The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) WESTERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA | Congo, Republic of | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2016 | Seq No: 12 | ARCHIVED on 20-Jun-2022 | ISR51341 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy (MEPPSA) Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 28-Apr-2016 Effectiveness Date: 04-Aug-2017 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 10-Jun-2019 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 27-May-2019 Original Closing Date: 31-Jul-2023 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2022 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To improve education outcomes of primary and lower secondary school children and to increase the effectiveness of select management systems. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Providing quality education for all:(Cost $14.00 M) Improving scope, quality and management of human resources:(Cost $8.50 M) Improving system performance:(Cost $7.50 M) Unallocated Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Education Sector Support Project (PRAASED) focuses on improving education outcomes of primary and lower secondary school children and increasing the effectiveness of select management systems. The project was approved by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors on April 28, 2016 and became effective on August 4, 2017. The project was restructured on August 2, 2019, to reduce the cost (mainlining International Development Association (IDA) funding of US$30 million equivalent and removing counterpart funding) and scope of activities. Since project restructuring, some encouraging progress has taken place, but efforts have been slowed down since March 2020 due to the Coronavirus Disease- 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and its direct consequences on project implementation, such as country lockdown, closure of schools, and restricted international and national travels that delayed some field work and international technical assistance. Despite the situation, progress has been made under key activities as described below. Recent Progress by Component: 6/20/2022 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Component 1: Providing quality education for all At the request of the Ministry of Pre-Primary, Primary and Secondary Education and Literacy (MEPPSA) to support the Government’s strategy to ensure pedagogical continuity in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, a portion of project funds initially allocated for the production and distribution of textbooks were used for the production and distribution of pedagogical supports in order to ensure continued learning for students in examination classes (CP, CM2 and 3ème) and in intermediary classes has benefitted about 435,205 students. An additional 562,548 students are expected to receive these materials during the second step of distribution carried out in March 2022- whereby the project will have provided activities' books to a total of 997,753 beneficiaries. Currently, the Bank is awaiting final statistics on the beneficiaries of these activities' books by discipline, level and by school. These figures will then be taken into account in updating the results framework. The Bank has also worked closely (and continues to do so) with the education technical and financial partners in ROC to identify and align interventions in response to the COVID-19 ongoing pandemic and is planning on carrying out an national learning assessment which will provide a better understanding of learning loss as a result of the pandemic. The education programs and related supports (teachers' guides and workbooks) have been revised for CP1, CP2, 6e and 5e including the revision of teaching and learning materials, which will be produced and distributed in the coming months. At the same time, revisions of the programs/teaching and learning materials for the remaining levels (CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2, 4e and 3e) is underway. Teachers and inspectors will also receive training in the new curricula before it is rolled out in the 2022-2023 school year (October 2022). TA is planned on the institutionalization and strengthening of community on school-based management (COGES), however, an official text from specifying the composition and functioning of COGES has not yet been issued by the Government. The SDI survey was delayed but data collection has been completed. The final report is expected in the coming months (September 2022) while there have been some delays in data collection for the 2018-2019/2019-2020 statistical yearbooks. Component 2: Improving the quality and management of human resources The key activities under this component are well under implementation, including the purchase and installation of a biometric system to identify and register MEPPSA teachers though there have been some delays as a result of COVID. The equipment has been delivered and focal points trained. A pilot was carried out in 3 departments (Pointe-Noire, Brazzaville and Likouala) and allowed the biometric identification of 2923 teachers (including 1673 volunteer teachers). And it is in the process of being generalized in the country. The MEPPSA is now working closely with other ministries as well as the PRISP to ensure alignment of efforts and efficient use of resources. In the context of the revised education programs as described above, a teacher training strategy has been developed to guide efforts for training teachers/inspectors to implement the new curriculum and to carry out continuous monitoring. The Bank aims to explore ways in which PRAASED could support the government's efforts in reforms of pre- service teacher training programs in the context of the planned national education forum. Component 3: Improving system performance (Institutional and capacity building and monitoring and evaluation) Several activities that are key for the strengthening of institutional entities at MEPSA have been completed, including TA to: (a) improve the institutional capacity of the Directorate of Continuing Education (DFC), the National Teacher Training School (ENI) and the National School of Higher Learning (ENS); (b) improve the National Institute for Pedagogical Research and Action (INRAP); and (c) improve the Regional Directorates of MEPSA (MEPPSA/DDEPSA). The final reports of these TAs were validated by MEPSA in October 2020. Additional efforts are supported under this component related to building management capacity in the sector, including provision of support (training and goods) to the MEPPSA/DDEPSA at the decentralized levels; decision to simplify SIGE and to move towards finalizing its design and functionality; training of COGES focal points with the validation of legal texts on the composition and functions of COGES pending; and support to address delays in the collection of data for statistical yearbooks. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Substantial Substantial Moderate Macroeconomic Substantial Moderate Moderate Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Moderate Moderate 6/20/2022 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Moderate Moderate Sustainability Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Moderate Low Low Stakeholders Moderate Moderate Moderate Other -- -- -- Overall Substantial Moderate Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Providing Quality Education for All IN01138716 ►Primary completion rate - total (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 73.00 77.40 84.00 74.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138718 Primary completion rate - female (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 73.00 75.00 75.00 74.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138720 ►Transition rate to lower secondary (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 89.20 92.30 71.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138721 Transition rate to lower secondary, female (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 67.00 67.00 71.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138722 ►Transition rate to upper secondary (Percentage, Custom) 6/20/2022 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 48.00 53.10 71.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138723 Transition rate to upper secondary, female (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 67.00 67.00 40.00 71.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138724 ►Primary repetition rate (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 21.00 20.70 19.90 18.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 Improving System Performance IN01138717 ►System for learning assessment at the primary level (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 The results from the analysis of school assessments will be used to inform and assist in the development of a national learning assessment system. The PASEC national team is mobilizing for the implementation Comments: of a national learning assessment (PASEC model) in 2022. IN01138719 Utility of the learning assessment system (Number, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Component 1. Providing Quality Education for All IN01138725 ►Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 6/20/2022 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Value 0.00 558,677.00 558,677.00 302,000.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 This indicator is updated to take into account the number of students in primary and college. Comments: IN01138730 Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 IN01138731 ►French and mathematics curricula revised for all primary grades (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 The curricula (programmes educatifs) have been revised for CP1, CP2, 6eme and 5eme. The remaining programs (for CE1, CE2, CM1, CM2, 4e et 3e) will also be revised with the introduction of the new Comments: programs to be undertaken at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year. IN01138733 ►Creation of national learning assessment instrument (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 The creation of a national learning assessment instrument depends on two tasks: (i) the analysis to evaluate the national learning assessment; and (ii) the SDI survey which will provide information on the (performance of teachers, students, educational staff, etc.) which are needed to define the strategy and actions to improve the education system (incl. learning assessment). The analysis to evaluate the Comments: learning assessment is completed and was validated by MEPPSA in October 2020. Data collection for the SDI survey has been completed. The PASEC national team (MEPPSA) is mobilizing for the implementation of a national learning assessment (using the PASEC model). IN01138734 Implementation of the first national assessment (Yes/No, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 IN01138735 ►Percentage of public primary students who each received a textbook in French and mathematics (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 54.00 6/20/2022 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and at the request of the Ministry of Education, the project financed different types of pedagogical support (activity books and leaflets) to ensure learning continuity. Thus, textbooks will no longer be financed by the projects as funds will continue to be used to Comments: fund the production and distribution of activity books related to the new programs. The project will be restructured to reflect this new intervention and adjust the indicator. IN01138736 Percentage of public lower secondary students who each received textbooks in science and mathematics (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.00 IN01138737 ►Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 558,677.00 558,677.00 296,000.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 Proportion of female students not determined. Comments: IN01138738 Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 50.00 50.00 151,000.00 Component 2. Improving Scope, Quality, and Management of Human Resources IN01138726 ►Percentage of benevoles registered with biometric data (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 66.92 66.92 95.00 Date 22-Jan-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 The rollout of the system to the 9 other departments is scheduled to take place in coming weeks. The Comments: project has registered 1,673 community teachers (out of a total target of 2,500). IN01138728 ►Number of additional qualified primary teachers resulting from project interventions. (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 2,000.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 Due to the delay in the SDI survey and other activities, the actual value for this indicator remains Comments: unchanged. This indicator will be updated in the coming months. 6/20/2022 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) Component 3. Improving System Performance IN01138727 ►Publication of annual statistics (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 The yearly statistical book for 2017-2018 was validated and is available. The statistical yearbook for Comments: 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 are expected in the coming months. IN01138729 ►Annual consultation with indigenous groups (in collaboration with associations for indigienous peoples) (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No Yes Yes Yes Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 A consultant was recruited in August 2020, and the consultations were carried out in September 2020, Comments: and March 2021. IN01138732 ►Large-scale primary/secondary learning assessments completed (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 Date 31-Aug-2015 26-Oct-2021 10-May-2022 30-Jun-2022 Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P152910 IDA-58060 Effective USD 30.00 30.00 0.00 14.58 16.07 48% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date 6/20/2022 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Congo - Education Sector Support Project (P152910) P152910 IDA-58060 Effective 28-Apr-2016 07-Dec-2016 04-Aug-2017 31-Jul-2023 30-Jun-2022 Cumulative Disbursements Restructuring History Level 2 Approved on 02-Aug-2019 Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 6/20/2022 Page 8 of 8