Benin - Education Development (Third Education) Project

,_/-, -'(-'/ '- (:Z i' H Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No. 12571-BEN STAFF APPRAISAL REPORT REPUBLIC OF BENIN EDUCATION DEVELOPNENT PROJECT (THIRD EDUCATION PROJECT) MARCH 29, 1994 MICROGRAPH TCS Report No: 12571 BEN Type: SAR 27 E Population and Human Resources Division Occidental and Central Africa Department This document has a restricted distibution and may be used by recipien only in the performance of their officiaml duties Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.  CURRENCY EOUIVALENTS The rate of CFA francs 590 to the US dollar is used for cost projections as of January 1994. The CFA franc (CFAF) is tied to the French franc (FF) in the ratio of FF 1 to CFAF 100. MEASURES 1 m = 1.09 yd. 1 m = 10.76 sq.ft. 1 km = 0.38 sq.mi. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS APE - Parents' Association (Association des parents d'eleves) CLEF - Children's Leaming and Equity Foundation Program DAF Department of Financial Affairs (Direction des affaires financieres) DAPS - Department of Analysis, Forecasting and Synthesis (Direction de l'analyse, de la prevision et de la syrdhese) DDE - Regioaal Education Offices (Direction departementale de I 'education) DEC - Department of Examinations (Direction des examens et concours) DEP - Department of Primary Education (Direction de l'enseignement primaire) DES - Department of Secondary Education (Direction de 1'enseignement secondaire) DI?RH - Department for Human Resource Management (Direction des resources humaines) GDP - Gross Domestic Product ICB - International Competitive Bidding IDA - International Development Association IMF - International Monetarv Fund INFRE - National Institute for Educational Research and Training (Institut national pour la formation et la recherche en education) LCB - Local Competitive Bidding MEN - Ministry of National Education (Ministare de l'education nationale) PPF - Project Preparation Facility SA - Special Account SAL - Structural Adjustment Credit SOE - Statement of Expenses VET - Vocational Education and Training USAID - United States Agency for Intemational Development Government Fiscal Year January 1 - December 31 School Year October 1 - June 30  ii REPUBLIC OF BENIN EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROJECT CREDIT AND PROJECT SUARY Borrower: Government of Benin Amounlt: SDR 13.2 million (US$18.1 million equivalent) ems: Standard, with 40 years maturity afw riptijon: The Govemment of Benin has developed a program for educational development, described in a Statement of Policy and Strategy. This project will support its mplementation, largely concentrating on primary education, with a focus on girls' participation, and has the following objectives: (a) increase access to primary school, with a specific emphasis on girls' participation both at primary and secondary levels; (b) improve the quality and internal efficiency of primary and secondary education; and (c) improve the institutional capacity for planning and managing the sector's human and financial resources. To achieve these objectives, the project will finance investments designed to: 1. Increase access to prima=y education (focusing on girls' Varticipation) by: (a) expanding primary school rehabilitation and reconstruction by beneficiary communities; and (b) implementing programs to increase girls' participation at the primary and secondary levels. 2. ILm rove quality and efficiency of primary and secondary educatdon by: (a) developing in-service training for primary school inspectors, pedagogic counsellors and school directors, and management training for secondary school heads; and (b) providing and distnbuting textbooks and teachers' guides at the primary and lower secondary levels. 3. Improve sector planming and management capacity of the MEN by: (a) strengthening its planning and programming capacity; and (b) developing its capacity for financial and human resources management.  ... and R There are two main benefits. The first benef will be the provision of more and better education, wbich in the long term will contribute to poverty reduction. Access to school will increase, and the primary school gross enrollment rate will rise from 51 percent to 59 percent during the project period. Girls' enrollment will increase from 36 percent to 42 percent at the primary level as a result of targeted activities and the increased number of places in the schools, and from 30 percent to 40 percent at the lower-secondary level as a result of the creation of boarding facilities. The improvement of female education will in the long mn translate into: (i) better infant and maternal health; (ii) increased women's labor productivity; (iii) improved women's employment opportnides; and (iv) a better predisposition to adopt meaures for family plaming among educated girls and women. The quality of education will be improved through the ratonalization of school building and maintenance and the provision of an initial stock of textbooks at the primary and lower secondary levels. Improved traiing and effective supervision of teachers by school officers and school heads, pedagogical material availability and better student examination will increase internal efficiency and improve student learning outcomes. The second benefit will be the development of capacity within the Ministry of National Education (Ministere de I'&cation nationale, MEN) to plan and manage the sector more effectively. The development of competent technical and administrative staff in the newly established structures, better functions and staffing patterns of the MEN, and increased decentralization of responsibilities for educational planning, mnanagement and administration to the regional education offices will improve systems operations and the responsiveness to local needs. The new primary school building procedures and textbook replenishment at the lower-secondary level will rationalize the participation of communieiesand strengthen their role in the education system. There are two main risks. The f rirsk is failure to attain project goals if the budget allocations for the sector, agreed with the Government and analyzed thoroughly to ensure their coherence with implications of Project components, are not executed. This risk has been addressed by agreements reached with IDA regarding budget allocation; budget execution will be monitored and reviewed annually. Moreover, the release of funds for the ongoing USAID program of budgetary support and technical assistance for primary education is conditioned upon agreements for budget allocation and execution that are identcal to those agreed upon with IDA. Project activities directed towards establishing a better framework for teacher employment, including the recrimment of conutacual (non- civil servant) teachers for primary schools will be equally significant in this respect. A second risk is delayed project implementation due to the fact that project implementation goes in parallel with the development of staff competence and the changes in management behaviors. This risk is addressed by ongoing efforts to match defined posts with staff profiles, the provision of technical expertise in the sector, the use of technical assistance to transfer skdlis to staff, and the continuous monitoring and evaluation to remove bottlenecks to implemen-  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY REPUBLIC OF BEN EDUCAIOQN DEVELOPMfENT PROJECT TABLE OF CONTENTS BASIC DATA ......................................... i CREDIT AND PROJECT ............................... ii I. INTRODUCTION ..........................................1 H. SECTORAL CONTEXT A. Background ....................................... 1 B. Economic Developments ............................... 2 C. Education Sector. .............................. . 2 1. The Education System ........................... 2 2. Sector Development Issues ........................... 3 3. The Government's Education Strategy ......... ........... 6 D. Lessons leaned ................................. 8 This report is based on the findings of the Bank appraisal and post-appraisal missions which visited Benin in May and October, 1993. The appraisal mission comprised R. Crown (Senior Economist and Mission Leader), and Mmes/Messrs. C. Laurent (Economist); R. Prouty (Education Specialist); M. Laleye (Insdtutional Development Specialist); S. Diop (Textbook Specialist); J. Waechter (Architect); J.C. Hameidat (Implementation Specialist); M. Bradley (Operations Analyst); and 0. Diagana (Resident Mission). The post-appraisal mission was carried out by Mme/Messrs. C. Laurent (Task Manager), J.C. Hameidat and 0. Diagana. Mr. 0. Adamolekun is the Lead Adviser. Peer reviewers included Mmes. A. Sayeh (economic aspects). J. Leno and R. Bellew (primary and secondary education). Mr. Olivier Lafourcade and Mr. Ok Pannenborg are the Department Director and managing Division Chief, respectively, for this operation. This document has a restricted distbuton 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  TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued) m. EPROJ CT A. Project Objectives, Scope and Description .................... 9 1. Increase the Access to Primary Education .................. 11 2. Improve the Quality and Efficiency of Primary and Secondary Education 13 3. Improve the Sector Planning and Management Capacity .... ...... 16 B. Project Cost and Financing Plan .......................... 18 IV. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION A. Status of Project Preparation ............................ 19 B. Project Coordination and Management ...................... 19 C. Monitoring and Evaluation .............................. 20 D. Implementation schedule ............................... 21 E. Procurement ...................................... 21 F. Disbursements ..................................... 25 G. Accounting, Auditing and Reporting ........................ 26 V. PROJECT BENEFITS AND RISKS A. Benefits ........................................... 27 B. Risks and Meaes to Address Them ........ I I I - I I I I ....27 VI. AGREEMENTS REACHED AND RECOMMENDATIONS.. 28 VI A N " 7 --, AM I SAL II Conditionalities Related to Education II-A Flow chart of the formal education system (Organugramme du systeme educatif) II-B OrgaDisadon chart of the Ministry of National Educaton (Organigramme du Ministere de 1'Education nationale) Il-C Education data HI Letter of general policy for education sector (Lettre de politique generale du secteur Education et plan d'action) IV Evolution of Education Budget 1989-1993 and Financing Plan 1994-1999 V Monitoring Outcome Indicators for Project VI Project Cost and Financing Tables VII Textbooks Provision VIII Supervision Plan IX Implementation Schedule and Calendar of Activities  TAM1E OF CONTENTS (continued) X Estimated Schedule of IDA Disbursements XI Project Implementation Manual: Table of Contents XII Status of Bank Loans/Credits XmI Documents available in Project Files MAP: IBRD No. 25648  i REPIBLIC OF BENIN BASIC DATA Total area 113,000 km2 Per capita ome (1992) US$410 Total population (1992) 4.8 million Urban populaton as percen of total population (1992) 30 percen Anual population growth (1990) 3.1 percent Total ferdtity rate (1992) 7.1 Cude birth rate (per 1000 pop.) (1990) 46 Crude death rate (per 1000 pop.) (1990) 15 nant mortlity rate (per 1000 live births) (1990) 113 Life expectancy at birth (years) (1990) SO Adult literacy rate (Q988) 23 percet Femae lteracy rate (1988) 16 percent Gross primary school enrollment rate (1993) 51 percent Proportion of girls in Pmay School (1993) : 36 percent Gross primary enollment rate in the Atacora region (1992) 34 percent Proportion of girls in prmary school in Atacora(1993) : 29 percent Secondary school enrollment rate (1993) 11 percent Proportion of girls in lower-secondary school (1993) 30 percen Proportion of girls in upper-secondary school (1993) 21 percent Sources: World Bank Development Report, 1992 Preliminary findings of Benin's second census, October, 1992 Atacora is the region in Benin with the lowest prmary enrollment rate.  iv tation. Equally significant in this regard is the delegation of resp)nsibility for managing classroom rehabilitation and reconstruction to non-govermental agencies. P9v Ago=y: Promnm of Targeted Interventions. The provision of an initial stock of textbooks, together with the rationalization of communities's participation in school construction will lower the cost of schooling, thus increasing poor children's access to primary school. The targeted activities for girls will have the same result. Improvements in the quality of teaching at the primary level will increase both students' learning and their participaton in primary school. Since the proportion of the poor among the beneficiaries will be significantly larger than their proportion in the overall population of Benin, this project is part of the Program of Targeted Interventions.  V REPIBLIC OF BEiMN EDUCATION DEVE