Liberia - First Education Project

RESTRICTED Re,port No. PE-39a This report is for official use only by the Bank Group and specifically authorized orpnizations or persons. It may not be published, quoted or cited without Bank Group authorizition. The Bank Group does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the report. INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION APPRAISAL OF A FIRST EDUCATION PROJECT IN LIBERIA March 9, 1972 Education Projects Department  CURENCY EQUIVALENT Liberia uses the US$ FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31  LIB ERIA APPRAISAL OF AN EDUCATION PROJECT TABLE OF CON iENTS Page No. BASIC DATA SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS ...... ......................... i I. INTRODUCTION . .......................................... 1 The Request ............ ............................... 1 Socio-Economic Background ............................. 1 II. EDUCATION AND TRAINING ................................ 2 General Characteristics of the Education System .... ... 2 III. COST AND FINANCING OF EDUCATION ....................... 3 Educational Finance ................................... 3 Education Expenditure ................................. 3 Recurrent and Capital Expenditure ..................... 3 Projections of Future Expenditure ..................... 4 IV. EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEEDS .......................... 5 General ...................................5 The Need for Manpower Planning ..... ................... 5 The Need for Expansion and Improvement in Education and Training ............ 6 Elementary Education . ............................ 6 Secondary Education ............................... 6 Higher Education ................................. 6 Technical and Vocational Training ...... .......... 7 Agricultural Education ............ ............... 7 The Need for Educational Planning ...... ............... 8 Technical Assistance . ................................. 8 This report is based on the findings of an appraisal mission which visited liberia in April/May 1971. The mission consisted of Messrs. D. Brewin (Agricultural Educator), A. Freire (General Educator), B. Hubert (Architect), K. Seiler (Technical Educator), and Mrs. R. Brandenburg (Economist).  Table of Contents (Cont'd) ge No. V. THE PROJECr ........................................... 9 General ............................ 9 Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute .10 Secondary Science Teacher Training .10 Technical Teacher Training .11 Multilateral High Schools .11 University Planning .12 The College of Agriculture and Forestry .12 Technical Assistance. 14 Evaluation of the Project .15 Cost of the Project .15 VI. IMPLEMENTATION AND DISBURSEMENT .17 Project Administration .17 Professional Services .18 Site Acquisition .18 Procurement .18 Disbursements .18 VII. RECO1MENDATIONS .19 APPENDIXES I Education and Training II Technical Assistance ANNEXES 1. Enrollment and Teachers by Level and Type of Education, Government and Non-Government Institutions, 1970 2. Enrollment by Grade, Controlling Authority and Sex, 1970 3. Pre-elementary and Elementary School Enrollments and Teacher Needs (Government and Non-Government Schools), 1968-1980 4. General Secondary Education - Number of Schools and Enrollment by Counties and Authority, 1970 5. Secondary School Enrollments and Teacher Needs, 1968-1980 6. Higher Education Enrollment by Faculty and Sex, 1970 7. Students Studying Abroad by Fields of Study 8. Expenditure on Education 9. Estimated Annual Requirements for Agriculture and Forestry Graduates, 1971-1976 10. Summary of Enrollment, Boarders, Staff Housing - Estimated Cost of Institutions and Technical Assistance. 11. Unit Capital Costs in New Project Institutions  Table of Contents (Cont'd) 12. Contingency Allowances 13. Estimated Schedule of Disbursements 14. Prolect Implementation and Expenditure Schedules 15. Time Schedule for Technical Assistance Implementation and Estimated Cost. 16. Comparative Education Indicators CHARTS 1. Department of Education 2. Structure of the Education System 3. Educational Pyramid, 1970 TAP OF LIBERIA - Location of Proposed Educational Institutions   LIBERIA BASIC DATA (1970) Area 43,000 square miles Population Estimated total 1.5 million Annual rate of growth 2.8 percent Average density 29 per square mile Literacy 15% Pre-Grade I enrollmentM as a per- centage of population aged 5-6 66% id,1mentary school enrollment as a ':ercentage of population aged 7-12 50% Junior high school enrollment as a percentage of population aged 13-15 16% '-enior high school enrollment as a b/ percentage of population aged 16-18- 8% Higher education enrollment as a per- centage of population aged 19-25 0.8% t.uucation Resources U 3$ million % Central Government 8.0 37.5 Private domestic 7.0 32.9 Foreign Assistance 6.3 29.6 Official (3.8) (17-9) Private (2.5) (11.7) 21.3 100.0 Total public education expenditure as a nercentage of total Govern- ment eKpenditure (1970) 11.7d Total dome-tic education expenditure as ra pMercentage of GDP (1970) 3.7% a/ Enroll.mtent ratio at all levels includes overaged students. b/ Including enrollment in teacher training and vocational and technical education.   LIBERIA APPRAISAL OF AN EDUCATION PROJECT SUIIMARY AND CONCLUSIONS i. This report appraises a first education project for Liberia for which an IDA Credit of 1US$7.2 million is recommended. Liberian education suffers from many serious deficiencies. The education system is ill suited to the needs of the country both qualitatively and quantitatively. Altlhough there are a number of good educational institutions, the education available to the majority of Liberlans is limited and of poor quiality. The system suffers from lack of planning, administrative weaknesses, under-paid and ofteni ill-trained teachers, unsuitable physical facilities and shortage of teaching materials, academically-biased curricula, and lack of effective technical and agricultural training with practical. orientation. The ab- sence of manpower planning has hampered the developnent of an effective educational. Dolicy and the education system has therefore failed to supply the country's reiuired manpower. ii. The proposed project, aimed at improving and expanding the educa- tion system, provides for the establishment or extension of a limited num- ber of new and existing institutions for the purpose of meeting urgent man- power needs and introducing better curricula and methods. To remedy serious weaknesses in education and manpower planning and in school administration and teaclling, the project would also provide for technical assistance in each of these fields. iii. Specificallv the project would consist of: (a) construction of tw-7o nlew multilateral high schools, a new college of agriculture and forestry and extension of one elementary teacher training institute, including con- struction of n new demonstration school; (b) equipment for science teacher train1ning at thte Utniversity of Liberia and technical teaclier training at two cxisting institutions; and (c) provision of technical assistance in a number of stratepic areas (19 man-venrs of specialist services and five man-years of fellowsl.ips for the training of Liberian staff in manpower and educational r1nnning, anrc 2nf man-years of specialist services and two fellowships for school oneration and 13 man-years of specialist services for project manage- ment) . iv. One oF the rajor prohlerns inllibitinp improvenent of the educational system is the low status of the toaching profession. As a first contribution towardqs irprovemrert the Covernment has agreed to establish, a graduated salary structure, for teachers based on a system which tal.es into account the require- ments of the jo!) and tthe qualifications and experience of the teacher and to appoint the teaching staff for the project multilateral schools on this new salary scale.  v. A project unit will be established within the Departrent of Fduca- tion to supervise project implementation, to coordinate activities witlhin the Government and to provide liaison with the Association. OtQallfied con- sultants would he employed for the design and supervision oF construction. vi. The total cost of the project is estimated at USS9.6 million, of which 59% would be for buildings, furniture and equipment, 21% for technical assistance and 207 for contingencies. The proposed TDA Credit would finanice 75,.' of the total project cost and would cover the foreign excchanEe component, estimated at U7S$6.6 million and US$0.6 million of the local cost. Procure- ment would be in conformity with Bank/IDA rules regarding international com- petitive hidding. vii. Subject to the fulfillment of the conditions set forth in Chapter VII, the project is suitable for an IDA Credit of TSS~7.2 million to Liberia.  I. INTRODUCTION The Request 1.01 In October 1970, a LNESCO mission visited Liberia to assist the Government in identifying educational projects suitable for Bank/IDA fi- nancing. The UTNESCO report was discussed with the Government by a Bank/ IDA mission in December 1970. In February 1971, the Government requested financial assistance for a project it had prepared with the help of IUESCO. In April/'fay, 1971 a mission comprising Messrs. D. Brewin (agricultural educator), A. Freire (general educator), B. Tlubert (architect), K. Seiler (technical educator) and Mrs. R. Brandenburg (economist) visited Liberia to appraise the project. 1.02 After appraisal, the proposed project was modified: (i) to re- duce its cost to within the limits of IDA resources available for Liberia; (ii) to eliminate certain items which are unlikely to prove successful at Present due to local, social, political or geographical circumstances; (iii) to place more emiphasis on planning, with particular reference to manpower requirements; (iv) to include a technical teacher training program; and (v) to relate curricula more closely to estimated manpower needs. 1.03 The total cost of the project is estimated at US$9.6 million and the foreign exchange component at UTS$6.6 million. Socio-Economic Baclground 1.04 Liberia is located on the southern edge of Africa's western bulge. It has a surface of 43,000 square miles consisting of low-lying terrain which in coastal areas is partially swampy. The total population in 1970 was 1.5 million (or 29 per square mile) of whom 1.1 million were in rural and 0.4 million in urban areas. The rate of population growth is 2.8% p.a. Approx- imately 487' of the population is under 15 years of age. 1.05 Lack of a suitable GDP deflator does not permit the derivation of real rates of growth for the economy; however, using market prices, prelininary estimates of Liberia's GDP in 1970 indicate a rate of growth of 47% as comnared with 127 in 1969 (but only ahout 5% in real terms) and an annual averaoe of 7.47 (luring 1966-69. 1.06 Liberia is characterized by a dual economy with a prosperouis enclave sector and an underdeveloped subsistence sector. UTnder the late President Tubman's "Open Door Policy" favorable treatment has been extended to private investors which has encouraged large-scale investments in iron- ore, ruhher and timber. Since these products are processed abroad, the operations have exerted little impact on other sectors of the economy. Em- ployment oF Liberians has been small in relation to the size of the invest- ments.  1.07 Agriculture contributes 237 to GDP, second only to mining, but it is the main source of employment. Sluggish apricultura] growt1i has retarded employment opporttnities in tlis sector; productivlty is low anr( has lagged considerably behind that of the otlher sectors. Mininf. has grown very rapidly in the past two vears and its shiare has increased to about one-third of CPP. Manufacturing is another rapidly growing sector, althouph hindered by thLe lack of skills and the small size of the domestic market. The contril)tion of these two growing sectors to employment is still limited ancd thc lack of an adequate domestic supply of qualified manpower has resulted in heavy re- liance on expatriates to fill even the limited number of jobs creited. To accelerate Liberia's growth, the country's human resources will have to be developed in accordance with the needs of the various sectors. II. EDUCATION AND TRAININC 2.01 This chapter summarizes the general characteristics of the educa- tion and training system. A description of the system and its organization and structure is given in Appendix I and in Charts 1, 2 and 3. SupportinIg data are shown in Annexes 1 to 7 which should be considered tentative. General Characteristics of the Education System 2.02 Liberian education stuffers from a multiplicity of serious defi- ciencies Twhich have developed largelyi as a result of the political and social system in which there has been traditionally a dichlotomy between the descendants of the slaves who became tl-e privileged part ef the^ community and the original inhabitants of the interior reoions. The education sys- temr is ill suited to the needs of the country both qualitatively and quian- titatively. Although there are a number of good educational institutions, the major part of the system suffers from lack of planning, adrinistrative weaknesses, unbalanced distribution of schools and inadequate financial provision, underpaid and ill-trained teachers, unsuitable physical facili- ties and shortage of teaching materials, academically biased curricula, and a lack of effective technical and agricultural training withl practical orien- tation. Other agencies have attempted to assist reform of the system, but results have freqtuently been disappointing because of administrative defi- ciencies. The USATD has made considerable investments in primary, second- ary and technical schools, including the provision of equipment and texthools. Due to inadequate staffing and other deficiencies many of these schools are not functioning satisfactorily. 2.03 Signs of change are beginning to appear under the new Governrent. There is now a realization of the importance of manpower and education plan- ning- an acceptance of the need for development of education outside the capital city, Monrovia; a willingness to redirect the emphasis in school curricula to correspond with manpower requirements; and an appreciation of the need for better trained teachers and more emphasis on technical and agri- cultural education.  - 3 - III. COST MID FINANCING OF EDUCATION Educational Finance 3.01 The Central Government is responsible for the financing of public education at all levels. Primary education is free. Fees are charged at the secondary and higher levels, but the Central Government makes up the deficit. County and local governments do not contribute to education fi- nancing. Total funds allocated to education amounted to US$21.3 million in 1970, of which domestic sources accounted for 70% or US$15.0 million. The latter consisted of US$9.0 million which is the Central Government education budget and US$7.0 million from domestic private sources. Of this latter amount, ITS$6.0 million is the expenditure by pupils and parents for fees and the mandatory purchase of books and uniforms; the remainder (US$1.0 mi- lion) was contributed by missions and private foundations. 3.n2 Total domestic education expenditure represented 3.7% of the country's GDP in 1970 which is about average compared with other African countries. In addition to this, there is an important element of external financing. Foreign assistance to education amounted to US$6.3 million con- sisting of US$2.5 million fromi private foreign contributors and US$3.8 mil- lion from official sources. The UTnited States Government is the principal foreign aid donor to Liberia but is shifting its aid from education to agriculture. Education Expenditure 3.n3 The Government's total expenditure on education in 1970 (US$8.0 million) represented about 12% of its total budget, slightly less than that of 196Q. Although there is no clear distinction as to the purpose for which expenditures are incurred, it is estimated that US$7.0 million, a relatively high proportion of total government expenditure on education, is for recurrent purnoses, reflecting the low level of investment in new facilities. But this recurrent expenditure only represents 11.47 of the Government's recurrent budget which is a low figure but does not reflect the considerable amounts of private expenditure and of foreign aid. Given the Government's plans to expand enrollment and improve the quality of education, this proportion is expected to rise in the future. Recurrent and Capital Expenditure 3.04 Government expenditure on education is administered almost ex- clusively by the Department of Education. The University of Liberia is autonomous In determining the use of its allocation. The shares of the various levels of education out of recurrent expenditure in 1970 were as follows:  - 4- Elementary education 47% Vocationa] training 6% Secondary education 11% Higher education 25% Teacher training 5% Other 6% The share to higher education is unusually high which underlines the need for careful planning of the University's further develonment. The amount allocated to secondary education is very low, partly due to substantial foreign aid to secondarv education (and elementary education) which is not reflected in these figures (Annex 8). 3.05 Recurrent cost per student at elementary level (UTS$42) is rela- tively high when compared with other African countries. Unit costs at sec- ondarv level (QJSS120) are comparatively loW but, again, do not account for the numerous UT.S. Peace Corps teachers and other forms of foreign assistance. Including the latter would raise the unit cost of primary and secondary to about $60 and $200 respectively. At the University, the average recurrent cost of a liberal arts student is US$1,181; a student of agriculture costs US$1,985. 3.06 The effect of Government expenditure on education is further im- paired by deficiernt budgetary control. It is difficult to reconcile, for instance, the sizeahle salary appropriation in the budget with the very low salaries actually paid to the teachers which only account for less than half the budgeted amount. Similarly, budget allocations for school materials and maintenance are not fully reflected in provision of supplies to thie schools and in actual school maintenance. 3.07 Capital expenditure for education is financed through the Govern- ment's development budget. It amounted to about UTSS1.0 million or 16% of the development budget, representing a sharp drop relative to 1969 when its share was 207. Included in this are expenditures on school facilities as well as other developmental activities (Annex 8). Projections of Future Expenditure 3.08 On the basis of current plans for expansion and improvement of the education system and assuming that (i) foreign aid will be halved by 1975, (ii) salaries at the elementary level will rise by 25%. and those at the secondary bY 30% during the same period and, (iii) adequate provision will be made for equipment and school maintenance, it is estimated that recurrent expenditures of the Department of Education will rise at an an- nual rate of 11% from US$7.0 million in 1970 to US$12.0 million in 1975 (at 1971 prices). The future growth of the Government's total budget is diffi- cult to estimate; but if one assumes an annual rate of increase of 5% (as compared with the expected 4% in GDP), the percentage slhare of recurrent expenditure on education in the total Government recurrent budget would rise from 11.4% to about 15% in 1975. The Government intends to raise the  - 5 - percentage allocation to education and an increase to 15% would represent a considerable improvement. The proportion of GDP devoted to education would rise from 3.7% to about 4.6%. IV. EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEEDS General 4.01 Improving Liberia's education and training system which is suf- fering from the weaknesses described in Chapters II and III and Appendix I is a major and time consuming task. In view of the serious institutional and administrative weak,nesses, outlined above, a strategy for improvement of Liberian education should attach high priority to strengthening the staff- ing and competence of Government institutions directly responsible for the operation and development of the education system. The 11.S. Government is sunporting the training of public administrators of which the beneficial effects are likely to take some time to materialize. More immediate im- provements, on which the possibility of success of an education project will depend, will require substantial inputs of technical assistance in strategic areas such as manpower and educational planning, project imple- mentation, school administration and teacher training. In addition, support should be given to the establishment of new and to existing institutions for which the need can be clearly identified and in which modern educational technology would be applied. Structural changes should be introduced in the secondary school system (para. 4.05) and major improvements should be achieved in the staffing and curricula of secondary and post-secondary in- stitutions mentioned below. The Need for Manpower Planning 4.02 A major deficiency of education and training in Liberia is its very low external productivity. In the absence of manpower planning and of adequate knowledge of manpower requirements, the education system has failed to meet major manpower needs. The little information available on the present manpower situation indicates that in 1969 about 160,000 persons (incltiding 7,500 in administrative and technical posts) were employed in wage and salaried posts in the following fields: Agriculture 369% Construction 6% Mining 13% Commerce 12% Manufacturing 7Z Government and Other Services 26% The fact that some 10% of these jobs were reportedly filled by expatriates could be used as a rough indication of the type and magnitude of local skill shortages. The accuracy of these figures, however, is doubtful and a survey  - 6 - of existing manpower is required. To promote more effective developpment and use of the country's human resources, the manpower study should also attempt to define objective criteria to be used in appointments and promotions to emphasize the imnortance of qualifications and competence. 4.03 On the basis of existing information it is possihle to identify urgent manpower needs in a number of sectors, where shortages are so ob- vious that limited investments are justified without awaiting. tlhe results of a manpower study. These are outlined in paras. 4.08-4.14 below. The Need for Expansion and Improvement in Education and Training 4.04 The Government, assisted by NTDP/UINESCO/UNICEF/WFP and USAID, aims at improving elementary education in some 200 schools during the period 1971- 75. Only about 50% of the total elementary teaching staff of 3,400 is qual- ified. If pupil enrollment increases as anticipated, it is estimated that there will be a demand for about 4,000 additional qualified elementary teachers by 1980. The improvement program includes a substantial elerent of teacher training, but for it to be fully effective new physical plant is needed to accommodate additional staff and students and extra teaching equip- ment at one of the teacher training institutes. 4.05 Secondary education needs to be reoriented and improved: quali- fications of teaching staff must be raised, curriculum content more closely related to manpower needs and physical facilities improved and, for more economic utilization, consolidated into larger units with lower staff: student ratios. A new type of school - the multilateral school - is needed, particularly in the larger centers outside Monrovia, in which pupils will be provided with training in agrictulture and technical subjects in addition to the regular academic studies. Such multilateral schools could become models on which the design of future schools might be based. 4.06 Plans have been prepared for expansion of the Universitv of Liberia's secondary teacher training program, with particular emphasis on science and mathematics where the need is greatest. In order to implement this program, additional science teaching equipment and appropriate textbooks are needed. 4.07 The University, which is the main institution of higher education, is suffering from a history of 10 years of indecision concerning its ulti- mate site. Two years ago, the Government finally decided that the greater part of the University would move to Fendell and that no further substantial development would take place on the Monrovia site. There is now a need for a study of alternative development plans, to remove present uncertainties with regard to the appropriateness, cost and timing of the move of various schools of the University, and for a detailed plan for future University development, taking into account the need for new facilities to be related to manpower requirements and limitations of available funds. The plans should include recommendations on staff development and suggest the most suitablle curricula for appropriate numbers of students at the most economic cost.  4.08 Past education policies have neglected technical and vocational training. The demand for skilled workers is clearly apparent: a significant number of expatriates are employed at skilled craftsmen level and very few firms provide suitable "on-the-job" training. The Government originally re- quested IDA to establish a vocational training center in Monrovia but the type of training proposed was not in accordance with the needs of local in- dustry. Subsequently, when a revised program providing for more appropriate courses was drawn up, the Government felt that it would compete with training provided already at the Booker Washington Technical Institute. For this rea- son the Government decided to give this request low priority pending a re- view of the whole technical education system. 4.Oq There is also a great unsatisfied demand for technicians but no facilities for such training in the country. The Government requested IDA to finance the completion of a new institution at Harper, President Tubman's birthplace, and make it into a technical college, but it is unsuitable due to its remoteness from industry, its limited communications with other parts of Liberia and its design which is not appropriate either to the size of the demand for technicians nor the nature of the training they require. 4.10 A first step towards a comprehensive program of technical train- ing, suitable for Liberia's requirements, should be to determine the extent and nature of present and future needs. A plan should then be prepared for the effective utilization of existing facilities and for the construction of new ones. Technical assistance for this program, as part of a wider man- power and educational planning study, is included in the proposed project. This should be accompanied, as soon as possible, by a technical teacher train- ing program. In addition, and without awaiting the results of further plan- ning, effective technical training should be introduced at the secondary level. 4.11 Agricultural education has exerted little influence on Liberian development to date for a number of reasons: the annual output of trainees has been limited (at the middle level it has averaged twelve per year and at the upper level 4.5 per year during recent years); trainees have lacked the practical. anproach needed on the job; until recently there has been some indifference towards agricultural development on the part of the Government. A.12 The new Government, however, intends to put greater emphasis on agricultural development and the Department of Agriculture is now controlled by dynamic leaders who have planned new programs to increase and diversify agricultural and forestry production, raise farmers' productivity and income and provide consumers with a better, more balanced diet at lower cost. None of these goals can be attained without a vigorous extension service for which the necessary staff is lacking at present. The service is now employing only 11 high level agricultural staff and is trying to fill its middle level posi- tions through "crash courses" for poorly qualified candidates. The Bureau of Forestry, which is responsible for nine million acres of land in high forest, also lacks trained personnel at all levels. The annual need of the  - 8 - public services for agricultural graduates to be trained at nost-secondary level is conservatively estimated at 20. The denmand for agricultural and forestry personnel in the private sector is gaining momentum as a result of increased investment; it is estimated that approximately 30 graduates per year will be needed in this sector. 4.13 Training of the 50 college graduates requlredl annually (Annex 9) should not be of a high-level, theoretical and academic nature but should have a strong practical bias since most graduates will be emrployed as ex- tension workers, farm and rubber estate managers and in comparable "pro- ductive" functions. To achieve this objective a new College of Agriculture and Forestrv should be established in an environment in which theoretical and practical instruction can be closely integrated. The University farm and forest at Fendell provides an ideal site. 4.14 Effective utilization of College graduates also requires the serv- ices of a sufficient number of niddle level agricultural staff; requirements are difficult to estimate but the shortage of training in this field is so pronounced that a beginning should be made by introducing agricultural courses at secondary level in rural areas. The Need for Educational Planning 4.15 The education planning unit originally set un by the Department of Education in 1963 prepared a 4-year plan (1968-1971) which has been only partially implemented. The unit has been strengthened recently by the ap- pointment of a qualified director and four assistants. It is aware of the manv weaknesses in the education system and has also formulated some tenta- tive goals. The unit needs technical assistance for a number of years to strengthen its ability to assess the feasibility and consistency of the Government's development goals and to translate aims and targets into pre- cise plans. Technical Assistance 4.16 In all the above fields, technical assistance will be necessary to support the Liberian Government's oNwn efforts. Highest priority should be given to fundamental planning of the manpower resources and the education svstem. Specialist services are also needed for the initial stages of the estahlislhment of new institutions to ensure that they are well planned, operated with relevant curricula and that Liberian coun1terparts will he able to obtain appropriate experience before taking over responsibility for their administration. Fellowships will also be needed but in only limited numbers as the Government already finances a substantial overseas scholarship program.  - 9 - V. TIhE PROJECT General 5.01 The purpose of the project would be to strengthen manpower and educational planning, including the planning of higher education and to construct new institutions in accordance with priority needs identified in Chapter IV. In particular, the project would help finance: (a) construction and equipment for: - two new multilateral high schools; - a new college of agriculture and forestry; (b) extension of one elementary teacher training institute, including the construction of a new demonstration school; (c) equipment for science and technical teacher training; (d) 57 man-years of technical assistance and seven man-years of fellowsliips for manpower and education planning, tech- nical teacher training, secondary education and project implementation. 5.02 The following table gives further details of project items (a) and (b): Accommodation (additional) No. of Enrollment Student Staff Project Items Institutions Additional Total Boarding Housing Teacher Training Insti- tute 1 175 300 160 14 Demonstration Sclbool 1 240 240 - 2 TMultilateral High Schools 2 1,200 1,200 300 20 College of Agriculture and Forestry 1 200* 200* 200 30 * The prpsent enrollment (160 in 1970/71) is accommodated in Monrovia. The new College would be at Fendell.  - 10 - Teacher Training Kakata Rural Teacher Training Institute 5.03 The Government has recently started a program aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of elementary education particularly In rural areas (para. 4.04) and including teacher training. This program cannot be fully effective unless additional physical facilities are provided at the Kakata Pural Teacher Training Institute. The project would provide exten- sions to the existing facilities of this institute to increase the enroll- ment from 125 to 300. The extensions would consist of academic, communal and boarding facilities; they would include 160 additional boarding places for teacher trainees recruited from all parts of Liberia and 14 staff houses, to be used in the first instance by technical assistance personnel. The project would also provide facilities for a new demonstration school for 240 elementary pupils, including an industrial arts workshop, closed cir- cuit T.V. and 2 staff houses. 5.04 On completion of the new facilities, the institute would be able to offer in-service courses varying from a few weeks to two years' duration, depending on the trainee's background. Some 35 supervisors, 210 school principals and 2,600 teachers of different categories would be trained in the initial program lasting over five years. In addition, the enrollnient in pre-service courses would be increased from 125 to 300, thus increasing the output of trained teachers from the present figure of 33 to about 90 per annum. The curriculum is being expanded to include industrial arts, sociology and economic development; and training in agriculture and home economics will be augmented. It is intended that the prograr will lead to a general reform of the content and methods of elementary education and produce new instructional materials. An experimental radio studio and transmitter to be provided with UNDP/UNESCO assistance will be used to train teachers in program production and the use of radio in schools. Closed cir- cuit television to be provided also by ITNDP and UNESCO will be used for im- provement of teacher training techniques. Secondary Science Teacher Training 5.05 The project would assist the William V. S. Tubman Teacher College of the University of Liberia to implement a science education program aimed at producing by 1980, 160 qualified Liberian science teachers for the junior and senior high schools and upgrading 100 in-service teachers. The project would finance the purchase of science teaching equipment, audio-visual material and a specialized library. Machinery and tools would also be provided to equip a workshop in which teacher trainees would be able to create new teaching aids using local materials. The University is con- structing a small new science center, at its Monrovia campus to house the equipment to be provided under the project. The Department of Education intends to provide an increasing number of scholarships for students enter- ing science teaching courses. The present: staff of the College is well qualified and does not require addition.  Technical Teacher Training 5.06 It is estimated that by 1976 at least 36 trained technical teachers will be needed for existing technical education institutions and projected multilateral schools. Two technical teacher training courses of three years' duration, each for 18 students, stretching over a total period of four years, would be provided under the project, utilizing: (a) facilities at the Voca- tional] Training Center at Yekepa for trainees to improve their technical skills in the first year; (b) selected industrial enterprises for "on-the-job" training in the second year; and, (c) teaching facilities at the William V. S. Tubman High School in Monrovia, for teaching methods and practice in the final year. Entrants would have completed vocational training up to the equivalent of grade 12 in either a technical training institution or a high school offering industrial arts. The project would include six man-years of technical assistance and provision of additional equipment for the Vocational Training Center and the William V. S. Tubman High School. 5.07 During the negotiations, the Government undertook to organize these two teacher training courses, the first commencing not later than February 28, 1973, and the second not later than February 28, 1974, and to make arrangements with the Vocational Training Center at Yekepa, with in- dustry and with the William V. S. Tubman Hligh School for the implementation of these couirses as outlined in para. 5.06. The Government gave assurances that it will provide scholarships for at least 36 trainees for three years each. It was also agreed, during the negotiations, that the Government will malke arrangerents for the use of the equipment to be provided under the project, after the initial four years, by either continuing the technical teacher training courses for a longer period, if required, or by augment- ing facilities for other courses at the Center and the High School. aIultilateral High Schools 5.08 In order to improve the effectiveness of secondary education (para. 4.05) the project would replace existing high schools occupying un- satisfactory temporary buildings by new multilateral high schools. They would represent an innovation in secondary education in Liberia and would be lilkely to set a pattern for development of other similar schools in the future. The Voinjama illgh School would attract pupils from one or two sim- ilar sclhools in the area, which are uneconomical because of their limited size and low pupil:teacher ratios. The Zwedru High School, would be the only one of its kind in Crand Gedeh County. 5.09 The multilateral. schools would offer a wide curriculum for 36n pupils at the jtuior level. (grades 7-9) and 3 streams, for 240 pupils at the senior level (grades 10-12) in academic subjects, mechanics and agri- culture. During the negotiations, the Government undertool to formulate and put into effect not later than February 28, 1973, a new curriculum, satisfactory to the Association, for each of the new schools. The Voinjama ITigh School would cover the needs of Lofa rounty, a productive agricultural area in whichi substanti-al new mining activities are anticipated. The  - 12 - Zwedru Hligh School would cater for the needs of Grand Gedeh County, which contains 90% of Liberia's forest industry. No difficulty is anticipated in obtaining elementary school leavers for entry to the project schools; but, for students living at some distance, provision would be made for 1P0 boarding places in each school. 5.10 A total of 56 teachers would be required. They would be obtained from existing schools in the area and from the output of various schools of the University and the technical teacher training program proposed under the project (paras. 5.05-5.07). During the negotiations, the Governiment gave an assurance that it will provide training for technical teachers for the proposed schools under the arrangements outlined in paras. 5.06 and 5.07 and will train the other teachers to an appropriate level of qualification, before they take up their positions at the schools. The Government also undertook to designate the technical teachers to attend the training courses not later than February 28, 1973, and the other teachers not later than July 31, 1974. Liberian teachers often face difficulties in obtaining satisfactory housing, especially in rural areas. To ease these problems and attract teachers away from the more congenial atmosphere of Monrovia, the project would include ten staff houses at each of the new schools. As the schools would be innovative in approach, the project would provide 14 man-years of technical assistance for administration, and introduction of new curricula and teaching methods and 2 man-years of fellowships for train- ing of Liberian principals-designate. University Planning 5.11 To remove the uncertainties outlined in para. 4.07 and to increase the effectiveness of the University of Liberia, the project would provide 7.5 man-years of technical assistance for University planning. A higpher education planning team including full and part-time consultants, would investigate the existing plans of the llniversity and, utilizing the recom- mendations to be made by the proposed manpower planning unit (para. 5.17), and in close cooperation with the education planners provided for in para. 5.18, would work with the Universitv's Development Committee in planning future development. The team would operate under broad terms of reference and would be asked to make recommendations on the most appropriate site for the various schools of the University, time schedules for the move of different sections to Fendell, physical plant development, appropriate curricula, research policy, staff development, student enrollments, methods of reducing the present high attrition rate, and financial imrmi1catiors. The College of_!yiculture and Forestry -. 1? To providle for nn Incranee In rttidrlit ITroI imnn frfriii 1 n Io 200 to cAter for frlcrc. t8if II(I-iri Ii, t:I,i I Is did of .-iyr1uI t tir;fl e: ii:;hjii, r.- scoarclh and agriculata ra l antd forestry managemtent (pa ra. 4 .11) and for improve-- mient in the oualitv of instruction (para. 4.12), the progran; would provide academic and communal facilities and boarding accommodation for 200 students,  - 13 - 30 staff houses, and additional farm buildings for a new College of Agri- culture and Forestry at Fendell. To ensure that the training provided would have a strong practical bias, the Government, during the negotiations, gave an assurance that in drawing u) plans for siting of IlTniversity build- ings a--t Fendell, it would locate the College immediately adjacent to the Universit- farm. 5.13 Tie College would offer four-year degree courses in agriculture and forestry with additional options in agricultural education and hor.e economics. To ensure that the instruction will remain relevant to Liberian needs, the Government undertook, during the negotiations, to formulate a program for and, at the appropriate time to revise, the curricula of the College on the basis of the following objectives (a) the need to emphasi.ze the teaching of practical agricultural and forestry skills by extending the farm and forestry practice courses to a period of 30 weeks so as to achieve a halance between theoretical and practical aspects of the program; (b) the gradual phasing out of existing remedial courses in such subjects as English, mathematics and basic science, as the educational level of entering students improves; (c) the phasing out of subjects, not directly related to the agri- cultural and forestry curricula, which would not be of value to the students in their subsequent employment or post-graduate studies; and (d) increased time allocations for studies in agricul-tural and forestry management with particular emphasis on rubber and also on other crops which would help to diversify Liberian agriculture. The Government also undertook to initiate this new program not later than December 31, 1972, and to review progress in its implementation with the IMP and FAO and with the Association on or before the commencement of each subsequent academic year until. the closing date of the Credit. 5.14 The College would renuire a total staff of about 30 lecturers, the majoritv of wyhom would be Liberians. During the negotiations, the .overnment undertoolo to appoint not later than December 31, 1972 (or at a later date acceptable to the Association), in consultation with TJTNP-FAO a suitably nualified and experienced dean of the Colleege. The Government algo undertook to appoint suitably qualified associate deans for agriculture and forestry not later than the commencement of the first academic year after completion of the construction of the College. To ensure a continuation of tlhe existinip Staff Development Program the Government undertook, during the negotiations, to uise its best endeavors to obtain an extension of the exist- ing T!NT)P-rAo technical assistance program for thlree years after completion of conistruction of the College, or if earlier, up to December 31, 1978; the extension wouldl( be based on the recommendations made from time to time, in the light of the needs of the College, by the UNDP-FAO in consultation with the Government and the Association. 5.15 Salaries of Teachers. One of the major problems inhibiting improve- ment of edutcation is the low status of the teaching profession in Liberia.  - 14 - Few teachers are paid on the basis of a salary scale. Tndividual salaries are often not related to academic achievement or teaching ability. Incre- ments are rarely given. In order to raise the status of the tenchin pro- fession, and to ensure that staff of adequate calibor will be availahbl for the institutions included in the project and other similar institutions to be establ-ished in the future, the Government, during negotiations, gave an assurance that it will establish and review from time to time, in consulta- tion with the Association, a graduated salary structure, based on tlhe re- qtuirements of eachl position and the qualifications and experience of the staff member. The Government undertook to introduce the new salary scale for staff at the multilateral high schiools and at the College of Agriculture and Forestry from the commencement of instruction in these institutions and in the case of all other teaching staff it employs, progressively, so that it would be fully in effect not later than January 1, 1076. Technical Assistance (Appendix II) 5.16 To ensure (a) the setting up of adequate machinery for manpower and education planning, (b) the efficient operation of the multilateral high schools, (c) the introduction of a technical teacher training program, and (d) project implementation, the project would mal.e provision for 57 man-years of specialist services and 7 man-years of overseas fellowships. Durini the negotiations, the Government undertook to assign suitably qualified counter- parts to each of the specialists to be provided under the project not later than the date upon which the specialists would commence their duties. The Government also undertook to use its best endeavors to obtain technical assistance from other agencies for part or all of the required specialist services and fellowships. To the extent that such technical assistance is provided from other sources, the credit would be redtuced1. 5.17 Manpower Planning Unit. The project would include 4.5 man-years of specialist services to strengthen the Government's Manpower Planning Commission. The terms of reference of the enlarged Commission would in- clude provision for a survey of existing manpower shortages, the role of expatriate manpower, and trends in unemployment and underemployrent. Pro- jections would be made of future demand for all levels of manpower, quan- titative and qualitative needs for skilled manpower in particular sections of the economv, integration of these needs within a general strategy for education, in association withi the education planning unit, (parn. 5.18) and a study of the wage structure with particular referpnce to existi-n? recruitment and promotion practices in the public and private sectors. Arrangements would also be made for the setting up of an administrative structure for the regular collection of manpower statistics and to ensure close liaison amongst all persons involved in manpowger assessment. 5.18 Education Planning Unit. The project would provide 7 man-years of specialist services to strengthen the Bureau of Planning and Research of the Department of Education. A permanent and functional relationship would be established between the Bureau and the Department of Planning  - 15 - and Economic Affairs, so as to coordinate more satisfactorily the activi- ties of existing dispersed organizations responsible for education statis- tics, finance and curricula reform. The strengthened Bureau would arrange for an improvement in the collection and assembly of data about existing facilities and about additional facilities required in the future. It would pay particular attention to drawing up an overall program for tech- nical education at all levels. It would also make recommendations on the most suitable form of agricultural education for schools. The Bureau would draft a long-term plan for the educational system placing particular em- phasis on economic utilization of existing facilities and qualitative im- provement. The project includes 5 man-years of fellowships for Liberians. 5.19 University P]anning Unit. To enable the Government to worlk out a detailed development plan for the University, in accordance with the needs outlined in para. 4.07 and 5.11, the project would provide 7.5 man- years of specialist services. 5.2f School Administration and Teaching. Twenty man-years of special- ist services and two man-years of fellowships would be provided to assure the successful operation of the proposed new multilateral schools and the teclhnical teacher training program. 5.21 Protect Implementation Unit. To assist the Government in carrying out this project, 18 man-years of specialist services would be provided to form a competent project unit. Evaluation of the Project 5.22 To enable the Government and the Association to assess the ulti- mate success of the proposed project in attaining its objectives, the Govern- ment undertook, during negotiations, to establish not later than February 28, 1975, a "tracer system" for project institutions and for a limited number of traditional institutions (as agreed between the Government and the Associa- tion), which would provide information concerning the educational achieve- ment (including advanced studies or premature termination and repetition of any stage of eduication), and subsequent employment of a representative sample of students. Cost of tThe Project 5.23 The total cost of the project is estimated at US$9.6 million (more details are given in Annex 10) and is summarized below:  - 16 - TJS$ millions % of Local Foreign Total Total Kakata Teacher Training Institute 0.24 0.38 0.62 6.5 Demonstration School n.n8 0.14 0.22 2.3 Secondary Science Teacher Training 0.01 0.04 0.05 0.5 Technical Teacher Training 0.00 0.03 0.03 0.3 Voinjama Multilateral High School 0.57 1.01 1.58 16.5 Zwedru Multilateral High School 0.54 0.96 1.50 15.7 College of Agriculture and Forestry 0.55 1.05 1.60 16.7 Technical Assistance 0.30 1.73 2.03 21.2 Contingencies (a) Physical 0.20 0.33 0.53 5.5 (b) Price 0.44 0.98 1.42 14.8 TOTAT Project Cost 2.93 6.65 9.58 100.0 5.24 A breakdown of cost by type of expenditure, is as follows: US$ millions % of Local Foreign Total Total Construction (a) Academic and Communal 0.87 1.32 2.19 22.9 (h) Boarding 0.26 0.39 0.65 6.8 (c) Staff Housing 0.30 0.45 0.75 7.8 (d) Site Development 0.28 0.41 0.69 7.2 (e) Professional Services 0.13 0.30 0.43 4.5 Subl-total 1.84 2.87 4.71 49.2 Furniture 0.09 0.17 0.26 2.7 liuipment 0.06 0.57 0.63 6.6 Sub-total 0.15 0.74 0.89 9.3 Technical Assistance 0.30 1.73 2.03 21.2 Contingencies (a) Physical 0.20 0.33 0.53 5.5 (b) Price 0.44 0.98 1.42 14.8 TOTAL Project Cost 2.93 6.65 9.58 100.0  - 17 - 5.25 The cost estimates for project institutions are derived from recent school building costs in Liberia and based upon information obtained from public and private enterprises. The estimated average school construc- tion cost (May 1971) is US$ 15 equivalent per square foot of gross area. This cost and the estimated costs per student place are on the high side in compari- son with other Bank-IDA financed projects (Annex 11). The high cost of construc- tion in Liberia (up to $20 per foot square for school construction) is due to (i) the abnormally high cost of labor resulting from the construction indus- try's heavy reliance on skilled expatriate personnel; (ii) high proportion of building materials which have to be imported coupled with high internal transportation costs; and (iii) conflict of interest arising from close con- nections between contractors and government officials which have permitted a few major contractors to control sources of supply and prices. Local cost adjustments varying between 10% and 30% of basic prices have been made for buildings in rural areas to compensate for the high transportation costs, lack of local skilled labor and shortage of certain building materials. 5.26 The project cost includes a contingency allowance (i) to cover any unforeseen physical cost increases which may emerge during the design and building period, equal to 10% of estimated costs for building, 12% for site development, 10, for professional services and 5% for furniture and equipment; (ii) for price escalation during the implementation period based on cost trends in recent years, equal to 20% for building, site development, professional fees, furniture and equipment (estimated at 6.5% per year) and 157 for technical assistance (estimated at 37 per year) (Annex 12). Total contingencies represent 20% of the project cost and provide 5% for physical increases and 15% for price escalation. 5.27 The foreign exchange component of US$6.6 million, representing 697 of the total project cost has been calculated as follows: site develop- ment and buildings 60%; furniture 65%; equipment 90%; professional services 70%; and technical assistance 85%. 5.28 The foreign exchange cost estimates were determined on the basis of prevailing prices and dollar equivalents at the time of appraisal. It is expected that the variations in currency exchange rates which have oc- curred will cause only minor chanoes (based on the likely share of the various countries in foreign procurement) in the total cost of the project and, therefore, no adjustment in the foreign exchange component has been made. VI. IMPLFE!