Document of The World Bank Report No: ICR00004233 IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION AND RESULTS REPORT (TF-14253, TF-14358) ON A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF US$100 MILLION TO THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO FOR A SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROJECT August 30, 2017 Education Global Practice GED07 Africa CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective: July 28, 2017) Currency Unit = Congolese Franc CDF 1,620.22= US$1 FISCAL YEAR January 1 to December 31 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AFD French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement) APEP Primary Education Support Project (Projet d’Appui à l’Enseignement Primaire) BGP Administrative offices closest to schools (Bureaux Gestionnaires de Proximités) CAS Country Assistance Strategy CATED Technical Support Unit (Cellule d’Appui Technique) CFIT China Funds-in-Trust CGPMP Project Management and Procurement Unit (Cellule de Gestion des Projets et des Marchés Publics) CMA Construction Management Agreement COGES School Management Board (Conseil de Gestion Scolaire) CRESD Sub Provincial Ressource Centres (Centres de Ressources Éducatives de Sous-Divisions) DIPROMOD Curriculum and Teaching Materials Division (Direction des Programmes et du Matériel Didactique) DIS Division of School Infrastructures (Direction des Infrastructures Scolaires) DP Development Partner DRC Democratic Republic of Congo FBO Faith-Based Organization GPE Global Partnership for Education GPI Gender Parity Index HDI Human Development Index ICR Implementation Completion and Results Report ICT Information Communications Technology IEP Interim Education Plan IP Indigenous Peoples IPP Indigenous Peoples Plan ISR Implementation Status and Results Report JRM Joint Review Meeting LEA Local Executing Agency LEDG Local Education Donor Group M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MEPS-INC Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Ministère de l’enseignement primaire, secondaire, initiation à la nouvelle citoyenneté - also named MEPSP during project life) MTR Mid-Term Review PAD Project Appraisal Document PARSE Education Sector Project (Projet d’Appui au Redressement du Secteur Educatif) PROSEB Basic Education Support Project (Projet de Soutien à l’Education de Base) PROVEDs Provincial Education Offices (Provinces Educationnelles) PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper QER Quality Enhancement Review REPs School Network (Réseaux d’écoles de proximité) RF Results Framework RPF Resettlement Policy Framework SE Supervising Entity SECOPE Inspection and Payroll Service for Teachers (Service de Controle et de la Paie des Enseignants) SG Secretary General (Secrétaire Général) S/PROVEDs Sub-Provincial Education Offices (Sous Province Educationnelle) SSEF Education and Training Sector Strategy (Stratégie Sectorielle de l’Education et de la Formation) TORs Terms of Reference UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development Senior Global Practice Director: Jaime Saavedra Chanduvi Practice Manager: Meskerem Mulatu Project Team Leader: Dung-Kim Pham ICR Team Leader: Dung-Kim Pham DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO Support to Basic Education Project CONTENTS Data Sheet A. Basic Information B. Key Dates C. Ratings Summary D. Sector and Theme Codes E. Bank Staff F. Results Framework Analysis G. Ratings of Project Performance in ISRs H. Restructuring I. Disbursement Graph 1. Project Context, Development Objectives and Design ............................................... 1 2. Key Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcomes .............................................. 7 3. Assessment of Outcomes .......................................................................................... 16 4. Assessment of Risk to Development Outcome......................................................... 29 5. Assessment of Bank and Borrower Performance ..................................................... 30 6. Lessons Learned ....................................................................................................... 32 7. Comments on Issues Raised by Borrower/Implementing Agencies/Partners .......... 33 Annex 1. Project Costs and Financing .......................................................................... 34 Annex 2. Outputs by Component ................................................................................. 35 Annex 3. Economic and Financial Analysis ................................................................. 50 Annex 4. Bank Lending and Implementation Support/Supervision Processes ............ 56 Annex 5. Beneficiary Survey Results ........................................................................... 58 Annex 6. Stakeholder Workshop Report and Results................................................... 59 Annex 7. Summary of Borrower's ICR and/or Comments on Draft ICR ..................... 60 Annex 8. Comments of Co-Financiers and Other Partners/Stakeholders ..................... 72 Annex 9. List of Supporting Documents ...................................................................... 73 Annex 10. Overview of Project Indicators ................................................................... 74 MAP i A. Basic Information Congo, Democratic ZR Support to Basic Country: Project Name: Republic of Education Project Project ID: P131120 L/C/TF Number(s): TF-14253, TF-14358 ICR Date: 08/30/2017 ICR Type: Core ICR MINISTERE DE L'EDUCATION Lending Instrument: SIL Grantee: PRIMAIRE ET SECONDAIRE Original Total US$100.00M Disbursed Amount: US$99.9M1 Commitment: Revised Amount: US$100.00M Environmental Category: B Implementing Agencies: Government of Democratic Republic of Congo Co financiers and Other External Partners: B. Key Dates Revised / Actual Process Date Process Original Date Date(s) Concept Review: 04/05/2012 Effectiveness: 07/23/2013 07/23/2013 Appraisal: 11/06/2012 Restructuring(s): 05/23/2016 Approval: 05/01/2013 Mid-term Review: 06/24/2015 06/17/2015 Closing: 08/31/2016 02/28/2017 C. Ratings Summary C.1 Performance Rating by ICR Outcomes: Moderately Satisfactory Risk to Development Outcome: Moderate Bank Performance: Moderately Satisfactory Grantee Performance: Moderately Satisfactory 1 On February 28, 2017 when the last ISR was archived, the actual disbursement amount was recorded as US$100 million. However, the undisbursed amount of US$61,000 was returned to the Bank on July 17, 2017 and thereafter the books closed. In addition, a reimbursement of an ineligible expenditure of US$14,686 is currently being processed. ii C.2 Detailed Ratings of Bank and Borrower Performance (by ICR) Bank Ratings Borrower Ratings Quality at Entry: Moderately Satisfactory Government: Moderately Satisfactory Implementing Quality of Supervision: Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Agency/Agencies: Overall Bank Overall Borrower Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Performance: Performance: C.3 Quality at Entry and Implementation Performance Indicators Implementation QAG Assessments Indicators Rating Performance (if any) Potential Problem Project Quality at Entry Yes None at any time (Yes/No): (QEA): Problem Project at any Quality of No None time (Yes/No): Supervision (QSA): DO rating before Moderately Closing/Inactive status: Satisfactory D. Sector and Theme Codes Original Actual Major Sector/Sector Education 100 100 Other Education 11 11 Tertiary Education 17 17 Primary Education 67 67 Public Administration - Education 5 5 Major Theme/Theme/Sub Theme Human Development and Gender 100 100 Education 96 96 Access to Education 48 48 Education Financing 48 48 Gender 4 4 E. Bank Staff Positions At ICR At Approval Vice President: Makhtar Diop Makhtar Diop Country Director: Ahmadou Moustapha Ndiaye Eustache Ouayoro Practice Manager/Manager: Meskerem Mulatu Peter Materu Project Team Leader: Dung-Kim Pham Dung-Kim Pham ICR Team Leader: Dung-Kim Pham ICR Primary Author: Louise Mvono iii F. Results Framework Analysis Project Development Objectives (from Project Appraisal Document) According to the Project Appraisal Document (PAD), the Project Development Objectives (PDOs) were to: (i) increase access to and equity in primary education; (ii) improve learning conditions in primary education; and (iii) strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability. Revised Project Development Objectives (as approved by original approving authority) The PDOs were not revised during the life of the Project. The tables below include the most comprehensive and accurate dataset that was developed during the ICR. The Project was prepared in 2012 and 2013. At that time, the most up-to-date data was sourced from the 2010 annual census and was used as the original baseline data in the PAD. Subsequently, during the mid-term review (MTR) in June 2015, the 2012-2013 census was released and a more accurate dataset was made available. The Government, development partners and the Bank decided to revise the Project’s results framework (RF) using the updated data that had just been released. The Project baseline values were then modified with data from the 2012-2013 census, and associated end-of-project targets were recalculated on the basis of these updated baseline figures. These updated figures are included for “baseline value� and “original target value� in the tables below. Since these baseline figures coincided with the start of the Project – and the associated end-of-project targets were derived from these – the ICR uses this dataset to analyze the Project’s achievements and performance over the course of its implementation. All Project indicators utilized across the life of the Project, assumptions, including adjusted baseline values for PDO-level indicators, adjustments to indicator wording, and other clarifications are included in Annex 10 with additional details in Annex 2. Achievement values for the access and equity indicators are based on the 2015-2016 provincial annual school census, while quality and management related indicators are sourced from Project M&E reports. (a) PDO Indicators Indicator 1: access Primary net first-year intake rate (Equateur) Disaggregated by Male, Female, Total Value M: 70% M: 76% NA M: 91% quantitative or F: 61% F: 66% F: 80% Qualitative) Total: 65% Total: 71% Total: 85% Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Source: 2015-2016 Provincial census data. (incl. % achievement) iv Indicator 2: equity Gender Parity Index (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0.84 0.89 NA 0.87 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments GPI improved over the life of the Project, although falling short of the (incl. % achievement) end-of-Project target. Source: 2016 Provincial census data. Indicator 3: quality French textbook/ pupil ratio for Grades 3 and 4 (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0.62 1 NA 0.92 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Substantial progress was observed over the life of the Project, although Comments falling short of the end-of-project target. Source: Project (incl. % achievement) implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 4: quality French textbook/pupil ratio for Grades 5 and 6 (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0.3 1 NA 1.37 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 5: quality Math textbook/pupil ratio for Grades 3 and 4 (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0.6 1 NA 1 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target achieved. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 6: quality Math textbook/pupil ratio for Grades 5 and 6 (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0.3 1 NA 1.44 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 7: Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité financially management (Equateur) supported by the Project. Value 0 65% 81% quantitative or NA v Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Indicator modified at MTR. Source: Project (incl. % achievement) implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 8: access Primary net first-year intake rate (Kasai-West) Disaggregated by Male, Female, Total Value M :91% M : 98% M :80% quantitative or F : 79% F : 92% NA F: 80% Qualitative) T : 85% T : 95% T: 80% Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Data suggest a decrease in the primary net first-year intake rate in Comments Kasai-West from the original baseline. Level of achievement cannot be (incl. % achievement) determined given data inconsistencies across the project life. Indicator 9: equity Gender Parity Index (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0.84 0.88 NA 0.93 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Source: 2015-2016 Provincial census data. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 10: quality French textbook/ pupil ratio for Grades 3 and 4. This is based on the (Kasai-West) best estimate from project implementation team M&E reports. Value quantitative or 0.64 1 NA 0.72 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Substantial progress observed over the life of the Project, although Comments falling short of the end-of-project target. Source: Project (incl. % achievement) implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 11: quality French textbook/pupil ratio for Grades 5 and 6 (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0.4 1 NA 1 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target achieved. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 12: quality Math textbook/pupil ratio for Grades 3 and 4 (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0.5 1 NA 0.84 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Substantial progress observed over the life of the Project, although vi (incl. % achievement) falling short of the end-of-project target. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 13: quality Math textbook/pupil ratio for Grades 5 and 6 (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0.4 1 NA 1 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target achieved. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 14: Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité financially management supported by the project (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0 65% NA 82% Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Target exceeded. Indicator modified from “bureaux gestionnaires de Comments proximité functioning according to regulatory norms and under results (incl. % achievement) agreement.� Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. PDOs indicators modified and/or dropped at the MTR Indicator 15: Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité functioning management according to regulatory norms and under results agreement. (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 Comments Indicator dropped and replaced by PDO Indicator 7 above. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 16: Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité functioning management according to regulatory norms and under results agreement. (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/ 2013 02/28/2017 Comments Indicator dropped and replaced by PDO Indicator 14 above. (incl. % achievement) vii (b) Intermediate Outcome Indicator(s) Original Target Formally revised Actual Value Baseline Values (from target Values Achieved at Indicator Value approval Completion or Target documents) Years Indicator 1 Project beneficiaries: Number of primary school students, of which girls (Equateur) Disaggregated by Total and Female Value T: T: 1,495,203 T: 1,553,583 quantitative or 1,368,323 NA F: 682,356 F: 721,743 Qualitative) F: 624,452 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Target exceeded. Source: 2016 Provincial census data. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 2 Primary 1st year new entrants, of which girls (Equateur) Disaggregated by Total and Female Value T: 341,103 T: 372,732 T: 420,300 quantitative or NA F: 159,520 F: 173,875 F: 190,887 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Target exceeded, including for girls. Source: 2016 Provincial census data. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 3 Additional classrooms rehabilitated or rebuilt (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0 504 NA 480 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Significant progress, and improvement over the baseline was made, achieving approximately 95 percent of the end-of-project target – though Comments falling short of the project target due to an increase in classroom costs (incl. % achievement) compared to appraisal estimates. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 4 Number of latrine blocks built (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0 84 NA 78 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Approximatively 93 percent of the end-of-project target was achieved. (incl. % achievement) However, the end target fell short of the end of project target due to an viii increase in classroom costs compared to appraisal estimates. This gap is proportional to the reduction of classrooms highlighted above. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 5 Number of water points installed (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0 84 NA 78 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Approximatively 93 percent of the end of project target was achieved. The Comments gap is proportional to the reduction of classrooms and latrine blocks (incl. % achievement) highlighted above. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 6 Number of textbooks and teacher guides distributed (country-wide (Equateur) indicator) Value quantitative or 0 20,000,000 NA 22,424,797 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Target exceeded. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 7 Project beneficiaries: Teachers benefitting in-service training (cumulative) (Equateur) Value quantitative or 0 16,000 NA 19,080 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 A total of 19,080 teachers, school heads and inspectors were trained during Comments the three years of the project cycle, in three of the ten modules. In addition, (incl. % achievement) 255 inspectors were trained in seven of the ten modules. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 8 Percentage of school clusters having organized inter-school pedagogical (Equateur) meetings (three per year) Value quantitative or 10 75 NA 75 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target achieved. The project supported one inter-school pedagogical (incl. % achievement) meeting. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 9 A monitoring tool is used by inspectors during supervision (Equateur) Value 0 Yes Partially Achieved quantitative or NA ix Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Partially achieved. This indicator was added during the MTR to assess the Comments impact of teacher training sessions on teaching practices. By the end of the (incl. % achievement) project, a draft monitoring tool was available but had not yet been validated. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Percentage of Bureaux Gestionnaires de Proximite (BGPs) having Comité Indicator 10 de Gestion des Ecoles (COGES) quarterly meetings as documented by the (Equateur) minutes Value quantitative or - 75 NA 82 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Target exceeded. This indicator was added during the MTR to monitor BGPs related COGES meetings. The indicator replaced: “percentage of Comments schools having COGES quarterly meetings as documented by the Minutes�. (incl. % achievement) The 2013 baseline is not available. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 11 Annual qualitative surveys undertaken (Bureaux gestionnaires de proximité (Equateur) no longer collecting fees from the schools) Value quantitative or - 3 NA 2 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Partially achieved. Two annual qualitative surveys were undertaken in 2014 (incl. % achievement) and 2016, respectively. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 12 (Kasai- Project beneficiaries: Number of primary school students, of which female West) Disaggregated by Total and Female Value T: T: 1,169,265 T: 1,433,961 quantitative or 1,070,043 NA F: 532,038 F: 671,852 Qualitative) F: 486,890 Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Source: 2015-2016 Provincial census data. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 13 (Kasai- Primary 1st year new entrants, of which female West) Disaggregated by Total and Female Value T: 275,292 T: 300,819 T: 382,525 quantitative or NA F: 128,872 F: 140,822 F: 179,647 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Target exceeded. Source: 2015-2016 Provincial census data. (incl. % achievement) Indicator 14 (Kasai- Additional classrooms rehabilitated or rebuilt West) x Value quantitative or 0 396 NA 378 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Comments Approximately 95 percent of the end-of-project target value was achieved. (incl. % achievement) Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 15 (Kasai- Number of latrine blocks built West) Value quantitative or 0 66 NA 63 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Approximately 95 percent of the end-of-project target value was achieved. (incl. % achievement) Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 16 (Kasai- Number of water points installed West) Value quantitative or 0 66 NA 23 Qualitative) Date achieved 07/23/2013 02/28/2017 NA 02/28/2017 Target not achieved largely due to the unexpected high cost of construction Comments and the difficulty in their construction. Source: Project implementation (incl. % achievement) team M&E reports. Indicator 17 Project beneficiaries: Teachers benefitting from in-service training (Kasai-West) (cumulative) Value quantitative or 0 16,000 NA - Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 A substantial number of beneficiaries in Kasai-West were reached, although the total fell short of the end-of-project target. A total of 13,895 teachers, Comments school heads and inspectors were trained during the three years of the (incl. % achievement) project cycle, in seven of the ten modules. The shortfall arose primarily as a consequence of logistical challenges and delays in the design of in-service teacher training. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 18 (Kasai- Percentage of school clusters having organized inter-school pedagogical West) meetings (three per year) Value quantitative or 10 75 NA 83 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Target exceeded. The project supported one inter-school pedagogical xi (incl. % achievement) meeting. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Indicator 19 (Kasai- A monitoring tool is used by inspectors during supervision West) Value 0 quantitative or Yes NA Partially Achieved Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Target partially achieved. This indicator was added during the MTR to Comments assess the impact of teacher training sessions on teaching practices. By the (incl. % achievement) end of the project, a draft monitoring tool was available but had not yet used. Percentage of Bureaux Gestionnaires de Proximite (BGPs) having Comite Indicator 20 de Gestion des Ecoles (COGES) quarterly meetings as documented by the (Kasai-West) Minutes Value quantitative or - 75 NA 82 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Target exceeded. This indicator was added during the MTR to monitor BGPs and related COGES meetings. The indicator replaced: “Percentage of Comments schools having COGES quarterly meetings as documented by the Minutes�. (incl. % achievement) The 2013 baseline is not available. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Annual qualitative surveys undertaken (“Bureaux gestionnaires de Indicator 21 one proximité� no longer collecting fees from the schools) (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 0 3 NA 2 Qualitative) 07/23/ NA Date achieved 02/28/2017 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Partially achieved. Two annual qualitative surveys were undertaken in 2014 (incl. % achievement) and 2016. Source: Project implementation team M&E reports. Intermediate indicators dropped at the MTR Indicator 22: Percentage of “cellule pédagogique� organizing (at least once every week management during working hours) (Equateur) Value quantitative or 10 N/A Qualitative) 07/23/ Date achieved 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Indicator dropped and replaced by intermediate outcome indicator 10 above. xii (incl. % achievement) Indicator 23: Percentage of “cellule pédagogique� organizing (at least once every week management during working hours) (Kasai-West) Value quantitative or 10 N/A Qualitative) 07/23/ Date achieved 02/28/2017 2013 Comments Indicator dropped and replaced by intermediate outcome indicator 20 (incl. % achievement) above. G. Ratings of Project Performance in ISRs Actual Date ISR No. DO IP Disbursements Archived (US$ millions) 1 12/01/2013 Satisfactory Satisfactory 3.33 2 04/09/2014 Satisfactory Satisfactory 13.20 3 12/09/2014 Satisfactory Satisfactory 42.94 4 06/27/2015 Satisfactory Satisfactory 63.64 5 08/03/2015 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 68.12 6 02/08/2016 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 79.85 7 10/25/2016 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 94.37 8 02/28/2017 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 100.00 xiii H. Restructuring (if any) Board ISR Ratings at Amount Disbursed at Reason for Restructuring Restructuring approved PDO Restructuring in Restructuring & Date(s) Change US$ millions Key Changes made Extension of the Moderately closing date from 05/23/2016 No 83.0 Satisfactory August 31, 2016 to February 28, 2017. I. Disbursement Profile xiv 1. Project Context, Development Objectives and Design 1.1 Context at Appraisal Country context 1. At the time of Project appraisal in 2012, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had a population of nearly 71 million people, with just under 40 percent living in urban areas. Despite being extremely rich in natural resources, including diamonds, copper, cobalt, crude oil, gold, as well as very fertile land, the country was one of the least developed in the world. It was estimated that over 71 percent of the population were living below the international poverty line of US$1.25/day. In some parts of the country poverty levels stood at more than 80 percent. The country ranked at the bottom of the 2011 Human Development Index (HDI), in 187th position, with an HDI of 0.286, well below the averages for countries in the “low human development group�, and below comparable countries in sub-Saharan Africa. 2. The Project was designed during a period of normalization of the country’s political context following a civil war which ended in 2002. In spite of persistent conflicts still occurring in some areas of the eastern province, DRC was able to make significant progress in stabilizing its economy. Since 2010, the country’s economic growth averaged 7 percent annually, exceeding the average for sub-Saharan Africa by 2 percentage points. At the same time, however, the social situation remained challenging. The legacy of the civil war, compounded by a need for strengthened institutions and more equitable distribution of goods and services, continued to present obstacles to more inclusive growth. Sector Context 3. At the time of Project preparation, the education sector in DRC faced considerable challenges. These included: 1) Barriers to access and continued inequity driven by high costs to households, poor infrastructure, and socio-economic and cultural factors that constrained access among girls and children from low-income groups and in hard-to-reach areas; 2) A poor learning environment characterized by the limited availability of textbooks and poor quality teaching; 3) Poor student learning outcomes; and 4) Weak management of the sector, specifically with regard to an inefficient operational system. 4. It is in this context that the Support to Basic Education Project (Projet de Soutien à l’Education de Base – PROSEB) was prepared under the Interim Education Plan (IEP). Key themes evolved around increasing coordination and efficiency gains to strengthen impact on the ground, while also moving progressively toward the achievement of the constitutional commitment of universal primary education. The IEP outlined priority actions necessary for primary education reform, and provided the foundation for development of an overall education sector strategy. This strategy included the 1 introduction of effective education models, proof of concept that could be replicated, and/or scale to increase access to quality primary education nationwide. Rationale for Bank Involvement 5. The PROSEB had a solid foundation premised on national development strategies. In particular, the deterioration of social services during the war years had dealt a blow to the well-being of the population that continues to resonate, and many Congolese placed renewed hope in the ability of the post-war Government to improve their living conditions. However, the World Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for DRC (2008-2011) recognized that economic growth alone would not necessarily translate into better living conditions. Thus, there was an acute need to strengthen economic management, maintain and invest in key infrastructure, and significantly increase public spending on social sectors to alleviate highly challenging social conditions. In the education sector, the main challenge was to move as systematically and rapidly as possible toward achieving the constitutional commitment to universal, primary education. 6. The CAS 2008-2011 had been developed to complement the activities of other donors, and built upon the World Bank’s strength in delivering advisory and analytical activities within the multi-donor assistance framework. The strategy focused mainly on three of the five pillars of the Government’s Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP): 1) Promotion of good governance and consolidation of peace; 2) Sustained and shared economic growth through infrastructure rehabilitation and expansion, and private sector development to foster economic diversification; and 3) Improved implementation of poverty alleviation programs. Other donors were expected to take the lead in supporting the remaining two PRSP pillars: combating HIV/AIDS and promoting community dynamics. In that context, development partners (DPs) agreed to step up overall support to meet the financing gap presented in the IEP.2 7. During preparation of the PROSEB, the previous IDA-funded project, the Education Sector Project (P086294, IDA-H3030) (Projet d’Appui pour le Redressement du Secteur de l’Education – PARSE) was drawing to a close. While PARSE was intended to close on December 31, 2012, it eventually ended 22 months later, on October 31, 2014. The PARSE’s original project development objectives (PDOs), as described in the Project Appraisal Document (PAD) and the Grant Agreement of June 8, 2007, were to “prevent further deterioration in the delivery of essential services for primary education and prepare the ground for sustainable development and financing of the sector that will facilitate donor coordination and future transition to a sector-wide program.�3 Critically, therefore, PARSE supported interventions aimed at increasing equitable access to quality primary education, while making schools primarily accountable for locally managed expenditures. Even so, there remained a need for DPs to cover critical gaps in the 2 In 2012, the total value of the IEP was FC1,911 billion with an estimated gap of FC371 billion. 3 The overall outcome rating for the PARSE (included in the ICR and validated by IEG’s IC RR) was Moderately Satisfactory. 2 availability of essential inputs (e.g., classrooms, textbooks), as well as to continue supporting sector-level reforms to ensure sustainability. 8. Through the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)-funded PROSEB, the World Bank, as the supervising entity (SE), focused on supporting the Government to address growing pressure on the education system arising from increased enrolment, demand for improved quality of learning (through provision of both quality textbooks and teacher training), and a particular need to introduce innovative methods and effectively strengthen systems. 1.2 Original Project Development Objectives (PDOs) and Key Indicators 9. According to the PAD and the Grant Agreement, the original PROSEB PDOs were to: 1) Increase access and equity in primary education; 2) Improve learning conditions in primary education; and 3) Strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability by introducing new management practices at the local levels. 10. The following key performance indicators were selected to monitor the Project and evaluate its achievements: 1) Primary net first-year intake rate, disaggregated by Male, Female, Total and Region (Equateur and Kasai-West); 2) Grades 3/4 and 5/6 French textbook/pupil ratio (Equateur and Kasai-West); 3) Grades 3/4 and 5/6 math textbook/pupil ratio (Equateur and Kasai-West); and 4) Percentage of “bureaux gestionnaires de proximité� (BGP) functioning according to regulatory norms and under results agreements (Equateur and Kasai-West). 1.3 Revised PDO (as approved by original approving authority) and Key Indicators, and reasons/justification 11. The PDOs were not revised during the Project life. However, one PDO-level indicator was re-worded during the Mid-Term Review (MTR), as illustrated in Table 1. This change was endorsed by the GPE on May 23, 2016 as part of the Project restructuring package. 12. Additionally, at the time of Project preparation, data was sourced from the 20104 annual census (the most updated data available at the time) and used for original baseline values in the PAD/Results Framework (RF). Subsequently, during the MTR in June 2015, the 2012-2013 census data were released and a more accurate data set was made available. The Project baseline values were then modified with data from the 2012-2013 census and associated end-of-project targets were recalculated on the basis of these updated baseline figures. 13. All Project indicators across the life of the Project, assumptions (including adjusted baselines for PDO-level indicators), adjustments to indicator wording, and other 4 Baselines were taken from 2010, 2011 and 2012 school censuses. 3 necessary clarifications are included in Annex 10, with additional details in Annex 2. The actual achieved values on the access and equity indicators are based on the 2015-2016 provincial annual school census data, while achievement on quality and management- related indicators are estimates from Project implementation team monitoring and evaluation (M&E) reports. Table 1: Original and Changed PDO-Level Indicator Original Indicator Revised indicator Observation Percentage of bureaux Percentage of bureaux Emphasis shifted from gestionnaires de proximité gestionnaires de proximité compliance to existing functioning according to financially supported by the norms/standards, to the regulatory norms and under a Project structure’s funding source results agreement (Project-supported or not). 1.4 Main Beneficiaries 14. The PAD identifies key Project beneficiaries as: 1) All school children 5 ; 2) Teachers, school directors, pedagogical advisors, inspectors in Equateur and Kasai West provinces and other officials in Ministry of Education (Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel - MEPSP6); 3) School managers at central and provincial levels in Equateur and Kasai-West provinces were designated to; and 4) Parents and communities. While some activities were designed to have immediate impact (provision of classrooms, textbooks, teacher training), others were intended to produce sustained gains by supporting system-building and strengthening the design of each component. In addition, the Project benefited the local community, the private sector, and the provincial/central Government Education Departments. Ultimately, the larger education sector also substantially benefited, given that the supply, quality and opportunities to access education increased. 15. Most of these beneficiaries were targeted in the Equateur and Kasai-West provinces, where the majority of activities were implemented (see Annex 10). However, activities had a national focus. They addressed issues relevant to other provinces in the country and were intended, in the long term, to be scaled up. Only textbooks were procured and distributed nationwide to all public and private schools, while managers at sub-provincial, provincial and central levels benefitted from working in a more structured environment. 5 To minimize implementation risks and maximize impact on the neediest areas, the Project was implemented in the two provinces of Equateur and Kasai-West, except for the textbooks component distributed nationwide. 6 This Ministry (Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel –MEPSP) became the Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Initiation à la Nouvelle Citoyenneté (MEPS-INC) in December 2014. By the end of the project, the Ministry became again the Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel – MEPSP. 4 1.5 Original Components PDOs were to be achieved through three components: Component 1: Increasing access and equity at the primary level through rehabilitation and reconstruction of classrooms (Original Allocation: US$24.4 million; Actual Cost: US$23.5 million) 16. Component 1 supported increased access and equity in schools from Equateur andKasai-West provinces 7 by rehabilitating/building 900 classrooms, which included addressing those built with non-durable materials. This also included facilities for 150 associated school director offices, 150 latrines and 150 water points. A total of 90 percent of the classrooms to be built under the Project were replacing temporary, non-durable structures in rural areas, with the other 10 percent to be rehabilitated under the Project were located in peri-urban and urban areas. In addition to the poverty and equity concerns that informed selection of the two provinces (see details below), the Project complemented Government efforts to build a fair and inclusive education system by constructing separated latrines for boys and girls, providing clean water to encourage girls’ education, and including around 10 percent of schools (between 10 and 15 sites) with a significant student population from indigenous families. Component 2: Improving the quality of the learning environment (Original Allocation: US$60.1 million; Actual Cost: US$63.0 million) 17. Component 2 supported improved quality of education and consisted of two sub- components: Sub-component 2.1: Teacher skills development in Equateur and Kasai- West provinces; and Sub-component 2.2: Provision of textbooks and pedagogical materials nationwide. Under this component, the Project aimed to combine in-service teacher training via a distance modality and an on-site approach, with delivery anchored at the school level and in networks of three schools (Réseaux d’écoles de proximité- REPs). Textbooks were to be procured for Grades 3 and 4 for French and math, and for Grades 5 and 6 for French, math, science and civics. A national textbook policy and program was also to be developed. Component 3: Strengthening sector management (Original Allocation: US$15.5 million; Actual Cost: US$13.4 million) 18. This component supported interventions aimed at ensuring that education sector management regulations were applied and strengthened as a basis for more efficient and more accountable sector management. It consisted of two sub-components: Sub- component 3.1. Restructuring of education administrative offices; and Sub-component 3.2. Other strengthening of institutional capacity. 7 On January 9, 2015, the country’s Parliament adopted a law increasing the number of administra tive provinces from 11 to 26. 5 1.6 Revised Component 19. No revisions were made to the Project’s three components during the life of the Project. 1.7 Other Significant Changes 20. MTR and Changes to the Results Framework (RF): Following the MTR undertaken in June 2015, it was determined that the Project’s RF needed to be revised to include data which had become available (from 2012-2013) and which coincided with the beginning of the Project. The original baseline values and end target values had been based on figures from the 2010 school census, as these constituted the most recent data when the PAD was being prepared in 2012-2013. At the time of the MTR, data from the 2012-2013 census became available, and since these data coincided with the start of the Project, the Bank and the Government jointly decided to update the baseline values in the RF and associated end-of-project targets as a way to ensure that progress made under the Project could be more accurately measured over the life of the Project. Annexes 2 and 10 provide additional details on the changes made to indicators, as well as baseline and end- of-project target values. Because the revised figures are based on the most robust and up- to-date data (from 2012-2013 census), these data were used for this Implementation Completion and Results (ICR) report. 21. Changes in Implementation Schedule: The Government requested an extension of the project closing date in a letter dated March 22, 2016, supplemented with additional information in a letter dated May 6, 2016. In response, the Bank approved a restructuring of the Project on May 23, 2016. The restructuring extended the Project’s closing date from August 31, 2016 to February 28, 2017. This extension aimed to provide additional time for the completion of construction activities, and for strengthening the implementation capacity of the MEPSP for the in-service teacher training program. 22. Costs: Although the three Project components were not revised, spending related to each component varied slightly from what had been estimated at appraisal, as shown in Table 2. Table 2: Summary of Planned/Actual Project Costs (US$) Components Planned Actual Component 1 24,400,000 23,477,425 Component 2 60,100,000 63,070,719 Component 3 15,500,000 13,374,152 Total 100,000,000 99,922,295 6 2. Key Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcomes 2.1 Project Preparation, Design and Quality at Entry 23. Soundness of the Background Analysis: The Project’s original design was informed by the World Bank’s CAS 2008-2011, which provided a detailed analysis of national needs/priorities, and by the Government’s IEP, developed to operationalize the primary education sub-sector strategy. The Project design incorporated lessons learned from closed and ongoing projects in DRC, as well as projects executed in other post- conflict countries, along with those from other GPE-financed Projects. The following key lessons were taken into consideration: 1) The need to strike a balance between essential inputs (e.g. construction, textbooks, teacher training) and broader sector reform interventions; 2) The importance of effective donor coordination; 3) The need to mainstream project implementation arrangements in government structures to strengthen ownership; 4) The need for effective supervision to ensure impact of the Project; and 5) The importance of Project readiness prior to project effectiveness. Overall, background analysis on underlying reasons for poor learning performance, gaps, and sector needs justified the choice of activities to be financed under the PROSEB. 24. The PARSE also supported a number of studies (Diagnostics organisationnels du MEPSP et du SECOPE) that formed the basis of analysis underpinning the institutional reforms proposed in the IEP. A study was also funded which supported the Government in developing a national policy for school rehabilitation and construction. This analytical work provided the basis for a more cost-effective approach (community-based design and use of low-cost local materials) which was adopted under the auspices of the IEP, and implemented by a number of donors. 25. Assessment of the Project Design: Project design and objectives were aligned with Government goals for the primary education sub-sector (see section 1.2). PROSEB also explicitly linked urgent service delivery to improved access to quality of education and development of the primary education system, thereby strengthening long-term sustainability in the sector. Furthermore, PROSEB’s design in terms of its implementation was grounded in the following principles: 1) Responsibility and accountability both at central and de-concentrated levels; 2) Equity in distribution of resources and prioritization of those most in need; and 3) Results-based contracting between provincial (Province Educationelle – PROVEDs) and sub-provincial (Sous Province Educationelle – S/PROVEDs) education offices. 26. While aiming to meet existing and more urgent needs, the Project design also included support to key institutional reforms, including: 1) Government’s aim of a fee- free primary education policy; 2) Employing a de-concentrated approach, requiring a strong sense of responsibility and accountability at lower levels; and 3) Performance- based agreements for more accountability in the management of school fees and delivery of services. 7 27. Adequacy of Government Commitment: Through its development of the IEP, the Government had demonstrated its commitment to achieve education for all. In addition, during Project preparation, the Government expressed its commitment to increasing allocations for the sector to finance teachers and other essential education expenditures. Subsequently, the designation of a Technical Advisory Unit (Cellule d’Appui Technique à l’Éducation – CATED) as a coordinating unit for donor interventions, reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to ensure alignment between national needs and donor’s efforts. 28. Donor commitment: Discussions at the appraisal stage, demonstrated commitment to the IEP framework on the part of donors. Extensive consultations with the Government and the Local Education Donor Group (LEDG) were held during Project preparation, with both entities offering key inputs. These discussions identified the six criteria8 used to determine the most deprived provinces, particularly in terms of girls’ schooling and the need for increased activity by donors. 29. Risk Assessment and Mitigation: The overall risk rating for the Project was considered high. This seemed appropriate given the challenging institutional context, as well as the challenges arising from difficult implementation factors (e.g., geographical accessibility) and the technical nature of some envisaged reforms. Sector level reforms included: in-service teacher training; payment of teacher salaries and financing of school fees through the government system as essential recurrent costs; mainstreaming project implementation arrangements in government structures; strengthening the capacity of the executing ministries (building stronger ownership of the sector management, improving governance and fiduciary management); and strengthening involvement of parents and communities in school management. Lessons learned from closed or ongoing Projects in DRC 9 , other post-conflict situations and other GPE-financed projects informed the assessment of risks. Furthermore, the team correctly anticipated the need to provide extra support for implementation, coordination and monitoring. 30. To minimize implementation risks and maximize impact in the neediest areas, the team decided to focus Project interventions in Equateur and Kasai-West. An exception was made for the textbook sub-component, which would be rolled out nationwide. The Project also retained the CATED as part of the implementation structure, to share information in a neutral way, to foster greater accountability, and to minimize implementation risk. 31. While the team accurately assessed risks, institutional capacity and level of readiness, mitigation measures did not fully account for identified weaknesses. As a 8 The following six criteria were used to capture the most deprived provinces: 1) Primary completion rate, 2) Number of out-of-school children, 3) Gender parity index in primary education, 4) Enrolment growth rate due to tuition-free policy, 5) Percentage of classrooms in durable material; and 6) Number of classrooms rehabilitated/rebuilt by donors and Government during the last 5 years as a percentage of the total number of classrooms in the province. 9 Sector Support Project (PARSE), Projet d’Appui à la Qualité de l’Education (PAQUED), with USAID. 8 result, Project implementation was delayed by the challenging implementation environment, weak institutional/community capacity to conduct oversight during construction, use of local networks or transportation for delivery of textbooks, and suboptimal introduction of results agreements with sub-national units. Quality at Entry Assessment 32. Project preparation was generally thorough and technically sound. A working relationship with the Government and other DPs had already been developed over the course of previous and ongoing Bank-supported operations. Consequently, the Bank team was able to build on this existing network to prepare the PROSEB to take on the role of SE. In addition to the CAS and IEP, the Project benefited from a Quality Enhancement Review (QER) on June 27, 2012, which acknowledged the complexity of the context and the team’s efforts to link the Project to the IEP for better alignment with Government and donor programs. Recommendations were also made to ensure the targets for the RF were appropriate in light of the allotted timeframe. These useful suggestions from the QER were used to strengthen the Project design. 33. In sum, the original project design and the objectives were strongly tied to the Government’s strategic agenda. The activities to be supported under the Project were technically sound and could plausibly lead to the intended outputs and outcomes of the Project. However, the original design was somewhat ambitious in light of the original time frame allotted for implementation. Moreover, additional effort could have been made to devise a more concrete action plan and to more effectively apply the risk mitigation measures identified in the PAD. 34. On the basis of the information above, the Quality of Entry is rated Moderately Satisfactory. 2.2 Implementation 35. The Project was approved on May 1, 2013 and became effective on July 23, 2013. An operational launch took place from July 16 to 19, 2013, in Mbandaka, Kasai-West (one of the two beneficiary provinces), with the participation of authorities from Equateur (the other beneficiary province). 36. By project effectiveness, a Steering Committee (Comité de pilotage-SC), chaired by the Minister of Education, was established. An Executive Officer was recruited to assist the Secretary-General (SG) of the MEPSP in overall project management, supervision and coordination. In addition, the project management team in the SG’s office was strengthened with fiduciary and procurement specialists from PARSE, allowing the PROSEB to benefit from experience and expertise gained through successful procurement activities and financial management under the PARSE. Terms of Reference (TORs) for capacity-building of the education technical directorates were developed before the Project became effective, while bidding for textbooks and the selection process for contractors to manage school civil works were well underway. 9 Training on teaching approaches and to encourage experience exchange had started, and actions for strengthening the education administrative offices prior to the disbursement of funds were realized. 37. On February 10, 2014, the Minister of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education, the GPE Chief Executive Officer and the World Bank attended the setting of the first stone for the construction of Kanzi Primary School in Gemena II educational province. 38. By July 2014, one year after PROSEB’s effectiveness date, the Project was on a satisfactory implementation path with 13 percent of expenditure executed. The MEPSP took strong ownership of the reform agenda and understood the need for strategic oversight of Project implementation. Work and functioning of the annual SC meeting, chaired by the Minister, was effective in guiding project implementation strategies and addressing related challenges and bottlenecks. In particular, the Minister’s engagement and participation in meetings with Local Executing Agencies (LEAs) was critical in solidifying commitment on the part of the LEAs to achieve Project objectives. Further, the procurement of most textbooks financed under the Project was completed based on 2010 school enrolment data. 39. As shown in Section G of the data sheet, from March 2015 until the Project’s end, the overall Implementation Progress rating fell from Satisfactory to Moderately Satisfactory. This was due to results on the ground progressing at a pace that was less than what had been targeted. In addition, after six months of Project implementation, the Government did not follow through on its commitment to finance provincial-level administrative offices, posing some challenges related to the effective implementation of activities at the local level. 40. PROSEB promoted a low-cost approach to school construction, using appropriate technology and local materials, through outsourcing of the program to specialized executing entities and communities. At the central level, procurement activities were handled by a newly created procurement unit (Cellule de Gestion des Projets et des Marchés Publics – CGPMP) within MEPSP. At the decentralized level procurement activities, were carried out by LEAs within a framework of a Contract Management Agreements (CMA) signed with MEPSP at the province level. These arrangements required the enhancement of PROVEDs’ human resource capacity (financial specialist, civil engineer) to ensure effective technical monitoring of the construction program implemented by LEAs. Limited access to construction sites, for logistical reasons, made site visits and monitoring of LEAs difficult. 41. Critically, the complexity of classroom and water points construction in a vast country with many hard-to-reach areas, as well as the associated costs, were underestimated at appraisal, as highlighted above. Unit costs for the construction of classrooms and water points were initially estimated at US$37,500 and US$3,000 respectively, while actual unit costs were US$40,800 and US$6,326, respectively. This led to a reduction in the total number of classrooms that could be constructed, from 900 10 to 858. Similarly, due to the scarcity of building materials and the remoteness of construction sites, at some sites water points needed more extensive excavation to reach the water table. As a result, the Project was able to build only 101 of the 150 water points envisaged in the original project design. 42. June 2015 MTR. Despite these challenges, the MTR revealed achievements of the Project and continued challenges. The review confirmed that the PDOs remained aligned with the Government’s goals for primary education. At that time, 12 schools had been built/rehabilitated. Nonetheless, ongoing distribution of textbooks demonstrated that the original target would not be adequate, due to the lack of accurate school enrollment data and poor demand forecasting at the time of procurement. The MTR estimated that an additional 1,943,391 textbooks would be required to meet the PDOs. A total of ten in- service teachers’ training modules were developed to strengthen the focus on knowledge and skills gaps identified in teaching practices, and to provide teachers with tools and techniques for more effective teaching approaches, as well as to improve their school management skills. A cascade model was adopted to reach all teachers in the Project’s targeted areas. In addition, the Project supported the operating costs for 165 management offices closest to the schools (BGPs), to reduce the use of school fees for administrative purposes. Finally, the directorate in charge of the teachers’ management unit (SECOPE) was strengthened through the development of a new organigram, the institutionalization of the system, and the provision of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment. 43. The MTR also reviewed the M&E system, and the RF was updated to use 2012- 2013 annual school census data. This was necessary because the original baseline reported in the PAD was based on the 2010 census, the latest available at the time of Project appraisal. However, when the 2013 census was released, it became evident that some end-line targets of the Project (e.g., GPI in primary education) had already been met in Equateur Province. Furthermore, the 2013 net first-year primary intake rate of 85 percent in Kasai-West was already 10 percentage points above the PAD target of 75 percent. 44. One intermediate-level indicator, related to the monitoring of inter-school pedagogical meetings, was dropped as a result of the MTR. This was replaced by an indicator on development and utilization of an M&E tool for in-service training. Because the Project did not directly support schools, the percentage of schools having COGES (primary school management committee) quarterly meetings, as documented by minutes, was also dropped and replaced by the percentage of BGPs convening COGES [BGP management committee] quarterly meetings, as documented by minutes. This allowed strengthened monitoring of improvement in BGPs, the management offices closest to schools benefiting from Project support. 45. These changes were documented in the MTR’s report and subsequently approved in the Project’s extension request sent to the GPE Secretariat on May 6, 2016. However, the RF was not updated under a formal restructuring. 11 46. Weak internal communication and decision-making channels, resulting from limited collaboration, were identified as key implementation bottlenecks. Capacity to effectively communicate Project results to stakeholders and the public was also deemed insufficient. 47. In response to some of these implementation challenges, the MTR focused on providing recommendations on how to further strengthen the M&E system in order to ensure that it could more fully track progress made under the various activities and components of the Project. Several measures were then recommended: 1) the development of a textbook distribution/tracking system and a study to assess textbook utilization in the classroom; and 2) an M&E system to track the number of teachers being trained and changes in their pedagogical practices. These tools were developed and were being piloted at Project closure on February 28, 2017.The July 2015 Implementation Status and Results Report (ISR), just after the MTR, maintained ratings on Progress towards achievement of the PDOs and Implementation Progress as Moderately Satisfactory. 48. Post-MTR, a marked improvement in Project implementation was observed, with an accelerated pace of implementation that enabled completion of the majority of planned activities. At the Government’s request, a six-month extension of the closing date, from August 31, 2016 to February 28, 2017 was granted, allowing additional time to more fully achieve the PDOs and intermediate-level objectives, particularly those related to construction, sub-divisional teacher training centers (Education Resource Centers for Sub-Divisions – CRESDs) and teacher training itself. The extension also allowed for the consolidation of gains realized up to that point. 49. Unfortunately, a fire in mid-August 2016 destroyed nearly half of the equipment intended to be distributed to four rural CRESDs and school networks in Kasai-West province. The total value of the equipment lost stood at US$489,678 and included 498 pedagogical kits, five printers, five projectors, 20 laptops and five solar panels. According to the Project team, the MEPS-INC transferred some of the equipment initially assigned to other CRESDs to the four affected CRESDs. This was to compensate for the loss, prevent negative impacts to the distance learning component of the training program and mitigate the impact of the risk arising from this incident. 50. By Project closing on February 28, 2017, most Project activities had been completed, and most end-of-project targets had been achieved or, in some cases, exceeded. Substantial progress towards achievement of PROSEB’s development objectives had been made, and nearly all of the grant (99.9 percent) had been disbursed. 2.3 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Design, Implementation and Utilization 51. Original M&E Design. The quality of the original M&E system and RF were sound. The RF included an adequate number of indicators at the PDOs and intermediate levels. Each of the indicators could be clearly linked to the project’s sub-objectives. Indicators were also closely linked to the PDOs and were, in most cases specific and 12 measurable. The team did use the most up-to-date data available at the time the Project was being prepared in 2013 (i.e., 2010 data). The design included the recruitment of a M&E expert to support Project implementation and the monitoring of activities at central and decentralized levels to increase the chance of successful implementation. The sub- provincial offices were directly accountable for implementation at school level. They were responsible for the collection and compilation of M&E reports before transmission to the PROVED. Further, both the PAD and operations manual laid out the M&E arrangements – specifying the scope of interventions aiming at strengthening school data and disseminating information related to public monitoring of project activities. The Project design also included a separate component for financing supervision costs and providing additional resources for M&E. This component also funded the collection and analysis of school data from the two provinces of Equateur and Kasai-West targeted by the Project. 52. M&E Implementation. Data collected through regular monitoring exercises were detailed in biannual progress reports and reflected in the World Bank’s ISRs. Despite the comprehensive design of M&E, MEPS’ capacity and geographical challenges in accessing some Project areas did not always allow for close and timely monitoring of construction activities. According to the construction audit, this ultimately affected the quality of work in terms of full compliance with technical specifications. The team’s strategic decision to update the RF in 2013 in light of the availability of more recent data was appropriate in order to accurately measure progress made under the Project. Nonetheless, efforts could have been made earlier to not only identify an M&E specialist, but also to ensure that all relevant stakeholders understood how indicators were defined, the methods of data collection and reporting, the importance of collecting data in a timely manner as well as the theory of change underlining some of the reforms. This situation improved gradually after the recruitment of an M&E specialist and efforts were made to fully measure Project achievements and to ensure the verification of results (e.g., construction and financial audits, annual qualitative surveys, project team monitoring on the distribution and use of textbooks). 53. M&E Utilization. A number of annual Joint Review Meetings (JRMs) were held during the project life. These meetings were used to discuss improvements, provide recommendations and make Project adjustments. The Bank and the Government also used the MTR to further strengthen the Project’s RF by including revised baseline, end- of-project targets and indicators as needed. Despite these positive efforts, M&E could have been even further strengthened if the Bank and the Government had been able to more effectively disseminate information on Project achievements and involve beneficiaries in project monitoring. Nevertheless, frequent supervision missions ensured continued monitoring of Project results and strong coordination with the Government. In addition, during the preparation of the ICR, the team worked with the Government to ensure the development of a comprehensive data set to measure Project achievements. 54. In light of the above, the design, implementation and utilization of M&E are rated as Substantial. 13 2.4 Safeguards and Fiduciary Compliance 55. Environmental and social safeguards. The Project had no significant irreversible environmental and social impacts. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was developed through consultations, before being submitted to the Bank’s Infoshop and disclosed in-country on November 2, 2012. The ESMF was used as a tool to avoid/minimize environmental and social impacts as a result of Project-led construction. An Environmental and Social Screening and Assessment Framework was also formulated. In addition, the Project was screened in order to assign appropriate environmental categorizations and to ensure environmental due diligence. 56. Construction activities triggered OP/BP 4.01 (Environmental Assessment) and OP/BP 4.11 (Physical/Cultural Resources), and construction companies were made aware of mitigation measures to be taken to address minor issues or any other issues that could arise. The ESMF recommended that a mid-term and a final audit of the implementation of the mitigation measures and of the implementation of the IPP be undertaken. However, this was not done. 57. The Project triggered OP/BP 4.10 Indigenous Peoples (IP) and OP/BP 4.12 Involuntary Resettlement. An Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework was prepared before Project appraisal. Regarding OP 4.12, a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) was prepared, but the Project did not require land acquisition. A dedicated safeguards specialist was recruited in 2016 to ensure adherence with safeguards standards and requirements through the implementation of an Indigenous Peoples Plan (IPP) prepared and implemented in 2016. From May 2016 to January 2017, the Project supported several activities aimed at promoting access of IP students to school and raising community awareness against all forms of discrimination against IPs. These interventions facilitated the enhancement of positive social outcomes, including the coordination and alignment of interventions with other World Bank-supported projects (transport, agriculture) to leverage the impact of PROSEB activities. Despite the initial delays in the implementation of the IPP, all activities were fully implemented before Project closing. On the basis of the information above, overall safeguards compliance is rated Moderately Satisfactory. 58. Financial Management (FM). FM was well-managed by a seasoned team who had experience working on other World Bank-funded projects. The external auditor was hired in a timely manner and submitted reports on an annual basis. Three external audits were carried out in a timely manner, revealing no significant irregularities – any observations, which were limited, were addressed before Project closing. For example, the 2015 financial audit raised concerns about the delays in Project’s implementation, especially for in service teachers’ training as well as construction activities. In addition, the MTR recommended that, as per contract agreement, penalty be applied to LEAs by July 2015. However, the Government’s project team did not act as quickly as recommended, and the penalties were applied to each LEA only in February 2017 after extensive follow up from the Bank team. These shortcomings did not prevent the 14 Project’s internal control system from providing timely and reliable information to manage and monitor implementation. 59. Reporting standards and protocols were adequate, and interim unaudited financial reports (IFRs) were submitted in a timely manner and in accordance with established World Bank procedures. The Project did incur ineligible expenditures in the form of unjustified advances made to external third parties in the amount of US$14,686. Reimbursement of these funds was still pending at the time of writing this ICR. Lastly, the final Project audit was unqualified. On the basis of the information above, overall FM performance under the Project is rated Moderately Satisfactory. 60. Procurement. Procurement under the Project was considerable, particularly given the size of the school construction program and the volume of textbook procurement. Procurement under the Project was, for the most part, timely and effective, although the cost of school construction and textbooks was higher than the appraised estimates. 61. In terms of procurement, the Project contributed to establishment of a functional procurement unit (CGPMP), which benefited from the hiring of a procurement expert and assistant with Project funds. The CGPMP complied with World Bank procurement procedures, and post-procurement reviews were conducted in line with project design. However, in some cases, issues were observed, such as poor contract management by the Project implementation team, delays and a lack of respect for technical specifications in construction contract execution by the four 10 recruited LEAs. Issues relating to these delays were addressed to an extent by the application of penalties, although the Project was slow in applying them and the rationale of the penalty applied was not always understood. Despite these difficulties, the majority of construction activities and all textbooks were delivered/received in the respective provinces. The Project selected local contractors to deliver manuals at sub-provincial level. 62. The main challenge was related to the procurement unit’s (Cellule de Gestion des Projets et des Marchés Publics - CGPMP) capacity, as a Government entity, to carry out procurement in conformity with the Bank’s standards and procedures. To strengthen capacity, the World Bank’s fiduciary team supported CGPMPs and contractors to apply procurement and financial procedures more efficiently. 63. A key challenge for textbooks procurement was the lack of accurate demand forecasting to enable predictable funding, and reduce waste. The DIPROMAD’s monitoring report confirmed that 93 percent of the textbooks were delivered to schools. Procurement under the Project is rated Moderately Satisfactory. 64. In light of the above, the overall fiduciary performance under the Project is rated Moderately Satisfactory. 10 A total of four LEAs were recruited for classrooms construction and water points. AGETIP-BENIN, CARITAS CONGO and BEPROD were in charge of classrooms construction; ANTEA-ATTEE and AGETP-BENIN constructed the water points. 15 2.5 Post-Completion Operations/Next Phase 65. Several investments focusing on improving the quality of education are currently supported by the Bank and other DPs in DRC. A new education project, the GPE funded Education Quality Improvement Project (EQUIP- P157922) which aims to further improve the quality of learning in primary education and strengthen sector management, was approved in FY2017. The EQUIP design builds on reforms initiated under PARSE and PROSEB, with the objective of catalyzing improvements and broaden the focus on quality primary education by enhancing the in/pre-service teacher effectiveness under the following three dimensions of: 1) Teacher training; 2) Teacher support; and 3) Teacher management. Technical directorates of the MEPSP, which have strengthened their technical/management capacities through PARSE and PROSEB, will continue to be in charge of project implementation. Building on lessons learned through the implementation of PROSEB, EQUIP will strengthen the sense of responsibility and awareness of accountability on the part of sub-national units and schools through performance-based agreements. Finally, the Project will raise stakeholder awareness of the reform process and garner their support through communication campaigns and workshops. 3. Assessment of Outcomes 3.1 Relevance of Objectives, Design and Implementation 66. The relevance of project objectives is rated high, given that they remain consistent with the overall goals and sector priorities of the country, including: 1) Vision Congo 2010-2030; 2) Education and Training Sector Strategy (SSEF) 2016-2025; 3) CAS 2013- 2016; and 4) World Bank Global Education Sector Strategy 2020. As highlighted above, project objectives were to: (i) Increase access to and equity in primary education; (ii) Improve learning conditions in primary education; and (iii) Strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability. 67. At closing, the Project continued to be tied to the government’s vision for education and consistent with the Education and Training Sector Strategy to build an inclusive, quality education system that contributes to national development and promotes peace and active citizenship in DRC. 68. Further, the Project contributed to the following two of the four objectives of the CAS: 1) Increasing the efficiency of the State at central level, while also decentralizing and improving good governance; and 2) Upgrading the delivery of social services to improve human development indicators. The design was aligned with the objective of the Bank’s Global Education Strategy 2020, striking a balance between the provision of essential inputs (school buildings, textbooks, trained teachers) and activities that contribute to strengthening accountability in the education system (low-cost strategies for school construction, decentralization of decision-making processes, use of results agreements). 16 69. The relevance of design is Substantial. The Project took into account the complexity and scope of the IEP. Its design was relevant, activities were linked to objectives and provided a sound plan for implementation. Selection of Project interventions was closely linked to the PDOs, given that school construction/rehabilitation, improvement of the learning environment, and effective school governance were, and remain, key to improving education sector outcomes in DRC. Appropriate targeting mechanisms were used to maximize impact and to ensure that the project reached schools in hard-to-reach areas, with a particular focus on girls and disadvantaged groups (indigenous peoples, students with physical disabilities). 70. Poverty and equity concerns informed the selection of the two provinces (Equateur and Kasai-West), with the following six criteria chosen through a participatory process involving the Government and LEDG: 1) Primary completion rate; 2) Number of out-of-school children; 3) GPI in primary education; 4) Enrolment growth rate; 5) Percentage of classrooms made of durable material; and 6) Number of classrooms rehabilitated/rebuilt by donors and Government during the last five years, as a proportion of the total number of classrooms in the province. An overall needs-based score was computed and used to select the first- and second-neediest of the 11 provinces. 71. The use of a de-concentrated approach was relevant, given the Government and Bank’s priorities of strengthening decentralized systems by instilling a stronger sense of responsibility and awareness of accountability at lower levels of the education system. The design of the program reflected the need to use existing systems familiar to policymakers, stakeholders and implementing agencies to maximize effective use of the short implementation period. Implementation was also mainstreamed through existing structures, and the Project introduced enhancements to strengthen planning, reporting, supervision and accountability. Lastly, scaling up was informed by lessons learned from previous projects. 72. Despite these positive features of the design and its relevance to the DRC context, there were a few shortcomings. The risk mitigation measures did not fully take into consideration a number of potential challenges including: 1) Limited capacity on the part of constructions companies at decentralized levels, which constrained the building of quality infrastructure; 2) Complexity of textbook procurement and distribution processes in a large country with many hard-to-reach areas; 3) Complexity of institutional reforms; and 4) The need for a robust monitoring plan to readjust project implementation modalities and maintain focus on results. 73. On the basis of the above, the overall rating for relevance is Substantial. 3.2 Achievement of Project Development Objectives 74. Overall efficacy for this project is Substantial. 75. The following section provides an assessment of achievement by sub-objectives with regard to: 1) Increasing access to and equity in primary education; 2) Improving 17 learning conditions in primary education; and 3) Strengthening sector management and promoting greater accountability. While the PDOs were not changed over the course of Project implementation, a number of performance indicators, and associated end-of- project targets, were adjusted in 2015. Despite changes in the RF, no significant change was made to the Project’s activities or scope. Changes were primarily linked to the inclusion of more accurate data and did not materially change the Project’s objective, scope or design. Therefore, while the ICR discusses the Project’s overall implementation progress, achievements and challenges in pre- and post-MTR periods, the results of this operation -- given the fact that the changes introduce did not materially change the objectives, design or scope -- are most accurately analyzed as a whole. For a detailed overview of activities undertaken and progress observed on each of the indicators over the life of the Project, refer to Annexes 2 and 10. Sub-objective 1: The Project aimed to increase access and promote equity through the construction/rehabilitation of classrooms. 76. The following progress was observed on relevant PDO-level indicators: 77. Before the MTR, progress was made on access to and equity in primary education, despite some delays. The disbursement rate for this component stood at 61 percent. In terms of access, the Government’s overall construction strategy served as a guide for the execution of the infrastructure program. Based on lessons learned from previous unsatisfactory experience, the Project’s approach for construction was deliberately different. A de-concentrated decision-making approach was introduced and tested in the two provinces, as the one used in the PARSE was unsuccessful. Moreover, the implementation model was used as an opportunity to build capacity for technical monitoring of school construction at de-concentrated levels of the Ministry, and COGES were involved in construction. Three LEAs were placed in charge of the operational management of construction. Sixty-six contracts were allocated to the construction of 758 schools and 126 latrine blocks, with construction on 126 sites. 78. In terms of equity, building specifications included ramps to facilitate access for children with physical disabilities. PROSEB also supported the development of a girls’ education strategy that aimed to harmonize and ensure the effectiveness of interventions supported by various stakeholders to accelerate progress towards gender equity in education. The strategy was intended to contribute to the country’s constitutional commitment to eliminate all forms of gender based discrimination and was written in line with the IEP’s objectives. 79. During this initial phase of implementation, the following trends were observed: From 2013 to 201411, the primary net first year intake rate was maintained at 65 percent 11 At the time of the MTR in June 2015, the 2014-2015 school census was yet to be released. The most updated data available were from the 2013-2014 annual school census and these data were used to observe the trend in the achievement on the Project’s indicators and to inform the MTR report. 18 in the Equateur and increased from 85 to 94 percent in Kasai-West. During the same period, the GPI increased from 0.84 to 0.85. In Kasai-West, GPI was maintained at 0.84. 80. After the MTR, significant progress was made in terms of access to education. As of March 31, 2016, when the grant extension was being prepared, 798 classrooms had been built/ rehabilitated using the same approach (Government construction strategy and de-concentrated approach). LEAs had difficulties constructing water points but, nevertheless, construction at 52 of the planned 150 water points was underway and the Direction des Infrastructures Scolaires (DIS) was working closely with the two LEAs (AGETIP-Benin and ANTEA-ATEE) to accelerate the construction of water points. 81. In terms of equity, the recruitment of a safeguard specialist in January 2016 was key to the implementation of the IPP. All constructed/rehabilitated buildings were equipped with ramps and action plans were developed to operationalize the girls’ education strategy in Project areas. Despite acceleration in the implementation of Project activities, additional time for the completion of a number of activities supported by the Project was needed to allow for the full attainment of the PDOs. These activities included the supervision of the completed school civil works program and the finalization of the construction of water points. 82. Overall, most of the component’s objectives were achieved. The infrastructure program utilized the Government’s construction strategy and a de-concentrated approach to increase access and promote equity in Equateur and Kasai-West provinces, with the involvement of primary school management committees. Lessons learned (see Annex 2) from this experience will help refine the national construction strategy. While this approach was highly appreciated at the decentralized level, it would be important and useful in the future to identify construction sites prior to project effectiveness. 83. By the end of the Project, substantial progress on increasing access had been made with 95 percent of planned classrooms constructed and rehabilitated (858 achieved out of 900 planned), 96 percent of planned latrines constructed (144 achieved out of 150 planned) and 67 percent of planned water points constructed (101 achieved out of 150 planned). Considering the short implementation period and the geographic and logistic challenges of carrying out civil works activities in DRC, these achievements are quite significant. 84. In terms of equity, the Project benefitted 1,422 students from indigenous communities. The inclusion of 11 schools (10 to 15 sites planned) with a significant enrolment of indigenous students and the subsequent distribution of 500 school kits for these children (350 boys and 150 girls) was also significant. In addition, the construction of access ramps for students with physical disabilities, as well as the construction of latrines and the provision of safe water in schools have proven effective in addressing barriers to girls’ education and bridging equity gaps. Finally, the development of action plans to promote girls’ education and to bridge equity gaps was a significant contribution to the strategic framework for promoting girls’ education in DRC. The Project intended to complement activities supported by other partners to promote girls’ education. These 19 included back-to-school campaigns and scholarship programs in Equateur and Kasai- West, supported by UNICEF and DFID, respectively. 85. The activities detailed above contributed to the following progress observed under PDO-level indicators: The primary net first-year intake rate in the Equateur province substantially increased, from 65 percent in 2013 to 85 percent in 201612, exceeding the end-of-project target of 71 percent. At the same time the GPI increased from 0.84 to 0.87 during the Project life, but fell short of the revised end-line target of 0.89. 86. In Kasai-West, data show inconsistent and mixed results. This includes a decrease in the primary net first-year intake rate from 85 percent to 80 percent at the end of the Project, even as August 2016 shows a net first-year intake rate of 103 percent. Over the same period (2013 to 2016), the GPI increased by 9 percentage points, from 0.84 to 0.93. 87. Based on the evidence presented above, the overall rating for sub-objective 1 is Substantial. 88. Sub-objective 2: The Project aimed to improve learning conditions in primary education. To improve quality, the Project supported: 1) Teacher skills development in Equateur and Kasai-West provinces; and 2) Provision of textbooks and pedagogical materials nationwide. 1. Teacher skills development 89. Before the MTR, progress was observed in overall performance of sub-objective 2 related to improving learning conditions in primary education. As of June 2015, 17 percent of the funds had been disbursed. 90. The school/local based in-service training was rehabilitated through an institutional framework, developed to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each department involved in in-service teacher training at central, provincial, sub-provincial and school levels. Nine of the ten teacher training modules had been developed to strengthen the knowledge and skills gaps identified in teaching practices. Modules were intended to provide teachers with tools and techniques for effective teaching approaches, as well as to improve their school management skills. The MEPS-INC made two adjustments to this component to access a larger number of teachers. It was decided to replace the use of Radio/TV with a distance learning approach that used an ICT-based training method more accessible to teachers in remote areas. In addition, the Ministry decided to create 35 resource centers (CRESD) at sub-provincial levels to further support the decentralization of the in-service teachers’ training activities. 91. A cascade model was adopted to reach all teachers in Project areas. At the time of the MTR, 405 inspectors had been trained in four modules, as well as approximately 12 The Project closed on February 28, 2017 and 2015-2016 school data were used to assess the Project’s achievements. 20 11,000 school directors in two modules. Furthermore, schools had been organized into more than 2,333 networks to practice self-training among the teachers. However, as noted during the MTR, the unavailability of a M&E tool made it difficult to measure the impact of these activities. The review recommended that an M&E tool be developed and at Project closure on February 28, 2017, the tool was being piloted. After the MTR 92. Progress continued to be observed in terms of in-service teacher training. A national system was established to upgrade teachers’ skills and meet their training needs according to the diverse social and geographic conditions of the country. The Project worked closely with partners implementing in-service teacher training (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD), United States Agency for International Development (USAID)) to develop the ten in-service teachers’ training modules. The program was translated into digital scripts, as part of the ICT package, to be used in 35 resource centers (CRESD) built and equipped by the Project. All of this support was embedded in a structured national framework, allowing it to be adjusted at central and local levels alike to adapt the training method (paper- and/or electronic-based to ensure a wide reach), and its content, to the specific needs of the trainees as well as to the country’s accessibility limitations arising from its challenging road networks and connectivity. 93. An estimated 33,380 teachers, school heads and inspectors were trained in seven of ten revised teaching modules. This number is expected to grow significantly, as teachers start using the 35 CRESD and the 2,333 school clusters (REPs) established as the main platform for in-service teacher training at local level. In addition, 364,350 teachers’ guides were procured and distributed nationwide to promote effective use of the textbooks provided to students. In the future, it will be important to ensure that the CRESDs delivered at the end of the Project remain functional and that the distance learning continue to be used to ensure that all the teachers in Equateur and Kasai-West are trained in the ten modules. 2. Textbooks and pedagogical materials 94. Before the MTR. Significant progress was made to improve the quality of education through the provision of textbooks to students in Grades 3/4 and 5/6. As of June 2015, 94 percent of the funds had been disbursed. 95. The Project team used the most up-to-date 2011 enrolment data to plan and organize the distribution of approximately 20 million textbooks in French, math and sciences. Unfortunately, this was insufficient to reach the target ratio of 1 textbook per child and the MTR recommended the procurement of an additional 1,943,391 textbooks. Furthermore, the lack of a tracking system and a study to assess the utilization of textbooks in classrooms was identified as a risk to the effective assessment of the Project’s achievement. Given the importance of this risk, the MTR recommended that such a study be carried out. A survey, conducted in 18 primary schools selected within 21 nine sub-provincial offices, confirmed that textbooks were delivered to schools. Additional efforts need to be put forth in the future in order to ensure the efficient and continuous use of textbooks delivered to teachers. Additionally, by Project closure on February 28, 2017, a textbook distribution tracking tool had been developed and was ready to be piloted. 96. After the MTR. An estimated 9,397,997 students benefited from the distribution of more than 22,000,000 textbooks for Grades 3 and 4 for French and math, and for Grades 5 and 6 in French, math, science and civics. In Equateur Province, a student/textbook ratio of 0.92/1 and 1/1 was achieved in French and math for Grade 3 and 4 students, respectively with a ratio of 1.37:1 and 1.4:1 for Grade 5 and 6 students. In Kasai-West, the student/textbook ratio for Grades 3 and 4 French and math textbooks was 0.72:1 and 0.84:1, respectively. For Grades 5 and 6, the ratio was 1:1 for both French and math. The division in charge of development of the learning materials (DIPROMAD) led a monitoring exercise which confirmed that 93 percent of textbooks had reached schools. 97. Further, DIPROMAD capacity was enhanced in the preparation, definition of technical/pedagogical specifications, and distribution of textbooks. DIPROMAD was also provided with digital equipment to enable staff to develop distance learning programs. 98. In addition to the survey conducted to assess the utilization of textbooks in classrooms, a web-based platform called ‘Allo, école!’ was developed in an effort to increase parents’ participation in school activities, and to enhance transparency and accountability in education. ‘Allo, école!’ was also an opportunity for teachers and school principals to communicate issues and grievances directly with the Ministry. The platform is both SMS and voice-activated, allowing illiterate or partially literate parents to voice their grievances. The platform was used as a pilot in 300 schools (plus 100 controls, as the pilot has been designed as a randomized controlled trial) to check textbook availability, among other topics. 99. During the pilot period, around 800 parents and educators placed a call with the platform, lodging a complaint or making a comment about textbook distribution. Grievances concerning school construction elicited the most calls – approximately 2,000 – and teacher training/absenteeism approximately 400. The high level of engagement from parents and communities demonstrates that, as planned in the PAD, social accountability can be successfully used in fragile contexts to engage beneficiaries in the monitoring of effective delivery of goods/services. This is particularly important in an environment where governance and capacity risks are considered substantial. 100. By and large, component 2 indicators were achieved. The Project succeeded in activating and improving school/local based in-service training through the combination of an on-site approach at the individual school level and a distance learning program for teachers. Textbooks and teachers’ guides were distributed to all primary schools. Successful elements of the distance learning program are ready for scale up and the Project supported the development of a textbooks policy, as well as the development of 22 an ICT-based textbook distribution tracking tool. The level of achievement of Sub- Objective 2 before and after the MTR is Substantial. Sub-objective 3: Strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability 101. This sub-objective aimed to ensure that regulations were applied and strengthened for more efficient and accountable sector management. Weak management, an inefficient operational system, duplicate mandates and parallel structures were to be addressed, and results-based agreements were to be used to re-establish norms and standards as a first step towards providing cost-effective quality education and increased accountability for results. 102. Before the MTR, progress had been made with the development of an institutional framework required to strengthen the sector’s management and promote greater accountability. As of June 2015, 13 percent of the funds had been disbursed. 103. Strengthen sector management. Norms and standards were developed for effective functioning of PROVEDs and sub-provincial administrative offices closest to schools (BGPs). These were agreed upon following extensive consultations facilitated by central level staff, on the roles and responsibilities of central, provincial, sub-provincial and school levels staff. These discussions also helped to clarify the lines of authority and accountability chains for all parties involved (PROVEDs, sub PROVEDs, BGPs, COGES), they were used to establish local management committees 13 at S/PROVED level, and identify the 165 BGPs eligible to receive financial support from the Project. The eligibility criteria specified that BGPs were officially recognized, received an administrative budget from the Government, adopted the new functional organigrams developed with support from PROSEB, underwent training on basic management and planning, and on the use of results-oriented approaches in day-to-day jobs. 104. The Project also helped to improve the management of teachers’ salaries through the development of a booklet to guide the establishment of new schools. These contributed to the enhancement of regulations pertaining to the establishment, staffing and coordination of inspectorate offices, and to halt the recruitment of teachers through unauthorized appointments. 105. A survey was published in June 2015 which measured the relative application of decrees prohibiting the use of tuition and other associated fees paid by parents to finance Equateur and Kasai-West administrative offices at sub-provincial and provincial level. The survey revealed that 5 to 10 percent of the school fees paid by parents were still being used to finance provincial and sub-provincial administrative offices. The survey recommended that the decree be further disseminated. 13 These committees were established by the Project and composed of the head of the office and an accountant, amongst others. 23 106. Promote greater accountability. The Project supported the establishment of two types of partnership agreements. The first, signed between the central level and the PROVEDs, established the norms and key results indicators to facilitate the provision of cost-effective quality education and increase accountability for results. Results-based agreements were also signed between PROVEDs, responsible for Project oversight, and S/PROVEDs technically accountable for project implementation. 107. Further, an operations manual was developed with budgeting and reporting tools for effective implementation of the results-based approach at provincial and sub- provincial levels. As described above, the Project team proactively decided to change this sub-objective’s indicator because the results-based agreements did not include specific indicators aligned with clear work plans and tasks. 108. By June, 2015, 23 percent of BGPs in Equateur and Kasai-West that were financially supported by the Government had received training on basic management, planning and reporting, had rationalized staffing based on a new organizational structure, and had consequently received additional funds from the Project to cover their operational cost. During the same period, the Government supported the payment of the first six months operational costs for 28 provincial level administrative offices, and an external financial audit was conducted to review the 2014 Project’s financial statements and internal control system. 109. After the MTR. Management, reporting and communication tools enabled effective monitoring and implementation of Project activities and a MEPS-INC internal communication strategy helped the Ministry achieve its mandate by enhancing internal collaboration, although this has yet to be implemented. The division in charge of the teacher management unit (SECOPE) was strengthened through the development of a new organigram and the provision of ICT equipment to assist in digitalizing teachers’ records. A national strategy for girls’ education was developed in consultation with other development partners, to provide priority interventions to address persistent gender disparities. In particular, action plans were developed in Project areas to address specific barriers faced by girls in accessing education. Collaboration between central and provincial departments and services enhanced the impact of these action plans. 110. Promote greater accountability. A second annual qualitative survey undertaken by the Project in September 2016, confirmed improvement in the management of financial records and resources among BGPs. The motorcycles, boats and funds provided to BGPs helped to improve the pedagogical support provided to schools. However, payment of operational costs did not reduce the amount of fees transferred upwards through the system to finance administration costs at sub provincial and provincial levels. The survey recommended that further action be taken by the Government to enforce the prohibition of collection of tuition and other associated fees to finance the administrative cost of the BGPs, as well as to ensure that parents are aware of the interdiction to levy school fees to finance administrative offices’ management costs. 24 111. The two external financial audits carried out after the MTR (2015 and 2016) were of unqualified opinion. A technical audit of the construction work was conducted in 2016 to assess the quality of technical specifications (including the quality of the school furniture), as well as effectiveness and efficiency. The technical audit assessed the implementation of civil works activities under the Project as generally satisfactory although additional efforts could be made in the future to further enhance full compliance with technical specifications. 112. It is worth noting that this component has a far-reaching impact on the financing of the sector. It also demonstrates the Government’s commitment to restructuring the administration of education as a prerequisite for financing and improving the delivery of education realized by the decision to increase the share of the budget dedicated to education, Government support for PROVED operational costs, and the decision to strengthen the management of offices closest to the schools (since their performance has greater impact on school outcomes). 113. Activities supporting reforms to increase accountability were ambitious as they aimed at implementing regulatory norms which were to be developed and agreed upon during project implementation. As reported above, the results-based agreements did not include specific indicators aligned with clear work plans and tasks. As a consequence, PROVED (i.e., supervisors) could not fully monitor BGPs’ application of the norms and standards related to quality and increased accountability for results. The change from providing funding to the BGPs applying the norms and standards to providing funding to those BGPs who had received training also changed the expectation among BGPs. As a result of changing the criteria, PROSEB ended up paying operating cost of all the 165 BGPs’ supported by the Project. The EQUIP project will build on these achievements and lessons learned to strengthen accountability for results through the support of performance-based approaches between the schools and BGPs. 114. The revised PDO-level indicator on the “Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité� financially supported by the Project in Equateur and Kasai-West provinces reached 81 percent and 82 percent, respectively, exceeding the target of 65 percent. 115. In light of the above, the rating for Sub-Objective 3 is Substantial and the overall rating for efficacy is Substantial. 3.3 Efficiency 116. Overall efficiency of the Project is Modest. The unit cost of construction compares favorably to other donor funded projects in the country and is comparable to other fragile countries. The unit costs for the purchase of teaching and learning materials is higher than most countries in the region but lower than fragile countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia. Moreover, 99.9 percent of the Project’s US$100 million was disbursed and the funds were largely spent in line with estimates made for the components during appraisal. 25 117. The school construction component accounted for 23.5 percent of overall expenditure. The Project built 858 classrooms, 141 managers’ offices, 144 latrine blocks (for boys and girls) and 101 water points (mostly boreholes). In addition, the Project built and equipped 35 CRESD for in-service teacher training. The construction program built on the Government construction strategy to promote the use of appropriate technology and local materials, outsourcing the program to specialized executing entities with community participation. This approach is more cost-effective and is in line with lessons learned from PARSE, as well as the construction programs of other DPs such as UNICEF and AFD. A comparison of the unit cost of construction (per square meter) indicates that the cost of construction under the Project compares favorably with other projects in the country. For example, as shown in Table 3, unit costs are 35 percent lower than AFD’s Fonds Social and 2.3 percent lower than UNICEF’s school construction program (non PRRIS). Table 3. Cost of Construction in DRC per m2 (US$) Cost per m2 Difference Percentage diff Project (US$) (US$) (%) PROSEB 226.48 PARSE Phase I (UNOPS) 350.00 123.52 54.54 FONDS SOCIAL (AFD) 307.00 80.52 35.55 PRRIS 277.92 51.44 22.71 APEP II 265.90 39.42 17.41 UNICEF (Other) 233.00 6.52 2.88 APEP 225.00 (1.48) -0.65 UNICEF (PRRIS) 225.00 (1.48) -0.65 CARITAS 223.00 (3.48) -1.54 PARSE Phase II (UNOPS) 180.00 (46.48) -20.52 Source: Authors’ calculations from project reports 118. At the classroom level, the unit cost of construction per classroom was US$40,800 (approximately 7 percent higher than estimated cost at appraisal). This cost is comparable with two recently closed projects in Liberia where the unit cost per classroom were US$40,000 and US$37,166, respectively14. However, the cost is higher than other low-capacity countries (Benin, Burundi, Côte d’Ivoire and Northern Uganda) where classroom construction costs between US$20,000 and US$25,000 per unit. 119. The Project provided a total of 22 million teaching and learning materials (21.7 million textbooks and 3 million teachers’ guides), accounting for approximately 46 percent of Project expenditure. The unit cost for textbooks, without delivery, was US$1.88. With distribution, the unit cost was US$2.06. The unit cost (without 14 Education Pooled Fund (EPF) and the Liberia Basic Education Project. 26 distribution) is 37 percent higher than the previous education project in DRC 15 (which closed at the end of October, 2014) where 18 million textbooks were distributed at the unit cost of US$1.3716. Two rounds of procurement (with consequently lower economies of scale) for PROSEB led to the higher unit cost compared to the previous education project in the country. 120. The unit cost is also higher in comparison to other education projects in the region which had a component for the procurement of teaching and learning materials over the last five to seven years. For example, in Eritrea 17 , the unit cost was US$0.96, in Mauritania18, the unit cost was US$0.66 and in Niger19, unit costs ranged from US$1.12 to US$1.43. However, PROSEB’s unit costs for learning materials were lower than those observed in a few other countries. For example, in Sierra Leone20, the unit cost ranged from US$1.95 to US$3.33 and in Liberia, the unit cost was US$4. 121. The procurement and distribution of French and math textbooks (for Grades 5 and 6) in Equateur province beyond what was required to achieve a 1:1 textbook to student ratio led to an oversupply of textbooks. The difficulties in obtaining accurate enrollment data hampered effective demand forecasting leading to a textbook to student ratio of 1.37 for French textbooks and 1.44 for math textbooks for Grades 5 and 6 in Equateur province. While these textbooks can be used for contingency stocks, the Government would need to ensure that they remain aligned with the curriculum taught. 122. Efficiency was also hampered by the fire that took place in mid-August 2016. Half of the equipment that had been procured for distribution to four rural sub-divisional teacher training centers and school networks was destroyed. The estimated loss was US$489,678 (or 0.5 percent of total Project funds). 123. The relative cost efficiency of construction compared to other donor-funded projects in DRC, as well as the internationally comparable cost of procurement and distribution of teaching and learning materials, justifies a Modest rating. Additional details of internal and external efficiency are included in Annex 3. 3.4 Justification of Overall Outcome Rating 124. Based on the combined ratings of Relevance of Objectives (High), Relevance of Design (Substantial), Efficacy (Substantial), and Efficiency (Modest), the Overall Outcome Rating for the Project is Moderately Satisfactory. 15 ICR – DRC Education Sector Project, 2015. 16 All unit costs are adjusted for inflation. 17 ICR – Education Sector Investment Project, 2012. 18 ICR – Education Sector Development Program, 2012. 19 ICR – Basic Education Support Project, 2013. 20 ICR – Rehabilitation of Basic Education Project, 2010. 27 3.5 Overarching Themes, Other Outcomes and Impacts (a) Poverty Impacts, Gender Aspects, and Social Development 125. Cross-Sectoral Work on Indigenous Peoples (IP). Eleven schools (8 percent) of reconstructed schools were located in areas occupied by indigenous peoples, as highlighted above. This has enabled 1,422 children from indigenous communities, including 575 girls, to access education in Project areas. The involvement of local leaders in Project activities helped to mobilize indigenous peoples and achieve the targeted results. 126. Gender. The Project specifically aimed to address gender inequality by including the GPI among six criteria used to select Project areas. Given prevailing gender disparities in the two provinces of Equateur and Kasai-West, the distribution of resources was based on the number of classrooms and girls enrolled, a ratio of 60:40. Furthermore, an effort was made to address gender inequality in Project areas by: 1) Ensuring that factors inhibiting girls’ enrolment were reduced (construction of separate latrines, water points); and 2) Developing a girls’ education strategy and associated action plans for Project areas. These interventions were intended to complement DFID and UNICEF efforts to accelerate progress in girls’ education. The main goal of VAS-Y Fille! the DFID-funded project, was to enroll and retain 56,000 girls in primary and early secondary school through a holistic program of economic support to families, quality teaching and learning activities, community involvement in education and accelerated learning programs. UNICEF interventions aimed at reducing school fees through back to school campaigns in order to address barriers to girls ‘education. 127. These combined interventions supported by the various DPs contributed to the achievement of substantial progress relative to the original baseline with regard to gender parity. The-end-of project target was exceeded in Kasai-West, but fell short of the target value in Equateur, as highlighted above. (b) Institutional Change/Strengthening 128. To support national efforts toward institutional strengthening through a learning- by-doing approach, a sense of responsibility and awareness of accountability at central and sub-national levels was emphasized, as highlighted above. Fostering existing operational structures of MEPSP ownership, while also building capacity to carry out Project coordination, implementation and monitoring activities, proved appropriate strategies. As a result, the sector – and the EQUIP project – will benefit from the enhanced capacity of Ministry of Education staff to design, implement, coordinate and monitor education projects. 129. Strong institutional will already exists to improve access to quality education. The EQUIP project will continue to support reforms that are already underway, especially those focusing on capacity development within the education system at provincial, sub- provincial and local levels. A national textbook policy has been adopted, as highlighted 28 above, and the Project financed software for the effective monitoring of distribution. Construction and planning processes were further strengthened by the participation of provincial- and local-level stakeholders. The girls’ education strategy, in-service teacher training framework, and support provided to de-concentrated levels in terms of budget execution all supported national efforts for sector system strengthening to improve education outcomes. 130. Finally, achievements in the strengthening of school governance have laid the groundwork for more efficient and accountable sector management. The sector will benefit from the EQUIP project to consolidate the approach developed for in-service teacher training and to support operational costs of provincial and sub- provincial administrative offices. 3.6 Summary of Findings of Beneficiary Survey and/or Stakeholder Workshops Not Applicable. 4. Assessment of Risk to Development Outcome 131. The Risk to Development Outcome is rated Moderate. 132. Due to additional classrooms being constructed and rehabilitated under the Project, it is expected that primary school gains (in enrolment and quality) will be maintained and will continue to increase in Project areas. A new school director leadership training program, aimed at improving management and maintenance of school assets, is currently being developed with support from DFID/USAID ACCELERE! project. Enhancing the capacity of inspectors and school directors is also a key feature of the EQUIP project. These measures will further strengthen the impact of support provided under the PROSEB. In addition, the enhancement of the capacity of technical staff during implementation activities will enable them to apply the acquired skills while carrying out their duties within the education system. As shown in a recent series of meetings organized by the Minister of Education to mobilize further support in favor of education in DRC, the Government remains committed to the effective implementation of the SSEF. 133. Critically, the implementation of the roadmap 21 discussed and agreed with all stakeholders to re-establish: 1) Norms and standards; 2) The provision of cost-effective quality education; and 3) Increase accountability for results, is likely to continue given the political support provided by the Government. The in-service teachers’ training system established by the Project may be at risk if CRESDs and distance learning infrastructure are not utilized, or if Project areas continue to be impacted by increased fragility and new conflict. Payment of operating costs for sub/provincial school management offices by the Government is also critical to reducing the burden of 21 A roadmap on the need to restructure administrative offices as a prerequisite for financing and efficient service delivery was cosigned by the MEPSP (Secretariat General) and the faith-based organizations (FBOs). 29 education costs for poor students and to providing an adequate teaching and learning environment for students and education staff. 134. Further, while the current fiscal crisis, slowed growth and reduced revenue, make it difficult to forecast availability of funds in the future, significant resources are currently being directed towards the sector by both the Bank and other DPs who remain committed to working together towards the achievement of the SSEF. Ongoing DP-supported projects at the primary school level include: the aforementioned GPE-funded EQUIP Project (US$100 million); World Bank funded Human Development Systems Strengthening (US$13.02 million); Project USAID/UKAID ACCELERE!� 22 (US$180 million); the UNESCO-China Funds-in-Trust Project (CFIT) on enhancing quality teacher training in Africa (US$1.0 million); APEP 2 projects (Euros 38 million); and UNICEF’s education program (US$93 million). 5. Assessment of Bank and Borrower Performance 5.1 Bank Performance (a) Bank Performance in Ensuring Quality at Entry Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 135. The PDOs were highly relevant and remained so throughout the project, as discussed above. Project preparation was characterized by a good degree of collaboration among development partners. The Project preparation team possessed the skills needed to prepare the operation and benefited from expert advice in each key thematic area. Technical aspects of the Project were well-developed and appropriate for the sectoral, institutional and policy context of the country. The task team took into consideration recommendations from peer reviewers and lessons learned from other World Bank- supported projects in DRC and other relevant contexts, as highlighted above. Even so, and despite the strong alignment of the project’s objectives with the Government’s strategy and the CAS, the original Project design was ambitious in terms of its estimation of the institutional and operational capacity of the Government to implement and monitor such a large operation. The risks identified at entry were appropriate. Specifically, risks related to FM, overall implementation capacity and, most constructively, M&E. Additional efforts could have been made to develop a timely action plan to roll out the risk mitigation measures identified in the PAD. 136. Based on the Project’s strong alignment with the Government’s strategic agenda and the strong link between project-supported activities and the overarching PDOs of the Project, the rating for Quality at Entry is Moderately Satisfactory despite some of the small limitations described above. 22 From the French Accès (access), Lecture (instruction), and Retention et Redevabilité (retention and accountability). 30 (b) Quality of Supervision Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 137. Performance with regard to the Quality of Supervision is rated Moderately Satisfactory based on the following: 138. Throughout the Project life, the World Bank team worked closely with the Government on implementation. Staff turnover was minimal, allowing for enhanced continuity. The same team leader (initially involved in Project preparation as a team member) implemented and closed the Project. The World Bank team helped the Ministry overcome significant challenges, while Project supervision benefited from technical expertise in key areas (e.g., construction, textbooks) and also built Government capacity in major operational areas (FM, procurement). 139. Due diligence undertaken by the World Bank’s financial management and procurement teams was thorough, detailed and adhered to required Bank procedures. When fiduciary issues arose during Project implementation, teams were quick to react and to provide necessary support and guidance. Procurement guidelines were applied to ensure that procurement activities under the Project closely adhered to the Bank’s fiduciary guidelines and standards. 140. Joint reviews with the LEDG and Government were conducted regularly, as highlighted above. By the time of the MTR in June 2015, the team was clear about the need to strengthen Project monitoring and made concrete recommendations to address shortcomings. However, while the decision to revise the RF in light of more recent data at the MTR was appropriate, the Bank should have undertaken a formal restructuring of the Project (although the changes which were introduced were later on endorsed by the GPE). 141. Moreover, the design was ambitious in terms of its estimation of the institutional and operational capacity of the Government to implement and monitor such a large operation, as highlighted throughout this report. While the M&E system established was generally sound, tracking of key indicators during the Project life could have been more systematic. Timely recruitment of an M&E specialist would have improved implementation processes and strengthened monitoring of progress toward outcomes, as highlighted above. 142. Based on the information described above, the Quality of Bank supervision is rated Moderately Satisfactory. (c) Justification of Rating for Overall Bank Performance 143. The overall rating for Bank performance is Moderately Satisfactory based on the rating of Moderately Satisfactory for both Quality at Entry and Quality of Supervision. 31 5.2 Grantee Performance (a) Government Performance Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 144. The Government collaborated closely with the Bank in the preparation and implementation of the Project. A Project Implementation Team was established within the MEPSP by Ministerial Decree. The Secretary General took steps to ensure that adequate FM systems and capacity were in place and functional throughout the Project cycle. As discussed above, the performance in FM was generally adequate. The Government also played an active role in the Project’s MTR and was proactive in its organization of Joint Annual Reviews by preparing all necessary documentation required for successful meetings. The Government is also commended for its commitment to complex reforms in a challenging institutional context. 145. Delay in the recruitment of an Environmental and Social Safeguard Specialist, as well as an M&E expert, initially affected the timely preparation and implementation of the IPP, as well as effective management of the Project’s RF. Both posts were filled some two years after the three-year Project began. Following their recruitment, the quality and completeness of safeguards and M&E reporting improved. 146. Although the Project was aligned with the Government strategy, it did not fully account for the capacities of various institutions on which it relied for its effective implementation, as highlighted throughout this assessment. Even so, the Government was able to effectively support coordination among stakeholders, although more might have been done (e.g., systematic beneficiary surveys) to ensure greater information sharing, more vigorous public monitoring, synergies and alignment of interventions would have helped deliver better results. Specifically, additional steps for effective technical supervision, would have ensured full compliance of school construction with technical requirements; teacher training, textbook distribution and strengthening of BGPs would have also benefited from a more coordinated, strategic sequencing of interventions and a realistic implementation schedule to achieve expected results. Notwithstanding these challenges, the Government’s continued commitment to implementing project-supported activities significantly contributed to the large number of achievements observed during the life of the Project. 147. On the basis of the information summarized above and detailed in other sections of this report, the Government’s Overall Performance is rated Moderately Satisfactory. (c) Justification of Rating for Overall Grantee Performance Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 148. On the basis of the above, the Overall Grantee Performance is rated Moderately Satisfactory. 6. Lessons Learned 32 149. Enhancing Ministry of Education capacities in a fragile context, while effectively delivering a program, can serve as a bridge towards sustainable development. Involvement of Ministry of Education staff in day-to-day Project activities helped strengthen their ability to effectively deliver services on a sustained basis. This was achieved by enhancing their expertise in areas such as technical management of school construction and textbook production, and by strengthening their ability to work effectively as a team. Weekly coordination meetings organized by the Project team, as well as extensive exchanges during Joint Review Meetings, have greatly contributed to building ownership, trust and stronger cohesion within and between technical directorates at central and decentralized levels. 150. Social accountability can be successfully used in fragile contexts to promote accountability at local and national levels. High levels of engagement from parents and communities with the web-based platform shows that such a platform to promote engagement in school activities can be used as a catalyst for social development, information-sharing, and to bring opportunities for oversight closer to citizens even in contexts where governance and capacity risks are high. 151. Effective preparation and strategic monitoring of civil works in a fragile context is one of the most critical steps for achieving targeted results, both in terms of numbers and quality of classrooms constructed. Although bids are intended to be adjusted for inflation, persistent cost overruns resulted in the numbers and/or specifications of classrooms and water points being reduced during Project implementation. A thorough assessment at appraisal stage, including of the availability of skilled employees, and the capacity of the private sector to procure and deliver construction materials in a timely manner as well as the selection of the construction sites, are key to effective risk assessment and for setting realistic timeframes and cost estimates. Despite some of the challenges observed in implementing civil works activities as documented in the ICR, a significant number of classrooms were constructed and rehabilitated, and latrines, water points and staff offices were built. 152. Priority actions are necessary to build momentum and catalyze broader support for the enactment of policy reforms geared toward a fast transition to strategic goals. Given the complexity of some of the institutional reforms envisaged by the Project, the adoption of regulatory norms and the development of the in-service teacher training framework prior to project effectiveness would have helped achieve quick results more efficiently. 153. Important and far-reaching reforms require significant time and an understanding of the underlining theory of change. The decision to support sector- level reforms initiated by PARSE, continued by PROSEB and to be sustained under the EQUIP project is commendable. These require improved institutional capacity of key stakeholders to implement an effective enabling framework (in this case, decrees and regulations). An accurate comprehension of challenges, a shared understanding of how and why project interventions lead to specific changes are essential to building trust and 33 mobilizing beneficiaries. The EQUIP Project is expected to further strengthen the articulation between the application of norms and standards and the institutional reforms. 7. Comments on Issues Raised by Grantee/Implementing Agencies/Donors (a) Grantee/Implementing Agencies 154. A summarized version of the Government’s ICR can be found in Annex 7. The full completion report for the Project has been archived in World Bank Documents (WBdocs). (b) Co-financiers/Donors Not Applicable. (c) Other partners and Stakeholders Not Applicable. 34 Annex 1. Project Costs and Financing a) Project Cost by Component (in US$ Million equivalent) Component Original Total revised Project Actual Percent cost project disbursements disbursed allocation 1 - Increasing access 24.4 24.4 23.5 96.2 and equity at the primary level through Rehabilitation and Re- Construction of Classrooms 2 - Improving the 60.1 60.1 63.0 104.9 Quality of the Learning Environment 3 - Strengthening 15.5 15.5 13.4 86.39 Sector Management Total Project Costs 100 100 99.9 99.923 (b) Financing Source of funds Appraisal Actual/latest Percentage Estimate Estimate of (US$ millions) (US$ millions) appraisal Global Partnership for 100.00 100.00 100 Education (c) Total Disbursements in US$ (based on client connection data from July 25, 2017) US$ Original Credit Allocation Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed 100.00 100.00 0.00 100.00 0.00 23 On February 28, 2017 when the last ISR was archived, the actual disbursement amount was recorded as US$100 million. However, the US$61,000 undisbursed amount was returned to the Bank on July 17, 2017. In addition, a reimbursement of an ineligible expenditure of US$14,686 is currently being processed. 35 Annex 2. Outputs by Component 1. The GPE-funded PROSEB (in the amount of US$100 million) consisted of three components which are i) Increasing access and equity at the primary level through Rehabilitation and Re-Construction of Classrooms; ii) Quality of learning Environment; iii) Strengthening Sector Management. Together, activities supported under these components aimed to: (i) Increase access to and equity in primary education; (ii) Improve learning conditions in primary education; and (iii) Strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability. The Project was approved by the GPE Board on November 20, 2012, signed on May 15, 2013 and declared effective on July 23, 2013 to complement the assistance from other partners who support the country’s effort to implement its IEP for the period of 2012 - 2015. The main aspects of the Project included: the use of a targeted approach to maximize impact; support to ensure effective implementation, supervision; and to reforms while drawing lessons from activities before scaling them up. Most of the project-supported interventions were implemented in two provinces (Equateur and Kasai-West); only textbooks were procured and distributed nationwide to all public and private schools. 2. The MTR took place in June 2015, in Tshikapa, Kasai-West, one of the two project administrative provinces. The review was attended by a wide-range of stakeholders, including central and local authorities of both project provinces, technical ministerial staff, civil society, inspectors, teachers’ unions. At this point no major changes were introduced and progress towards the achievement of the PDO had been strong. However, the Government, DPs and the Bank decided to revise the Project’s results framework (RF) using the 2013 school data that had just been released. This was necessary because the original baseline reported in the PAD was based on the 2011 annual school census available at the time of the project appraisal. These changes were documented in the MTR’s report and subsequently approved in the project extension request which was sent to the GPE Secretariat on May 6, 2016. 3. The Project was restructured in May 2016 to extend its closing date by six months, thereby enabling the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, and Initiation to Citizenship (MEPS-INC)24 to successfully achieve the intended results of the Project. The ICR provides the most up-to-date and accurate figures on the level of achievement observed across all output and outcome indicators. Project Achievements 4. The following provides an overview of outputs and outcomes under each component of the Project. 24 This Ministry (Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel –MEPSP) became the Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Initiation à la Nouvelle Citoyenneté (MEPS-INC) in December 2014. By the end of the Project, the Ministry became again the MEPSP. 36 Component 1: Increasing access and equity at primary level through rehabilitation and re-construction of classrooms (Original Allocation: US$24.4 million; Actual Cost: US$23.5 million) 5. Objectives under this component were to: (i) rehabilitate or replace classrooms in disrepair and those built with non-durable materials; (ii) add or rehabilitate auxiliary facilities such as latrines and water supply; and (iii) involve primary school management committees (COGES) in the management of school infrastructure, including furniture. Significant progress was observed under this Component as can be observed in Table 1. Table 1: Achievements in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of classrooms Provinces Target % of derived target Baseline Baseline Target Project Indicators from achieved 2011(PAD) 2013 2011(PAD) closing 2013 data Equateur Number of additional classrooms built or rehabilitated at the primary level resulting 0 0 504 504 480 95.2% from project interventions in Equateur and Kasai West25. (Number, Core) Number of latrine blocks built (Equateur Province) (Number, 0 0 84 84 78 92.9% Custom) Number of water points installed (Equateur Province) 0 0 84 84 78 92.9% (Number, Custom) Kasai- Number of additional West classrooms built or rehabilitated at the primary level, resulting 0 0 396 396 378 95.5% from project interventions in Equateur and Kasai Province (Number, Core) Number of latrine blocks built (Kasai Province) (Number, 0 0 66 66 63 95.5% Custom) Number of water points installed (Kasai Province) 0 0 66 66 23 34.8% (Number, Custom) 6. Specifically, the Project aimed to build/rehabilitate 900 equipped classrooms and auxiliary facilities (offices for heads of schools, an eight-cabin latrine block) in 150 schools. It also targeted the construction of 150 water points (boreholes, wells or connections to existing water systems). Each school thus was to have six classrooms with 25 900 classrooms was the total target for the two provinces. 37 desks, a head of school office, an eight-latrine block (4 latrines for girls and 4 for boys), and a water point. Distribution of resources between the two provinces, Equateur and Kasai, was based on the numbers of classrooms and girls enrolled, with a 60/40 division between the categories. Based on these criteria, 56.51 percent of funds were allocated to Equateur and 43.49 percent to Kasai-West. Classrooms and auxiliary facilities (head of school offices, latrines, desks) 7. Implementation of this component was delegated to de-concentrated levels of the Ministry of Education, which recruited three LEAs to ensure the operational management of the construction program, namely, AGETIP-Benin, Caritas-Congo and BEPROD. The innovative approach adopted by the project mandated responsibility for the identification of construction sites to the deconcentrated structures of the Ministry of Education (PROVEDs). Therefore, classroom building sites were not identified at project appraisal. The school building management Directorate at the central level was responsible for certifying the sites before their validation and transmission to the implementing agencies responsible for the implementation of the constructions. This approach was highly appreciated by the decentralized level. 8. In the course of the implementation, a competition was launched between the PROSEB program (900 classrooms) and a second project after the PRRIS (1000 classrooms) led by the BeCeCo for the benefit of the Ministry of Education. The conditions for the PRRIS classrooms were very advantageous compared to those of the PROSEB for the implementing agencies and the companies. Several companies were involved simultaneously in both projects and the work of the PROSEB had to wait. 9. As the tables below show, the project financed the construction of 858 classrooms (out of the 900 planned) in 141 primary schools; 141 latrine blocks (out of 150); 101 water points (out of 154); 141 offices for school heads (out of 150); and 20,966 student desks. The Project also supported the construction of access ramps for persons with disabilities. The shortfall between planned and actual infrastructure occurred because the project team decided not to build 42 planned classrooms, wherein unit costs exceeded appraisal cost estimates by more than 20 percent. In all, the unit cost for a block of four classrooms was US$ 40,800 against a planned amount of US$37,500; other infrastructure was constructed at the same time. Table 2: Constructions per LEAs Offices for school Schools Classrooms Latrines directors LEAs Planned achieved Planned Achieved Planned Achieved Planned Achieved AGETIP- 61 57 57 61 57 372 354 61 BENIN CARITASC 64 59 59 64 59 378 276 59 ONGO BEPROD 25 25 150 228 25 25 25 25 Total 150 141 900 858 150 141 150 141 38 School furniture 10. Each school of the 141 schools received 149 students’ desks, 10 chairs, two cupboards with double doors, six tables for teachers and two office desks. Students, teachers and school heads and cabinets were to be procured from local communities, but which had limited experience in the production of school furniture. The technical audit team (see below) reported challenges that affected work quality; design and specifications of desks were not aligned to basic quality/durability standards and norms. For example, the wood used was not dry enough, which had an impact on the finishing. To address these issues, Caritas-Congo, one of the suppliers, instead manufactured desks in Kinshasa; this furniture was of a much better quality than desks produced by the two other LEAs. Table 3 : School furniture LEAs Pupils desks Teachers’ Teachers’ Cabinet Head of school Head of school desks chairs desks chairs Agetipe 8,870 354 849 165 110 N/A Beprod 3,600 150 150 50 50 150 Caritas 8,496 354 354 118 118 118 Total 20,966 858 1,353 333 278 268 Water points 11. Construction of water points was carried out by two LEAs, ANTEA-ATTEE for Kasai-West and AGETIP-Benin for Equateur. In certain locations, the LEAs had difficulty implementing water points that required deeper excavation than foreseen, with the water table sometimes unreached despite significant efforts and funding. The technical audit team has recommended further surveys to establish the depth of the water table in these sites. For security reasons, the ICR mission could not go to the field, and thus was unable to confirm whether the issue was addressed by the end of the Project. As a result, the unit cost of water points was significantly higher than appraisal estimates. The average actual cost for water points was US$6,326 for an original allocation of US$3,000; Average actual cost for boreholes in Kasai-West and US$16,000 at the Equateur against a planned amount of US$18,000. By project end, therefore, 101 water points were constructed, out of the 154 originally planned. Table 4: Distribution of Water points per LEAs LEAs Planned Actual AGETIP-Benin 86 78 ANTEA-ATTEE 68 23 39 Total 154 101 Awareness campaign 12. The LEAs organized an awareness campaign focusing on school safety, security and HIV prevention to boost school enrolment, given that some families had refused to send their children to school before project implementation because of poor infrastructure. As a result, families eventually felt confident to send their children to school. In addition, the campaign promoted girls’ education and encouraged indigenous families with school-age children to enroll them, thereby supporting Government efforts to increase access, promote equity and end discrimination against IPs. As initially planned, indigenous students are attending 11 schools supported by the project. 13. A technical audit was conducted in November 2016 to obtain an external view on efficiency of investments under the construction component. The audit rated overall performance of the component “moderately satisfactory�. As noted in the audit report, the Project successfully met the target of the component, with execution of the infrastructure program building on Government education construction strategies. Appropriate local materials were used, and the program was outsourced to specialized executing entities, with community participation in the management of school infrastructure and furniture. 14. The audit also noted that slow take-off, a lack of technical capacity and accessibility (geographic) challenges resulted in construction delays and shortfalls in terms of full compliance with technical specifications. Institutional arrangements and implementation modalities were well-designed and functional at the beginning of the Project but implementation challenges altered the quality of work in terms of full compliance with technical specifications. In addition, implementation began eight months after the grant was signed because of challenges in contract finalization (e.g., identification of sites, approval by provincial education administrators). 15. Thus, construction activities intended to be carried out from November 2013 to August 2016 ended up being implemented between February 2014 and February 2017. Delays were further reflected in the extension of the project closing date from August 31, 2016 to February 28, 2017 and a two to five percent penalty was applied to the three LEAs’ last payment depending on the length of the delay. Finally, while community participation in the work raised awareness of responsibility and accountability among project beneficiaries, transfer of construction skills was constrained by limited capacity in the LEAs. Some of the LEAs and construction companies at the community level were not knowledgeable of technical specifications and prioritized convenience over quality. Table 5: Delay penalty to LEAs LEAs Contract amount US$ Schools Delay (in days) Penalty US$ AGETIP-BENIN 823,641 57 335 22,567.33 CARITAS-CONGO 892,583.93 59 457 49,640.68 BEPROD 335,162.00 25 245 7,193.25 Total 2,051,386.93 141 79,401.26 40 16. Despite these challenges, the Project achieved many significant gains in terms of increasing access to and equity in primary education in the Equateur and Kasai-West provinces. A total of 858 classrooms (900 planned), 144 latrines (150 planned), and 101 water points (150 planned) were constructed by the Project. By project closing, 95 percent of construction and rehabilitation planned under the Project had been successfully completed. Component 2: Improving the quality of the learning environment (Original Allocation: US$60.1 million; Actual Cost: US$63.0 million) 17. The objective was to improve quality by supporting (i) teacher skills development in Equateur and Kasai-West and (ii) provision of textbooks and pedagogical materials nationwide. Two sub-components were supported under Component 2: (i) strengthening in-service training; and (ii) provision of learning materials. Progress toward achievement of these objectives was tracked by measuring the Project’s impact on the following intermediate-level indicators. Sub-component 2.1: Strengthening in-service training 18. The Project took steps to reactivate school-/local-based in-service training courses and improve interventions through the revision of 10 training modules focusing on knowledge and skills gaps identified in teaching practices. An on-site approach was combined with a distance learning program to allow access to a large number of teachers; reduce course dropouts, which often occur when teachers need to travel to training program; avoid protracted absences from schools; and reduce costs associated with travel. Table 6: Achievements on in-service teachers’ training Provinces Target Baseline Baseline Target derived Project Indicators 2011(PAD) 2013 2011(PAD) from closing 2013 data Equateur Number of additional qualified primary teachers resulting from project 0 0 21000 21000 19 080 interventions (Number, Core) Kasai-West Number of additional qualified primary teachers resulting from project 0 0 21000 21000 13895 interventions (Number, Core) For both A system to monitor and Equateur and evaluate teachers' in-service No Yes - Kasai-West training is operational26 Provinces (Yes/No, Custom) 26 Indicator added during the MTR to assess the impact of teachers’ training on their teaching methods. 41 19. An institutional framework was developed to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each department involved in in-service teacher training at central, provincial, sub- provincial and school levels. Further, the Project supported operationalization of the framework through the creation of the teacher distance learning program; construction of 35 divisional education resources centers for teachers (CRESDs); and setting up of 2,333 school clusters (Réseaux d’écoles de Proximités/REP), which constitute the main platform for in-service training at local level. 20. Face-to-face training. A total of 33,380 inspectors, school heads and teachers in both provinces were trained in seven out of the 10 revised modules. They were expected to replicate the training in their respective schools using the 248,000 training modules delivered in project areas. 21. Distance learning: The 10 modules were digitized and installed in pedagogic kits distributed to 450 supervisors and the 2,333 school clusters highlighted above. This provided teachers, especially those in hard-to-reach areas, with the opportunity to self- train or to access the 35 newly equipped CRESDs in the two targeted provinces. In addition, 364,350 teachers’ guides were procured and distributed nationwide for an effective utilization of the 22,060,447 textbooks provided to students, thereby strengthening teacher capacities in effective textbook use. Sub-component 2.2: Provision of learning materials 22. A total of 22,424,797 textbooks and teachers’ guides for Grades 3 and 4 in French and math, and for Grades 5 and 6 in French, math, science and civics were acquired and distributed. Textbooks were disseminated nationwide to all public and private primary schools. In turn, the books benefited an estimated 9,398,000 students and enabled both students and teachers to have access to essential learning tools. 42 Table 7: Textbooks/pupils ratio Indicators Target Target Provinces Baseline Baseline derived Project Indicators 2011 2011(PAD) 2013 from closing (PAD) 2013 data Equateur Indicator Three (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 3 and 4 (Equateur 0.40 0.60 1 1 0.92 Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Four (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 5 and 6 (Equateur 0.20 0.30 1 1 1.37 Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Five (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary education for Grades 0.40 0.62 1 1 1 3 and 4 (Equateur Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Six (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary education for Grades 5 and 0.30 0.29 1 1 1.44 6 (Equateur Province) (Percentage, Custom) Kasai-West Indicator Three (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 3 and 4 (Kasai-West 0.40 0.64 1 1 0.72 Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Four (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 5 and 6 (Kasai-West 0.20 0.40 1 1 1 Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Five (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary education for Grades 0.40 0.50 1 1 0.84 3 and 4 (Kasai-West Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Six (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary education for Grades 5 and 0.30 0.40 1 1 1 6 (Kasai-West Province) (Percentage, Custom) Number of textbooks and teacher guides 20,000, 20,000,00 22,424,79 distributed (Nationwide indicator) (Number, 0 0 000 0 7 Custom) 23. In addition, the capacity of the division in charge of development of learning materials (DIPROMAD) was enhanced in preparation, definition of technical/pedagogical specifications, and distribution of textbooks. Further, DIPROMAD was provided with digital equipment that enables staff to develop distance learning program. Lastly, the project supported the development of a textbook policy and textbook distribution monitoring software. 24. By and large the components two indicators were achieved. The Project succeeded in activating and improving school/local based in-service training program and in providing textbooks and teachers’ guides in all primary schools. Successful elements of the distance learning in-service teachers training program are ready for scale up. 43 Component 3: Strengthening sector management (Original Allocation: US$15.5 million; Actual Cost: US$13.4 million) 25. This component supported interventions to ensure that regulations were applied and strengthened as the basis for more efficient and more accountable sector management. Sub-component 3.1: Restructuring of education administrative offices 26. The focus was to ensure that BGPs, the closest administrative offices to schools, provide necessary support to allow improved quality of education at school level. Results-based agreements were used to re-establish norms and standards that would facilitate provision of cost-effective quality education and increased accountability for results. 27. Key achievements under the sub-component include: 28. A new organizational structure for BGPs was developed, followed by a staff review; all this resulted in the reassignment of staff to new positions or geographical locations based on their qualifications or school needs. Table 8: Management indicators Provinces Target derived Baseline Baseline Target Project Indicators from 2011(PAD) 2013 2011(PAD) closing 2013 data Equateur Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximite functioning according to 0 65% 75% 65% 81% regulatory norms (Percentage, Custom) Percentage of school clusters having organized inter-school pedagogical 10% 10% 80% 75% 74% meetings (Three per year) (Percentage, Custom) Percentage of schools (BGP) with COGES having quarterly meetings, as 75% 82% documented in minutes (Number, Custom)27 Annual qualitative surveys undertaken ('bureaux gestionnaires de proximite' 0 0 3 3 2 no longer collecting fees from the 27 This indicator was revised during the MTR to monitor BGPs related COGES meetings rather than school-level COGES meetings. 44 schools)28 (Number, Custom) Kasai-West Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximite functioning according to 0 65% 70% 65% 82% regulatory norms (Kasai Province) (Percentage, Custom) Percentage of school clusters having organized inter-school pedagogical 10 10 80% 75% 83% meetings (3 per year, Kasai Province) (Percentage, Custom) Percentage of schools with COGES having quarterly meetings, as 75% 82% documented in the minutes (Percentage, Custom) Annual qualitative surveys undertaken ('bureaux gestionnaires de proximite' no longer collecting fees from the 0 0 3 3 2 schools) (Kasai Province) (Number, Custom) 29. Financing under the sub-component comprised the following interventions: 30. Reporting tools and communication activities. A Ministry of Education communications strategy, a textbook tracking system, and a teacher training monitoring tool all were developed to ensure effective monitoring of activities. Moreover, surveys were conducted to assess the degree of implementation of the policy of abolishing school fees, as well as effective distribution and teachers’ use of textbooks. 31. Results-based agreements. The Project supported 165 BGPs by establishing an institutional framework aimed at improving school governance, including the signing of results-based agreements with provincial-level education administrations. This underscored the need to facilitate the provision of cost-effective, quality education and increase accountability for results. The project has effectively contributed to clarify the lines of authority and accountability chains between and at the various administrative levels. However, the indicators of the results-based agreements were not fully aligned with work plans and specific tasks signed between the PROVED and the sub-provincial offices. This made it difficult for supervisors to monitor the full application of norms and standards and facilitate the provision of cost-effective quality education and increased accountability for results. The Project ended up paying grants to BGPs with a signed agreement, regardless of whether they were functioning according to regulatory norms and under results agreements. 28 Although the original target in the PAD baseline is 1, this should have been 3 (one survey per year). 45 32. Operating costs of administrative offices. To enable 165 BGPs to perform their pedagogical duties better, as well as to reduce the use of school fees for administrative purposes, the project provided financial support and means of transportation (motorcycles, speedboats). The Government thus was expected to stop collecting fees at school level and to support the operating costs of provincial-level administrative offices in Equateur and Kasai-West Provinces. However, due to financial constraints, this did not fully materialize. The Ministry of Finance was able to pay operating costs of provincial administrative offices for only 6 out of the 42 months of the project life. Sub-component 3.2: Other strengthening of institutional capacity 33. Development of a new organigram and the provision of ICT equipment supported the division in charge of teacher management (SECOPE) to digitalize school records. This also supported the department in charge of development of annual school censuses in these areas during the project life (2013-2016). A national girls’ education strategy and provincial action plans were developed in the project area. 34. A strategic monitoring of Project progress was ensured at the central level by the PROSEB. Further, partnership agreements were signed between the Centre and PROVEDs to set norms and key results indicators for program interventions at decentralized levels. At provincial level, the PROVEDs, as co-signatories to performance-based agreements with sub-provincial offices, ultimately were responsible for Project oversight. For their part, sub-provincial offices were directly accountable from a technical perspective for implementation. At the school level parent committees were intended to be actively involved in approving and monitoring local implementation plans. Sub-component 3.3: Project management and coordination 35. Technical assistance was provided to generate knowledge and ensure that school infrastructure, pedagogical inputs and teachers were managed in a coherent, cost- effective manner, thereby strengthening education delivery. Experts from CATED coordinated most activities to ensure effective, efficient implementation aligned with the Interim Education Plan. 36. The development of a new organigram and the provision of ICT equipment supported the division in charge of teacher management (SECOPE) to digitalize school records was a key achievement under component 3 as was the publication of the 2014- 2015 and 2016-2017 school census for Equateur and Kasai-West provinces. Safeguards compliance 37. The applicable Safeguards instruments were timely prepared and approved for the project; an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was used to address environmental safeguards issues. However, the implementation of Indigenous People’s Plan (IPP) was significantly delayed. Its implementation began two years after the Project started and implemented within an eight-month period. These interventions, 46 such as the enrollment of students from Indigenous communities and positive social dynamics within the communities will need to be sustained well beyond the project cycle. By project closure, all the IPP activities were implemented. Financial Management 38. The Project adequately experienced financial management equipped to carry out required tasks effectively. No serious fiduciary issues were raised for the Project, and the financial management ratings were consistently satisfactory across the life of the project. Reporting standards and protocols were adequate. Interim unaudited financial reports (IFRs) were submitted in a timely manner and in accordance with established Bank procedures. While satisfactory budgetary systems were in place for planning and budgeting there, the Project did incur ineligible expenditures of US$14,686, which essentially were unjustified advances made to external third parties. The final project audit had an unqualified audit report. Procurement 39. Procurement under the project was managed by an experienced procurement specialist, the Bank’s procurement procedures were generally followed and no major issues were identified during the implementation support missions. Issues were dealt with as they arose. However, despite the overall good procurement performance, the ICR also noted some room for improvement. More organized planning of the field visits, missions support and supervision of the DIS and the World Bank team would have allowed a more efficient management of the construction activities and some efficiency gains. Finally, while most procurement activities were completed by project closing, a few issues related to LEA’s contract closure were still pending. The ICR mission reviewed and made some suggestions to improve the draft project completion reports prepared by the LEAs. These included the need to clearly specify the quantities of classroom, latrines, water points and furniture ordered versus delivered, an analysis of the cost increase, and lessons learned. It was recommended that the revised reports be sent to the project team before their last payment. At the time of the ICR, the last payment had been made but the revised reports were not available. Coordination 40. The IEP provided a framework within which the MEPSP and education partners delivered priority actions required to support the sector’s development, including build the foundation for the development of an overall sector strategy. In alignment with the Government’s vision of “Developing an inclusive and high quality education system that would contribute effectively to national development, the promotion of peace and active democratic citizenship�, the DRC education sector strategy (SSEF) which was developed with the support of the Local Education Development Group (LEDG) was officially launched in February 2017. It covers all levels of education from early childhood education to tertiary education. Additionally, several interventions supported by DPs have contributed to the achievement of the PDOs. These include: 47 41. Increased access to primary education. The APEP 2 project funded by AFD built an additional 700 classrooms (in 114 schools) in Congo Central UNICEF and USAID annual back to school campaigns and scholarships targeting girls have contributed to improve the GPI in primary schools. 42. Improvement of learning achievement through the UNESCO-China Funds-in- Trust Project (CFIT), APEP 2 (AFD) and PROSEB jointly supported MEPSP efforts to develop a distance learning in service teachers’ training. 43. Improve system management. USAID and DFID are building the foundation for successful sector reforms through the ACCELERE program that strengthened the capacity of administrative and pedagogical offices. Finally, the use of existing structures helped reinforce institutional capacities instead of setting up Project Implementation Units. 44. In sum, the ICR concludes that the majority of project activities were implemented in full with disbursements reaching around 100 percent by project closing. The report shows that a large number of outputs were achieved which contributed to maintaining or to improving key outcome indicators included in the original project design. Table 9: Changes in PDOs baselines/end lines and achievements Baseline Target Target Provinces Baseline 2013 2011 derived Project Indicators 2011 (PAD) from closing (PAD) 2013 data M :9 Equateur 1% M:48.5% M :70% M:57% M :76% Indicator One (Access): Primary net F: F:40.5% F : 61% F:53% F: 66% first-year intake rate 80% T:44.5% T : 65% T:55% T: 71% T: 85% Indicator Two (Equity): Gender 0.78 0,84 0.82 0,89 0.87 Parity Index (GER F/GER M) Indicator Three (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 3 0.40 0.60 1 1 0.92 and 4 (Equateur Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Four (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 5 0.20 0.30 1 1 1.37 and 6 (Equateur Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Five (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary education for Grades 3 and 4 0.40 0.62 1 1 1 (Equateur Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Six (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary 0.30 0.29 1 1 1.44 education for Grades 5 and 6 48 (Equateur Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Seven (Management) Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité functioning according to regulatory norms (Percentage, 0 65% 75% 65% 81% Custom). Revised as: Percentage of “bureaux gestionnaires de proximité� financially supported by the project. M:69.1% M: 91% M:79% M:98% M:80% Kasai- Indicator eight (Access): Primary net F:57.9% F:79% F:72% F:92% F:80% West first-year intake rate T:63.5% T:85% T:75% T:95% T:80% Indicator nine (Equity): Gender Parity 0.79 0.84 0.9 0.88 0.93 Index (GER F/GER M) Indicator Ten (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 3 0.40 0.64 1 1 0.72 and 4 (Kasai-West Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Eleven (Quality) French textbooks: Pupil ratio for Grades 5 0.20 0.40 1 1 1 and 6 (Kasai-West Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Twelve (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary 0.40 0.50 1 1 0.84 education for Grades 3 and 4 (Kasai- West Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Thirteen (Quality) Math textbooks: Pupil ratio for primary 0.30 0.40 1 1 1 education for Grades 5 and 6 (Kasai- West Province) (Percentage, Custom) Indicator Fourteen (Management) Percentage of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité functioning according to regulatory norms (Kasai Province) 0 65% 70% 65% 82% (Percentage, Custom) Revised as: Percentage of “bureaux gestionnaires de proximité� financially supported by the project. 45. Most of the Project’s development objectives were met or, in some cases, exceeded. Of the 14 indicators followed, only five were not achieved and the Project has generally made notable achievements toward its development objectives. 46. Equateur province: Access to primary education has significantly increased. The primary first intake rate progressed from a baseline data of 65 to 85 percent, which is a significant increase of 14 percent over target. Available data (2016 provincial annual school census) indicates that overall, there has been no improvement in the situation of girls’ education, the GPI increased from 0.84 to 0.87 over the three-year period since 2013. 47. In terms of learning conditions, the project has significantly improved student and teachers’ access to textbooks. Most of the grade 3/4 and grade 5/6 children were provided textbooks at 1 to 1 ratio. Except for the grades 3 and 4 French textbooks which fell short of the end target (0.92) despite a significant increase from the original baseline (0.60). 49 48. Kasai-West province: Data show mixed progress on the primary net first-year intake rate, with a decrease from 85 percent in 2013 to 80.1 at the end of the project, thus falling short on the end of project target of 95 percent. This result is inconsistent with the previous year figure as the project extension request document shows a first-year intake rate of 103 percent as of August 2016, and needs to be taken with caution given the weak education statistic system. The gender parity index shows an increase (from 0.84 to 0.93) in the number girls attending primary schools in the province. In spite of a significant increase in the number of Grades 3 and 4 textbooks, French and math fell slightly short of the end target of 1 textbook per pupil. 49. Finally, the Project addressed the overstaffing of 81 and 82 percent of offices closest to schools (BGPs) in Equateur and Kasai-West by financing their operating costs and reassigning staff based on a new organizational structure. The rewording of the management indicator did not allow the effective use of results-based agreements as incentive to re-establish norms and standards. Rather, the Project financed the operating costs of all the 164 BGPs recognized by the Government. 50. In sum the ICR concludes that, as illustrated in Table 9 above, the PDOs’ most of the targets were achieved or overachieved with disbursements reaching 99.9 percent by project closing. This contributed to maintaining or to improving key outcome indicators of the original project design. Access to education has improved across all project- supported schools allowing 1,433,961 girls and boys (1,169,265 planned) to learn in a better school environment. To effectively reduce the burden of education for poor children and potentially strengthen their school enrolment and attendance, implementing Government policy gradually to abolish school fees in primary education remains a major goal moving forward. Critically, achievements accomplished in the effort to strengthen school governance have laid the ground for a more favorable environment that could lead to efficient and accountable sector management. Some of these activities will be supported by the next GPE project. 50 Annex 3. Economic and Financial Analysis 51 29 Education Pooled Fund (EPF) and the Liberia Basic Education Project. 52 While these textbooks can be used for contingency stocks, the Government would need to ensure that they remain aligned with the curriculum taught. 30 ICR – DRC Education Sector Project, 2015. 31 All unit costs are adjusted for inflation. 32 ICR – Education Sector Investment Project, 2012. 33 ICR – Education Sector Development Program, 2012 34 ICR – Basic Education Support Project, 2013 35 ICR – Rehabilitation of Basic Education Project, 2010 53 200% 158% 150% 108% 100% 81% 41% 50% 27% 0% Primary Lower Upper TVET Higher Secondary Secondary Education 54 55 56 Annex 4. Grant Preparation and Implementation Support/Supervision Processes (a) Task Team members Responsibility/ Names Title Unit Specialty Lending/Grant Preparation Dung-Kim Pham Senior Operations Officer AFTEW Team Lead Language Program Adriana M. Da Cunha Costa Language Program Assistant AFTEE Assistant Rachidi B. Radji Country Manager AFMBI Country Manager Paul Jonathan Martin Sector Leader AFTSN Sector Leader Senior Procurement Bourama Diaite Senior Procurement Specialist AFTPW Specialist Senior Program Norosoa Andrianaivo Senior Program Assistant ECSHD Assistant Senior Social Senior Social Development Antoine V. Lema AFTCS Development Specialist Specialist Monthe Bienvenu Biyoudi Senior Economist AFTP5 Senior Economist Kolie Ousmane Maurice Senior Financial Senior Financial Specialist AFTMW Megnan Specialist Anthony Molle Senior Counsel LEGSO Senior Counsel Procurement Lanssina Traore Procurement Specialist AFTPW Specialist Supervision/ICR Dung-Kim Pham Senior Operations Officer GED07 Team Lead Bernardo da Cruz Education ICR Quality Assurance GED07 Vasconcellos Specialist Bintou Sogodogo Program Assistant GED07 Julie Luvisa Bazolana Team Assistant AFCC2 Kabira Namit Consultant GED13 - Senior Procurement Lanssina Traore Senior Procurement Specialist GGO07 Specialist Laura S. McDonald ICR Quality Assurance GED13 Operations Officer Financial Francis Tasha Venayen Financial Management Specialist GGO25 Management Specialist Louise Mengue Abessolo ICR Author, Senior Education Senior Education GED07 Mvono Specialist Specialist Luc Laviolette Program Leader AFCC2 Program Leader Souleymane Zerbo Consultant 57 Staff Time and Cost Staff Time and Cost (Bank Budget Only) Stage of Project Cycle US$ Thousands (including No. of staff weeks travel and consultant costs) Lending FY13 11.36 68,693.02 Total: 11.36 68,693.02 Supervision/ICR FY14 6.68 49,206.25 FY15 6.47 25,916.25 FY16 0.45 8,107.05 FY17 0.00 2,600.00 Total: 13.6 85,829.55 58 Annex 5. Beneficiary Survey Results Not Applicable. 59 Annex 6. Stakeholder Workshop Report and Results Not Applicable. 60 Annex 7. Summary of Borrower's ICR and/or Comments on Draft ICR The following is a summary of the Government’s Project Completion Report (PCR). The full PCR has been archived in WBdocs. INTRODUCTION 1. Après l’adoption, en 2010, de la Stratégie sous-sectorielle de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel (EPSP) jugée crédible par le Groupe Local des Partenaires Techniques et Financiers (PTFs) et la mise en place de son plan d’opérationnalisation, le Plan Intérimaire de l’Education (PIE-2012/2015), jugé pertinent pour mettre en œuvre les actions contribuant à la réalisation d’un enseignement primaire universelle, de qualité et gratuit, la République Démocratique Congo (RDC) a été admise comme Etat membre du Partenariat Mondial pour l’Education (PME) en 2012. Le Gouvernement de la RDC et le Partenariat Mondial pour l’Éducation (PME) ont signé le 02 mai 2013, les Accords de Don, référencés TF014253 et TF014358, pour mettre en œuvre le Projet de Soutien à l’Éducation de Base (PROSEB) en appui au PIE pour un montant total de 100 millions de dollars américains. 2. Ce Projet devrait couvrir l’ensemble du territoire national en ce qui concerne les actions de renforcement de l’environnement de l’apprentissage avec la distribution des manuels scolaires et seulement les ex-provinces de l’Equator et du Kasaï Occidental 36 en ce qui concerne le renforcement de la gouvernance, l’amélioration de la qualité de l’enseignement avec la formation des enseignants et de l’environnement d’apprentissage par la mise en place d’infrastructures scolaires adaptées. Le projet poursuivait les objectifs suivants : 3. Contribuer à l’amélioration de l’accès et l’équité dans l’enseignement primaire par :1) la remise en état des infrastructures scolaires dégradées à travers la reconstruction et/ou la réhabilitation et l’équipement en bancs-pupitres de 900 salles de classe de l’enseignement primaire, soit 150 écoles avec bureaux de directeur, des latrines et aménagement de points d’eau ; 2) l’appui à l’élaboration et la validation de la stratégie nationale de scolarisation des filles. 4. Contribuer à l’amélioration de la qualité de l’enseignement et des apprentissages scolaires à travers : 1) l’acquisition et la distribution de près de 20 million des manuels de mathématiques et français pour les classes de 3ème et 4ème,, 5ème et 6ème années primaires et de manuels de sciences et éducation civique pour les classes de 5ème et 6ème années primaires ; 2)la formation continue (ou en cours d’emploi) de 32.000 enseignants (16.000 par province administrative cible), notamment au moyen d’un dispositif technologique de formation à distance ; 5. Renforcer la gouvernance du système éducatif national en appuyant des mécanismes innovants pour une gestion efficace et pour plus de responsabilité de la part des acteurs dans la réalisation de leur mission. Ceci à travers des actions telles que : 1) L’appui à la restructuration 36 Selon la constitution du 18 Février 2006 et la Loi votée par l’Assemblée Nationale le 9 janvier 2015, les ex provinces de l’Equator et du Kasaï Occidental ont été, respectivement découpées en 5 et 2 nouvelles provinces administratives devenant ainsi les provinces de l’ Equator, du Sud Ubangi, du Nord Ubangi, de la Mongala et de Tshuapa pour l’ex Equator et pour le Kasaï Occidental, les provinces du Kasaï et du Kasaï Central. 61 des 201 bureaux gestionnaires avec un accent sur la rationalisation des effectifs du personnel de ces bureaux ; 2) le soutien au fonctionnement des Bureaux gestionnaires ; 3) le renforcement des capacités du Secrétariat Général, du SPACE (anciennement CATED) et des Directions stratégiques du Ministère de l’EPSP ; 4) l’appui à la restructuration du SECOPE, à la rationalisation de ses effectifs et la numérisation et archivage des dossiers des enseignants ; 5) l’appui au renforcement des cellules techniques nationales et provinciales (deux) des statistiques (DEP) dans la production des annuaires provinciales et la réalisation, à la fin du projet, d’une étude d’impact ; DESCRIPTION DU PROJET ET ARRANGEMENTS INSTITUTIONNELS 1. Description du Projet 6. Le PROSEB avait une triple mission, celle d’intervenir dans les provinces ciblées (Équateur et Kasaï Occidental) pour contribuer à stopper la dégradation des infrastructures scolaires d’une part, et de réaliser des actions visant à améliorer, au niveau national, la qualité des enseignements et des apprentissages des élèves d’autre part ; Il devait enfin renforcer la gouvernance du système éducatif par une gestion plus efficace et plus responsable de la part des acteurs. Aussi, le Projet était structuré en trois composantes :  Composante 1 : Élargir l’accès et accroître l’équité dans l’enseignement primaire grâce à la remise en état et à la reconstruction des salles de classe ;  Composante 2 : Qualité des conditions d’apprentissage  Sous-composante 2.1 : Renforcement de la formation continue,  Sous-composante 2.2 : Fourniture de matériels didactiques,  Composante 3 : Renforcement de la gestion du secteur éducatif. 7. Les 3 composantes désignées devaient adresser respectivement les objectifs de développement du Projet afin de contribuer à l’atteinte des objectifs du PIE. 8. Le projet s’est exécuté sur une période de quarante-deux (42) mois allant du 23 juillet 2013 au 28 février 2017. La revue à mi-parcours est intervenue en juin 2015. 2. Arrangements institutionnels 2.1. La responsabilité générale d’exécution du Projet. 9. Dans une optique de renforcement institutionnel et de transfert de compétences vers les directions et cadres du ministère, l’exécution du Projet incombe à l’administration du Ministère de l’EPSP aussi bien au niveau central qu’au niveau provincial. Ce sont les Directions stratégiques et les directions provinciales de l’éducation (PROVED) qui exécutent le projet. Le pilotage et la coordination stratégique du projet sont assurés par les organes mis en place à cet effet. 62 2.2. La coordination et la gestion au niveau central 10. Le Comité de Pilotage, institué par arrêté interministériel, est présidé par le ministre de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel, président du Groupe Thématique Education (GTE). Cette instance se réunit deux fois par an et comprend tous les ministres en charge de l’Education ainsi que les Ministres des Finances et du Budget. L’équipe de mise en œuvre du Projet (EMO), qui assure la coordination technique, la gestion et le suivi stratégique de la mise en œuvre, comprend le Secrétaire Général et une Assistante exécutive, un Responsable Administratif et Financier, un spécialiste en passation des marchés, un comptable, et des personnels d’appoint. Les Direction Stratégiques font partie intégrante de l’EMO. Elle comprend également, dans les provinces, un financier en appui à chaque PROVED ainsi qu’un ingénieur en appui spécifiquement dédié au suivi des constructions. 2.3. Coordination et gestion au niveau provincial 11. Au niveau provincial, la coordination et la gestion du projet sont assurées par (i) la Commission Provinciale de l’EPSP et la province éducationnelle (PROVED). La Commission Provinciale de l’EPSP est composée notamment de : Ministre provincial en charge de l’éducation, Président ; PROVED de la Province administrative concernée ; l’IPP du chef-lieu de la Province ; Directeur Provincial du SECOPE du Chef-lieu de la Province ; Coordinateurs provinciaux des écoles conventionnées du Chef-lieu de la Province ; représentants des associations de parents d’élèves du Chef-lieu de la Province. Coordination et gestion au niveau local 12. Elles se sont appuyées sur : Le Comité Technique Sous-Provincial, La Sous-Province Éducationnelle, Le Bureau Gestionnaire ; Le Conseil de Gestion Scolaire ; Le Chef d’Établissement ; Le Comité des Parents d’élèves. EVALUATION DES OBJECTIFS DU PROJET, SA CONCEPTION, SA MISE EN ŒUVRE 3.1. Pertinence des objectifs du Projet 13. Le projet s’est inscrit dans la vision du Gouvernement de « construire un système d’éducation inclusif et de qualité contribuant efficacement au développement national, à la promotion de la paix et d’une citoyenneté démocratique active ». Le projet est aligné sur les trois axes de la stratégie sous sectorielle de l’EPSP et sur le PIE qui représentaient les documents de référence pour toute intervention dans le sous-secteur. De même, les objectifs du PROSEB restent cohérents avec ceux poursuivis par le PME. 14. Le PROSEB a appuyé la réalisation du PIE et à ce titre, les thématiques-clés de la gouvernance, de l’accès et de la qualité de l’éducation ont été renforcées à travers la conduite de plusieurs études et réformes. Ces actions sont prévues pour se poursuivr e dans le cadre d’un nouveau financement du PME avec le Projet d’Amélioration de la Qualité de l’Education (PAQUE). 15. Les réformes sur la gouvernance sectorielle locale telles que la réforme de la gestion basée sur la transparence et la redevabilité et celle des financements basés sur les résultats constituent 63 des réponses adéquates aux dysfonctionnements et incohérences de gestion qui ont été relevés dans les différentes analyses sectorielles. 16. De manière plus spécifique et au vu de l’ampleur des besoins et défis, la pertinence des objectifs est largement avérée en début, à mi-parcours et à la fin du Projet. Les thématiques abordées par le PROSEB sont demeurées centrales dans le dialogue et la dynamique sectorielle actuelle. Ces thématiques-clés ont été renforcées par des textes institutionnels (Loi-Cadre de l’enseignement national de février 2014), par la nouvelle stratégie sectorielle décennale (SSEF) et par des travaux analytiques récents (RESEN, rapports de trois revues conjointes du PIE 2014, 2015 et 2017, analyse de la politique de la gratuité en août 2016, etc.). La question de la qualité de l’enseignement et des apprentissages n’a pas cessé de focaliser l’attention du PME au point qu’elle continue d’orienter des ressources vers la RD Congo avec un nouveau financement destiné au Projet d’Amélioration de la Qualité de l’Education. 17. En parallèle, les enjeux liés à la problématique de la gouvernance nationale et locale sont également restés au cœur des discussions, qu’il s’agisse de gratuité (en lien avec l’ accès), de qualité de l’enseignement – apprentissage, et d’efficience de l’action éducative. 18. Dans le même temps, la question de la responsabilisation des structures (Bureaux gestionnaires, services déconcentrés) doit être comprise comme une réelle révolution dans la gestion du secteur. La mise en place des contrats de performance et d’un mécanisme de redevabilité devant être considérée comme l’outil-clé pour répondre à ce défi. S’agissant de la redevabilité à travers le PROSEB, la question a été adressée d’un point de vue administratif (nécessité de rapportage vis-à-vis de la hiérarchie) et sociétal (rendre compte aux bénéficiaires à travers la plateforme de redevabilité sociale soutenue par le Projet). 3.2. Pertinence de la conception du projet 19. De par sa conception, le projet offrait déjà une garantie quant à la pertinence du choix stratégique opéré d’aligner les objectifs du projet sur plusieurs thématiques du PIE et d’en confier l’opérationnalisation aux différents services du Ministère sur l’ensemble du pays. En effet, le PAD indique que : « …le Projet a pris en compte la complexité et la portée du PIE, la taille du pays, et le court horizon temporel (de trois ans) pour l’exécution du projet. Par ailleurs, le projet s’est reposé sur le principe d’une collaboration entre le gouvernement et les autres parties prenantes, en complémentarité avec les efforts déployés par les autres bailleurs de fonds ». L’utilisation des structures nationales et l’adoption des procédures nationales dans la gestion fiduciaire du projet montre un objectif clair de renforcer les capacités de gestion du secteur en vue d’une pérennisation d’actions innovantes et de nouvelles pratiques de gestion. 20. Afin de mitiger les risques opérationnels identifiés quant aux capacités des acteurs à mettre en œuvre le projet de façon efficace et efficiente, le Projet a prévu et installé i) une équipe restreinte en appui aux Directions stratégiques ii) deux consultants (un financier et un ingénieur) pour appuyer les PROVED dans la gestion financière et dans la gestion du volet « infrastructures » du projet. Ces structures ont été appuyées par la CAT qui a notamment apporté son expertise dans la mise en œuvre de plusieurs réformes appuyées par le projet (telles la formation continue des enseignants, la mise en place de la gratuité, etc.). 21. Aussi, les défis techniques importants liés au déploiement et au fonctionnement du schéma adopté pour les activités de formation continue des enseignants, ont mobilisé des expertises 64 (pédagogie et informatique) pour appuyer le SERNAFOR et l’Inspecteur Principal Provincial (IPP). 22. Le choix de procéder à la distribution des manuels à l’échelle du pays a apporté par sa forte visibilité et par son ampleur, une grande plus-value au Projet, compte tenu de l’impact attendu sur la qualité de l’éducation. Aussi la sous-composante a été accompagnée d’éléments nécessaires à la concrétisation de son impact en s’assurant notamment que les manuels parviennent à toutes les écoles et que les enseignants soient formés à leur utilisation. 23. Finalement, l’implémentation des réformes dans les deux provinces sus-évoquées doit être comprise comme un test grandeur nature des évolutions souhaitées par le PIE, mais pour lesquelles le Gouvernement ne disposait pas de moyens de mise en œuvre à l’échelle nationale. Face au risque de créer une éducation à deux vitesses évoquées par la société civile, il a été rappelé que : i) le PROSEB se veut une contribution au PIE et, à ce titre, opère des choix sur ses interventions ; ii) l’ensemble des décisions a été pris en accord avec le Groupe Local d’Education. 3.3. Evaluation de la mise en œuvre du Projet. 1. Respect du calendrier 24. Le PROSEB a été exécuté sur une période de quarante-deux (42) mois (allant du 23 juillet 2013 au 28 février 2017) au lieu des 3 ans prévus, ce qui a entraîné une prorogation de six mois modifiant ainsi la date de clôture du 31 août 2016 au 28 février 2017. Cette prorogation était justifiée principalement par la nécessité de : 25. Réceptionner définitivement tous les travaux de génie civil, de distribuer un complément de manuels scolaires nécessaires du fait de l’accroissement d’effectifs généré par l’applicat ion des mesures de gratuité dans le primaire ; 26. De mener à terme le programme de formation continue des enseignants retardé par le choix complexe de l’utilisation des supports technologiques de communication dans un environnement où la maîtrise de l’outil informatique nécessitait d’être renforcée au préalable. 27. Du reste, c’est cela aussi qui a permis au projet de réaliser, de manière satisfaisante, l’ensemble des activités prévues dans des délais acceptables. 28. La reconduction de l’équipe fiduciaire et de l’ingénieur en charge du génie civil du projet précédent, le PARSE financé par la Banque Mondiale, a énormément facilité le prompt démarrage des activités du PROSEB, l’exécution des programmes ainsi que la réalisation des activités dans les délais requis. Toutefois, l’Expert en suivi environnemental et social ainsi que celui de suivi et évaluation ont rejoint l’équipe deux ans après le début d’exécution du Projet. Ce qui a expliqué le retard dans le déploiement des activités du plan de gestion environnemental et social ainsi que quelques soucis dans la gestion des indicateurs du projet. 2. Appuis institutionnels 29. Le projet a adopté une approche qui maximise son impact et assure un soutien efficace au sous-secteur pour la mise à niveau des actions d’éducation et de formation. De même, le PROSEB a largement contribué à l’amélioration du savoir et du savoir-faire des cadres des administrations centrale et provinciales dans le cadre de transfert de compétences à travers plusieurs formations et séminaires organisées (Agents de la DIPROMAD formés notamment sur les techniques d’élaboration et d’évaluation pédagogique des manuels scolaires ; Inspecteurs sur 65 les modules de formation des enseignants ; Responsables et agents de bureaux gestionnaires formés à l’utilisation du manuel des procédures ; Cadres et agents du SECOPE initiés à l’utilisation du nouveau cadre organique ; …) et de l’apprentissage par les pairs. Avec les appuis fournis aux services administratifs du Ministère, des améliorations sensibles ont pu être observées au niveau central dans les capacités des Directions stratégiques (i) à prendre en charge leur responsabilité dans la planification ainsi que le suivi des activités de leur composante, la contribution active au reporting (trimestriel et semestriel), (ii) à orienter leurs actions vers la culture des résultats qui tranche avec les habitudes de routine dans l’exécution des tâches. 30. Au niveau déconcentré, les appuis (un financier et un ingénieur) aux PROVED ont permis, peu à peu, d’asseoir auprès des agents et cadres du niveau provincial et local, la culture de redevabllité et du suivi à travers la remontée des rapports des bureaux gestionnaires vers la hiérarchie. La distribution des manuels à tous les élèves dans toutes les écoles à travers tout le pays a contribué à améliorer l’environnement d’apprentissage qui souffrait d’une insuffisance cruelle en matériels pédagogiques. 31. Les experts du SPACE ont joué leur rôle de coordination de toutes les interventions du PIE en permettant de les harmoniser entre différents bailleurs afin d’éviter le risque de doubles emplois. 105. Parallèlement, des activités de formation, de supervision et de suivi ont été réalisées par le niveau central vers les provinces soit pour former des encadreurs (inspecteurs itinérants et conseillers d’enseignements), soit pour superviser la distribution des matériels didactiques (manuels scolaires, modules de formation, programmes scolaires, ...), soit encore pour former et encadrer les bureaux gestionnaires de proximité. 32. Dans l’ensemble, la coordination et la gestion fiduciaire du Projet ont été menées conformément aux procédures convenues dans les accords de financement du Projet. 3. Rôle des autres partenaires (PTFs, ONG, Entreprises) 33. Deux types de partenariat ont été développés par le PROSEB au cours de son exécution. Dans un cadre de partenariat de type public-privé, des conventions ont été signées avec des Maîtres d’Ouvrage Délégué pour contracter à leur tour des entrepreneurs afin de reconstruire et réhabiliter les salles de classe, aménager des points d’eau dans des écoles du programme. Le Projet a également utilisé les services de plusieurs entreprises de transport recrutées localement dans les provinces pour acheminer les manuels scolaires des chefs-lieux des Provinces Éducationnelles vers les sous-divisions. 34. Le deuxième type de partenariat a été développé avec les partenaires techniques et financiers qui appuient également le Gouvernement dans le secteur de l’éducation. Au sein du COMCON, instance de concertation, un dialogue permanent a été maintenu au sein du Groupe Local des Partenaires Éducatifs (GLPE). 35. L’expérience avec quelques partenaires bilatéraux qui sont intervenus à des degrés divers a fourni au projet quelques données nécessaires à la réalisation de certaines de ses activités :  les modules de formation VVOB ont été enrichis dans le cadre du PROSEB ;  les expériences de la CTB et du PARSE ont éclairé les opérations d’acquisition et de distribution des manuels scolaires et guides pédagogiques aux enseignants ; 66  Les expériences de l’UNICEF, de l’USAID et DFID (à travers le projet « Vas-y fille !») ont servi à recadrer certaines activités mises en œuvre dans le cadre de la stratégie nationale de scolarisation des filles soutenues par le PROSEB ; etc. EVALUATION DES RESULTATS DU PROJET PAR RAPPORT AUX OBJECTIFS 4.1. De l’efficacité de la mise en œuvre du projet 36. Au regard des résultats atteints, les activités du PROSEB ont largement contribué à l’atteinte de ses objectifs de développement du secteur.  S’agissant de l’amélioration de l’accès et de l’équité dans l’enseignement primaire, le PROSEB a directement contribué à l’accroissement de l’accès et de l’équité dans les Provinces cibles en construisant et équipant 858 salles de classes (sur 900 prévues), 141 latrines (sur 150 prévues), soit 95,3% et 101 points d’eaux (sur 150 prévus, soit 67,3%). Environ 8% des écoles reconstruites (11 écoles) sont situées dans les zones occupées par les populations autochtones. Ce qui a permis à 1 422 enfants issus de populations autochtones, dont 575 filles d’avoir accès à l’éducation. D’une manière générale, l’indice de parité Fille/Garçon dans les provinces sous projet s’est amélioré en passant de 0,78 à 0,84 à l’Équateur, et de 0,79 à 0,93 au Kasaï Occidental.  Il convient de noter que les résultats obtenus sont en adéquation avec les besoins prioritaires des communautés bénéficiaires et jugés appréciables si l’on considère (i) l’éloignement et/ou l’enclavement des sites retenus,(ii) les capacités financières réduites des entreprises locales(iii) la difficulté d’approvisionnement des chantiers due à l’état des voies de communication (routes et cours d’eau), (iv) la qualité des travaux jugée globalement acceptable par l’audit technique externe ; (v) des contraintes hydrauliques et hydrogéologiques pour réaliser des points d’eau à un coût raisonnable et, (vi) les coûts unitaires pratiqués ayant permis de rester dans l’enveloppe financière consacrée aux infrastructures du projet. 37. Le développement de la stratégie nationale de la scolarisation des filles assortie d’une feuille de route adoptée avec l’ensemble des partenaires et des plans provinciaux (en zones de projet) laisse entrevoir des perspectives pour renforcer l’équité en termes de genre.  S’agissant du second objectif du développement lié à l’amélioration de la qualité des conditions d’apprentissage, le PROSEB a contribué au renforcement de la qualité et à l'efficacité du système de formation continue en consolidant et capitalisant sur les acquis des interventions financées par différents partenaires techniques et financiers ( 37 ) pour un meilleur alignement aux besoins en compétences du personnel enseignant. 38. La mise en place d’un cadre institutionnel et règlementaire appuyée par le projet fixe les structures de mise en œuvre de la formation continue des enseignants aux niveaux central, provincial, sous-provincial ainsi qu’au niveau des écoles. Sur cette base, le projet a appuyé la mise en place d’un dispositif technologique de formation continue à distance à travers la construction et l'équipement des 35 Centres de Ressources Educatives au niveau des Sous 37 Il s’agit notamment des projets : IFADEM développé par l’OIF, l’AUF et l’APFE dans la province du Katanga, le projet APEP financé par l’AFD et le projet PAQUED financé par l’USAID. 67 Divisions (CRESD), l’acquisition et la distribution de kits pour les encadreurs (450) et les réseaux d'écoles de proximité (2 333 REP). Par ailleurs, avec l’appui du projet, 10 modules de formation continue ont été enrichis en vue de combler les lacunes des enseignants dans des domaines clés. Ces modules ont été numérisés et installés dans les kits et autres supports mis à disposition pour la formation à distance. 39. Ainsi, les enseignants peuvent non seulement s’auto-former à partir des modules installés dans les tablettes et dispensés par les inspecteurs, mais également bénéficier de manière permanente de mises à niveau dans des Centres de Ressources Éducatives de Sous-Divisions (CRESD). 40. Par ailleurs, le Projet a contribué à améliorer les conditions d’apprentissage de près de 9 500 000 élèves par l’acquisition et la distribution de près de 22 million des manuels scolaires (dont 93% sont parvenus aux élèves) et de guides pédagogiques des enseignants. Ce programme a induit une nette amélioration des ratios manuels/élèves sur toute l’étendue du territoire, comme cela est renseigné dans le tableau suivant : Ratio Livre / Élève pour les manuels de français et de mathématique des 3/4ème et 5/6ème primaires PROVINCES FR 3/4 MATH 3/4 FR 5/6 MATH 5/6 Moyenne 0,89 0,93 1,32 1,31 nationale ÉQUATEUR 0,92 1 1,37 1,44 KASAI OCC 0,72 0,84 1,03 1,04 Sources : Données de la DIPROMAD  Par rapport au dernier objectif du développement lié au renforcement de la gestion du système éducatif, le Projet a contribué au renforcement de l’application d’un certain nombre des règlementations pour une gestion plus efficace du système. Ce qui a permis une nette amélioration de la qualité de l’organisation, de la gestion et du fonctionnement des services centraux et déconcentrés notamment par :  La rationalisation des effectifs des services déconcentrés (BGP) ;  La planification, le suivi et le rapportage à travers une gestion devenue collégiale ;  La fonctionnalité des Comités de gestion et la production régulière des rapports à la hiérarchie du Ministère qui renforcent la redevabilité ;  Une gestion efficiente des ressources mises à la disposition des différentes structures ;  Des évolutions positives sur l’effectivité de la gratuité de l’enseignement. 41. D’autres appuis institutionnels comprenant notamment la réorganisation du SECOPE et l’appui à la production successive d’annuaires statistiques par la Direction d’Études et Planification (DEP) ont permis de renforcer les compétences et de moderniser le cadre et les méthodes de travail de ces deux Directions stratégiques dans le cadre de la réforme entamée par le Ministère. 42. En outre, la collaboration entretenue entre les Directions stratégiques et services tant centraux que provinciaux a contribué à renforcer la cohérence et la synergie des actions pour l’atteinte des résultats pérennes du projet. 68 PERFORMANCE DES PARTENAIRES : Gouvernement et Banque Mondiale (Bailleur de fonds) V.1. Lors de la préparation du Projet 43. La préparation du projet avait pris en compte notamment (i) le contexte du pays à travers de grands défis (conflits armés et guerres durant de longues années impactant sur les conditions socio-économique et de gouvernance), (ii) les interventions similaires dans le secteur de l’éducation, (iii) le manque des statistiques fiables et (iv) la faiblesse des compétences techniques des administrations des Ministères techniques intervenants dans le secteur de l’éducation. 44. Par ailleurs, la formulation de certains indicateurs du cadre des résultats n'a pas permis une bonne interprétation et un suivi cohérent, par exemple,« des écoles disposant d’un COGES organisant des réunions trimestrielles faisant l’objet de comptes rendus » alors qu’aucune activité du projet ne portait directement sur les écoles. V.2. Pendant la mise en œuvre du projet a. Le Gouvernement 45. Le Gouvernement est représenté par les organes décrits au titre II du présent rapport, spécifiquement à travers les arrangements institutionnels de mise en œuvre. Sous le leadership du Secrétaire Général à l’EPSP, l’ensemble des services centraux et déconcentrés ont assuré la mise en œuvre du Projet, chacun selon ses attributions réglementaires, appuyés par une équipe d e mise en œuvre (EMO) constituée des spécialistes en planification, gestion fiduciaire et suivi et évaluation. La performance de la mise en œuvre des activités est jugée globalement satisfaisante. 46. Ainsi donc, pour le volet génie civil, l’ensemble du programme a été réalisé à 95,3% de l’objectif, avec une qualité des travaux jugée globalement acceptable par un audit technique externe. La sous-composante « formation continue des enseignants » a pu mettre en œuvre un dispositif institutionnel de formation continue dont la principale force réside dans le fait qu’il fédère toutes les interventions des partenaires en termes de contenu et de supports technologiques autour du SERNAFOR. Il sied de noter que la mutualisation avec les autres partenaires intervenant dans la FCE (CFIT, APEP, ACCELERE) a permis de rendre fonctionnel le dispositif technologique avec des modules de formation numérisés, validés par l’ensemble des partenaires. Ce dispositif a atteint près de 33.000 enseignants. 47. En ce qui concerne le volet manuels scolaires, près de 9 500 000 élèves de 3è / 4è et 5è / 6è ont bénéficié des manuels scolaires dans les branches de français, mathématiques, sciences et éducation civique. 69 48. Le volet « renforcement de la gouvernance du système scolaire » a révélé d’une part, des améliorations (38) ainsi que des effets positifs sur la gestion et le fonctionnement des bureaux 39 gestionnaires de proximité ( ), et d’autre part, des bénéfices générés sur le plan de la gratuité de l’enseignement primaire, et du respect des mesures d’interdiction de perception des flux ascendants. 49. Sur le plan de la Passation des marchés, les activités se sont déroulées selon des normes et standards acceptables par la Banque : (i) des plans de passation des marchés ont été élaborés et suivis pour la mise en œuvre des activités ; et (ii) le Projet a réalisé l’ensemble des marchés programmés. Une revue a postériori de la passation des marchés a été jugée satisfaisante. 50. Pour ce qui concerne la gestion financière du projet, elle a été maintenue à un niveau satisfaisant. En effet, les rapports trimestriels ainsi que les rapports d'audits annuels des comptes ont été régulièrement préparés et soumis dans les délais. Au total 109 DRF et DPD ont été adressées et payées par la Banque mondiale dont 102 (56 DRF et 46 DPD) pour le TF 14 358 et 7 (2 DRF et 5 DPD) pour le TF 14253 (Cf. tableau 1 de l’annexe 1). Le bailleur des fonds 51. Pour atteindre ces résultats, le Gouvernement a été étroitement accompagné par l’équipe de la Banque Mondiale, instance de supervision dont la performance a été jugée globalement satisfaisante en ce qui concerne le suivi de la mise en œuvre du projet. En e ffet, le suivi par la Banque Mondiale s’est réalisé à travers les missions de supervision (sur une base trimestrielle), des missions d'appui sur la composante « Infrastructures », l’organisation des revues du portefeuille de la Banque mondiale (CPPR) et l’organisation de quelques formations tenues localement. De toutes ces missions de supervision, celle de la revue à mi-parcours du projet, organisée conjointement avec le Gouvernement de la RD Congo en 2015, a été déterminante pour un recadrage du projet aux vues des faiblesses constatées dans le montage du Projet. Les Aide- mémoires qui ont sanctionné chaque mission, assortis à chaque fois d’un plan d’action comprenant les activités à entreprendre dans les délais fixés, ont été d’une grande utilité pour dynamiser la mise en œuvre des activités et le taux de décaissement du Projet. Bien que le programme de réhabilitation / reconstruction ait construit des écoles en zone des populations autochtones, la supervision des sauvegardes environnementales et sociales n’a commencé qu’à quelques mois (novembre 2015) de la fin du projet. Dans leur déploiement, les équipes de supervision ont inclus des spécialistes dans les domaines fiduciaire, de génie civil et d’ingénierie de formation, mais moins sur des questions environnementales et de suivi et évaluation. DESCRIPTION DES DISPOSITIONS POUR LA PÉRENISATION DU PROJET 52. En vue de pérenniser les résultats et de consolider les acquis du projet, des dispositions suivantes sont proposées :  Pour garantir l’accès et l’équité : 38 D’après une évaluation externe des progrès enregistrés dans la mise en œ uvre des mesures interdisant la perception des frais pour le compte des bureaux gestionnaire. 39 Visites plus nombreuses auprès des écoles pour l’encadrement pédagogique, production de rapports et de procès-verbaux des réunions par les COGES, collecte des statistiques, une compréhension sur la gestion des fonds, etc 70 1. Entretien et maintenance des ouvrages :  les maîtres d’ouvrage délégués ont sensibilisé les responsables des écoles reconstruites/réhabilitées ainsi que les communautés sur l’importance de leur implication dans la gestion des questions de maintenance et d’entretien scolaire ; 2. Scolarisation des filles :  Une feuille de route a été validée au niveau national avec l’ensemble des partenaires intervenant dans le domaine, leur donnant l’opportunité de pouvoir s’annoncer pour des appuis éventuels ;  des plans provinciaux ont été élaborés et adoptés dans les provinces cibles du projet, donnant lieu à l’initiative par les instances provinciales et locales.  Pour garantir la qualité des apprentissages de l’enseignement : 1. Formation continue des enseignants:  Les enseignants sont sensibilisés sur l’importance de l’autoformation et de l’utilisation des ressources pédagogiques disponibles dans les CRESD et les REP ;  Un manuel de gestion des opérations dans le CRESD (qui comprend une section sur les activités d’autofinancement) a été produit ;  La prise en charge des frais de fonctionnement des CRESD par le SECOPE ; 2. Manuels scolaires :  Le guide de gestion des manuels scolaires portant modalités de protection, de rangement et d’utilisation des manuels a été reproduit et distribué à toutes les écoles ;  Un schéma logistique contextualisé de distribution des manuels scolaires est élaboré et dont l’utilisation implique des instances provinciales.  Pour renforcer la Gouvernance du système 1. Des Bureaux gestionnaires :  un manuel des procédures de gestion des fonds par les bureaux gestionnaires est disponible ;  la structure et le fonctionnement des bureaux gestionnaires sont rationalisés ;  l’engagement pris par les autorités provinciales en vue de soutenir :  la gratuité de l’enseignement ;  le respect des mesures d’interdiction des prélèvements des frais dans les écoles pour leur fonctionnement. LECONS APPRISES Les principales leçons tirées sont les suivantes : 53. Une bonne préparation du projet comprenant notamment des phases de lancement et d’internalisation du Plan Intérimaire de l’Education (PIE) aux niveaux central et déconcentré, a permis une meilleure responsabilisation des acteurs et a favorisé une bonne appropriation des résultats du PROSEB par les acteurs. Il est ainsi souhaitable d’éviter la permutation des acteurs formés et sensibilisés (directeurs provinciaux ; sous-directeurs provinciaux) pour assurer la bonne exécution du Projet. 71 54. La non-exécution des engagements du Gouvernement pour la prise en charge des frais de fonctionnement des bureaux gestionnaires de niveau provincial n’a pas facilité la tâche des animateurs de ces BG sensés superviser l’exécution des mesures d’interdiction des prélèvements des frais de fonctionnement pour le compte des BGP. Le Gouvernement devrait donc d’honorer dans les délais, ses engagements financiers vis-à-vis des projets afin d’assurer toutes les chances à ceux-ci d’atteindre les résultats escomptés. 55. Le mode de gestion partenarial du PROSEB a favorisé la coordination des appuis de différents partenaires ainsi que la mutualisation des ressources ce qui a notamment conduit à une amélioration de l’efficience du Projet. Cependant, les prochaines interventions devraient capitaliser ce mode de gestion par une meilleure communication et une planification concertée des actions avec les partenaires. 72 Annex 8. Comments of Cofinanciers and Other Partners/Stakeholders No comments received. 73 Annex 9. List of Supporting Documents 1. Gouvernement de le République Démocratique du Congo, 2015.Audit Technique des infrastructures scolaires dans le cadre du Projet de Soutien à l’Education de Base (PROSEB). 2. Gouvernement de le République Démocratique du Congo, 2015. Stratégie Sectorielle de l’Education et de la formation 2016-2025. 3. Technical Notes 2014 – 2017. 4. World Bank: Aide-memoires and Implementation Status Reports December 1, 2013 –March 9, 2017. 5. World Bank, 2007. International Development Association Country Assistance Strategy for the Democratic republic of Congo for the period FY08-FY11. 6. World Bank, 2013. International Development Association International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency Country Assistance Strategy for the Democratic Republic of Congo. 7. World Bank, 2013. Project Appraisal Document on a proposed grant amount of US$100 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo for a Support to Basic Education Project under the Global Partnership for Education. 8. World Bank, 2015. Implementation Completion and Results Report on a grant in the amount of US$150 million to the Democratic Republic of Congo for an Education Sector Project 74 Annex 10. Overview of Project Indicators40 PDO-Level Indicators - Equateur Mid Term Review Restructuring (2016) Project closing Revised (2013)42 (2015) Project extension Original PAD41 No official restructuring, but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Achievement Achievement New Closing as of August Comments Target for 2015, Mid as of June February February Indicator Indicator Review43 Closing, Revised Change Change Project Target for Target for Term Date, Original Baseline 2016 2017 2017 Baseline 2016 2013 2016 End End The most reliable baseline value used here is for 2013, given that Indicator One it was adjusted based on the 2012-2013 annual school census, (Access): released after the beginning of the project. The PAD baseline Primary net M:48.5% M:57% M:70% M: M: 69.7% No M: 76.5% No M:76% M:91% was derived from 2010 data. The change was decided during the first-year intake F: 40.5% F: 53% F: 61% 76% F: F: 60.1% change F: 68% change F: 66% F: 80% MTR and, accordingly, end targets were recalculated by the rate T: 44.5% T: 55% T: 65% 66% T: 64.9% T:72.2% T: 71% T: 85% Government and the World Bank team. T: 71% End target exceeded. Indicator Two The most reliable baseline value used here is for 2013, given that (Equity): it was adjusted based on the 2012-2013 annual school census, Gender Parity released after the beginning of the project. The PAD baseline Index (GER was derived from 2010 data. The change was decided during the F/GER M) MTR and, accordingly, end targets were recalculated by the 0.78 0.82 0.84 0.89 0.85 No 0.86 No 0.89 0.87 Government and the World Bank team. change change Data show progress on gender although falling short of the revised end-line of 0.89. The Gender Parity Index increased gradually over the life of the project, but the end target was not achieved. 40 All the indicators are province level indicators except for indicator 13 textbooks distribution nationwide. 41 Original baselines and end lines are taken from the PAD. As described in the text, these data are derived from the 2010-2011/ 2011-2012 annual census. 42 These revised baselines are taken from the 2012-2013 annual census with the target values revised on the basis of these new baseline values. For analysis of this ICR, the revised baselines and target values are used as these reflect more accurate data and projections. 43 The achievement as of the June 2015 MTR values are taken from 2013-2014 school data. 74 Indicator Three Substantial progress observed from the baseline, even as (Quality): short falling recorded compared to the end-line target. The French project aimed to complement Grades 3 and 4 textbooks already textbook/ pupil 0.4 1 0.6 1 0.,58 No 0.80 No 1 0.92 available in schools; however, the gap arises from ratio for Grades change change inaccurate data related to textbooks needed and student 3 and 4 enrolment. Indicator Four End target exceeded. For Grades 5 and 6, the project aimed to (Quality): provide a textbook for each student. Additional quantities French procured arose from the inaccuracy of student enrolment data, textbook/pupil 0.20 1 0.3 1 0,27 No 0.45 No 1 1.37 and. will be used as contingency stocks. ratio for Grades change change 5 and 6 Indicator Five Target achieved. (Quality): Math textbook/pupil 0.40 1 0.62 1 0,57 No 0.78 No 1 1 ratio for Grades change Change 3 and 4 Indicator Six End target exceeded. For Grades 5 and 6, the project aimed at (Quality): Math providing a textbook for each student. Additional quantities textbook/pupil 0.30 1 0.3 1 0.28 No 0.38 No 1 1.44 procured arose from the inaccuracy of student enrolment data, ratio for Grades change Change and. will be used as contingency stocks. 5 and 6 Indicator seven Target exceeded. Since July 2015, this indicator has been (Management): calculated as “% of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité % of “bureaux financially supported by the project.� The remaining BGPs, not gestionnaires 0 75% 00 65 % 23 % No 80.67 No 65% 81% supported by the project, were not part of the Government’s de proximité� change change official list of BGPs. functioning according to regulatory norms and under results agreement 75 Intermediate-Level Indicators - Equateur Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator eight End target exceeded. Project beneficiaries: # of Based on the provincial-level annual primary school school census, prepared with project students, of which support, the project has contributed girls to increased school enrolment in project areas. However, because of funding constraints, the Government could not prepare a nationwide annual T:1,323,351 T:1,530,080 T:1368323 T:1495203 T:1,477,797 No T:1,582,506 No T:1,495,203 T:1,553,583 school census. It would have been F:578,688 F:719,200 F:624452 F:682356 F:676,399 change F:730,735 change F:682,356 F:721,743 interesting to compare the average increase in project areas to that in the rest of the country. Further, reliability of the baseline is not guaranteed; the same number is reported in the PAD (2010) and after the MTR (2013), suggesting that the number of beneficiaries remained exactly the same over a two-year period. Indicator nine End target largely exceeded, Primary 1st year including for girls, although the new entrants, of T:255,524 T:296,130 T:341103 T:372,732 T:344,970 No T:372,352 No T:372,732 T:420,300 number of female first-year which girls F:115,683 F:142,080 F:159520 F:173,875 F:160,799 change F:175,200 change F:173,875 F:190,887 entrants is slightly lower (in terms of proportion) than for males. 76 Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator ten Substantial progress observed Additional from the baseline, even as classrooms shortfall recorded compared to rehabilitated or No No 504 480 end-line target. This shortfall has 00 504 12 404 rebuilt 0 504 change change been attributed to the increase in classroom costs compared to appraisal estimates. Indicator eleven Substantial progress observed Number of latrine from the baseline, even as blocks built shortfall recorded compared to No 68 No 84 78 0 84 00 84 02 end-line target. This gap is change change proportional to the reduction of classrooms highlighted above. Indicator twelve Substantial progress observed Number of water from the baseline, even as points installed shortfall recorded compared to end-line target. Just as for No No 0 84 00 84 00 43 84 78 classrooms and latrines, the gap change change between the expected and actual number of water points is due to the fact that they were more expensive than the planned budget. 77 Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator thirteen Target exceeded. A variation Number of occurs in the number of textbooks to textbooks and be procured under the PAD, with teacher guides the project description mentioning distributed 20 million and the results (country-wide framework 11,700,000. For this indicator) 0 20,000,000 purpose, 20 million was used as a 00 20,000,000 1,774,064 No 6,441,617 Not 20,000,000 22,424,797 target because it was deemed closer change change to country's actual need. Indicator fourteen Substantial progress observed Project from the baseline, even as beneficiaries: shortfall recorded compared to Teachers end-line target. A total of 19,080 benefitting in- teachers, school heads and service training inspectors were trained during the (cumulative) 00 16,000 NA No 12,336 No 19,080 three years of the project cycle, in 16,000 0 21,000 change change three of the 10 modules and 255 inspectors were trained in 7 of the 10 modules. This gap arises primarily from logistical challenges and delays in the design of in- service teacher training. 78 Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator fifteen % Target achieved. of school clusters having organized The total figure includes all inter-school meetings, including those supported pedagogical by the project. 10 75% NA No 6.62% No 75% 75% meetings (3 per change change year) 10 80 Indicator sixteen Indicator dropped during Mid % of “cellule Term Review and replaced by pédagogique� Dropped “Monitoring and evaluation tool is organizing (at least 0 10% 10% 80% N/A used by inspectors during school once every week supervision,� thereby enabling a during working better appreciation of the teacher hours) training tool. Indicator seventeen This indicator was added during the A monitoring tool Mid Term Review to assess the is used by impact of teacher training sessions inspectors during New No on teaching practices. By the end of 0 1 0 supervision Indicator change the project, a draft monitoring tool was available but not yet used. Target partially achieved. 79 Intermediate-level Indicators - Equateur Original PAD Mid Term Review (2015) Revised 2013 No official restructuring, Restructuring (2016) Project Closing but RF change in MTR Project extension Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Target exceeded. Indicator eighteen % Because the project provides financial resources to of schools having Dropped BGPs and none to COGES, the Midterm Review COGES quarterly 0 80 decided to monitor BGPs related COGES meetings 0 80% 31% meetings as instead of COGES meetings at school level. documented by the Minutes Indicator nineteen % of BGP having COGES quarterly New No meetings as 81% 75% 82% indicator change documented by the Minutes Indicator twenty Target partially achieved (67%). Annual qualitative surveys undertaken Two annual qualitative surveys were undertaken. (“Bureaux Critically, in spite of the fact that the original target No No gestionnaires de 0 3 0 3 1 1 3 2 in the PAD is 1, this should have been 3 (one survey change change proximité� per year); thus, for the three years of PROSEB, three no longer collecting surveys were expected to take place. Two surveys fees from the took place; respectively in 2015 and 2016. schools) 80 PDOs-Level Indicators – Kasai West Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) No official Restructuring (2016) Project Closing restructuring, but Project extension RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August, 2016 Comments 2016 2016 The most reliable baseline value used here is for 2013, given that Indicator twenty one it was adjusted based on the 2012-2013 annual school census, (Access): Primary net released after the beginning of the project. The PAD baseline 1st year intake was derived from 2010 data. The change was decided during the Rate Mid Term Review and, accordingly, end targets were recalculated by the Government and the World Bank team. M: 69.1% M: 79% M: 91% M:98% M:101% No M:98% M:80% No M:110% F:57.9% F:72% F:79% F:92% F:88% chang F:92% F:80% Level of achievement cannot be determined given wide data change F:96% T:63.5% T:75% T:85% T:95% T:94% e T:95% T:80% inconsistencies across the project cycle. For example, the 2015 T:103% annual school census shows a 103 percent primary net intake rate, while the provincial census shows an 80% intake at the end of the project, even lower than the baseline. This may be exacerbated by the need for a strengthened education management and information system, combined with the fact that DRC’s last national population census occurred in 1984. Indicator twenty-two The most reliable baseline value used here is for 2013, given that (Equity): it was adjusted based on the 2012-2013 annual school census, Gender Parity Index released after the beginning of the project. The PAD baseline (GER No No was derived from 2010 data. The change was decided during the F/GER M) 0.79 0.9 0.84 0.88 0.84 0.86 0.88 0.93 Mid Term Review and, accordingly, end targets were change chang e recalculated by the Government and the World Bank team. End target exceeded. Indicator twenty-three Substantial progress observed from the baseline, even as (Quality): French shortfall recorded compared to end-line target. The project textbooks: pupil ratio No aimed at complementing Grade 3 and 4 textbooks already No 0.6 1 0.55 0.66 chang 1 0.72 for Grade 3 and Grade 0.4 1 change available in schools. This gap arises from inaccurate data relating e 4 to textbooks needed and student enrolment. 81 Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) No official Restructuring (2016) Project Closing restructuring, but Project extension RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August, 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator twenty-four Target achieved. For Grades 5 and 6, the project aimed at (Quality): providing textbooks for each student. No French textbooks: No 0.4 1 0.37 0.62 chang 1 1 pupil 0.2 1 change e ratio for Grade 5 and Grade 6 Indicator twenty-five Substantial progress observed from the baseline, even as (Quality): Math No shortfall recorded compared to end-line target. The project textbooks: pupil ratio No aimed at complementing Grade 3 and 4 textbooks already 0.5 1 0.54 0.65 chang 1 0.84 for primary education 0.4 1 change available in schools. This gap arises from inaccurate data relating e for Grade 3 and 4 to textbooks needed and student enrolment. Indicator twenty-six Target achieved. For Grades 5 and 6, the project aimed at (Quality): Math No providing a textbook for each student. No textbooks: pupil ratio 0.3 1 0.4 1 0.38 0.64 chang 1 1 change for primary education e for Grade 5 and 6 Indicator twenty seven Target exceeded. Since July 2015, this indicator has been (Management): % of calculated as “% of bureaux gestionnaires de proximité “bureaux financially supported by the project.� gestionnaires de No No proximité� functioning 0 65% 00 65% 23 % 78% chang 65% 82% The remaining BGPs, not supported by the project, were not part change according to regulatory e of the Government’s official list of BGPs. norms and under results agreement 82 Intermediate-Level Indicators – Kasai West Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator twenty-eight Project End target exceeded. beneficiaries: # of primary T: T:1,169,26 school students, of which T:987,219 T:1,152,300 T:1070043 T:1169265 T: 1,181,365 No T: 1,433,961 No 1,306,855 5 girls F:436,791 F:530,120 F:486890 F:532038 F: 540,126 change F: 671,852 change F: 603,722 F:532,038 Indicator twenty-nine Primary Target exceeded. 1st year new entrants, of No which girls T:208,279 T:235,800 T: 275,292 T:300819 T: 313,216 No T: 341,829 T:300819 T: 382,525 change F:96,127 F:115,542 F:128872 F:140822 F: 146,678 change F: 160,270 F:140822 F: 179,647 Indicator thirty Substantial progress Additional classrooms observed from the baseline, No No rehabilitated or rebuilt 0 396 00 396 00 324 396 378 even as shortfall recorded change change compared to end-line target. Indicator thirty-one Substantial progress Number of latrine blocks observed from the baseline, built even as shortfall recorded No No compared to end-line target. 0 66 00 66 00 54 66 63 change change 83 Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator Thirty-two The significant gap between Number of water points the expected and actual number installed of water points delivered arises from the fact than the water points delivered were much No No 66 23 0 66 0 66 00 9 more expensive than the change change planned budget, in addition to technical and logistic related challenges. Target not achieved. Indicator thirty-three Target not achieved. A total Project beneficiaries: of 13,895 teachers, school Teachers benefiting in-service heads and inspectors were training (cumulative) trained in three of the 10 modules and 150 inspectors trained in 7 of the 10 modules. 0 21,000 - during the three years of the 0 16,000 NA No 9,702 No 16,000 project cycle, instead of the change change 16,000 envisioned. The gap mainly arises from logistical challenges and delays in design of the in-service teacher training Indicator thirty-four Target achieved. % of school clusters, having organized inter-school 10 80 NA No No 10 75% 5.23% 75% 83% pedagogical meetings (3 per change change year) 84 Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official restructuring, Project Closing Project extension but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Indicator thirty-five Indicator dropped during Mid % of cellule pédagogique Term Review and replaced by organizing (at least once “Monitoring and evaluation every week during working 10 80 10 80% Dropped tool is used by inspectors for hours) in-service training,� enabling a better appreciation of teacher training tools Indicator thirty-six Substantial progress was made Monitoring and evaluation and a draft M&E tool was tool is used by inspectors for New No available and used by in-service training. No No Yes No inspectors by the end of the indicator change project. Nevertheless, target partially achieved. 85 Intermediate-Level Indicators – Kasai West Original PAD Mid Term Review Revised 2013 (2015) Restructuring (2016) No official Project Closing Project extension restructuring, but RF change in MTR Report Indicator Revised Target for New Closing Date, Achievement as of Achievement as of Indicator Change Indicator Change Original Baseline Project Closing End Target for End Target for June 2015 Mid February 2017 February 2017 Baseline 2013 Term Review August 2016 Comments 2016 2016 Because the project provided financial Indicator thirty-seven resources to BGPs and none to COGES, it was % of schools having COGES quarterly meetings 00 80% 52% Dropped decided during the Mid Term review to as documented by the Minutes 0 80 monitor BGP- related COGES meetings rather than COGES meetings at school level. End target achieved. Indicator thirty-eight % of BGP having COGES quarterly meetings as New 78.41 No 75% 82.1% documented by the Minutes. indicator % change Indicator thirty-nine Although the original target in the PAD Annual qualitative surveys undertaken baseline is 1, this should have been 3 (one (“Bureaux gestionnaires de proximité� survey per year). For the 3 years of PROSEB, no longer collecting fees from the schools) 0 3 No therefore, three surveys were expected to take 00 3 1 No change 1 3 2 change place. Two surveys took place; respectively in 2015 and 2016. Target partially achieved (67%). 86 87