Malawi - Third Education Sector Credit

Report No. PIC839 Project Name Malawi-Third Education Sector Credit (@) Region Africa Sector Education Project ID MWPA1670 Implementing Agency Government of Malawi Mr. Bester Kalombo, Coordinator Education Development Management Unit Ministry of Education Private Bag 328 Lilongwe, Malawi Tel: (265) 781-224 Fax: (265) 781-873 Date Prepared March 1997 Projected Board Date December 1997 1. Project Objectives. The main objective of the proposed operation is to support the Government's plans to expand and improve secondary education. 2. Project Description. Government attaches high priority to expanding secondary education in light of: i) the relatively low progression rate from primary to conventional secondary education, and ii) the dramatic increase in primary school enrollments since 1994 when primary school fees were abolished. To reduce secondary education costs, Government has decided that all new schools will be day schools. Teacher effectiveness is to be enhanced through the introduction of school-based supervisory and teacher support services. Government is also currently considering increasing cost- sharing in the secondary education sub-sector. 3. Project Context. Expansion of the secondary sub-sector is being undertaken in the broader context of Government's overall sector development objectives, which include giving high priority to primary education and linking secondary school output to opportunities for further education/training and employment possibilities. The proposed secondary education project also builds on the World Bank's current financial support to primary education, through the ongoing Primary Education Project. 4. The proposed IDA-financed operation would support expansion and quality improvements in secondary education as follows: 5. Provision of classrooms and related facilities. The operation would finance construction of new secondary day schools and related facilities (e.g., teachers houses). The new school design marks a shift away from high-cost boarding facilities, while continuing to ensure that the structures will be of sufficiently-high quality. In addition, in line with Government's plan to encourage private sector provision, it is expected that the operation would assist  GoM to develop and implement an action plan to accomplish this complementary objective. 6. Improvement of Quality. The project would finance the following activities to improve the quality of conventional secondary education: i) preparation and distribution of secondary school textbooks, teachers' guides, and other instructional materials in all project-financed schools; and ii) strengthening teacher support and supervisory services through training of all secondary school heads, deputy heads, and heads of department. 7. Environmental Impact. The environmental category is C. The construction of new schools will be scattered in various parts of the country. Adequate sanitation will be provided to safeguard the health and environmental conditions of students and the immediate community. 8. Project Management and Implementation. A separate project implementation unit is not envisaged. Instead, day-to-day management of the project will be carried out by the respective units of the Ministry of Education, with the Ministry's Education Development Management Unit playing a coordinating role. Management of the civil works program would be contracted to a private construction management firm, following a procedural manual acceptable to IDA. The provision of textbooks and learning materials would be undertaken by the MOE Supplies Unit. 9. Project Financing. The scope of the project financing requirements is now being finalized. It is currently anticipated that IDA will contribute up to US$60 million and that parallel financing will be sought from other sources of external finance. Contact Point Public Information Center The World Bank 1818 H Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone No.: (202) 458-5454 Fax No.: (202) 522-1500 Note: This is information on an evolving project. Certain components may not necessarily be included in the final project. Processed by the Public Information Center week ending April 11, 1997. - 2 -