India - First Rajasthan District Primary Education Project

Report No. PID7381 Project Name India-Rajasthan District Primary (@j Education Project-I Region South Asia Sector Education Project ID INPE45050 Borrower Government of India Implementation Agency Government of Rajasthan Ministry of Education Contact Person: Mr Priya Darshi Thakur Secretary Education Date Prepared January 1998 Appraisal Date October 7, 1998 Project Board Date March 1999 Project Objectives. The proposed project will assist the Government of Rajasthan to build and strengthen state, district and sub-district capacity to accelerate in 10 low literacy districts -- Alwar, Bhilwara, Sriganganagar, Jhalwar, Kota, Nagaur, Sikar, Sirohi, Tonk and Jhunjhunu-- progress towards universal primary education by establishing conditions that will allow more children, especially from socially disadvantaged sections (girls,SC,ST children and children with mild and moderate disabilities, working children) complete a five year primary education cycle of reasonable quality. To this end, the project will support activities designed to: (i) increase access to primary education; (ii) reduce drop out and improve learning achievement; and (iii) strengthen the capacity of institutions at the state and district level to manage primary education. The project investment will constitute the first phase of IDA funding that facilitates the implementation of GOR's policy regarding universalization of primary education. This will be following by a second phase which will involve IDA investment in an additional 9 districts(FYOO) --Hanumangarh, Churu, Jaipur, Dausa, Bharatpur, Karauli, Sawaimadhopur, Bundi, and Dholpur. Together with investment by the Department of International Development (DFID, UK) in the remaining 13 districts of the state, these IDA investments are expected to establish in the state the capacity to provide access to primary education, or its non-formal equivalent, to all 6-10 year old children in Rajasthan and allow increasing number of primary school graduates to continue in upper primary classes.. The total IDA investment in Rajsthan in support of primary education is expected to total about $175 million through two operations. Project Description. The proposed project will have the following three components: (a) Expanding access to primary education especially for disadvantaged groups by: (i) opening new Primary schools (Shiksha Swayam Sewi Vidyalayas) and  alternative schools, constructing additional classrooms and repairing the existing classrooms; (ii) positioning para teachers in new Primary schools, alternative schools and in existing regular primary schools to meet the demand of increased enrollment; and (iii) strengthening Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centers and selectively establishing Early Childhood Education (ECE) centers in villages that are not eligible for opening anganwadis under the ICDS. (b) Increasing retention and improving learning achievement in primary schools by: (i) promoting community awareness and mobilizing community involvement in microplanning and school improvement; (ii) establishing VECs for each village or habitation where regular and alternative schools are located. VECs will be directly involved in community mobilization, enrolling children in new or alternative schools, school improvement and management, and improving student and teacher attendance; (iii) constructing toilets (separate for girls) where water is available or alternative arrangements (dry toilets) where water is scarce and providing drinking water facilities in schools which do not have such facilities; (iv) developing instructional material with active involvement of teachers and insuring its timely distribution to students. (v) instituting continuous inservice training for and onsite professional support to teachers; and (vi) developing targeted interventions for special focus groups including providing financial assistance to community VECs for school improvement and to teachers to develop or purchase aids to enhance teaching and learning. (c) Improving state and district capacity to manage primary education by: (i) establishing and strengthening State and District Project Offices (SPO staff will comprise of the project director, area specialists, financial and accounts professionals and support staff; DPO staff will comprise of the project coordinator, four program officers, financial and accounts professionals, and support staff); (ii) establishing and adequately staffing BRCs and CRCs to train and provide onsite professional support to teachers and to facilitate community mobilization (decisions regarding the construction of BRCs will take into consideration the availability of existing buildings that can be utilized as BRCs). (iii) strengthening the SIERT which is responsible for developing curricular material, developing training modules for teachers and ECE functionaries, the training of teacher trainers and conducting specific research and evaluation studies. Strengthening the DIETs to enable them to conduct teacher training and provide support to BRCs and CRCs. The strengthening of SIERT and DIETs will involve enabling the hiring of technical expertise and staff experienced in primary education. The CEM, working out of an existing institution, for training of education management personnel and carrying out research in educational planning and management. (iv) Concurrent third party evaluation studies will be carried out. EMIS and PMIS data will be collected. Progress reports, sample surveys and classroom observation studies will be carried out. The financial management system will monitor procurement and disbursements Project Implementation. The proposed project will be implemented in 10 low literacy districts by the autonomous registered society called "Rajasthan Council of Primary Education (RCPE)" established on November 3, 1997.by the Government of Rajasthan and overseen by the District Primary Education Program (DPEP) Bureau in the Department of Education GOI. The state project office and district project offices will prepare Annual Work Program and Budget with the involvement of school staff and VECs and supervise implementation of - 2 -  activities. The DIETs and the BRCs will be responsible for teacher training and the CRCs will be provide onsite professional support. Accounting, auditing and reporting requirements will be as agreed by IDA with GOI for all DPEP states. The project implementation will be supervised through the joint supervision mission for DPEP. Project Cost and Financing. The estimated total project cost of $101.8 million would be financed by an IDA, Interim Trust Fund credit of $83.6 million and a contribution from GOR of $18.2 million equivalent including all taxes. Environmental and Social Aspects. The proposed project would not raise any environmental concerns. Construction of schools, additional classrooms and block resource centers (BRCs) will be on the land donated by the community or on GOR land. No involuntary settlement issues will arise from implementing the civil works component of the proposed project. GOR has provided confirmation this to IDA in writing describing the process of securing land for civil construction in districts. Documentation for registration/transfer of the land to education department will be made available at the District Education office. Toilets and drinking water will be integral components of the new school designs to ensure sanitation and hygiene Social assessment and participatory approach: Communities, parents and teachers constitute primary stake-holders in this project. Participation of stake-holders has been ensured from project preparation through the Social Assessment Studies. Social Assessment Studies provided opportunities to the community members to express their views on education, barriers to education and appropriate interventions. A second level of participation occurred in the preparation of district investment proposals through consultations with various groups. Consultations with teachers involved eliciting teachers' views on their relationships with the community, difficulties faced in the course of their job and reasons for low enrollment, dropout and low levels of academic performance. Consultations were also held with representative from the Zilla Parishad, Block Samitis and NGOs. Detailed documentation of the consultation meetings and SAS findings were made available to the appraisal team. The finally approved investment proposals will be shared with the stakeholders after Negotiations. Contact Point: The InfoShop The World Bank 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone No. (202)458 5454 Fax No. (202) 522 1500 Note: This is information on an evolving project. Certain activities and/or components may not be included in the final project. Processed by the InfoShop week ending March 5, 1999. - 3 -