Morocco - Rural Primary Education Project

Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICLAL USE ONLY Report No. 16538 IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN No. 3026-MOR) May 23, 1997 Human Development Group Middle East and North Africa Region 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: Moroccan Dirham (DH) 1989 US$1 = DH8.49 1990 US$1 = DH8.24 1991 UJS$I = DH8.70 1992 US$1 = D) 18.54 1993 US$1 = D119.30 1994 US$I = D119.20 1995 US$1 = DI8.54 1996 US$1 = DH18.75 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ADB African Development Bank BAJ Barnamaj Al Aoulaouaiyat Al Ijtmaiya (Social Priorities Program) DPPCEF Direction du Pr6scolaire et du Premier Cycle de l'Enseignement Fondamental DSPP Direction des Statistiques de la Prospective et de la Programmation ESRP Education Sector Reform Program MOF Ministry of Finance MOE Ministry of Education MOI Ministry of Interior SAR Staff Appraisal Report UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Vice President : Mr. Kemal DervviM Director : Mr. Daniel Ritchie Sector Director : Mr. Jacques Baudouy Responsible Staff : Mrs. Dung-Kim Pham __ -  FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN 3026-MOR) TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface Evaluation Sum m ary .................................................... ...................i PART I - PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ASSESSMENT .1 A. Evaluation of Project Objectives 1 B. Achievement of Objectives .2 C. Major Factors Affecting the Project .4 D. Project Sustainability .5 E. Bank's Performance 6 F. Borrower's Performance 7 G. Assessment of Outcome .8 H. Future Operation .9 I. Key Lessons Learned .9 PART I - STATISTICAL TABLES. ........................... 1 Table 1: Summary of Assessments .12 Table 2: Related Bank Loans .13 Table 3: Project Timetable .16 Table 4: Loan Disbursements: Cumulative Estimated and Actual .17 Table 5: Key Indicators for Project Implementation .17 Table 6: Key Indicators for Project Operation .18 Table 7: Studies Included in Project. 19 Table 8A: Project Costs ........................................... 21 Table 8B: Project Financing ........................................... 21 Table 9: Status of Legal Covenants ........................................... 22 Table 10: Compliance with Operational Manual Statements ................................... 22 Table 1 1: Bank Resources: Staff Inputs ........................................... 23 Table 12: Bank Resources: Missions ........................................... 24 PART IH - BORROWER'S REPORT .............................................. 25 ANNEX 1 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.   IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (Loan 3026-MOR) Preface This is the Implementation Completion Report (ICR) for the Rural Primary Education Project in the "ingdom of Morocco. The Loan in the amount of US$83.0 million equivalent was approved by the Board on March 14, 1989, and made effective on November 1, 1989. The loan closed on December 31, 1996, following a one-year extension from its original closing date of December 31, 1995. The loan amount was reduced to US$75.0 million on April 29, 1996. The last disbursement took place on May 23, 1997. The African Development Bank (ADB) provided parallel co-financing of US$40.0 million. The ICR was prepared by Dung-Kim Pham of the Human Development Group, Middle East and North Africa Region (MNSHD), and reviewed by Jacques Baudouy, Manager, MNSHD, and Rend Costa, Project Advisor, MN 1. The Bank's report has been sent to the Government and the ADB for comments. Preparation of this ICR is based on material in the project file, interviews with task managers who appraised and supervised the project and a visit to the field in December 1996. The borrower contributed to preparation of the ICR by preparing an evaluation of the project's execution and initial preparation.   IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (Loan 3026-MOR) Evaluation Summary Introduction The Rural Primary Education Project (Loan 3026-MOR) was approved by the Board on March 14, 1989. The Project was the result of a shift in the Bank's strategy toward supporting individual subsectors through specific investment operations, with priority for basic education. In 1987 developments in higher education led to deviations from a previously agreed reform program and the Bank withdrew its support to the second phase of that program. The first phase had been supported by the Bank through the Education Sector Reform Program (ESRP) Loan (1986). This Project as well as the Rural Basic Education Project (1991) continue to address the needs of basic education development. Project Objectives and Design As presented in the Staff Appraisal Report (SAR), the objectives of the Project were: (a) to increase access to primary schooling in rural areas, (b) to increase rural primary education participation, particularly for girls; (c) to improve the quality of primary education; (d) to strengthen planning, monitoring and evaluation capacity; and (e) to strengthen the efficient and rational use of resources in primary education. These objectives were consistent with the Govemment's general policy to develop basic education in rural areas and its specific purposes: (a) to guarantee universal access to the first cycle of basic education; (b) to improve school participation, and the quality and effectiveness of the education system; and (c) to ensure better allocation of the resources assigned to basic education. The project was one of the first in the generation of projects which integrated a mix of inputs to address demand for education. Rather than provide the traditional financing for school construction, pre-service teacher training and curriculum  ii development, it provided a combination of inputs geared towards increasing education quality with the aim of stimulating demand for schooling. These included educational materials, in-service teacher training, programs to train school directors and introduction of health topics in the primary school curricula. Implementation Experience and Results (a) The project contributed to positive developments in the physical objectives of the Government's education policy. Through large scale school construction, enrollment of boys and girls increased substantially in rural areas. Despite difficulties at the macro level (droughts accelerated migration and reduced living standards), rural enrollments increased by 35% between 1989 and 1995. During the same period, girls' participation increased by 65%. (b) The project failed to reach its development objectives. The technical assistance program to address the quality of education was not fully implemented due to a budget reduction and a significant delay in execution. The MOE was less committed to quality objectives than to physical expansion. In addition, the capacity of the MOE to manage and integrate the large TA component was overestimated. Supervision, however, was not pro-active in following the qualitative aspects of the project in order to remedy the situation in a timely manner. Assessment of Outcome The overall outcome is unsatisfactory. Although schools were built and enrollment increased, community acceptance of the types of school built was mixed, and most of the activities directed at improving the quality of education were only functioning on a pilot basis. The overall unsatisfactory results of the project were mitigated to an extent by such activities as: (i) the development and documentation of new curricula, and (ii) the establishment of a computerized statistics unit staffed with computer literate personnel; both of which constitute a foundation for subsequent developments. Key Lessons Learned The following lessons can be drawn from the Project: (a) Expectations of the development impact of social sector projects should be moderated. Meaningful development results can be slow to appear. Consequently, project design should anticipate a sustained effort over a long period of time. Moderate expectations for goals and for the speed of the change process are appropriate. Each project can build on the experience and developments of previous projects; together, these projects can work towards producing a meaningful impact over a long period of time. (b) The importance of having relevant but practical performance indicators. In addition to output indicators (e.g. enrollments), a project should include outcome and  iii development impact indicators (e.g. learning achievement, drop-out and promotion rates, budgetary allocation) which allow progress toward project objectives to be measured during the life of the project. (c) Integration of institution building elements in project design and implementation. Institutional capacity strengthening is generally a lengthy process and its implementation usually lags behind that of a project's physical components. It is therefore important to identify which areas of an institution need to be strengthened or expanded. Desired outcomes should be clearly defined and the steps for attaining these outcomes detailed prior to project start. They should be factored into a stringent timetable together with the physical components. Progress of activities must then be closely monitored so that any deviations will lead to corrective actions. (d) Ancillary issues are important factors to be considered in project design. Factors affecting social development are varied and intricate. Issues ancillary to a project's goal or processes may indirectly exert a significant influence over its outcome and should be taken into account in design. These issues include factors such as local participation in policy formulation, socio-economic factors inherent in the cultural environment, religious influences and climatic influence on a country's economy and educational system. (e) Methods of construction. Construction under the Project relied on pre- fabricated materials. This method should be avoided in the future. The materials did not adequately meet the needs of users, and because communities were opposed to their use, community involvement in the education process was lukewarm. (f) The importance of mid-term reviews. Reviews allow staff to evaluate progress, to put in place corrective actions for identified problems, to reassess the project's scope and adjust its design to meet changing objectives, and to develop plans for the remaining project period.   IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (Loan 3026-MOR) PART I PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION ASSESSMENT A. Evaluation of Project Objectives 1. In 1985 the Government embarked on an ambitious program to reform its educational system. Its objectives were to provide more equitable access to children while improving quality and keeping costs down. In order to achieve savings in teaching and administrative staff the primary and secondary cycles, 5 and 7 years respectively, were replaced by 9 years of basic education followed by 3 years of secondary education. Basic education was divided into 6 years for the first cycle and 3 years for the second cycle. Another important measure was the promotion of basic schooling in rural areas, with particular attention to girls' enrollments. 2. The project was designed to support the Government's reform program, in particular its primary education program (PEP). As stated in the Staff Appraisal Report (SAR) the objectives of the Project were to: (i) increase access to primary schooling in rural areas; (ii) increase rural primary education participation, particularly for girls; (iii) improve the quality of primary education; (iv) strengthen planning, monitoring and evaluation capacity; and (v) strengthen the efficient and rational use of resources in primary education. 3. With its objectives covering all aspects of the PEP, the project was ambitious. The PEP contains a number of important and politically sensitive policy reforms affecting teachers' employment, remuneration structure and career advancement. 4. The project consisted of the following four components: (a) Increase access and improve facilities through: construction, furnishing and equipment of 11,600 classrooms, 1,400 canteens, 2,900 staff houses, 1,500 school administrators' offices, 120 wells and 120 sanitary facilities and staff houses and offices for school administrators; and through local community participation in the construction and maintenance of primary school facilities. (b) Increase participation, particularly of girls, through: a major textbook program organized with school cooperatives; promotional campaigns to emphasize the  2 benefits of female education; and support of local initiatives to increase girls' enrollments and attendance. (c) Improve the quality of education through: development of new curricula and standardized achievement testing; strengthening multi-grade teaching; improving recruitment of teachers for rural areas; strengthening pre-service and in-service teacher training and school management; and improving school health awareness. (d) Strengthening educational planning, monitoring and evaluation capacities. B. Achievement of Objectives Increase access to primary schooling in rural areas and increase girls' participation. 5. Despite droughts which caused migration to accelerate and living standards to fall in the early 1990s, the project contributed significantly towards increasing access to schooling and increasing girls' participation. After a sharp decline from 1984-85 to 1989- 90, enrollments (girls and boys) increased, growing at an average annual rate of 6.2% from 1990-91 to 1995-96 (see Annex 1). In rural areas enrollments increased by 35% between 1989 and 1995, against 38% expected at project appraisal. During the same period girls' enrollment increased by 65% against 75% anticipated at project appraisal. Improve the quality of primary education and strengthen planning. monitoring and evaluation capacities. 6. The impact of this component fell short of expectations due to initial design flaws and implementation delays. Due mainly to two factors, most activities under the component had to be redefined after project effectiveness. First, the MOE has traditionally been less committed to these types of objectives than to capacity expansion. Second, and just as importantly, the scope of the redefinition suggests that the MOE's capacity to absorb and integrate the huge TA component originally planned was overestimated. As a result, this component has run behind schedule. By the project completion date most activities had been implemented only on a pilot level. 7. Initially, the technical assistance program supporting these objectives was ambitious. After long debate, as a result of which costs were reduced to US$2.5 million from US$4.0 million, the Ministry of Education (MOE) contracted the work to UNESCO in June 1993. UNESCO, as the executing agency, contracted with national and international specialists to provide the technical assistance. The majority of international specialists were from Laval University of Quebec. Work under the Government-UNESCO convention covers two areas. The first, under the Direction du Prescolaire et du Premier Cycle de l'Enseignement Fondamental (DPPCEF), dealt with the quality of education. This area of activities encompasses: (i) preparation and development of new curricula and materials for all levels of the first cycle of basic education, as well as multi-level classes, (ii) introduction of health  3 The second, under the Direction des Statistiques, de la Prospective et de la Programmation (DSPP), dealt with planning and evaluation capacities. 8. To reach the pedagogical goals, four phases were planned under the leadership of the DPPCEF: (i) diagnosis of the situation, (ii) management training, (iii) production of fourteen manuals, and (iv) practical use of the manuals. All these activities took place, though on a limited scale due to the budget reduction: pre- and in-service teacher training and training programs for school directors were cut down and preparation of new curricula did not cover all levels of the first cycle. Furthermore, one of the critical goals, to develop practical guidelines for inspectors, school principals and teachers on the basis of the theoretical manuals has just started; the process will probably not be completed before the beginning of the next school year. 9. School health and hygiene topics - activities intended to improve the quality of education - were not integrated with the overall national program on school health. The two-week study tours undertaken by a few doctors did not and could not achieve this goal. Computerization of school and workplace accident files included production of a program which has yet to be used due to lack of training of staff in the software. Finally, the feasibility study on the production and use of prescription glasses was limited to the listing of needs and did not make any recommendations, concerning whether the implementation of a production unit is necessary or feasible. 10. Activities to reinforce planning. monitoring, and evaluation capacity were undertaken under the leadership of the DSPP. While these activities were satisfactorily implemented on a pilot basis a generalization has yet to occur. A unit to computerize statistical data was created and equipped and its staff trained in computer skills. A pilot operation to introduce new techniques in data collection, and to familiarize staff with the new system, has been conducted in the Temara region. Generalization of the pilot's conclusions should take place prior to the 1997 school year and thus provide a reliable base for school mapping. Staff involved in activities regarding evaluation and analysis of learning have been trained in educational research techniques and in operationalizing research findings. 11. Studies were undertaken on learning achievement of students in the second and fifth years of the first cycle of basic education, and on promotion procedures from the first to the second cycle of basic education. Findings from these studies have not yet been completely exploited. The preliminary lessons, including the need to establish programs to raise learning achievements among low-income groups in rural areas, will be useful for improving the quality of future pedagogical programs. and school hygiene elements into these programs, (iii) teacher training, (iv) administrative training for school principals, and (v) formative evaluation.  4 Strengthen the efficient and rational use of resources in primary education. 12. Although this objective was part of the project's overall strategy, there were no specific actions or conditionalities to address the issue. An important study on the rationalization and effective use of resources was supposedly completed by the Government by September 1989. While discussions of this area must have played an important part in the dialogue between the Bank and Government, the project files do not contain any correspondence pertaining to this matter. 13. An analysis of public budget allocations and expenditures for education undertaken in the course of preparing this ICR reveal that there is a consistent bias in favor of post- primary and higher education. Over the years, the first cycle of basic education has received a disproportionately low share of resources, relative to its high share in total enrollments. In 1995 the first cycle of basic education received 30.9% of the education budget, while accounting for 65% of total enrollments. The second cycle of basic education and secondary education received 51.2% of the education budget, with 29% of enrollments; and higher education received 17.9% share with 6% of enrollments. Of operating expenditures in basic education, relatively little was spent on items for improving the quality of education. While there has been a slight improvement from 1989 to 1995, as much as 96% of funds were spent on salaries. C. Major Factors Affecting the Project Delays in implementing the technical assistance program. 14. The cost of the technical assistance program was debated over three and a half years before it was reduced to US$2.5 million from US$4.0 million. The reduction in the budget allocated to the program and the pressure of time to implement the program prevented a comprehensive revision of its scope. The activities implemented thus lacked synergy. For example, at project appraisal, activities aimed at improving the quality of education were designed so that new curricula would be developed and guides designed to form the basis for preparation of instructional materials. Inspectors, directors and teachers would be trained in the new techniques and materials. Due to budgetary reductions and time constraints, development of new curricula was limited to a few primary grades, the manuals produced remained too theoretical, and the training activities were postponed. Decentralization of the construction program. 15. Decentralization of responsibility for the construction program to the communes, which was decided upon in 1989, was not supported by a clear division of responsibilities between MOE and the Ministry of Interior (MOI) nor an agreement on budgetary allocations. The financing mechanism called for the communes, under MOI supervision, to retain a portion of value added taxes, however MOI requested a substantially larger percentage of the tax than originally planned. The MOE played a passive role in the construction program and lost control over the pace of implementation. The MOE authorities had difficulties in planning new student registration and performing technical control of the construction, since neither the exact location nor the level of completion of  5 the new premnises were known. In addition, disbursement procedures were not revised to reflect decentralization. Use of the loan proceeds for construction slowed down due to delays and failures to submit and process receipts for work completed, from the communes through MOI to MOE. Receipts were needed to enable MOE to apply for disbursements from the Bank. Communes, which had already received funds for their schools, had no incentive to send the paperwork. Failure to monitor the effectiveness of activities designed to increase girls' participation. 16. Activities designed to increase girls' participation - the textbook loan program, awareness campaigns, support to local initiatives - were not monitored closely to assess impact. In the textbook loan program, books were to be lent at low cost with a cost recovery system to allow school cooperatives to maintain adequate textbook supplies. It was never put in place. In 1993, feasibility of the program was questioned, but remedial solutions were not proposed. Awareness campaigns were organized, and seemed to have had a positive impact on girls' enrollments. The campaigns, which took place at the beginning of the school year or whenever a new school was about to open, had an initial impact but lost their effects during the school year. Their impact was fleeting as girls attendance was not sustained and drop-out rates were high. Investments to support specific initiatives requested by the communities were not undertaken. D. Project Sustainability 17. In response to the urgent need to expand educational facilities to increase access to schooling for a fast growing population during the beginning of the 1990s, prefabricated materials were used. However, this method both failed to satisfy user demands and was prone to technical problems such as sagging ceilings, falling panels and a lack of thermal insulation. Most importantly, the communities were not in favor of the prefabricated schools. They considered the schools to be of low quality compared to schools built under the traditional method in urban areas. Thus, the strategy of increasing access to schooling using prefabricated construction materials has been abandoned as unsustainable. 18. Although the objectives regarding the quality of education and the institutional strengthening were not met during the implementation cycle of the project, achievement is feasible in the long-term. Investments undertaken by the project served as a valuable source of information and the Bank's on-going operation, BAJI - Education, is using these as a foundation for developing its program of activities. Many of the envisioned activities aimed at improving education quality which were not implemented or were limited in their scope - such as school management, teaching materials for multigrade teaching, pre-service and in-service training, distribution of textbooks and support to innovative initiatives to promote schooling - were assumed by BAJI - Education. The potential for sustainability is enhanced by the fact that BAJI - Education was developed using participatory and socio-economic integrated approaches.  6 E. The Bank's Performance 19. The project was formulated in 1988 and was consistent with Government priorities and developments in the Bank assistance strategy. Originally, Bank assistance in the sector was designed as a series of sector adjustment operations, as demonstrated by the Education Sector Reform Loan (ESRL) (1986). However, developments in higher education which resulted in deviations from the reform program led the Bank to withdraw its support of the second phase of the ESRL. Instead, the Bank shifted its support to individual subsectors through specific investment operations. This project was designed to address the needs of expanding and improving primary education. 20. Collaboration between the Bank and the Government from preparation to appraisal and negotiations was good. However, there was a lack of coordination with the African Development Bank (ADB), even though ADB provided parallel financing of 29% of total Project cost (US$40.0 million). But overall, Bank performance at this stage was satisfactory. 21. Project preparation. There were strong and weak points in the project's design. On the one hand, the project was innovative in that it integrated a mix of inputs - including educational materials, in-service teacher training, training for school directors and introduction of health topics in curricula - to increase quality with the aim of stimulating demand for schooling. It did not embrace the traditional project supply oriented scope of simply financing school construction, pre-service teacher training and curriculum development. 22. On the other hand, project design suffered from insufficient knowledge of issues affecting basic education. An understanding of effective determinants of demand for basic education, especially in poor rural areas and for girls, was incomplete. In addition, no evaluation of costs, financing and policies in the education system was performed. These issues were only analyzed in two studies conducted in 1993 and 1994, respectively, late in the life of the project. Because of this knowledge deficiency, many activities included in the project did not fit into a coherent framework, making implementation and monitoring more difficult. During the early stage of project preparation, the Bank's management expressed concern about the lack of certainty as to demand determinants. It recommended that implementation of proposed activities aimed at increasing access, girls' participation, and the quality of education should be considered experimental, and that the project include evaluation mechanisms to measure their impact. However, aside from a few indicators on physical aspects and enrollments, the SAR does not contain any indicators which allow an assessment of the activities' impact. In addition, project design did not have a component to address the objective of strengthening the efficiency and rational use of resources in primary education. It was also never adapted to take account for the consequences of the decentralization of school construction occurring in 1989-90. Overall, the Bank's performance during preparation was mixed.  7 23. Project supervision was not pro-active in following up on the pedagogical aspects of the project and was therefore not effective. Supervision was limited to monitoring physical achievements, deadlines and disbursements without paying much attention to the qualitative components. There was no continuity of task management. The task manager who prepared, evaluated and negotiated the project transferred out of the division responsible for project implementation. Between 1990 and 1996, six task managers were responsible for supervision. The ten supervision missions undertaken for the implementation cycle of seven years could be considered adequate if they were solely devoted to the activities of the project. However, they were combined with missions for the preparation and evaluation of other projects. In such circumstances, projects under supervision will not usually receive the required staff attention. This one did not. 24. Findings in supervision reports were inconsistent and Form-590s were not completed accurately and comprehensively. Issues raised in a number of reports were not mentioned in subsequent reports, and were deferred to another project without any concrete follow-up. As such, it was difficult to assess whether issues had been solved or simply ignored by task managers. 25. Although a mid-term review was not planned at the project conception, it was recommended during one supervision mission. It never took place. A mid-term review would have been beneficial by requiring the supervision team to review the qualitative objectives of the project, taking into account the delayed initiation and revised scope of the UNESCO managed technical assistance program. Such a review could have led eventually to rectification and improvement of certain points of the program. Overall, the Bank's performance during supervision was unsatisfactory. F. Borrower's Performance 26. During the preparation stage, the Borrower worked closely with the Bank and provided insight in the design of the project. The Borrower's input was crucial in making this project one of the first in the generation of projects which integrates a mix of inputs to address demand factors in education. 27. During implementation, the Borrower's performance was not fully satisfactory. This is consistent with the circumstances which led the Bank to shift its support from the ESRL - Phase II to the primary subsector which was the focus of the project. The same lack of Government commitment to carry out its policies under the ESRL was manifest in the PEP, from which the project drew its design. 28. Implementation also suffered from a rigid administrative structure. Although the terms of reference and cost of the technical assistance program were discussed and agreed, they were debated for over three years within the Government before a convention with UNESCO was signed at a reduced cost. This delay affected achievement of project objectives significantly. Once the convention was signed, initiation of the work was further delayed due to structural administrative changes and changes in objectives.  8 29. The lack of information exchange between the sections within the MOE dealing with the quality of education and pedagogical subjects prevented those sections from sharing the benefits of project work and from capitalizing on the results achieved. Thus, while the DSPP and the DPPCEF were heavily involved in quality and pedagogical subjects of the program, the section responsible for training educational staff was omitted from the information loop. This section could have contributed technically and might have been able to share experiences drawn from its daily practical applications. A new functional structure is proposed in the MOE, and it is hoped that this will enhance the complementarity of work between the different sections. 30. The government's financing procedures are cumbersome. The lack of accountability of Ministries - MOE, MOF and MOI - slowed down disbursements, particularly when the classroom construction program was decentralized to the community level. The government is now reviewing the results of a study which identified the bottlenecks and sources of delays in the local financing procedures and will devise an action plan. G. Assessment of Outcome 31. The outcome of the physical objectives of the Project was favorable. Despite droughts which caused migration to accelerate and living standards to fall in rural areas, rural enrollments increased by 35% between 1989 and 1995. During the same period, girls' participation increased by 65%. 32. Results attained in regard to development objectives, which aimed at the quality of education and pedagogical aspects, were unsatisfactory. The technical assistance program designed to address these objectives did not fully materialize as planned. Due to the budget reduction and significant delay in execution, the full benefits of the program were not realized at project closing. 33. In spite of the overall unsatisfactory rating, it should be noted that some benefits did accrue from the project. Rural enrollments increased significantly and the technical assistance program provided a valuable foundation upon which future developments can take place. H. Future Operation 34. Because the current BAJI - Education project addresses similar priorities, it provides an appropriate framework for the operation of many activities undertaken by the project. Until the results of BAJI - Education are evaluated, a new project in the subsector would be premature.  9 I. Key Lessons Learned 35. The major lessons that can be drawn from the Project are: (a) Expectations of the development impact of social sector projects should be moderated. Meaningful development results can be slow to appear. Consequently, project design should anticipate a sustained effort over a long period of time. Moderate expectations for goals and for the speed of the change process are appropriate. Each project can build on the experience and developments of previous projects; together, these projects can work towards producing a meaningful impact over a long period of time. (b) The importance of having relevant but practical performance indicators. In addition to output indicators (e.g. enrollments), a project should include outcome and development impact indicators (e.g. learning achievement, drop-out and promotion rates, financial performance) which allow progress toward project objectives to be measured during the life of the project. (c) Integration of institution building elements in project design and implementation. Institutional capacity strengthening is generally a lengthy process and its implementation usually lags behind that of a project's physical components. It is therefore important to identify which areas of an institution need to be strengthened or expanded. Desired outcomes should be clearly defined and the steps for attaining these outcomes detailed prior to project start. They should be factored into a stringent timetable together with the physical components. Progress of activities must then be closely monitored so that any deviations will lead to corrective actions. (d) Ancillary issues are important factors to be considered in project design. Factors affecting social development are varied and intricate. Issues ancillary to a project's goal or processes may indirectly exert a significant influence over its outcome and should be taken into account in design. These issues include factors such as local participation in policy formulation, socio-economic factors inherent in the cultural environment, religious influences and climatic influence on a country's economy and educational system. (e) Methods of construction. Construction under the Project relied on pre- fabricated materials. This method should be avoided in the future. The materials did not adequately meet the needs of users, and because communities were opposed to their use, community involvement in the education process was lukewarm. (f) The importance of mid-term reviews. Reviews allow staff to evaluate progress, to put in place corrective actions for identified problems, to reassess the project's scope and adjust its design to meet changing objectives, and to develop plans for the remaining project period.  10 IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN No. 3026-MOR) PART II STATISTICAL TABLES Table 1: Summary of Assessments Table 2: Related Bank Loans Table 3: Project Timetable Table 4: Loan Disbursements: Cumulative Estimated and Actual Table 5: Key Indicators for Project Implementation Table 6: Key Indicators for Project Operation Table 7: Studies Included in Project Table 8A: Project Costs Table 8B: Project Financing Table 9: Status of Legal Covenants Table 10: Compliance with Operational Manual Statements Table 11: Bank Resources: Staff Inputs Table 12: Bank Resources: Missions  11 TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF ASSESSMENTS A. Achievement of objectives Substantial Partial Negligible Not applicable Macro policies X Sector policies X Financial objectives X Institutional Development X Physical objectives X Poverty reduction X Gender issues X Other social objectives X Environmental objectives X Public sector management X Private sector development X Other (specify) B. Project sustainabilitv Likely Unlikely Uncertain x C. Bank Performance Highly Satisfactorv Deficient satisfactorv Identification X Preparation assistance X Appraisal X Supervision X D. Borrower Performance Highly Satisfactory Deficient satisfactory Preparation X Implementation X Covenant compliance X Operation (if Lpplicable) E. Assessment of Outcome Highly Satisfactory Unsatisfactorv Highly satisfactory unsat. x  12 TABLE 2: RELATED BANK LOANS Loan Title Purpose | Year of Status l _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ A pproval Preceding Operations 1. Education Construction and equipment of 1965 Closed 1975 multilateral secondary schools which provide basic education with alternative biases (e.g. arts, sciences, commerce, home economics, technical, etc.). 2. Second Education Finance educational research and 1971 Closed 1978 teacher training, through construction and equipment for a National Institute of Pedagogy, a Higher Teacher Training College, Regional Teacher Training Colleges; scientific and technical training in secondary schools. 3. Third Education Support Morocco's program of 1976 Closed 1983 reforms in the education sector by: (1) design, construction and equipping of primary schools, secondary schools, secondary teacher training college, hotel training school, hotel training centers...; (2) detailed preparation and design of technical colleges, engineering institutes, and technical teacher training college and demonstration school; (3) equipment for a computerized unit; and (4) technical assistance to prepare a national program for technical education and vocational training, and develop curricula.  13 4. Fifth Education Improve teacher effectiveness at the 1982 Closed 1989 primary level; assist the Government in meeting more effectively the basic educational needs of rural children, and improve the quality of science and mathematics teaching at the senior secondary level. The project would finance: (a) the provision of learning aids for existing primary schools; (b) the construction and equipping of rural primary schools and related technical assistance; and (c) the development of programs and of a cadre of qualified staff for training senior secondary mathematics and science teachers, through TA and construction and equipping of teacher training institutes. 5. Education Sector Reform The project would form part of a two- 1986 Closed 1989 year phase of implementation of the Government's education sector reform program, with provision to make education more equitable, more cost-effective, and more consistent with the country's medium-term development needs. The project would assist the Borrower in improving: (a) equity of education; (b) the efficiency of Morocco's education system; (c) containing the growth of public expenditures on education. The project includes construction, equipping of schools, teacher training, foreign fellowships and studies in support of new educational activities. 6. Rural Basic Education Promote equality of educational 1991 Ongoing Development opportunity at the middle school level by improving access and participation; and enhance the teaching-learning environment by contributing to the improvement of basic education quality, nationwide.  14 Following Operations 7. Social Priorities Program: Contribute to the Government's 1996 Ongoing Basic Education efforts to boost its educational system in both qualitative and quantitative terms and to make its performance correspond more closely to that in economically comparable countries. The project will target the poorest population in the country; aim to have an impact on both the supply and demand for education; and affect institutions both upstream (Koranic preschools) and downstream (literacy education for adults) of the formal education system. The project will concentrate on 13 selected provinces and will increase in the access to and retention rates of basic schooling; reduction of the gap between the school participation rates of boys and girls; improvement of education quality; improvement of the performance of government literacy programs; and provision of technical support to the Ministry of National Education to operationalize and implement its Sector Action Plan (which aims to reallocate resources to priority programs and improve l _________________________ budgetary efficiency).  15 TABLE 3: PROJECT TIMETABLE Steps in Project Cycle Date Planned Date Actual Identification 2/15/88 not available Preparation 3/28/88 Appraisal 6/88 6/6/88 Negotiations 1/23/89 Letter of Development Policy (if applicable) l Board Presentation 11/15/88 3/14/89 Signing 7/21/89 Effectiveness 11/1/89 First tranche release (if applicable) n/a NMidterm review (if applicable) n/a Second (and third) tranche release (if applicable) n/a Project completion 12/31/96 Loan closing 4/30/97  16 TABLE 4: LOAN DISBURSEMENTS: CUMULATIVE ESTIMATED AND ACTUAL (US$ million) FY89 FY90 FY91 FY92 FY93 FY94 FY95 FY96 FY97 Appraisal Estimate 0.00 8 00 19.00 42.00 57.00 70.00 81.00 83.00 Actual 0.00 0.00 23.06 25.58 40.36 52.66 55.09 65.65 72.5 Actual as % of estimate -- - 121% 60% 71% 75% 68% 79% -- Date of final disburs. 3/17/97 TABLE 5: KEY INDICATORS FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION Key implementation indicators in SAR/President's Report Estimated Actual N/A Modified indicators (if applicable) 1. By project completion in 1995, rural -- Rural enrollments enrollments are expected to increase by increased by 35% with about 38%, with participation of girls participation of girls increasing by 75%. increasing by 65% Other Indicators (if applicable) N/A  17 TABLE 6: KEY INDICATORS FOR PROJECT OPERATION Key operating indicators in SAR/President's Report Estimated Actual N/A Modified indicators (if applicable) N/A Modified indicators for future operations (if applicable) N/A  18 TABLE 7: STUDIES INCLUDED IN PROJECT Purpose as defined at Study appraisalUredefined Status Impact of Study 1. Program Development and - Finalize the revisions to - Study tours to Canada. Capacity development in human Evaluation. educational programs for each resources, in analyses of content subject and level in the primary - Production of learning in order to evaluate and develop cycle. matenals. study programs. - Develop norms and procedures - Translation of learning in the conception of instruction materials. manuals, teaching methods, and evaluation methods in confornity - Training Seminars and with objectives. workshops in Morocco - Evaluate revised programs and proceed with adjustments as necessary. 2. Formative Evaluations of - Establish a database on - Study tours to Canada. Improvement and development of Apprentices. apprenticeship results from key capacity of teaching personnel in studies on primary cyle. - Production of learning formative evaluations of materials, apprentices. - Develop norms and procedures of evaluations of apprentices in - Translation of learning confornity with pedagogic materials. objectives. - Training seminars in Morocco. Workshops on self-teaching material following evaluation of apprenticeship program for teachers and inspectors. 3. Management of Classes with - Improve teaching practices at - Study tours to Canada. Improvement of the teaching Multiple Courses. multiple levels. quality in multiple course - Production of learning classrooms in rural areas. - Train and re-train teachers materials. responsible for multiple course classrooms. - Translation of learning materials. - Reinforce pedagogic framework and administration of - Seminars on Moroccan, French classrooms with multiple courses. and Canadian experiences with regard to CCM. - Workshops on self-teaching manuals for teachers regarding CCM. 4. School Management for - Validate functions of - Study tours to Canada. Development of capacity of Primary Education. pedagogical matrix for school directors in animation and administrative personnel in - Production of learning administrative and pedagogical primary schools, materials. management. - Decentralize administrative - Translation of learning functions in satellite schools. materials. - Train and re-train school - Training seminars in Morocco. directors in their new responsibilities.- Workshops on self-teaching manuals bor directors involved in pedagogical management and admninistration of schools. 5. Education Planning. - Put in place an integrated I. Sub-component 7.1: Computerization of activities of system of school mapping development of nlannina the DSPP, training in information administration. procedures. and administrative systems, and putting in place a new - Train personnel and technicians - Study tours to Canada. computerized information in education planning in the system .______________________ _ . .development and use of a MIS on - Computerization of the DSPP.  19 educational data. - Seminars for central and regional personnel of the DSPP. - Training tours to the University of Quebec. - Training modules in educational research for central and regional personnel of the DSPP. 2. Sub-component 7.2: Studies on educational careers. - Studies on functions of the education system. - Seminars for the training of Improvement in the definition of researchers and controllers. strategies and political education. - Study tours to IREDU (Dijon). 6. School Health Services. - Introduce teaching modules on - Study tours for 2 doctors to: Computeri7ation of activities in hygiene and nutrition in France, Belgium and the School Health Division. education programs at primary Switzerland. level. - Concept and computerization - Reinforce school health for the treatment and follow-up of services in collaboration with the data on school accidents. Ministry of Public Health.l Minis.y of Public Health, - Prograrn installation at the - Reinforce management of DSC. school health services. 7. Feasibility Study on - Feasibility study on Study undertaken by ICONE on Impact is not yet defined as long Production and Distribution of organization and managemnent of prescription eyeglasses as operational phase is not in Prescription Eyeglasses. distribution system for production and distribution. place. prescription eyeglasses in rural areas. - Non-realization of study phase for prescription eyeglasses - Recommend operational production and distribution mechanisms for putting in place a program. prescription eyeglasses distribution program.  20 TABLE 8A: PROJECT COSTS Appraisal Estimate (USSM) Actualtlatest estimate (tJSSM) (include. contingencies) Item_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Local costs Foreign costs Total Local costs* Foreign Total costs* 1. Increased access and improved 771 48.7 125.8 138.4 facilities 2. Increased participation 3.8 5.6 9.4 9.0 3. Improved quality 1.6 4.7 6.3 2.5 4. Planning, monitoring and evaluation 0.6 1.9 2.5 1.0 Physical contingencies 5.4 4.0 9.4 Price contingencies 6.8 4.8 11.6 Total 165.0 150.9 * Broken down between local and foreign costs not available at timc of ICR. TABLE 8B: PROJECT FINANCING Appraisal Estimate (USSM) Actual/latest estimate (USSM) Source Local costs Foreign costs Total Local costs* Foreign Total costs* Governnent 42.0 42.0 35.9 IBRD 36.5 46.5 83.0 75.0 ADB 16.8 23.2 40.0 40.0 * Broken down between local and foreign costs not available at time of ICR.  21 TABLE 9: STATUS OF LEGAL COVENANTS Orinal Re_sed Covenant Type Present Fulfi1iment fulilbment Description of covenant Agreement Section Status date date Comments 3.03 Implementadon Complied The Boffower shall ensure that -- the feasibility study on the system for provision of eyeglasses to students be completed and furnished to the Bank not later than September 30, 1990. 4.01b Accounts/Audbt Compiled _ The Borrower shall maintain 1995 audit records and accounts; furnish to report the Bank not later than six received in months after each fiscal year, September the audit of such report and 1996. other information concerning said accounts and the audit as the Bank shall reasonably - - - ______________ - - request. TABLE 10: COMPLIANCE WITH OPERATIONAL MANUAL STATEMENTS Statement number & Title Describe & comment on lack of compliance N/A | N/A  22 TABLE 11: BANK RESOURCES: STAFF INPUTS Planned Revised Actual Stage of project cycle Weeks US$ '000 Weeks US$ '000 Weeks US$ '000 Through appraisal 38.0 47.9 Appraisal - Board 41.7 69.9 Board - Effectiveness 7.5 16.5 Supervision 20.5 39.2 19.0 41.6 67.2 163.5 Completion 5.5 8.4 7.0 10.5 2.8 4.3 TOTAL 26.0 47.6 26.0 52.1 157.2 302.1 ** Due to system changes from MIS to COS, Plan and Revised data are not available for the full project cycle.  23 TABLE 12: BANK RESOURCES: MISSIONS Performance rating Stage of project cycle MNY No. Days in Sp.ed Types of problems pemons field stdfsilis represted Implem. Developo status object Through appraisal 2/87 4 15 Appraisal through Board approval 6/88 6 15 Board approval through effectiveness 10/88 2 5 TM; Consultant Government request to increase number of school facilities; reduce scope of wells and sanitary facilities; and exclude Adult Literacy component. Supervision 10/89 2 TM; Educ. Spec. I I - Bid opening for first school construction tranche inconclusive, resulting in a 6- month delay. - Change of Minister. Recommendation by the commissions on various aspects of the education system due in June 89, delayed to September 89 and further delayed to December 89. 5/91 2 TM; Architect I I -Implementation of TA component delayed. Scope of work revised. - Decentralization of school construction program to local communities. - Sustainability of textbook loan program questioned. 2/92 3 Sr. Educ. Spec.; 2 2 - Weak project management. Sr. ImpI. Spec.;, Operations Delay in implementation of TA Assistant component. - Decentralization of school construction leads to inadequate quality control of construction and delay in Bank's disbursemnents.  24 2/93 2 1 Princ. Projets 2 2 - Due to decentralization, PIU Officer, Sr. Imp]. lost control of construction Spec. program. - Contract with UNESCO signed but work has not stated. 2/94 1 Sr. Educ. 2 2 - Technical quality of Economist construction. -Delays in payments to suppliers. - Weak project accounting of utilization of loan proceeds 7/94 2 Princ. Projects S S - Decision on the provision of Officer, Edc. Spec. eyeglasses to rural school children is pending. 3/95 3 Princ. Projects U S - Slow disbursements due to Officer, Architect; MOE's inability to collect Operations Analyst supporting documents for construction work done. 11/95 3 Princ. Projects U S - ApproximatelyUSS11.0 Officer, Educ. million will not be utilized from Spec.; Operations loan. Analyst 6/96 2 TM; School Equip. S S -Due to the important delay at Spec. start-up, full benefits deriving from the activities undertaken under the UNESCO Convention cannot be appreciated. Completion 12/96 2 TM; Educator s U The prefabricated methods used in school construcion did not adequately meet the needs of the users. There were technical problems (sagging ceilings, falling panels, problems with heating and cooling). Most importantly, the communities did not take a proprietary interest in the prefabricated schools, considering them as low quality, compared to schools built under the traditional method ("en dur") in urban areas. Activities prescribed under the TA program contracted to UNESCO took place late during project implementation. Their general multiplying effects will only occur after loan closing nd therefore, benefits deriving from them cannot yet he seen.  25 IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT KINGDOM OF MOROCCO RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT (LOAN No. 3026-MOR) PART m BORROWER'S REPORT Project Background In 1985 the Government launched an educational sector reform program with a view to providing more equitable and cost-effective educational services suited to the country's medium-term development needs. Those objectives were to be achieved by inter alia: - Restructuring the 12 years of schooling, both primary (five years) and secondary (seven years) into nine years of basic education followed by three years of secondary education; - Improving the effectiveness of the educational system in terms of an increase in enrollment rates and accelerating the progression at which the students go through the system; - Curbing growth in public education spending and allocating a larger proportion of resources to basic education. The Ministry of Education (MEN) carried out a project in support of rural primary education in 1989, cofinanced by the World Bank (IBRD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB). Primary Education Support Program Project Obiectives - Expand access to basic education in rural areas by building classrooms and purchasing related equipment; - Raise enrollment rates in rural basic education, especially for girls, by improving distribution of teaching materials and introducing community- based measures to encourage families to send their children to school; - Raise the quality of teaching in basic education by strengthening educational program management and trainee teacher evaluation, improving the relevance  26 of teaching material, training of teachers as well as executive and administrative staff, improving the quality of teaching in multigrade classrooms, and strengthening the role of school principals; Strengthen planning, monitoring and evaluation capacity by improving educational planning services; Promote a more effective and rational use of resources in basic education. Project Description Physical Program - Construction, equipment and furnishing of 11,600 new classrooms and 1,400 school cafeterias; - Construction and equipment of 2,900 new staff housing units; - Furnishing of 1,500 principals' offices; - Construction, on an experimental basis, of 120 sanitary units and 120 wells in new or existing schools equipped with cafeterias. - Purchase of 50 vehicles for provincial educational planning and school construction services to ensure supervision of the construction program. - Purchase of textbooks for needy students to be distributed through school cooperatives. Technical Assistance The project included two technical assistance programs. One, financed by the ADB (700/MOR/10), covered a study on types of school construction. The other, financed by the IIBRD (7001MOR/13) comprised the following seven components: * Teaching Components Component 1: Development of basic education programs Component 2: Evaluation of teacher trainees Component 3: Teaching in multigrade classrooms Component 5: Training for school principals * Educational Planning Components Component 7.1: Automation of planning procedures  27 Component 7.2: Research on the factors influencing student achievements and prospects. * School Health Components Component 8: Upgrading of school health services Component 10: Feasibility study on the production and distribution of corrective lenses Project Financinz The total project cost amounting to US$140.0 million equivalent before taxes, was funded as follows: (a) the IBRD loan for US$83.0 million financed 60% of the total; (b) the AfDB loan financed US$40.0 million, or 29% of the total; and (c) the Government financed the remaining 11% of the project cost (US$17 million). The Government also defrayed US$25.0 million in direct and indirect taxes. Project Implementation Arrangements The project was carried out by the existing executing units within the MEN in charge of each project component. The Preschool and Primary Education Department (DPPCEF) was responsible for implementing teaching components 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the technical assistance program, and the School Health Division implemented components 8 and 10. The Statistics, Planning and Programming Department (DSPP) was in charge of carrying out both aspects of component 7: computerization of task planning, and the study on factors influencing student achievements and prospects. The physical program overall, including teaching equipment and textbooks, was carried out by the Financed Projects Division (DPF) and the Department of Construction and Equipment (DCE). The DCE also executed the technical assistance program financed by the AfDB. Coordination was handled by the DPF within the Planning Department. After this unit was dissolved, coordination was taken over in early 1995 by the Construction Division within the Department of School Construction and Equipment. Beginning in 1996, the Department for Legal Affairs, Cooperation and Communication became involved in coordinating the technical assistance program.  28 Project Achievements Summary of Achievements These relate to achievements under activities financed solely by the IBRD. Physical Program The construction program financed by the World Bank was completed within the original timeframe outlined in the staff appraisal report. The program covered 6,841 classrooms, 1,861 staff housing units and 893 school cafeterias. All equipment and furniture designated for the classrooms and cafeterias were purchased, including the teaching and computer equipment. In addition, 1,500 principals' offices were equipped. All construction, equipment and furniture contracts awarded under the project were completed. Cumulative disbursements for the civil engineering and equipment categories under Loan 3026-MOR were valued at about US$66,207,862 at an exchange rate of US$1 to DH 8.5. This exceeded the allocated amount due to the underestimation of the equipment category following the cancellation of US$8.0 million. Technical Assistance Program Teaching Components 1. Training First-level training activities (medium- and long-term courses) took place in Quebec within the agreed timeframe. These 'first-level" training courses were followed by supplementary training for a core group of trainers who were subsequently called the "strategic group". The supplementary training were of two types: - co-training among the members of the strategic group; - supervised training courses by the Laval University consultants. 2. Document Production In order to equip trainers with the required material and provide them with the support needed in their role as extension workers, 16 booklets were prepared by Laval University consultants for the educational components. These booklets were translated by local experts.  29 3. Dissemination of Training In order to target the teachers, training seminars were planned by the strategic group for the benefit of inspectors and principals and were held in Morocco. Inspectors were then to provide training for all teachers. Following the recommendations of an international expert, this level of training was reviewed and then replaced with a model based on self-training rather than a basic training course. The strategic group developed a timetable which calls for the design and publication of self-training manuals between November 1996 and March 1997. Planning Component Subcomponent 7.1: Development of planning procedures. The main activities carried out by the information technology unit set up under the project are summarized below: - The information technology prepared, in April 1995, the detailed framework for the new system, which was completed in December 1995. - The detailed analysis began in January 1996 and continued up to August. - Computer programming began in June 1996 under the direction of a national information technology consultant. - A preliminary trial of data collection (by unit) began in May 1996 at the Temara branch office. - With the cooperation of four branch offices, an experimental phase began in November with the new data programs. - This pilot project conducted in four sites will be evaluated at a seminar scheduled for April 21 and 22, 1997. Guidelines will then be drawn up from the findings to prevent further recurrence of problems encountered during that phase. Several seminars have been held under this subcomponent for the benefit of DSPP central and regional staff. Supplementary training workshops in the field of sampling and statistical analysis have been organized for planning officers. Self-training materials are now being prepared in collaboration with two experts, (one international and one national), and with DSPP staff.  30 Subcomponent 7.2: Study on Prospects in School Two research projects were carried out on the workings of the educational system. The first study examines student learning and achievements in the second and fifth grades of basic education. A preliminary report provides an analysis of both grades; the final report will be available at the end of April 1997. The second study analyzes the transition from the first to the second cycle of basic education. The preliminary report is available, and the final version will be available by the end of April 1997. A seminar on training of researchers and inspectors was held prior to the study surveys being carried out, and supplemented by other seminars which dealt with correcting tests and supervision of questionnaires. School Health Components The feasibility study on a low-cost eyeglass production unit for disadvantaged students, was carried out (component 8), but the subproject itself was never implemented, having been canceled. Activities under this component were confined to automating the service responsible for monitoring school injuries. Software was developed to process files on school injuries. Training for the Division staff in the use of this software is to take place by the end of April 1997. Additional computer equipment is being purchased to reinforce the Division's information processing capacity. Problems in Implementation Physical Program Overall, the implementation timetable for the two components (construction and equipment) was not adhered to due to the following: - Underestimation of construction costs during project preparation, which failed to take into account delays in payments to contractors. - High turnover of project implementation unit staff between 1989 and December 1995. - Transfer of construction to local communities which contributed to delays in submission of supporting documents by the communities and funds being blocked by the Ministry of Finance.  31 - Delays in processing disbursement documentation for the special account due to administrative constraints. Technical Assistance The implementation of the technical assistance was hindered by a major obstacle, namely the decrease in the budget envelope initially allocated to technical assistance (from US$4.0 million to US$2.5 million), for which qualitative objectives and institutional building were not fully achieved. Negotiations took three years, and commencement of activities did not take place until June 1993, following approval of the agreement with UNESCO, i.e. after a delay of more than three years. It must be noted that the consolidation of the 10 initial components into seven in order to reduce the budget envelope was speedily done, without involvement from the units directly concerned with the project. The activities on community-based support and other activities which were to allow for resource mobilization for the project were canceled. Moreover, a review of component objectives was not carried out in light of imposed deadlines, which were further curtailed given the imminent closing date. The delay had repercussions on the completion of project components which were still in the pilot and evaluation stages, draft documents produced but yet to be revised and finalized, and limited training for the groups participating in training dissemination. Project Performance Physical Programs If we take into consideration that 1996 is the project completion year, then we can say that the objectives were more or less achieved. The number of students in rural basic education increased 40% over the 1987-88 school year, compared to the 38% target. Enrollment for girls increased 74%, versus the 75% target. Gross enrollment rates followed the same upward trend, rising to 80% and 46% for boys and girls, respectively, compared to the 79% and 49% project targets. Technical Assistance In reference to initial project objectives, one may state that results expected from each component did not measure up to those anticipated. However, considering that delays were reduced by half, even taking into account start-up delays in technical assistance activities, the results are evaluated as positive given that the components are at a stage of validation for further expanded implementation.  32 Teaching Components The teaching components did not achieve their objectives when measured up against initial objectives, if we consider that this would lead to better methods used by inspectors, principals and teachers in programming, evaluation, management, and multigrade teaching. On the other hand, training activities and booklet production - which were widely distributed - produced a dynamic flow to the gradual changes which will introduced beyond the present project. Planning Component The objective on capacity building for planning, monitoring and evaluation was only partly achieved. However, the development of a new information system, for which an innovative approach was proposed to data collection, represents a major step towards putting in place a relational database with a view to systematically monitor the educational system. The testing and work undertaken thus far indicates that the new system is welcomed by external services to the MEN. The evaluation by four branch offices of the pilot testing, planned for April 21 and 22, should lead to an expansion in the use of the new system to other provinces. The two evaluation studies of Subcomponent 7.2 provide a better understanding of factors influencing student learning and achievement and point to actions to improve educational outputs. School Health Component The objectives set for this component, which aimed to sensitize the various participants in improving school health, have not been achieved. The activities to be carried out have been either canceled or were performed only in part. However, the staff of the division concerned have acquired knowledge that will enable them to carry out the activities needed to improve the delivery of school health services beyond the present project scope. Project Follow-up by the World Bank The World Bank supervised the project through missions and aide-memoires submitted to the Ministry. The Bank has also demonstrated flexibility, through the extension of the project closing date, which allowed for the completion of activities that could not have taken place under the initial project execution schedule. Still, there have been weaknesses in project follow-up, such as: - Limited number of field supervision missions; - The absence of a tripartite (IBRD, AfDB, Government) mid-term reviews; - Revision to the loan amount (cancellation of US$8.0 million), which led to an underestimation of equipment, especially teaching equipment;  33 Lack of coordination between the IBRD and the ADB during project implementation. Lessons Learned The lessons learned from this project relate to correcting problems that arose during preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. These problems can be summarized as follows: - Preparation was not sufficiently in-depth or detailed with regard to responsibilities, activities and products. - Aspects of management were not fine-tune during preparation, and no standard bidding document prepared. - Technical assistance was overestimated, and preparation work of terms of references and standard bidding documents was not sufficiently detailed. - Project implementation suffered from preparatory weaknesses, and lack of an organizational chart outlining the responsibilities and tasks for each involved participant at the central, provincial and local levels. - The lack of horizontal and vertical coordination at the central level (within MEN and other departments) as well as the provincial level (Governor, MEN branch office, and other departments, etc.), affected smooth project implementation. - Lack of a monitoring and evaluation system which would allow for necessary adjustments during implementation caused delays and ill-founded revisions. - Lack of involvement by external agencies, where the activities were taking place, and lack of project information during preparation and implementation contributed to insufficient support for the project. Project Sustainability Following implementation of those actions which were delayed, project sustainability will be improved through the implementation of the World Bank program on Social Priorities (BAJ 1), under which an extension of activities under the present project are found in the new BAJ 1 project components. These include improving access to, and retention rates in the first cycle of basic education, narrowing gender gaps in enrollment rates, imiproving the quality of teaching and reinforcing planning methodologies, programming, management, and monitoring and evaluation methods in the education sector. Lessons learned from this project are being used towards achieving the objectives set for the BAJ 1. The shortcomings noted in the present project were, in the main, avoided during the preparation of the BAJ 1 program. However, delays have been encountered during the implementation of this project, though actions taken by each participant were clearly outlined, and implementation arrangements at the central and provincial levels were precisely defined.   Kingdom of Morocco Implementation Completion Report Rural Primary Education Project Evolution of Enrollments First Cycle of Basic Education (1987/88-1995/96) CON) 87-88 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 Garpons Fils Total Gargons Files Total Gargons F4es Total Gargons Fles Total Gargons F4ss Total URBAIN Non-doublants 502.0 448.9 951.0 526.5 469.1 995.6 566.9 505.1 1,072 668.2 598.1 1,266 665.4 605.8 1,271 Doublants 113.7 83.9 197.6 108.5 77.7 186.3 106.1 72.9 179 99.6 67.6 167 117.8 75.6 193 Total 615.7 532.8 1,148.5 635.0 546.9 1,181.9 673.0 578.0 1,251 767.7 665.7 1,433 783.1 681.5 1,465 Nouveaux inscrits 115.5 103.4 218.9 118.2 108.3 226.6 121.6 112.0 233.6 120.4 112.3 232.7 87-88 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 Gargons FAies Total Gargons Files Total Gargons Fies Total Gar!ons Fies Total Gar9ons Files Total RURAL Non-doublants 558.4 232.7 791.1 518.0 214.0 732.0 508.3 210.5 718.7 600.9 254.6 855.5 617.7 280.0 897.7 Doublants 121.2 41.7 162.9 103.5 34.1 137.6 87.1 28.2 115.3 78.1 27.6 105.7 91.8 30.9 122.7 Total 679.6 274.4 954.0 621.4 248.2 869.6 595.4 238.7 834.1 678.9 282.2 961.2 709.5 310.9 1,020.4 Nouveaux insrits 124.0 58.3 182.3 133.2 64.1 197.3 139.2 73.4 212.6 147.4 82.0 229.5 87-88 88-89 89-90 90-91 91-92 Gar,ons Fies Total Gargons Fies Total Gar,ons Files Total Gargons Fles Total Gargons Files Total URBAIN + RURAL Non-doublants 1,060.4 681.6 1,742.1 1,044.5 683.2 1,727.6 1,075.2 715.6 1,790.8 1,269.0 852.7 2,121.7 1,283.1 885.9 2,168.9 Doublants 234.9 125.6 360.5 212.0 111.9 323.9 193.2 101.1 294.3 177.6 95.2 272.9 209.6 106.5 316.1 Total 1,295.3 807.2 2,102.6 1,256.5 795.1 2,051.5 1,268.4 816.7 2,085.1 1,446.7 947.9 2,394.6 1,492.6 992.4 2,485.0 Abandons 135.4 78.1 213.4 90.7 54.0 144.7 82.5 54.2 136.6 82.7 50.4 133.1 73.5 48.0 121.5 Nouveaux inscrits 239.4 161.7 401.1 251.5 172.4 423.9 260.8 185.4 446.1 267.9 194.3 462.2 > (D (D ra  Kingdom of Morocco Implementation Completion Report Rural Primary Education Project Evolution of Enrollments First Cycle of Basic Education (1987/88-1995/96) c000) 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 Gar9ons F4es Total Garpons Files Total Gargons Files Total Garpons Fifes Total URBAIN Non-doublants 732.1 661.5 1,394 744.9 680.4 1,425 764.7 700.6 1,465 769.4 713.2 1,483 Doublants 130.4 84.5 215 130.3 84.0 214 124.4 82.5 207 130.5 84.7 215 Total 862.4 746.0 1,608 875.2 764.5 1,640 889.0 783.1 1,672 899.9 797.8 1,698 Nouveaux inscrits 138.6 126.9 265.5 137.8 128.4 266.2 136.9 127.7 264.6 135.4 126.9 262.3 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 Gar9ons Files Total Gargons Fies Total Gargons Files Total Gargons Files Total RURAL Non-doublants 615.8 282.4 898.2 663.54 330.702 994.242 707.0 372.8 1,079.8 727.1 403.7 1,130.8 Doublants 90.6 30.4 121.0 99.1 36.3 135.4 102.4 41.4 143.8 109.0 45.2 154.1 Total 706.4 312.8 1,019.2 762.6 367.0 1,129.6 809.4 414.2 1,223.6 836.1 448.8 1,284.9 Nouveauxinscrits 161.1 91.3 252.4 168.4 105.1 273.5 163.5 108.0 271.5 159.8 111.2 271.1 92-93 93-94 94-95 95-96 Gar9ons Fies Total Gargons Ffies Total Gargons Files Total Garpons Fifes Total URBAIN + RURAL Non-doublants 1,347.8 943.9 2,291.7 1,408.5 1,011.1 2,419.6 1,471.6 1,073.4 2,545.0 1,496.5 1,116.8 2,613.4 Doublants 221.0 114.9 335.9 229.4 120.3 349.8 226.8 123.9 350.7 239.5 129.8 369.3 Total 1,568.8 1,058.8 2,627.6 1,637.9 1,131.5 2,769.3 1,698.4 1,197.3 2,895.7 1,736.0 1,246.7 2,982.7 Abandons 78.2 50.4 128.7 78.2 56.5 134.7 89.0 71.0 160.0 108.8 82.9 191.7 Nouveaux inscrits 299.7 218.2 517.9 306.2 233.5 539.7 300.5 235.6 536.1 295.2 238.1 533.4 OQ : 0  IaRD 21270 M d,fer n a an So a MOROCCO zA i o RURAL PRIMARY EDUCATION PROJECT 5 , -ZAE .EIao - Mai, Roa-dAi - S.ordory Road, rr OIMW S bd d To ond VlEllg M,/ 8 I | _> e3eNI MeLL^L -__ <_ * _ L 7~~~~7 Mr~~~~~~. SPit:~~~~~eFw CA!ASLANC LAt tIo A OUaE B_/ m 'Sik A. s.,O,, 44 4PT II 1A.AA I N N.H.-N C.pftl SINI P P3 T.. /SZA/VSA AAZATE , I,r /Y --~~~~ 13' I ;' 4 4 _ OECEMEER I 3BB~_ _ I A UO-TE~~~~GAEAAT A ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~~~~~~~~~A 33 - TEROUOENTI~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ILMTR CAfVARK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3~ ISiANDS~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~M 28'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EEBR18    IMAGING Report No.: 16538 Type, ICR