Guinea - Higher Education Management Support Project

Document of The World Bank Report No. 14895-GUI STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT NOVEMBER 6, 1995 Population and Human Resources Operations Division Western Africa Department Africa Region CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (February 1995) US$1 = GNF978 GNF1 = US$0.001 GNF1000 = US$1.05 MEASURES 1 im = 1.09 yd 1 m2 = 10.76 sq ft 1km2 = 0.38 sq mi ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ACDI Agence Canadienne du Dgveloppement International (Canadian Agency for International Development) DAAF Division des Affaires Administratives et Financires (Financial Affairs Directorate) FED Fonds Europen du Dveloppement (Lomd IV) (European Development Fund) GIZ Gesellschaftjfir technische Zusammenarbeit (German Technical Assistance) MEPUFP Ministre de I'Enseignement Pr4-Universitaire et de la Formation Professionnelle (Ministry of Pre-University Education and Vocational Training) MESRSC Ministre de l'Enseignement Sup rieur, de la Recherche Scientifique et de la Culture (Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Culture) PADES Projet d'Appui au Dveloppement de 1'Enseignement Supgrieur (Higher Education Management Support Project) PASE Programme d'Ajustement Sectoriel de l'Education (Education Sector Adjustment Program) PPF Project Preparation Facility USAID United States Agency for International Development Fiscal Year University Year January 1 - December 31 October - June * REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT CONTENTS Page No. CREDIT AND PROJECT SUMMARY....................................I 1. INTRODUCTION...............1..... ........................ 2. SECTORAL BACKGROUND ....................... ................ 2 A . B ackground ................................................................................................................................................ 2 B. Econom ic Developm ents ............................................................................................................................ 2 C . Education Sector ........................................................................................................................................ 3 D. Lessons Learned from Previous IDA Involvement ................................................................................... 8 3. THE PROJECT ............................................. .... 9 A . O bjectives and Scope ............................................................................................................................... 10 B. Project D escription .................................................................................................................................. 10 C. Project Cost and Financing ..................................................................................................................... 16 4. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ........... . .. . . ............... 17 A. Status of Project Preparation ................................................................................................................ . 17 B. Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................... 17 C. Im plem entation Schedule ........................................................................................................................ 19 D . Procurem ent ............................................................................................................................................ 19 E . D isbursem ents .......................................................................................................................................... 21 F. Accounting, Auditing, Reporting and Monitoring .................................................................................. 22 5. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS.......................................... 23 6. PROJECT BENEFITS AND RISKS ............................. .....27 A . Benefits ..................................................................................................................................................... 27 B. R isks ......................................................................................................................................................... 27 7. AGREEMENTS REACHED AND RECOMMENDATION ...............28 This report is based on the findings of the Bank appraisal mission which visited Guinea in May, 1994. This mission comprised Messrs./Mmes Robert Prouty (Education Specialist, Task Manager and Mission Leader), Marylou Bradley (Operations Analyst), Cherif Diallo (Economist, Resident Mission), Jean Laroche (Communications Specialist/Consultant), and Maurice Gamier (Higher Education Specialist/Consultant). The Lead Adviser is Mr. Thomas Eisemon (PSP). The Peer Reviewer is Mr. William Saint (AF4PH). Ms. Janine Leygonie, Sr. Staff Assistant (AF5PH) participated in the production, processing and finalization of the report. Mr Jean-Louis Sarbib and Mr. Ok Pannenborg are the Department Director and Managing Division Chief, respectively, for this operation. iv ANNEXES Annex 1-A Basic Data Annex 1-B Male Female Comparisons of Predicted Hourly Earnings Annex 1-C Flow chart of the Guinean Education System Annex 2-A Key Project Activities Annex 2-B Training and Skills Transfer Annex 3 Project Cost and Financing Tables Annex 4 Mid-Term Review Annex 5 Implementation Schedule Annex 6 Policy Statement for Higher Education and Research Annex 7 Selected Activities Institutional Reotganization Component Annex 8 Operating Budgets Annex 9 Higher Education Enrollment by Institution Annex 10 Implementation Manual: Table of Contents Annex 11 Summary Statement of Loans and IDA Credits Annex 12 Selected Documents Available in the Project File Annex 13 Estimated Schedule of IDA Disbursements REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT CREDIT AND PROJECT SUMMARY Borrower: Government of Guinea Implementing Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Culture Agency: (MESRSC) Beneficiaries: Post-secondary students under the aegis of MESRSC Credit Amount: SDR 4.5 million (US$6.6 million equivalent) Terms: Standard IDA terms with 40 years maturity Financing Plan': IDA: US$6.6 million Government: US$0.7 million Total: US$7.4 million Project Objectives & Description: This operation has been designed to provide support for development and implementation of a new policy framework in Guinean higher education, and for institutional capacity-building. Activities in support of policy development are front-loaded to the first two years of the four-year project. The long-term objective of the project is to establish a reconfigured, streamlined system of higher education and research, with greater institutional autonomy, improved cost-effectiveness, and increased relevance for economic development. Specific objectives are to help the government to: (a) reorganize the Ministry and the institutions of higher education based on identified need and resource availability; (b) build financial and budget management capacity at the Ministry and institutional levels; and (c) establish a viable information and communication system. The Ministry will assume a new role focusing on quality control, cost-effectiveness and relevance. This will mean overhauling the flow of information, establishing criteria for evaluating teaching and learning processes (linking the amount of financing to these criteria), and helping the institutions become more academically relevant and financially competitive. This approach is seen as a necessary prelude to any broader attempt to redefine curricular offerings, etc., or any major investment operation, all of which will be undertaken only under a follow- up operation to be contingent upon progress realized through this project. Slight differences in the amounts may occur due to rounding of figures. The project will: 1. Support institutional reorganization by: * Financing analysis and reform of university governance, finance, management, female participation, student services, user fees and other areas in the context of decentralization and institutional autonomy. Agendas for the studies and analysis under the first year of the project have been developed through a broadly participatory process at each of the institutions of higher education and of research; and * Financing Ministry-level development of accreditation and evaluation procedures. 2. Upgrade the information and communication systems by: * Overhauling data collection, analysis, and dissemination procedures at the central Ministry level; * Creating institutional information systems; and * Improving communications via installation of a telephone system at the University of Conakry, radio communications throughout the sector, and Internet connectivity. 3. Improve Budgetary Programming and Monitoring by: * Supporting Ministry-level financial management, including establishment of an internal audit unit and application of competitive funding criteria to allocation of institutional grants; and * Supporting institution-level financial management, including implementation of a computerized accounting system. Benefits: The economic analysis conducted during project preparation focused on internal efficiency savings generated by the project. The external benefits of the interventions planned were not quantified because of the weakness of the existing data base, a weakness to be addressed under the project. Internal savings and new revenues were estimated in four key project areas: (i) private resource mobilization, (ii) the opening of University social services management to competitive bidding, (iii) restriction of scholarships, and (iv) increased productivity of teaching and non-teaching personnel. It was estimated that cost-savings and resource mobilization will amount to US$6.4 million over the life of the project, and that additional recurrent costs under the project will amount to US$1.6 million, for net savings over four years of approximately US$4.8 million. Key performance indicators have been included in Government's Policy Statement for Higher Education and Research (Annex 6). iii The project will help the Guinean government ensure that future investments in the sector are focused on sustainable activities and programs that can be shown to have an impact on economic development. By introducing cost recovery measures, it obliges the sector to initiate demand-driven programs which provide graduates with marketable skills. Through development of criterion-based funding, along with accreditation mechanisms, the project provides incentives to individual institutions to achieve long overdue cost efficiencies. Along with the budgetary targets included in the Government's policy statement for higher education, to be monitored throughout the project, this will further ensure that the absolute priority given to primary education is maintained, and that funds arc freed for the continued expansion of primary and secondary education and for improvements in the quality of higher education. Recasting the role of the Ministry of Higher Education (MESRSC) as one of support and quality control, rather than direct management will reduce political tensions throughout the entire sector and provide a more stable environment, conducive to the long-term sustainability of reform efforts. Risks: The project is low risk. Policy reform measures have been front-loaded early in the project cycle to ensure that they remain the focus of activities and the subject of the annual and mid-term reviews. The main short-term risks include the availability of capable leadership to guide the reform process and potential opposition from interest groups (students, faculty) that may see themselves as losers in the process; long-term risks include the potential failure of Government to provide adequate ongoing budgetary support and the converse possibility that increased investments in higher education will draw resources away from primary education. These risks cannot be entirely eliminated, but they have been addressed through the participatory, consensual approach taken to project development. Intensive budgetary discussions were held with representatives from the Ministry of Pre-University Education (MEPUFP) and the Ministry of Higher Education, as well as the Ministry of Finance, to ensure agreement on budgetary funding that gives a continuing priority to primary education. These agreements are included in the policy letters for both ministries and will be a focus of annual and mid-term reviews for this project and for the Equity and School Improvement Project approved by the Board in May 1995. iv Poverty Category: Not applicable Economic Rate of Return: Not applicable Economic Analysis: Net annual savings from the project would be approximately 1.2 million dollars, or just over 4.8 million dollars over the course of the project. Of this amount, approximately two-thirds would be reinvested in higher education and research and one-third in primary and secondary education. The current project was the least cost alternative of the various approaches considered. Program Objectives Category: Human Resources Development Map: IBRD No. 27032 V Summary of IDA Financed Project Cost Estimates' (US$ million equivalent, including taxes and duties) Foreign Local Total % of Total Base Cost 1. Institutional reorganization 1.4 1.7 3.1 48% 2. Information & communication systems 0.8 0.9 1.7 27% 3. Budgetary programming & monitoring 0.5 0.5 1.0 15% 4. Refunding of PPF 0.3 0.3 0.6 10% 3.1 TOTAL BASE COSTS: 3.4 6.5 100% 0.2 Physical Contingencies: 0.2 0.2 0.4 6% Price Contingencies: 0.3 0.5 8% TOTAL PROJECT COST: 3.4 4.0 7.4 114% Financing Plan (US$ million equivalent, including taxes and duties) Foreign Local Taxes & Total Duties IDA 3.4 3.3 0.0 6.6 Government 0.0 0.3 0.4 0.7 TOTAL 3.4 3.5 0.5 7.4 Estimated IDA Disbursements (US$ million equivalent, including taxes and duties) IDA Fiscal Years FY96 FY97 FY98 FY99 Annual 3.5 1.5 1.3 1.0 Cumulative 3.5 5.1 6.4 7.4 Slight differences in the amounts may occur due to rounding of figures.  REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Government of Guinea has requested IDA financing over four years for a technical assistance credit to support the development and initial implementation of a reform program for its higher education and research sector. This operation has been designed to provide support for development and implementation of a new policy framework in Guinean higher education, and for institutional capacity-building. Activities in support of policy development are front-loaded to the first two years of the project. This will be the first IDA credit for higher education, although a number of policy discussions were held in the context of the recently completed Education Sector Adjustment Program (PASE, 1990-1994). It will cover the period 1995-2000. The project will include support for feasibility studies, management training, and improved communications at the five institutions of higher education managed by the Ministre de l'Enseignement Supgrieur, de la Recherche Scientifique, et de la Culture (MESRSC), the two principal research institutions, and the central Ministry. A decision will be made at the time of the mid-term review regarding a reconfiguration and streamlining of the Ministry, with the expected closing of some institutions and programs and the realigning of others. 1.2 The long-term objective of the project is to establish a reconfigured, streamlined system of higher education and research, with greater institutional autonomy, improved cost- effectiveness, and increased relevance for economic development. Specific objectives are to help the government to: (a) reorganize the Ministry and the institutions of higher education based on identified need and resource availability; (b) build financial and budget management capacity at the Ministry and institutional levels; and (c) establish a viable information and communication system. The Ministry will assume a new role focusing on quality control, cost-effectiveness and relevance. This will mean overhauling the flow of information, establishing criteria for evaluating teaching and learning processes (linking the amount of financing to these criteria), and helping the institutions become more academically relevant and financially competitive. It is seen as a necessary prelude to any broader attempt to redefine curricular offerings, etc., or any major investment operation, all of which will be undertaken only under a follow-up operation to be contingent upon progress realized through this project. 1.3 The project is consistent with the Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) discussed by the Board on March 1, 1994. Recognizing the links between education and economic growth, the Country Assistance Strategy emphasizes the need to build a strong human resource base. It calls for higher education reform "in light of severe shortcomings in the adequacy of higher education training vis-i-vis economic development needs and high unit costs." IDA has taken the initiative at the pre-university level of ensuring that donors have worked at high levels of collaboration with one another and with Government, ensuring that sectoral investments and 2 donor coordination occur within a supportive policy environment. This project will extend the collaborative approach to higher education and will strengthen ongoing Bank support for improving policy articulation and resource allocation. The project will be the fifth IDA- financed operation for educational development in Guinea. It will be implemented simultaneously with the Equity and School Improvement Project (Cr.2719-GUI), and builds on lessons learned through the Education Sector Adjustment Credit (Cr. 2155-GUI, 1990-94), an Education Project (Cr. 849-GUI, 1978-84) and a Second Education Project (Cr. 1341-GUI, 1983-90). 1.4 The proposed IDA credit of US$6.6 million will finance 90% of the total program cost, including 100% of the foreign exchange cost (US$3.4 million equivalent) and 91% of the local cost (US$3.3 million equivalent). Total program cost is estimated at US$7.4 million equivalent, with a foreign exchange component of US$3.4 million equivalent. Guinea (the Government) will finance 10% of the program cost, including 9% of local cost (US$0.3 million equivalent), plus taxes and duties (US$0.4 million equivalent). 2. SECTORAL BACKGROUND A. Background 2.1 Guinea is a country with 6.2 million inhabitants and a high population growth of 2.8% per year (1993). It has long been one of Africa's most conspicuous underachievers. Guinea has one of the highest concentrations of mineral resources in Africa (bauxite, diamond and gold) and a high agricultural potential. The mining sector accounts for 22% of GDP, agriculture for less than 30%. Yet Guinea's per capita income is only US$537, with low social indicators such as life expectancy (44 years), infant mortality (133 per 1,000 live births) and illiteracy (76%). B. Economic Developments 2.2 Since the beginning of 1986, the Government of Guinea has been implementing an ambitious program of economic and financial reform. IDA and the IMF supported the adjustment through a SAL I (1986) and two stand-by arrangements in 1986 and 1987. This program was aimed at improving the incentive framework for private sector development (including the health sector), phasing out state involvement in commercial enterprises, instituting better management of the administration (including a reduction in the size of the civil service) and developing a strong human resource base. The reform program has resulted in a full transition from a command to a market economy, increases in non-mining revenues, the privatization or liquidation of a large number of public enterprises, and a comprehensive reform of and reduction in the size of the public administration from 95,000 to 52,000 individuals. While progress in the first phase of the adjustment program was encouraging, some of the more difficult institution-building and politically sensitive reforms of the second phase have not been implemented at the rhythm anticipated. Consequently, the reform process 3 has slowed, with some key measures remaining to be taken. A SAL II was approved by IDA in August 1988. Since July 1994, Guinea is implementing the second year program of an Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility arrangement approved by the IMF in November 1991, suspended in early 1992 and replaced by a shadow program until June 1994. Overall, the Government's program has resulted in real economic growth, averaging 3.8% per annum from 1987-1992, an increase in real per capita income of about 1% per annum. C. Education Sector 2.3 Structure. The educational system consists of six years of primary schooling, a four- year cycle for lower secondary and vocational training, a three-year upper secondary cycle, and five years of tertiary education. There is no upper secondary vocational training, but there are a number of post-secondary vocational programs of varying length run by a wide range of sectoral ministries. During the 1993-94 school year, Guinea's pre-university educational system accommodated 589,000 students, with 471,000 students in primary school, 109,900 students in secondary school, and 8,100 students in technical schools. The higher education system accommodated 8,104 students. The total number of teaching staff during the 1993-94 school year for the primary and secondary levels was 14,800 as compared to 786 full-time professors in the higher education system. 2.4 Administration. The sector is managed by two separate ministries--one for pre- university and vocational education (Ministre de l'Enseignement Pri-Universitaire et de la Formation Professionnelle [MEPUFP]) and another for higher education and research (Ministre de 'Enseignement Supgrieur, de la Recherche Scientifique, et de la Culture [MESRSC]). The MEPUFP directs all pre-university structures through eight regional Academic Inspectorates which in turn administer 38 prefectoral-level Directorates of Education (Direction pr6fectorale de l'ducation, DPE) and 210 sub-prefectoral Pedagogic Delegates. Significant progress has been evident in the past few years for the programs managed by MEPUFP. Under the Education Sector Adjustment Program, primary school enrollments increased by over 70% during the period 1991-1994. Pre-university budgeting processes and financial management procedures were greatly strengthened. A highly successful redeployment of 2200 underutilized secondary school teachers and administrative personnel to primary school classrooms took place in 1992-1993. Yet if the sector is showing much greater signs of health at the primary and secondary levels, similar improvements have not occurred for higher education, where key indicators continue to deteriorate. Reforms in 1984 moved the subsector away from a heavy focus on agricultural training but did not result in desired improvements to quality and relevance. The percentage of female students in higher education declined from 19% in 1984 to under 6% by 1993. The sector has been plagued by student strikes and low quality. This comes against the backdrop of a weakening macroeconomic framework and the Finance Ministry's recent record of sporadic disbursements to the sector. 2.5 The MESRSC is responsible for the two Guinean universities (the University of Conakry [UGANC] and the University of Kankan [UJNK], three specialized institutes (the Teacher Training Institute in Maneah, the Giscard d'Estaing Agriculture and Veterinary Institute in Faranah, and the Mining and Geology Institute in Bok6) and a number of scientific 4 research centers. Management of these institutions is highly fragmented. The respective responsibilities of the Ministry and the institutions have been ill-defined, with a great deal of overlap, resulting in conflict and organizational inertia. This has contributed to a precipitous decline in educational quality and the relevance of course content. The situation has been further aggravated by the total lack of communications capacity within the sector, and the absence of reliable statistical data. In an attempt to resolve the ongoing management and pedagogic crises, the Government decided in 1993 to grant greater autonomy to the institutions. This decision has been only partially implemented because of limited financial and educational management capacity and because the type and degree of autonomy to be granted was not clearly defined. During the preparation of the proposed project, a number of working sessions have been held in order to frame these issues, and a clear statement of policy has been prepared. This policy highlights the development of management capacity, information flow procedures, and cost-effectiveness. It calls for a new and clear division of responsibilities between Ministry and institutional personnel, with the Ministry assuming responsibility for coordination and quality control and the institutions taking responsibility for management of personnel, finances, program development and institutional development. The Government and the institutions have expressed their commitment to early implementation of the new policy. 2.6 The institutional framework. Until 1984, higher education in Guinea was dominated by more than 40 post-secondary agricultural training schools accounting for over 50% of all students. Far-reaching reforms in 1984 left only fifteen post-secondary institutions in Guinea. Ten of these are technical training schools, overseen by four different ministries. There are five institutions run by the Ministry of Higher Education (Ministre de l'Enseignement Supgieur, de la Recherche Scientifique, et de la Culture--MESRSC): (i) the University of Conakry (Universitg Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry--UGANC) is by far the largest institution, with just under 6000 students and 600 teaching staff. It consists of four faculties (science, letters and humanities, medicine and pharmacy, and economics and law) and one polytechnic institute with five engineering departments. It has no telephones and few computers; (ii) the University of Kankan (Universitg Julius Nyerere de Kankan--UJNK) has about 1200 students, with about 100 teaching staff. It consists of two faculties (natural science and social science); (iii) the Teacher Training Institute of Guinea (Institut Supgrieur des Sciences de l'Education en Guinge--ISSEG) has a variable enrollment ranging from 125 to 400 students or more, depending on training needs. It has 50 teachers; (iv) the Agriculture and Veterinary Institute of Faranah (Institut Sup6rieur Agronomique et Vgtgrinaire--Valiry Giscard d'Estaing--ISA V) had 111 teachers and 161 students in 1992--enrollment has since increased to about 250 students; (v) the Mining and Geology Institute of Bokd (Institut Supgrieur des Mines et Ggologie--ISMG) has 29 full-time teachers. It produced 16 graduates in 1993. Its enrollment is near 250. In addition to these schools, MESRSC runs two major centers for research and development: the Research Center of Conakry-Rogbane (Centre de Recherche de Conakry-Rogbane--CERESCOR), which conducts research in oceanography and civil engineering, and the Guinean Institute for Research and Applied Biology (Institut de Recherche et de Biologie Appliquge de Guinge--1RBAG) which conducts research in medical biology (transmissible diseases, epidemiological monitoring, etc.) and zoology. 5 2.7 None of these institutions is running an effective program at present. With the exception of the Teacher Training Institute, for which new facilities are being built with FED financing, the physical infrastructure is everywhere in poor condition. Many programs have little relevance for the country's economic development and most are severely underfunded. Several are overstaffed while others suffer from staff shortages. Activities in the research institutions often overlap research activities in the teaching institutions, with little effort at coordination. In 1994, limited autonomy was granted to these institutions although the operational meaning of this autonomy was left largely undefined. In its policy statement for higher education and research, submitted to IDA in draft form as a condition of negotiations [para. 7.1 (a)], the Government recognizes these weaknesses and affirms its intent to make fundamental changes in the way the sector is structured, including redeployment and more effective use of teachers, cost recovery, limits to student enrollment, and improvements in quality. 2.8 The Guinea Higher Education Management Support Project (PADES) is a technical assistance project designed to help the higher education and research sector establish the framework for more responsive and cost-effective programs in these institutions. While primary education will remain the clear priority of Government for the sector, as evidenced by the Guinea Equity and School Improvement Project, the current initiative will enable higher education to be an effective and efficient contributor to the country's economic development. It will do this by strengthening the management capacity of the institutions of higher education and research, re-orienting institutional goals, programs and resources according to development priorities, increasing cost-effectiveness, and creating a new quality control role for the central Ministry. 2.9 The proposed project is process-oriented, designed to ensure government ownership of the reform process as recommended in the Guinea Higher Education and Research Sector Report (May 1993). It will enhance overall planning capacity and rationalize the budgetary process, re-orienting spending toward quality-enhancing inputs and away from social transfers and administrative overhead. During the course of project preparation, there has been a significant shift in spending in the education sector from higher education to primary and secondary education. Higher education's share of the recurrent education budget has moved from 29% in 1990 to 21% in 1992 and 17.5% in 1995. It is expected that higher education's share of the education budget will stabilize at 17% in the short term, and remain in the range of 17-20% in the medium term, as Guinea continues a major thrust to improve the quality and coverage of primary and lower secondary education. This is below the sub-Saharan Africa average for higher education of about 22% and makes it all the more important that national priorities be established and that programs be implemented efficiently. The project will capitalize on the expressed desire of the stakeholders in higher education to significantly alter the structure of higher education and to engage in major pedagogical changes. This first step in the process of comprehensive reform is seen as a necessary pre-requisite to future capital investments. 2.10 The existing framework for higher education in Guinea has proven to be unsatisfactory. Resource allocation is skewed; quality, efficiency and equity are far too low and overhead 6 costs and waste are far too high. Fewer than 6% of university students are female. There is little contact between personnel of the various institutions and relationships with the Ministry have often been unproductive: highly skilled manpower is not available, research relevant to the economic needs of the country is not carried out or, if it is, cannot be communicated to potential users. The system is widely perceived as being out of touch with its economic and social environment, with many programs irrelevant to Guinea's development needs, and little evidence of the flexibility needed to respond to changing conditions. Reversing the current trend of deterioration and declining relevance will require fundamental changes in funding, programs and management, including: (i) initiation of user fees; (ii) curtailing of scholarships; (iii) full privatization of cafeteria services on a competitive basis (a process which is already under way); (iv) significant increases in professors' work schedules and reductions in overtime payments; and (v) additional investments in infrastructure and materials to improve priority programs, as well as laboratory services, library services, communications, computerization, and information management. 2.11 The policy environment. According to the 1993 World Bank report, "Higher education in Guinea has been characterized by wild policy gyrations over the past two decades, and has gone from a period of explosive, uncontrolled expansion to one of cutbacks and physical deterioration". This has occurred in a context of physical and intellectual isolation. The institutions within the system are currently unable to communicate directly with one another, with the Ministry of Higher Education, or with external sources, and there is no mechanism for routine consultations and exchanges. Furthermore, the sector is beset with many of the problems faced by higher education and research institutions in neighboring countries: skewed budget allocations, inadequate levels of non-salary operating funds, poor teaching, deteriorating physical plants, etc. 2.12 Management responsibility has been divided among the MESRSC and the various institutions in ways that have led to overlap in functions and considerable inefficiency and delay. Until recently, few important decisions have been made at the institutional level, including those relating to student intake and faculty composition. The result has been overcrowding and underfunding, with the buildup of large internal arrears for food purchases, equipment, and supplies. In 1994, the sector implemented for the first time legal and administrative texts for granting institutional autonomy; the policy statement for higher education and research, the first draft of which was prepared in 1994, provides the Government's overall vision for the sector and creates a framework for developing new operational agreements between the institutions and the Ministry. The recent decision of the government to provide the institutions with greater functional autonomy is potentially a watershed in the development of the sector. However, even if a greater degree of autonomy is achieved, this in itself is no guarantee of greater relevance or indeed, of less isolation. The specifics of that decision have not been worked out. In particular, the mechanisms that will enable institutions to recover costs and to disburse funds according to their own priorities have not yet been identified. In addition, if higher education is to become less isolated and more relevant, the relationship between higher education and its clients must be changed. This essentially means that the administrative structure and procedures must change. The thrust of that change can be described as involving a shift from "administration" carried out by a central 7 Ministry to "management" carried out at the appropriate level: national for coordination and quality control, institutional for personnel, pedagogy, program planning, etc. Agreement with IDA on the final version of the Government's policy statement for higher education and research, including monitorable performance criteria and a policy reform agenda, was reached during negotiations [para. 7.2 (a)]. 2.13 Sector development issues. Sector work conducted by the World Bank in 1993 identified a number of issues crucial to the development of higher education in Guinea, including the low relevance of current programs to economic development, the quality of teaching personnel, low internal efficiency (only 27% of entering students ultimately complete the undergraduate cycle), and equity of access. The study found, for instance, that the percentage of female students in higher education had dropped from 19% in 1978 to 6% in 1992. It also found that rural students were from five to ten times less likely to enter university than urban students. 2.14 Budgetary and financial issues. Under the Education Sector Adjustment Program, overall education expenditures moved from 12% of total public expenditure in the late 1980's to approximately 22% in the early 1990's, a level at which it has stabilized. The share of higher education in the overall education expenditures dropped from 29% in 1990 to 21% in 1992 and 17.5% in 1995. However, the absolute level of funding for higher education has more than doubled in the 1990's. Unit recurrent costs increased from US$1,136 in 1982 to US$1,849 in 1990, before dropping to US$1,420 in 1994. This remains almost 50% below francophone Africa averages, but relatively close to overall sub-Saharan Africa averages (which plummeted from US$6,300 per student in 1980 to US$1,500 in 1988, a level at which it has stabilized). Student scholarships in 1995 accounted for approximately 34% of costs (reliable data are not available for earlier years). Due to persistent budget shortfalls, non- salary operating expenditures are extremely low, and always considerably less than called for in the budget, with a gap between scheduled and actual disbursement that is often more than six months. Salaries and scholarships, on the other hand, are paid in full in a timely fashion, although with considerable waste. Payment of overtime salaries to teachers continues to consume an inordinate portion of the budget, in spite of the relatively low number of hours taught by most teachers. The Government's policy statement for higher education and research proposes reforms in each of these areas. An arretd-minist6riel already published sets the number of teaching hours per week at ten for full and associate professors, and at twelve for assistant professors and instructors. Prior to October 31, 1995, the Ministry will publish an arr&6-minist6riel acceptable to IDA establishing equivalencies for supervising labs (two hours of lab supervision to be equivalent to one hour of teaching) and small-group mentoring (one-and-one-half hours to be the equivalent of one hour of teaching). 2.15 Managing the change process. It is likely that an internally more efficient system will make it possible to improve quality at little additional cost, yet in order to address the issues of what changes should be made (size of enrollment, program offerings, etc.), meaningful participation in the change process on the part of all key actors is needed. The same general principle applies to research institutions. Through this process, a higher education sector will emerge capable of responding to the sorts of new demands that will be placed on it in the 8 foreseeable future (such as, for instance, the need for municipal workers that will come from the proposed decentralization of Government structures). While the level of discourse about change within the sector has increased considerably in recent years, the sector has not demonstrated the capacity to reform itself. The Higher Education Management Support Project will help establish this capacity, creating both a structure and sufficient time for developing internal feedback, external input and appropriate decision-making processes. It will provide support both for individual institutions as they define decentralized administrative structures and for the central Ministry as it designs and implements a new quality control and sectoral planning function. It will pay attention to communication issues and provide an environment in which national consensus can be developed. In this sense, it will function as a bridge across which innovative ideas can flow. 2.16 Donor coordination. The change process supported by this project will include the active involvement of several donors already involved in the higher education subsector. Current donor programs have largely been developed independently; the newly created sectoral steering committee will work to foster a policy dialogue with all active donors, and to ensure coherence of programs and policies. The French Ministry of Cooperation and the European Development Fund (FED) have provided technical assistance over the past six to seven years in support of undergraduate programs in mathematics, physics, computer science and social science at the University of Conakry and at the Teacher Training Institute at Maneah. Germany (G7Z) is developing a soil mechanics program at the University of Conakry, while ACDI is financing a master's program in management and a center for environmental studies. USAID is funding a small Human Rights Library. The FED is currently financing the construction of new facilities for the Teacher Training Institute and improving the cafeteria facilities of the University of Kankan. The UNDP funds the return of expatriate nationals abroad with technical expertise to teach at the university for various periods of time. 2.17 Many broad institutional and political issues that exceed the authority of the MESRSC, such as the financial procedures necessary to ensure that the formal autonomy granted to institutions by Government become operational, have been identified. Others will be identified by the various working groups, or task forces, over the course of the project. Rather than attempt to define ideal procedures ahead of time, latitude will be given within the project for negotiations with representatives of the Ministries of Plan, Finance, and Administrative Reform, and other Government entities as appropriate, so that new procedures for the timely disbursement of budgetary allocations, teacher recruitment, etc. may be developed. D. Lessons Learned from Previous IDA Involvement 2.18 The Higher Education Management Project will be the fifth IDA-financed education project in Guinea. The first project (1978-84) focused on developing vocational training capacity and equipping the Planning Office of the Ministry of Education and the Project Management Unit. The Project Performance Audit Report (#6492-GUI) recommended that future projects concentrate on addressing a narrow range of issues within the sector. In spite of this, the second IDA-financed education credit (1983-1990) financed a wide range of 9 activities including vocational training, manpower development, education planning, and primary school improvement. According to the Project Completion Report (#10200-GUI), the high number of donors (three) and local actors made the project too complex for existing management capability. The main recommendation was that project design and organization be adapted to the existing institutional, economic, managerial, and implementation capacities. Ironically, the first two credits met most of their quantitative goals but did not have a major impact on the sector, where virtually all indicators of access and quality were in free fall. The failure to achieve a broader impact is largely attributable to the lack of policy dialogue. 2.19 The third intervention in the sector, the PASE (1990-94), set out to reverse the decline in educational access and quality by first strengthening institutional and management capacity. Government developed a ten-year strategic design covering the total education sector, with explicit attention to the macroeconomic context. Although it was initially intended that higher education reform be included in the range of issues considered under the PASE, when higher education and pre-university education were split under separate ministries in 1992, collaboration became increasingly difficult and this goal was not met. The PASE did succeed in reversing the declining enrollment trends of the 1980s for primary schooling, however. This was made possible through: (a) an ambitious school construction program supported by community groups, NGOs and donors, accompanied by development and implementation of low-cost construction norms; (b) West Africa's most ambitious redeployment program to date, with over 2,200 teachers shifted from administrative posts and secondary schools to primary school classrooms; and (c) a reallocation of budgetary resources in favor of the education sector, including large increases in non-salary operating expenditures. In line with Government-wide civil service reform measures, the MEPUFP has overhauled its teacher management procedures. Data collection and analysis have been dramatically improved. Government support for education has increased from 13% (1989) to 26% (1993) of the national budget, with marked improvements in preparation and monitoring of education sector budgets. The sectoral budget distribution moved from 32% for primary education in 1990 to 35% in 1993; expenditures for non-salary operating costs increased from 2% of pre-university expenditures in 1990 to 15% in 1993. 2.20 The key lesson to be learned from implementation of the PASE is that a complex range of interventions can be successfully undertaken, provided that they are situated within a coherent policy matrix and given intensive supervision. The PASE also demonstrated the importance of a long-term framework for education system support. A similar long-term perspective will need to be developed for higher education, covering ten to fifteen years. 3. THE PROJECT 3.1 The project will provide support for policy reform and for capacity-building. Activities in support of policy reform will take place over the first two years of the project, at which time agreement will be reached on implementation of a detailed policy agenda; capacity- building initiatives will be spread over four years. The project consists of three major 10 components: (a) institutional reorganization, (b) development of an information and communication system, and (c) establishment of budgetary programming and monitoring capacities. It will be executed over a four-year project, following an agreed schedule of implementation subject to annual review. A mid-term review will pay particular attention to the success achieved in implementing policy reforms. For all project components, planned activities are premised on the creation of a process of reflection and consensus-building to be followed by the re-design of existing organizational relationships and structures. All components reflect the fact that individual institutions exhibit differing capacities for change and are currently at different levels of development. Operational details for each project component are provided below. A. Objectives and Scope 3.2 The purpose of this operation is to provide a framework for the rationalization of higher education in Guinea. Its long-term objective will be to establish a reconfigured, streamlined system with greater institutional autonomy, improved cost-effectiveness, and increased relevance for economic development. This will be done by helping the Government to design and implement a process of policy reform and institutional capacity-building. Specific objectives are to help the Government to: (a) re-organize the Ministry and the institutions of higher education based on identified need and resource availability; (b) build financial and budget management capacity at the Ministry and institutional levels; and (c) establish a viable information and communication system. The Ministry will assume a new role focusing on the control of quality, cost-effectiveness and relevance. This will mean overhauling the flow of information, establishing criteria for evaluating teaching and learning processes (linking the amount of financing to these criteria), and helping the institutions become more academically relevant and financially competitive. This approach is seen as a necessary prelude to any broader attempt to redefine curricular offerings, etc., or any major investment operation, all of which will be reserved for a follow-up operation to be contingent upon progress realized through this project. B. Project Description 3.3 The project components are summarized below: Project Summary (Total Cost US$7.4 million)' 1. Institutional Reorganization (US$3.6 million) * Analysis and reform of university governance, finance, management, female participation, student services, and user fees; consultant support for a collaborative process to reconfigure the higher education sector, prepare new recruitment criteria and procedures, develop accreditation procedures, and redefine administrative responsibilities (US$3.6 million); 2. Information and Communication System (US$2.0 million) * Improved data collection, analysis, and dissemination (US$0.5 million); * Upgraded institutional information systems (US$0.7 million); * Improved communications (US$0.8 million); 3. Budgetary Programming and Monitoring (US$1.1 million) * Support for Ministry-level financial management (US$0.5 million); * Support for institution-level financial management (US$0.6 million). a/ Includes taxes and duties, base costs, contingencies and 3 PPF advances totaling US$640,000 11 1. Institutional Reorganization (US$3.6 million) 3.4 Scope and objectives. Administrative procedures in the past have provided for a highly-centralized Ministry where the directorates for higher education and scientific research held responsibility for supervising most of the activities of the various institutions. The institutions retained control over most curricular issues but did not effectively control enrollments or personnel recruitment. A move toward greater delegation of responsibilities to the institutional level has already begun but little attention has been given to the operational details of decentralization. This failing will be addressed through the project. 3.5 Ten broadly representative working groups have been established within the institutions of higher education, the research centers, and the Ministry. Representatives of these institutions and departments form a sectoral steering committee that ensures that an overall vision of the sector drives the reform process and linking decision-making processes with field experiences. The steering committee is chaired by the Secretary-General of MESRSC who is delegated by the Minister of Higher Education for this purpose. There is also an interministerial committee whose role is to ensure coherence between sectoral policies and national priorities for economic and social development. The interministerial committee includes the Ministry of Plan and Cooperation which chairs the committee, three representatives of the MESRSC, a representative of the MEPUFP, and a representative of the the Ministry of Finance. These two committees receive technical and logistic support from the Project Coordination Unit located in the MESRSC, which is responsible for daily operations. The working groups have prepared initial statements of mission objectives and detailed study agendas with terms of reference for the first year of the project. The study agendas, appraised in June 1994 (see Annexes 2 and 6), call for a participative approach to the issues confronting the sector. Draft terms of reference for consultant services and studies for the first year of the project were submitted to IDA as a condition of negotiations [para. 7.1 (b)]. These emphasize institutional appropriation of skills and study design. Agreement on these terms of reference was reached during negotiations [para. 7.2 (b)]. 3.6 The study agendas can be divided into two large categories: Ministry and institutional. Ministry-level studies will focus on the operational aspects of shifting toward a role of quality control. This will include establishment of guidelines to evaluate and accredit existing and future programs of higher education and development of competitive funding criteria as a basis for allocation of resources. For the Directorate for National Research, it will involve a move towards a new role as a clearinghouse for research information. At the institutional level, studies will focus on developing structures and procedures in support of decentralization and increased operational autonomy. In-depth background studies will be conducted in the areas of university governance, finance, management, female participation, student services, user fees, etc. 12 3.7 Annual study agendas will be submitted for joint approval by the steering committee and IDA on a competitive basis throughout the life of the project. Mission statements will be refined annually based on project findings and working group consensus. The study process will have as an explicit outcome objective the redesign of flow charts, new recruitment criteria and procedures, and the redefinition of administrative responsibilities. Activities in support of policy reform will take place over the first two years of the project; capacity building initiatives will be spread out over four years. A matrix of policy reforms is included in Annex 4. Specific reforms will be implemented in accordance with an overall schedule included in the policy statement for higher education and research. A comprehensive assessment of the progress achieved in the carrying out of the project (including the reform measures agreed upon) will be carried out at the mid-term review to be held by December 1997. Financing includes provision for training activities. 3.8 As coherent mission statements are refined at the institutional level, the next phase of the project will involve the updating of viable national goals for higher education and research. The initial drafting of these goals will be the responsibility of the steering committee. This group will serve an overall role as the agent of reform and will act as a knowledgeable intermediary between the various institutions' aspirations, national needs, and institutional capacities. The plan it produces will include recommendations for the structure of higher education, recruitment and personnel management procedures, information sharing, admission and scholarship criteria, program priorities, cost recovery, etc. 3.9 Project implementation will be coordinated through a Project Coordination Unit (PCU), comprising a project coordinator, a treasurer, an operational assistant and other staff to be agreed with IDA. Terms of reference for the project coordinator, the treasurer and the operational assistant were agreed during project preparation and will be subject to annual review. 3.10 Project support. Under the project support will be given for: (a) training central and institutional personnel for development and application of accreditation procedures, competitive funding criteria, and program evaluation; (b) computer equipment and materials for statistical analyses, tracer studies, and personnel management; (c) studies, including both national (250 person-months) and international (42 person-months) technical assistance, and (d) incremental operating costs (project administration). 2. Information and Communication System (US$2.0 million) 3.11 Scope and objectives. The sustainability of reforms to improve quality and relevance requires the existence of viable systems of communication among stakeholders, and unimpeded flows of information. Three sub-components are included to this end. First, support will be given for broad, sector-wide data collection, analysis and dissemination to be handled by a newly configured central statistic unit. Second, decentralized information needs at the institutional level will be defined, with training and equipment tailored to institution-specific priorities. Support will be given for adaptation of existing software for tracking student flows, 13 teaching loads, class schedules and other localized information needs. Third, support will be given for significant improvements in communications infrastructure. This support has been designed in such a way that while all existing institutions will benefit in the short term from the project, and viable information and communication systems will be introduced at all institutions, significant investments in infrastructure will be made only at the University of Conakry. This will avoid the possible waste of resources in other institutions that could ultimately be closed or reconfigured. (a) Improved data collection, analysis, and dissemination (US$0.5 million) 3.12 Data processing functions are currently split between two separate entities within the Ministry, neither of which has training or equipment, with the effect that annual statistical reports and other vital information are simply not being produced. There is no centralized data base for research and analysis, although some of the institutions produce ad hoc enrollment figures and faculty lists of widely varying format and quality. Under this component, the two units within the Ministry currently responsible for data collection and processing will be merged, and the flow of information to and from the institutions of higher education and research will be restructured. The component will be overseen by the central MESRSC working group, with input from the steering committee. The streamlined central unit will design data collection protocols and prototype yearbooks and databases, and will serve as a clearinghouse for information. The new focus of the central unit will be on dissemination of operationally relevant data as a basis for financing, and to inform the policy dialogue regarding program offerings and curriculum content. Institutional units will provide support for initial data collection and end-use analysis. The project will build on a study of existing and needed capacity conducted during project preparation. It will finance the design of short-term, on-site training programs, and the purchase of computer equipment. Wherever possible, collaborative approaches with the pre-university school statistics unit will be developed and information technology norms will be shared. The project will also carry out a feasibility study to determine how information could best be shared among institutions. Statistical information tracked will include personnel lists and files, student enrollment and throughput, monitoring of equipment and supplies, and maintenance and upkeep schedules. 3.13 Project support. Under the project, support will be given for: (a) in-service training of central Ministry personnel in use of software packages, database management, development of data collection protocols and norms, etc., (b) purchase of computer equipment, software and materials, (c) national (24 person-months) and international (4 person-months) technical assistance, and (d) incremental operating costs for preparation of data collection protocols and prototype yearbooks and databases. (b) Upgraded institutional information systems (US$0.7 million) 3.14 In order to manage student flows in a coherent fashion, and to make rational decisions about internal resource allocation, individual institutions require current information about student performance and characteristics, teachers' career development, class loads and 14 schedules, course offerings, library holdings, etc. A preliminary study of institutional needs was conducted at all institutions, with recommendations for software design. It was agreed that the institutions will collaborate in development of information systems that will be compatible across institutions in order to permit sector-wide tracking of enrollments, expenditures and programs, and to facilitate the easy exchange of information. These systems will also serve as the basis for allocation of criterion-driven recurrent and investment funding. This component will be overseen by the steering committee, with delegation of responsibility to the institutional working groups as appropriate. It will include funding for training and equipment purchase, as well as technical assistance for training in software use. 3.15 Project support. Under the project support will be given for: (a) in-service training for institution-level personnel in use of software packages, (b) computer equipment, software, and materials, (c) technical assistance for adapting a software package, and (d) incremental operating costs for preparing and piloting the information systems. (c) Improved communications (US$0.8 million) 3.16 Internal reorganization will not bring an end to the intellectual isolation of Guinean higher education and research without a means for adequate communication. To this end, the project will finance the following initiatives: (a) installation of a campus telephone system for the University of Conakry, with several external lines, (b) purchase of radio communications equipment for institutions not linked by telephone, and (c) installation of electronic data communication, including email, through the Internet. Internet connectivity at the University of Conakry was established during project preparation. Since the university has no telephones, a radio modem link was installed. This electronic communication system is being developed jointly with the Ministry of Pre-University Education and Vocational Training (MEPUFP). It is expected that responsibility for ongoing user service and expansion of internal networks to connect all sectors throughout the country will ultimately be assigned to a non-governmental organization, but the university will maintain responsibility for assuring the technological integrity of the system. Each of these activities will be accompanied by training initiatives. 3.17 Project support. Under the project support will be given for: (a) installation of a telephone system at the University of Conakry, (b) purchase of radio communications equipment, (c) installation of electronic data communication and e-mail, (d) technical assistance, and (e) incremental operating costs. 3. Budgetary Programming and Monitoring (US$1.1 million) 3.18 Scope and objectives. At present, the investment and recurrent budgets for higher education are prepared by the central Ministry DAAF based on administrative concerns rather than developmental priorities. Requests for additional resources are made independent from considerations relating to the effectiveness of existing resource use or functional priorities. MESRSC staff have also been unable to define and articulate standard operating norms and procedures that will allow them to project the implications of investment expenditures for 15 recurrent budgets. Finally, once budgets are accorded to the MESRSC, little emphasis is placed on monitoring and analyzing actual expenditures in the context of past budgets, or on using these figures during the preparation of future budgets (although this is routinely done at the MEPUFP). Given the lack of technical justification for budget proposals and spending priorities, it is not surprising to find that the MESRSC currently plays an extremely limited role in the budget arbitration process. (a) Support for Ministry-level financial management (US$0.5 million) 3.19 Institutional autonomy implies the development of a number of new functions and procedures not currently assured within the Ministry. These have to do with the development of financial management by the institutions, the development of new procedures for financial oversight by the central Ministry, and new methods for the allocation and transfer of funds to the institutions. The objective of the project in this area will be to strengthen the capacity of the MESRSC to participate constructively in budget arbitration processes, and to strengthen the staff of individual institutions in: (a) analyzing current expenditure patterns for operating and investment resources with the aim of identifying efficiency gains, (b) preparing and defending operating and investment budgets on the basis of standard operating norms and competitive criteria, and (c) monitoring and analyzing actual expenditures against budgetary allocations in the context of future budget preparation. Among other activities, this will require development of standard accounting codes and budget nomenclature. 3.20 Since much expenditure authority has long been outside the purview of the Ministry (e.g. salaries, fellowships and other transfers that make up in excess of 90% of higher education and research costs), procedures will need to be negotiated with the Ministries of Finance and Plan regarding these areas by the time of the mid-term review, with legal texts developed and information flows spelled out. The circumstances under which institutions can levy fees, receive overhead from research contracts, sell services and allocate funds will need to be established. The Ministry will become more proactive in its identification of national training needs, and will need to develop audit, statistical and planning capacities. It will become involved in the creation of institutional incentives and helping define what priorities to give particular research areas. 3.21 Establishment of a budget unit with internal audit responsibilities, and a computerized accounting system acceptable to IDA, will be a condition of effectiveness [para. 7.3 (a)]. The project will finance short-term technical assistance focusing on appropriation of skills by MESRSC personnel. It will help the DAAF develop new budget nomenclature, implement a computer-based budget planning and control system, and work with the institutions to prepare and defend budget proposals. The software and hardware for the system will be chosen according to criteria defined during project preparation, including general compatibility and support within the country, ease of use, scalability, capacity for consolidation, data and equipment security, and cost-effectiveness. The budget planning and control system will be designed to strengthen the capacity of the DAAF to participate constructively in the budget arbitration process. Support will be provided to strengthen the capacity of central staff to analyze past spending patterns, monitor current budget commitments and expenditures, and 16 develop short- and medium-term budget projections. Criteria will be developed for allocating budget funds to individual institutions on a competitive basis (efficiency, student enrollments, program relevance, teacher qualifications, etc.). These criteria will serve as the basis for development of a new budget model and appropriate software. Training will be provided to MESRSC staff to improve their capacity to provide timely feedback to institutional financial managers regarding budget execution. 3.22 Project support. Under the project support will be given for: (a) training DAAF personnel, (b) purchasing computer equipment and software, (c) technical assistance for establishing criteria for competitive allocation of budget funds and installing software, and (d) incremental operating costs for establishing a budget unit with audit responsibilities. (b) Support for institution-level financial management (US$0.6 million) 3.23 Short-term periodic technical advisors will be provided to the institutions as needed through the medium of working groups and training seminars. Consultants will assist institutional personnel in drafting work programs. Financial managers and accountants will be trained at each institution in the use of budget nomenclature and standard accounting procedures for central block grants and locally-generated revenues (student fees, research contracts, etc.). Institutional personnel will receive training in the use of budget software developed by the DAAF to enable them to participate more meaningfully in the budget preparation process, and to ensure that competitive budget criteria are understood and applied within their institution. Several commercial, off-the-shelf accounting software packages were considered during project appraisal. Criteria for selection of software and hardware have been established (para.3.21). It was agreed that a final decision will be made during the first year of the project, following additional training of DAAF personnel to allow them to participate meaningfully in the selection process. This component will be considered a success if, at the end of implementation, institutional staff were able to use new tools and work methods to articulate institutional priorities and to demonstrate the budgetary implications of decision making. 3.24 Project support. Under the project support will be given for: (a) training seminars for institution-level financial managers, (b) purchasing computer equipment and materials, and (c) short-term technical assistance. C. Project Cost and Financing 3.25 The total cost of the project over a four-year period is US$7.4 million, including taxes and duties, with a base cost of $US6.5 million equivalent and a foreign exchange component of US$3.4 million equivalent. Price contingencies, estimated at US$0.5 million equivalent assume an annual domestic inflation rate of 4% and a foreign inflation rate of 2.2%. Physical contingencies estimated at US$0.4 million equivalent provide for 10% of base costs for goods. IDA's total contribution of US$6.6 million equivalent will finance 100% of foreign costs and 91 % of local costs, net of taxes and duties. Government will contribute the equivalent of US$0.7 million equivalent or 9.7% of total project costs of which US$0.4 million equivalent represents taxes and duties. The cost of each project component is as follows: (a) institutional reorganization (including project administration), US$3.6 million equivalent; (b) information 17 and communication system, US$2.0 million equivalent; and (c) budgetary programming and monitoring, US$1.1 million equivalent. Three PPF advances totaling US$640,000 have been made available for preliminary studies under components (b) and (c) above. A detailed breakdown of costs is presented in Annex 3. The average cost per person-month of expatriate consultant services is US$15,000, which is in line with recent experience in Guinea in the sector. The project will result in a reduced MESRSC recurrent budget (see economic analysis beginning para. 5.1). 4. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION A. Status of Project Preparation 4.1 Project preparation benefitted from: (a) up-stream sector work in the form of a green cover sector report issued in 1993 outlining issues and priorities for the higher education sector; and (b) an intensive, participatory dialogue among key stakeholders within the institutions and the central Ministry, leading to development of a policy framework (the Government's statement of higher education policy). Additional support was provided by three PPF grants totaling US$640,000. 4.2 A draft implementation manual was submitted to IDA as a condition of negotiations [para. 7.1 (c)]. Agreement on the implementation manual was reached during negotiations [para. 7.2 (c)]. Its adoption will be a condition of effectiveness [para. 7.3 (b)]. Overall project management will be the responsibility of a sectoral steering committee supported by an interministerial committee. The steering committee will be responsible for project coordination and development of long-term objectives for higher education and scientific research. The interministerial committee will be responsible jointly with the World Bank for the conduct of the mid-term review. It will present to Government at that time an overall plan for the restructuring of higher education, along with specific recommendations for institutions, budget allocations and academic programs. B. Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation 4.3 Within the framework of the steering committee, individual institutions will bear broad responsibility for managing their own project sub-components. Working groups at these institutions will be responsible for ultimate project success. Each institution has already organized working groups. All working groups have prepared an agenda of studies and activities for the first year of the project. The studies have been through three iterations and were the subject of the appraisal mission. Agreement regarding establishment of a management information system to enable the MESRSC to track annual monitoring indicators was reached during project negotiations [para. 7.2 (d)]. The establishment of the MIS system is a condition of effectiveness [para. 7.3 (c)]. 4.4 A central project coordination unit (PCU) has been established to provide financial and logistic support to the steering committee, the interministerial committee, and the individual 18 working groups. Such assistance includes the drafting of terms of reference, the identification of appropriate consultants, the organization of training sessions, etc. The project unit includes an accountant, a project assistant and a coordinator. Responsibility for all IDA-related implementation matters (procurement, disbursements, consultant support, reporting, auditing etc.) will be handled by the PCU. 4.5 The steering committee/interministerial committee. The steering committee was created by ministerial decree on February 23, 1994, with modifications through a further decree on September 8, 1995. It is composed of representatives from each institution as well as from the central ministry (MESRSC) and is chaired by the Secretary-General of MESRSC who is delegated by the Minister of Higher Education for this purpose. The interministerial committee was created on September 8, 1995, and includes a representative of the Ministry of Plan, who serves as its chair, three representatives of the MESRSC, a representative of the Ministry of Administrative Reform and Civil Service, a representative of the MEPUFP, and a representative of the Ministry of Finance. The two committees receive technical and logistic support from the project coordination unit, situated in the MESRSC. The Project Coordinator serves as secretary of the steering committee and is responsible with the chair for preparing the agenda. 4.6 The primary mandate of the steering committee is planning, problem solving, and evaluation; its role is to act quickly and effectively to facilitate project implementation and to ensure that problems are discussed and addressed in a timely manner. It will be responsible for monitoring and evaluating the transfer of technical capacity from the advisors provided under the project. The interministerial committee holds the responsibility for approving annual working plans and budget proposals and ensuring interministerial coordination during project implementation. During project negotiations, agreement was reached with Government regarding the interministerial committee's responsibility for ensuring that a mid-term review to evaluate the progress made in implementing the project is carried out with IDA by December 1997, and the steering committee's responsibility for prompt implementation of all measures agreed upon with IDA as a result of the mid-term review [para. 7.2 (e)] (see also Annex 4). The steering committe will meet as needed, but at least once each two months, with an executive committee meeting between regular sessions of the steering committee as needed. Its decisions are subject to confirmation by the full steering committee at its subsequent session. The interministerial committee will meet a minimum of two times annually. Minutes of meetings will be submitted to IDA as part of the progress reports (para. 4.7). 4.7 The project coordination unit (PCU). The PCU will be responsible for the routine functioning of the project. It will organize working group seminars; it will handle IDA- specific implementation matters, such as procurement, disbursements and project accounting. The PCU will also be responsible for helping to develop the working agendas for meetings of the steering committee and the interministerial committee. During negotiations, agreement was reached with the Government on submission to IDA of: (i) progress reports on the implementation of the project not later than May 31 and November 30 of each year; (ii) annual projected work programs and budgets not later than November 30 of each year; and (iii) 19 background documents for an annual review of progress to be organized and carried out with IDA during the fourth quarter of each calendar year [para. 7.2 (f)]. A primary goal of the PCU will be to move towards integration of its functions within the organizational structure of the MESRSC over the life of the project. Job descriptions for project coordination unit personnel were prepared during project preparation. These job descriptions are subject to annual review. 4.8 Reporting and monitoring. The PCU will be responsible for submitting to IDA: (i) semi-annual reports: these will include a summary of progress in procurement and in all key project areas of activity, indicating strengths and weaknesses of Project implementation, and definition of a work program with monitorable outputs for the following six-month period; (ii) periodic evaluation of the training and skills aspects of the technical assistance provided; (iii) a report on the mid-term evaluation of project progress; and (iv) an Implementation Completion Report no later than six months after the closing date of the credit. C. Implementation Schedule 4.9 The project will be implemented over a four-year period (1995-1999). This time period has been selected to provide ample time for the policy reform initiatives supported under the project (front-loaded to the first two years of the project) and the accompanying capacity-building activities. Annexes 1 and 5 provide the framework for implementation activities and the basis for planning the physical aspects of project implementation. The disbursement schedule for the operation is provided in Annex 13. D. Procurement 4.10 All Bank-financed procurement of goods and services under the Project will be in accordance with Bank Guidelines. Table 2 summarizes the project elements as well as their estimated costs and proposed methods of procurement. The Borrower's procurement regulations and procedures have been reviewed by IDA, and proposals for improvement are currently being discussed. Pending an agreement, IDA standard bidding documents will continue to be systematically used for local procurement, as is being done satisfactorily under current projects. ICB procurement will use the Bank's relevant standard bidding documents. Selection of consulting firms for complex, time-based assignments will be done on the basis of the Bank's standard letter of invitation and form of contract. Under the project, procurement procedures will be undertaken as described in the following paragraphs. The aggregate amounts provided include taxes and duties. The submission of bidding documents acceptable to IDA for all major packages to be procured through ICB during the first year of the project is a condition of effectiveness [para. 7.3 (d)]. 20 Table 1 Summary of Proposed Procurement Arrangements (US$ million, including taxes and duties) Categories ICB OTHER N.I.F. TOTAL 1. Equipment, Vehicles & Furniture 1.6 0.1 1.7 (1.2) (0.1) (-) (1.3) 2. Training 1.7 - 1.7 (1.7) - (1.7) 3. Consultant Services 3.2 - 3.2 (3.2) - (3.2) 4. Operating Costs 0.7 - 0.7 (0.4) (-) (0.4) TOTAL 1.6 5.7 0.0 7.4 (1.2) (5.4) (0.0) (6.6) Slight differences in amounts may occur due to rounding of figures. Figures in parenthesis are the amounts financed by IDA. N.I.F. = Not IDA-financed. 4.11 Goods. International competitive bidding will be carried out in accordance with IDA procurement for contracts with an estimated cost of US$100,000 or more for goods. Locally manufactured goods, if any, will receive the margin of preference of 15% or the amount of customs and duties, in accordance with Appendix 2, Section 1 to 5 of the Bank Procurement Guidelines (January 1995). National Shopping up to an aggregate amount of US$70,000 or IAPSO up to an aggregate amount of US$70,000 may be used for purchases of individual vehicles or office equipment needed for the project that fall out of schedule with the main ICB imports. It is expected that purchases through local shopping and/or IAPSO will not be in excess of an aggregate amount of US$140,000 over the life of the project. 4.12 Consultants and services. Approximately 420 man-months of consultant services for management, procurement, auditing and various sectoral and technical services, including training totaling the aggregate amount of US$3.2 million equivalent, will be financed by the project. This includes 78 man-months of international technical assistance. All technical assistance is short-term. These services will be procured in accordance with the Bank's Guidelines on the "Use of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers and by the World Bank as Executing Agency" (August 1981). 4.13 Miscellaneous. Other items not subject to competitive bidding include incremental staff salaries, supervision and local training allowances, fuel, equipment and vehicle maintenance, and other administrative expenses, not to exceed the aggregate amount of US$600,000 during the life of the project. These items will be acquired and paid for following regular government procedures defined in the implementation manual to be approved by IDA. 21 4.14 Review by IDA. During project execution, bidding packages for IDA-financed contracts above the threshold of US$100,000 for goods will be subject to IDA's prior review procedures. This review will cover all contracts procured by ICB and about 75% of the total value of contracts funded by IDA. The threshold for prior review of consultant services will be US$100,000 for contracts with consulting firms, and US$50,000 for contracts with individual consultants. Prior review will continue to be required for all terms of reference, single source selection of firms, or assignments determined by IDA to be of a critical nature. All other contracts will be subject to selective post review. E. Disbursements 4.15 Disbursement will be in accordance with guidelines set out in the Disbursement Handbook. The project is expected to be completed over a four-year period, with the IDA credit disbursed over five years. The proposed allocation of the credit is shown in Schedule 3. All applications to withdraw proceeds from the credit will be fully documented, except for expenditures for training, recurrent costs, and for contracts with a value of US$100,000 (US$50,000 for individual consultants) or less for goods and services for which reimbursement may be made against certified statements of expenditures (SOEs). The PCU will be responsible for preparing withdrawal applications and SOEs to be submitted to IDA, and will indicate on the SOEs the nature and origin of any goods and the payment date. These will be retained along with all other supporting documentation for review by Bank supervision missions and independent auditors. 4.16 Special accounts. A special account for US$500,000 will be made available to the Project/MESRSC for payment of eligible expenditures. To facilitate disbursements, the Government will open a Special Deposit Account (SDA) in a commercial bank to cover IDA's share of eligible expenditures managed by MESRSC. IDA will make an initial deposit of US$250,000 equivalent from the proposed Credit upon credit effectiveness and will replenish the SDA upon receipt of satisfactory proof of incurred eligible expenditures. Replenishment of the SDA will be submitted to IDA every month. Withdrawal applications for direct payment from the Credit Account may be submitted for expenditures above US$50,000 equivalent (US$100,000 once the entire initial advance has been paid). Supporting documentation will be retained by the MESRSC and will be available for review as requested by IDA supervision missions and project auditors. 22 Table 2 Withdrawal of Proceeds of the IDA Credit Categories Amounts of the Credit % of expenditures to be financed allocated (net of taxes and duties) (in SDR equivalent) 1. Equipment, Vehicles & Furniture 700,000 100% of foreign expenditures; 75% of local expenditures. 2. Consultant Services & Training 2,620,000 100% 3. Operating Costs 340,000 80% 4. Refunding of PPF 450,000 5. Unallocated 390,000 100% TOTAL 4,500,000 F. Accounting, Auditing, Reporting and Monitoring 4.17 Auditing. The PCU will maintain accounts to record all Project expenditures, commitments and reimbursements in accordance with international accepted accounting principles. The appointment of an independent auditor under a multi-year contract acceptable to IDA is a condition of effectiveness [para. 7.3 (e)]. Advance contracting arrangements for auditing services will be made prior to Project effectiveness with independent auditors acceptable to IDA. The auditors' report will also include a separate opinion with respect to statements of expenditures, the Special Deposit Account, and a statement on the adequacy or otherwise of the accounting system and internal controls. Assurances were obtained at negotiations that annual audit reports, of reasonable scope and detail, will be submitted to IDA within six months of the end of the fiscal year [para. 7.2 (g)]. Project financial accounts will be audited annually; audit reports will be sent to IDA no later than six months after the close of the fiscal year. Overdue audits will be considered grounds for suspension of disbursements under the credit. 4.18 Reports. The PCU will be responsible for submitting to IDA: (i) semi-annual reports; these will include a summary of progress in procurement and in all key project areas of activity, indicating strengths and weaknesses of Project implementation, and definition of a work program with monitorable outputs for the following six-month period; (ii) periodic evaluation of the training and skills aspects of the technical assistance provided; (iii) a report on the mid-term evaluation of project progress; and (iv) an Implementation Completion Report no later than six months after the closing date of the credit. 23 5. ECONOMIC ANALYSIS 5.1 Background. This project was developed in the context of a clear priority given by the Government of Guinea to primary education, a priority which is articulated in its statements of sectoral policy both for pre-university and for higher education. Further evidence of this priority is reflected in budget trends, where Government has pursued over the past five years a deliberate policy to increase primary education's overall share of the Guinean education budget while reducing that of higher education. Given the particular weakness of the data base in Guinea, the present analysis does not attempt to quantify the external benefits of the higher education interventions planned, but looks rather at the internal efficiency savings generated by the project (see Annex 1-B for information regarding wage differentials for varying levels of education in Guinea). This analysis assumes, in line with the Government's stated budget targets, that a portion of the cost savings from higher education will be reallocated to finance the expansion of primary and lower secondary education. 5.2 The Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) discussed by the Board on March 1,1994, calls for higher education reform "in light of severe shortcomings in the adequacy of higher education training vis-a-vis economic development needs and high unit cost". The unit cost per student in a Guinean institution of higher education in 1994, was approximately US$1,420, which is close to the average for sub-Saharan Africa, although relatively modest by francophone Africa standards. In terms of the quality and relevance of education, however, or in terms of the numbers of qualified graduates which the system produces, unit costs can be considered extraordinarily high. Resource allocation is skewed toward scholarships and salaries; quality, efficiency and equity are far too low and overhead costs and waste are far too high. 5.3 The analysis presented below estimates internal savings and new revenues generated through the project in four key areas, all of which were agreed by Government during negotiations: (i) private resource mobilization, (ii) the opening of University social services management to competitive bidding, (iii) restriction of scholarships, and (iv) increased productivity of teaching and non-teaching personnel. A constant enrollment figure of 8500 full-time equivalent students is assumed for purposes of this analysis (there are currently 8104 students; enrollments increased at an average 11 % per year over the past four years but Government has agreed to slow the growth of enrollment to 3 % per year over the next four years--this would yield an average of approximately 8500 students per year). 5.4 Private resource mobilization will occur in two ways. Classes will be offered through the open University concept on a credit-hour, cost recovery basis to part-time students in the evenings. It is conservatively estimated that by the year 2000, these courses will represent 5% of all full-time equivalent university students (FTE's), or approximately 400 FTE's. The potential on the upside is much higher, with most Western universities reporting that part-time adult students represent close to 50% of FTE's. In addition to evening courses, by the end of the project an additional 400 regular students will be recruited annually on a paying basis. This approach was successfully tested during the 1993-94 school year. These students will pay approximately $400 annually (due upon enrollment); evening students will pay approximately 24 $800 per FTE equivalent annually). Total income through the program over four years is estimated at $1,200,000 (see Table 3). 5.5 The Government opened the management of cafeteria services to competitive bidding for the 1994-95 school year. While this pilot effort suffered a number of start-up difficulties (one of the winning firms was ultimately unable to provide an appropriate level of service), the Government has confirmed its commitment to private management of cafeteria services and will maintain and extend this approach for the upcoming school year. The current annual cost of cafeteria and dormitory services is just under $2,000,000, but reliable figures on past costs are not available. Recent privatization in C6te d'Ivoire yielded savings of over 50%. A similar program in Senegal lowered the unit cost of meals by about 70%. A conservative estimate of 25 % additional savings for Guinea would yield annual savings of $500,000. 5.6 Student scholarships account for 34% of the annual higher education budget. During negotiations, Government agreed to reduce overall scholarship costs by a minimum of 5% annually. This yields a total savings of $1.9 million over the course of the project, with considerable additional savings expected over time. Tuble 3 Cost-saving and Resource Mobilization Measures (in thousands of US dollars) Measure Description 1996 1997 1998 1999 Total Overtime payments to 80% reduction over 2 yrs 86 173 173 173 605 teachers Use of contract teachers 60% reduction over 2 yrs 65 130 130 130 455 Day laborers 30% reduction over 2 yrs 38 77 77 77 269 Cost recovery--evenings Inc. of 100 students per year 80 160 240 320 800 Cost recovery--regular Inc. of 100 students per year 40 80 120 160 400 Scholarships 5% annual reduction 195 381 557 724 1857 Cafeteria 25% savings 500 500 500 500 2000 TOTAL 1004 1501 1797 2084 6386 5.7 In addition, the annual cost to the higher education budget for contract teachers and overtime fees for professors (US$1.98 million) represents about 42% of the total salary bill. The Government's policy statement calls for progressive reduction of overtime payments and an increase in teaching hours, with teaching assistants and instructors responsible for 12 hours of classroom teaching each week and associate professors and full professors responsible for 10 hours of classroom teaching each week. By October 31, 1995, Government will issue an arr&t6-minist6riel clarifying the equivalencies for laboratory supervision and small-group mentoring (proposed at 2:1 and 1.5:1, respectively). These measures are expected to result in an effective average increase of 20-25 % in hours taught by each teacher. Based on these measures, the Government has agreed to reduce overtime payments to teachers by 80% over two years, and to reduce expenses for contract teachers by 60% over two years for four-year savings of $455,000 and $269,000 respectively (see agreed performance indicators in Annex 6). In addition, Government pays approximately $264,000 annually to laborers, 25 nightwatchmen, etc. It would reduce this amount by 30% over the first two years of the project, for a four-year savings of about $269,000. 5.8 It is expected that other efficiency gains would be identified and implemented through the project. These would include savings through the closing or re-orientation of marginal programs, increased efficiency in administration of in-country scholarships, increased efficiency due to improvements in communication, and lower repetition and dropout rates. On the other hand, the project is expected to result in increased annual recurrent expenditures of approximately US$100,000 for telephone and communication services, $250,000 for purchase of teaching, laboratory, and library materials, and $40,000 for research grants (see Table 4). After subtracting these increases in expenditure, the net annual savings from the project would be approximately 1.2 million dollars, or just over 4.8 million dollars over the course of the project. This represents an annual reduction of about 11 % of the current budget for higher education and research. Of this amount, approximately two-thirds would be reinvested in higher education and research activities and inputs to be identified. The remaining one-third (approximately 1.5 million dollars) would be absorbed into the budget for primary and secondary education, continuing a trend begun in 1990, over which period higher education has declined from 29% to 18-20% of the education budget. The budget for 1996 is projected to decline to 17%, a level at which it would stabilize. Table 4 Additional Recurrent Costs (in thousands of US dollars) Measure Descrip. 1996 1997 1998 1999 Total Conmuni- Telephone 100 100 100 100 400 cations & upkeep Research Matching 40 40 40 40 160 Grants funds Teaching, Increase to 250 250 250 250 1000 Science, reach 25% Library of budget Materials TOTAL 390 390 390 390 1560 5.9 Cost comparisons/least cost analysis. It is clear from the above that to maintain the status quo with regards to higher education in Guinea would represent a costly option. Three alternative financing approaches were considered at the time of project identification: (i) a Government proposal for an investment project (cafeteria facilities, library infrastructure and holdings, and science laboratories) to cost an estimated US$10.8 million; (ii) a proposal that studies be conducted under PPF funding for up to US$1.25 million, leaving open any decision about ultimate project costs; and (iii) the current technical assistance project (US$6.6 million 26 of IDA financing, US$7.4 million overall). The investment project was rejected as premature and economically unsound, since at this stage of development in the sector, it would have added to recurrent expenditures by upwards of US$400,000 annually, while providing little in terms of external efficiency gains. The sole reliance on PPF funding was considered inadequate since it would have left a significant gap between the time that policy reform decisions were taken and the time that training was provided for financial management of the institutions and overall quality control functions. It was felt that this gap would jeopardize the sustainability of reform initiatives. It was also felt that policy reforms could not be adequately implemented in the absence of viable communications. The technical assistance approach was considered to present lower risk and higher potential payoff, since it would lead to early decisions about a new configuration of institutions, and provide for investment in needed human resources and management capacity rather than in institutions or programs which might ultimately be closed down. It would also lay the groundwork for any future investment and provide time and technical guidance for a participatory process of fundamental change. The technical assistance approach, with the addition of basic communications infrastructure at the University of Conakry, was endorsed at the time of the green cover meeting for the higher education sector report and again at the FEPS meeting. 5.10 Over the course of project preparation, clear signs of reform thinking have emerged that would be accelerated through the interventions proposed in the project. Individual faculties have been given the right to limit student enrollments through administration of entrance examinations. Guinea is thus one of the few countries in the region able to maintain enrollments at manageable levels. Guinea has already moved to encourage private provision of tertiary education and is moving to increase cost recovery. An earlier decision to grant institutional autonomy was finally implemented in 1994 through provision of partial block grants to all institutions. A sectoral steering committee created by decree in February 1994 has begun to play an important decision-making role, and provided strong input throughout project preparation. The project itself has been structured to ensure that future investments in the Guinean higher education system can be planned on a least cost basis. For instance, a series of studies will examine user-financed alternative delivery modes through the open university concept. This and other initiatives will provide the Government with clear information and relevant experience regarding the feasibility of innovative low-cost approaches for future investments. At the same time, options for future investment will be explored to ensure that the system is able to meet Guinea's need for highly trained manpower over the medium and long terms. 27 6. PROJECT BENEFITS AND RISKS A. Benefits 6.1 The economic analysis conducted during project preparation focused on internal efficiency savings generated by the project. The external benefits of the interventions planned were not quantified because of the weakness of the existing data base, a weakness to be addressed under the project. Internal savings and new revenues were estimated in four key project areas: (i) private resource mobilization, (ii) the opening of University social services management to competitive bidding, (iii) restriction of scholarships, and (iv) increased productivity of teaching and non-teaching personnel. It was estimated that cost-savings and resource mobilization will amount to US$6.4 million over the life of the project, and that additional recurrent costs under the project will amount to US$1.6 million, for net savings over four years of approximately US$4.8 million. Key performance indicators have been included in Government's Policy Statement for Higher Education and Research (Annex 6). 6.2 The project will help the Guinean government ensure that future investments in the sector are focused on sustainable activities and programs that can be shown to have an impact on economic development. By introducing cost recovery measures, it obliges the sector to initiate demand-driven programs which provide graduates with marketable skills. Through development of criterion-based funding, along with accreditation mechanisms, the project provides incentives to individual institutions to achieve long overdue cost efficiencies. Along with the budgetary targets included in the Government's policy statement for higher education, to be monitored throughout the project, this will further ensure that the absolute priority given to primary education is maintained, and that funds are freed for the continued expansion of primary and secondary education and for improvements in the quality of higher education. Recasting the role of the MESRSC as one of support and quality control, rather than direct management will reduce political tensions throughout the entire sector and provide a more stable environment, conducive to the long-term sustainability of reform efforts. B. Risks 6.3 The project is low risk. Policy reform measures have been front-loaded early in the project cycle to ensure that they remain the focus of activities and the subject of the annual and mid-term reviews. The main short-term risks include the availability of capable leadership to guide the reform process and potential opposition from interest groups (students, faculty) that may see themselves as losers in the process; long-term risks include the potential failure of Government to provide adequate ongoing budgetary support and the converse possibility that increased investments in higher education will draw resources away from primary education. These risks cannot be entirely eliminated, but they have been addressed through the participatory, consensual approach taken to project development. Intensive budgetary discussions were held with representatives from the MEPUFP and the MESRSC, as well as the Ministry of Finance, to ensure agreement on budgetary funding that gives a continuing priority to primary education. These agreements are included in the policy letters for both ministries 28 and will be a focus of annual and mid-term reviews for this project and for the Equity and School Improvement Project approved by the Board in May 1995. 7. AGREEMENTS REACHED AND RECOMMENDATION 7.1 Prior to negotiations, the Government submitted the following documents to IDA: (a) A draft policy statement for higher education and research (para. 2.7); (b) Draft terms of reference for consultant services and studies for the first year of the project (para. 3.5); and (c) A draft implementation manual (para. 4.2). 7.2 During negotiations, IDA and the Government reached agreement on: (a) The policy statement for higher education and research, including monitorable performance criteria and a policy reform agenda (para. 2.12); (b) Terms of reference for consultant services and studies for the first year of the project (para. 3.5); (c) The draft implementation manual (para. 4.2); (d) Establishment of a management information system to enable the MESRSC to track annual monitoring indicators (para. 4.3); (e) The interministerial committee's responsibility for ensuring that a mid-term review to evaluate the progress made in implementing the project is carried out with IDA by December 1997 and the steering committee's responsibility for prompt implementation of all measures agreed upon with IDA as a result of the mid-term review (para. 4.6); (f) Submission to IDA of: (i) progress reports on the implementation of the project not later than May 31 and November 30 of each year; (ii) annual projected work programs and budgets not later than November 30 of each year; and (iii) background documents for an annual review of progress to be organized and carried out with IDA during the fourth quarter of each calendar year (para. 4.7); and 29 (g) Submission to IDA of annual audit reports, of reasonable scope and detail, within six months of the end of the fiscal year (para. 4.17). 7.3 As conditions for credit effectiveness, the Government will have: (a) established a budget unit with internal audit responsibilities, and a computerized accounting system acceptable to IDA (para. 3.21); (b) adopted the implementation manual (para. 4.2); (c) established a management information system to enable the MESRSC to track annual monitoring indicators (para. 4.3); (d) submitted bidding documents acceptable to IDA for all major contracts to be procured through ICB during the first year of the project (para. 4.10); and (e) appointed an independent auditor under a multi-year contract acceptable to IDA (para. 4.17). 7.4 Recommendation. Subject to the above terms and conditions, the proposed project is suitable for a credit of SDR 4.5 million (US$6.6 million equivalent) to the Republic of Guinea on standard IDA terms, with 40 years maturity. 4 a 30 Annex 1-A Page 1 of 1 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT BASIC DATA Total area (thousands of square kilometers).....................................246 Per capita GNP......................................................US$537 Total population (millions)..................................................6.2 Urban population as % of total population................... .................27.3% Average annual population growth rate (1987-92)................................2.8% Life expectancy (years).....................................................44 Infant mortality (per thousand live births)......................................133.2 Fertility rate ............................................................6.5 Crude birth rate (per thousand)................................................49 Crude death rate (per thousand)..............................................21 Age structure of population (% of total) 0-14 years.....................................................46.7% 15-64 years.....................................................50.7% Total adult illiteracy rate..................................................76% Female adult illiteracy rate..................................................87% Gross enrollment rate Primary..........................................................43% Secondary....................................................... 10% Female participation (as percentage of total enrollment) Primary....................................................... 32.8% General secondary.................................................23.7% Higher education................................................... 6% Pupil/Teacher ratio Primary...........................................................49 Secondary.........................................................19 Tertiary.......................................................... 10 Transition rate (primary to secondary)....................................... 62.3% Repetition rates r Primary......................................................... 18% Secondary.................................................. ....22.5% Tertiary (1982) ............................................ ........18.4% Sources. The World Bank, World Development Report 1993: Investing in Health. The World Bank, Social Indicators of Development, 1994. Ministry of Pre-Unversity Education and Vocational Training, Conakry, Guinea, Annuare statistique, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1993-94. The World Bank, Guinea 9igher Education and Research Sector Note 1993. Prima y............ 18 31 ANNEX 1-B Page 1 of 1 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA 1 HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT MALE-FEMALE COMPARISONS OF PREICTD HOURLY EARNINGS (in Guinean francs) Education level Public wage Private wage Self-employment completed (GNFF) (GNF) Men Women Men Women Men Women None 2581 104 244 259 461 2031 Primry School 349 192 315 292 573 273 Secondaryschool 371 242 436 361 887 263 Universt 499 387 612 558 1665 1273 All 3031 146 298 295 581 260 Note: From Glick and Sahn, Labor Force Panicipation, Sectoral Choice, and Earnings in Conakry, Guinea, Cornell Food and Nutrition Policy Program Working Paper 43, 1993 32 ANNEX 1-C Page 1 of 1 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT FLOW CHART OF TEE GUINEAN EDUCATION SYSTEM MARCHE D U TRAVAIL DES UNIVERSITE 5-7 ANS MARCHE DU TRAVAIL BT S L 3 y BA C2 2è C E E MARCHE DU TRAVAIL CCA C 3è 0 BEPC g2_ Légende L lè L Décrochage E G W.-Enseignement professionnel E Enseignement général E L CEPE E E T A R E 33 ANNEX 2-A Page 1 of 5 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT KEY PROJECT ACTIVSIES (in US$ '000) Activity Cost Cost Cost Cost 4-Year Yearl Year2 Year3 Year4 Totals UNIVERSITY OF CONAKRY Institutional reorganization Privatization of cafeteria services 30 Review of governance systems 60 20 20 10 Competitive research grants 60 60 60 60 Measurement of student achievement 50 Legal framework 6 Fit between employment/training 65 36 36 Statistical analysis of student flow 40 30 30 Evaluation/action plan for personnel 40 20 20 20 management Open university-cost recovery, adult ed., night 70 39 45 30 school Library services 19 21 24 Comparative regional study visits 30 30 30 Reorganization of student services management 35 Sub-total 486 254 262 144 1146 Information and communication Information systems 150 80 70 10 Telecommunications 388 40 41 42 Radiocommunications (links with Kindia 40 campus) Internet 78 Sub-total 656 120 111 52 939 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 83 123 63 63 Sub-total 83 123 63 63 33 TOTAL CONAKRY 1225 497 436 259 2417 34 ANNEX 2-A Page 2 of 5 UNIVERSITY OF KANKAN Institutional reorganization Evaluation/action plan for personnel 30 15 15 15 management Tracer study-fit between training and 43 18 20 13 employment Competitive research grants 20 20 20 20 Review of university governance 30 10 10 Reorganization of student services 30 10 10 8 Study of library services and needs 17 11 11 21 Sub-total 170 84 86 77 417 Information and communication Information systems 70 32 32 3 Telecommunications 30 5 6 6 Radiocommunications (links with Kindia 31 campus) Sub-total 131 37 38 9 215 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 33 45 25 25 Sub-total 33 45 25 251 TOTAL KANKAN 334 166 149 111 760 INSTITUT DE BOKE Institutional reorganization Tracer study of graduates 20 10 10 7 Restructuring/privatization/program evaluation 36 20 20 20 Linkages with Institut Polytechnique 33 16 18 10 Sub-total 89 46 48 37 220 Information and communication Information system 25 13 13 Communications 20 Sub-total 45 13 13 0 71 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 12 15 8 9 Sub-total 12 15 8 9 44 TOTAL BOKE 146 74 69 46 335 35 ANNEX 2-A Page 3 of 5 ISSEG (SCIENCES DE L'EDUCATION) Institutional reorganization Decentralized management-modules, contract 61 19 14 14 teachers Study visits 5 8 8 8 Creation of special needs courses (principals, 14 9 9 10 GT, LD, ag.) Sub-total 80 36 31 32 179 Information and communication Information System 25 13 13 Communications 10 Sub-total 35 13 13 0 61 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 12 15 8 9 Sub-total 12 15 8 9 44 TOTAL ISSEG 127 64 52 41 284 ISAV (INSTITUT DE FARANAH) Institutional reorganization Program Evaluation 30 20 20 15 Reorganization of personnel management 40 18 20 20 Development of fee-generating activities 12 Sub-total 82 38 40 35 195 Information and communication Information system 20 13 13 Communications 10 Sub-total 30 13 -13 0 56 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 12 15 8 9 Sub-total 12 15 8 9 44 TOTAL ISAV 124 66 61 44 295 36 ANNEX 2-A Page 4 of 5 CERESCOR [nstitutional reorganization Evaluation of scientific and administrative 50 25 25 24 management Creation of self-financing mechanisms 25 12 13 10 Comparative regional study visits 15 10 10 10 Sub-total 90 47 48 44 229 nformation and communication Information system 20 13 13 Communications 10 Sub-total 30 13 13 0 56 Budgetwy programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 12 15 8 9 Sub-total 12 15 8 9 44 TOTAL CERESCOR 132 75 69 53 329 IRBAG Institutional reorganization Establishment of IRBAG/University links 21 17 17 15 Evaluation of cost generation potential 19 Action plan for management reorganization 30 17 18 15 Sub-total 70 34 35 30 169 Information and communication Information system 20 13 13 Communications 15 Sub-total 35 13 13 0 61 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 12 15 8 8 Sub-total 12 15 8 8 43 TOTAL IRBAG 117 62 56 38 273 37 ANNEX 2-A DIRECTORATE HIGHER EDUCATION Institutional reorganization Establishment of accreditation procedures 67 46 48 50 Development of competitive funding criteria 40 14 14 14 Student scholarship criteria 57 17 17 17 Sub-total 164 77 79 81 401 Information and communication Information system 304 47 31 21 Communications 15 Sub-total 319 47 31 21 418 Budgetary programming and monitoring Budgetary programming and monitoring 117 183 107 87 Sub-total 117 183 107 87 494 TOTAL DIRECT. FOR H. EDUCATION 600 307 217 189 1313 DIRECTORATE FOR SCIENCE RESEARCH Institutional reorganization Establishment of a national research council 81 43 44 37 Sub-total 81 43 44 37 205 Information and communication Development of computerized data bases 37 30 20 15 Sub-total 37 30 20 15 102 TOTAL RESEARCH DIRECTORATE 118 73 64 52 307 OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS Institutional reorganization 85 42 43 38 Communications 20 - . TOTAL OTHER RESEARCH 105 42 43 38 228 ADMINISTRATION Project Administration 105 108 111 115 PPF Refinancing 390 TOTAL ADMINISTRATION 495 108 111 115 829 PROJECT TOTALS 3523 1534 1327 986 7370 38 ANNEX 2-B Page 1 of 1 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT TRAINING AND SKILLS TRANSFER 1. The Higher Education Management Support Project aims to help decision makers at all levels to improve their capacity to reform Guinea's education system. With regards to technical assistance, the strategy adopted is to recruit high caliber expertise with a commitment to on-the- job training and the ability to transfer skills and knowledge. This orientation is a major focus of the consultant terms of reference already drafted for technical advisors to be recruited under the Project. To ensure that training and skills transfer receive priority during implementation, several actions have been taken: (a) The consultant profiles developed for all technical advisor posts emphasize the importance of training, team building and communication skills. These criteria will be weighted heavily during the consultant selection process. (b) All terms of reference for consultant support outline a proposed process of interaction between technical expert and ministerial or institutional staff, as well as with other stakeholders as appropriate. The technical advisors will be required to interact with Ministry and institutional personnel in a "working group" format, in order to encourage participation and dissemination of information. The technical advisors will be responsible for organizing workshops in stakeholders discuss their objectives and strategies. They will also organize training seminars and fora in which Ministry and institutional staff will present the results of their work to their colleagues. The emphasis will be on appropriation of skills by Ministry and institutional counterparts. (c) All terms of reference include criteria for evaluating the work of technical advisors with heavy emphasis on achieving training and skills appropriation objectives. 2. Because of the emphasis placed on developing and implementing management tools and information flow procedures and on improving work methods and practices, on-the-job training is most suited to achieving the Project's capacity-building objectives. The bulk of training under the Higher Education Management Support Project will be provided on the job. Workshops and seminars will also be organized to facilitate inter-office communication and the dissemination of information. Arrangements will be made under the information systems component to train key personnel in the use of relevant software, and to provide trouble-shooting support throughout the project period. This training will be conducted in the context of group sessions. The training aspects of this Project will be considered a success if, at the end of Project implementation, Ministry staff were able to use new tools, information and work methods to articulate needs and justify decision-making processes, particularly in the context of requests for operating and investment resources. 39 ANNEX 3 PROJECT COST AND FINANCING TABLES Page 1 of 5 tig' i -5 ll:: ' 0 '- g..........t l 9 0 & [ , . -fli -- 1.9 - -u 5 1 111 1 j . 55 '4 0 cm, ix 60 I 1te'1 660'11- ,011 W <50611 9tI01190E 1<01<80 g 01e1 1,1166 faSt < s it'lll 0 '81 £ 10691 2sI * (L0% i10 II I et'1 t CRIp[WII 0up OGs 't'& 03t,9 1 SICS ituu 0 18< 61(1er, 5,91061 l1j9N ån<01 1ash Ul1 11%66111 IMIC00 12091 4 5% 011911, 1501< S I L , l 0E 11213 ~roU40fl cMu00 - <11806 88185< 811105 1091<M< <80£1 1<il11t (106 1<18 1901<1 <0061% Z<8061 '11tet <18061 680226 <101 1806 1 t96 ete*a5marlessin -< e - t<806< s2ee 9860. 1911 I8011 6.11 <106 1 ii ( <OG 0 å 009 0161 0 1061 lett 61 066 80119 1< 11(061 -A gp1 - e11 8 Tmr- - -- - 00 w - <86 - -- -- . - - - olat Ms s063 'emo< v V11 890<6< -®'t 88<1<09 6100'6< 16N'6< 10619 11(0t(1 *6*1111 (0:0694 1160'19 111<1<1 SlttI0o <899091 0995'6< 864010< 5 t'<0t 6804968 <«1t'1 '51016< u*<0fl6a<6« ese tot91<1< - 015l15< sTYiiTi~ <1eet0 <1918 <1n000 01<a1< 01e218 0811s5 011<1e< 0111< 0<65( 091<18 0096 st 025<1 0<1art 805eew164 * 681<26<i - 6<6<'0 65<1 88<5 0 98t'< 1 <<5<5t 658912u 19r9 81(0 616 191Z'89 8610111 <51<11 1 E5Z99 896'2t 899E'16 8EO2t 80(1Etesu 2<16'502<s - 1 86'16< 1[1<56 51<9001 <2111 15L1.21< <61<(09 <80<58 Sf6<611 0<15<t <8001'9 1611'91 5 96921 <<006<1 1 65921 1126.08 satsjm 0i0tesw t14511 - - 5091m 6M01 . -.t £ tt t5e2 1.( 0<1816 65<101 1t5%GI 549-S <590 < 1 189C159 111 tei"- A 68<0-st1' - 11<6-18< *2u1n6 <t81-< <<65.6; 10<22st - <80<0 108-06 <911'<6 5<1z0-tu 6 6<-16 16<5.51 (60166 0811<8e (60166 01<5-91 aiPs 800St 5008t - - - - - - - - • . .. .. . .. .. .. eau1og 10u3mga 0 580859' • <2< 0 ffl ill - - EIar0C • - - - - - - .. - - saKVIs a 91<5E " • E ' E i 'S- S- ' - . .k'. - '. p s * M11 t<8 1i Ivm NIO 0 0138:MW010 13<3 101*06*gm3le* 6a1visjons2isA U80 ig -A3ieme{00168 i termin0 ii ana afh tl t ct ålt ö£'§ fl a -1C 1138 t momfa1 ofe,o aWW1eo1<1 C t O£ 1MVM 1,0 ...3 615#32~4Ma«« , 1om -n1 n0111 an wo~a sa0 lumoa0 HISUMCOM.XLS REPUBLIQUE DE GUINEE PROJET D'APPUI AU DEVELOPPEMENT DE LENSEIGNEMENT SUPE % % Total Components Project Cost Summary (Local '000) (US$ '000) Foreign Base Local Foreign Total Local Foreign Total Exchange Costs A. DEVELOPPEMENT INSTITUTIONNEL BOKE 87,628.8 86,455.2 174,084.0 89.6 88.4 178.0 50 3 FARANAH 82,152.0 69,438.0 151,590.0 84.0 71.0 155.0 46 2 KANKAN 187,384.8 146,895.6 334,280.4 191.6 150.2 341.8 44 5 CERESCOR 82,152.0 98,778.0 180,930.0 84.0 101.0 185.0 55 3 IRBAG 68,655.6 60,929.4 129,585.0 70.2 62.3 132.5 47 2 MANEAH 73,545.6 65,330.4 138,876.0 75.2 66.8 142.0 47 2 CONAKRY/IPC 425,625.6 507,582.0 933,207.6 435.2 519.0 954.2 54 15 CENTRAL MINISTRY - ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR 156,088.8 164,499.6 320,588.4 159.6 168.2 327.8 51 5 N CENTRAL MINISTRY- DIRECTION DE RECHERCHE 57,897.6 104,450.4 162,348.0 59.2 106.8 166.0 64 3 INSTITUTIONS DE RECHERCHE 89,976.0 72,372.0 162,348.0 92.0 74.0 166.0 45 3 PROJECT ADMINISTRATION 361,468.8 14,083.2 375,552.0 369.6 14.4 384.0 4 6 Subtotal DEVELOPPEMENT INSTITUTIONNEL 1,672,575.6 1,390,813.8 3,063,389.4 1,710.2 1,422.1 3,132.3 45 48 C B. SYqTEME DE STATISTIQUES ET DE LA COMMUNICATION 0 cn SYSTEME D'INFORMATION 304,999.1 278,554.0 583,553.0 311.9 284.8 596.7 48 9 SYSTEME DE COMMUNICATION 353,547.0 325,429.5 678,976.5 361.5 332.8 694.3 48 11 COLLECTE DE DONNEES/STATISTIQUES 238,338.6 183,912.9 422,251.5 243.7 188.1 431.8 44 7 Subtotal SYSTEME DE STATISTIQUES ET DE LA COMMUNICATION 896,884.7 787,896.4 1,684,781.0 917.1 805.6 1,722.7 47 27 1 C. DEVELOPPEMENT DE STRUCTURElPROCESSUS FINANCIERES CENTRAL MINISTRY 196,675.8 220,881.3 417,557.1 201.1 225.9 427.0 53 7 INSTITUTION 276,382.8 267,042.9 543,425.7 282.6 273 1 555.7 49 9 Subtotal DEVELOPPEMENT DE STRUCTURE/PROCESSUS FINANCIE 473,058.6 487,924.2 960,982.8 483.7 498.9 982.6 51 15 z D. REFINANCEMENT DE LAVANCE 317,850.0 317,850.0 635,700.0 325.0 325.0 650.0 50 10 0 Total BASELINE COSTS 3,360,368.9 2,984,484.4 6,344,853.2 3,436.0 3,051.6 6,487.6 47 100 Physical Contingencies 196,437.2 178,193.6 374,630.7 200.9 182.2 383.1 48 6 Price Contingencies 326,476.2 155,920.8 482.397.0 333.8 159.4 493.2 32 8 Total PROJECT COSTS 3,883,282.2 3,318,598.7 7,201,880.9 3,970.6 3,393.3 7,363.9 46 114' 0 Page 1 HISUMEA.XLS REPUBLIQUE DE GUINEE PROJET DAPPUI AU DEVELOPPEMENT DE L-E % % Total Expenditure Accounts Project Cost Summary (Local '000) (US$ '000) Foreign Base Local Foreign Total Local Foreign Total Exchange Costs 1. Investment Costs A. Equipement 633,509.3 739,094.2 1,372,603.4 647.8 755.7 1,403.5 54 22 B. Vehicules 33.447.6 12,616.2 46,063.8 34.2 12.9 47.1 27 1 C. Mobiliers 48,704.4 17,604.0 66,308.4 49.8 18.0 67.8 27 1 D. Refinancement de ravance 317,850.0 317,850.0 635,700.0 325.0 325.0 650.0 50 10 E. Formation Locale 868,072.8 268,363.2 1,136,436.0 887.6 274.4 1,162.0 24 18 A fetrangere - 346,212.0 346,212.0 - 354.0 354.0 100 5 Subtotal Formation 868,072.8 614,575.2 1,482,648.0 887.6 628.4 1,516.0 41 23 F. Services des consultants Nationale 997,560.0 - 997,560.0 1,020.0 - 1,0200 - 16 Internationale - 1,144,260.0 1,144,260.0 - 1,170.0 1,170.0 100 18 Subtotal Services des consultants 997,560.0 1,144,260.0 2,141.8200 1,020.0 1,170.0 2,190.0 53 34 Total InvesIment Costs 2,899,144.1 2,845,999.6 5,745,143.6 2,964.4 2,910.0 5,874.4 50 91 It. Recurrent Costs A. Salaires 133,008.0 - 133,008.0 136.0 - 1360 - 2 B. Couts de fonctionnement 328,216.8 138,4848 466,701.6 335.6 141.6 477.2 30 7 Total Recurrent Costs 461,2248 138,484.8 599,709.6 471.6 141.6 613.2 23 9 Total BASELINE COSTS 3,360,368.9 2,984,484.4 6,344,853.2 3,436.0 3,051.6 6,487.6 47 100 Physical Contingencies 196,437.2 178,193.6 374,630.7 200.9 182.2 383.1 48 6 Price Contingencies 326,476.2 155,920.8 482,397.0 333.8 159.4 493.2 32 8 Total PROJECT COSTS 3,883,282.2 3,318,598.7 7,201.880.9 3,970.6 3,393.3 7,363.9 46 114 0 En 0 Page 1 EXPFIN.XLS REPUBLIQUE DE GUINEE PROJET D*APPUI AU DEVELOPPEMENT DE LENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR Expenditure Accounts by Financiers (US$ '000) Local Gouvernement IDA Total (Excl. Duties & Amount % Amount % Amount % For. Exch. Taxes) Taxes 1. Investment Costs A. Equipement 431.7 23.1 1.439.1 76.9 1,870.8 25.4 998.9 440.2 431.7 B. Vehicules 20.4 36.3 35.7 §3.7 56.1 0.8 15.0 20.8 20.4 C. Mobiliers 9.1 11.5 70.3 88.5 79.4 1.1 20.6 49.7 9.1 D. Refinancernent de ravance - - 390.0 100.0 390.0 5.3 195.0 195.0 - E. Formation Locale 0.0 - 1,350.7 100.0 1.350.7 18.3 306.3 1,044.3 - A retrangere - - 393.6 100.0 393.6 5.3 393.6 - - Subtotal Formation 0.0 - 1,744.3 100.0 1.744.3 23.7 700.0 1,044.3 - F. qervices des consultants Nationale - - 1,200.0 100.0 1,200.0 16.3 - 1,200.0 - Internationale - - 1,306.4 100.0 1,306.4 17.7 1,306.4 - - 0 Subtotal Services des consultants - - 2,506.4 100.0 2,506.4 34.0 1,306.4 1,200.0 - 0 Total Investment Costs 461.2 6.9 6,185.8 93.1 6,647.0 90.3 3,235.8 2,950.0 461.2 II. Recurrent Costs A. Salaires 136.0 100.0 - - 136.0 1.8 - 136.0 - B. Couts de fonctionnement 179.1 30.9 400.9 69.1 580.0 7.9 165.8 407.9 6.3 Total Recurrent Costs 315.1 44.0 400.9 56.0 716.0 9.7 165.8 543.9 6.3 Total Disbursement 776.3 10.5 6,586.6 89.5 7,363.0 100.0 3,401.6 3,493.8 467.6 Cn tI' 0 Page 1 44 ANNEX 4 Page 1 of 3 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT MID-TERM REVIEW 1. The mid-term review is an important part of the supervision plan for this project. Its goal is to determine the progress achieved for each project component as a function of the initial objectives. It will take place approximately two years after project effectiveness and will provide the key opportunity to ensure that needed policy reforms are in place. Agreement on implementation of a matrix of policy reforms is included in the Development Credit Agreement as a dated covenant. The mid-term review will examine project-specific implementation as well as broader project impact on Ministry and institutional operations and will be the joint responsibility of the World Bank and the Government of Guinea. The following evaluation criteria, broken down by project component, will be used: (a) Institutional reorganization (i) agreement on implementation of a policy reform matrix, including: a. competitive criteria for block grants to institutions; b. teaching hours and conditions for contract and tenured professors; c. curtailing and prioritizing of student scholarships, with a significant increase in the proportion of female students; d. application of user fees and cost recovery; e. privatization of cafeteria and other services; f. closing of marginal programs and institutions; and g. increased financing for non-salary expenditures. (ii) successful execution of study agendas for the first two years; (iii) development and application of accreditation processes by the Ministry of Higher Education; (iv) planning and execution of training programs. (v) information and communication systems 45 ANNEX 4 Page 2 of 3 (vi) clear definition of operational responsibilities for data collection, analysis and dissemination, with successful preparation of statistical yearbook, data collection protocols, personnel files, student database (for both institutional and central Ministry levels); (vii) functional institution-level data systems; (viii) installation and use of a campus telephone system at the University of Conakry; (ix) effective functioning of the electronic communication network; and (x) installation and use of radio communications equipment for institutions not linked by telephone. (b) Budgetary programming and monitoring (i) training of DAAF personnel for use of computerized accounting system; (ii) effective use of software packages, database management, computerized budget programs, development of data collection protocols and norms, etc; (iii) effective monitoring of budget execution for the 1996 and 1997 school years by institution in accordance with the budgetary model; (iv) functioning of an internal audit unit. (c) Project administration (i) clear evidence of the effectiveness of specialists recruited for the proect: proof of technology appropriation by national staff, a demonstrable success rate for in-service training programs, a history of quick identification and deployment of competent technical specialists; (ii) the level of performance of the project coordinator corresponding to the evaluation criteria defined in terms of reference established for the position, including follow-up of field work, effective public relations, sound fiscal management, timely preparation of project-related documents, and preparation of agendas for meetings of the steering and intersectoral committees; 46 ANNEX 4 Page 3 of 3 (iii) completion of the first-year audit in a timely fashion, with satisfactory evidence of appropriate accounting; (iv) timely replenishment of the Special Deposit Account and the Project Account, with appropriate supporting documentation; (v) procurement and disbursement procedures understood by personnel of the project coordinating unit, and routinely implemented without significant delay; (vi) agreement on future role of PCU; and (vii) decision regarding future configuration of higher education, including elimination or consolidation of marginal programs and institutions. 47 ANNEX 5 Page 1 of3 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE/SUPERVISION PLAN Key Dates Implementation Step Responsibility 1994 * May/June Appraisal IDA * November Agreement on first-year study program, TOR's Steering Committee/IDA 1995 * September Negotiations Government/IDA * October Final version of Implementation Manual Government Board Presentation IDA 1996 * February Declaration of Effectiveness IDA * Project Launch/Consultation Interm. Committee/IDA (Project Supervision) Steering Committee/IDA * May First Progress Report due Project Coordination * October Consultation Steering Committee/IDA (Project Supervision) Steering Committee/IDA Agreement on second-year study program, TOR's Interm. Committee/IDA * November Confirmation of Auditor for Steering Committee 1995 Project Accounts Project Coordination Second Progress Report due 48 ANNEX 5 Page 2 of 3 KeyDats Implementation Step Responsibility 1997 * May Third Progress Report due Project Coordination Consultation (Project Supervision) Steering Committee/IDA * October Consultation Steering Committee/IDA (Project Supervision) Steering Committee/IDA Agreement on third-year study program, TOR's Interm. Committee/IDA * November Mid-term Review of Project Progress Interm. Committee/IDA Confirmation of Auditor for 1996 Project Accounts - Steering Committee Fourth Progress Report due Project Coordination 1998 * April Consultation Steering Committee/IDA (Project Supervision) Steering Committee/IDA * May Fifth Progress Report due Project Coordination * October Agreement on fourth year study program, TORs Interm. Committee * November Sixth Progress Report due Project Coordination 1999 * May Consultation (Project Supervision) Steering Committee/IDA Seventh Progress Report due Project Coordination TORs for Implementation Steering Committee/IDA Completion Report * October Completion mission Interm. Committee/IDA * December Final Progress Report due Project Coordination Project Closure IDA 2000 * June Review of Implementation Steering Committee/IDA Completion Report 49 ANNEX 5 Page 3 of 3 Table 1: IDA SUPERVISION PLAN PERitOD ACTLVITY SKILL REUREMENTS STAPPWNPtT(ta PROJECT Project Launch Workshop Implementation I Year I Education 1 Project Management 1 Resident Mission I Education 2 Telecommunications 2 Supervision Mission Resident Mission 1 TOTAL 9 PROJECT 1st Joint Annual Review Implementation I Year 2 Education I Resident Mission 1 Education 2 Project Management 2 Supervision Mission Resident Mission 2 TOTAL 9 PROJECT Mid-Tern Review Implementation 2 Year 3 Education 2 Project Management 2 Telecommunications 1 Resident Mission 2 Education I Project Management 1 Supervision Mission Resident Mission 1 TOTAL 12 PROJECT 2nd Joint Annual Review Implementation 1 Year 4 Education 1 Resident Mission 1 Education 2 Project Management 2 Supervision Mission Resident Mission 2 TOTAL 9 (Completion Mission) To be detemined 50 ANNEX 6 Page 1 of 6 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT POLICY STATEMENT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH Background 1. In 1984, there were 10,994 students in 39 institutions of higher education in Guinea, with 1,981 teachers. Recognizing the serious distortions of the sector, as well as the complete lack of financial viability and quality, the national conference on education held in May/June 1984 established a far-reaching program to improve quality and efficiency. Today, as a result of that effort, the sector manages two universities and three specialized institutions of higher learning, with 8,104 students and 786 full-time professors. 2. The research sector has also undergone profound changes. Many research institutions operate under the aegis of other ministries, leaving the Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Culture (MESRC) to manage nine research centers and three documentation centers. 3. The dramatic reduction in numbers and the recent decision to grant the institutions of higher education greater administrative and financial autonomy bear witness to the determination of the government to create high-quality institutions. However, the level of material and financial resources available, the relevance of the teaching and research programs, the efficiency with which they are managed, and the quality of graduates and research products all are far below what has been intended. For this reason, the government has decided to redefine its development strategy for this sector. Sectoral issues 4. Relevance of training and research. It is now widely recognized that the capacities which University students bring to bear on problems in the marketplace are unsatisfactory to the few potential employers and to the teachers themselves. More broadly, the major challenges ahead with regards to the development of the sector are as follows: (i) to redefine programs and courses as a function of marketplace and manpower needs, in line with the country's policies for job creation; (ii) to reallocate sectoral resources as a function of established priorities; (iii) to limit the number of students entering higher education according to established need; and (iv) to establish links among the teaching institutions, among the research institutions, and between the teaching and research institutions. These concerns taken as a whole require new paradigms for the strategic goals of higher education and research over the short, medium and long terms. The development of these paradigms must be a participative process, including all of the principal stakeholders, including the students themselves as well as potential employers. 51 ANNEX 6 Page 2 of 6 5. Inputs and system efficiency. A significant change in the respective roles of the central ministry and the institutions constitutes a necessary prerequisite for responding to the concerns mentioned above. At the central level, there must be a capacity to: (i) define and communicate to the institutions the national priorities for the sector; and (ii) monitor the extent to which these priorities are being carried out. 6. At the institutional level, it is imperative that information concerning: (i) market conditions and dynamics; (ii) the number and type of qualifications required by the economy as a function of currently utilized production technologies and techniques; (iii) optimal approaches for the acquisition of these competencies; and (iv) the best means to ensure that competencies acquired are correctly utilized. An appraisal of our system on this basis reveals serious deficiencies. 7. Shortcomings can also be found with regards to: (i) teaching and research personnel; (ii) teaching and research materials (books, laboratory equipment, scientific journals, etc.); (iii) communications; and (iv) an evaluation system providing teachers and administrators with information regarding student learning achievement. 8. In terms of inputs, for example, 31 years after the creation of the higher education and research system, the country has an almost completely Guinean cadre of teaching personnel, and has succeeded in raising the average student-teacher ratio to a satisfactory level. However, from the perspective of working conditions, or contributions to the local and international development of science, much remains to be done. Highly qualified professors are few in number, and there are very few productive researchers. Those who do exist, are not well distributed across the various institutions and programs. Similarly, the ongoing deterioration of the physical infrastructure has reached an advanced stage in all institutions, and the lack of pedagogical materials is pervasive. 9. In order to better manage the system, a process to evaluate its internal and external infrastructure is indispensable. To this end, viable information regarding the activities of the institutions is needed so that the authorities have the ability, for example, of monitoring the evolution of achievement of priorities, evaluating existing programs, improving management, and determining future resource needs. Some of this information is currently unavailable or, at least, hard to access. 10. Financial constraints and unit costs. The financial constraints to improved efficiency can be found at four main levels: (i) the reliance on a sole source of financing (the state and its external partners); (ii) general underfunding; (iii) the skewed allocation of funds in the training and research budgets; and (iv) inefficient management (the lethargic process of disbursement, for example) of the minimal resources available. 52 ANNEX 6 Page 3 of 6 11. As a corollary of budget allocations, the high unit costs of higher education and research should not be seen solely in terms of their absolute value. Their breakdown on the basis of salaries, infrastructure, equipment, social transfers, and other teaching and research inputs, reveals additional problems to be addressed. 12. Social demand for higher education. In spite of the problems indicated above, the demographic pressure from primary and secondary schooling, and the personal advantages inherent in the possession of a university diploma, mean that the demand for university training will continue to grow. If the current tendency is maintained, enrollments in higher education will easily surpass the threshold of 10,000 students by the year 2000. This will have harmful consequences for the sector since projected economic growth will not be sufficient to finance the additional needs and maintain the system even at its current low level. Consequently, the government has decided to implement an ambitious new strategy seen as absolutely essential for the sector's future development. 13. Development strategy. All investments in research and higher education in Guinea must be for the purpose of contributing to the economic and social development of the country. This implies the need to prepare a range of strategic objectives that can provide a basis for fundamental changes in policy and in organizational structure. Such a vision will encompass short-, medium-, and long-term needs. 14. Short-term objectives will be premised on creation of a consensus in order to achieve acceptance of the profound changes needed in structure, in management, and in the relevance of training and research programs. In particular, teachers and students will be invited to participate in serious debate over the future of the sector, with a transparent examination of programs, structures, and budgets. 15. Medium- and long-term objectives will be oriented toward the strengthening of the operational autonomy of the institutions. In pursuing these objectives, the future system of higher education and research will need to differ significantly from the present system in several basic aspects. First, it will need to be flexible enough to respond to changing demand. In the short term, for training purposes, this implies controlling student flows and strengthening the idea of cost sharing. Second, the system will need to ensure that available financing is well used, including a rationalization of use of teaching and research personnel. 16. These efforts will need to be pursued with the goal of maintaining a consensus among all interested parties: students, parents, teaching staff, researchers, potential employers, and government. The approach will need to be essentially participative, including a better understanding on all sides of the concept of institutional autonomy. 53 ANNEX 6 Page 4 of 6 17. Institutional autonomy. The best way to rebuild higher education and research is to do it from within the institutions themselves, through a gradual process. In the short term, greater institutional autonomy will require that the state rethink its role. The state will ensure that the following objectives are attained: (i) transparency in managing change policies; (ii) a search for additional sources of financing; (iii) contribution to the preparation, implementation and monitoring of institutional budget processes; (iv) allocation of resources granting priority to inputs linked to improvements in quality; (v) social equity within the institutions; (vi) donor coordination; and (vii) coordination between higher education and the Ministries of Finance, Plan, and Administrative Reform. 18. The government has already implemented this year a system of competitive entrance examinations in order to limit the inflow of students. This means that the end of secondary schooling does not necessarily lead to access to higher education. In addition, the government will progressively put into place over the next three years a system of autonomous financial management, by which the institutions will assume the responsibility for developing and justifying their own budgets and the use of scholarship funds. The role of the government will be limited to defining the criteria for allocation of funds and evaluating the results. It is expected that this measure will encourage the institutions to maintain enrollments at more manageable levels, and that the proportion of budgets allocated to improvements in quality will be considerably increased. 19. Open university. Several approaches are under consideration for reducing the cost burden of the state by increasing the efficiency with which teachers are used. Almost all of these approaches presume a much more open and flexible relationship between higher education and its potential clientele: (i) the development of private higher education will be encouraged; (ii) the new institutions of higher education will maintain open doors, from the perspective of the programs offered, the type of student enrolled (full time or part time), and the period during which individuals wishing to study are allowed to do so. This new approach will help reduce the bottleneck created by entrance into university immediately following secondary schooling and will lead to financial contributions by individuals and businesses; (iii) the teaching loads of professors will be revised as a function (among others) of their administrative responsibilities and their real research programs; payment for overtime will be strictly limited to professors participating in activities generating additional resources for the university; and (iv) restaurant services, already privatized, will be more open to competition in order to save funds which will be reinvested in qualitative improvements. It goes without saying that an immediate and radical improvement in communication within the sector is the sine qua non of all of these approaches and indeed, of any approach aiming to improve the quality and relevance of the sector. 20. Political and social marketing of the reform. Higher education is a very politically sensitive arena. It offers a number of concrete advantages to a wide variety of groups and individuals. Any change in the distribution of these advantages will be poorly received by those who consider themselves to be losers, and naturally, well received by those who benefit. It is important, well before any changes are made, to identify the probable reactions of these groups 54 ANNEX 6 Page 5 of 6 (students, parents, teachers, government officials) and to address their concerns. This will require a plan for social and political marketing to explain the advantages of the changes and to create a constituency which is supportive of them. This plan is a part of the participative approach planned in the context of reforms to be put in place. In this context, it is also important to be able to show students and professors concrete actions to improve their working conditions (at the level, for instance, of the library, of science laboratories, of textbook availability, of means of communication, of computers, etc.) 21. Summary and conclusions. In summary, then, the government's strategy for higher education and research consists of immediately putting in place a process of change involving all of the stakeholders in the system. This process will aim not only to achieve a change in role for the institutions (management autonomy, reorientation of programs as a function of market needs) and of the ministry (establishment of norms, evaluation and control of quality), but also a change in behavior at all levels in order to ensure quality, transparency, and efficiency. The process will be accompanied by a strong accent on the practical training of personnel in new approaches to management, administration, collection and use of data, organization, etc. 22. Improvements in efficiency. Improvements in efficiency over the short and medium terms will include the following: (i) cost recovery, (ii) more efficient use of teaching staff, (iii) a transparent system of financial management, (iv) progressive implementation of block grants to institutions, (v) privatization of cafeteria services, (vi) more flexible working hours and conditions (open university concept), (vii) encouragement of private higher education, and (viii) collaboration with other institutions of higher education in the region. 23. Improvements in quality. Improvements in quality over the short and medium terms will include the following activities: (i) implementation of a better system of communication, (ii) redistribution of budget resources in favor of pedagogic inputs, (iii) competitive entrance examination to limit student enrollments, and (iv) new role of quality control for the ministry. 24. Improvements in relevance. Improvements in the relevance of higher education presuppose the implementation of new programs and courses, and the cancellation of programs and courses not linked to market needs. This aspect will take into consideration the country's global development strategy. Among others, for example, new courses or programs could be developed to train personnel for decentralized administration, to strengthen the country's communications capacity, to reinforce computerization and transparent management of services (public and private), and to create new competencies within the pre-university education system (training of school directors, support for training handicapped or gifted students, etc.). 25. In the long term, following a process of upgrading capacity and developing consensus, the government will look for external support to complement internal resources in order to rehabilitate existing infrastructure, acquire equipment, and develop a true university library. It is understood in this process that the priority of the government in favor of basic education will be maintained, indeed, reinforced, by the approach planned for improving the functioning of higher education. The improvement of higher education should at the same time have a positive impact on quality at all levels of education as well as on the economic development of the country. 55 ANNEX 6 Page 6 of 6 26. The following performance indicators translate the Government's policy into operational terms for the four year span of the PADES: (a) higher education's percentage of the education budget, which was between 25% and 30% prior to the PASE, will be kept in the range of 17% to 20% over the next four years; (b) non-salary operating expenditures will be increased to 25% of the operating budget for higher education and research by 1999; (c) cost recovery and user fees will constitute between 5% and 10% of budget revenues by 1999; (d) Required teachers hours will be as follows: 12 hours for assistant professors and instructors and 10 hours for associate professors and professors, with one hour of classroom teaching considered equivalent to two hours of laboratory supervision and one-and-a-half hours of small group mentoring; (e) student enrollment will be maintained between 8500 and 9000 over the next four years; (f) an annual budget of US$100,000 will be devoted to developing a competitive research grant program based on development needs; (g) the cost of social transfers in the overall budget will be reduced by 5% annually. 56 ANNEX 7 Page 1 of 5 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT SELECTED ACTIVITIES INSTITUTIONAL REORGANIZATION COMPONENT (listed by working group) I 1. The following summary descriptions are based on detailed proposals and terms of reference reviewed during the appraisal mission. The full documentation for these studies is maintained in project files and is available upon request. For proposals covering more than one year, only the first year's activities have been appraised. A complete list of project activities is provided in Annex 1. These are subject to annual approval by the Steering Committee, the Interministerial Committee and IDA on the basis of terms of reference, budgets, and an implementation calendar. University of Conakry 2. Competitive research grants. This initiative will be carried out jointly with the University of Kankan. The intent is to re-establish the management of research activities as a legitimate function within the university context. Grants averaging $1000 to $2000 will be awarded to University-based researchers on a competitive basis, using criteria developed for this purpose. Additional sources of funding, including fee-generating activities within the Universities, will be sought at the time of the mid-term project review. 3. Measurement of student achievement. The goal of this initiative is to develop a method for evaluating student learning in a way that provides a reliable basis for comparison on an annual basis. It is anticipated that feedback received will be used to alter individual course content, teaching methodology or the broad program of studies. This will be a pilot study of student learning outcomes conducted by the Faculty of Sciences. Technical assistance will be sought from two sources: (i) a dean or a qualified professor from a College or Faculty of Sciences in a developed country will conduct an external evaluation of the curriculum as taught at the University of Conakry and together with an evaluation expert will help develop an evaluation process for monitoring student learning outcomes, and (ii) a series of visits will be undertaken to Faculties of Science in other African universities (English-speaking and French-speaking). A visiting scholar will be invited from one of these institutions for a two-month period in each of the last two years of the project to provide input into the evaluation process. This list of studies deals only with activities planned under the Institutional Reorganization component. As such, it does not include the training of institutional personnel in financial management and budgetary planning, the development of viable communication systems, or the establishment of statistical data-gathering capacity at the institutional level, all of which is being done through other project components. 57 ANNEX 7 Page 2 of 5 4. Fit between employment/training. Four internal task forces have been designated at the Polytechnic Institute to develop needs assessments in the following areas: (i) engineering training, (ii) technicians' training, (iii) support of income-generating activities, and (iv) administrative streamlining. Each unit will start its activities with an evaluation of the current situation, for example, with a study which will assess the quantitative and qualitative needs for engineers. The Terms of Reference already developed by the first two task forces include a tracer study of former graduates to determine whether the training received has proven relevant to their current employment. Based on the ongoing recommendations of these task forces, the Polytechnic Institute of Conakry will propose in-depth studies for the second and third years of the project. 5. Open University-fee-generating activities. The Faculty of Business and Management will take the lead in establishing pilot programs to develop greater financial self-sufficiency. It will, among other activities, develop night school and alternative education programs. During project preparation, it has already moved to establish a consultancy unit with a fee scale derived from the Guinean salary environment that will permit Government agencies to compete with international agencies for competent research personnel, while providing a source of income for the faculty and a source of professional development for individual faculty members. The proposed consultancy group will negotiate standard fee-sharing arrangements with the University, as well as a professional code of ethics for University professor/consultants, with clear description of the rights and responsibilities of both the professor/consultant, the University, and students. 6. Reorganization of student services management. The first year's activities will be organized around a comparative study carried out by a national team. It will deal with a wide range of issues relating to student services, including boarding facilities, transportation, and local scholarships. The team will include student representation. The team will survey student services at the two major universities in Guinea. It will travel to a range of institutions in different countries within and outside of the region. It will prepare a comparative report of student services offered in the countries surveyed, demonstrating similarities or differences with the Guinean experience and analyzing these differences. Recommendations from this study will be geared to identifying for more focused follow-up work in the last two years of the project. University of Kankan 7. Tracer study fit between training and employment. A tracer study of recent University graduates will be conducted to determine the relevance of training received at the University. This study will seek to determine the impact of the schooling received in particular on employment opportunities in the rural areas as opposed to Conakry. 58 ANNEX 7 Page 3 of 5 8. Competitive research grants. This initiative will be carried out jointly with the University of Conakry. The intent is to re-establish the management of research activities as a legitimate function within the university context. Grants averaging $1000 to $2000 will be awarded to University-based researchers on a competitive basis, using criteria developed for this purpose. Additional sources of funding, including fee-generating activities within the Universities, will be sought at the time of the mid-term project review. 9. Reorganization of student services. This study will be carried out jointly with the University of Conakry (see above). Carried out by a national team, it will deal with the full range of issues relating to student services, including boarding facilities, transportation, and local scholarships. It will look at particular problems related to the isolation and relatively poor state of facilities at the University of Kankan. Mining and Geology Institute of Boke 10. Tracer study of graduates. In order to determine the external efficiency of the specialized programs offered at Boke, a tracer study of recent graduates will be conducted. This study will analyze the type of employment obtained, employer evaluations as to the appropriateness of training received, and the average length of time spent seeking employment. This study will be paired with a program evaluation (see [b]) and a study of linkages with the Institut Polytechnique (see [c]) to help determine the most appropriate approach for future training in the mining sector. 11. Restructuring/privatization/program evaluation. The potential for greater private sector involvement in the training activities currently organized by the Institute of Bok6 will be explored through external evaluation. 12. Linkages with the Polytechnical Institute. This study will look at the potential for greater institutional collaboration for the engineering programs at the two institutions. Teacher Training Institute of Guinea 13. Decentralized management-modules, contract teachers. The Teacher Training Institute has in recent years become a de facto provider of short-term tailor-made training programs, often in support of the ongoing need for retraining personnel within the civil service. However, the Institution's management structure has not kept pace with these new needs. This activity will help create the management capacity for developing short-term modules and training packages on a low-cost contract basis. It will be complemented by pedagogic support for the creation of special needs courses (see [b]). 14. Creation of special needs courses (principals, GT, LD, ag.). The Ministry for Pre- University Education and Vocational Training (MEPUFP) has increasingly expressed a need for courses in a range of areas: elementary school instructional leadership, gifted and talented pupils, learning disabled students or students with other disabilities, as well as such one-time needs as 59 ANNEX 7 Page 4 of 5 retraining for former agriculture extension agents, etc. This activity will provide the technical assistance and other support necessary for development of these courses. Agriculture and Veterinary Institute of Faranah (ISAV) 15. Program evaluation. The purpose of the study is to develop and apply test instruments for the four departments or faculties within the institution: agriculture, water and forestry, livestock raising, and rural engineering. Results will be used to analyze the appropriateness of course offerings for current needs within the country. This activity will be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture. 16. Development of fee-generating activities. An agricultural marketing consultant will be asked to evaluate the potential transformation of two existing programs into fee-generating activities for the Institute: a seed dissemination initiative and a program of agricultural innovations. CERESCOR (Conakry-Rogbane Oceanographic Research Center) 17. Evaluation of scientific and administrative management. From the time of its creation, activities at CERESCOR were carried out in the framework of collaboration between Guinea and the former Soviet Union. Since the end of Soviet support, the institution has declared its desire to become autonomous, i.e. responsible for its own management and financing. The unit from the marine biology research center has conducted considerable research on issues such as coastal pollution, etc. However, its publication record to date is dismal, considerable hampering its capacity to develop its reputation and develop outside sources of income. It has no rigorous procedures for internal evaluation of its scientific management or for peer review. Similarly, its internal publications are not subject to refereeing. This activity will link an external evaluation of scientific and administrative management to the provision of in-service training of personnel. This process will culminate in a two-week seminar for all research staff IRBAG 18. Evaluation of cost generation potential. The administrative and financial autonomy of IRBAG requires that the institution develop the capacity to offer its services and products in a competitive market. External consult support will be sought to determine the potential for generating resources through such existing programs as production of snake venom, production of plant-based drugs, vaccinations, laboratory animals, ecotourism, etc. Directorate for Higher Education 19. Establishment of accreditation procedures. The directorate of higher education will develop guidelines for assuming a new role of quality control. This activity will take place over 60 ANNEX 7 Page 5 of 5 the four-year project lifespan. During the first year, two forms of technical assistance are envisaged: (i) the services of a regional accreditation agency or its equivalent (from the United States or Europe) will be secured in order to develop initial accreditation protocols. These protocols will include provisions for institutional self-evaluation and external inspection according to criteria to be established; (ii) a national team will be trained to test draft protocols with selected faculties. While this team may ultimately evolve into the role of an independent accrediting agency, it will work initially under the aegis of the Directorate for Higher Education. Over the next two years of the project, all existing institutions will be evaluated (including a self- evaluation). By the fourth year, it is expected that the quality control function will be a routine feature of MESRSC activity and responsibilities. 20. Development of competitive funding criteria. The recent experience of the polytechnic institutions in Britain will be used as a model for developing competitive funding criteria. Guidelines to be established will include teacher quality, program cost, program relevance, student outcomes and overall efficiency. A national team will meet with representatives of the various institutions to determine what needs ought to be served and which should receive a lower priority in the allocation of resources. These studies will inform the steering committee which will eventually decide on the recommendations. Directorate for Scientific Research 21. Establishment of a national research council. (i) the Directorate for Scientific Research proposes to establish in fact what currently exists on paper only-a national research council. This group will visit research councils and foundations in other countries and become acquainted with approaches to R&D policy-making. It will also receive training to help it acquire the managerial capacity necessary for coordination and evaluation. It will be funded by but operate independently of the directorate of national research; (ii) the directorate of national research proposes to develop a computerized data base that will inventory research activities in Guinea. The inventory of research projects will make it possible to bring far more coherence in the organization of various laboratories and activities than is presently the case, allowing scarce resources to be used more efficiently. Personnel will become acquainted with international resources potentially available to Guinean researchers. The directorate will become a resource for researchers and a clearinghouse for information. 61 Annex 8 Page 1 of I REPUBLIC OF GUINEA MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION OPERATING BUDGETS 1994-1995 (Millions of Guinean Francs) 1992 1993 1994 1995 Ministry Conakry Kankan ISSEG ISAV Boke Total Salaries 7062.5 7470 8203 1737 690.6 131.5 60.2 42.6 58.1 2720 Travel 288 508.5 111.5 90 24.5 20.2 8.7 18.9 9.4 171.7 Equipment 552 769 180.5 111 125.5 115.8 30.8 71.3 35.6 490 Consumables 2906.5 3132.5 950.5 331.6 208 213.2 30.8 64.7 46.5 894.8 Vehicles 239 309.5 67 86.5 110.1 119.8 61.4 49.8 10.2 437.8 Utilities -- -- 0 65 171 14.4 36.6 20.7 13.1 320.8 Maintenance 135 125.5 20 35 49 15.2 15.5 10.4 12.4 137.5 Service fees 75 646 16 20 888.9 746.6 80.4 130.3 73.3 1939.5 Miscellaneous. 77 109 19.5 35 109.7 37.1 5.7 30.2 31.6 249.3 Scholarships 2390 2250 750 750 2164 576 132.1 147.6 126.2 3895.9 TOTAL 13725 15320 10318 3261.1 4541.3 1989.8 462.2 586.5 416.4 11257.3 *Note: Prior to 1995, service fees and most scholarship costs were aggregated under the category: salaries/benefits. 62 Annex 9 Page 1 of 1 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT HIGHER EDUCATION ENROLLMENT BY INSTITUTION Institutions 1991-92 1992-93 1993-94 Kankan 1397 1226- 1157 Conakry 4007 5905 Faranah 161 254 Bok6 663 242 ISSEG 386 546 (Maneah) TOTAL 6612 7189 8104 63 Annex 10 Page 1 of2 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION MANUAL: TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION 1: THE PROJECT 1.1. Project framework 1.2. Objectives 1.3. Description 1.4. Estimated cost by component and category 1.5. Financing plan 1.6. Implementation calendar 1.7. Credit Agreement conditionalities SECTION 2 : IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES 2.1. Project coordination, monitoring, and implementation 2.2. Institutional reorganization 2.3. Research grants 2.4. Training 2.5. Operational activities SECTION 3 : PROCUREMENT 3.1. Calendar for procurement of goods and services 3.2. Applicable procurement procedures 3.3. Reporting requirements SECTION 4. : DISBURSEMENTS 4.1. Disbursement category and reallocation of funds 4.2. Credit account 4.3. Special account 4.4. Project account 64 Annex 10 Page 2 of 2 SECTION 5: ACCOUNTING AND AUDITING 5.1. Accounting and budget system 5.2. Terms of reference and audit schedule SECTION 6: MONITORING AND EVALUATION 6.1 Implementation monitoring 6.2. Mid-term Review 6.3. Supervision Plan (IDA) 6.4. Implementation Completion Report ANNEXES Annex 1 : Standard ICB Documents for equipment Annex 2 : Standard ICB Documents for equipment Annex 3 . Sample Letter of Invitation for consultant servic Annex 4 : Disbursement Letter Annex 5 : Bank guidelines for contracts and bids Annex 11 Page 1 of I STATUS OF BANK GROUP OPERATIONS IN GUINEA Summary Statements of Loans and IDA Credits (as of July 31, 1995) LOAN OR CREDIT NO. AMOUNT IN US$ MILLION I. (LESS CANCELLATION) CREDITS FISCAL BORROWER PURPOSE BANK IDA UNDIS- CLOSING YEAR BURSE DATE D 29 CREDITS CLOSED 468.37 C17250-GN 1987 GUINEA LIVESTOCK SECTOR REH. 9.80 1.48 12/31/95(R) C19150-GN 1988 GUINEA HIGHWAYS IV 55.00 10.95 12/31/95(R) C19550-GN 1989 GUINEA RESEARCH EXT. 18.40 .37 12/31/95(R) C19850-GN 1989 GUINEA WATER II 40.00 8.32 10/31/96 Cl9950-GN 1989 GUINEA SDA 9.00 1.39 12/31/95(R) C20680-GN 1990 GUINEA FORESTRY FISHERY M. 8.00 1.23 06/30/95(R) C21060-GN 1990 GUINEA NAT.RURAL INFRAST. 40.00 10.43 12/31/95 C21120-GN 1990 GUINEA SECOND URBAN 57.00 37.70 12/31/95 C23980-GN 1992 GUINEA P.E. REFORM 7.30 4.80 12/31/95 C24070-GN 1993 GUINEA AGRI.EXPORT PROM. 20.80 17.64 12/31/99 C24160-GN 1993 GUINEA POWER II 50.00 36.14 12/31/97 C24440-GN 1993 GUINEA TELECOMMUNICATIONS 14.60 6.17 12/31/95 C25740-GN 1994 GUINEA HEALTH-NUT-SCTR. 24.60 24.75 06/30/01 C26530-GN(S) 1995 GUINEA FINANCIAL SECTOR 23.00 14.05 03/31/97 * C27190-GN 1995 GUINEA EQUITY & SCHOOL IMPROV. 42.50 44.49 06/30/01 TOTAL No. of Credits = 15 420.00 217.91 Loans 3 Loans Closed All closed for GUINEA 73.50 TOTAL No. of Loan=0 TOTAL*** 73.50 917.01 of which repaid 73.50 8.95 TOTAL held by .00 908.12 Bank & IDA Amount sold of which repaid TOTAL undisbursed 219.12 CAOI10-GN 1986 GUINEA SAL 1 17.00 .00 12/31/1988(R)1 C16590-GN 1986 GUINEA SAL I 25.00 .00 2/31/1988(R) C19260-GN 1988 GUINEA SAL II 65.00 .00 12/31/1993(R) C21550-GN 1990 GUINEA EDC.SEC.A.PROGRAM 20.00 .00 06/30/1994(R) C21480-GN 1990 GUINEA PRIV.SECT.PROMO. 50.00 .00 12/31/1992(R) C19261-GN 1993 GUINEA SAL II .10 .00 05/07/1994 TOTAL GUINEA 177.10 .00 Note: Not yet effective * Not yet signed ** Total approved, repayments. and outstanding balance represent both active and inactive Loans and Credits. (R) Indicates formally revised Closing Date. (S) Indicates SAL/SECAL Loans and Credits. The net approved and Bank repayments are historical value, all others are market value. The Signing, Effective, and Closing Dates are based upon the Loan Department official data and are not taken from the Task Budget file. 66 Annex 12 Page 1 of 1 REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT SELECTED DOCUMENTS AVAILABLE IN THE PROJECT FILE Evaluation des propositions soumises au PADES. Maurice Garnier. Décembre 1994. Computerized budget planning and accounting in Guinean higher education. Mission Report. R. Vyhmeister. November, 1994. Project de cadre de développement du secteur de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique. Octobre 1994. Les technologies de l'information et de la communication au Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur en Guinée. Télémédiatique. Août 1994. Rapports initiaux des institutions. PADES. Juin 1994. Higher education and scientific research in Guinea: A sector note (Enseignement Supérieur et Recherche en Guinée--Etude Sectorielle). Report No. 12009-GUI, World Bank. August 1993. Conception des termes de référence de l'étude sur l'enseignement supérieur en Guinée. Ministère français de la Coopération et du Développement. Mars 1993. Les grandes orientations de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique. Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique. 1993. On research in Mathematics within the Guinean universities. Mamadou Bah. 1993. Etudes spécifiques pour la poursuite de la rationalisation et la consolidation de l'enseignement supérieur. Baniré Diallo. Mai 1992. Financement et autonomie de l'Université Gamal Abdel Nasser de Conakry. Alexandre Richard. 1992. Journées de concertation des cadres de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique. Ministère de l'Education Nationale. Janvier 1990. Orientations générales d'un plan de redressement des secteurs de l'enseignement supérieur et de la recherche scientifique. Ministère de l'Education Nationale. Octobre 1986. 67 Annex 13 Page 1 of I REPUBLIC OF GUINEA HIGHER EDUCATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF IDA DISBURSEMENTS (net of taxes and duties, in US$ million equivalent) PROJECT DISBURSEMENT DISBURSEMENT YEAR SEMESTER IN SEMESTER CUMULATIVE % OF TOTAL PROFILE (effectiveness) 1 1 0.2 0.2 3% 0% 2 0.8 1.1 17% 10% 2 3 1.3 2.4 36% 14% 4 1.0 3.4 52% 22% 3 5 0.7 4.1 62% 34% 6 0.7 4.8 73% 42% 4 7 0.6 5.4 82% 54% 8 0.6 6.0 91% 66% 5 9 0.4 6.4 97% 74% 10 0.2 6.6 100% 82% 6 11 86% 12 94% 7 13 96% 14 98% 8 15 100% 1/ Overall disbursement profile for Guinea 1'~2 GUINE 8- SENEGAL GUINEA -- HIGHER EDUCATiON MANAGEMENT SUPPORT PROJECT To Kedougou To Xim e ,K oundaro - --- G U N E ANyagossol B I S S A U °a°i 1 2 -12I12T- Didi -Koubia DlToguD u-yer Labé -oKamohn N,ande9., M A L \ ~emc P,0 Oi.iju Q M føBoke fejtnml B, 4 - Komsoro u/ TFro amou 0, 0lnd nM mo Ka d n c, dKai' an Dub, eki of- SIERRA LEONE * AED~ RiADS F- o'UTES PAVEF.- ALL WEA E, ' ''U1Tý "5RAT:( Z. 40 i3 8C ]00 120 Benlyr, y KOMETERS 4 F --- _- - AEROP14RT INii -1 AdRT AAIRF"~ D' -AF -A -j- T Al CAP'TIL THE \r e aog 'R GAMBIA -- -.a ' EFZL F TU P -- 1 T BISSAUJ ' PE E -§T E N.fEI 0 GED&PFF Tw- RÅcl Conokry* O F i -~r- SIERRA -ONE i i AN b Ili 1V LEE' - no-0--- --- _ _ r _A__ ,- L