Cameroon - Education and Vocational Training Project

 Education and vocational training project Report No: ; Type: Report/Evaluation Memorandum ; Country: Cameroon; Region: Africa; Sector: Vocational/Technical Education & Training; Major Sector: Education; Project ID: P000364 Cameroon: Education and Vocational Training Project (Loan 2683-CM) The Cameroon Education and Vocational Training project, supported by Loan 2683-CM for US$30.1 million, was approved in FY87. The Loan was closed on June 30, 1995; the balance of US$21.3 million was canceled. The Implementation Completion Report (ICR) prepared by the Africa Regional Office, provides a clear and comprehensive account of the implementation of the project. The Borrower's full report on the implementation and achievements of the project is included in Appendix B. The project's original objectives were to: (a) improve the quality of primary, secondary, and technical education; (b) strengthen sector management; and (c) adapt the vocational training system to the needs of the labor market. To help fulfill its objectives, the project provided support for hardware (civil works, vehicles, and equipment for technical colleges and secondary schools), software (technical assistance and training), and operating expenses. Due to a large local cost component, the Government was to finance 51 percent of total project costs. Shortly after the project became effective, the country's economic situation deteriorated, and the Government was unable to pay arrears on other Bank loans and to mobilize counterpart funds. Implementation was halted. Subsequently, the project was restructured. The construction component was eliminated in order to focus the project more closely on improving the quality of primary and secondary technical schools and to modify the vocational training system to meet the changing needs of the market. However, inefficient management in conjunction with lack of counterpart funds severely hindered implementation. Most of the project activities were never initiated, with the exception of training abroad for Ministry of Education staff and technical assistance to develop a national policy statement for the education and training sector. As a result, 71 percent of the loan was canceled. The Operations Evaluation Department (OED) and the ICR rate the outcome of the project as unsatisfactory and sustainability as unlikely. The ICR rates institutional development as modest, but OED rates it as negligible, since relatively little was accomplished. OED agrees with the ICR and rates Bank performance as unsatisfactory because the appraisal mission did not take the risks and likely labor market consequences of an economic downturn into account and supervision missions did not adequately deal with the implementation problems that arose as a result of economic difficulties. The project illustrates the importance of accurately assessing benefits and risks during appraisal. It also shows the value of financing part of local costs rather than seeking a high level of counterpart funds from borrowers who face financial difficulties. Finally, projects that span several subsectors and government departments risk creating complexities that overwhelm the borrower's implementation capacity. The ICR is satisfactory. No audit is planned.