INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: ISDSA2080 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 03-Feb-2013 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 04-Feb-2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Pakistan Project ID: P125952 Project Name: Pakistan: Second Sindh Education Sector Project (P125952) Task Team Dhushyanth Raju Leader: Estimated 28-Jan-2013 Estimated 14-Mar-2013 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: SASED Lending Specific Investment Loan Instrument: Sector: General education sector (80%), Public administration- Education (20%) Theme: Education for all (80%), Other public sector governance (20%) Financing (In USD Million) Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 2300.00 International Development Association (IDA) 300.00 Public Disclosure Copy Total 2600.00 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? 2. Project Objectives The project supports the Sindh Government’s Second Sindh Education Sector Reform Program (SERP II). The Project Development Objective is to raise school participation by improving sector governance and accountability and strengthening administrative systems, and measure student achievement. Success in the project in meeting the PDO will be measured by the following indicators: 1. Primary school participation: Net Enrollment Rate (NER), primary, 6–10 years; 2. Middle school participation, NER, middle, 11–13, years; 3. High school participation, NER, matriculate, 14–15 years; and Page 1 of 9 4. Measurement of student achievement: Annual administration of the Student Achievement Test in grades 5 and 8 in government schools. 3. Project Description Public Disclosure Copy The Sindh Education Sector Reform Program: In FY2007/08, the Sindh government initiated a major, multifaceted, medium-term sector reform program for primary and secondary education called the Sindh Education Sector Reform Program (SERP). Reflecting an important shift from previous education development efforts by the Sindh government which aimed to increase expenditures, inputs, and benefits, SERP aimed to maximize the gains from any given level of expenditures, inputs, and benefits principally by strengthening governance and accountability. The Bank provided financial support to SERP between FY2006/07–FY2011/12 through the Sindh Education Sector Development Policy Credit (SEDPC) approved in June 2007, the Sindh Education Sector Project (SEP) approved in June 2009, and the Additional Financing to the Sindh Education Sector Project (SEP AF) approved in March 2011. SEP was a results-based project, with 98% of its credit amount of US$300 million conditioned on the Sindh government satisfactorily complying with the credit covenants and meeting Disbursement Linked Indicators (DLIs), which were program implementation performance and progress targets agreed with the Sindh government. SEP AF was also a results-based project, with 100% of its credit amount of US$50 million conditioned on DLIs. The Sindh government complied with credit covenants and satisfactorily met the agreed DLIs under SEP and SEP AF. The Second Sindh Education Sector Reform Program: The Sindh government has embarked on the design and early implementation of the Second Sindh Education Sector Reform Program (SERP II). SERP II is not simply the second phase of SERP. The government has drawn lessons from its SERP implementation experience to arrive at a reworked next version. Recognizing that markedly improving the quality of service delivery hinges on intensifying its efforts to strengthen sector governance and accountability, the Sindh government will (1) continue to carry forward (and strengthen) successful governance and accountability initiatives under SERP and (2) integrate in Public Disclosure Copy other complementary governance and accountability initiatives. In addition, recognizing that the success of any program design necessarily lies in program implementation integrity and performance, the Sindh government plans to carefully work out specific, pragmatic implementation steps and actions underpinned by strengthened implementation arrangements and coordination. The project is a US$300 million Specific Investment Credit which supports the implementation of SERP II over the period 2013–17. The project comprises of two components: (1) a results-based component—Component 1—which finances SERP II, amounting to US$295 million (roughly 98% of the total Credit); and (2) a Technical Assistance (TA) component—Component 2—which finances essential advisory, technical, capacity-building, and monitoring and evaluation support for SERP II, amounting to US$5 million (2% of the total Credit). Results-based component: Under the results-based component, the event and amount of project disbursements will be contingent on the satisfactory achievement of DLIs. The Sindh government views poor sector governance and accountability and weak administrative systems as the principal problem in public education in the province. Consequently, under SERP II, the Sindh government aims to intensify efforts to address this problem in order to improve the quality of service delivery. Project DLIs support ten initiatives that aim to address gaps in and/or current poor practices in sector management and governance. The initiatives and actions promoted by DLIs Page 2 of 9 over the project period are as follows. (1) Program budget and expenditure management: Preparation of sound budgets for primary and Public Disclosure Copy secondary education and SERP-II initiatives and ensuring that budgetary releases and expenditures are made in full and on a timely basis. (2) Annual School Census (ASC): Administration of the ASC on a regular basis, accompanied by strengthened administrative arrangements, procedures, and practices to improve data reliability. (3) Student Achievement Test (SAT): Administration of the SAT on a regular basis, accompanied by third-party review to strengthen the reliability and validity of the test results and the responsible use and dissemination of test results. (4) School budgets: Preparation of school budgets, both salary and nonsalary components, following transparent, objective, and needs-based criteria; and third-party support to the districts for managing and monitoring the flow and use of school budgets in line with applicable rules and regulations. (5) School Management Committees (SMCs): Stronger due diligence and financial management controls; improved communication of expectations, roles, responsibilities, and redressal avenues to all key parties; support services offered by regions and districts to SMCs; and increasing grant use in line with applicable rules and regulations. (6) School system consolidation: Merging of distinct government schools that share the same building, same compound, or are in close proximity and cater to the same local child population into single schools and their reorganization and strengthening to function as single schools. (7) School infrastructure development: Investments in (i) the whole school development of schools with infrastructure deficiencies, (ii) upgradation of primary schools to elementary schools, Public Disclosure Copy and (iii) consolidated schools, following objective, transparent, and needs-based criteria; compliance with stipulated construction quality and school design specifications; third-party screening, support, monitoring, and certification of construction completion and quality; and pilot interventions on specific school environmental enhancements. (8) Incentive- and accountability-based public financing of the private provision of schooling: Incremental expansion of the Sindh Education Foundation (SEF) Promoting Private Schools in Rural Sindh (PPRS) program; regularization of program financing; strengthened administrative and monitoring systems; strengthened design and enforcement of incentive and accountability conditions to improve school performance; and strengthen program qualification criteria and the rigor of procedures and practices to screen rural localities for program school placement. (9) Education management: Appointment of education managers and school headmasters following transparent, objective, merit-based criteria and rigorous mechanisms; contracts with performance terms and conditions; induction training, job guidelines, management materials and tools; and a tailored annual performance evaluation process (within the government’s standard performance evaluation system). (10) Teacher management: Strengthened merit- and needs-based teacher recruitment arrangements, procedures, and practices; teacher contracts with performance terms and conditions; Page 3 of 9 induction training, job guidelines, teaching materials and tools; and a tailored annual performance evaluation process (within the government’s standard performance evaluation system). Public Disclosure Copy TA component: Under the TA component, funds will finance important technical, advisory, and capacity-building support to strengthen fiduciary, environmental management, administrative, and monitoring and evaluation activities. The selected activities would aid program implementation progress and performance including, importantly, the achievement of DLIs. RSU would manage the project TA funds and activities. 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The project will be implemented in all districts of the Sindh province. The province is located in a region that is prone to natural disasters such as earthquakes, severe floods, and landslides. In some areas the geological conditions are favorable to the contamination of groundwater by arsenic and fluoride, two dangerous pollutants that may cause serious and irreversible health problems. A large number of schools in those areas use groundwater for drinking purposes. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Ernesto Sanchez-Triana (LCSEN) Chaohua Zhang (SASDS) Luis C.P Miglino (SASED) Andaleeb Alam (SASED) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The construction or rehabilitation of schools BP 4.01 located in areas with water contaminated with arsenic, and prone to natural disasters (earthquakes, severe floods, etc.), presented Public Disclosure Copy challenges that required the preparation of a specific environmental assessment. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No The conservation of natural habitats, like other measures that protect and enhance the environment, is essential for long-term sustainable development. Through this OP, the Bank supports the protection, maintenance, and rehabilitation of natural habitats and their functions. SERP II includes limited amount of construction work related to expansion of existing school buildings, provision of missing facilities in existing schools and construction of buildings for existing shelterless schools. None of these activities are expected to affect any of natural habitats. Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 No Page 4 of 9 Physical Cultural Resources OP/ Yes The World Bank’s general policy regarding BP 4.11 cultural properties is to assist in their preservation, and to seek to avoid their Public Disclosure Copy elimination. As discussed above, SERP II involves civil works at the existing schools which are located in settled areas. Over 4,000 schools are expected to be built or renovated under SERP II. There are over 60 sites of archaeological, cultural, historical, and religious significance distributed all over the province. As precaution, the ESMF II includes guidelines on how to proceed in case any such site is discovered during school construction. Therefore, OP-11 is triggered. Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No 4.12 Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International No Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No 7.60 II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management Public Disclosure Copy A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the Restructured project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: Under SERP II, the Sindh government plans to carry out infrastructural development of existing eligible government schools with identified needs. This work will be carried out under the district Terms of Partnership (TOP) initiative. Under SERP, the TOP initiative offered annual grants to districts for school infrastructure rehabilitation with oversight and support provided by a contracted engineering firm. Under SERP II, the scope of the program will be expanded to include school upgradation and any infrastructural development needs emerging from school system consolidation. Under SERP, the Sindh government introduced the PPRS program, administered by SEF, will offer cash subsidies to qualifying private entrepreneurs to set up and operate schools in unserved rural communities; the contracts with the school operators specify minimal conditions for the provision and maintenance of basic school infrastructure and amenities. This program will be continued and strengthened under SERP II. The envisaged civil works under the TOP initiative for government schools and by SEF PPRS program schools may yield low negative environmental impacts. Hence, the project is classified as Category B, in accordance with Bank OP 4.01. For SEP, the Bank carried out an Environmental Assessment (EA) and the Sindh government prepared an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF). The EA and ESMF have Page 5 of 9 been revised to take into account the implementation record of the Sindh government in meeting minimal infrastructural and environmental standards in government schools and SEF PPRS program schools as well as the envisaged infrastructure investment plans of ED/RSU under SERP Public Disclosure Copy II. The revised versions are referred to as EA II and ESMF II. The Sindh government approved and publicly disclosed ESMF II on RSU’s website on January 26, 2013. In line with the findings in EA II and the recommendations in ESMF II, under SERP II, the Sindh government plans to, among other things, (1) continue to competitively contract an engineering firm using government resources to guide, support, and monitor districts and schools in school civil works and (2) competitively contract a specialized consulting firm using project TA funds to evaluate, design, and support the implementation of (i) refined recommendations related to the structural safety of school buildings, (ii) GIS-based guidelines for school siting and structural resilience to natural disasters, (iii) safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, (iv) training of districts and schools in personal hygiene and disaster preparedness, and (v) pilot initiatives in drinking water facilities and low-cost renewable power systems. At RSU and SEF, Environmental Coordinators (ECs) will serve as focal-points for advising, supporting, and monitoring the environmental management agenda under SERP II. The firms contracted by ED/RSU will play an important role in taking forward the environment management agenda. Apart from data from administrative information from ED/RSU and SEF on progress and performance on environment management actions, the independent longitudinal school sample survey will gather information on the characteristics of school infrastructure and the school environment; the survey data will be made publicly available for analysis. Land acquisition: As with SEP, World Bank OP 4.12 on Involuntary Resettlement is not expected to be triggered by the project. Under SERP II, no new government schools on new lands will be constructed. Land, however, may be needed by the government for meeting the infrastructural needs of existing government schools, specifically for school infrastructure investment activities under SERP II related to (1) school rehabilitation/whole school development, (2) school Public Disclosure Copy upgradation, and (3) school system consolidation. Land for these activities is to be obtained either through voluntary donations from communities or market-based purchases. The same two options are available to school operators under SEF’s PPRS program, although, under SERP, most transactions for this program have been land and building lease agreements, andthis will likely be the case under SERP II. Indigenous peoples: As with SEP, indigenous groups have not been identified in the areas to be covered by SERP II. Thus, World Bank OP 4.10 on Indigenous Peoples is not expected to be triggered by the project. Notwithstanding, if any such group is identified during the course of project implementation, the Sindh government will prepare an Indigenous Peoples Development Plan and incorporate any needed safeguards into SERP II. Monitoring of social indicators: In line with which subpopulations experience meaningful school participation shortfalls, the Bank will monitor government school participation rates for rural children, rural girls, and poor children of selected age groups. Te statistics will be obtained from the annual rounds of the PSLM survey. The Bank will also monitor the gender parity index in government schools and SEF PPRS program schools. In addition, the independent longitudinal school sample survey will gather information on the characteristics of sample students; the survey data will be made publicly available for researchers to examine, among other things, questions on Page 6 of 9 the (changing) extent and nature of social inclusion in government and SEF PPRS program schools. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities Public Disclosure Copy in the project area: Given the nature of activities under SERP II (see above), supported by the project, the program is unlikely to cause any indirect and/ or long-term negative impacts. 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. N/A. 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. The institutional arrangements that already exist to implement the safeguard requirements of SEP will be continued for this project. Overall responsibility would rest with the Government of Sindh, specifically the implementing agency, ED/RSU. An Environmental Coordinator (EC) has been contracted by ED/RSU and will serve as the focal point in the Sindh government for SERP-II environmental matters. The implementation of ESMF II in the field with respect to government schools will be the responsibility of the districts and contracted civil works contractors, with the support of contracted supervision and technical and advisory support firms, and in coordination and under the supervision of the EC, ensure compliance to the environmental guidelines. The implementation of ESMF II in the field with respect to PPRS program schools will be the responsibility of SEF and school operators, and in coordination and under the supervision of the EC, to ensure compliance with the environmental guidelines. In line with the findings in EA II and the recommendations in ESMF II, under SERP II, the Sindh government plans to (1) continue to contract an engineering firm using government resources to guide, support, and monitor districts and schools in school civil works under SERP II but with stronger field Public Disclosure Copy presence and formations of engineering firm staff serving as site monitors, called Assistant Resident Engineers (AREs); (2) further sensitize and better train relevant district officials (Education and Works and Services) and AREs on the full set of minimal school infrastructural and environmental standards; (3) have stronger supervision by engineers from the districts (District Officers and Deputy District Officers-Works for Education); (4) include additional relevant clauses related to construction quality and completeness in the contracts for civil works contractors; (5) improve the set of recording and reporting forms used by district officials and AREs to capture greater detail on compliance on minimum school infrastructural and environmental standards; (6) contract a specialized consulting firm using project TA funds to evaluate, design, and support the implementation of (i) refined recommendations related to the structural safety of school buildings, (ii) GIS-based guidelines for school siting and structural resilience to natural disasters, (iii) safe drinking water and sanitation facilities, (iv) training of districts and schools in personal hygiene and disaster preparedness, and (v) pilot initiatives in drinking water facilities and low-cost renewable power systems; and (7) enforce more stringently the minimum school infrastructural and environmental conditions in the contractual agreements with school operators under SEF’s PPRS program. Page 7 of 9 Grievance redressal: The ESMF describes mechanisms for the redressal of grievances related to SERP II. To enable improved complaints handling, ED/RSU plans to procure and run a customized, web-based complaints handling system, with user access to the system by the Public Disclosure Copy districts; the SEF will have a similar system. The ED/RSU’s system will handle complaints related to SERP II, irrespective of the source and communication mode of the complaint; the system will be managed by RSU’s communications unit to be established under the project. In addition to the web-based systems, formal guidelines and service standards are to be prepared and approved for the receiving, recording, processing, responding to, and reporting on complaints. The steps are expected to help ED/RSU and SEF have the means to improve the efficiency, transparency, consistency, and quality of complaints handling. Complaints received during SERP often indicate that the source of the problem is the lack of information (or misinformation) on program activities, procedures and practices, and eligibility rules. Under SERP II, apart from putting in place and running systems for handling complaints, ED/RSU plans to proactively and widely communicate relevant information on SERP II through multiple products and channels. Such communication will be managed by RSU Program Managers and Program Officers for the initiatives, with any needed support from the communications unit in the RSU. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. Key SERP-II stakeholders include students, parents, local communities served by government schools, teachers, district education administrations, ED and its sub-departments, and the provincial and district administrations. ED/RSU has organized and carried out consultations with a wide range of stakeholders through meetings; this practice will continue through the project period. Mechanisms for disclosure include (1) public disclosure of ESMF II on RSU's website and (2) provision of translated hardcopies of ESMF II to education offices at the regional/divisonal, district, and subdistrict levels (with instructions to make the hardcopies available for public access), district works and services offices and civil works contractors contracted for school Public Disclosure Copy infrastructure development under the district TOP initiative, and SEF PPRS school operators. B. Disclosure Requirements Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other Date of receipt by the Bank 26-Feb-2013 Date of submission to InfoShop 04-Feb-2013 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors "In country" Disclosure Pakistan 26-Jan-2013 Comments: If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/ Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level Page 8 of 9 OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the credit/loan? Public Disclosure Copy OP/BP 4.11 - Physical Cultural Resources Does the credit/loan incorporate mechanisms to mitigate the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] potential adverse impacts on cultural property? The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] World Bank's Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the project cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? III. APPROVALS Public Disclosure Copy Task Team Leader: Dhushyanth Raju Approved By Regional Safeguards Name: Sanjay Srivastava (RSA) Date: 04-Feb-2013 Coordinator: Sector Manager: Name: Amit Dar (SM) Date: 03-Feb-2013 Page 9 of 9