The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA | North Macedonia | Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2019 | Seq No: 5 | ARCHIVED on 21-Dec-2020 | ISR44561 | Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Ministry of Finance Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 13-Sep-2018 Effectiveness Date: 17-Oct-2018 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 15-Sep-2021 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: Original Closing Date: 30-Jun-2024 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2024 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) To expand access to and improve the quality of social services, including preschool services, for vulnerable groups. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name 1. Promoting social inclusion through improved access to social benefits and services:(Cost $12.70 M) 2. Expanding the access to and improving of the quality of preschool services:(Cost $18.60 M) 3. Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation:(Cost $2.10 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Moderate Implementation Status and Key Decisions Significant implementation progress has been recorded since the May 2020 mission, which has resulted in the successful launch of the social services grant program, the start of infrastructure projects, and implementation of activities in support of enhancing the quality of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). Specifically: 12/21/2020 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) 1. The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (MLSP) received applications from 65 municipalities and selected 24 applications for grant financing that would benefit approximately 1,000 beneficiaries. The types of services that are being supported are the following: i) home- based services - help and care at home, and ii) community/out-of-home services – day care services and assisted living. 2. The MLSP has signed agreements for pre-school infrastructure projects with 14 municipalities out of the 17 selected municipalities, which will add 1,726 kindergarten spaces. The implementation of activities since March 2020 has been conditioned by the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Bank team and the Project Management Unit (PMU) have been closely monitoring the rapidly changing situation to calibrate responses with all relevant actors. Despite the severe circumstances over the past months, no major delays have been observed in implementation, and the project continues to carry out activities as planned. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Moderate Substantial Substantial Macroeconomic Moderate Moderate Moderate Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Moderate Moderate Sustainability Fiduciary Moderate Moderate Moderate Environment and Social Moderate Moderate Moderate Stakeholders Moderate Moderate Moderate Other -- Moderate Moderate Overall Substantial Moderate Moderate Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes To strengthen overall social protection delivery system for improved service provision and access IN00925799 ►Share of cash benefit recipients and social services recipients recertified and recorded in the new information system (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 60.00 Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 10-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 Technical specification and business analyses for procurement of new information system have been Comments: completed; bidding documents for Development and Implementation of an Integrated Social Welfare 12/21/2020 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) Information System covering both social assistance benefits and services in the Republic of North Macedonia have been submitted through STEP for the Bank's review. IN00925811 Share of cash benefit recipients and social services recipients recertified and recorded in the new information system - Female (Percentage, Corporate Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 60.00 Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 10-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 IN00925813 ►Number of beneficiaries receiving noninstitutional social services (alternative/non-residential forms of care) from licensed providers (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 3,000.00 Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 MLSP has signed agreements with 13 Municipalities for awarding a grant for the development of social services. In addition, MLSP will sign grant agreements with 11 Municipalities/service providers by the end of January 2021. Comments: About 1,000 beneficiaries are expected to receive services within these 24 subprojects (selected in the first call). IN00925814 Share of female beneficiaries out of all beneficiaries receiving noninstitutional social services (alternative/non-residential forms of care) from licensed providers (Percentage, Corporate Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 45.00 45.00 45.00 50.00 Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 To improve access to quality ECEC services, in particular for socially disadvantaged children IN00925798 ►National preschool enrollment rates for children 3 to 6 year old (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 35.70 41.20 41.20 46.50 Date 12-Apr-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 An updated value for preschool enrollment rates for children 3 to 6 years old who belong to the recipient Comments: families of the SFA/GMI will be available by mid-2021. IN00925800 preschool enrollment rates for children 3 to 6 year old who belong to the families recipients of the SFA (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.40 8.70 8.70 20.00 12/21/2020 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) Date 12-Apr-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 IN00925812 ►Share of preschools with improved process quality as measured by the quality assessment tool (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 40 % of pre-schools to be determined by to be determined by to be determined by improved as measured baseline assessment of a baseline assessment of a baseline assessment by the follow up Value representative sample of representative sample of of a representative assessment of a preschools preschools sample of preschools representative sample of preschools Date 18-Apr-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The Ministry has done the preparatory work for the baseline. The data collection instruments were selected, adapted, and translated. The field activities, however,were postponed due to the protocol adopted by the government that prohibits any visits of external persons in the pre-school institutions Comments: due to the pandemic. They are now expected to take place in the first half of 2021 and indicator values will be updated afterwards. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Promoting social inclusion through improved access to social benefits and services IN00925816 ►Full integration of CBMIS and social services IS within the upgraded social welfare information system as a platform for social and child protection service delivery (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value no integration no integration no integration full integration Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The government has started with the design of the upgraded social welfare information system. This Comments: activity is on track. IN00925819 ►Development of social service standards, accreditation, licensing (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target new service standards, Value not developed fully developed fully developed accreditation, and licensing developed Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The end target has been achieved. The MLSP adopted the norms and standards for establishing of social services, including pricing list. These norms and standards have become part of the MLSP regulatory Comments: framework and are applicable SP system wide. IN00925822 ►Share of social service providers using new service standards (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 12/21/2020 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) Value 0.00 0.00 100.00 50.00 Date 03-Dec-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 IN00925825 ►Beneficiaries of social safety net programs (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 130,000.00 168,920.00 177,539.00 140,000.00 Date 12-Apr-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The increase in the number of beneficiaries is primarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased Comments: benefit take-up (following the 2019 social protection reforms). IN00925827 Beneficiaries of social safety net programs - Female (Number, Corporate Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 65,000.00 83,759.00 105,637.00 70,000.00 Expanding the access to and improving of the quality of preschool services IN00925815 ►Additional enegy- efficient classrooms built at the preschool level resulting from project interventions (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 60.00 Date 12-Apr-2018 28-May-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 As a result of the project interventions within 10 ongoing subprojects for building new kindergartens, 81 Comments: new classrooms will be built creating 1,388 new open spaces. IN00925818 ►Additional classrooms rehabilitated or re-purposed at the preschool level resulting from project interventions (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 240.00 Date 12-Apr-2018 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 As a result of the project interventions within 7 ongoing subprojects for rehabilitating or repurposing additional classrooms, 25 classrooms will be rehabilitated/repurposed and 606 new spaces will be Comments: opened. IN00925821 ►Additional qualified preschool teachers resulting from project interventions (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 180.00 2,200.00 12/21/2020 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) Date 12-Apr-2018 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The first completed teacher training module is "play-based learning". Comments: IN00925824 ►Number of pre-service training institutions that reformed their study programs based on the core competencies required for ECEC teachers (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 Date 12-Apr-2018 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 Preparatory activities are ongoing. Comments: IN00925826 ►Assessment of the students cognitive and socio-emotional development conducted (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value no no no yes Date 12-Apr-2018 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 MELE instrument (for evaluation of the students' cognitive and socio-emotional development) was adapted and translated into Macedonian and Albanian language. The implementation of the instrument Comments: was postponed due to the new COVID -19 protocol for preschool institutions which prohibits any visits from external persons. Project management, monitoring and evaluation IN00925817 ►Communication campaign developed and implemented (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value no no yes yes Date 12-Apr-2018 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The communication campaign has been rolled out. Comments: IN00925820 ►Share of supported sub-projects in which direct beneficiaries report their engagement in decision making. (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 50.00 30.00 Date 01-Jan-2019 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 The share is 50% for Component 2 (with more sub-projects in operation) and 100% for Component 1. As of December 2020, a total of 90 citizens and 49 non-governemental organizations participated in decision Comments: making processes. IN00925823 12/21/2020 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) ►Share of beneficiaries satisfied with responsiveness of the grievance redress mechanism (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 50.00 Date 01-Jan-2019 02-Jun-2020 09-Dec-2020 28-Jun-2024 This indicator measures the percentage of beneficiaries who received feedback or proposed solution within the timeframe that is publicized in the grievance mechanism tool. There were 19 questions, 2 Comments: recommendations, and one grievance. The senders received feedback within the timeframe that is publicized in the grievance mechanism tool. Performance-Based Conditions Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P162246 IBRD-89020 Effective USD 33.40 33.40 0.00 6.57 26.61 20% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P162246 IBRD-89020 Effective 13-Sep-2018 02-Oct-2018 17-Oct-2018 30-Jun-2024 30-Jun-2024 Cumulative Disbursements 12/21/2020 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Social Services Improvement Project (P162246) PBC Disbursement Achievement Disbursed amount in Disbursement % PBC ID PBC Type Description Coc PBC Amount Status Coc for PBC Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) There are no related projects. 12/21/2020 Page 8 of 8