The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) Additional Financing Appraisal Environmental and Social Review Summary Appraisal Stage (AF ESRS Appraisal Stage) Public Disclosure Date Prepared/Updated: 11/30/2021 | Report No: ESRSAFA206 Nov 30, 2021 Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country Region Borrower(s) Implementing Agency(ies) Bangladesh SOUTH ASIA PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF Ministry of Primary And BANGLADESH Mass Education (MoPME), Directorate of Primary Education Project ID Project Name P174047 Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program Parent Project ID (if any) Parent Project Name P162619 Quality Learning for All Program Practice Area (Lead) Financing Instrument Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Education Program-for-Results 6/14/2021 1/14/2022 Public Disclosure Financing Proposed Development Objective The objective of the Program is to improve the quality of and enhance equitable access to education from pre-primary to grade 5. Financing (in USD Million) Amount Current Financing 18040.00 Proposed Additional Financing 51.17 Total Proposed Financing 18091.17 B. Is the project being prepared in a Situation of Urgent Need of Assistance or Capacity Constraints, as per Bank IPF Policy, para. 12? No C. Summary Description of Proposed Project [including overview of Country, Sectoral & Institutional Contexts and Relationship to CPF] Nov 30, 2021 Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) The TA will specifically support new areas of intervention where institutional capacity remains underdeveloped and expertise are necessary for successful implementation and building capacity for sustainability. At the same time, there is no available funding to support these areas from government or external sources. Therefore, technical assistance has been included to support the Government to acquire expertise in the following areas: (i) preprimary training programs for school headteachers; (ii) online training program on soft skill development and assessment for primary, secondary and TVET teachers; (iii) institutional capacity building in implementing student assessments across the education sector; and (iv) knowledge outputs/analytics to strengthen links across the education sector for better planning and coordination. The TA is designed to ensure that these activities are delivered with the right expertise, timelines, and quality, while also building the institutional capacity of the implementing agency for sustainability. D. Environmental and Social Overview D.1. Detailed project location(s) and salient physical characteristics relevant to the E&S assessment [geographic, environmental, social] Development of teacher training module; teacher training and capacity building and studies will be covered under this AF TA (IPF) of QLEAP. The studies will not lead to any investments. At this point, the number and location from where teachers will come for training are yet to be known and will depend on the activity design and the costing during preparation. D. 2. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME) is the implementing ministry; the Directorate of Primary Public Disclosure Education (DPE) under the MOPME is the main executing agency and will be supported by other line agencies for this TA. The TA component will be supported by IPF and as a result, will need to meet the requirements of the relevant ESSs of the WB ESF. While the ES requirements for the IPF are extensive, the ES assessment for the AF TA shows that only ESS1, ESS2 and ESS10 will be relevant to the project given its nature of activities. MOPME has experience of working with IDA during Primary Educational Sector Development Program 2 and 3. The experience gathered during PEDP3 has elevated MOPME’s institutional strength to tackle ES challenges. However, while MOPME has attained significant experience, several challenges remain, including the lack of a dedicated ES related staff to develop and monitor ES plans and maintain coordination with the World Bank and other development partners. Though MOPME has implemented a number of national-level projects and programs covering the entire primary education sector, its capacity for M&E is still limited. Achievement of Program objectives may also be affected by abrupt staff turnover, limited number of staff with adequate expertise in ES, delays in filling vacant staff positions, and inadequate capacity in financial management and procurement. MOPME has implemented several World Bank financed projects under the old safeguard policies, but the new Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) is relatively new to them. Therefore, MOPME staff who will be assigned to adminsiter and monitor ES activities will to undergo ESF related capacity building training. The Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) will incorporate these requirements of capacity building and training as part of the Borrower’s commitment for the implementation of the AF TA. II. SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL (ES) RISKS AND IMPACTS Nov 30, 2021 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) A. Environmental and Social Risk Classification (ESRC) Low Environmental Risk Rating Low The AF TA will support DPE to develop online/blended advanced training for Pre-Primary Education (PPE) teachers and leadership training for headteachers in preprimary education management and institutional capacity building for government officials working on student assessments. The TA will also help strengthen the linkage between primary and secondary education through supporting DSHE in (i) development of online teacher training program on soft skills development and assessment for secondary grade students. (ii) joint training and knowledge exchange programs on primary and secondary learning assessments for institutional capacity building and (iii) a study on the examination practices in secondary grades and feasibility of remote examination system. The TA will also support institutional capacity building of National Assessment Cell (NAC) officials through training programs for planning and implementing national assessments and utilizing the data generated for policy and operations. The outputs from this TA will mainly include training modules for head teachers, teachers, studies and evaluations (which will not lead to investments), and training and consultative workshops. Based on the AF TA components, the overall environmental risk is expected to be low. TA would neither support any construction work nor would be used for design or feasibility of any civil construction. Hence the outcome of the TA is not likely to impact the physical environment. No biodiversity, natural/critical habitat, ecosystem or living natural resources will also be affected. The associated environmental risk of this IPF TA component of the AF is thus assessed as Low. Social Risk Rating Low Public Disclosure The new AF TA component under the QLEAP project will support the Government to acquire expertise needed to help develop training programs for school head teachers, and teachers; implement classroom observation tool and evaluation; provide capacity-building training for enhancing in-house skills and institutionalize learning assessment; study on examination practice and feasibility of remote examination system within the DPE, DPHE, PPE and secondary school level. The outputs from this TA will mainly include training modules for head teachers, and teachers, studies and evaluations on training program development and evaluation and assessment criteria and modalities (which will not lead to any investments), and training and consultative workshops. The social issues would be associated with issues of inclusion, labor (including OHS) related to workers and staff who would implement the TA activities and stakeholder engagement. All necessary measures to mitigate the risks of exclusion of intended project beneficiaries will be taken through broad stakeholder engagement and information disclosure, with a focus on non-discrimination and gender. GVB/SEA/SH issues will be identified, and prevention measures will be put in place through the strengthening of staff Code of Conducts (CoCs) etc. Given that the TA activities will be implemented in a COVID context, all measures to prevent COVID exposure of project workers/staff carrying out TA activities will also be taken, including information on prevention mechanisms and PPEs such as face masks will be provided as necessary. The TA will not include any land acquisition or resettlement activities. No adverse impact on community health and safety, small ethnic communities and cultural heritage are expected and there will be no use of child/forced/trafficked labour. The AF TA activities are anticipated to have a net positive impact on the primary and secondary education system of the nation by improving the quality of teachers and establishing an improved system for assessments and exams. These activities will improve the quality of education received by students in the classroom. Teachers undergoing the advanced training program will be trained on the prevention of gender stereotyping, raising awareness on hygiene and sanitation and socio-emotional development of students. Establishing improved systems of assessments will aid in accurately analyzing students learning. The overall impacts Nov 30, 2021 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) of the AF TA will be widespread and are expected to promote gender-informed students (including on the identification and prevention of GBV/SEA) and socially inclusive and responsible policies. Based on the scale and nature of the AF TA, capacity of the Borrower, anticipated risks and impacts and the context under which this AF TA will be implemented, the social risk rating has been assessed as Low. B. Environment and Social Standards (ESSs) that Apply to the Activities Being Considered B.1. General Assessment ESS1 Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts Overview of the relevance of the Standard for the Project: This ESS is relevant to the AF TA and that this focuses primarily on establishing capacity and responsibilities for ensuring that requirements as stated under ESS10 and ESS2 are implemented. The activities will include mainly studies, research and workshops for providing teachers with professional capacity building training and certification and assessment and recommendations for measuring students’ learning outcome. It will also include leadership training for head teachers, softskill training for secondary teachers, study on the examination practices in secondary grades and feasibility of remote examination system and capacity building of NAC officials. Based on the description of AF TA overall ES risks are expected to be low. An ES screening of TA activities has been undertaken during preparation to assess any ES related risks and impacts and the potential ES risks include exclusion, labor related OHS issues, and likely exposure to COVID-19 pandemic. All necessary measures to mitigate the risks of exclusion of intended project beneficiaries will be taken through broad stakeholder engagement and information disclosure, with Public Disclosure a focus on non-discrimination and gender. The IA has prepared an ESCP detailing material measure and actions for assessing and managing ES risks and impacts. ESS10 Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Consultations and disclosure of information with stakeholders will be at the core for planning and implementation of the project. The key stakeholders include officials at the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME), Department of Primary Education (DPE), teachers’ organization, teachers at various primary levels, persons interested in education, NGOs working in primary education sectors, researchers/academics etc. The borrower has already identified relevant stakeholders and prepared a simplified Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) illustrating methods, channels and timing of engagement, feedback and grievance redress mechanism (which is the existing Program level GRM) to raise concerns about the AF TA. B.2. Specific Risks and Impacts A brief description of the potential environmental and social risks and impacts relevant to the Project. ESS2 Labor and Working Conditions The AF TA component involve civil servants (who will retain the employment status with the Government) and individual consultants as Direct Workers for various studies, assessments and development of training modules who would qualify as project workers as per the ESS2. This necessitated preparation of a simplified Labor Management Procedures (LMP) incorporating aspects such as applicability of labor laws and, non-discrimination and equal Nov 30, 2021 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) opportunity, grievance mechanism for all workers, OHS issues as well as issues related to COVID-19 pandemic. Given the low risk of this project, a simplified LMP has been developed. ESS3 Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention and Management Not currently relevant. ESS4 Community Health and Safety Not currently relevant. ESS5 Land Acquisition, Restrictions on Land Use and Involuntary Resettlement Not relevant. ESS6 Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources Not relevant. ESS7 Indigenous Peoples/Sub-Saharan African Historically Underserved Traditional Local Communities Public Disclosure Not relevant. ESS8 Cultural Heritage Not relevant. ESS9 Financial Intermediaries Not relevant. C. Legal Operational Policies that Apply OP 7.50 Projects on International Waterways OP 7.60 Projects in Disputed Areas B.3. Reliance on Borrower’s policy, legal and institutional framework, relevant to the Project risks and impacts Is this project being prepared for use of Borrower Framework? No Nov 30, 2021 Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Bangladesh: Additional Financing for Quality Learning for All Program (P174047) Areas where “Use of Borrower Framework” is being considered: Borrower framework would not be used. IV. CONTACT POINTS World Bank Contact: Tashmina Rahman Title: Education Specialist Telephone No: 5764+4365 Email: trahman3@worldbank.org Contact: Peter Darvas Title: Senior Economist Telephone No: +1-202-473-2961 Email: pdarvas@worldbank.org Contact: Keiko Inoue Title: Practice Leader Telephone No: 5778+8264 / 84-24-39378264 Email: kinoue@worldbank.org Borrower/Client/Recipient Borrower: PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF BANGLADESH Public Disclosure Implementing Agency(ies) Implementing Agency: Ministry of Primary And Mass Education (MoPME) Implementing Agency: Directorate of Primary Education V. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects VI. APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Peter Darvas, Keiko Inoue, Tashmina Rahman Practice Manager (ENR/Social) Robin Mearns Cleared on 28-May-2021 at 21:02:2 GMT-04:00 Nov 30, 2021 Page 7 of 7