Sierra Leone - Third Education Project

Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No. 3932-SL STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE THIRD EDUCATION PROJECT April 5, 1983 Projects Department Western Africa Regional Office Education Division This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency Unit = Leone US$1 = Le 1.25 MEASURFS 1 mile = 1.61 kilometers 1 kilometer (km) = 0.62 mile 1 square mile = 2.56 square kilometers (km2) 1 square kilometer (km2) = 0.39 square miles 1 foot = 0.30 meters (m) 1 meter (m) = 3.28 feet ,1 square meter (m2) = 10.76 square feet FISCAL YEAR July 1 - June 30 GLOSSARY ADB - African Development Bank EEC - European Economic Community FTC - Freetown Teachers College GCE - General Certificate of Education IPAM - Institute of Public Administration and Management ODA - British Overseas Development Administration UNDP. - United Nations Development Programme  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY SIERRA LEONE STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT THIRD EDUCATION PROJECT TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. BASIC DATA I. THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTOR ........................... 1 A. Social and Economic Background .......................... 1 Population ............................................ 1 The Economy ........................................... 1 Development Prospects ................................. 2 Human Resources ....................................... 3 B. The Educational System .................................. 3 C. Main Issues in Education ................................ 4 Access to Education ................................... 4 Quality of Education ......................, 5 Institutional Weaknesses .............................. 6 Education Cost and Finance ............................ 7 The Government's Strategy ............................. 8 D. The Bank Group's Role ................................... 9 Previous Involvement in the Sector .................... 9 Lending Priorities .................................... 10 II. THE PROJECT ................................................. 10 A. Project Objectives ...................................... 10 B. Project Components ...................................... 11 Development of Primary Education ...................... 11 Strengthening the Administrative, Planning and Evaluation Capacities ................................ 11 Project Management .................................... 12 C. Project Description ..................................... 12 Primary Schools ....................................... 12 Primary Teacher Training .............................. 13 Textbook Procurement and Distribution ................. 15 Training of Administrative and Educational Staff ...... 17 Educational Planning .................................. 18 Evaluation ............................................ 19 Project Management .................................... 20 IThis document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  - ii - TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd) Page No. III. PROJECT COST AND FINANCING PLAN ............................ 21 Cost of the Project ....................................... 21 Financing Plan ............................................ 23 Recurrent Cost Implications ............................... 25 IV. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ..................................... 26 Project Preparation ....... ............ ................... 26 Project Management ....... ............. ................... 27 Special Account .. 28 Specialist Services and Fellowships ......... .. ........... 28 Sites .................................................... 29 Procurement ....................... ....................... 29 Contract Review ..................... ..................... 30 Disbursements ...................... ...................... 30 Accounts and Audits ....... ............ ................... 31 Project Monitoring and Evaluation .......... .. ............ 31 V. PROJECT BENEFITS AND RISKS .31 Educational Benefits .. . .31 Risks ..32 VI. AGREEMENTS REACHED AND RECOIMENDATIONS ..................... 32 This report is based on the findings of an appraisal mission that visited Sierra Leone from January 18 to February 6, 1982. The mission members were Messrs. 0. Markgren (general educator), A. Verspoor (economist), P. Bussat (architect), M. Carroll (consultant - textbook procurement specialist), and Mrs. B. Searle (education evaluator).  - iii- TABLE OF CONTENTS (Cont'd) ANNEXES 1. Comparative Education Indicators 2. Labor Force and Employment Estimates, 1974 3. Structure of the Educational System 4. Population of Sierra Leone by Town Size, Showing Male/Female Ratio Census Figures 5. Comparison of Recurrent Costs per Student in Selected West African Countries 6. Recurrent Cost Estimates, 1976-82 7. Actual and Projected Enrollments and Teachers in Primary Education 1980-81 - 1990-91 8. Enrollments in Primary Teacher Training, 1981-82 9. Distribution of Textbooks and Teachers' Guides among Subjects and Grades 10. Summary Account by Project Component 11. Financing Plan 12. Summary of Specialist Services (Expatriate) 13. Summary of Specialist Services (Local) 14. Summary of Fellowships 15. Schedule of Disbursements 16. Implementation Schedule - Civil Works/Teaching Equipment 17. Implementation Schedule - Book Provision 18. Implementation Schedule - Book Distribution Map IBRD No. 16404  - iv - SIERRA LEONE BASIC DATA Area 71,840 km2 Population: total (1981) 3.5 million rural (1980) 2.6 million Population growth rate (1980) 2.6% Literacy rate 15% Life expectancy at birth 47 years GNP per capita (1982) US$280.00 Percent of Enrollments (1977/78) No. of Students Age Group Age Group Percent Girls Primary 227,815 1/ 5-11 37.0 40.0 Primary Teacher Training 1,764 2/ 35.0 Secondary General 39,397 1/ 12-14 18.0 34.0 Secondary General 13,763 1/ 15-16 10.0 28.0 Higher 2,008 2/ 19-22 0.8 n.a. Central Government Expenditures on Education as percent of GNP (1980-81) 4% as percent of total Government recurrent budget (1980-81) 18% Public Expenditures per Student 1980 (est.) Primary US$68 Secondary General US$216 Higher US$4,000-6,000 1/ 1981-82 statistics in preparation under the IDA Technical Assistance Project (Cr. 970-SL). 2/ 1981-82.  I. THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING SECTOR A. Social and Economic Background Population 1.01 Sierra Leone has a population of 3.5 million (1981), growing at an annual rate of about 2.6%. The high birth rate, combined with a short life span, has produced a young population: 40% are under age 15 and 55% are under age 25. The main urban center is Freetown, where about 10% of the population live; the rest of the population is widely dispersed over the country, with about 55% living in villages of less than 500 inhabitants and 15% in villages with between 500 and 2,000 inhabitants. 1.02 The population is composed of about 18 ethnic groups, of which three (Mende, Temne and Limba) account for nearly 70% of the population. English is the official language and the medium of instruction in schools, but its use is generally limited to administrative, business and technical communication. 1.03 Sierra Leone does not have a well-developed social and economic infrastructure, especially in the rural areas. Only about 12% of the popula- tion have access to a safe water supply and this is mostly in urban areas. Health facilities are scarce and infant mortality rates (200/1,000) high. Only about 40% of the school-aged children attend primary school, and 85% of the population are illiterate. The Economy 1.04 Per capita GNP is estimated at US$280 (1982). But there are significant income disparities between the urban areas, where per capita income averages US$700, and the rural areas where per capita income is estimated at only US$150. However, even within the urban areas about 25% of the population have an income level below the urban relative poverty threshold, estimated at US$198. 1.05 The agricultural and mining sectors have been the main sources of income and growth in Sierra Leone. The agricultural sector, still largely outside the monetary economy, provides a livelihood for nearly 65% of the population even though it produces only 30% of GNP. Rice, the staple food, is grown by over 80% of the farmers, primarily for subsistence. Coffee, cocoa and palm products are the major export crops and the principal sources of cash income for the rural population. With less than 10% of the arable land under cultivation, there is considerable potential for agricultural development in Sierra Leone. 1.06 Although diamonds still accounted for 37% of Sierra Leone's export earnings in 1981-82, the production of diamonds has been steadily declining. The volume of diamond production in 1979-80 was less than one-fourth of its 1970 level. Moreover, the country lost its second largest source of foreign  -2- exchange earnings with the closing in 1975 of the only iron ore mine, due to rising production costs and the declining grade of the iron ore. Over the same period, mineral production as a whole declined by about 60%. On the positive side, agricultural exports increased in volume as well as in value during the same period. Total merchandise exports increased from Le 82 million in 1970-71 to Le 234 million in 1979-80, an average annual growth rate of 10.7%. Imports, however, increased even faster and the balance of payments deteriorated steadily during the 1970s. The current account balance, which showed a deficit of Le 18 million in 1970-71, registered a deficit of Le 184 million in 1980-81. The changes in the production base adversely affected the country's economic performance, and during the 1972-80 period the growth of GNP became erratic and barely exceeded 1% per year on average. With the population growing at about 2.6% per year, this has resulted in a decrease in already low per capita real incomes. 1.07 Poor economic performance, combined with the growing balance of payments and Government budget deficits, led Sierra Leone to seek IMF assistance in 1979 and in 1980. Because of unfavorable external conditions combined with the Government's inability to control its spending, the balance of payments as well as the Government budget registered record deficits for FY80-81. This led to the suspension of the Extended Fund Facility Agreement by the IMF in June 1981. The Government's overall deficit for FY82 is esti- mated at Le 151 million, or 10% of GDP (at market prices). Development Prospects 1.08 Sierra Leone's long-term development strategy needs to aim at taking advantage of its considerable agricultural potential and reducing income inequalities. In the past 10 years the investment ratio to CDP was barely high enough to satisfy the needs for capital replacement (especially in the mining sector) and provide a minimum of social infrastructure. To continue in the future to provide a minimum of infrastructure and ensure a dynamic growth of the productive sectors, Sierra Leone will have to gradually increase its ratio of investment to GDP. 1.09 The preparation of a second five-year National Development Plan (1982-86) was delayed because of the national elections which took place in May 1982. Given the magnitude of the economic and financial crisis Sierra Leone is facing today, the first order of priority for the new Government is short-term stabilization, which the new Government has initiated. The new Government has been responsive to Bank and Fund advice or. macroeconomic policies, and has initiated a far-reaching macroeconomic reform program, including the introduction of a dual exchange rate, reduction of public spending, and steps to increase public revenue. The Fund recently approved a concessionary loan to the Government under the compensatory financing facility, and is also negotiating a standby loan. While addressing the pressing short- term issues, the new Government should not ignore the long-term structural adjustments the economy will have to make if Sierra Leone is to benefit from its growth potential. A serious planning effort will be needed to define a long-term development strategy and the measures needed to implement it.  -3- Human Resources 1.10 The total labor force in 1974 was estimated at 1.3 million persons, representing about 50% of the total population (Annex 2). Wage employment, including some small-scale activities, is estimated at about 120,000 persons, of whom about 50% are unskilled or semi-skilled workers. Annex 2 gives details on employment by sector, indicating the insignificance of large-scale wage employment outside the commercial and service sectors. The public sector provides the bulk of wage employment: 46% of the wage earners work directly for the Government and 12% for public enterprises. The slowdown in economic activities in recent years has led to stagnation of employment growth in large-scale enterprises. Most of those who entered the labor force and found non-agricultural private sector employment have been absorbed by small-scale industries or informal sector enterprises. 1.11 Under favorable economic conditions an increase in modern sector employment could be expected, creating an estimated 4,000 job openings annually (including replacement demand) for middle- and high-level workers. But under present circumstances the prospects of this occurring are not good. Consequently, the majority of the new entrants into the labor force during the 1980s will have to be absorbed in agriculture, small-scale industries and the informal sector--i.e., in sectors where formal wage rates do not prevail and earnings are downwardly flexible. Over the long run, employment opportunities in the larger industrial and commercial enterprises should increase, but the extent of the increase will depend on the success of the Government's efforts to increase agricultural production. Since the modern sector is very small in Sierra Leone, human resource policies should aim at improving the productivity of the dominant traditional sector through literacy training and basic skill development which would facilitate the introduction of improved technologies in agriculture and small-scale industry. B. The Educational System 1.12 Sierra Leone's educational system (Annex 3) was originally pat- terned after the British system and maintains close links with it in terms of standards, examinations and professional qualifications. The primary course of seven years is followed by a five-year secondary course leading to GCE Ordinary-levels, and some schools also offer a two-year Sixth Form program to prepare pupils for the GCE Advanced-levels. Tertiary level education is provided by five teachers colleges, two technical institutes and the branches of the University of Sierra Leone at Fourah Bay and Njala. A number of specialized institutes within the formal system provide technical, vocational and agricultural training. English is the official language of instruction at all educational levels. The vernacular is not an integral part of the curriculum, although it is used unofficially in the first few years of the primary cycle to facilitate understanding and the transition to English. 1.13 The Ministry of Education has overall responsibility for formal education in Sierra Leone. Until recently, authority was almost completely centralized, with very little diffusion to the regional level, but now  - 4 - District Education Committees have been set up to operate schools within their jurisdictions. The management of education is complex and diverse, with several employing authorities (e.g., the Freetown City Council and the WIestern Area Regional Education Committee, as well as a variety of religious bodies) also operating schools. Most of the schools operated by employing authori- ties are financially assisted by the Ministry of Education (they are called "assisted schools"), but an estimated 10% of the students in Sierra Leone are enrolled in private schools, which receive no government assistance. The University of Sierra Leone and its institutes have autonomous status, but the University's budget is largely dependent on government grants included in the budget of the Ministry of Education. 1.14 Educational planning and evaluation are the responsibility of the Planning Unit of the Ministry of Education, Educational research, curriculum development and teacher upgrading are the responsibility of the Institute of Education, which is attached to the University of Sierra Leone. C. Main Issues in Education 1.15 Until the mid-seventies, the expansion of the educational system was geared toward producing skilled manpower to meet the most urgent shortages in the modern sector of the economy. High priority was given to investments in secondary general and technical education and university education. The development of secondary education has been particularly dramatic, with enroll- ments increasing at an average annual rate of more than 13% between 1963 and 1977. The development of primary education has been slower and enrollments have increased by only 5% annually. For the present, the existing institu- tions can satisfy the modern sector's limited demand for skilled manpower; consequently, the main issue facing the education sector--in the context of a development policy aiming at both growth and poverty alleviation--is how to increase access to education while at the same time improving the quality without unduly burdening the Government's recurrent budget. Access to Education 1.16 Educational opportunities for children in rural areas are still limited. Between 1968 and 1978, primary enrollments increased from about 140,000 to 230,000, but the gross enrollment ratio in 1978 was nevertheless only 37%. Girls represent 40% of total enrollments; however, actual attendance figures are thought to be considerably lower, possibly by as much as 20%, so that only about 32% may actually be enrolled. 1.17 There is a considerable disparity in enrollments between urban and rural areas. About 50% of the primary school enrollments are concentrated in towns with more than 2,000 inhabitants, where about 30% of the total popula- tion live. These include Freetown, the provincial and district capitals, and the larger mining and marketing towns. The gross enrollment ratio for these towns is estimated at 70%, whereas for settlements with fewer than 2,000 inhabitants the ratio is estimated at 25%.  - 5 - 1.18 Settlement patterns in Sierra Leone are an obstacle to the imple- mentation of the Government's plan to increase access to education in rural areas. About one-third of the population live in villages of less than 200 people where the number of school-aged children (averaging about 40) is barely sufficient to support even a one-teacher, one-room school. Further- more, an estimated 30% of the population live in villages of between 200 and 1,000 people (with between 40 and 200 school-aged children) which could support a school with one to four teachers. 1.19 To increase primary enrollment ratios, methods will have to be found to provide educational opportunities for children in small villages, at a reasonable cost. Among the alternatives that could be considered are increased use of multigrade teaching and biannual entry. In any event, a careful school location planning exercise would be an essential feature of any program attempting to address the access issue. 1.20 Even if these pedagogical issues could be quickly resolved, finan- cial constraints would make universal primary education a policy objective that can be realized only over the long term. However, as a first step, the Government could aim at achieving universal access to primary education (i.e., a gross Grade 1 enrollment ratio of almost 100%) and a gross overall enroll- ment ratio of 70-80% by the mM-1990s. Public expenditures on primary education would then have to increase by about 6.5% per year in real terms, assuming a 45:1 pupil/teacher ratio. This in itself is not an unrealistic objective, but it will require budgetary allocations commensurate with the Government's stated emphasis on primary education. Quality of Education 1.21 Although pupil/teacher ratios are generally low in both primary and secondary education, the decline in recurrent expenditures per student has seriously affected the quality of the inputs in the educational system. At the primary level, half of the teachers have no professional certification, practically no textbooks or other learning aids are available, classrooms in urban areas are overcrowded, many of the school buildings in rural areas are in poor repair, and school furnishings are often totally lacking. 1.22 The poor quality of the teaching environment has had a negative impact on the internal efficiency of the system, and about 35% of primary school students drop out before reaching the end of Grade 7 and about 12% of pupils in each grade level are repeaters. Much of the dropout is con- centrated in the lower grades, with slightly higher rates in rural areas. Boys and girls do not progress equally well through school. Boys constitute about 60% of students in Grade 1, 65% in Grade 7, 65% in Form I, and 70% in Form V. In addition there is a sharp difference between Freetown and the provinces: in Freetown, 60% of secondary school students are boys, whereas in the provinces the figure is 75%. Although the internal efficiency of primary schools in Sierra Leone is average or above average compared with other West African countries, the substantial rural-urban difference and the lower initial participation and higher dropout rates for girls, especially in rural areas, pose serious problems.  - 6 - 1.23 Available evidence suggests that student achievement is low in Sierra Leone. In a mathematics test administered to a representative sample of 3,000 second, third and fourth graders, only 15% of the second graders and even smaller percentages of the older students scored at what the test developers (Mathematics Curriculum Panel) considered an "expected" level for their grade. Only about 55% of primary school leavers pass the Selective Entrance Examination each year. Finally, pass rates on the West African School Certificate Examination ("O" level) are quite low -- about 20%. This evidence, while fragmentary, supports the complaint often heard in Sierra Leone that the quality of schooling has been dropping and is now unacceptably low. 1.24 To improve student achievement and increase the internal efficiency of primary education, the Government has proposed a comprehensive set of measures that include upgrading and providing in-service training for unquali- fied teachers; increasing the supply of learning materials, especially text- books; and improving physical facilities and school furniture. Furthermore, to monitor and evaluate the impact of these measures on student achievement, the Government intends to strengthen the capacity for evaluation. Institutional Weaknesses 1.25 A serious constraint to the coherent and rational development of primary education, as well as efficient project implementation, is the weak- ness of the institutions responsible for managing and planning the education system. For instance, many of the officials of the Ministry of Education have been trained as teachers and not as education specialists or administrators. These institutional problems in the education sector cannot, however, be isolated from the overall decline in effectiveness that the civil service has experienced over the past decade, when most civil servants experienced a 30-50% decline in real cash earnings. This erosion of the relative wage position of the civil service appears to have taken its toll; morale is low and turnover at many levels of public employment is said to be high, with the most experienced personnel leaving the civil service. 1.26 The First Education Project (Cr. 170-SL) and, to a larger extent, the Second Education Project (Cr. 573-SL) have provided significant support to the Ministry of Education's Planning Unit and the Institute of Education to strengthen their capabilities for educational planning, evaluation, research, curriculum development, and in-service teacher training. Although much valuable work has been done, the lack of staff to fill existing vacancies and the absence of an adequate operating budget have made it difficult to fully achieve the institutional project objectives. The Technical Assistance Project (Cr. 970-SL) includes a provision for an educational planning adviser and staff training in educational planning, but this represents only a first step toward building a local capacity for educational planning and for project preparation, implementation and evaluation.  - 7- 1.27 The shortage of competent administrators is becoming increasingly apparent as administrative responsibilities for primary education are de- centralized to the regional offices (para. 1.13) and the task of managing the expanding system becomes more complex. The strengthening of educational administration at both the central and the regional levels is essential to the long-term success of the Government's plans for the expansion and improve- ment of primary education. Furthermore, and equally important, particularly as regards the qualitative measures, is the strengthening of the inspectorate and the training of headmasters to familiarize them with the new textbooks and teaching techniques suitable for larger classes and multigrade teaching. Education Cost and Finance 1.28 The most recent estimates of the Government's average annual expenditures per student date back to 1977, when they were estimated at about US$30 for primary education, US$120 for secondary general education, and US$3,000-5,000 for the University of Sierra Leone. They may, however, have risen by 60-100% since then. Per student costs in primary education are therefore estimated at about 25% of GDP per capita (US$68) and about 80% in secondary education (US$216) (Annex 5), which is average by West African standards. While the low pupil/teacher ratios (35:1 for primary and 22:1 for secondary education) increases unit cost levels, the employment of large numbers of poorly paid uncertified teachers counterbalances this tendency. 1.29 The total recurrent expenditure on education represents 4% of GDP and 18% of the Government's total recurrent budget for 1981-82. While the former percentage is roughly similar to that in other West African countries, the 18% figure is relatively low. In addition, significant financial contri- butions to education are made by employing authorities and parents. About 40% of the education budget is allocated to primary education, the median for sub-Saharan Africa. The Government's financial outlays for primary education have been considerable in recent years, when expenditure on primary education as a percentage of GDP increased from 1.3% to 1.6%, which is considerably above the average in African countries at a similar stage of educational development. 1.30 Capital expenditures have been heavily concentrated in secondary and higher education, and the Government has contributed very little to the expansion of physical facilities at the primary level. In 1977-78 an esti- mated 60% of the recorded capital expenditures for education were financed by external agencies. In addition, self-help efforts by parents' associations contributed to educational investments. Apart from the Bank Group, the most important bilateral and multilateral donors for educational development in Sierra Leone are the UK, the EEC, the UNDP and the ADB. The UK is the main source of technical assistance for educational development. 1.31 Implementation of the planned human resource policies would require increased allocations to education from the recurrent budget although the Government's financial difficulties (paras. 1.07-1.09), which are likely to  - 8 - persist throughout much of the 1980s, make it unlikely that in real terms available public funding for education will increase before the mid-1980s. Under these conditions, the further development of the system will have to be financed initially by a more efficient resource allocation within the education sector and possibly by a further diversification of the sources of finance. Specifically, to increase the return on educational expenditures and to free resources to finance the planned expansion and improvements in quality of primary education in rural areas, the Government intends to implement mea- sures that would ultimately lead to the control of costs as well as improved resource utilization through: (a) a reduction in the duration of primary education from seven to six years; and (b) implementation of policy measures aimed at a gradual increase in the number of pupils per teacher in primary education (paras. 3.09-3.11). Assuming that by the mid-1990s these measures will have been fully implemented and that about 2% of GDP will be allocated to primary education, there should be adequate resources to provide a place in primary schools for 70-80% of the school-age children, including all six-year-olds (para. 1.20). The Government's Strategy 1.32 Beginning with the first five-year National Development Plan (FY75-79), the Government's stated economic policy has given increasing emphasis to agricultural and rural development as the "motor" of economic development. For the educational sector this has meant an increased emphasis on primary education, and in recent years the Government has given increasing priority to curriculum development and pre-service primary teacher training through projects supported by the UNDP and the ADB. In 1979, the Government undertook an in-depth review of its educational sector policies, and its conclusions emphasized the need to take further steps toward achieving the above-mentioned policy objectives by implementing: (a) a nationwide primary school construction program; and (b) a series of measures aiming at improve- ments in the quality of education, and the teaching staff and the production of educational materials. 1.33 In regard to training specialized manpower for the agricultural sector, the Government is emphasizing improvements in the quality of instruc- tion in the existing institutions, and has obtained assistance from the EEC and the UK for this purpose. 1.34 The Government's priorities within the educational sector are sound and in line with the national development priorities. Universal primary education remains a long-term objective. There is, however, a possibility that successful implementation of the recommendations of the 1979 sector review report (para. 1.32) will result in providing, by the mid-1990s, school places for all children six years of age. We expect improvements in the quality of education to significantly reduce repetition and dropout rates, and universal primary education could become a reality around the turn of the century.  -9- D. The Bank Group's Role Previous Involvement in the Sector 1.35 Both the First Education Project (Cr. 170-SL for US$3.0 million, signed January 5, 1970) and the Second Education Project (Cr. 573-SL for US$7.25 million, signed July 29, 1975) supported the Government's priorities for skilled manpower development by providing assistance for: (a) the diversi- fication and expansion of secondary education programs, especially with regard to the teaching of science and practical skills; (b) the expansion and upgrading of trade schools and technical institutes; and (c) the provision of facilities for secondary technical teacher training and management training, and the upgrading of facilities for primary teacher training. In addition, the second project actively supported the Government's more rurally oriented development strategy through the creation of a training institute for community development workers. It also supported educational planning and research in fields promoting improvement of the quality of primary education as well as primary teacher upgrading. A series of studies on the improvement and expansion of primary education provided the basis for the project proposed in this report. The Bank Group has also supported manpower development in Sierra Leone through training components in agricultural, power and technical assistance projects. 1.36 The First Education Project was completed at the end of 1975, about 18 months behind the appraisal schedule. The project's principal objectives were to: (a) better prepare secondary school students for employment, mainly through the introduction of practical training streams; and (b) strengthen the general administrative and planning capabilities of the Ministry of Education. All schools are now in operation. Civil works were provided efficiently. The Ministry was largely successful in building up its administrative and planning capacities. In contrast, the forecast targets more directly related to project school operations fell short initially owing to, inter alia, shortages of practical subject teachers and consumable student materials. It proved difficult to fully meet the objectives of the primary teacher upgrading program at the Freetown Teachers College. This program was set up to train unqualified primary school teachers in the afternoon and evening hours, using the teaching facilities of a secondary school. The Project Completion Report described the FTC's difficulties in attracting unqualified teachers for this program, since most practicing teachers found it too demanding to hold teach- ing jobs while studying. As a result, only half the students in 1975 were practicing teachers. The technical assistance program was ineffective, due to inappropriate scheduling vis-a-vis the completion of project facilities. Nevertheless, this project compared favorably with other previously audited education projects with respect to general institutional achievements, according to the Project Performance Audit Report (PPAR No. 1433 dated January 26, 1977), although there has been little improvement in the FTC program since the PPAR was written. The Second Education Project (Cr. 573-SL) was completed by the end of 1982, about two years behind schedule because of start-up delays. After the first two years, project implementation accelerated and most project institutions are now operational. A completion mission is  - 10 - scheduled for the first half of 1983. It will provide us with an opportunity to assess--in perspective--the impact of some project activities carried out under both the First and Second Education Projects. Lending Priorities 1.37 The Government's development strategy emphasizes investments in the agricultural sector to strengthen and diversify the country's renewable resource base, stimulate export earnings, and improve the income levels of the rural population (para. 1.32). The low rate of schooling (para. 1.16) and the resulting high illiteracy rates among adults (para. 1.03) are likely to be serious constraints to the efforts to increase agricultural production. Consequently, expanding access and improving the quality of primary education are the top sectoral priorities, especially in light of the growing body of evidence based on research in several parts of the world which indicates that education, especially at the lower levels, is an essential condition for economic and social development. Education has been found to be positively related to changes in agricultural and industrial productivity and earnings, the adoption of modern economic behavior, and the acceptance of modern health and nutrition practices. Increasing access to primary education programs of good quality is probably the most effective way to bring about a long-term increase in the earnings of low-income people and thus reduce income distribu- tion inequities. Consequently, primary education and related teacher training are priorities for Bank Group lending. 1.38 Successful implementation of the Government's program for the development of primary education will to a large extent be contingent upon the successful implementation of measures aimed at containing costs (para. 1.31). Progress in this respect would be monitored during project imple- mentation. During negotiations the Government gave assurances that it would furnish IDA with a plan for its review and comments on the execution of measures to improve the use of resources available for primary education. These measures would include reducing the duration of primary education and increasing the pupil/teacher ratio by one additional pupil per year (paras 1.31, 3.09-3.11). The Government would furnish IDA with this plan by December 31, 1983 and submit a progress report on the implementation of the cost-containment measures to IDA for review before December 31, 1985 (para. 3.11). Possible future Bank Group assistance for the primary educa- tion development program would be contingent on the results of this review. II. THE PROJECT A. Project Objectives 2.01 The project would assist the Government in moving toward achieve- ment of the following priority policy objectives for the sector (para. 1.32): (a) improvement in the quality of primary education through support to primary  teacher training and the provision of textbooks; and (b) increase in access to primary education in rural areas through the construction of primary schools. 2.02 The project would also support the Government's efforts to strengthen the country's capacity for educational planning, administration, management, evaluation, and effective project implementation. B. Project Components 2.03 The project would be implemented during the six-year period between 1983-88, and would comprise the following components: Part I: Development of Primary Education (a) Primary education. Construction, and operation of about 500 class- rooms, with about 22,500 student places, in rural areas and provi- sion of (i) furniture and equipment for these classes and (ii) specialist services to develop standards and simple designs for school buildings and furniture. Construction of about 66 staff houses including furniture for primary school teachers at schools in remote locations. (b) Primary teacher training. Construction and operation of a primary teacher training college in Freetown, construction of three staff houses, and provision of (i) furniture and equipment and (ii) specialist services for studying the efficiency of teacher training. (c) Textbook procurement and distribution. Construction, and provision of furniture, equipment, consumable materials, specialist services and fellowships to (i) procure, store and distribute primary school textbooks, (ii) improve the existing central book storage facility in Freetown and nine district book warehouses, and (iii) operate the textbook task force. Part II: Strengthening the Administrative, Planning and Evaluation Capacities Providing equipment, specialist services and fellowships, and operating programs for: (a) improving the administrative and educational skills of all key staff at the central, regional and local levels concerned with primary education, and providing training to support the implemen- tation of the textbook component; (b) strengthening the Planning Unit of the Ministry of Education, specifically its capacity to collect educational data and carry out school location planning; (c) promoting studies to be conducted by the Planning Unit staff, emphasizing topics related to education planning and financing; and  - 12 - (d) strengthening evaluation research, specifically on matters related to the textbook component. Part III: Project Management Strengthening and operating the Project Unit established under the First Education Project, by providing equipment and local staff services. C. Project Description Primary Schools 2.04 To assist the Government in increasing access to primary education (para. 1.20), the project would finance construction, furniture and equipment for about 500 classrooms in about 170 primary schools located in rural areas. (The project also includes provision for the incremental recurrent costs generated by these schools during project implementation.) Most of the schools would have two or three classrooms. This would add about 22,500 student places to the primary school system, representing a 10% increase in present enrollments, and would assist in increasing access to primary educa- tion in rural areas. The project would provide about 66 staff houses and furniture for primary school teachers serving in the most remote project schools where rented accommodation is not available. This would help attract better qualified staff to the most remote school locations. The staff would be required to pay a rent equivalent to 12% of their salaries (about US$305 per year) in accordance with the Government's staff housing policy. 2.05 The new primary school curricula, approved by the Ministry of Educa- tion in 1981, would also be applied in the project schools. The curricula include the following subjects: English language, mathematics, science, and environmental and social studies. 2.06 The project schools would operate with multigrade teaching, as all six primary grades would be taught in two or three classrooms. The teaching would be supported through the supply of simple instructional equipment. 2.07 All the project schools would be located in sparsely populated rural areas: 300 classrooms in the Northern Province and 200 classrooms in the Southern and Eastern Provinces. This would allow the enrollment ratio in these provinces to increase to about 30-40% from the present average of 20-30%. The Government and IDA agreed during appraisal that the project schools would be located in accordance with the following criteria: (a) the selected villages should have a central location in relation to neighboring villages without schools, and should have a popula- tion growth potential and be accessible for modern transport and construction; (b) the catchment area for a two-classroom school should have a minimum of about 150 children of school age (5-11 years), and for a three- classroom school the catchment area should have a minimum of about  - 13 - 225 children (20-25% of the total population is estimated to be of primary school age). The walking distance from home to a school site should not, as a rule, exceed three miles one way; and (c) the local authorities should show interest in having a school built in their area, and should (i) provide an acceptable school site and access roads without cost to the Government, and (ii) make rental housing available for teachers whenever possible. 2.08 Acceptable sites for about 85 primary schools, with about 250 classrooms, for the first phase of construction to be implemented in 1983-84 were already selected by appraisal. The Government gave assurances during negotiations that a list of all sites for the primary school and staff housing construction program would be submitted for IDA's review and approval by December 31, 1983. 2.09 As an experiment, six pilot primary schools were constructed under the Second Education Project in selected rural locations. They were designed and equipped to serve community needs as well as to teach multigrade classes. The objectives of this experiment were to: (a) test an alternative L-shaped classroom design for multigrade teaching; (b) determine the capability of small contractors to build small, simple buildings in remote locations; and (c) assess the implications for the Project Unit of supervising direct labor and supplying materials on site. At appraisal it was found that: (a) L-shaped classrooms are suitable for small schools with one or two classrooms and six grades; (b) in addition to a higher financial class of contractor, the medium financial class of contractors ranging from Le 50,000 to 100,000 (US$40,000-85,000) could participate in the primary school construction program, with the Project Unit assisting in the procurement and transportation of materials such as roofing sheets, roof trusses, windows, doors and cement; and (c) using direct labor with the present designs and construction methods would result in irregular work progress, require intensive supervision and should not be used at this point. The experience gained from this pilot project will be applied to implementation of the project schools. 2.10 In addition to the construction program, the project includes a provision for two staffyears of technical assistance by an architect to develop simple standard designs for primary schools and school furniture in order to help the villagers construct additional schools with their own means. These voluntary efforts will be needed to help the Government meet an increasing demand for classrooms during the 1980s. The architect would be attached to the Project Unit. Primary Teacher Training 2.11 The project would finance construction, furniture and equipment for a new primary teacher training college, including incremental recurrent costs for teachers' salaries (para. 3.08). The college now operates in a secondary school which was expanded under the First Education Project (Cr. 170-SL) for common use by the secondary school and the college; that project provided office space, storage facilities, a staff room for the college, and  - 14 - some common teaching space. The college has continued to offer a four-year training program for unqualified practicing teachers during day and evening hours, but difficulties in operating the teacher upgrading program persist, and only half the students are actually employed as teachers. Although the Government has started giving the practicing teachers leaves of absence with pay during their final year of study, passing rates in final examinations remain low. One reason for this low achievement may be the difficulty the college has experienced in finding good instructors for the evening courses. In addition, the present output from the teacher training colleges is inade- quate to meet the needs of an expanded primary education system (Annex 7). Therefore, the Government has decided to replace this program with a full- time program to be offered at a new teacher training college. When the new college becomes operational, the secondary school facilities would be used for secondary education only. The proposed new college would include faci- lities for preservice and in-service training of primary school teachers, a six-classroom demonstration school, and three staff houses for teachers. The demonstration school would be built with the same standard design as the project primary schools. The staff housing is needed for security reasons, since the campus, with its substantial equipment supply, would otherwise be unattended after school hours, and for the supervision of students who would be using the library after school hours. The staff would be requested to pay a rent equivalent to 20% of their salaries (about US$1,255 per year) in accordance with the Government's staff housing policy. 2.12 Sierra Leone has five colleges for training primary school teachers. The total student capacity is about 1,200 and the enrollment in 1981-82 was about 1,750. The new college, replacing one of the five existing colleges, would have a capacity for 432 day students in a three-year program which would have an annual output of about 130 graduates. One-third of the students would be women. The total output of the country's five teacher training colleges during the 1980s would increase the percentage of qualified primary school teachers from about 50% in 1982-83 to about 60%-70% in 1990-91 (Annexes 7 and 8). 2.13 The entrance requirements for the teacher training program include completion of five years of secondary education with at least three ordinary- level passes according to the standards of the West Africa Examinations Council, or at least three years of teaching experience and a passing grade in an entrance test established by the Ministry of Education. Unqualified teachers with teaching experience could be admitted directly into the second or the third year of the program. The Freetown college facilities will also be used for vacation upgrading courses for unqualified teachers. 2.14 The college would operate on the basis of a new curriculum introduced in 1980. The teacher training courses would be gradually adjusted to support the new primary school curricula (para. 2.05). The experience gained from the ongoing UNDP-financed teacher training and curriculum development project at Bunumbu Teachers College, which is geared to the educational needs of the rural population and which will be completed in 1983, would be taken into account in the further development of the teacher training program.  - 15 - 2.15 Training in teaching methods and techniques would be offered by the new college in Freetown in facilities designed for micro-teaching and in the demonstration school. Practice teaching would be offered at primary schools in the Freetown area. Emphasis would be given to techniques of teaching multigrade and large classes as well as in the efficient use of textbooks. 2.16 The college instructors would be subject specialists, most of them with academic training from the University of Sierra Leone and/or extensive teaching experience in primary schools. The average number of students per instructor in teacher training would continue to be about 12, and the number of students in the demonstration school at the college would be about 35-40 per class. The number of instructors in the college would increase by about 11, and the project includes provision for incremental costs of salaries during project implementation (para. 3.08). 2.17 The Freetown college facilities and staff would also be used by the Ministry of Education for the in-service training of primary school teachers and other educational staff during the school year as well as during school vacations. The courses would be organized by the Institute of Education and would be similar to those which will be offered by the Instructional Resource Centers established at the existing primary teacher training colleges under the Second Education Project (Cr. 573-SL). 2.18 The planned expansion of primary education (para 1.20) will not only have quantitative implications for teacher training, but will require programs to prepare students for teaching in rural areas where small schools and multigrade teaching prevail. To assess the development of primary teacher training and the future demand for teachers, the project would finance three staffmonths of technical assistance for a study, to be undertaken in 1986, of the efficiency, capacity, utilization and demand for teachers in primary education. The Government gave assurances during negotiations that the study would be carried out in accordance with a research design acceptable to IDA and the completed study will be submitted to IDA for review and comments before December 31, 1986. Textbook Procurement and Distribution 2.19 The availability of textbooks in the primary school system is generally very low and in many schools, especially those in rural areas, no textbooks at all are available (para. 1.21). To alleviate this problem, the project includes construction, specialist services and funds for the procurement and distribution of primary school textbooks, and operating funds for a textbook task force. Specifically, the project would finance (a) the procurement and distribution over a three-year period of about one million textbooks and 125,000 teachers' guides in English, mathematics, science and social studies for primary Grades 1-6; and (b) structural improvements, furniture and equipment for the existing central book storage facility (Tower Hill) in Freetown and for nine existing district book warehouses.  - 16 - 2.20 The books would be basic textbooks, readers, activity books, teachers' guides and dictionaries, all written in English. For teaching English in Grades 1-6, there would be one basic pupils' book and one teachers' guide for each grade, in addition to extra pupil books such as activity books and readers. For Grades 4-6, English teachers would be provided with dic- tionaries. For teaching mathematics in Grades 1-6 there would be one pupils' book and one teachers' guide for each grade. For science and social studies there would be a teachers' guide in each subject for each grade and pupil books in each subject for Grades 3-6 (Annex 9). The 58 different book titles would be distributed to all primary schools, the primary teacher training colleges, and other government institutions concerned with the project. The allocation of basic textbooks to the schools would be at the rate of one book for two students, readers at the rate of one for six or eight students, and teachers' guides at the rate of one per teacher in each subject. The textbooks would be kept in the schools and used by the pupils during school hours. 2.21 The curricula developed by the curriculum panels in the Institute of Education would form the basis for the development of textbooks and teachers' guides (para. 2.05). The textbooks would be adapted versions of existing books which would be published for use in Sierra Leone to fit the agreed new curricula, with contributions from Sierra Leonean authors where appropriate. Certain teachers' guides would be written by local authors. The publishers would make the necessary adaptations in cooperation with the textbook committee which the Ministry of Education has created. 2.22 The textbook component, except for operating costs, would be financed by the British Overseas Development Administration (ODA). The textbooks would be procured in accordance with procedures acceptable to ODA (paras. 3.06 and 4.13) from among prequalified tenderers. Small editions of books might be printed locally by the Government Printers. All materials issued under the project would be copyrighted by the Ministry of Education (Government), or copyrighted jointly with the publishers. Royalties, if any, would be deter- mined as part of contract negotiations. 2.23 The textbooks provided by the Government would carry an imprint showing that they are Government property and not for sale. Publishers would be allowed to issue their own editions of the same books for sale and these books would not carry the Government imprint. 2.24 To avoid overloading the school system and teaching staff and to execute a successive introduction of the textbooks in the classrooms, dis- tribution would be carried out over a period of three years, starting with 210,000 textbooks and teachers' guides for Grade 1 in 1984-85, followed by 406,000 for Grades 2 and 3 in 1985-86, and 509,000 for Grades 4-6 in 1986-87. The central book warehouse at Tower Hill and the nine district book ware- houses would be upgraded and equipped under the project. The books would be distributed from the central book storage facility through commercial transport hired on a competitive basis. Transport from the district offices to the schools would be organized by the district inspectorate in cooperation with the schools, and headmasters would collect the books during their regular visits to the district offices. Large quantities of books for the villages  - 17 - would be transported by commercial means to community centers for pick-up. The textbooks would be kept in the schools in lockable cabinets provided under the project. 2.25 A temporary task force would be established to initially coordinate the preparation, production and distribution of textbooks. This task force would report to the Ministry of Education and work closely with the Project Unit. The task force is expected to evolve into a national textbook service. The task force would have its own staff. An advisory committee, to be appointed by the Minister of Education and composed of representatives of all parties concerned, would be established to assist and advise the director of the task force, who is now being recruited by the Minister of Education. During negotiations the Government gave assurances that the textbook task force would be established and the advisory committee appointed not later than August 31, 1983. The members would have appropriate qualifications and experience. The project includes provisions for financing the operating costs of the task force which will eventually evolve into a national textbook service. 2.26 The deputy to the manager of the central book storage warehouse funded under the project would design a warehouse system for the central facility and the district warehouses. The distribution manager, also paid by the project, would design a textbook distribution and storage system and would supervise its implementation. 2.27 Specialist staff and consultants would be provided under the project to assist the task force in implementing the textbook component (Annex 12), and fellowships would be provided for training the staff (Annex 14). 2.28 Administrative and educational staff at all levels of the primary school system would receive training in effective use of the textbooks and in record-keeping. The textbook component would be evaluated during project implementation (para. 2.36). In light of the experience gained during the implementation of the textbook component, the Government would study the organizational, legal and financial frameworks for a national textbook service and prepare relevant draft legal documents. During negotiations the Govern- ment gave assurances that it would submit the study and draft legal documents to IDA for review and comments not later than June 30, 1985, and establish the national textbook service by June 30, 1986. Training of Administrative and Educational Staff 2.29 Management and development of the primary school system are hampered by the fact that most educational administrators lack adequate management training and experience (paras. 1.25 and 1.27). To assist the Government in making administration more efficient and improving the quality of pedagogical support and supervision, the project would finance 45 two-week workshops for training administrative and educational staff concerned with primary education at the central, regional and local levels and in the primary teacher training colleges. The project would also include financing for travel funds (about US$200,000) to increase the inspectorate staff's mobility. This would contri- bute to better monitoring of primary school activities and also help to keep the schools informed about the education project.  - 18 - 2.30 The workshops would (a) promote improvement of key staff capabili- ties in such areas as administration and supervision of education, management of curriculum development and change, and educational statistics and finance; and (b) promote the development of more specific skills, such as compiling of educational statistics, school location planning, methods of teaching multi- grade classes, and school maintenance. The workshops would also support the implementation of the project, particularly the textbook component. 2.31 The workshops would be conducted under the responsibility of the Itinistry of Education, but the Institute of Public Administration and Manage- ment (IPAM) would be responsible for preparation of the courses and organiza- tion of the necessary logistical support in close cooperation with the Ministry. A steering committee composed of representatives of the authorities involved in the training program would be created, and a program coordinator/lecturer would be employed full time. 2.32 The workshops would be arranged for two levels of staff. The first series of workshops would be for about 30 key administrators, including staff from the Ministry of Education and the inspectorates, regional supervisory staff, and principals of teacher training colleges. The workshops, which would be conducted in Freetown, would deal with all matters relating to primary education but would concentrate on central and regional administration and organization. The second series of workshops would be for about 1,000 school supervisors, teacher supervisors, and head teachers of primary schools. These workshops would be conducted in the regions, using staff from the Ministry of Education, the teacher training colleges and the inspectorates as instructors; they would also deal with a wide range of educational matters but would concentrate on matters relating to the implementation of the project, particularly the textbook component. Outlines of the workshop programs were reviewed at appraisal. The Government gave assurances during negotiations that it would submit the final programs and the cost estimates for each series of annual workshops planned for the upcoming school year to IDA before August 31 of each year for review and approval. 2.33 The funds for inspectorate staff travel would be used to promote better monitoring of school activities through school visits and arrangement of courses and conferences by the inspectorate staff. The Ministry of Educa- tion would be responsible for planning the use of the travel funds allocated under the project. The inspectorate staff would use regular means of trans- portation and would follow the established rules for travel compensation in Sierra Leone. During negotiations, the Government gave assurances that detailed plans for the use of the funds for the forthcoming school year and a report on the use of the funds during the preceding school year would be prepared by the Ministry by August 31 of each year, and submitted to IDA for review. Educational Planning 2.34 The Planning Unit of the Ministry of Education is hampered in its activities because of a lack of adequately trained staff and operating funds (para. 1.25). To strengthen educational planning, the project would provide the Planning Unit with specialist services, fellowships for staff training,  - 19 - equipment, and some operating funds. This assistance would support the key activities of the Planning UJnit and would focus on: (a) the establishment and implementation of a system for the continuous collection of educational statistics; (b) the preparation of a school location plan ("school mapping"); (c) the training of junior and senior staff of the Planning Unit; and (d) studies on issues concerning the planning and financing of education. Similar assistance was provided to the Planning Unit under the Second Education Project (para. 1.35). The Ministry of Education is preparing a plan to strengthen the Planning Unit. During negotiations the Government gave assurances that it would furnish the Association for its review and comments not later than December 31, 1983, a plan to strengthen the Planning Unit, and start implementing this plan not later than July 1, 1985. 2.35 In support of the above efforts, the project includes financing for an educational planning adviser, who would be employed for two years beginning July 1, 1983, or later, when the contract of the educational adviser presently working in the Planning Unit under the First Technical Assistance Project (para. 1.26) expires. Terms of reference for the adviser have been agreed to between the Government and IDA. Three fellowships (9 staffmonths each) in educational planning, educational statistics and school location planning would be awarded to junior staff employed by the Planning Unit. During negotiations the Government gave assurances that it would award these fellowships to Planning Unit Staff employed in established positions. Evaluation 2.36 The textbook component is new to the country and is expected not only to have a major impact on pedagogical activities in the primary schools, but also to place a heavy burden on the administrative and organizational capacities of the education system. Evaluation of the impact of project activities would be conducted under the project. 2.37 The project would finance fellowships, specialist services and operating costs in support of (a) a study on the impact of the textbook component on changes in student achievement, attendance and promotion rates; and (b) a study on the distribution, storage and use of textbooks. The project also includes support for other studies related to the project components, e.g., on patterns of entry into and exit from the teaching profession, and problems of multigrade teaching in rural primary schools. 2.38 All the project-financed research and evaluation studies would be coordinated by the Institute of Education, which is expected to play a key role in their implementation, and encourage the use of the research capabili- ties of the IUniversity of Sierra Leone, Milton Margai Teachers College, and other local institutions. The Institute of Education would also assist in the preparation of the project completion report (para. 4.20). The Government gave assurances during negotiations that all the studies would be carried out in accordance with research designs acceptable to IDA, and that the reports on textbook use and textbook studies would be submitted to IDA for review before December 31, 1986.  - 20 - Project Management 2.39 The Project Unit responsible for implementation of the First and Second Projects was established under the Ministry of Finance. The Unit would coordinate implementation of the third project, and would continue to be responsible to the Ministry of Finance. In order to strengthen the Unit, this project includes financing for equipment, staff salaries and Unit operating costs (paras. 4.04-4.07).  - 21 - III. PROJECT COST AND FINANCING PLAN Cost of the Project 3.01 The breakdown of costs by component is detailed in Annex 10 and summarized below. % of Foreign Base Exchange Project Item Local Foreign Total Local Foreign Total Cost as % of