: CAC; the Directorate of Schools, Lycées and Collèges (DELC); the Directorate of Gender Equality and Equity (DEEG); and the Directorate of Mutuality and Social Works in the Schools Environment (DMOSS)3. More specifically, the TA mobilized by UNICEF will be used to support the MENA and gradually ensure a transfer of skills to the MENA. More precisely, the TA will be mobilized to: o Finalize the support package for the retention of girls in lower secondary schools, including the prevention of violence at school, sexual and reproductive health, water, hygiene and sanitation-related activities, individualized support plan, and awareness-raising campaigns. o Pilot the girls’ retention support package in a limited number of local lower secondary schools. o A study of the impact of the girls’ retention support package on girls’ enrolment in Côte d’Ivoire. o Organization of a Forum on girls' enrolment in Côte d'Ivoire (on a model similar - but on a smaller scale - to the organization of the Etats Généraux de l'Education Nationale et de l'Alphabétisation) o Organization of sessions and distribution of awareness-raising tools to keep girls in school / production and distribution of radio / TV / podcast programs on girls' schooling / reading material on sexual and reproductive health in school libraries. (ii) The TA component of the additional funding will provide TA to help MENA support the key aspects of the system linked to the quality of learning in lower secondary education. TA will be provided to the following Directorates: CAC, DELC, DPFC and DVSP4. More specifically, TA will be mobilized to: o Evaluate the impact of the local lower secondary school policy on girls’ enrollment. o Assess the impact of the generalization of national school textbook exchange (la Bourse Nationale du Manuel Scolaire; BONAMAS) on the availability of textbooks in lower secondary education. 3 The following acronyms are spelled out in French: Cellule d’Appui et de Coordination (CAC); Direction des Ecoles, Lycées et Collèges (DELC); Direction de l’Egalité et de l’Equité du Genre (DEEG); Direction de la Mutualité et des Œuvres Sociales en Milieu Scolaire (DMOSS). 4 The following acronyms are spelled out in French: Cellule d’Appui et de Coordination (CAC); Direction des Ecoles, Lycées et Collèges (DELC); Direction de la Pédagogie et de la Formation Continue (DPFC) and (Direction de la Veille et du Suivi des Programmes (DVSP). o Draw up a framework document for the management of bivalent teachers (service obligations, workloads and mobility of these teachers) and support its implementation in a limited number of DRENAs. (iii) The TA component of the additional funding will provide TA to help MENA support key aspects of the system linked to governance in lower secondary education. TA will be provided via the support of experts, some of whom will be mobilized by UNICEF from the following directorates: CAC; DELC; IGEN. More specifically, TA will be mobilized to: o Finalize the institutional system of OPCs at collège level. o Support the evaluation of private and public lower secondary schools. o Support the redefinition of the role of the inspectorates. Institutional Aspects 81. The additional funding increases the Program’s scope of intervention within the ESP, but it remains structured around the same result areas as the initial Program and is based on the same institutional arrangements. 82. Implementation will follow the governance approach established with MENA as part of the initial ORSEP, i.e., transfer of financial resources to the government for implementation of the Program by MENA’s technical departments under the responsibility of the CAC and implementation of the Project (technical assistance) entrusted to a project team within the former ESDEP PCU, renewed to support the implementation of the PRSEP, also under the responsibility of the CAC. Landscape of partner support for secondary education 83. The design of this additional funding ensures complementarity with projects supported by other development partners (table X.4). Table X.4: Main areas of intervention by TFPs in collèges Partner Areas and objectives Intervention Duration area AFD Building and equipping local secondary schools National 2012–2027 Framework document: The new college policy Framework document: In-service teacher training Strengthening human resources management BONAMAS (textbook loan) Framework document: Support for the revitalization of science teaching at secondary level Improving the management of the education system (CODIPOST, Observatoire National des Collèges, etc.). Review of secondary school curricula UNESCO Review of secondary school curricula and textbooks National 2024–2028 Work on educational guidance Strengthening decentralized structures MCC Gender mainstreaming in the management of the National 2019–2024 education system. Support for the implementation of the Gender Equity and Equality Directorate within MENA Building and equipping secondary schools and training National 2019–2024 teachers Support for Education management information system National 2019–2024 Government program for 2022–2026 (US$) 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 TOTAL RA 1 848,820,450 Cost of school nutrition activities 19,135,178 19,088,263 19,090,696 19,090,888 n.a 76,405,218 Cost of literacy programs 3,159,262 3,104,737 2,942,785 2,201,825 n.a 11,408,608 Cost of preschool and primary 88,859,037 50,802,552 50,957,490 87,901,397 n.a 278,520,475 school buildings Cost of the strategy for 2,935,000 675,000 0 n/a n.a 3,610,000 integrating Islamic schools Cost of the inclusive education 1,421,675 2,837,385 2,844,235 2,379,102 n.a 9,482,397 strategy Building collèges 105,719,028 123,685,638 140,065,638 90,475,425 n.a 459,936,896 Support for girls’ education 18,852 3,101,972 3,157,348 3,178,585 n.a 9,456,857 RA 2 292,905,624 Cost of PNAPAS 4,059,034 5,327,514 6,595,994 8,784,383 n.a 24,766,925 Cost of the national teacher 58,381,616 58,381,616 58,381,616 58,381,616 n.a 233,526,464 training strategy Evaluations 540,305 540,305 540,305 930,192 n.a 2,551,107 College reform 462,547 10,846,510 10,720,618 10,031,453 n.a 32,061,128 RA 3 34,439,103 Cost of strengthening planning 1,129,273 1,254,940 964,940 1,408,290 n.a 4,757,443 and monitoring within MENA Cost of the reform to recruit on 1,687,645 1,842,470 1,697,470 5,748,530 n.a 10,840,940 regional basis Cost of OPCs 4,442,330 4,583,427 4,720,905 5,094,058 n.a 18,840,720 TOTAL 1,176,165,178