Niger - Basic Education Sector Project (Hybrid)

(G4' ( AL/1 - v/ DOmSMOR of The World Bank FOR OMFICAL USE ONlY Rep , No. P-6328-lIR rREPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELPEN ASSOCIATION TO THE XCUTI DIRECTORS ON A PROPOSED CREDIT IN AN AMOUNT OF SDR 29.3 MILLION (BQIALENT TO US$41.4 MILLION) TO TE REPUBLIC OF NIQM I?OR A BASIC EDUCATION SECTOR PROJECT (HYBRID) NAY 5, 1994 This document has a restricted distilbt1 ad ma be _d by recpien oaly in the prfoem of e ofia doies. Its WM=31 Mly not otewise be discdosed widot wold Bak authorim  CURRENCYEALEN Currency Unit CFA Franc (CFAF) US$1.Q0 CFAF 597 CFAF I million - US$1,67S.04 AUMIAOn R AND ACRONYXMS AfDB African Development Bank BIES Bureau des Infrasactes et des Equlpeent ScolalreslSchool Construction Buream CAPED Ceule d 'nbnalon Pedagoglque/Pedagogical Networks of Closely Locad Schools CEO CoNllge d-'Enselgnemeia GEniralALower Secoday School CPSF CeL;de de Promoton de la Scolarisation des FlUeslGlis Education Promotion Unit DAF Direction des Affaires FlnnlreslFP_c DAAP Drecdon des Affaires Adnistratives et du PesonneDirection d'Adominstration et Personnel DBES Direcion des Bourses et de l'Ensedgnement Skr /Scolardhps DEP Direcion des Etudes et de la Progrwam onIPlanning Directorate DEPD Directorate of Primary Education DPE Direction des Projets Educadoit!ireclorate of Education Projects DPRM Direction de lnselgnemet Pr ENA Ecowe Nadonale dmlnlstrationiNatioral School of A ENS Ecole Nonnale Sup'rlrelSecondary Teacher Tinig Colg EERP Emergency Education Rehabilitation Plan FAC Fond: d'lde et de CoopratJon FroVnise/French Fund for Cooperation FP FaaatE de P4dagoglelSdiool of Pedagogy iEC Infi, Education, Commicaton INAs Irslt*ur-dol its INDRAP National Pedagogical 1stitte Ns h MEtERSA Arabic lang e shools MEN MNsti de lducatdon NatondeMistry of Nationa Eatdon MOHND Msty of Healts Nutiton Divsion MTP Miste des Vawa P*blacslM;istry of Pubic Works NPIfr Natinal Pdagogl Mobile Team PCEO Lower Secondary School Teacher PES Professud Second cdeIUpper Secondr Teachets TMCs Primary Teacher Training Colleges SRP Sectoral Reform Program WFP World Food Program ZOPP Objectives-oriented Project Pl1ani System/dl Orkndeut ek Pl_8g Fiscal Yea Jalnuary 1 - Decembr 31 Scool Year. October - Jume  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY REPMUIC OF NIGER BASIC EDUCATION SECTOR PROJECT (HYBRID) TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDIT AND PROJECT SUMMARY .................................... i PARTI. THE ONOf..... ...................... 1 PART H. THE EDUCAQ& SECTOR .................................. 2 A. Overview ................................. 2 B. Sector Development Issues .......................................... 5 1. Limited and hquitable Access to Primary Education ............... 5 2. PoorQuaityof PrimaryEducation ............................. 6 3. nffiedent tranng and use of teachers ....... .................. 8 4. Higher edtucation unresponsive to labor market demand .... .......... 9 S. Weak Plning and Managemnent Capacity ...... ........... 10 C. The Government's Strategy ................. 10 D. The Bank Group's Role .......................... ............... 10 PART m. THE PROJECT .............. 12 A. Project Objectives and description ...... ........ 12 1. Implementing a Sectoral Reform Progrm (SWP) .......... .... 12 2. Inproving Access to and Quaity of Primary Education .............. 16 3. StrengthenIng Sector Managerial and Planning Capacities .24 D. Costs and nandng, Credit Amount .28 C. Inpact of the Proposed Project ..29 PART IV. PR03ECI MA..MEMIATIN . .30 A. Project Readiness, Implementation Responsibilities and Monitoring .... ....... .. 30 B. Procurement ................................. 31 C. Disbursements .36 D. Accounting, Auditing and Reporting .37 PART V. PROJ..ENEfS ANDI)SKS .. .37 A. Project Benefits and Risks .37 PART VI. AIMEF' CHED AND ......... 38 A. Sectorsl Reform Program (Quick-disbursing Element) ............ ........... 38 B. Investment .39 his rpo is based an t ndigW of a two-ge procs: An paisl took plac in October 1,9 nd wa kd by Mr. Jlger Fre&e. Princi.pa Education P_ne (AFSPK) but proesig beyovd th yew covr revie was posoned de to Poltc insabiy in Nigr. . policy dialogue betwee IDA nd the Govwnm conied dudri the aio towa democatc elecd and procesing s resumed folowin a r4ppisl muisio in December l99 d by Mr. Makha Nao, Task Manager/EducanSpecbali (APSPH and Wicluding Ms. Tows Mark Public Helth Specia (AFSP); . PM re Ngn Pam Officer (AFSNUI); and Ubhd Moaim (Consla). Mr. Benad AbJU, Sr. phit p o (AFrCE) provide exens aus c finAzi te precn wortin pr. Mr. Sahbvar Dwp (AFrC3) finlizd the textbookcompone. The repor was ppared by Mr. Ndw. The repot wa ed by Mr. Ron Pfil, El Assiant (APSPH), coain d ptocessing w finad by Me. Iane Leygonie, Sr. Stff Asssai (AFSPI. Mc Katai Sim" and Mr. Brger PFedulk ae th Departme Duiecor and Maing Division Chi c y. fr dt opson Me. WViim D. Cooper (Cou nd nuel Zymeln (Consan - frmerdy AFrHR) ar t p rvewes Imis document has a restricted distibution and may be used by recipients only in the prfoa f thei lofficial dui Its cotnts may not othevise be dsosed witt World Bank a0ortzation.  ILST OF ANNEXES ANNEX I Key Macroeconomic Social Data ANNEX 2 Social Development Indicators ANNEX 3 Basic Data ANNEX 4 Org4algrawm du Mldstre de 1'Edwadon Nattona et RedhrdzeslOrganlzadon Chart ANNEX S Education Data ANNEX 6 Anna Monitrang Indicators ANNEX 7 Plan d'Ocution du ProjetlAmplementation Plan ANNEX 8 Lettre de Poldq&a EducadvelLetter of Educaion Sector Policy ANNEX 9 Summary of Recurrent Expenditures and Costs Savings ANNEX 10 Infauctues ScolalulSchool Constructions ANNEX 11 Fomation des Maftresfeachers Tning ANNEX 12 Matkrels DtdacdqweslPedagogic M ials ANNEX 13 Co&s du ProjetICOSTAB ANNEX 14 Project Monitoring and Supervision Plan ANNEX 15 Procurement Arrangements ANNEX 16 Disbursements Schedule MAP: IBRD 16779R  REPlBLIC OF NIGER BASIC EDUCATION SECTOR ]PROJECT YBRID) CREDIT AND PROJECT SUMMRY Bwrower: Republic of Niger Bleteia: MNistry of Education Credlt Amount: SDR 29.3 million (US$41.4 million equivalent) Trms: Standard IDA terms, with 40 years maturity oflandug: Govew ment of Germany (tJS$10.2 million equivalent), and Norway (US$4.8 millon equivalent) Project Objectis and Description: Niger is one of the five countries in the world Xiat have less than one-third of their children entroed in primary education. Although primay school enrollment increased by 73% between 1980 and 1993, due to high population growth, the enrollment coverage in 1993 (29%) was only marginly higher ta In 1980 (25%). Gids account for only 36% of prmary school enrollment. Instruion quality is low and declining. Despite these disturbing tends In primary education, only 45% of the public education budget is devoted to this level of educaton. Against this background, the Government has developed an Emergency Education Rehabiiation Plan (EERP), desigWed to initate a transformaton of Niger's education system from a small, ditist and cosdy system into one that is more relevant and equitable, where resources are more efficiendy mobilized and used, and where absolute priority is given to expansion and quality improvements of primary education. The proposed project would support implementation of the EERP between 1994 and 1999 to achieve the following targets in the 199912000 school-year: (a) raise admission into grade one of primary education by 40%; (b) increase the share of girls's enrollment in primary education from 36% to 40%, and (c) reduce the percentageof repetion in primary education from 16% to 10%. Atzainingthese targets would result in an icreae in the primary school enrollment ratio from 29% in 1993/94 to 35% by 1999/2000. The project is a byrid. comprised of Q) a SectoralRrmZPro supported by general budgetary assistance released in two tanches, and designed to promote more cost-effective use of public education resources; and (i1) a Secot Investment Progam designed to increase access to and quality of prmary education and to improve the Government's capacity to plan and mane resource use in the education sector. More specifically, the project would:  1. Iplement a Sector Rform PrpgraM designed to: (a) increase public expenditures on primary education; O) extend the use of double-shift teaching in primary education; (c) restructure and consolidate trainingof primary school teachers; (d) consolidate training of secondary school teachers; (e) use teachers more efficiendy in general secondary educa- tion; and (t) contain student subsidies in secondary and higher education. 2. Improve Access to and Ouality og Primary Education by: (a) constructing about 1,770-primary school classrooms and reb hbilitating about 1,500 classrooms; (b) developing and implementing a program to accelerate girls' education; (c) improving the quality of primary school teachers training programs; (d) providing about 1.6 million prmary school text- books, 1.2 million mathematics workbooks, and 30,000 teacher guides; and (e) supporting a GovernmentfUNICEF-run micronutrients program. 3. Strengthningg Sector Manageial and Planning Ca=acities by: (a) strengthening the capacity of the Ministry of Education to manage education resources and implement and evaluate education improvement programs; (b) improving the efficiency of decentralized sector planning and management; and (c) preparing a development strategy for higher education. Benefits and Risk: The main benefits are: h