The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA | Malawi | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing (IPF) | FY 2021 | Seq No: 7 | Archived on 18-Sep-2024 | ISR01541 Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labor / Technical, Entrepreneurial, and Vocational Education and Training Authority 1. OBJECTIVE 1.1 Development Objective Original Development Objective (Approved as part of Approval package on 02-Jun-2021) To increase access, particularly for females, to labor market-relevant skills development programs, in participating institutions, targeting priority areas of the economy. Has the Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No 2. COMPONENTS Name Supporting Increased Access to Skills Development Programs in Higher Education:(Cost 58,000,000.00) Supporting Increase in Access to TEVET Skills Development:(Cost 30,000,000.00) Tertiary Education System Strengthening, Project Management, M&E, and Communications:(Cost 12,000,000.00) Contingent Emergency Response Component:(Cost 0.00) 3. OVERALL RATINGS Name Previous Current Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Sep 18, 2024 Page 1 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) 4. KEY ISSUES & STATUS 4.1 Implementation Status and Key Decisions The project has demonstrated advancements in several areas in the past nine months. To stay on course for achieving the Project Development Objective (PDO), it is imperative that the project's implementation pace be further expedited. A Mid-Term Review (MTR) of the project is scheduled for October 2024, which will provide an opportunity to assess the ongoing relevance of the project interventions and progress to date, identify challenges impeding full achievement of the PDO, and solutions moving forward. 5. SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONS RISK-RATING TOOL Rating at Approval Last Approved Rating Risk Category Approval Package - ISR Seq. 06 - 24 Mar Proposed Rating 03 Jun 2021 2024 Political and Governance Substantial Moderate Moderate Macroeconomic Substantial Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Moderate Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Moderate Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Moderate Moderate Moderate Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial Sep 18, 2024 Page 2 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) 6. RESULTS 6.1 PDO Indicators by PDO Outcomes Access Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year Enrolment in degree, 31,975.00 Mar/2021 42,807.00 01-Mar-2024 44,305 28-Aug-2024 58,388.00 Mar/2026 diploma, and certificate programs in priority areas (Number) 38.00 39.00 40 47.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of female students of the total students who are Female (Percentage) achieving targets enrolled in selected skills development programs in priority areas at participating higher education and technical and vocational training institutions 22.00 26.00 27 56.00 ODeL and Blended Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of students enrolled in ODeL and Blended Instruction achieving targets Instruction programs of the total students enrolled in selected skills development programs in (Percentage) priority areas at participating higher education and technical and vocational training institutions 71.00 Mar/2021 68.00 01-Mar-2024 68 01-Mar-2024 78.00 Mar/2026 Comments on The number of students who pass exams for Year 2024 in most of the institutions is not yet Students who pass the annual achieving targets out as such the number for the Year 2023 is used. assessment (Percentage) New data at aggregated project level is not yet available, and thus the presented data here is from the previous reporting in March 2024. Page 3 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) 70.00 65.00 65 79.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measures the females who pass the annual assessment as a percentage of achieving targets the total enrolled female students in degree, diploma, and certificate programs in priority Female (Percentage) areas. The number of students who pass exams for Year 2024 in most of the institutions is not yet out as such the number for the Year 2023 is used. 41.00 79.00 79 76.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of ODeL and Blended Instruction students who ODeL and Blended achieving targets pass the annual assessment of the total enrolled ODeL and Blended Instruction students in Instruction degree, diploma, and certificate programs in priority areas. (Percentage) The number of students who pass exams for Year 2024 in most of the institutions is not yet out as such the number for the Year 2023 is used. Market Relevance Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year 5.00 Mar/2021 50.00 01-Mar-2024 50 01-Mar-2024 100.00 Mar/2026 Industry Engagement Index Comments on The most recent data is still being prepared. The data in the previous reporting is presented (Percentage) achieving targets here. 6.2 Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Supporting Increased Access to Skills Development Programs in Higher Education Indicator Name Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Page 4 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year Students benefiting from 0.00 Mar/2021 27,212.00 01-Mar-2024 36,356 28-Aug-2024 48,146.00 Mar/2026 direct interventions to enhance learning (Number) Students benefiting 0.00 11,642.00 15,213 20,836.00 from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number) Student participation in 0.00 Mar/2021 17,386.00 01-Mar-2024 17,703 28-Aug-2024 36,758.00 Mar/2026 mentoring and bridging Comments on This indicator measures the number of students participating in mentoring, bridging programs programs (Number) achieving targets and academic and sensitization programs (This is a cumulative indicator) 0.00 34.00 34.00 60.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of female students participating in mentoring, Female (Percentage) achieving targets bridging programs and academic and sensitization programs as a percentage of total students participating in these programs Students receiving new loans, 0.00 Mar/2021 8,671.00 01-Mar-2024 11,697 28-Aug-2024 15,063.00 Mar/2026 grants, and bursaries for priority programs (Number) 0.00 66.00 59 64.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of female students of the total students who Female (Percentage) achieving targets receive new loans, grants, and bursaries to support – fully or partially – their study in the priority area program Infrastructure targets 0.00 Mar/2020 0.00 01-Mar-2024 0.00 28-Aug-2024 100.00 Mar/2026 achieved by participating Comments on Infrastructure development has not yet started. Procurement for rehabilitation and higher education institutions achieving targets construction across most higher education institutions expected to commence in 2024. (Percentage) Instructors trained in priority 99.00 Mar/2020 382.00 01-Mar-2024 412 28-Aug-2024 781.00 Mar/2026 Page 5 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) programs (Number) Comments on This sub-indicator measures the number of instructors/trainers participating in agreed upon achieving targets professional development programs/trainings (This is a cumulative indicator) 11.00 73.00 69 65.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measures female instructors/trainers participating in agreed upon Female (Percentage) achieving targets professional development programs/trainings as a percentage of the total female instructors at the participating higher education institutions Supporting Increase in Access to TEVET Skills Development Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year Students benefiting from 0.00 Mar/2021 45,356.00 01-Mar-2024 45,356.00 28-Aug-2024 65,862.00 Mar/2026 direct interventions to enhance learning (Number) Students benefiting 0.00 19,333.00 19,333.00 29,633.00 from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number) Student participation in 0.00 Mar/2021 516.00 01-Mar-2024 516.00 28-Aug-2024 5,300.00 Mar/2026 mentoring and bridging Comments on This data is expected to increase with the full implementation of student support mechanisms programs (Number) achieving targets to support TEVET students. 0.00 41.00 41.00 60.00 Female (Percentage) Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of female students of total students participating achieving targets in mentoring, bridging programs and academic and sensitization programs Students receiving new 0.00 Mar/2021 5,655.00 01-Mar-2024 5,655 28-Aug-2024 5,000.00 Mar/2026 grants, and bursaries for Comments on Data to be validated by IVA. priority programs (Number) achieving targets Female (Percentage) 0.00 50.00 50 60.00 Page 6 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) Comments on This sub-indicator measures the percentage of female students of the total students who achieving targets receive new scholarships, loans, grants, and bursaries to support – fully or partially – their study in the priority area program at the participating institutions Infrastructure targets 0.00 Mar/2021 0.00 01-Mar-2024 0.00 28-Aug-2024 100.00 Mar/2026 achieved by participating Comments on Infrastructure development has not yet started. technical and vocational achieving targets institutions (Percentage) 0.00 Mar/2021 224.00 01-Mar-2024 224.00 28-Aug-2024 111.00 Mar/2026 Instructors trained in priority Comments on This indicator measures the number of instructors/trainers participating in agreed upon programs (Number) achieving targets professional development programs/trainings (This is a cumulative indicator) 0.00 100.00 100.00 55.00 Comments on This sub-indicator measure the percentage of female instructors/trainers participating in Female (Percentage) achieving targets agreed upon professional development programs/trainings of the total female instructors at the participating TEVET institutions Tertiary Education System Strengthening, Project Management, M&E, and Communications Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) Closing Period Indicator Name Value Month/Year Value Date Value Date Value Month/Year 0.00 Mar/2021 0.00 01-Mar-2024 0.00 28-Aug-2024 5.00 Mar/2026 Annual Report with on-line Comments on Online Monitoring and Evaluation system is still in development, on-going work to use GEMS data access (Number) achieving targets as mechanism for project M&E with institutions reporting through Kobo Toolbox. Grievances received and 0.00 Mar/2021 0.00 01-Mar-2024 66 28-Aug-2024 80.00 Mar/2026 addressed through the Comments on GRM Committees have been set up at all implementing institutions and operationalized. Project’s Grievance Redress achieving targets Mechanism (Percentage) 27 cases has been resolved out of 41 cases that the project's GRM had received. New or rehabilitated 0.00 Mar/2021 0.00 01-Mar-2024 0.00 28-Aug-2024 100.00 Mar/2026 construction with climate- Comments on Infrastructure development has not yet started. smart construction solutions achieving targets (Percentage) Page 7 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) Page 8 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) 7. DATA ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 7.1 Cumulative Disbursements 7.2 Disbursements (by loan) Loan/Credit/TF Status Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed IDA-D8220 Effective 50.00 50.00 0.00 17.26 30.03 34.51% IDA-68910 Effective 50.00 50.00 0.00 16.16 31.42 32.32% 7.3 Key Dates (by loan) Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Signing Effectiveness Orig. Closing Rev. Closing IDA-68910 Effective 03-Jun-2021 19-Jul-2021 14-Oct-2021 30-Jun-2026 30-Jun-2026 Sep 18, 2024 Page 9 of 10 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Skills for A Vibrant Economy Project (P172627) IDA-D8220 Effective 03-Jun-2021 19-Jul-2021 14-Oct-2021 30-Jun-2026 30-Jun-2026 8. KEY DATES Key Events Planned Actual Approval 03-Jun-2021 03-Jun-2021 Effectiveness 22-Sep-2020 22-Sep-2020 Mid-Term Review No. 01 31-Oct-2024 Mid-Term Review No. 01 31-Oct-2024 Mid-Term Review No. 01 31-Oct-2024 Mid-Term Review No. 01 31-Oct-2024 Operation Closing/Cancellation 30-Jun-2026 9. RESTRUCTURING HISTORY 10. ASSOCIATED OPERATION(S) There are no associated operations Sep 18, 2024 Page 10 of 10