Tunisia - Fifth Education Project

Document of The World Bank FOR OMCLAL USE ONLY Report No. 10215 MICROFICHE COPY Report No. 10215-TUN Type: (PCR) THIAS, H. / X31742 / T-9013/ OEDDI PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA FIFTH EDUCATIOS PROJECT (LOAN 2230-TUN) DECEMBER 27, 1991 Population and Human Resources Operations Division Maghreb Department Middle East and North Africa Regional Office This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EOUIVALENTS Currency Unit - Tunisian Dinar (TD) Evolution of the Exchange Rate At Appraisal 03-1982 US$1 - TD 0.50 .Period Average 1982 US$1 - TD 0.59 1983 US$1 - TD 0.68 1984 US$1 - TD 0.78 1985 US$1 - TD 0.83 1986 US$1 - TD 0.79 1987 US$1 - TD 0.83 1988 US$1 - TD 0.86 1989 US$1 - TD 0.88 Jan-May 1990 US$1 - TD 0.89 WEIGHTS AND MEASURES METRIC SYSTEM FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ASS Agricultural Secondary School ATC Agricultural Training Center BAESP Bureau of Agricultural Education and Planning CFP Centre de Formation Professionnelle ENI Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs HLAI Higher Level Agricultural Institute IUT Institut Universitaire de Technologie MOA Ministry of Agriculture MOE Ministry of Education NAITC National Agricultural Instructor Training Center  THE WORLD BANK FOR 0MC US ONL Washington, D.C. 20433 U.S.A. Office of Di;.ctorC-Genral Opefatmh Evaluatio December 27, 1991 MEMORANDUM TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND THE PRESIDENT SUBJECT: Project Completion Report on Republic of Tunisia Fifth Education Project (Loan 2230-TUN) Attached, for information, is a copy of a report entitled "Project Completion Report on Republic of Tunisia Fifth Education Project (Loan 2230-TUN)" prepared by the former Europe, Middle East and North Africa Regional Office with Part II of the report contributed by the Borrower. No audit of this project has been made by the Operations Evaluation Department at this time. Attachment This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA FIFTH EDUCATION PROJECT (Loan 2230-TUN) Table of Contents Page No. Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Evaluation Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .iii I. PROJECT REVIEW FROM BANK'S PERSPECTIVE A. Project Identity and Key Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 B. Socioeconomic Background ........... . . . . . ....1 C. Objectives and Description of the Project . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 D. Project Design and Organization ...... . . . . ...... . 3 E. Project Execution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 F. Major Results of the Project . . ............ . ... . . 4 C. Project Sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 H. Performance of the World Bank .............. .. .... . 7 I. Summary of Borrower's Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 J. Government-Bank Relations during the Project . . . . . . . . . . 7 K. Consulting Services .......... . .. . .. .. .. .. . 7 L. Documentation and Data Relating to the Project. . . . . . . . . . 8 1I. PROJECT REVIEW FROM BORROWER'S PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . 9 III. STATISTICAL INFORMATION A. Related Bank Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 B. Project Timetable ....... . . . . 0 . .. .. . .... . 12 C. Cumulative Estimated and Actual Disbursements . . . . . . . . . 13 D. Project Costs and Financing . . ....... ..... . 14 E. Project Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 F. Status of Covenants ...... . . . . .*........... 17 G. Use of Bank Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Annex I Project Implementation Schedule This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA FIFTH EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN 2230-TUN) PREFACE This is the Project Completion Report (PCR) for the Fifth Education Project in Tunisia, for which Loan 2230-TUN in the amount of US$27 million was approved on December 23, 1982. This amount was reduced to US$25 million on December 19, 1988. The loan was closed on December 31, 1989, two years behind schedule. The last payment was made on May 11, 1990. An undisbursed balance of US$4.2 million was cancelled at that time, thus reducing the loan amount to US$20.8 million. The PCR was jointly prepared by the Population and Human Resources Operations Division, Country Department II. of the former Europe, Middle East & North Africa Regional Office (Preface, Evaluation Summary, Parts I and III) , and the Borrower (Part II). Preparation of this PCR was started during a mission in June 1990, and is based, inter alia, on the Staff Appraisal Report; the Loan Agreement; supervision reports; correspondence between the Bank and the Borrower; and internal Bank memoranda.  - iii - PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA FIFTH EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN 2230-TUN) EVALUATION SUMMARY Obiectives 1. In support of the Sixth Plan (1982-1986) objectives, the project aimed at increasing the provision of appropriately trained technical personnel to agriculture and agro-industry and of primary school teachers. It would do so by: (i) assisting the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) in strengthening and developing its programs for the dissemination of technical knowledge and skills to local farming communities and for the upgrading of its extension agents; (ii) improving the quality of agricultural education; (iii) endowing the MOA with a capability for manpower and education analysis and planning; (iv) providing didactic and farm equipment to existing training institutions; (v) constructing and equipping four primary school teacher training colleges (Ecole normale d'instituteurs, (ENI) for the Ministry of Education (MOE); and (vi) carrying out a technician manpower study. ImBlementation Experience 2. Startup activities for the three components were eighteen months late: the MOA component was delayed because the Ministry of National Economy was reluctant to grant equipment import licences; civil works contracts for the four ENIs were signed late because of early administrative delays and late engineering studies; and the technician manpower study started late because of delays in setting up the inter-ministerial committee responsible for overseeing execution of the study. Results 3. MOA component: Thanks to the quality and relevance of the equipment purchased, the institutions supported by the project offer significantly better teaching conditions. Enrollments and annual outputs are higher than estimated at appraisal, although some of the projections did not fit the nature and potential and/or observed performance of the assisted institutions. It is unfortunate, however, that the project supported the existing agricultural training apparatus before carrying out a detailed assessment of its structure. This assessment was completed in 1988 and raised serious doubts on the cost- effectiveness of the system. Its main conclusions were that the agricultural training system is dispersed into too many different levels, specializations, and  - iv - types of institutions, and therefore seldom reached a critical mass in terms of teaching staff, class sizes, and infraaztructure. The study stressed the need to restructure the system to reflect the expected reduced employer role of the public sector and the larger part the private sector must play. 4. MOE component: Enrollments and outputs are markedly lower than projected. The main contributing factors are: (i) of the four ENIs, only one is fully operational and one is not yet occupied. The other two are not fully completed; and (ii) the training of primary school teachers is shifting from the five-year program in separate training institutions (on the basis of which the ENIs were built) towards shorter training of more highly qualified candidates, thus resulting in excess capacity. In spite of some design and construction flaws, the ENIs are of acceptable design and quality. 5. Technician manpower study: Although the whole study was carried out, it did not result in a useful instrument for the following reasons: (i) little integration between the tasks, which were assigned to different teams; (ii) the analysis, based on a highly aggregated macroeconomic model, fails to take into account specific features of job qualification subsets and of regional labor markets; and (iii) the main recommendations are supply-driven: they focus essentially on institutional development of the MOE. Information gathered for the study could however be used if the analysis were finetuned to integrate regional labor market specifics. Sustainability 6. MOA component: The implemention unit has devised a number of systems to ensure acceptable service life of the equipment financed and access to foreign exchange for spare parts, and to provide equipment to beneficiary institutions. It has further carried out a survey of best maintenance structure practices and is about to define a strategy. 7. MOE component: In light of the ongoing restructuring of primary school teacher training, the usefulness of all ENIs is questioned. Eventually, they will all be converted into other types of training institutions, more adapted to new training programs. This issue is currently being discussed in the framework of the FY92 Higher Education Restructuring Project. FindinRs and Lessons learned 8. This project suffered from several design and implementation flaws commonly encountered in Bank projects: delays in obtaining import Licences, late preparation of engineering studies, late creation of the interministerial committee to supervise the technician manpower study, late creation of the project implementing unit in the MOA, and absence of a Bank architect in the early stages of project implementation. Most newer projects have already drawn lessons from past experiences and are incorporating a number of measures (including midterm reviews, as was recommended by the Borrower in the present case) to ensure timely implementation. 9. MOA component. On the whole, the project could have been an opportunity to initiate a policy dialogue on aspects of agricultural education/training and  - v - employment. The Bank has accumulated significant experience in this area. Instead of consolidation, the project could have focussed on reform. The Bank contribution could have been not only to support short-term material improvements, but assist in ensuring long-term conceptual sustainability of strategic public sector training and employment functions. The overall structure of the agricultural education/training apparatus is currently being revisited by interested ministries, on the basis of the study financed by the project. This should increase the external efficiency and the cost-effectiveness of the system.  PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA FIFTH EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN 2230-TUN) PART I PROJECT REVIEW FlRO THE BANK'S PERSPECTIVE A. Project Identity and Key Information Project Name: Fifth Education Project Loan No.: 2230-TUN RVP Unit: Europe, Middle East and North Africa Regional Office Borrower: Republic of Tunisia Sector: Education Sub-sectors: Primary education Agricultural training Amount of loan: US$27 million - reduced to US$25 million in December 1988 and to US$20.8 million in may 1990 I Board Approval: December 1982 Signing date: January 11, 1983 Effective date: September 1983 Original closing date: December 31, 1987 Actual closing date: December 31, 1989 (The loan account was closed on May 11. 1990 to permit all disbursements for committed expenditures.) B. Socioeconomic Back_round 1. The Sixth National Development Plan (1982-1986) was in its final drafting stage when the Fifth Education Project was under preparation. With regards to the training sector, the Plan aimed at improving the quality of training and better matching its content with needs for trained manpower in those priority investment sectors, particularly agriculture (which accounted for 35% of the Tunisian workforce). The 70s had witnessed the emergence of structural diversification in agricultural production and growing technical sophistication in farming methods and these new trends were projected to continue during the next two decades. In consequence, the country was faced with mounting demand for technically specialized manpower, and embarked on improving the quality of training provided in agricultural schools as well as slowly shifting its agricultural training from formal vocational schooling to shorter training, more adapted to meet the specific technical needs of farmers. .1/ Final payments were made on May 11, 1990, and an undisbursed amount of US$4.2 million was cancelled at that time. thus reducing the loan amount to US$20.8 million.  -2- 2. In the education sector, the Sixth Plan estimated that, although gross primary enrollment rate was already 1001, primary school enrollments would grow annually at 4.61 per year, the result of projected high population growth (2.61 per annum) and increased internal efficiency (by reducing dropout rates). Tunisia was faced with a severe shortage of qualified primary teachers, the poorer regions suffering most, the more qualified and experienced teachers preferring posts in urban areas. Consequently, the Government decided to recruit and train primary teachers within the disadvantaged areas. C. Objectives and DescriDtion of the Proiect 3. The project was designed to support key Sixth Plan (1982-1986) objectives, i.e. the provision of needed skills and of appropriately trained, technical personnel to agriculture and agro-industry; and the expansion and improvement of primary teacher training. The project would achieve these objectives by: (a) assisting the Ministry of Agriculture (HOA) in strengthening and developing its programs for the dissemination of technical knowledge/skills to local farming communities and for the upgrading/refresher training of its technical cadres including extension agents; (b) helping to improve the quality of agricultural education/training so that the MOA could staff its technical, research and extension services with technicians and field supervisory personnel well grounded in the technical specializations required for agricultural development; (c) endowing the MOA with a capability for manpower and education analysis and planning in the agricultural sector; (d) providing urgently needed didactic and farm equipment to existing institutions - six higher level agricultural institutes (HLAI), four agricultural secondary schools (ASS), and fifteen agricultural training centers (ATC) - and technical assistance and equipment to the newly created National Agricultural Instructor Training Center (NAITC) and the Bureau of Agricultural Education Studies and Planning (BAESP); (e) developing primary teacher training through the construction and equipment of four new primary teacher training colleges in disadvantaged regions; and (f) assisting in studies of technician level training for industry and related commercial sectors through financing of technical assistance.  -3- D. Project Design an' Oraanization 4. In its initial a 6n stage in 1980. the project was to concentrate solely on technical and vocational education provided by the Ministry of Social Affairs (through the Vocational Training Office) and the Ministry of Agriculture, the same focus as the Third and Fourth Education Projects, which aimed at introducing pre-vocational training in the last two years of primary school to improve employment opportunities to students likely to leave school at the end of the primary cycle (Third Project) and at expanding lower level vocational and apprentice training in the Ministry of Social Affairs (Fourth Project). After the 1978 riots in which unemployed youth and trade unions had been heavily involved, the Government had decided to give high priority to training for school leavers and raising the productivity and employability of workers. Although a number of problem areas had been identified in the general education system (low internal efficiency, overcrowding in primary schools, lack of relevance between secondary curricula and labor market needs), the Government and Bank staff initially felt that technical and vocational education required more immediate attention. S. As project preparation advanced, it was generally felt by some in the Bank that the Tunisia lending program focussed somewhat too heavily on vocational training and that a general education c',mponent should be included in the project. In addition, the Government indicated that it could not exceed its budgetary allocation to the Vocational Training Office beyond that anticipated for the implementation of the Fourth Education Project. Finally, the Ministry of Education (MOE) was moving ahead with its plan to introduce a nine-year basic education cycle and requested Bank assistance in implementing part of it. 6. It was finally decided that the project would include: (i) the agricultural training component identified at the onset of project preparation; (ii) the construction and equipping of four primary school teacher training colleges (Ecole Normale d'Instituteurs, ENI), to help meet an urgent need for primary school teachers and help implement the new shorter (one-year) training cycle for graduates of secondary schools; and (iii) a study of technician-level manpower needs to assess the employability of technical secondary school graduates: the MOE had requested Bank assistance in financing the expansion of such schools. The proposed study would provide information on the feasibility of including such a component in a later operation. 7. HOA component. The conceptual foundation of this component was to improve the quality of the agricultural training apparatus in Tunisia. The project did not question the overall mission, the scope and organization of the system. Although the provision of additional equipment to 6 out the existing 9 HLAIs, to all ASSs, and to 15 out the existing 27 ATCs, and the later extension of the project's outreach to an additional 2 HLAIs and 8 ATCs, seemed to imply an endorsement of the existing system, in fact, each individual training center was functioning fairly well and was in dire need of equipment. It was therefore noncommital to provide the needed equipment, irrespective of the future structure of the whole agricultural training system.  -4- E. Prolect Imlementation 8. Project start-up was eighteen months late: the Ministry of Rational Economy was reluctant to grant equipment import licences, which delayed implementation of the MOA component, in spite of competent management by the project unit and timely bid launching. Civil works contracts for the four ENIs were signed late because of early administrative delays and late engineering studies. The technician manpower study was also late in getting started because of delays in setting up the inter-ministerial committee responsible for overseeing implementation of the study. 9. The Loan Agreement was revised twice: in July 1987, disbursement percentage for civil works were increased from 30 to 50% to reflect true indirect foreign exchange cost of civil works. XI- May 1988, the benefits of the project were extended to a larger number of agricultural training institutions. This was possible because of favorable US$/Tunisian dinar exchange rate. In addition, the closing date was extended twice: from December 1987 to December 1988 and then to December 1989. F. Maior Results of the Proiect 10. MOA component: The most evident result is that, for the most part, the institutions supported by the project offer significantly better teaching conditions, thianks to the quality of the equipment purchased. The technological complexity of the equipment is commensurate with the degree of development reached by the agriculture sector as a whole. In quantitative terms, enrollments and snnual outputs are higher than estimated at appraisal, although some of the appraisal projections do not seem to fit with the nature and potential and/or observed performance of the assisted institutions (see Part III, Section E, Table 1). 11. As indicated in paragraph 7, the project supported the existing agricultural training apparatus without questioning its structure. And yet, the agricultural manpower study included in the project implied a critical review of the soundness and the performance of the agricultural training system. The study, completed in 1988, raises serious doubts on the cost-effectiveness of the system in general. One of its major conclusions is that the agricultural educational and training system in Tunisia is dispersed into many different levels, specializations, and types of institutions, and therefore has great difficulty in reaching the necessary critical mass, in terms of teaching staff, class sizes, buildings, equipment, and documentation. The study confirmed what many critics had expressed since the early 80s: a thorough rethinking of agricultural education was needed, not only because of the dispersion mentioned before, but mainly because of the changing role of the public agricultural sector. During the 60s and 70s, nearly all trained agricultural professionals found automatic employment in the civil service. A 1984 FAO study2 showed that staff availability in 1983 already exceeded minimum requirements and replacement V/ FAO: Trained Agricultural Manpower Assessment in Africa prepared for the 13th Regional Conference for Africa, Harare, Zimbabwe, 1984, Rome.  - 5 - needs for the year 2000. It is now fully recognized that the private sector must take a larger part in the employment of agricultural professionals at all levels. 12. MOE component: Of the four ENIs financed by the project, only one if fully operational and one is not yet occupied, while two remained unfinished at completion time. These four ENIs are located in disadvantaged areas to attract local trainees who would then teach in their own region. The ENIs were initially designed to be coeducational since the assignment of female teachers far from their native areas was particularly difficult. In fact, only one is coeducational. It is unclear from project files if the decision to devote the other three schools exclusively to male trainees resulted from a lack of demand by females. 13. Enrollments and outputs are substantially lower than projected at appraisal (see part III, section E, Table 2). Several factors contributed to this: (i) the three functioning schools opened one year late; one ENI has not opened yet (coustruction encountered substantial delays because of the initial contractor's poor performance and financial difficulties, which resulted in contract cancellation and new contracts with a number of subcontractors under the supervision of the regional office of the Ministry of civil works); (ii) two of these schools are not fully finished or equippet; (iii) the ENIs were designed to offer three programs: a five-year course for trainees having completed grade 9. a one-year course for secondary school graduates, and an in-service program. Since the creation of the ENIs, the Tunisian education system has turned away from primary school teacher training in ENIs. thus reducing markedly (and eventually eliminating) the five-year program. There is therefore overcapacity in these institutions and they will in all likelihood be converted some other type of training institution, possibly IUTs (Instituts Universitaires de Technologie). 14. Overall, the ENIs are of acceptable design and quality. There are, however, a number of design shortcomings which could have been averted with better coordination between local architects and the Bank's. As table B, part III, section G, illustrates, an architect participated in most project preparation missions and in supervision missions, starting in late 1985. An architect was noticeably missing from the earlier supervision missions (late 1983 to late 1985), at a time where contribution to design could have been instrumental. Some of the design flaws involve: east-west orientation for dormitory buildings (making rooms facing west uncomfortably warm in afternoons and evenings); in three ENIs, sloped skylights on workshop roofs do not face north (making the workshops excessively warm); in one ENI, built-in masonry storage units in dormitories constraint the layout flexibility; in one ENI, a more costly and environmentally hazardous approach to sewage had to be adopted because of the presence of rocky soil, a condition which could have been identified earlier. There are also some construction flaws which endanger occupants and/or expensive equipment and which remain to be addressed: the roofing material over the workshops is composed of unpainted corrugated asbestos- cement panels, many of which are broken; and there are major cracks in walls and leaking roofslabs. 15. Technician manpower study: All eight tasks of the study have been carried out and yet they did not add up to a useful instrument. The main reasons are:  (i) little integration between the tasks, which were assigned to different teams; (ii) insufficient theoretical structure in the methodology reflecting excessive concern with cost-saving; (iii) the study, based on a highly aggregated macroeconomic model, did not sufficiently disaggregate the analysis to take into account specific features of job qualification subsets nor specificity of regional labor markets; and (iv) main recommendations and recommendations on financing are supply-driven: they focus essentially on institutional development of the MOE and enrollment projections based on assumptions on baccalaureat passing rate and orientation percentages. 16. The study concludes that the country trains fewer and fewer technicians when the country's technical attainment level is low, particularly in industry. Most working technicians (60Z) only received general secondary education. Graduates from technician training have difficulty in entering the labor market. Seen as a whole, the technician labor market does not function satisfactorily: there are at the same time an excess of some types of technicians and an unmet potential demand of some other types. Furthermore, other studies have noted that regional circumstances play an important role in the external efficiency of technical training (only 10Z of graduates from the Tunis CFP - Centre de Formation Professionnelle - were unemployed three years after graduating whereas 832 of graduates from the Sidi-Bouzid CFP were unemployed after three years. It is therefore essential to extend the analysis of the current situation to the specifics of regional labor markets and to make projections of the dynamics of these markets for medium-term assessment. This is beginning to be addressed under the FY91 Employment and Training Fund G. Proiect Sustainability. 17. MOA component. The project has made substantial efforts to ensure acceptable service life of the equipment financed. A survey was carried out recently to determine the best maintenance structure - centralized, decentralized, or through commercial firms - and will help define an overall maintenance strategy. The implementation unit has also taken steps to ensure a permanent and swift access to foreign exchange for the purchase of spare parts and accessories. In addition, it has established a demand-driven system to provide equipment to beneficiary schools. 18. It has already been pointed out that the project fell somewhat short of addressing fundamental issues relating to the agricultural training system. The growing importance of the private sector is recognized, but 90Z of the professionals trained at the ASSs and HLAIs still go for public employment - with the exception of the Food Technology Institute where only about 10% of graduates are employed by the public sector. Clearly, the Government is under pressure to provide training and employment for all graduates of the formal agricultural education system. So far, growth in the agriculture sector has enabled absorption of most graduates, but the sustainability of the existing system needs to be assessed and a long-term training and employment strategy needs to be developed. 19. MOE component. In light of the on-going restructuring of primary school teacher training, the usefulness of all ENIs is in question. This issue is currently being addressed under the FY92 Higher Education Restructuring Project.  Eventually, they will be converted into other types of training institutions, thus requiring physical modifications to adapt existing structures to their new functions. H. Performance of the World Bank. 20. HOA component: The Bank's contribution was limited to improving teaching quality (through provision of equipment) to existing training institutions. It could have contributed much more substantially by addressing structural reforms of the agricultural training system. Its performance during preparation, appraisal and supervision was basically technical, in line with defined objectives. Owing mostly to difficulties encountered in implementing the physical aspects of this component, supervision missions focussed essentially on the mechanical execution of the project (procurement, disbursements, auditing), and missed opportunities to contribute to the institutional and pedagogical impact of the operation. 21. MOE comRonent: The absence of an architect in the Bank's first supervision missions was detrimental to school design. During project implementation, however, the Bank's architects provided useful recommendations to redress construction flaws in time for them to be corrected. I. Summarv of Borrower's Actions. 22. HOA component: Difficulty in obtaining equipment import licences was the main obstacle to a timely implementation of this component. The project implementation unit was adequately staffed (although belatedly) and enjoyed an encouraging staff continuity. It provided leadership in designing a system to assess specific equipment needs for each institution and a well-coordinated equipment delivery system. In addition, it produced - and communicated to the Bank - timely, insightful, and forward-looking progress reports. 23. MOE component: Construction sites were insufficiently supervised by staff from MOE and Ministry of Public Works. In addition, late payments to contractors and the main contractor's financial difficulties resulted in construction delays. J. Government-Bank Relations during the Proiect. 24. The Borrower and the Bank displayed appropriate flexibility during project implementation, which allowed for redefinition of project scope (MOA component). Satisfactory cooperation was exercised by all teams. K. Consultants Services. 25. MOA component. The key task assigned to consultants was the agricultural manpower study, which made a critical assessment of the supply and demand and created a data base on which to base decisions for streamlining the education apparatus. It confirmed that the agricultural education system lacked a clear strategy concept and pointed out to the high financial parameters sucha as unit cost per student and per graduate. The agro-pedagogical studies and the financial analysis of school farms were conducted by MOA staff. The agro- pedagogical studies are not completed. Some of the recommendations of the school  - 8 - farm analysis have resulted in actions (such as the reduction of size of school farms). 26. Technician manPower study. Interim reports on this study were often late. It is however difficult to ascertain whether delays were caused by the consulting group responsible for the carrying out of the study or by untimely reactions from the overseeing committee. L. Documentation and Data Relating to the Proiect. 27. The program was implemented on the basis of the usual documents: Loan Agreement, Staff Appraisal Report and President's Report. MOA implementing unit provided 26 status reports of high quality. The reports provided by MOE were focussed exclusively on procurement and disbursement issues, and failed to include any impact assessment on enrollments and quality of training. The Bank's supervision reports also focusses heavily on the physical and financial aspects of project implementation.  - 9 - PART II PROJECT REVIEW FROM THE BORROWER'S PERSPECTIVE Part II only covers the agricultural training component. I. Final Project Status Introduction 1. The original purpose of the project was to accomplish the objectives set for the agricultural education system. It therefore aimed to provide eight university-level schools, four high schools and 23 agricultural training centers with additional teaching and farming equipment. Also included in the project were studies on: (i) human resource planning in the agricultural sector, with a view to matching training more closely to the demands of employment; and (ii) adjustments to training programs, teaching methods and rural communications. 2. The estimated project cost was US$13.9 million from the Bank loan and TD 1.8 million in Title II funds (Government's contribution). Usage of Funds 3. As of the project completion date, commitments had reached the following levels: US$14.39 million from the loan and TD 1.66 million from Title II funds. Fund usage was therefore 104% for the loan and 92% for Title II. Constraints 4. The progress of the project was affected by several constraints, including: (a) a delay of over one year in project start-up; (b) the withdrawal of certain suppliers because of delays in the issuing of import licences during 1985 and 1986; (c) the various changes made in the training system during project implementation; and (d) the expansion of the project to include 10 additional institutions during its final phase, resulting in an extremely heavy workload during the final months of implementation. Project Impact 5. The equipment purchased is beginning to have a very positive impact on the activities of the beneficiary establishments. In particular, the project made it possible to consolidate practical training, improve teaching methods, intensify outreach activities, improve the production techniques used in demonstration farms. Thanks to this equipment, it will also be possible to develop research and experimental programs in all institutions. In addition, the improved school management facilities have resulted in improved working and living conditions in the various institutions.  - 10 - 6. The two studies undertaken as part of the technical assistance component have resulted in the following new strategies: The study on the rehabilitation of the farms attached to the schools helped increase their educational value; and The study on the relevance of training to employment identified certain inadequacies in the training system and enabled plans to be formulated for restructuring the system. 7. With respect to the fellowship and short-course component, implementation proved costly for the country and it was considered more appropriate to execute it within the framework of bilateral assistance programs. Recommendations for more Efficient Utilization of Eguipment 8. In order to make the most efficient use of the equipment purchased under the project, the following measures should be adopted, in conjunction with the beneficiary institutions: (a) consolidation of all research programs in university-level schools; (b) intensification of development and outreach activities in surrounding areas; (c) training of maintenance teams for each category of equipment; (d) establishment of maintenance teams in each center; (e) training of laboratory staff for operating scientific equipment; and (f) training of qualified staff for operating audiovisual equipment and producing teaching aids. II. Lessons learned Bank Performance 9. During apDraisal: (i) appraisals should take into account the particular features of the individual beneficiary institution. In this case, the appraisal seems to have been based on generalizations, so that theoretical lists were drawn up bearing no relationship to the particular features of the individual institutions. Consequently, these lists had to be revised during project implementation and brought into line with the specific needs of individual training institutions. (ii) appraisals should cover all activities necessary for supporting project implementation. The agricultural component contained a program to provide additional equipment that failed to take into account the additional construction needs implied by the provision of this equipment. This resulted in a mismatch between buildings and equipment and, in certain cases, even overcrowding, despite a degree of expansion during project implementation. 10. During implementation: the importance of mid-term evaluations as part of project monitoring. The monitoring of the project was based on very brief visits. This approach makes it impossible to study any problems encountered in detail so that the necessary corrections can be made. In the future, full mid- term reviews should be made.  - 11 - Borow,er Performance 11. During appraisal: Project content should be geared to the country's current situation. This would help avoid difficulties during implementation and improve project performance. The Borrower should therefore play a more dynamic role in project appraisal. Consideration should also be given to the Borrower's possible contributions in the form of technical cooperation, particularly in the areas of training and other expertise. 12. During imDlementation: project management units should be established several months prior to start-up. This would help avoid delays, particularly during the start-up phase and would ensure successful implementation of the actions planned. 13. Experience has shown that certain appropriate measures can help increase the efficiency of the actions planned under the project, in particular updating of projections in light of developments in the project sector, involvement of future users of equipment in all phases of the project, and self-evaluation by the Borrower during project implementation. Bank-Borrower RelationshiR 14. The Bank-Borrower relationship was exemplary throughout project appraisal and implementation. There is therefore no need for further comment.  - 12 - PART III STATISTICAL INFORMATION A. Related Bank Loans The first three Bank operations (two credits and one loan) supported Government's programs to improve primary and secondary schooling and teacher training and to introduce practical work in primary and lower secondary levels. The Fourth Education Project focussed on expanding the network of vocational training centers and improving the quality of teaching. The FY89 Education and Training Sector Loan supports the Government's development of system-wide policy changes in the education and training system. The FY91 Employment and Training Fund aims at improving labor mobility by developing regional-based intermediation mechanisms for employment and skills training. LOAN/CREDIT TITLE AND PURPOSE YEAR OF STATUS APPROVAL Education I (cr.29-TUN) (see purpose above) FY63 CLOSED Education II (cr. 94-TUN) (see purpose above) FY67 CLOSED Education IV (LN 1155-TUN) (see purpose above) FY76 CLOSED Education & Training Sector Loan (LN 3054-TUN) FY89 under (see purpose above) implementation Employment & Training (LN 3255-TUN) FY91 under (see purpose above) implementation Higher Education Restructuring: Aims at FY92 appraisal improving internal & external efficiency of the completed university system and develop new autonomous & cost effective institutions to tra..n technicians B. Proiect Timetable Actual Phases in Project DeveloRment Planned Date Date 1. Identification Feb. 1981 2. Preparation 1981 3. Appraisal Mission March 1982 4. Loan Negotiations Nov. 1982 5. Board Approval Dec. 1982 6. Signing 11 Jan. 1983 7. Loan Effectiveness 08 Sep. 1983 8. Loan Closing 31 Dec. 1987 31 Dec. 1989 9. Loan Disb. Completion 30 June 1988 11 May 1990  - 13 - C. Cumulative Estimated and Actual Disbursements (million dollars) yesr 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 Appraisal Estimate 1.9 9.8 19.2 26.0 27.0 - - - Actual 0.4 0.5 1.2 3.6 6.3 10.6 16.1 20.8 Actual as Z of Estimate 21% 5% 6% 14% 23% 39% - Actual as % of revised loan amount 1 64% 83% 1 Loan amount reduced to $25 million in December 1988. $4.2 million was cancelled at time of loan closing (May 1990), thus reducing loan amount to $20.8 million.  - 14 - D. Project Costs and Financing (US$ million) 1. Project Costs Appraisal Estimate Actual 1988/1989 Foreign Foreign Local Exchange Total Local Exchange Total Costs Costs Costs Costs Costs Costs Construction 10.2 3.8 14.0 4.7 4.0 8.7 Equipment & Furniture 3.0 20.0 23.0 0.9 17.0 17.9 Experts' svs & Fellowships 0.5 2.8 3.3 - 0.5 0.5 Front end Fee - 0.4 0.4 - 0.4 0.4 Total 13.7 27.0 40.7 5.6 21.9 27.5 2. Proiect Financing Original Actual a. IBRD X of X of Category: USS M IBRD Total USS IBRD Total Construction 3.8 14 3.9 19 Equip. & Furn. 20.0 74 16.0 77 Experts' svs & Fellowships 2.8 10 0.5 2 Front End Fee 0.4 1 0.4 2 Total IBRDX 27.0 100 66 20.8 100 76 b. Government 13.7 34 6.7 24 TOTAL 40.7 100 27.5 100  - 15 - E. Prolect Results 1. Enrollments and Annual Outputs MOA Component Actual Aporaisal Estimates 1988/1989 Training Institution: Enrollments Annual Outp 1 Enrollments Annual Out_ut2 National Agricultural Instructor Training Center 325 325 n.a. 710 6 Higher Level Agricultural Institutes 760 260 1,518 354 4 Agricultural Secondary Schools 500 1963 610 99 15 Agricultural Training Centers: - 3-year courses 1,340 830 177 177 - 2-year courses --- --- 1,875 744 - short ad hoc courses n.a. 14,5004 n.a. 1,315 - short upgrading courses --- --- n.a. 6,688 N.B: Some of the appraisal projections do not seem to fit with the nature and potential and/or real performance of the assisted schools: The National Instructor Training Center was not meant to allow an enrollment capacity of 325. Given the predominance of short, specially tailored courses, the 1988/89 output of upgraded teaching personnel reached 710. The ratios between enrollments and annual outputs must at least correspond to the average number of years required to complete a given cursus. For the HIAIs and the ASSs, the ratios anticipated in the Staff Appraisal Report appear unpracticably narrow whereas the observed figures show for 1988/1989 a performance which includes a certain degree of attrition. Short upgrading courses are usually given in certain ATCs, not in ASSs. The three-year courses are the exception rather than the norm at the ATCs offering initial training. The sum of the 1988/89 output of two- and three-year courses exceeds the appraisal targets. 1 Figures based on all agricultural training institutions selected at appraisal. 2 Figures based on all agricultural training institutions, Annual Report 1988/1989. 3 plus 50 graduates who continue studies at a HLAI. 4Total output from all types of short courses to be attained by 1990.  - 16 - 2. Enrollment and Annual Outputs MOE Comvonent Apnraisal Estimate Actual/Current Estimate Primary Primary Enrollment Project's Enrollment Project's (milion) 4 ENIs all ENIs (million) 4 ENIs all-ENIs ^ 1981/82 1.08 - 1.08 - 904 1982/83 - 1,000 1.14 771 1983/84 - 1,000 1.19 - 958 1984/85 900 1.24 911 1985/86 900 1.28 - 921 1986/87 1.35 - 900 1.32 - 719 1987/88 1,500 2,400 1.34 - 995 1988/89 1,500 2,400 1.33 - 759 1989/90 1,500 2,400 1.36 956 1990/91 2,330 3,050 1.39 325 1,380 1991/92 2,350 3,050 1.42 164 886 1992/93 2,350 3,050 1.45 1,300 1,650 1993/94 2,350 3,050 1.48 1,300 1,300 1994/95 1.67 2,350 3,050 1.50 1,300 1,300 3. Gender Distribution of all ENIs Coeducational All lemale All Male Total Existing ENIs 3 4 0 7 Project-financed ENIs 1 0 3 4 Total: 4 4 1 * Additional primary school teachers are trained in other institutions.  - 17 - F. Status of Covenants The Borrower shalls 1. with respect to the study on Loan Agreement A coordinator was formally technician education and training 3.04 (a) appointed in fall 1986. system (Part C of the project: (a) appoint by June 30. 1983 a study coordinator; and (b) establish by September 30, 1983 Loan Agreement A committee was organized in and maintain an inter-ministerial 3.04 (a) 1987. study committee to review progress. 2. Appoint by September 30, 1983 in Loan Agreement A staff member was appointed in each of the agricultural secondary 3.06 (b) each school. schools to be equipped by the project a staff member responsible for students' training. 3. Appoint a director for the Loan Agreement A director was appointed in National Agricultural Instructor 4.04 fall 1983. Training Center by June 1. 1983. G. Use of Bank Resources A. Staff Inputs (Staffweeks) Stage of Prolect Cycle FY82 FY83 FY84 FY85 FY86 FY87 FY88 FY89 FY90 TOTAL To Appraisal Departure 27.1 27.1 Appraisal through Effectiveness 24.7 40.6 65.3 Supervision - 4.5 22.1 13.6 18.4 11.5 8.3 2.2 0.2 80.6 TOTAL 51.8 45.1 22.1 13.6 18.4 11.5 8.3 2.2 0.2 173.0  - 18 - B. BANK MISSIONS Stages of Month/ No. of Staff/ Specialization Performance Cycle Year . Staff Weeks Rating Identification to Appraisal: 2/80 3 9 GE,TE 10/80 5 10 GE,EC,AC,TE, AgE 3/81 1 1 EC 6/81 6 9 EC,GE,LO,TE,AgE Subtotal: 29 ApDraisal throuzh Board Presentation: 3/82 6 11 EP,GE,AC,TE,AgE 8/82 2 1.5 LO,AC 9/82 4 8 DC,AC,EC,AgE Subtotal: 20.5 Board ApDroval through Effectiveness: 2/83 2 1 DC,AC 1 5/83 3 1.5 TE,AC,GE 1 Subtotal: 2.5 Supervision: 12/83 4 4 GE,EP,TE,AgE 2/84 5 5 GE,EC,TE, 1 M 9/84 3 1.5 GE,EC 1 M 5/85 2 1 TE,GE 9/85 3 4 TE,AC,DC 2 2/86 2 2.5 TE,AC 2 6/86 1 2 AC 2 10/86 1 1.5 AC 2 3/87 3 .5 EC,AC,EP 2 10/87 2 3.5 EP,AC 2 6/88 1 1.5 EP 2 11/88 1 1 AG 2 Subtotal 28 Grand Total 80 Key to symbols: EC: Economist TE: Technical Educator GE: General Educator AC: Architect EP: Planner LO: Loan Officer DC: Division Chief or Deputy Chief AG: Agriculturalist AgE: Agricultural Educator 1: Problem-free or minor problems 2: Moderate Problems M: Management Problems in MOE  - 19 - Annex I PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE (ORIGINAL AND ACTUAL) 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 MOA Component Civil works - Furniture & Equipment Studies Fellowships _ = HOE Comionent Civil works. Furniture & Equipment __ _ _ _ _ __ _ _I___ _ _ _ _ _ I TEC8NICIAN MANPOWER STUDY Loan effectiveness - Closing Date -.x Loan Closing - i x - original activities as planned in SAR xx=xx actual activities