Document of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No: PAD2560 INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT ON A PROPOSED CREDIT IN THE AMOUNT OF SDR 53.2 MILLION (US$75 MILLION EQUIVALENT) TO THE REPUBLIC OF SENEGAL FOR A SENEGAL INVESTING IN THE EARLY YEARS FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT September 7, 2018 Education Global Practice Africa Region This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization. CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Exchange Rate Effective July 31, 2018 Currency Unit = EUR CFAF 560= US$1 EUR 0.8524= US$1 US$ 1.40 = SDR 1 FISCAL YEAR January 1 - December 31 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AF Additional Financing ANC Antenatal Care ANPECTP National Agency for Early Childhood Development (Agence Nationale de la Petite Enfance et de la Case des tout-petits) ASN National Statistical Yearbook (Annuaire Statistique National) CBA Cost-Benefit Analysis CBO Community-Based Organization CLM National Unit for the Fight against Malnutrition (Cellule de Lutte contre la Malnutrition) CODEPE Group of Directors and Trainers on Early Childhood Development (Collectif des Directeurs et encadreurs de la Petite Enfance) CPD Continuous Professional Development CPF Country Partnership Framework CPM Public Procurement Unit (Cellule de Passation de Marché) CSO Civil Society Organization CTP Early Learning Centers Managed by the National Agency for Early Child Development (Case des Tout-Petits) DA Designated Account DEI District Education Inspectorate (Inspection de l’Education et de la Formation) DGPSN General Delegation for Social Protection (Délégation Générale à la Protection Sociale et à la Solidarité Nationale) DEPS Directorate for Preschool Education (Direction de l’Education Préscolaire) DFCO Directorate for Teacher Training and Communication (Direction de la Formation et de la Communication) DFIL Disbursement and Financial Information Letter DHS Demographic and Health Survey DSE Directorate for Monitoring and Evaluation (Direction du Suivi-Evaluation) DPRE Directorate for Education Planning and Reform (Direction de la Plannification et de la Réforme de l’Education) DRH Directorate for Human Resources (Direction des Ressources Humaines) ECD Early Childhood Development ECE Early Childhood Education ESMF Environmental and Social Management Framework FM Financial Management GDP Gross Domestic Product GoS Government of Senegal GPN General Procurement Notice GRM Grievance Redress Mechanism GRS Grievance Redress Service HD Human Development HNP Health, Nutrition, and Population IEG Independent Evaluation Group IEY Investing in Early Years IFR Interim Financial Report IPF Investment Project Financing KOICA Korea International Cooperation Agency LSMS Living Standard Measurement Study M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MELQO Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes MBGPE Ministry of Governance and Child Protection (Ministère de la Bonne Gouvernance et de la Protection de l’Enfance) MEN Ministry of Education (Ministère de l’Education Nationale) MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey NGO Nongovernmental Organization NPF New Procurement Framework PAQEEB Senegal Quality and Equity of Basic Education Project (Projet d’Appui à la Qualité, à l’Equité dans l’Education de Base) PAQUET Program for Quality, Equity, and Transparency (Projet d’Appui à la Qualité à l’Equité et à la Transparence) PBC Performance-Based Contract PDO Project Development Objective PDV Present Discounted Value PIM Project Implementation Manual PIU Project Implementation Unit PPA Project Preparation Advance PP Procurement Plan PPSD Project Procurement Strategy for Development PNBSF National Safety Nets Program (Programme National des Bourses de Sécurité Familiale) PRN Nutrition Enhancement Project (Programme de Renforcement de la Nutrition) PSE Emerging Senegal Plan (Plan Sénégal Emergent) RCT Randomized Control Trial RNU National Register (Registre National Unique) RPF Resettlement Policy Framework SCD Systematic Country Diagnostic SIEF Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund SMC School Management Committee SPN Specific Procurement Notice TOR Terms of Reference TTL Task Team Leader UNDB United Nations Development Business UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID U.S. Agency for International Development VfM Value for Money Regional Vice President: Hafez M. H. Ghanem Country Director: Louise J. Cord Senior Global Practice Director: Jaime Saavedra Chanduvi Practice Manager: Meskerem Mulatu Task Team Leader(s): Amanda Epstein Devercelli, Menno Mulder-Sibanda The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) B BAASIC BASICC IN INFORMATION NFOR ORMMAT AT ON ON BASIC INFO TABLE Country(ies) Project Name Senegal Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development Project ID Financing Instrument Environmental Assessment Category Investment Project P161332 B-Partial Assessment Financing Financing & Implementation Modalities [ ] Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) [ ] Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC) [ ] Series of Projects (SOP) [ ] Fragile State(s) [ ] Disbursement-linked Indicators (DLIs) [ ] Small State(s) [ ] Financial Intermediaries (FI) [ ] Fragile within a non-fragile Country [ ] Project-Based Guarantee [ ] Conflict [ ] Deferred Drawdown [ ] Responding to Natural or Man-made Disaster [ ] Alternate Procurement Arrangements (APA) Expected Approval Date Expected Closing Date 28-Sep-2018 30-Jun-2024 Bank/IFC Collaboration No Proposed Development Objective(s) Improve delivery of select services that promote early childhood development in underserved areas of Senegal Components Component Name Cost (US$, millions) Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days 37.00 Quality early learning 22.00 Page 1 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Child protection and system strengthening 11.00 Project management and technical assistance 5.00 Organizations Borrower: Republic of Senegal Implementing Agency: Ministry of Governance and Protection of the Child PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) SUMMARY -NewFin1 Total Project Cost 75.00 Total Financing 75.00 of which IBRD/IDA 75.00 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS -NewFinEnh1 World Bank Group Financing International Development Association (IDA) 75.00 IDA Credit 75.00 IDA Resources (in US$, Millions) Credit Amount Grant Amount Total Amount National PBA 75.00 0.00 75.00 Total 75.00 0.00 75.00 Expected Disbursements (in US$, Millions) WB Fiscal Year 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Annual 2.83 9.93 15.90 16.19 13.84 11.57 4.74 Cumulative 2.83 12.76 28.66 44.85 58.69 70.26 75.00 Page 2 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) INSTITUTIONAL DATA Practice Area (Lead) Contributing Practice Areas Education Health, Nutrition & Population Climate Change and Disaster Screening This operation has been screened for short and long-term climate change and disaster risks Gender Tag Does the project plan to undertake any of the following? a. Analysis to identify Project-relevant gaps between males and females, especially in light of Yes country gaps identified through SCD and CPF b. Specific action(s) to address the gender gaps identified in (a) and/or to improve women or Yes men's empowerment c. Include Indicators in results framework to monitor outcomes from actions identified in (b) Yes SYSTEMATIC OPERATIONS RISK-RATING TOOL (SORT) Risk Category Rating 1. Political and Governance z Moderate 2. Macroeconomic z Moderate 3. Sector Strategies and Policies z Substantial 4. Technical Design of Project or Program z Substantial 5. Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability z Substantial 6. Fiduciary z Substantial 7. Environment and Social z Moderate 8. Stakeholders z Moderate 9. Other Page 3 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) 10. Overall z Substantial COMPLIANCE Policy Does the project depart from the CPF in content or in other significant respects? [ ] Yes [✓] No Does the project require any waivers of Bank policies? [ ] Yes [✓] No Safeguard Policies Triggered by the Project Yes No Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 ✔ Performance Standards for Private Sector Activities OP/BP 4.03 ✔ Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 ✔ Forests OP/BP 4.36 ✔ Pest Management OP 4.09 ✔ Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 ✔ Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 ✔ Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 ✔ Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 ✔ Projects on International Waterways OP/BP 7.50 ✔ Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 ✔ Legal Covenants Sections and Description No later than four (4) months after the Effective Date, the Recipient shall establish and thereafter maintain, at all times during the implementation of the Project, a project steering committee with a composition, mandate, and resources satisfactory to the Association (“Project Steering Committee” or “PSC”). The PSC shall meet semi- annually. Sections and Description No later than four (4) months after the Effective Date, the Recipient shall establish and thereafter maintain the Page 4 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Project’s technical working Group (“Technical Working Group”) which shall be chaired by the secretary general of MBGPE or any representative of the minister of MBGPE. Sections and Description The PIU shall no later than four (4) months after the Effective Date: (A) recruit and thereafter retain at all times during the implementation of the Project the following staff, inter alia, each with terms of reference, qualifications and experience satisfactory to the Association: (i) a communications officer, (ii) a child development technical officer, (iii) an internal auditor, (iv) an accountant and (v) a safeguards specialist, all with qualifications acceptable to the Association; (B) set up an adequate accounting and reporting system and (C) hire an external auditor for the Project. Sections and Description CLM shall no later than four (4) months after the Effective Date recruit an assistant accountant with qualifications acceptable to the Association. Conditions Type Description Effectiveness The Recipient has adopted the Project Implementation Manual, including a financial and administrative manual as an annex, in accordance with the provisions of Section I.B of Schedule 2 to the Legal Agreement. Type Description Effectiveness The Recipient has recruited (i) a coordinator, (ii) a procurement specialist, (iii) a financial management specialist and (iv) a monitoring and evaluation specialist with qualifications acceptable to the Association for the purpose of establishing the Project Implementation Unit. Type Description Disbursement No withdrawal shall be made until the Association is satisfied that (i) the Recipient has signed an agreement with an independent Verification Agent in accordance with Section 1.E.4 of Schedule 2 of the Legal Agreement. Page 5 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) SENEGAL SENEGAL INVESTING IN THE EARLY YEARS FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN SENEGAL TABLE OF CONTENTS I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT ...................................................................................................... 8 A. Country Context .................................................................................................................. 8 B. Sectoral and Institutional Context ...................................................................................... 9 C. Higher Level Objectives to which the Project Contributes ............................................... 16 II. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................ 18 A. PDO.................................................................................................................................... 18 B. Project Beneficiaries .......................................................................................................... 18 C. PDO-Level Results Indicators............................................................................................. 22 III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................. 22 A. Project Components.......................................................................................................... 22 B. Project Cost and Financing ................................................................................................ 32 C. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design ...................................................... 32 IV. IMPLEMENTATION........................................................................................................ 34 A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements ............................................................. 34 B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................... 37 C. Sustainability ..................................................................................................................... 39 D. Role of Partners................................................................................................................. 40 V. KEY RISKS ..................................................................................................................... 40 A. Overall Risk Rating and Explanation of Key Risks.............................................................. 40 VI. APPRAISAL SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 42 A. Economic and Financial Analysis ....................................................................................... 42 B. Technical............................................................................................................................ 44 C. Financial Management ...................................................................................................... 44 D. Procurement ..................................................................................................................... 45 E. Social (including Safeguards) ............................................................................................. 46 F. Environment (including Safeguards) ................................................................................. 47 G. Other Safeguard Policies (if applicable) ............................................................................ 48 Page 6 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) H. World Bank Grievance Redress ......................................................................................... 48 VII. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING .................................................................... 49 ANNEX 1: DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION ......................................................................... 55 ANNEX 2: IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS .................................................................... 67 ANNEX 3: IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT PLAN ...................................................................... 84 ANNEX 4: REFERENCES......................................................................................................... 88 Page 7 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT A. Country Context 1. Senegal is a stable democracy located in the westernmost part of Africa’s Sahel region. The current population is estimated to be 15 million, with a 2.9 percent population growth rate. Approximately half of the population lives in urban areas, with 23 percent of the total population living in the greater Dakar region (the capital city). 2. After many years of economic volatility, Senegal’s growth performance has started to improve, with gross domestic product (GDP) growth reaching 6.7 percent in 2016. Internal and external factors contributed to inconsistent and weak economic growth in the last two decades, including: drought, flooding, the international food price crisis, oil shocks and poor governance. From 1990-2005, real GDP per capita increased by only 17 percent in Senegal, compared to an average of 45 percent across Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) and 134 percent across emerging and developing countries. The Government’s development plan – Emerging Senegal Plan 2014 – 2030 (Plan Senegal Emergent, PSE) establishes a framework for economic and social policy in the coming years with three pillars: (i) structural transformation of the economy to achieve strong and sustainable growth; (ii) human capital, expanding access to social services and social protection and preservation of conditions for sustainable development; and, (iii) enhancing governance and security through institutional strengthening and promoting peace. The economic outlook is favorable with progressively higher growth rates expected in the coming years. Production, exports, and fiscal revenues are expected to increase, which will help reduce the external and fiscal deficit (despite higher imports and strong public investment, which may challenge fiscal discipline). 3. Key human development (HD) outcomes have improved in Senegal in the last decade. The prevalence of stunting was reduced from 30 percent in 2000 to 17 percent in 2016 (now the lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa). Under-five mortality has declined annually since 1998 and is 47 for every 1,000 births (as of 2016) compared to an average of 78 per 1,000 for Sub-Saharan Africa and 38 per 1,000 for middle- income countries.1 Outcomes in the education sector have been improving but are still suboptimal. The primary completion rate is low, at 57 percent (compared to an average of 69 percent for Sub-Saharan Africa), and 37 percent of school-age children remain out of school.2 For those children who are in school, learning outcomes are low. By the time children reach Grade 4, just 60 percent can read and comprehend grade-level text and only 32 percent reach minimum proficiency in math and science.3 4. Poverty and inequality pose significant challenges to development in Senegal. Senegal continues to be in the lowest quintile of the Human Development Index with a ranking of 162 in 2016 and nearly half the population lives in poverty.4 Inequality is slightly lower than the Sub-Saharan Africa average, 1 https://data.worldbank.org, 2018. 2 A significant proportion of children attend Koranic schools ( Daaras) instead of, or in addition to, formal primary schools, which complicates the interpretation of education data. Living Standard Measurement and Study (LSMS) and Demographic and Heath Survey (DHS). 3 Program for the Analysis of Education System (Programme d’Analyse des Systèmes Educatif de la Confemen ), 2010. 4 Systematic Country Diagnostic (SCD), 2016. Page 8 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) though geographical disparities are pronounced. Almost two in three people in rural areas live in poverty compared to one in four in Dakar. Young children are disproportionately represented among the poor: more than 85 percent of the poorest households have children below age five.5 B. Sectoral and Institutional Context 5. Improving Early Childhood Development (ECD) outcomes could dramatically improve human capital in Senegal and address many of the current constraints to economic and social development; many children’s earliest years, however, are filled with missed opportunities that undermine their future potential. Children’s outcomes are poor across a range of different HD indicators, and efforts to improve outcomes are constrained by a fragmented and ineffective system of service delivery and coordination. 6. Children’s experiences in their early years build the foundation for future learning, behavior, and health and the strength of early foundations affects the formation of skills that determine outcomes later in life.6 During children’s first five years of life, the brain is highly malleable and matures faster than at any other time.7 Positive or negative development during this period has implications for well-being, school readiness, and later success in life.8 Every $1 invested in early childhood is estimated to return $6–$17, with potential benefits including better health, improved cognitive development and schooling outcomes, and, eventually, increased wages and productivity.9 Due to the long-lasting and far- reaching benefits, investments in children’s earliest years have the potential to stop the intergenerational transmission of poverty, and investments in ECD are a powerful tool to reduce inequality because disadvantaged children are likely to benefit the most.10 7. The recently developed Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework (figure 1) provides a useful illustration of the interventions children need to reach their full potential—and how improved development in the early years can contribute to countries’ prosperity. This framework, developed by World Bank staff, provides a starting point to consider the cross-sectoral landscape that influences children’s development in their early years. The framework is grounded in three pillars that help children reach their full potential: (a) Children are well nourished and healthy, especially in the first 1,000 days; (b) Children receive early stimulation and learning opportunities from birth onwards; and (c) Children are nurtured and protected from stress. 5 SCD, 2016. 6 Carneiro and Heckman 2003; Cunha and Heckman 2007; Cunha et al. 2005; Heckman 2006. 7 Young 2002; Young and Mustard 2007. 8 Shonkoff and Phillips 2000. 9 Lancet series, Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale, 2016 10 Alderman and Vegas 2011; Heckman and Masterov 2007; Naudeau et al. 2011. Page 9 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Figure 1. World Bank Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework11 11 The Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework was developed by World Bank staff in 2016, with participation from technical leads across HD and informed by global evidence. It is meant to guide the World Bank’s work in early years and identify cross-sectoral entry points to improve children’s development. Page 10 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Box 1. Key Terminology for the Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development Project The terms used to refer to child development vary by country and across sectors and agencies. In the context of the Early Years Project, the following terms and concepts are used: ECD refers to the period before birth to transition to primary school. During this period children’s development occurs within four key domains: cognitive, linguistic, socioemotional and physical well-being, and growth. In the context of this project, ECD is understood to be an outcome: optimal, holistic child development across the four key domains. Different services delivered through different sectors are required to yield this outcome (as described in the Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework). By the time children enter primary school, they should be (a) healthy and well nourished; (b) securely attached to caregivers and able to interact positively with extended family members, peers, and teachers; (c) able to communicate in their native language with peers and adults; and (d) ready to learn throughout primary school (Naudeau et al. 2011). ECD is the term used most commonly in Senegal. ‘Early Years’ is the terminology agreed within the World Bank across sectors to refer to child development from conception until transition to primary school and highlights the critical importance of multiple entry points across sectors to promote optimal ECD. Figure 1 presents the Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework and key interventions. The first 1,000 days refers to the period from conception to 23 months. During this period, adequate nutrition and health care are essential for pregnant women and infants, as well as early stimulation. Key interventions for this period are described in the Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework in figure 1. Early stimulation refers to the process of stimulating babies’ brain development. Simple, everyday activities— talking, singing, reading, and playing—stimulate babies’ neural development and build strong brains for life. Children learn through interaction and stimulation: they need to see, feel, hear, and taste to learn about the world around them. Engaged parents and caregivers are critical to provide these opportunities in a child’s earliest years until they begin more formal early learning. Early learning. In the years before children enter primary school, more formal early learning opportunities become important. Participation in quality preschool, playgroups, and other organized early learning can help children develop the early language, literacy, numeracy, and social skills they will need to succeed in primary school and beyond. In this project, the term early learning is used to indicate a broad conception that includes preprimary/preschool/early childhood education (ECE) and also less formal settings, including community-based early learning that will be supported through project interventions in Koranic schools and through School Management Committees (SMCs). Constraints to Optimal Child Development in Senegal 8. Children lack access to essential health, nutrition, and early stimulation throughout their ‘first 1,000 days’. For many children in Senegal, disadvantage begins even before birth with poor maternal nutrition and inadequate access to prenatal and postnatal care. Adolescent childbearing is common in Senegal, with 40 percent of women having given birth before the age of 20 years. These young women are neither physically mature to conceive and deliver nor psychologically prepared to take care of children. Maternal mortality, one of the most fundamental determinants of optimal child development, is 315 per 100,000 in Senegal; while this is less than half of the average in West and Central Africa (679), it is almost double South Asia’s (182). Utilization of health services among pregnant women remains low: only 54 percent of women had at least four antenatal care visits. Page 11 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) 9. Young children’s nutrition status is suboptimal, with recent data indicating that 64 percent of infants are not exclusively breastfed during their first six months and 93 percent of children ages 6–23 months do not benefit from a minimum acceptable diet (a composite indicator of feeding frequency and diversity of food). Other indications of child malnutrition are equally precarious, with 7 percent of children suffering from acute malnutrition (wasting), 15–20 percent from low birthweight, and 66 percent from anemia. Preventable and treatable childhood infections take a toll on children’s health: only 22 percent of children suffering from acute diarrhea receive rehydration treatment and only 35 percent of cases of acute respiratory infections are treated. 10. During the first 1,000 days of life, nutrition and health are necessary for survival, but to thrive, children also need early stimulation. This early stimulation is as simple as parents and caregivers playing, talking, singing, and reading to infants and toddlers. While some nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) are promoting early stimulation through community programs, there are no reliable data on parental engagement in early stimulation and there are no programs operating at scale to promote this cost- effective and simple intervention. 11. During children’s ‘next 1,000 days’ (from 24 months to 60 months of age), early learning opportunities are important to prepare them to succeed in primary school. Access to early learning, which is critical to promote children’s cognitive and socioemotional development, is low, with just 17 percent of children enrolled in some form of ECE. This low access to early learning and the relatively low quality of available early learning mean that many children are entering primary school unprepared to succeed. This lack of readiness is likely a significant contributing factor to poor outcomes in basic education (40 percent of children in Grade 4 cannot read at grade level and 68 percent do not meet math and science performance standards).12 12. Low enrollment in early learning programs is due to a combination of demand-side factors (limited parent understanding of the potential benefits of ECE) and supply-side factors (limited availability of affordable and accessible quality programs). Public expenditure on education has been high overall, but investment in preprimary education accounts for less than 1 percent of the education budget. The low public investment in early learning compromises the quality and availability of early learning; as a result, early learning services are largely dependent on non-state actor financing, placing a financial burden on poor households. There are a number of different types of early learning services offered, including preschool classrooms attached to public primary schools, preschools managed by the National Agency for Early Childhood Development (Agence Nationale de la Petite Enfance et de la Case des tout-petits, ANPECTP), and private preschools and community-based preschools. In addition, a large— but unconfirmed—percentage of children enroll in community-based Daaras (Koranic schools), frequently from as young as three years of age. While some Daaras offer some school readiness content to promote cognitive and socioemotional development, most Daaras focus exclusively on learning the Koran through memorization. 13. The quality of early learning programs needs to be improved to promote children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. No formal teacher training track exists for preschool, which results in teachers without the skills and understanding needed to effectively teach young children. Quality teaching and learning materials are in short supply, the curriculum needs an update, the quality assurance system 12 Program for the Analysis of the Education System, 2010. Page 12 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) is not robust, and 30 percent of centers in the country require rehabilitation. Local government involvement in preprimary education has been limited despite the Decentralization Act transferring the responsibilities of education planning to the local level. The multiplicity of preprimary actors and models and limited resources for local government coordination result in uneven and fragmented service delivery with limited quality assurance. 14. Throughout their early years, many children are exposed to toxic stress13 and violence. Risks associated with poverty, including poor nutrition, excessive stress, and lack of stimulation have negative consequences for brain development and often co-occur and amplify each other.14 Domestic violence and violent discipline are key issues affecting young children, as well as pregnant mothers, with relatively high levels of abuse throughout the country. More than 25 percent of girls report having been sexually abused before the age of 13.15 15. Birth registration is a critical child protection service—but nearly one-third of all children in Senegal are not registered. Without a birth certificate, children’s access to basic and essential services is limited (children without birth certificates, for example, are unable to take the examinations required to complete basic education). Registering a child generally involves both direct costs (fees) and indirect costs (time off from work, travel expenses), and both costs affect the poor disproportionately. Recent analysis confirms the connection between civil registration and access. For example, the proportion of ‘out of school’ among children who do not have a birth certificate is 77 percent compared to 39 percent among those who have a birth certificate. These proportions are higher for girls than boys and increase with age.16 16. Efforts to improve ECD in Senegal will need to address constraints that arise from gender disparities and norms. In rural Senegal, many of the norms governing gender relations are centered on men, with the preponderance of power held in the husband’s paternal community, the dilution of the couple, and the inferior status of women. The powers of decision and action within the household are the prerogative of men. Women are relegated to the role of auxiliaries in family agricultural production, actors in the reproduction of the labor force and care of children.17 The roles and norms of how gender influences ECD outcomes are not well understood, making it more difficult to engage families and communities in efforts to promote child development. 17. One of the principal challenges facing efforts to promote ECD in any country is how to effectively coordinate across different entities engaged in delivering services. In Senegal, different institutions are 13 An explanation of Toxic Stress from the Harvard Center on the Developing Child: Some degree of stress is normal and learning how to cope with adversity is an important part of healthy child development. During stressful periods, heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones, such as cortisol, can all be elevated. When a young child’s stress response systems are activated within an environment of supportive relationships with adults, these physiological effects are buffered and brought back down to baseline. The result is the development of healthy stress response systems. However, if the stress response is extreme and long-lasting, and buffering relationships are unavailable to the child, the result can be damaged, weakened systems and brain architecture, with lifelong repercussions. This kind of extended, unbuffered stress is referred to as ‘Toxic Stress’, which could be caused by violence, insecurity, or other deficits. 14 Engle et al. 2011. 15 Stratégie Nationale de Protection de l’Enfance, 2016. 16 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), 2016. 17 Rubin 2010; Systemic Country Diagnostic, 2016. Page 13 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) involved in the promotion of ECD; the roles and responsibilities of each institution are not clearly defined and mechanisms for collaboration and communication are underdeveloped. Table 1 presents a summary of the key stakeholders involved in provision of services to promote child development and helps demonstrate the lack of clarity over roles and responsibilities, duplication in service delivery, and potentially inefficient use of resources. The fragmentation in the current system is a major constraint to improving child development outcomes. Existing community-level and local government institutions18 that could be used to promote child development are underutilized, leading to missed opportunities to maximize returns for young children through more coordinated interventions. Table 1. Key Public Sector Stakeholders Engaged in ECD Service Delivery in Senegal Institutions Department/Agency Key Functions/Responsibilities President’s General Delegation for Social Protection Implement the national policy to reduce poverty Office (Délégation Générale à la Protection Sociale et à la Solidarité Nationale, DGPSN) Prime National Unit for the Fight against Coordinate the country strategy on child Minister’s Malnutrition (Cellule de Lutte contre la nutrition, examine and approve technical Office Malnutrition, CLM) propositions from other sectors, and ensure synergy with anti-poverty programming Ministry of ANPECTP Implement the national ECD policy including Governance parental education, holistic ECD services, and and Child community engagement Protection Directorate for the Protection of Child Implement country policies related to protecting (Ministère de Rights (Direction de la protection des children and vulnerable groups la Bonne droits de l’enfance) Gouvernance Directorate for Monitoring and Evaluation Collect national data on the implementation of et de la (Direction du Suivi-Evaluation, DSE) ministry’s policies including child protection and Protection de development l’Enfance, Directorate for Childhood Protection Ensure the protection of vulnerable groups MBGPE) (Direction de la Protection de l’Enfance ) Ministry of Directorate for Preschool Education Implement the national policy on preschool, Education (Direction de l’Education Préscolaire, supervise the private sector preschools (Ministère de DEPS) l’Education Nationale, Inspectorate of Daraas (Direction de Implement the national program to modernize MEN) l’Inspection des Daraas) Koranic preschools (known as Daaras) Directorate for Education Planning and Conduct curriculum reform and education Reform (Direction de la Plannification et planning, write the annual education situation de la Réforme de l’Education, DPRE) report Directorate for Human Resources Recruit, deploy, remunerate, and manage (Direction des Ressources Humaines, DRH) teachers 18Nutrition and ECD are delegated responsibilities of local governments, but sectors have been slow in transferring this responsibility. Page 14 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Institutions Department/Agency Key Functions/Responsibilities Directorate for Teacher Training and Manage the regional training centers for Communication (Direction de la Formation education personnel and train teachers et de la Communication, DFCO) Progress to Date and Opportunities for Improving Child Development in Senegal 18. Despite the suboptimal access to essential services during early childhood, there are many existing service delivery mechanisms that reach children and their families and could be leveraged to promote child development. 19. Senegal is celebrated as a nutrition success story due to its success reducing stunting rates for young children through community-based nutrition efforts; these same platforms can be leveraged to promote more holistic child development. Senegal’s remarkable progress in reducing stunting from 30 percent in 2000 to 17 percent in 2016 has been attributed to Government efforts to build a comprehensive nutrition policy agenda in 2001.19 As part of the policy reforms, a multi-sectoral coordination unit was set up under the Prime Minister’s Office (CLM) and various programs on community nutrition, micronutrients, food security, and maternal health and nutrition have been rolled out since then. Today, more than 80 percent of children ages 0–59 months are reached with quarterly screening and community management of acute malnutrition and 43 percent of children ages 0–23 months with monthly growth monitoring and promotion activities. This progress can be built upon to promote the early years agenda, through (a) expansion of the growth monitoring and promotion services that are essential in the first 1,000 days window of opportunity, (b) integration of early stimulation within the key family practices promoted through the nutrition platforms, and (c) improved coordination with other sectors to address the underlying causes of malnutrition. 20. The approach of the Government of Senegal (GoS) to promoting holistic child development has historically been oriented toward building physical centers, most famously the Early Learning Centers Managed by the National Agency for Early Child Development (Case des Tout-Petits, CTP), which began as a presidential initiative in 2002 to build large concrete structures, through which ECD services (initially mostly preschool programs) could be delivered. The CTP approach is just one of several existing programs that could be used to improve child development outcomes. Other key structures include community-based nutrition programs, local SMCs, religious leaders and Daaras, and the various structures that exist at the local government level for planning and budgeting. In the education sector, the World Bank’s Senegal Quality and Equity of Basic Education Project (Projet d’Appui à la Qualité, à l’Equité dans l’Education de Base, PAQEEB, P133333) has pioneered an approach to provide performance-based financing to Daaras to ‘modernize’ the education offered to include math and French. This same mechanism has strong potential to improve the early learning activities in Daaras to more closely resemble preschools or playgroups that promote children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. Working with local Imams (religious leaders) to promote community understanding of the importance of ECD and the potential role parents and caregivers can play could be a critical lever of influence. Another approach built through the PAQEEB is providing SMCs with per capita student funding; this same mechanism could be used to increase both supply and demand for quality early learning through parent education and the launch of community-based playgroups. The Government is in the process of finalizing 19 Garrett and Natalicchio 2011; IEG 2016; Kampman et al. 2017. Page 15 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) a new education sector plan for 2018–2030, which includes a commitment to one year of compulsory and free preschool, quality assurance related to curriculum, training of staff, and mechanisms to coordinate ECD services across sectors. The Early Years Project will provide inputs to this reform process which can then be taken forward through national policy and scale-up. 21. In the social protection sector, there are several mechanisms that can be used to promote ECD. The National Safety Nets Program (Programme National des Bourses de Sécurité Familiale, PNBSF) is a national safety net program reaching approximately 20 percent of the population, with a focus on the poorest and most vulnerable. The PNBSF regularly convenes the most vulnerable families in Senegal; these meetings and the network of social operators that deliver services could be supported to provide better and more intensive information and services to families to promote ECD by equipping parents with the necessary skills to give their children a better start in life. In addition, the National Register (Registre National Unique, RNU) is a database with information on the most vulnerable families in Senegal. This information can be accessed by local authorities to ensure that the most vulnerable families be targeted and encouraged to participate in project activities related to nutrition, early learning, and birth registration. 22. In 2017, the Government announced that the newly formed MBGPE would be the institutional anchor to coordinate ECD efforts in the country moving forward. This decision has the potential to improve coordination and address current fragmentation. At community, district, and regional level, there are mechanisms that could be used to improve coordination to promote child development. Careful attention is needed to clarify roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders at all levels of the system and promote investment in the most cost-effective interventions. Given the geographic, socioeconomic, and cultural diversity across Senegal, flexible service provision will be necessary to improve ECD outcomes. 23. The Early Years Project will leverage existing sectoral entry points to promote integrated child development—focusing on nutrition, early learning, and child protection.20 These three areas were agreed by the project’s multi-sectoral government working group through assessment of current gaps and opportunities for greatest impact. The project will build on approaches that are working, improve quality across a range of different service delivery models, promote integrated approaches across HD sectors, and support coordination with the broader system. C. Higher Level Objectives to which the Project Contributes 24. Given the extensive international evidence confirming the potential for investments in ECD to increase human capital for individuals and for economies, this project has the potential to make a significant contribution to improve health and education outcomes in the medium term and economic growth and poverty reduction in the long term. 25. This project supports the implementation of Pillar 2 of the PSE which focuses on human capital formation, including improved health and nutrition of mothers and children, child protection and quality education for all, and Pillar 3, which focuses on governance and institution strengthening. The 20The areas of child, maternal, and adolescent health, while critical, are addressed within the existing Health, Nutrition, and Population (HNP) portfolio and pipeline and the Early Years Project will ensure synergies with the Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project (P162042). The pipeline HNP project is to be financed by the Global Financing Facility for Every Woman, Every Child. Page 16 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) PSE is being implemented through strategic sector plans. The project will support the implementation of the early years aspects included in sector plans for health, nutrition, education, and child protection. 26. The project contributes to the goals of the current Country Partnership Framework (CPF) FY13– FY1721 and directly responds to the areas indicated as priorities in the recent SCD and anticipated areas in the next CPF (FY19-FY24). In terms of the current CPF, this project will most directly relate to Pillar 2, Improving Service Delivery, in the areas of child health and education through a holistic approach to ECD, which will include health, nutrition, and education interventions. International evidence suggests that the project interventions related to ECE have the potential to improve on-time enrollment in primary school, reduce repetition and dropout, and improve learning outcomes.22 Given the important role of early investments to yield the biggest returns for the most disadvantaged and to build healthier and more capable and productive adults, this project will also, in the longer term, yield returns related to Pillar 1, Accelerating Inclusive Growth and Creating Employment, as international evidence suggests that investments in the early years can help build a more capable and skilled workforce. 27. The project directly addresses cross-cutting issues identified in the CPF. The project will strengthen governance and build institutional capacity through various activities at local and national level to improve coordination around the early years and address current bottlenecks to effective service delivery. The project will address spatial inequalities (inequalities between urban and rural areas) by prioritizing rural regions in the north, center, and south of the country for support. Finally, the project reflects the CPF’s strong emphasis on gender by supporting activities to strengthen women’s empowerment and economic autonomy, changing harmful social practices and gender roles that lead to suboptimal health and nutrition status of women and children, and fostering women’s engagement in community-level decision making. 28. The project supports the achievement of the World Bank’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty and boosting shared prosperity in Senegal and the priorities highlighted in the World Development Report 2018: Learning to Realize Education’s Promise. By focusing on the regions with the worst child development outcomes (see paragraph 30 in Project Beneficiaries section), the project will decrease economic inequality and improve the livelihoods of those in the bottom 40 percent of the income bracket. Senegal is a priority country under the World Bank’s ‘Investing in Early Years’ (IEY) corporate agenda23 and an ‘early adopter’ in the Human Capital Project;24 the Early Years Project will provide critical funding and policy reforms to align with both these efforts. 21 CPF, Report No. 7759, February 19, 2013. 22 Berlinski, Galiani, and Gertler 2009; Lynch 2005; Walker et al. 2011. 23 The Investing in the Early Years Initiative was launched in 2016 in an effort to increase resources and coordination to support the early years. A ‘first wave’ of 21 countries have committed to increase and improve investments in the early years. Senegal was one of the first countries to sign up. The Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework is included in the project context section. The Minister of Economy, Finance, and Planning of Senegal committed during the 2016 Annual Meetings that the ministry is focused on significantly increasing investments that support interventions from pregnancy to six years of age, given the importance of ECD for longer-term development and productivity. 24 The Human Capital Project (announced in October 2017) is a World Bank initiative focusing on making the case that investing in people is an imperative for inclusive growth and prosperity and matters for people, economies, societies, and global stability. Senegal is one of more than 30 countries that have committed as ‘early adopters’ to prioritize investments in human capital. Page 17 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) II. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES A. PDO 29. The development objective of the project is to improve delivery of select services that promote early childhood development in underserved areas of Senegal.25 B. Project Beneficiaries 30. The project will be implemented in seven administrative regions across Senegal (Diourbel, Fatick, Kaffrine, Kaolack, Matam, Kolda, and Tamba). These regions were selected based on their rankings on an amalgamated index of indicators for education, health and nutrition, and child protection as described in table 2. Table 3 presents the rankings for all regions based on the index and figure 2 presents a map showing the regions selected for intervention. Table 2. Indicators for Education, Health Table 3. Rank of the Regions Based on Their Education, Social and Nutrition, and Child Protection Used Protection, and Health and Nutrition Scores26 to Create Index Used for Targeting Education Region Overall Education Health Child Proportion Number of Proportion of Ranking Rank Nutrition Protection of children children 3–5 ECE rooms in in Index Rank Rank of 3–5 years years per ‘acceptable’ Matam 1 12 11 10 not enrolled existing ECE or ‘bad’ Kolda 2 8 10 13 in ECE structure condition structures Diourbel 3 14 13 3 (%) Kaffrine 4 13 5 11 Health and Nutrition Tamba 5 11 3 14 Proportion Proportion of Fatick 6 9 8 8 of children children 0–23 0–5 years months not Kaolack 7 10 9 5 stunted (%) enrolled in St-Louis 8 4 12 7 nutrition and Ziguinchor 9 1 14 6 early Sédhiou 10 7 2 12 stimulation Kédougou 11 5 4 9 program (%) Child Protection Louga 12 6 7 4 Proportion Girls excised Poverty rate Thiès 13 3 6 2 of children at age 0–4 of children Dakar 14 2 1 1 without years (%) (%) birth registry 25 The project will improve access, quality, and the coordination of services that promote ECD. 26 Source for Table 3 and Table 4 and Figure 2 and Figure 3 is project calculation based on administrative data Page 18 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Figure 2. Map of Regions by Ranking for Intervention 31. Specific project interventions will be targeted to districts within regions with greatest need (for example, building new preschool classrooms in districts without existing services and with high levels of unenrollment). Through work with the PNBSF in Subcomponent 3.2, the project will target the poorest 20 percent of households by working with a subset of beneficiary mothers, ensuring that the families most in need are reached directly with information and targeted services. In addition, the project will use data from the RNU to identify vulnerable households with pregnant women and/or young children and local authorities will do additional outreach to the most vulnerable families to encourage them to access project services. 32. In total, conservative projections—based on current costs—estimate that during the project’s five-year implementation period, approximately 930,0000 children will be reached with community- based health and nutrition services, approximately 207,000 will be enrolled in early learning programs, and more than 600,000 births will be registered.27 Table 4 presents the estimated number of beneficiaries of key project interventions by region, showing absolute numbers reached and the shift in coverage rates due to project interventions. Figure 3 presents a map of these shifts, by region, showing increases in growth monitoring (GMP coverage in the map), gross preschool enrollment rate (GER in the map) and 27 Children are likely to be reached with more than one service. Page 19 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) birth registration. In addition, the activities focused on early learning will be scaled up across Senegal beyond the seven regions of project intervention (through the GoS’s efforts and the PAQEEB) and the early stimulation activities will be scaled up through the Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project (P162042) that is under preparation, thereby extending the project benefits to hundreds of thousands of additional children. Table 4. Estimated Changes in Regional Coverage of Key Interventions and Number of Children Who Will Be Reached Nutrition and Early Stimulation Early Learning Birth Registration (Growth monitoring and (Children enrolled in Daaras, (Children with birth registration promotion for children ages 0– public preschools, CTPs, and ages 0–5) 23 months) SMCs ages 3–5) Region Reached Current Coverage Reached Current Coverage Reached Current Coverage through coverage close of through coverage close of through coverage close of project rate project project rate project project rate project (Number) (%) (%) (Number) (%) (%) (Number) (%) (%) Diourbel 242,465 31.2 65.0 24,867 1.1 6.4 165,327 48.9 70.0 Fatick 118,119 42.5 65.0 32,127 3.6 16.3 78,380 49.1 70.0 Kaffrine 95,623 55.3 65.0 25,863 2.8 14.5 62,566 29.3 50.0 Kaolack 155,114 40.8 65.0 30,640 2.7 12.0 89,447 55.9 74.0 Kolda 107,187 40.4 65.0 36,006 4.4 19.0 67,149 44.1 63.0 Matam 96,408 36.9 65.0 22,154 2.7 13.3 65,251 48.6 70.0 Tamba 114,549 59.0 65.0 35,228 3.8 17.6 77,568 38.7 60.0 Total 929,466 41.4 65.0 206,885 2.7 13.0 605,687 46.3 70.0 Page 20 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Figure 3. Map of Shifting Coverage of Key Project Interventions Current Coverage Rates Projected Coverage 2024 Page 21 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) 33. In addition, an estimated 2 million parents and caregivers will be reached through the various community-based approaches to engage parents to promote child development. Parents and families of children will benefit through (a) additional information and support to engage in early stimulation (including play and positive interaction), (b) increased opportunities to access relevant services for their children, and (c) potential increased opportunities for mothers to participate in the labor force due to project activities that may offer a childcare benefit (mostly through the early learning activities in Component 2). 34. Communities and communes28 will benefit through training and capacity building of community members, frontline workers, and members of commune councils. By the end of the project, an estimated 850 Imams will be engaged, 1,800 preschool teachers will be trained, and 12,500 community health workers and volunteers will be engaged to promote child development. In addition, 3,000 community early learning centers will be established and supported with quality-enhancing measures (including existing and new public preschool classrooms, CTPs, Daaras, and SMC preschools). C. PDO-Level Results Indicators 35. The outcome indicators of the project development objective (PDO) are: (a) Children 0–23 months benefiting from early stimulation activities through community-based health and nutrition platforms (b) Early learning enrollment rates of children 3–5 years (c) Birth registration rate of children 0–5 years (d) National survey implemented to measure cognitive and socioemotional development in early childhood III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION A. Project Components 36. This project will build on existing mechanisms that promote child development and support the GoS to build a more coordinated system to support child development. The project includes four components: (a) Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days (b) Quality early learning (c) Child protection and system strengthening 28 Communes are the lowest level of local government. Page 22 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) (d) Project management and technical assistance 37. The project is designed to increase coverage of key interventions, improve quality of services, and address fragmentation at the national, regional, and local level through more coordinated design of interventions, collaborative planning, and empowerment of local communities. The project has identified existing platforms that can be strengthened to better promote ECD and achieve scale rapidly and cost-effectively, working through community nutrition platforms, community preschools and Daaras, and the civil registration system. The project activities address the biggest constraints to child development and form a package of complementary interventions that will promote holistic child development so that more children are healthy, well nourished, nurtured, and ready to succeed when they enter primary school. The project activities in Components 1, 2, and 3 are all related and build on each other. At the local level, families will benefit from multiple services as their children age (and because they are likely to have several children of different ages). Improvements in local planning processes will result in more coordinated service delivery. The content of project activities, which is transversal in nature (especially communications and parent engagement), will be developed through cross-agency work within Component 3 to ensure that the messages parents and other stakeholders receive are coordinated and complementary in nature, regardless of the implementing agency or service delivery platform. 38. Figure 4 presents the results chain for the project, showing the expected outputs for each component and anticipated outcomes at the individual (child) and system levels. In summary, the project will improve the life chances of a child born in the intervention regions so that when she is born, she benefits from proper nutrition and early stimulation, has multiple opportunities for early learning before primary school, and is protected from violence and stress and recorded in the civil registration system to ensure her access to key services and opportunities throughout her life. Figure 4. Results Chain for the Early Years Project (see next page) Page 23 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Long- Project Activities Outcomes for System Problems Components Outputs Term (Inputs) Individuals Outcomes Impact Community management of acute malnutrition Parents reached with Children suffer from information on child Component 1 Growth monitoring and nutrition deficiencies development and promotion and early stimulation Community and infectious diseases community awareness Improved practices Targeted food security support to increased ownership of child of child feeding and vulnerable households growth and nurturing childcare development produce healthy, Preprimary teacher training, tools well-nourished for teachers, and quality Early learning quality Reduced children stunting rates assurance system developed improves Primary school Children enter primary completion rates school late, without Access to community- Children enroll in foundational skills, Innovative cost-effective increase Enhanced Component 2 based early learning primary school on unprepared to succeed community-based models increases cognitive and launched (Daaras and SMCs) time physical Learning outcomes Access to formal early increase development Construction and rehabilitation of learning increases Children stay in preschools school longer Increased Enhanced local productivity Children exposed to Parent education program to Parents change Children learn more violence and toxic government capacity reduce violence and promote behavior and promote stress child development to coordinate and Increased adult positive child Children grow up development support early child incomes Make it easier for families to with less violence in Low birth registration Birth registration growth and register child births the home and more Economic prevents children from increases development service accessing services nurturing care growth Target most vulnerable families The most vulnerable delivery, especially families access for the most using PNBSF and RNU Component 3 services to promote Registered in the ECD service delivery ECD vulnerable families uncoordinated and Structures for coordination system, children opportunities missed Structures to can access key improved at national and coordinate ECD Local budgets for subnational level planning and service services No coherent strategy/ ECD increase communications to delivery developed at promote ECD to Aligned communications strategy national and various stakeholders and tools subnational level Page 24 of 92 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Component 1: Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days (US$37 million, SDR 26.3 million) 39. The objective of this component is to improve child nutrition and early stimulation, especially in the first 1,000 days. This component includes two subcomponents: (i) early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion; and (ii) multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition. The implementation of this component will be led by the CLM, and it will build on the results achieved over the past 15 years by the GoS through the CLM’s Nutrition Enhancement Program (Programme de Renforcement de la Nutrition, PRN) by scaling up proven interventions to improve child growth and nutrition in the first 1,000 days.29 All activities related to communication, behavior change, and parent engagement will be closely aligned with related activities that will be carried out through Components 2 and 3. Subcomponent 1.1: Early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion (US$27 million, SDR 19.2 million) 40. The objectives of this subcomponent are to (a) integrate early stimulation and parenting education within community-based nutrition interventions and (b) expand the coverage and utilization of the integrated, community-based growth monitoring and promotion package. 41. This subcomponent will use the existing platforms for nutrition to promote early stimulation and learning through household and community activities aimed at enhancing child development through play, dance, song, and talk using local materials. A key aspect of this component will be the integration of parent education into the existing package of community-based nutrition activities. Through the CLM and with support from UNICEF, the GoS has piloted the integration of early stimulation and parental education within community-based nutrition at a small scale. The experience has been positive and the lessons learned will be applied in replicating the experience at scale. In coordination with other project stakeholders (and activities proposed in Component 3), context-appropriate tools will be developed to train and support community members to build parent capacity to promote their children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. Given the existing scale of community-based nutrition platforms through the PRN, this subcomponent offers an opportunity to rapidly scale up parent education and early stimulation using the cost-effective and proven delivery platforms of the CLM.30 Other existing platforms that will be used include the CTP and the safety net social operators, which both currently deliver some programming that could be enhanced to promote better outcomes in the first 1,000 days (through integration of early stimulation, parenting education, or other activities). 42. This subcomponent will also increase overall access to high-impact nutrition interventions through the scale-up of integrated, community-based growth monitoring and promotion packages. The activities in the package will include (a) growth promotion and monitoring for children between 0 and 23 months in communities through monthly weighing of children and counseling of care providers; (b) behavioral change communication activities such as the promotion of infant and young child feeding 29 The funding allocated to this component is sufficient to support activities beyond the seven regions targeted in the rest of the project in an additional four regions (St. Louis, Louga, Thies, and Dakar); this will be done in coordination with the pipeline Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project under preparation, which will cover the country’s remaining three regions. 30 80 percent of children ages 0–59 months reached with quarterly screening and community management of acute malnutrition and 43 percent of children ages 0–23 months reached with monthly growth monitoring and promotion activities. Page 25 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) practices, proper sanitation practices, and optimum care to the child; (c) detection of malnutrition and home-based care and referral for sick/malnourished children, regular screening for malnutrition, and community treatment of moderate acute malnutrition; and (d) preventive measures such as micronutrient supplementation, quarterly deworming, and household food diversification. Subcomponent 1.2: Multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition (US$10 million, SDR 7.1 million) 43. The objective of this subcomponent is to improve cross-sectoral coordination to promote nutrition, especially during a child’s first 1,000 days. This component will build upon the progress the GoS has made to leverage other sectors beyond HD to improve nutrition outcomes through participatory development of multi-sectoral nutrition strategies and action plans at the local level (including agriculture, water and sanitation, and so on). Based on the highly participatory development of the new strategic plan for nutrition and prior experience with multi-sectoral collaboration at the local level, this subcomponent will support the identification and mobilization of sectoral solutions to deep-rooted nutrition problems and as needed amend and co-sponsor programs to render them nutrition sensitive. These activities will largely consist of consultations, joint planning and monitoring, supervision, training, studies, information sharing, and tool development for the local level of implementation as well as planning at the central level. 44. Child stunting is a result of inadequate food intake (both in terms of quantity and quality) and repeated and untreated infections such as diarrhea, acute respiratory illness, or malaria. More distant factors underlying the risk of childhood stunting comprise food insecurity (including low availability and low diversity of foods), poor health and nutrition status of mothers, and, more generally, low levels of maternal education and low status of women in households and communities and unsanitary behaviors and environments. There are many different sectors and entry points to address these risks and constraints; this subcomponent will support local policy planning and strategy work to use other sectoral entry points to improve child nutrition. The project will influence these services so that community-based activities become nutrition sensitive and more effective and integrated. This is critical for Senegal which will need to address these multi-sectoral challenges and opportunities to make further progress in reducing the prevalence of stunting among children. Component 2: Quality early learning (US$22 million, SDR 15.6 million) 45. The objective of this component is to expand access to quality early learning services. With this component, the GoS aims to improve children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development and facilitate children’s on-time transition to primary school through quality early learning interventions. This component includes four subcomponents: (i) early learning quality enhancement; (ii) parent engagement to promote early learning; (iii) performance-based financing for Daaras; and, (iv) construction and rehabilitation. The implementation of this component will be led by the MEN, with participation by the ANPECTP. 46. This component builds upon successful interventions developed through the most recent basic education project, PAQEEB, which supported the Government’s Program for Quality, Equity, and Transparency (Projet d’Appui à la Qualité à l’Equité et à la Transparence, PAQUET) 2013–2015. Successful approaches used in the PAQUET to improve basic education will be adapted to promote early learning, including working with Daaras and SMCs. The Early Years Project is closely aligned with the Page 26 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Additional Financing (AF) (P163575) for the PAQEEB. Many of the innovations in early learning that will be integrated into this project will be implemented in additional regions through the PAQEEB AF (for example, the Early Years Project will develop content on early learning for SMCs; this approach will be scaled up in all regions of the country through the AF). 47. The component will leverage both formal and community-based opportunities to expand access to early learning and includes demand-side and supply-side interventions, targeting parents and SMCs, engaging Daaras, and constructing and rehabilitating new public preschool classrooms through the MEN and the ANPECTP. Current constraints to quality service delivery will be addressed at both the classroom and system level. The community preschools that will be created in Subcomponent 2.2 and the Daara preschools that will be created in Subcomponent 2.3 will provide a critical bridge for children ages 3–5 to prepare for primary school. These community-based programs will allow an expansion in access to community-based and more affordable programming, while the GoS simultaneously continues to expand higher-cost formal preschool options. Subcomponent 2.1: Early learning quality enhancement (US$8 million, SDR 5.6 million) 48. The objective of this subcomponent is to improve the quality of early learning interventions. This subcomponent will develop consistent materials that can be used across the different modalities of ECE that currently operate. The content developed by this subcomponent will be scaled beyond the project’s seven intervention regions by the PAQUET and the PAQEEB AF. Key activities include (a) improving the curriculum materials and developing guides for teachers, (b) improving the system for ECD teacher training and subsequent deployment, (c) improving the quality assurance system for early learning, and (d) launching a national survey on Measuring Early Learning Quality and Outcomes (MELQO) to generate information on child development and the quality of preschools to help the Government build systems to monitor and improve the quality of early learning. The MELQO study will provide national-level data on child development in Senegal, for the first time, linked to existing DHSs, providing rich information on child outcomes and parent practices and perceptions. This information can be used to further improve and target interventions to promote ECD. MELQO will also allow the GoS to monitor improvement over time, as the survey is expected to be repeated at three-year intervals. Senegal will be the first country in Africa with this level of information on children’s development. One of the major outcomes of this subcomponent will be to design new pre- and in-service teacher training for preschool teachers (currently there is no formal training for preschool teachers on child development and all teachers in Senegal receive a polyvariant, general training only) and to introduce a formal quality assurance system to engage regional and district education officials in quality assurance of early learning programs. Subcomponent 2.2: Parent engagement to promote early learning (US$2 million, SDR 1.4 million) 49. The objective of this subcomponent is to increase access demand for and access to early learning through engagement with SMCs. This subcomponent will build upon the existing engagement of SMCs through the PAQEEB and the PAQUET. This subcomponent will support SMCs to launch community-based early learning programs using the per capita grant funding (extending access beyond the limited number of locations in which the project will be able to finance construction and rehabilitation). Key activities will include (a) developing materials for use by SMCs to launch preschools (teacher guides, training for SMC members and community volunteers), (b) developing a strategy for national outreach to SMCs through regional and local government and the federation of SMCs, and (c) Page 27 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) engaging communities and local governments in early learning to build understanding of the importance of early learning and demand for services. As with Subcomponent 2.1, the content and approaches that will be developed through this component will be institutionalized and scaled nationally through the PAQUET and the PAQEEB AF. All materials related to parent engagement in early learning will be developed in close collaboration with other implementing agencies and stakeholders to ensure that the messages and approaches are aligned with the parent engagement activities that will be implemented in Components 1 and 3. Subcomponent 2.3: Performance-based financing for Daaras (US$2 million, SDR 1.4 million) 50. The objective of this subcomponent is to promote higher quality early learning activities in Daaras. This subcomponent will work with Daaras that are part of the PAQEEB, which financed the integration of foundational skills (reading and numeracy) into an initial 100 Daaras through a performance-based contract (PBC) mechanism. The subcomponent will finance three activities: (a) development of an ECD activity guide for Daaras, (b) training for Daara teachers and Daara management committees, and (c) performance-based financing for Daaras to support preschool activities. The same teachers who are currently teaching basic reading and numeracy (supported by the PAQEEB) will be trained to conduct early learning activities using an activity guide designed to ensure children in Daaras benefit from 10 hours of programming each week to promote cognitive and socioemotional development. The activity guide, training, and ongoing monitoring will promote a pedagogically appropriate play-based approach. The Imams heading the Daaras will also receive training on child development so that they understand what developmentally appropriate early learning activities should look like and are equipped to support quality early learning. This subcomponent will support approximately 90 Daaras located in the seven regions targeted under the proposed project. Under the PAQEEB AF, the approach will be expanded to an additional 400 Daaras. Given the near-universal attendance of Senegalese children in Daaras, once proven, this approach has considerable potential to be scaled up nationwide for high coverage at relatively low cost. Subcomponent 2.4: Construction and rehabilitation (US$10 million, SDR 7.1 million) 51. The objective of this subcomponent is to increase access to formal early learning through construction and rehabilitation of preschool structures. This subcomponent will contribute to expanding access to early learning by ensuring the number of formal, public sector, early learning locations are increased through construction and rehabilitation of preschools classrooms attached to primary schools, CTPs, and public Daaras. Key activities will include (a) construction of public ECD structures and (b) rehabilitation of existing ECD structures (including spaces for early stimulation). The project plans to build and equip 150 public preschool classrooms, 66 CTPs, and 14 public Daaras. The construction of public Daaras will be a new activity for the GoS, building from existing pilots supported by UNICEF, and is aligned with the recently passed law on the reform of the Koranic school status.31 As part of this process, the existing architectural plans and models used by both the MEN and the ANPECTP will be assessed for quality and cost-effectiveness and adjusted as needed. 31Law regarding the reform of Koranic schools (Loi portant sur la réforme du statut des écoles Coraniques) was passed in June 2018. Page 28 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Component 3: Child protection and system strengthening (US$11 million, SDR 7.8 million) 52. The objective of this component is to expand coverage of services to protect children and build system capacity to coordinate and promote child development. This component includes three subcomponents: (i) birth registration; (ii) social mobilization, communication, and behavior change; and, (iii) system strengthening. The implementation of this component will be led by the MBGPE and the Project Implementation Unit (PIU). Through efforts to engage stakeholders across levels of government (horizontal and vertical) and communities, this component will address system fragmentation and promote more coordinated service delivery. Through work with beneficiaries of the PNBSF within Subcomponent 3.2, the project will target services and information to those most in need. 53. This component will promote complementarity and consistency of project activities across key implementing agencies so that, for example, parents are receiving consistent and complementary information on early stimulation at nutrition programs, in health posts, and in early learning centers. This component will include activities that are transversal and related to communications strategies and community engagement across all components. Much of the content and strategy will be developed within this component (in collaboration with key implementing agencies), but most services will be delivered within Components 1 and 2. Subcomponent 3.1: Birth registration (US$2 million, SDR 1.4 million) 54. The objective of this subcomponent is to increase birth registration. The subcomponent builds on successful pilots in several regions and will address constraints to birth registration through targeted activities, including (a) supplying mayor’s offices with forms, registers, and lockers to facilitate collection and storage for birth registration; (b) engaging Imams and providing them with birth books in which they can record all relevant information for birth registration to be transmitted to the mayor’s office or the local child protection committees; and (c) supporting birth registration campaigns. Local health posts will collect initial information following a child’s birth, and then, with the mayor’s office, Imam, and local committee all equipped, families would have adequate options to complete the birth registration following the child’s naming ceremony, which usually occurs seven days after birth. The project will also finance capacity building, training, and sensitization for birth registration officials to reduce the practice of levying fees on families. This design will address current constraints, including accessibility and transport, and will engage local political and religious leaders to mobilize communities. This component will be coordinated with the Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project, which will focus on the role of health centers to collect the basic information needed for birth registration. Subcomponent 3.2: Social mobilization, communication, and behavior change (US$5 million, SDR 3.5 million) 55. The objective of this subcomponent is to design and implement an integrated communication strategy for advocacy, social mobilization, and behavior change, which will be used across all project activities and components. This will ensure aligned, complementary, and consistent messages across different project activities and increase the likelihood of retention and action. The delivery of the messages will be implemented by different agencies through Subcomponents 1.1 (early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion), 2.2 (parent engagement to promote early learning), and 3.1 (birth registration). Behavior change communication is at the heart of the project and Page 29 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) this subcomponent will support the capacity building of community agencies and actors to effectively engage in interpersonal and behavior change communication activities including one-on-one counseling, club formation, group facilitation, community animation, and home visits. As many behaviors are embedded in sociocultural norms and values, the communication strategy will also be designed to target traditional, religious, and community leaders through community dialogue and extended family members (particularly mothers-in-law and grandmothers). The subcomponent will develop different guides and tools and support their rollout, including (a) a parent-child quality interaction guide, (b) a father-centered guide to be used by the participating religious leaders during their Friday sermons and prayers and other public events, and (c) supervision tools for various government agencies and community committees. These materials will be translated into local languages in the selected regions and will use content that is relatable to the local communities. The comprehensive communication strategy will include mass media such as rural radio and local drama groups, social marketing and mobilization, community initiatives, and communication campaigns. 56. This subcomponent will also allow targeting the most vulnerable families through partnership with the PNBSF. Working through the PNBSF structure, ‘mother leaders’ will be recruited within the group of PNBSF beneficiaries and given training and a small stipend to work with a group of peers to encourage child development through group sessions, home visits, and participation in other community activities. The mother leaders will share information and provide coaching to change behavior and encourage uptake of other key project interventions, including nutrition, early learning, and birth registration. Because this activity will build on the existing PNBSF structure, it offers an opportunity to reach those most in need, at minimal cost and with relatively limited additional administration. The PIU will contract directly with the same community service providers contracted by the PNBSF to support this additional service provision. Subcomponent 3.3: System strengthening (US$4 million, SDR 2.8 million) 57. The objective of this subcomponent is to strengthen systems for coordinated service delivery. Taking advantage of the decentralized governance structure in Senegal, this subcomponent will strengthen the coordination of multi-actor involvement at regional, department, and commune levels and the technical coordination at the national level. The subcomponent will (a) coach local authorities to provide leadership for the early years activities, (b) train local actors on integrated planning and monitoring, and (c) support monitoring and supervision of the activities. Where relevant, the subcomponent will strengthen the capacity of ministries that are part of the multi-sectoral technical and operational coordination at the national, regional, and subregional levels as well. At the local level, the focus will be on coordinated and integrated delivery of nutrition, early learning, and child protection services supported by the project as well as other relevant services. At the central level, tools will be developed to improve coordination for integrated service delivery across agencies, programs, and projects. This subcomponent will also strengthen the monitoring capacity of the subnational and national institutions involved in the management and implementation of ECD activities. This will involve strengthening data collection and reporting systems, piloting innovative data collection and reporting methods (for example, using mobile technology for data collection and reporting at the community level), and expanding analytic capacity within national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) units in the relevant ministries. Page 30 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Component 4: Project management and technical assistance (US$5 million, SDR 3.5 million) 58. The objectives of this subcomponent are to strengthen the management capacity of the MBGPE, ensure smooth project implementation, and ensure evaluation and adaptive learning across the project activities. This component will be led by the PIU and the MBGPE. Capacity building for the MBGPE will cover the areas identified by the ministry for support, including M&E, financial management (FM), procurement, communication, and organizational development. This component will finance project management costs, including staffing of the PIU, training for PIU staff, supervision, evaluations, project audits, M&E, and other operating costs. Capacity assessments and other types of research and analytic activities needed to support service delivery and project management will be carried out, including joint diagnostics, joint work plans, an M&E framework, and knowledge management systems. 59. This component will include extensive technical assistance and research and evaluation activities. Adaptive learning will be a key element of this component and adjustments will be made to activity implementation on an ongoing basis. Figure 5 presents the timeline of proposed studies and evaluations related to each component. This work will be carried out with technical assistance from the World Bank’s Strategic Impact Evaluation Fund (SIEF) and will include rapid cycle and process evaluations to yield information to improve project activities. Additional details are available in annex 2. Figure 5. Timeline and Proposed Topics for Evaluation 60. Learning exchange visits and cross-country learning will also be covered in this component. Given Senegal’s place as an ‘early adopter’ in the Human Capital Project and as a ‘first wave’ country in Page 31 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) the Investing in the Early Years Initiative, there will be many opportunities for government officials to participate in cross-country learning events virtually and face-to-face. B. Project Cost and Financing Table 5. Financing (US$, millions) Project Components Project cost IDA Financing Component 1: Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days 37 37 Component 2: Quality early learning 22 22 Component 3: Child protection and system strengthening 11 11 Component 4: Project management and technical assistance 5 5 Total Costs 75 75 Total Project Costs 75 75 Total Financing Required 75 75 C. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design 61. The project builds on the experience gained across the HD sectors over the last two decades, particularly within the sectors of education, health, and nutrition. In nutrition, the World Bank has engaged with the GoS through two successive nutrition enhancement projects (P070541 and P097181), as well as the Rapid Response Child-Focused Social Cash Transfer and Nutrition Security Project (P115938). The recent Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) evaluation of these three projects provided important lessons on the management of successful large-scale community nutrition programs. In the education sector, the experience includes the successive education-for-all projects (P047319 and P089254), which strengthened management, oversight, and coordination capacity in the MEN. The most recent PAQEEB includes activities to engage SMCs and ‘modernize’ Daaras through the introduction of math and reading and teacher training. Both of these approaches will be built upon and expanded to promote ECD in this new project. In the health sector, the active Health and Nutrition Financing Project (P129472) is generating lessons on how to enable service providers to achieve results in outcome indicators of maternal, neonatal, and child health and the administrative challenges of multi-sectoral collaboration between different government structures. The Early Years Project will work closely with the pipeline Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project to be financed by the World Bank and the Global Financing Facility to harmonize the results-driven interventions pertaining to the early years and promote smoother intersectoral collaboration. One of the key accomplishments of the World Bank’s Social Protection Project (P133597) is the creation of the RNU, which this project will use to target enhanced support to families most in need. 62. In addition to the experience from World Bank operations in Senegal and surrounding countries, the project design is informed by analytical work, including evidence from the more than 30 impact evaluations focused on child development within the SIEF at the World Bank and various World Development Reports that have included themes related to child development in recent years. The recent launch of the ‘Investing in the Early Years’ initiative at the World Bank has brought together 21 country teams (13 of them in Africa) to share lessons learned and best practices to promote cross-sectoral approaches to support child development. The task team has actively engaged in the Investing in the Early Page 32 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Years Community of Practice. In designing the project, the task team has also relied on external sources of international evidence on cost-effective interventions to improve child development.32 63. Some of the key lessons learned that are reflected in the project design are included in the following paragraphs. 64. Investing in the first 1,000 days and the next 1,000 days. While children need holistic support and interventions across sectors, there are windows of opportunity when certain interventions are more critical than others. Accordingly, the proposed project emphasizes nutrition and early stimulation during the child’s first 1,000 days from conception to the age of 24 months for maximum impact on nutrition outcomes and brain development (Component 1). From the age of 3 to 5, as children prepare to enter primary school, more formal early learning and socialization opportunities outside of the home become important (Component 2). 65. Community engagement. Communities and parents must be engaged to ensure cultural relevance and demand for services. Empowering local communities to participate in the management of service delivery and to provide feedback is key to enhancing project performance, increasing take-up, and promoting ownership. Religious leaders and local norms will influence the extent to which services are taken up. Given the powerful influence of religious leaders in Senegal and the personal nature of child development, the project will need to employ strategies to engage religious leaders. 66. Communication and behavior change. Social and behavior change communication are central to changing behaviors at the household and community level. Research from a variety of contexts demonstrates that community-based communication can effectively change behavior in a cost-effective manner. Likewise, practical coaching sessions have the power to change behavior after a relatively short period of time. The project will design practical sessions to reinforce parents’ skills in quality interactions to build self-confidence and agency in parents to engage successfully with their children. 67. Decentralized institutional setup. Decentralizing the management functions of planning, implementation, and monitoring to the lowest level possible and investing in capacity building has successfully improved quality and efficiency of health, nutrition, and education service delivery. Senegal’s decentralization policy provides an opportunity to place community development programs under the responsibilities of local governments and invokes a formal and systematic approach to include the local government in the management of early years development efforts. Given the multi-sectoral nature of efforts to promote child development and the decentralized implementation context of Senegal, the project needs to build inclusive participation and promote coordination at various administrative levels, especially at the commune level. 68. Gender. Gender roles affect child growth and development in the early years. The project has taken a strong gender approach in its design. For example, parental education and violence reduction activities will target both parents. At the same time, the project recognizes the constraints affecting young mothers’ ability to promote child development and will emphasize women’s empowerment through social 32The Lancet Series on Advancing Early Childhood Development (2016, 2011, and 2007) and on Maternal and Child Nutrition (2013 and 2008) and the rounds of the Copenhagen Consensus project (2012, 2008, and 2004). Page 33 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) and behavior change communication and support for diversified food production and transformation. A comprehensive study on the role of gender norms is planned as part of project implementation. 69. Results-based management. Experience in all sectors has shown that results-based management dramatically enhances performance, accountability, and ownership of the project. This project will build on the best practices that have been developed in existing programs and continue to develop new tools and methodologies to strengthen results-based management practices in the field to support early years investments. 70. The following lessons have been taken into account in the project design. The project will (a) engage the local government on issues of quality improvement and implementation plans at decentralized levels, (b) seek community involvement through local steering committees and SMCs, (c) target parents through parenting education and interpersonal communication using practical sessions, (d) seek wide stakeholder engagements through planning and monitoring committees at central and regional levels, (e) build on the community decision-making process and the involvement of traditional and religious leaders to induce changes in practices, and (f) focus on improving the M&E systems across sectors and launch a major new effort to measure child development and quality of early learning services. IV. IMPLEMENTATION A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 71. The project will be implemented by a dedicated PIU. The PIU will be newly established in the MBGPE no later than four months after effectiveness. The PIU will have the overall FM responsibility and will consist minimally of a Project Coordinator, an FM Officer, an Accountant, a Procurement Officer, an Internal Auditor, a Child Development Technical officer, an M&E Officer, a Communication Officer, and a Safeguards Specialist. The MBGPE has no prior experience with World Bank projects but the project has the advantage of having the CLM among the implementing structures. The CLM has successfully implemented World Bank projects in the past. As needed, the CLM can provide technical assistance to the PIU for project management, particularly during the first year of project implementation. 72. The multi-sectoral nature of the project requires inputs from different sectors that are directly involved in project implementation, namely the CLM, the MEN, and the MBGPE (including the ANPECTP). Accordingly, a multi-sectoral Technical Working Group will be set up to provide technical inputs to the PIU no later than four months from effectiveness. This Technical Working Group will be chaired by the Secretary General of the MBGPE and include technical officers of the three implementing structures and the PIU. The Technical Working Group will work with the PIU to prepare the annual work and budget plans, which will be formally approved by the Project Steering Committee. The Project Steering Committee will be established no later than four months from project effectiveness and will include members from the core government entities involved in project implementation, as well as other related ministries and stakeholders. Table 6 presents a summary of the key functions and membership of the Project Steering Committee, the PIU, the Technical Working Group, and the MBGPE. 73. The activities will be implemented by the three national structures that implement the relevant policies that address the early years: (a) the CLM which is responsible for the implementation of activities Page 34 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) under Component 1; (b) the MEN through the Directorate of Preschool Education, the Directorate for Education Reform and Plan, the DRH, the DFCO, and the Inspectorate of Koranic Schools, which is responsible for implementation of activities under Component 2 (in collaboration with the ANPECTP); and (c) the MBGPE through the Directorate of Early Child Protection, the DSE, and the ANPECTP, which together are responsible for the implementation of Component 3. At the implementation level, the planning and monitoring of activities will be coordinated by local governments and administrative authorities. The project will work through existing coordination structures for nutrition and child protection at the different levels of local government. A diagram of the simplified implementation arrangements is shown in figure 6, while more detail is provided in annex 2. Figure 6. Implementation Arrangements for the Early Years Project Table 6. Implementation Arrangement at the Institutional Level Entity Role and Mandate Composition Project Steering x Provide strategic orientations to the PIU to Project coordinator Committee meet expected outcomes. Representatives from IEY technical x Authorize the PIU to execute the budget. ministries; Ministries of Finance, Justice, x Validate key documents: yearly action plans Interior affairs, and Health and Social and budget at the political level, financial and Affairs; representatives from the technical reports, manual of procedures, and President’s office, Prime Minister’s office, the implementation diagram. the Economic, Social and Environment x Oversee the recruitment process for the PIU Council, Parliament, and the High Council staffing. for local government; and representatives x Arbitrate certain implementation decisions from Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) when necessary. PIU x Manage project implementation. National coordinator x Develop yearly action plan. Procurement specialist x Conduct the procurement processes. Internal auditor (half-time position) x Implement project’s safeguard documents. M&E specialist x Develop the budget. FM specialist x Support implementation partners. Environmental and safeguard specialist x Write financial and technical reports to share Archivist/documentarist with the MBGPE and the Steering Committee. Account persons ECD specialist(s) Page 35 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Entity Role and Mandate Composition x Validate requests submitted by operational Engineer/architect units. Bookkeeper x Collaborate with technical stakeholders. Secretariat Driver Guards Housekeepers MBGPE x Lead the institutional communication on the Minister of Governance and Child project. Protection x Champion the IEY agenda. Chief of Cabinet x Harmonize content among the stakeholders Cabinet members involved in the implementation of the FM specialist parental education program. M&E specialist x Conduct the communication with other line Child protection specialist ministries. Communication specialist x Facilitate relationship between the PIU and Secretariat the other line ministries and decentralized services (for example, governors and prefects). x Conduct quality assurance activities for the overall project implementation. Technical x Provide guidance on key sector and cross- Representatives from MBGPE cabinet Working Group sector based activities. Representatives from CLM x Aid on activity planning and M&E related Representatives from ANPECTP issues for the IEY. Representatives from MEN Representatives from the DGPSN Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs 74. Before the effective date, the Government will have to prepare a Project Implementation Manual (PIM), containing detailed arrangements and procedures for (a) institutional coordination and project implementation; (b) the roles and responsibilities of all involved stakeholders; (c) project budgeting, accounting, disbursement, and FM; (d) procurement; (e) safeguards; (f) monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and communication; and (g) other such administrative, financial, technical, and organizational arrangements and procedures. 75. The project will build on and work with four other ongoing World Bank-funded projects. Table 7 summarizes the synergies and collaboration areas identified by the World Bank HD team to collaborate on efforts related to the early years. Page 36 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Table 7. Areas of Synergies and Collaboration with Other World Bank-Supported Projects World Bank-supported Area of Synergy and Collaboration Projects Investing in Maternal and x Strengthen the management of acute malnutrition. Child Health Project x Harmonize preventive measures for maternal nutrition and child growth. (P162042) x Strengthen demand for health services. x Share content on early stimulation. Senegal Safety Net Operation x Strengthen the accompanying measures of unconditional cash transfers (P133597) through training in areas where the two projects are not co-located and through the nutrition sites of the PRN where the projects co-locate. x Improve the social promotion activities with parental education content. Senegal Quality and Equity of x Jointly work on ECD tools and material. Basic Education (P133333) x Strengthen ECD and preschool skills among primary education teachers. and its AF (P163575) x Mainstream preschool education in Daaras. x Strengthen SMC capacity to deliver preprimary services. x Jointly develop parent engagement programs. Building Resilience to Food x Enhance geographical overlap with food security and diversification and Nutrition Insecurity measures. Shocks Project (P155475) x Strengthen the platform for multi-sectoral coordination of service delivery at the community level. x Share content on parental education to prevent child neglect in a context of food and nutrition insecurity shocks. B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation 76. Project implementation will be monitored through a series of M&E activities. Routine monitoring and reporting on the project’s outputs will provide information on the progress of implementation and help the team adjust as needed. The objectives of the M&E activities will be to (a) track progress and provide timely feedback to the Government, PIU, and the World Bank team on implementation status and deliverables; (b) provide preliminary evidence on the effectiveness of the intervention; and (c) capture initial lessons learned from the design and implementation to improve service delivery. 77. The PIU will develop an M&E framework for the project in close collaboration with the Technical Working Group. A set of indicators that capture the project’s results has been developed by the Government and World Bank team, and these are detailed in the Results Framework and Monitoring section. Most of the indicators will be tracked by the implementation units, consolidated by the PIU, and reported in the project reports as well as the World Bank’s Implementation Status and Results Reports. 78. Regular data collection will be carried out by the line ministries, implementing agencies, and independent consultants/consulting firms to create an M&E system for activities supported by the project at the state and local government levels. As part of standard monitoring, the PIU will regularly gather information and report on the implementation of components. This monitoring will be supplemented by monitoring of results and performance of components by third parties. The project will support the strengthening of instruments that are already in use (such as the National Statistical Yearbook Page 37 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) [Annuaire Statistique National, ASN]) and the development of instruments for monitoring data not currently being collected. 79. To the extent possible, arrangements for the results monitoring will be integrated into the existing data collection and information systems of the implementation units. Line ministries already collect reliable information, which has served as the main source on a range of important child-, community-, and school-level indicators for the project. These data are expected to be used to examine changes over time in key indicators. In addition, results of large-scale surveys will be used to monitor and triangulate findings on outcomes. National surveys such as the DHS or Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) include models on child development that would be of use to the project. The project will also include a national study on child development and the quality of early learning settings using the MELQO tools. This effort will provide a national baseline on the status of child development and opportunities to integrate monitoring of child development and early learning quality into existing systems. To complement the quantitative data collection, qualitative data will also be collected from various stakeholders to enrich information and analysis, such as by interviewing stakeholders (for example, teachers, parents, and health care workers and volunteers). These additional data will be used to improve the design and implementation of initiatives to address any identified issues. 80. Rigorous impact evaluations are planned as part of the technical assistance provided by the World Bank. In addition to more traditional randomized control trials (RCTs), the project team will work with the World Bank’s SIEF team to design rapid, low-cost evaluations that will provide timely information to evaluate and address implementation challenges early in the project lifetime. Table 8 provides a list of planned evaluations by component. Table 8. Planned Topics and Timeline for Evaluation of Project Activities Component Topic Stakeholder Timeline Component 1 Efficacy of activities promoting early CLM will lead, with Years 1 and 2 stimulation (change in parent understanding, support from the PIU practice, and ultimately impact on child and the World Bank outcomes) team Component 2 Impact of new preprimary teacher training MEN (Teacher Training Years 2 and 3 program (to change teacher practice and Institute), with support ultimately influence child outcomes) from the World Bank team The quality of early learning programs in Daaras and supported by SMCs (quality MEN (Daara within classrooms and impact on child Inspectorate), with Years 3 and 4 development) support from the World Bank team Efficacy of quality assurance efforts by the Years 3 and 4 Group of Directors and Trainers on Early ANPECTP and MEN, with Childhood Development (Collectif des support from the World Directeurs et Encadreurs de la Petite Enfance, Bank team CODEPE) (impact on teacher practice and classroom quality) Component 3 Differences in cost-effectiveness between MBGPE and PIU, with Years 3 and 4 Page 38 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Component Topic Stakeholder Timeline different approaches to increase birth support from the World registration Bank team Impact of communication campaigns World Bank team Years 3 and 5 Change in domestic violence and violent MBGPE, with support discipline from the World Bank Year 4 team C. Sustainability 81. The project design’s emphasis on leveraging existing systems and building on existing strengths will be a key factor in project sustainability. For example, Component 1 will integrate early stimulation efforts into the existing, high-functioning community-based nutrition platform and Component 2 will use SMCs (already being effectively engaged in the PAQUET) to support preschool activities at limited additional cost. 82. This project is part of a broader government strategy to improve nutrition and child development, as enshrined in the key policy documents, including the PSE, National Nutrition Development Policy, the new Education Sector Plan, the National Child Protection Strategy, and in the agreements with the key development partners (for example, the World Bank CPF). This increases the likelihood that the actions implemented under this project, which show impact, will be sustained. 83. Senegal has made significant progress in recognizing the early years as a critical investment area for poverty reduction, enhanced equity, and economic development. It developed an Early Childhood Development Strategy as early as 2007, has seen serious presidential backing of early childhood nutrition and development programs, joined the global Scaling Up Nutrition movement in 2011, and is among the first-wave countries that joined the Investing in the Early Years Initiative at the World Bank. 84. By designing the project to take advantage of the decentralization policy and propose ways to engage different levels of government in the management of project activities, the project is building sustainable platforms for coordinated action at commune, district, and regional level. Sustainability will depend on the program’s ability to influence the adoption of positive behaviors and attitudes by parents, grandparents, and other community members. This in turn depends on support from community workers, village and community leaders, the local government, CSOs and NGOs, public service providers, and regional authorities. The project emphasis on promoting community engagement and bringing in faith and community leaders will be key to sustainability. Faith leaders have strong, long-established relationships with communities and are key influencers who will help promote project uptake and demand for services and community engagement beyond the lifetime of the project. 85. The prospects for financial sustainability are encouraging, but not guaranteed. There is ample scope for continued mobilization of public and private resources complemented with resources from (traditional) donors. The scale-up of proven cost-effective interventions will contribute to sustainability. The project has worked with government teams to reduce costs of some existing interventions (notably around construction) and to ensure activities are at a price point which can be scaled. Page 39 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) D. Role of Partners 86. Throughout the design phase, the project team has consulted with key local partners, including local and international NGOs and UNICEF, in particular. The GoS and the World Bank team partnered in a workshop with UNICEF in October 2017 to diagnose the early learning subsector and identify reform priorities, some of which have been incorporated into project preparation. The project will also build on UNICEF-supported pilots around early stimulation, community preschools, Daara preschools, and birth registration and continue to collaborate on nutrition. Project activities related to birth registration will be coordinated with partners working on civil registration, including the Spanish Cooperation Agency and the African Union Economic Commission. This project will coordinate with and work through NGOs as key partners in the scale-up of service delivery. There are several bilateral partners who are already undertaking or may undertake in future early years activities (including Korea International Cooperation Agency [KOICA], U.S. Agency for International Development [USAID], Canadian Cooperation). This project will coordinate closely with development partners to ensure complementarity of investments. V. KEY RISKS A. Overall Risk Rating and Explanation of Key Risks 87. Overall project risk is rated Substantial. Seven risks emerged from the systematic operations risk- rating tool that could affect the achievement of the PDO. 88. Sector strategy and policies risks are rated Substantial. ECD is an outcome which will be achieved only through interventions from a variety of different sectors, delivered by diverse stakeholders through a range of different channels. In Senegal, the effort is further complicated by the lack of clear institutional arrangements currently governing ECD service provision. For this project to succeed, several government agencies and departments will need to engage, from across ministries and sectors. The initial design process was affected by differing views among key stakeholders and the delayed appointment of an institutional anchor to lead the project. While goodwill and high engagement are apparent, disagreements and challenges may come to the fore during implementation of the project. The team has navigated these tensions by engaging thoughtfully and transparently with all stakeholders, as well as engaging a multi- agency working group in all aspects of design to rally around shared objectives and vision. The team is also working closely with the Country Management Unit and trusted counterparts at the highest level of government to learn from past and current experience with multi-sectoral and multi-counterpart projects. Clear roles and responsibilities and decision-making authority will continue to be needed to mitigate the risks. 89. The risk associated with the institutional capacity for implementation is Substantial, given the project size of US$75 million, relative to current budgets of some of the agencies involved. The implementing agency is the newly created MBGPE, which has limited experience working with the World Bank. While a PIU will be established to manage the project, delays are expected in the early phases of the project as the PIU is set up and capacity within the ministry is built. The team has agreed to a 120-day effectiveness period (four months) to allow for extra time to ensure effectiveness conditions are met. The project seeks to develop an approach that engages multiple levels of government and communities to implement the project. Engagement of communities is an essential risk mitigation strategy. The project Page 40 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) will promote inclusive involvement and capacity strengthening as the main strategies to cope with the human resource risk associated with weak implementation capacity at the local and central level. 90. The risk associated with the technical design of the project is Substantial. Although there is a good base of large- and small-scale experiences with a wide variety of ECD interventions from which lessons and good practices can be drawn, the need for diversity of interventions and service delivery platforms poses challenges to rapid scaling up and ensuring quality of interventions. The team has mitigated this risk by building on existing platforms to quickly reach large numbers of the target population. Component 4 will include a series of rapid, low-cost impact evaluations during the project’s first two years to test and improve project implementation which will ensure opportunities for course correction throughout project implementation. 91. The fiduciary risk is rated Substantial. Corruption is a risk within the portfolio and the team has mitigated this risk with a design that does not mingle funds. The project envisages fiduciary capacity building of the PIU and defining institutional arrangements to allow the PIU to follow the World Bank rules and procedures autonomously. The project will also provide technical and implementation support to local actors to assist them in the implementation of project activities. 92. The environment and social risks are considered Moderate. Criteria have been developed to identify sites for rehabilitation and construction and the safeguards assessment will ensure proper protocol are followed. Nearly all construction will take place on existing government service sites (for example, by adding a preschool classroom to an existing primary school). The young age of the children who will be targeted through the project poses a risk, as many will be unable or unlikely to voice any issues of mistreatment. The project is incorporating substantial content around child rights and child protection to ensure children are placed in quality, safe environments and to mitigate risk of exploitation. In addition, frequent monitoring of key interventions and partnerships with parents and community leaders will help promote responsible and safe programming. The role of the CODEPE as inspectors across different early learning facilities at the local level will be a critical role to identify and address any indications of child mistreatment. In addition, through the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) described in the appraisal summary of this document, measures to identify, report, and address any mistreatment will be active at the community level. The project engagement with Daaras does pose some risk given the existing concerns in the country around child safety and exploitation linked to a limited number of Daaras. This risk will be mitigated by following the careful screening process already in place through the PAQEEB to identify Daaras that are interested in modernizing and committing to quality standards and protection of child rights. The Early Years Project will be working only with Daaras that have already been screened and are regularly monitored through the PAQEEB. 93. The stakeholder risk is rated Moderate. Opposition from stakeholders could have a negative impact on the achievement of the PDO, but the likelihood and/or impact of this opposition is moderate. The operation’s objectives are not always well understood by the public, but there is no evident opposition to any part of the operation, and few donors have competing or overlapping operations. Many stakeholders and donors with an interest in HD support the operation. The project’s emphasis on local community engagement, working with a range of stakeholders, engaging community and religious leaders, and contextualizing content to local realities will help mitigate any moderate stakeholder risk. Page 41 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) VI. APPRAISAL SUMMARY A. Economic and Financial Analysis 94. The project aims to improve delivery of selected services to promote ECD for families living in the unserved and underserved areas of Senegal. The project will achieve this through improving child nutrition and early stimulation, expanding access to quality early learning services, improving the system to protect children, and coordinating ECD efforts of the different stakeholders. This section presents the rationale for public investment, value added of World Bank involvement, and the economic returns that justify this investment. Public Investment 95. Quality ECD programs can contribute significantly to a child’s physical, cognitive, and socioemotional development. International evidence points to significant economic returns—both public and private—generated by investments in ECD. Children with solid foundational skills will be able to acquire higher order skills, which make human capital more productive with both public and private returns. Literature on the subject33 demonstrates that investing in ECD has a higher rate of return than interventions targeted at any other stage of life. Longitudinal evaluations of ECD projects for disadvantaged children in the United States, such as the High/Scope Perry Kindergarten Program by Schweinhart,34 find not only short-term gains in cognitive skills among children who enrolled in the program but also higher rates of high school completion, higher monthly earnings, and higher rate of home ownership than their counterparts who did not. Chronic malnutrition in children is estimated to reduce a person’s potential lifetime earnings by at least 10 percent. Similarly, a 1 percent loss in adult height results in a 2 percent to 2.4 percent loss in productivity. The economic costs of undernutrition have the greatest effect on the most vulnerable in the developing world. A recent analysis estimates these losses at 4 percent to 11 percent of GDP in Africa and Asia each year—equivalent to about US$149 billion of productivity losses each year. Quality investments in the early years, especially for the most disadvantaged, have the potential to spur economic growth and break the intergenerational transmission of poverty. 96. Publicly financed ECD programs have become a powerful instrument to reduce inequality and spur greater productivity later in life. The need for public investment in the early years arises primarily to rectify market failures due to credit constraints, information asymmetries, supply-driven provision, complex production functions, and other market imperfections. Households from the bottom wealth quintiles often require state interventions to access quality preprimary education and health services as private alternatives are either unavailable or of poor quality. Access to early years services may also benefit from awareness programs and outreach campaigns if there is incomplete parental knowledge on the importance of ECD interventions. 33 Carneiro and Heckman 2003. 34 Schweinhart et al. 2005. Page 42 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) World Bank Value Added 97. The project builds on a long-standing partnership between the GoS and the World Bank on investments in the early years. The World Bank has a strong track record of engagement with the GoS in ECD through joint research, policy advice, and project financing in a broad range of key education and nutrition issues. The World Bank also has broad regional and global experience in supporting the expansion of quality early years services. Given its rich technical and operational experience and strong working relationship with the GoS and development partners, the World Bank is uniquely positioned to offer strong implementation support to the project. The capital investment offered by the project’s IDA loan will provide the funds required to increase enrollment in a unique, integrated early years program in Senegal, with significant public and private returns for years to come. Economic Impact 98. A cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is used to assess the project’s economic returns. The present discounted value (PDV) approach is implemented in the assessment. This entails estimating the PDV of expected benefits and costs and calculating the difference in expected net benefits. An investment is justified on economic grounds if the PDV is positive, meaning that the present value of the incremental expected stream of benefits is greater than the present value of incremental expected costs. 99. The analysis of the project confirms that investments in the early years have a high internal rate of return, with the project’s returns ranging from a low of 12 percent to a high of 19 percent. A CBA was carried out to estimate the potential return on investment in terms of increases in economic productivity and income. The costs and benefits were discounted at a standard 5 percent rate, and this varied from 3 percent to 8 percent for the sensitivity analysis. 100. This analysis does not consider the social benefits and the indirect benefits accruing to parents and communities, thereby underestimating the real returns to investing in ECD programs. To the extent that these social benefits cannot be readily quantified, the total economic benefit, both private and social returns to schooling, is therefore likely to be significantly underestimated. The indirect benefits will be particularly high in this context given the increased opportunities for mothers to participate more actively in the labor force and that communication campaigns can promote uptake of nutrition and health services, increase engagement with children, and complement preschool activities for increased learning. 101. The GoS has demonstrated its commitment to increasing investment in early years programs. The GoS recognizes the importance of investments in the early years and is committed to increasing the quality and accessibility of services. The GoS has also committed to covering the recurrent (noncapital) costs associated with implementing the project, including salaries for hiring additional teaching and nonteaching staff. Page 43 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) B. Technical 102. This project builds on the global consensus of the importance of investments in the early years as articulated in an array of literature.35 The main thrust of investing in the early years is to ensure children reach their full potential and are thereby able to contribute to increased competitiveness and economic growth, with reduced inequality. As specified in the World Bank’s Investing in the Early Years Conceptual Framework, children need to be well nourished and healthy during the first 1,000 days, receive early stimulation and learning opportunities from birth onward, and be nurtured and protected from stress. This project addresses key bottlenecks in each of the three areas while strengthening the system to ensure continuum of care and coordination of services. 103. Delivering early nutrition and learning interventions at the community level through different sectors holds enormous potential to enhance the scale-up and effectiveness of early years interventions, provided actors at the local level are motivated to work together. The project identified the local government and communities as the center for coordinated action and will strengthen local government and community capacity to take a leading role in planning, monitoring, and reporting of early years interventions. 104. The GoS benefitted from a Project Preparation Advance (PPA) of US$555,000 to enable the MBGPE to conduct and implement activities that contribute to project preparation and readiness. The PPA is managed by the CLM, runs up to the end of 2018, and pays for studies needed before project launch, staffing and capacity building within the PIU, and other activities deemed relevant to ensure project readiness. C. Financial Management 105. The overall FM responsibility for the project lies with the PIU, which will be established in the MBGPE, including the preparation of the consolidated financial reports, the withdrawal requests, and the project audits. The assessment revealed that the PIU is not yet established and the MBGCP does not have relevant experience in the management of projects and programs financed by the World Bank. The FM system in place has the following capacity constraints: (a) lack of adequate FM staff, (b) weak internal control, and (c) lack of adequate accounting and reporting system. Activities undertaken in Component 1 for about 49 percent of the project funds will be executed by the CLM. The CLM will have the responsibility of FM tasks related to this component; moreover, there will be a separate Designated Account (DA) that will be opened for Component 1. This will enhance the efficiency of project management and implementation. The CLM has experience with implementing World Bank-funded project: it has satisfactorily implemented previous World Bank Group projects. The FM system is adequate to handle the activities under this component. The overall performance of the CLM in FM was Satisfactory at the last FM supervision undertaken in April 2018. Auditors have issued an unqualified opinion on the 2016 financial statements of the CLM, and the internal control procedures in place are adequate. 106. The conclusion of the assessment is that the FM arrangements in the MBGPE are not yet adequate and do not satisfy the World Bank’s minimum requirements under the World Bank Policy and 35The Lancet Series on Advancing Early Childhood Development (2016, 2011, and 2007), the Lancet Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition (2013 and 2008), and several rounds of the Copenhagen Consensus project (2012, 2008, and 2004). Page 44 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) Directive on Investment Project Financing (IPF) effective in 2017. The overall risk for the project is rated Substantial. An FM action plan including proposed mitigation measures will be put in place with a focus on the following actions: Before effectiveness: (a) MBGPE: Adopt an acceptable project financial and administrative procedures manual (b) MBGPE: Recruit a qualified financial and administrative officer satisfactory to the World Bank No later than four months after effectiveness: (a) MBGPE: Set up an adequate accounting and reporting system (b) MBGPE: Recruit an internal auditor, external auditor, and accounting assistant, with qualification and experience satisfactory to the World Bank (c) CLM: Recruit an accounting assistant with qualification and experience satisfactory to the World Bank D. Procurement 107. The borrowers will carry out procurement for the proposed project in accordance with the World Bank’s ‘Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers’ (Procurement Regulations) dated July 2016 and revised in November 2017, under the ‘New Procurement Framework’ (NPF), and the ‘Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants’, dated October 15, 2006, and revised in January 2011 and as of July 1, 2016, and other provisions stipulated in the Financing Agreements. 108. The new PIU housed at the MBGPE will carry overall fiduciary responsibility of activities funded by this project. This PIU will be staffed by a dedicated procurement specialist who will be responsible for supervising and coordinating. The procurement unit of the MBGPE will play an important role and support the PIU in carrying out procurement activities. The World Bank procurement team has assessed this unit to identify the main weaknesses and propose appropriate mitigation measures; details are included in annex 2. 109. The activities will be implemented by the three national structures involved in the implementation of the ECD policy: (a) the CLM, which is responsible for the implementation of activities under Component 1; (b) the MEN through the Directorate of Preschool Education, the Directorate for Education Reform and Plan, the DRH, the DFCO, and the Inspectorate of Koranic Schools, which together are responsible for implementation of activities under Component 2 (in collaboration with the ANPECTP); and (c) the MBGPE through the Directorate of Early Child Protection, the DSE, and the ANPECTP, which together are responsible for the implementation of Component 3. These structures will provide technical support to the PIU for implementation of the activities. Page 45 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) 110. As part of the preparation of the project, the MBGPE (with support from the World Bank) has prepared the Project Procurement Strategy for Development (PPSD) which describes how fit-for- purpose procurement activities will support project operations for the achievement of the PDO and deliver value for money (VfM). The PPSD considers institutional arrangements for procurement, roles and responsibilities, thresholds, procurement methods, prior review, and any other requirement for carrying out procurement. It also includes a detailed assessment and description of state government capacity for carrying out procurement and managing contract implementation, within an acceptable governance structure and accountability framework. Other issues to be considered include the behaviors, trends, and capabilities of the market (that is, market analysis) to inform preparation of the Procurement Plan (PP). The strategy includes a summary of Procurement Risk, Mitigation Action Plan, Procurement Implementation Support, and Supervision Plan. E. Social (including Safeguards) 111. The project has triggered OP/BP 4.12 (involuntary resettlement) to address the potential social impacts due to the construction and/or rehabilitation of public preschool classrooms and CTPs and small-scale subprojects supporting community-based activities. The negative environmental and social impacts of these small-scale activities can be mitigated and should be low to moderate and site specific. Because the location of the intervention sites is not confirmed, a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) has been prepared by the borrower, consulted upon, and disclosed in the country (on August 6, 2018) and on the World Bank’s website (on August 10, 2018). 112. The project will initiate consultations with communities and appropriate stakeholder participation and document disclosure during the implementation of the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and the RPF. According to World Bank safeguards policies, these two documents will need to be implemented before the start of civil works. Gender and Vulnerability 113. The project recognizes gender equality and women’s empowerment as key factors for the attainment of the PDO. As a result, the project is supporting measures that strengthen the capacity of women and enhance the role of men in child development activities. The new National Gender Policy, which updates the National Policy for the Advancement of Women, marks the beginning of a new policy implementation integrating gender in all projects in Senegal. The country gender profile was initiated a as part of a wider effort to promote gender-responsive policies/programs. This project supports efforts to enhance the understanding of the vulnerability of women and children, including the identification of social risks which can affect the development, health, and education of the children (for example, sexual abuse, disabilities, and violence). Citizen Engagement 114. The project will include the principles of citizen engagement through the development and implementation of a communications strategy supported through the ESMF and the RPF. Citizen engagement indicators have been included in the results matrix. Citizen engagement is being facilitated by the clear identification of beneficiaries (children, men and women, communities, NGOs, local and central administration) during preparation, implementation, and evaluation. Throughout the project, Page 46 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) citizens will be consulted and opportunities will be provided to collaborate with the project and participate in the sustainability of the investments. Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) 115. The GRM is a critical part of the project’s citizen engagement efforts. During implementation, complaints may arise with respect to breach of laws, project beneficiaries, landownership and land use issues, pollution nuisance, and choice of beneficiaries, among others. A project-level GRM is outlined in the ESMF and the RPF. It is designed to be a mechanism that is trusted by all relevant partners. It will facilitate the redress of any grievance and conflict that may arise from the project and will be supported by the social and environmental specialists of the project. The grievance mechanism process should complement and facilitate access to independent judicial or administrative remedies outside the specific context and will resolve grievances immediately using traditional and administrative mechanisms or the law courts at national, regional, and community levels. The PIU will be notified of any disputes in the project zone. Project field staff will work closely with the communities and the community leaders to clarify and resolve any misunderstanding that could give rise to conflicts. Where the dispute cannot be resolved at the community level, the affected persons or party shall be advised to lodge a complaint with the GRM committee. The project will develop a clear plan and procedures for the GRM, including complaint collection and processing procedures, reporting formats, database/records specifications, and committee membership as part of the RPF. Public participation and consultation will be a key part of the process at all times to promote understanding and prevent unnecessary complaints and disputes. 116. The establishment of the complaints mechanism will facilitate the identification and collection of complaints from children and thus contribute to minimizing the risk of child abuse and exploitation. For this purpose, the mechanism will provide options that are accessible to children and without risk of reprisals by society or the family. This mechanism will identify and design responsible tutors who will have the mission to discuss, in confidence, with children to ensure their condition of treatment within Daaras and homes and encourage the creation of spaces for children with educational activities to identify unspoken problems. In addition, community organization and empowerment and additional capacity building for citizen engagement for the client will be developed and delivered during the project to foster a participatory and inclusive national dialogue on nutrition, health, learning, protection, and service delivery. 117. The project will invest in the following activities to prevent violence against children in the homes and in the ECD service delivery platforms: (a) sensitizing men about the importance of their involvement in the daily caregiving for children, (b) equipping mothers and caregivers with skills to engage and raise their children without violence, and (c) improving teacher training with nonviolent approaches to discipline children. In addition, supervision task teams lead by the CODEPE will continuously reinforce teachers’ skills in developing alternative, innovative, and nonviolent approaches to discipline children. F. Environment (including Safeguards) 118. The project is classified as Category B (partial assessment) as per the World Bank’s operational policy on Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01). Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) and Pest Management (OP 4.09) are also triggered because excavations could occur during construction works and the small-scale community gardening may require pest management. Since the specific areas of Page 47 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development(P161332) intervention are not yet known, an ESMF has been prepared by the borrower, consulted upon, and disclosed together with the RPF in the country (on August 6, 2018) and on the World Bank’s website (on August 10, 2018). The ESMF includes provisions of ‘Chance Finds’ and an annex on pest control. 119. Before its implementation, as soon as a subproject is selected, it will be processed through the environmental and social screening procedure detailed in the ESMF and the RPF, and the cost of the required specific mitigation measures will be included in the subproject. The environmental and social mitigation measures summarized in both the ESMF, as well as the specific mitigation measures that will be approved for the subprojects, will be executed, monitored, and reported in (a) a specific Safeguard Monitoring Report and (b) the Environmental and Social Safeguards section of the overall project periodic reports. An Environmental and Social Safeguard Specialist will be established at the PIU level to adequately handle the implementation of social and environmental aspects. The protocol and mechanisms to imbed environmental and social aspects into subprojects as set in the ESMF will be part of the PIM. G. Other Safeguard Policies (if applicable) 120. Not applicable. H. World Bank Grievance Redress 121. Communities and individuals who believe that they are adversely affected by a World Bank (WB) supported project may submit complaints to existing project-level grievance redress mechanisms or the WB’s Grievance Redress Service (GRS). The GRS ensures that complaints received are promptly reviewed to address project-related concerns. Project affected communities and individuals may submit their complaint to the WB’s independent Inspection Panel which determines whether harm occurred, or could occur, because of WB non-compliance with its policies and procedures. Complaints may be submitted at any time after concerns have been brought directly to the World Bank's attention, and Bank Management has been given an opportunity to respond. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank’s corporate GRS, please visit http://www.worldbank.org/en/projects- operations/products-and-services/grievance-redress-service. For information on how to submit complaints to the World Bank Inspection Panel, please visit www.inspectionpanel.org. . Page 48 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) VII. RESULTS FRAMEWORK AND MONITORING Results Framework COUNTRY: Senegal Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development Project Development Objective(s) Improve delivery of select services that promote early childhood development in underserved areas of Senegal Project Development Objective Indicators RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ PD O Indicator Name DLI Baseline End Target 2019 2024 Improve child nutrition and early simulation, especially in the first 1,000 days Children 0-23 months benefiting from early stimulation activities through community-based health and nutrition platforms 19.00 65.00 (Percentage) Expand access to quality early learning services National survey implemented to measure cognitive and No Yes socioemotional development in early childhood (Yes/No) Early learning enrollment rates of children 3-5 years (Percentage) 9.08 18.00 Expand coverage of services to protect children and build system capacity Birth registration rate of children 0-5 years (Percentage) 46.30 60.00 PDO Table SPACE Page 49 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Intermediate Results Indicators by Components RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline End Target 2019 2024 Child nutrition and early stimulaton in the first 1,000 days Sites for GMP with the complete integrated package (SPC, 14.00 80.00 PCIME-C, PECMA, early stimulation) (Percentage) People who have received essential health, nutrition, and population (HNP) services (CRI, Number) 0.00 2,400,000.00 Number of women and children who have received basic nutrition services (CRI, Number) 0.00 2,400,000.00 Quality early learning Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance learning (CRI, Number) 0.00 206,000.00 Students benefiting from direct interventions to enhance 0.00 103,000.00 learning - Female (CRI, Number) Teachers recruited or trained (CRI, Number) 0.00 1,800.00 Teachers recruited or trained - Female (RMS requirement) (CRI, Number) 0.00 900.00 ECD structures built or rehabilitated that conform with standards 0.00 230.00 (Number) Number of community early learning centers established 0.00 3,000.00 (Number) Child protection and system strengthening Families benefitting from national parental education programs 0.00 2,000,000.00 (Number) Religious leaders engaged to promote child development (Number) 0.00 840.00 Local governments that include ECD in their planning tools (Number) 26.00 133.00 Page 50 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) RESULT_FRAME_T BL_ IO Indicator Name DLI Baseline End Target 2019 2024 Citizens and/or communities involved in planning/implementation/evaluation of development programs No Yes (Yes/No) IO Table SPACE UL Table SPACE Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: PDO Indicators Methodology for Data Responsibility for Data Indicator Name Definition/Description Frequency Datasource Collection Collection Children 0-23 months benefiting from CLM - early stimulation activities through Quarter Couverture Routine data collection CLM, PIU community-based health and nutrition SPC platforms Once National survey implemented to measure during Ministry Annual reporting MEN, PIU cognitive and socioemotional project's reporting development in early childhood life DPRE – Annuaire Early learning enrollment rates of children Annual EMIS MEN, PIU Statistique 3-5 years National 2017 EDS-Continue, Birth registration rate of children 0-5 Annual Sénégal Routine reporting MBGPE, PIU years Project reporting Page 51 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) ME PDO Table SPACE Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: Intermediate Results Indicators Methodology for Data Responsibility for Data Indicator Name Definition/Description Frequency Datasource Collection Collection Rapports Sites for GMP with the complete Quarter trimestriel Routine reporting CLM, PIU integrated package (SPC, PCIME-C, PRN PECMA, early stimulation) CLM - People who have received essential Quarter Couverture Routine reporting CLM, PIU health, nutrition, and population (HNP) SPC services CLM - Number of women and children who Quarter Couverture Routine reporting CLM,PIU have received basic nutrition services SPC DPRE – Annuaire Statistique Students benefiting from direct Annual Routine reporting MEN, ANCTP, PIU National interventions to enhance learning Annual Project Report DPRE – Students benefiting from direct Annuaire Annual Routine reporting MEN, PIU interventions to enhance learning - Statistique Female National Annual Page 52 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Project Report DPRE - Annuaire Statistique Annual Nationale Routine reporting MEN, PIU Teachers recruited or trained Annual Project Reporting DPRE - Annuaire Statistique Teachers recruited or trained - Female Annual Routine reporting MEN, PIU Nationale (RMS requirement) Annual Project Report DPRE - Annuaire Statistique ECD structures built or rehabilitated that Annual Nationale Routine reporting MEN, ANCTP, PIU conform with standards Annual Project Reporting Annual Number of community early learning Annual Routine reporting MEN, PIU Project Report centers established Annual Families benefitting from national Quarter Routine reporting MBGPE, PIU project report parental education programs Page 53 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Annual Religious leaders engaged to promote Quarter Routine reporting MBGPE, PIU Project Report child development Annual Local governments that include ECD in Annual Routine reporting MBGPE, PIU Project Report their planning tools Citizens and/or communities involved in Annual Annual Routing reporting PIU planning/implementation/evaluation of Project Report development programs ME IO Table SPACE Page 54 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) ANNEX 1: DETAILED PROJECT DESCRIPTION COUNTRY: Senegal Senegal Investing in the Early years for Human Development in Senegal Component 1: Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days (US$37 million, SDR 26.3 million) 1. The objective of this component is to improve child nutrition and early stimulation, especially in the first 1,000 days. This component includes two subcomponents: (a) early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion and (b) multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition. This component will finance training, workshops, supervision, monitoring, consultants, production and distribution of tools and materials and community implementation, equipment, and overhead costs. The implementation of this component will be led by the CLM.36 2. This component will build on the results achieved over the past 15 years by the GoS through its PRN and support the scaling up of proven interventions to improve child growth, nutrition, and development in the first 1,000 days. The World Bank support to nutrition in Senegal has been subject to an in-depth Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) evaluation, which concluded that (a) the investments provided a major boost to the development of the country, were based on evidence, and were used efficiently; (b) the client developed and applied an exemplary results-based management approach that was key to the success of the investments by the World Bank; and (c) the capacity to go further was constrained by the underperformance of development partner organizations and national stakeholders, including on coordination. This Early Years Project is designed to address the constraints identified. Subcomponent 1.1 Early stimulation and community-based growth monitoring and promotion (US$27 million) 3. The objectives of this subcomponent are to (a) integrate early stimulation and parenting education within community-based nutrition interventions and (b) expand the coverage and utilization of the integrated, community-based growth monitoring and promotion package. 4. This subcomponent will support the integration of early stimulation and parenting education within the existing package of community nutrition interventions. Through the CLM, the Government has piloted the integration of early stimulation and parental education with community-based nutrition at a small scale with support from UNICEF. The experience has been positive, and the lessons learned will be applied in replicating the experience at scale. Accordingly, this subcomponent will use the existing platforms for nutrition outreach to support the promotion of early stimulation and learning through household and community activities aimed at enhancing ECD through play, dance, song, and talk using local materials. In collaboration with the other stakeholders of the project (and particularly through activities proposed in Component 3), context-appropriate tools will be developed to train and supervise 36The funding allocated to this component is sufficient to support activities beyond the seven regions targeted in the rest of the project in an additional four regions (St. Louis, Louga, Thies, and Dakar); this will be done in coordination with the pipeline Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project (P162042) under preparation, which will cover the country’s remaining three regions. Page 55 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) community members to build parent capacity to promote their children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. Other existing platforms will be leveraged (beyond the CLM structures) including the CTP and the safety net social operators, both of which reach parents and communities and could integrate parenting education and early stimulation into their programming. 5. The subcomponent will also increase access to high-impact nutrition interventions through the scale-up of the integrated, community-based complete growth monitoring and promotion packages. Many of the community-based nutrition activities involve social and behavior change communication including promotion of key family and community practices that cover the following: health and nutrition needs of pregnant women and adolescents; child survival, growth, and development; cognitive stimulation and social support to young children; hygiene and sanitation; household food diversification; and health care-seeking behaviors. The activities in the package include (a) growth promotion and monitoring for children between 0 and 23 months in the communities through monthly weighing of children and counseling of the care providers; (b) behavioral change communication activities, such as the promotion of infant and young child feeding practices, proper sanitation practices, and optimum care to the child; (c) detection and community care of malnutrition through home-based care and referral for sick/malnourished children, regular screening for malnutrition, and community treatment of moderate acute malnutrition; and (d) preventive measures such as micronutrient supplementation, quarterly deworming, and household food diversification. The issues of hygiene and sanitation are particularly important and include handwashing, food and kitchen hygiene, disposal of garbage, child’s environment, management of safe water, particularly for young children, and community construction of latrines. Table 1.1 summarizes the proposed activities and expenditure types that make up this subcomponent. Table 1.1. Types of Activities and Expenditures under the Community-based Growth Monitoring and Promotion Package Theme/Type of Activity Type of Expenditure Community mobilization: x Subprojects x Sensitization x Procurement and x Community diagnostics distribution of x Community dialog and organization equipment, x Community micro-projects material, Establishment of community nutrition sites with a package of activities: pharmaceuticals, x Cooking demonstration and production x Growth monitoring inputs x Integrated community management of childhood illnesses x Reproduction of x Integrated community management of acute malnutrition printed x Promotion of safe water communication x Parental education and early child stimulation material x Community distribution (vitamin A, anthelminthic, and micronutrient powders) x Consulting services x Promotion and monitoring of public health services (technical assistance) x Promotion of Kangaroo method for premature and low birth weight babies x Non-consulting x Promotion of fortified food products (for example, iodized salt) services x Community child food bank x Training and Social and Behavior Change Communication workshops x Promotion and protection of x Individual counseling x Operating costs breastfeeding x Focus group discussions Page 56 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Theme/Type of Activity Type of Expenditure x Promotion of infant and young child x Peer group education and feeding practices animation x Promotion of environmental, x Community meetings and personal, and food hygiene animation x Home visits x Community radio/media/local theater Women empowerment and nutrition promotion among women and adolescents: x Income-generating activities x Nutrient-rich food transformation and conservation x Literacy x Multiple micronutrient distribution Subcomponent 1.2: Multi-sectoral coordination for nutrition (US$10 million) 6. The objective of this subcomponent is to improve cross-sectoral coordination to promote nutrition, especially during a child’s first 1,000 days. Improving child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days requires a mix of direct nutrition and nutrition sensitive interventions. The community- based interventions are composed of direct nutrition interventions but can also serve as a channel to render sector-specific interventions more sensitive to nutrition outcomes. Community mobilization and organization, together with social and behavior change communication, are at the heart of the community-based nutrition and stimulation service delivery platform, around which the other activities, such as family planning services, backyard gardening, small livestock, and sanitation, will be organized as needed. Commune-level subprojects will take advantage of other programs and projects in the area, such as water abduction, irrigation, staple crop production, small community grants, and cash transfers. This will involve defining programmatic options, identifying actions that integrate the three key strategies for change: communication for changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of specific audiences and social mobilization for greater community participation and advocacy. This will serve as a guidance and planning framework for the elaboration of commune-level subprojects. 7. This subcomponent will build upon the progress the GoS has made to leverage other sectors beyond HD to improve nutrition outcomes through participatory development of multi-sectoral nutrition strategies and action plans at the local level. In health, it involves specific nutrition (and stimulation) actions during adolescent care, prenatal care, delivery, and postnatal care. In agriculture, notably food production, it requires fine-tuning of the management of value added production schemes to enhance nutrition outcomes. Similarly, in water and sanitation, the association with nutrition criteria can alter the targeting, reach, and utilization of water, sanitation, and hygiene services. The idea is not that this component provides all these services; instead, it influences these services so that community- based activities become more effective. This is critical for Senegal, which has seen stunting coming down to less than 20 percent but to reduce further will need to address more intransigent problems. Based on the highly participatory development of the new strategic plan for nutrition, as well as prior experience with multi-sectoral collaborations at the local level, this subcomponent will support the identification and mobilization of sectoral solutions to deep-rooted nutrition problems and as needed amend and co- sponsor them to render the sectoral activities nutrition sensitive. These activities will largely consist of Page 57 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) consultations, joint planning and monitoring, supervision, training, studies, information sharing, and tool development for the local level of implementation as well as the central-level planning. Component 2: Quality early learning (US$22 million, SDR 15.6 million) 8. The objective of this component is to expand access to quality early learning services. With this component, the GoS aims to improve children’s cognitive and socioemotional development and facilitate children’s transition to primary school through quality early learning interventions. This component builds upon successful interventions developed through the PAQEEB, which supported the Government program, the PAQUET 2013–2025, including engagement with Daaras and SMCs. The team has worked closely to align with the activities planned through the PAQEEB AF for the basic education project. Many of the innovations in early learning that will be designed in this project will be implemented at an even greater scale through the AF (for example, the Early Years Project will develop content on early learning for SMCs that will be reached with per capita finance through the PAQEEB AF). The component will work through both formal and community-based opportunities to expand access to early learning and includes demand-side and supply-side interventions, targeting parents, engaging SMCs and Daaras, and constructing and rehabilitating new public preschool classrooms through the MEN and ANPECTP. Current constraints to quality service delivery will be addressed at both the classroom and system levels. This component includes four subcomponents: (i) early learning quality enhancement; (ii) parent engagement; (iii) performance-based financing for Daaras; and, (iv) construction and rehabilitation. This component will be implemented by the MEN, with participation of the ANPECTP. Subcomponent 2.1: Early learning quality enhancement (US$8 million) 9. The objective of this subcomponent is to improve the quality of early learning interventions. This subcomponent will focus on improving the quality of early learning across the different modalities (public preschools, CTPs, Daaras, and SMCs) by developing consistent materials, which can be used across the different settings. Key activities include the following: (a) Improving the curriculum materials and guides for teachers. This activity will review and improve the existing curriculum. In addition to engaging international and national experts, the process will engage parents and communities to increase community and parental involvement in children’s schooling to improve the learning environment in preschools and at home. One national curriculum will be produced. Corresponding teacher guides will be developed for use across the different modalities to deliver early learning (CTP, Daara, SMC, and so on). The project will also develop a guide to improve the links between early learning centers and homes. (b) Improving the system for ECD teacher training and deployment. This activity will develop and roll out a revised preservice teacher training program and Continuous Professional Development (CPD) program. Currently, teachers receive a polyvariant training for primary school generally, with almost no content on early childhood. Trained teachers are then assigned to either preprimary classrooms or primary schools based on the needs identified by the District Education Inspectorate (DEI). This subcomponent will allow for the creation of a dedicated stream of preservice training and placement for preprimary teachers. This will include a regular polyvariant training stream for three months supplemented by a Page 58 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) training on preprimary content for six months. This activity will also include the development of a module for primary school teachers who have received the standard polyvariant training to be retrained to teach at preprimary level. This effort will be undertaken in close collaboration with the AF, which will lead the dialogue with the regional teacher training institutes. (c) Improving the quality assurance system for early learning. This activity will involve the regional ECD coordination, the DEI, and the CODEPE. The CODEPE is an important actor at the district level, whose mandate is to focus on early learning across different service providers (public preschools, CTPs, Daaras, and SMC preschools). Currently, they lack resources to complete necessary school visits and have inadequate training. The project will provide training to CODEPE and support some fuel costs. The project will deliver targeted training and improved supervision tools to conduct monthly supervision visits to (i) ensure that teaching and learning meet quality standards, (ii) support teachers’ continuing professional development, (iii) collect data on learning outcomes, (iv) meet with SMCs to address issues regarding quality early learning and community engagement, and (v) report lessons learned and recommendations for improvement to district and regional preprimary authorities. (d) Launching a national survey on MELQO. This activity will launch a national survey to generate information on child development and the quality of preschools to help the Government build a system to monitor and improve quality of early learning. This work will be undertaken with support from the World Bank’s LSMS team and in coordination with the DHS in Senegal to ensure links with household data. The nationally representative survey is expected to be conducted during Year 2 of the project, with opportunities for less intensive, ongoing monitoring to be built into various existing information and quality assurance systems. 10. To clarify the relationship between IEY and the PAQEEB AF, Table 1.2 describes the activities that will be undertaken by the Early Years Project and those that will be undertaken by the PAQEEB AF: Table 1.2. Collaboration between the Early Years Project and the PAQEEB AF on Early Learning Quality Enhancement Activities Led by the Early Years Project Activities Led by the PAQEEB AF (P163575) (P161332) Early learning x Develop a new preservice training x Lead the reform of teacher training quality program for preprimary school teachers. program and dialogue with regional enhancement x Develop a module on ECD to be included teacher training institutes to scale up in the school director training and CPD. preprimary training during preservice x Develop a module for existing primary teacher training. school teachers to be converted to x Incorporate ECD content the Early Years preschool teachers. Project develops into the school director training and CPD. Page 59 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Subcomponent 2.2: Parent engagement in early learning (US$2 million) 11. The objective of this subcomponent is to increase demand for and access to early learning through engagement with SMCs. This subcomponent will build upon the existing engagement with SMCs through the PAQEEB and the PAQUET by integrating early learning into the activities eligible for SMC finance using the per capita child grant that SMCs receive. SMCs can be engaged to launch community- based early learning programs, which will expand access beyond the limited number of locations in which the project will be able to finance construction and rehabilitation. As with Subcomponent 2.1, the content and approaches that will be developed through this subcomponent will be institutionalized and scaled up through the PAQEEB AF (for example, by integrating parent education on ECD and building SMC capacity to launch community-based preschools using the per capita finance that will be provided to SMCs from the PAQEEB AF). 12. The Early Years Project will develop the approach, strategy, and materials that can be used to institutionalize early learning within SMC activities. This approach will be incorporated into the existing SMC training guide. These materials will be used to engage communities and localities in promoting quality early learning. Regional development councils, chaired by the governors, will discuss opportunities to increase access to early learning. At the department level, the Early Years Project will support mayors to meet to share information about early learning and commit to supporting the early years agenda. At the commune level, the Early Years Project consultations will target communities and parents to discuss their commitment in supporting the early years in general and early learning in particular. At the regional and district levels, the Early Years Project will deliver training to SMCs to support their role to launch SMC early learning activities and supervise early learning quality. The Early Years Project will also equip trainers with materials to support the training of SMCs through the PAQEEB AF. These materials will include adapted training materials, an activity guide for the weekly sessions, and basic tools for quality control (for example, teacher-pupil interaction tools). To clarify the relationship between the Early Years Project and the PAQEEB AF, Table 1.3 describes the activities that will be undertaken by IEY and those that will be undertaken by the PAQEEB AF. Table 1.3. Collaboration between the Early Years Project and the PAQEEB AF on Engagement with SMCs Activities Led by the Early Years Project Activities Led by the PAQEEB AF (P163575) (P161332) Engagement x Develop the outreach package for SMCs x Lead the SMC reform process with the with SMCs to be incorporated into existing SMC MEN (including institutionalization of ECD training guide content the Early Years Project will x Develop training program for SMC develop) volunteers x Incorporate ECD content the Early Years x Develop teaching/volunteer guide for Project develops into the SMC training SMC early learning activities and print guide guide x Distribute guides to SMCs x Train SMC members and community x Revise the SMC performance contract to teachers include ECD (with input from the Early Years Project) x Train the SMC members and community teachers throughout the country (using content developed by the Early Years Project) Page 60 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Subcomponent 2.3: Performance-based financing for Daaras (US$2 million) 13. The objective of this subcomponent is to support Daaras to include developmentally appropriate early learning activities that will promote children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. This subcomponent will leverage successful approaches developed through the PAQEEB, which financed the integration of foundational skills (10 hours of reading and numeracy each week) into the curriculum of an initial 100 Daaras through a PBC mechanism. Under the PAQEEB AF, the approach will be expanded to an additional 400 Daaras. The Early Years Project will work with approximately 90 of the original 100 Daaras (those that are based in the seven project intervention regions) to roll out early learning activities. The same teachers who are currently teaching the reading and numeracy (supported by the PAQEEB) will be trained to conduct early learning activities using an activity guide designed to ensure children in Daaras benefit from 10 hours of programming each week designed to promote cognitive and socioemotional development. 14. The following key activities will be supported by the project: (a) Develop an ECD activity guide to be incorporated into the education service provision package being supported by the PAQEEB in the Daaras. The Early Years Project will work with participating Daaras to ensure content is culturally appropriate and engaging. The activity guide will be used by the existing teachers to deliver preschool activities for 10 hours per week to promote children’s cognitive and socioemotional development. (b) Train teachers and Daara management committees. The project will train teachers and Daara management committees. (c) PBCs to Daaras. Funding will be provided to Daaras (using the same contract as the PAQEEB) to launch early learning activities, including payments for teachers and funds for teaching and learning materials. 15. To clarify the relationship between the Early Years Project and the PAQEEB AF, Table 1.4 describes the activities that will be undertaken by IEY and those that will be undertaken by the AF. Table 1.4. Collaboration between the Early Years Project and the AF on Daaras Activities Led by the Early Years Project Activities Led by the PAQEEB AF (P161332) (P163575) Engagement x Develop the content for 10 hours per x Lead dialogue with Daaras to introduce with Daaras week of preschool activities to promote ECD content. children’s cognitive and socioemotional x Train the teachers in the Daaras who will development. not be included in the Early Years Project. x Train teachers who are in Daaras located x Train the Daara management committees in the 7 regions. on ECD that will not be included in the x Train the Daara management Early Years Project. committees located in the 7 regions. Page 61 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Subcomponent 2.4: Construction and rehabilitation (US$10 million) 16. The objective of this subcomponent is to increase access to early learning through construction and rehabilitation of early learning spaces. This subcomponent will contribute to expanding access to early learning by ensuring the number of formal, public sector, early learning locations are increased through construction and rehabilitation of preschool classrooms attached to primary schools, CTPs, and public Daaras. The project is anticipated to cover a total of 230 structures. Key activities will include (a) construction of public ECD structures (including spaces for early stimulation) and (b) rehabilitation of existing ECD structures (including spaces for early stimulation). Table 1.5 provides the criteria that have been used to identify the list of potential sites in the seven regions. Table 1.5. Criteria to Identify Sites for Rehabilitation and Construction of Preschool Facilities by the MEN and ANPECTP Criteria for Preschool Classrooms Common Criteria Criteria for CTPs and Public Daara Preschools Attached to Primary Schools x Percentage of x Availability of a 2,000 m2 surface x Availability of at least 900 m2 non- children not enrolled area in primary school premises disputable space, with a land title issued in early learning x Availability of a fence wall of 1.80 by the local authority x Enrollment rate in m approximately x Access to water, energy, health, and Grade 1 primary education services x Formulation of a request by the community x Accessibility and security of the site Component 3: Child protection and system strengthening (US$11 million, SDR 7.8 million) 17. The objective of this component is to expand coverage of services to protect children and build system capacity to coordinate and promote child development. This component includes three subcomponents: (i) birth registration; (ii) social mobilization, communication, and behavior change; and. (iii) system strengthening. Through efforts to engage stakeholders across levels of government and communities, this component will address the current fragmentation and promote more coordinated service delivery. This component is designed to ensure complementarity and consistency of project content and approach across key implementing agencies so that, for example, parents receive consistent and complementary information on early stimulation and nutrition at nutrition programs, in health posts, and in early learning centers. This component will include activities that are transversal and related to communications strategies and community engagement across all components. The content and strategy will be developed within this component (in collaboration with key implementing agencies), but services will be delivered within Component 1 and Component 2. Subcomponent 3.1: Birth registration (US$2 million) 18. The objective of this subcomponent is to increase birth registration. The subcomponent builds on successful pilots in several regions and will address current constraints to birth registration through targeted activities, including (a) supplying mayor’s offices with forms, registers, and lockers to facilitate collection and storage for birth registration, (b) engaging Imams and providing them with birth books in which they can record all relevant information for birth registration to be transmitted to the mayor’s office Page 62 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) or the local child protection committees, and (c) supporting birth registration campaigns. This component will be coordinated with the pipeline Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project, which will focus on the role of health centers to collect the basic information needed for birth registration. 19. Local health posts will collect initial information following a child’s birth, and then, with the mayor’s office, Imam, and local committee equipped, families will have a range of accessible options to complete the birth registration following the child’s naming ceremony, which usually occurs seven days after birth. This design will address current constraints, including accessibility and transport, and will engage local political and religious leaders to mobilize communities. 20. The subcomponent will also support birth registration campaigns. These campaigns will establish birth registration days as part of other annual community events organized through the platforms of the different actors involved in Components 1 and 2. Health workers will register children during child health and nutrition campaigns. Mobile community registration volunteers will also be introduced to register births, with a focus on deployment in remote areas that do not have access to centers. Community population registers may be piloted in select remote communities across the intervention regions as well. Subcomponent 3.2: Social mobilization, communication, and behavior change (US$5 million) 21. The objective of this subcomponent is to design and implement an integrated communication strategy for advocacy, social mobilization, and behavior change. Behavior change communication is at the heart of the project, and this subcomponent will support the capacity building of community agencies and community actors to effectively engage in interpersonal and behavior change communication activities such as one-on-one counseling, club formation, group facilitation, community animation, and home visits. As many behaviors are embedded in sociocultural norms and values, the communication strategy will also be designed to target traditional, religious, and community leaders through community dialogue and extended family members (particularly mothers-in-law and grandmothers) through focus group animation. Other activities that will be part of a comprehensive communication strategy include mass media such as rural radio and local drama groups, social marketing and mobilization, community initiatives, and communication campaigns. 22. The subcomponent will develop the content that can be used to train local IEY committees to coach beneficiaries on quality interactions with young children, through the different channels in which the project stakeholders operate. This community approach builds on existing community structures and strengths. The subcomponent will develop guides and tools, including (a) parent-child quality interaction guide, (b) father-centered guide to be used by the participating religious leaders during their Friday prayers and other public events, and (c) supervision tools. These materials will be translated into local languages in the selected regions and will use content that is relatable to the local communities. 23. This subcomponent will also facilitate targeting the most vulnerable families through partnership with the PNBSF. Working through the PNBSF structure, ‘mother leaders’ will be recruited within the group of PNBSF beneficiaries and given training and a small stipend to work with a group of peers to encourage child development through group sessions, home visits, and participation in other community activities. The mother leaders will share information and provide coaching to change behavior and encourage uptake of other key project interventions, including nutrition, early learning, and birth Page 63 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) registration. Because this activity will build off the existing PNBSF structure, it offers an opportunity to reach those most in need, at minimal cost and with relatively limited additional administration. The PIU will contract directly with the same community service providers contracted by the PNBSF to support this additional level of service provision. 24. At the same time, the strategy will outline the social mobilization approach aimed at institutional development for the implementation of ECD policies and programs. These include targeted orientation packages to the various stakeholders at local, regional, and central levels on the program, including roles and responsibilities. Further upstream, the strategy will promote the cause of ECD to policy and decision makers as well as the donor community through a coherent advocacy strategy aimed at mainstreaming ECD. Subcomponent 3.3: System strengthening (US$4 million) 25. The objective of this subcomponent is to strengthen systems for coordinated service delivery. Given the decentralized governance structure in Senegal, this subcomponent will strengthen the operational coordination at the department level and the technical coordination at the national level. At the local levels, the focus will be on coordinated and integrated service delivery of nutrition, early learning, and child protection services supported by the project and other programs. At the central level, tools will be developed to enable the coordination for integrated service delivery across agencies, programs, and projects. 26. To ensure adequate quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of service delivery, the objective of this subcomponent is to provide technical assistance and capacity building to improve coordination and enhance the quality of services for project beneficiaries. Fragmentation, lack of clear roles and responsibilities, and inadequate quality insurance are all serious constraints to improving child development in Senegal. The subcomponent will (a) develop a manual of procedures that outlines the roles and responsibilities of each of the project stakeholders and the functional relationship between those actors and the MBGPE, (b) coach local authorities to provide leadership for the early years activities, (c) train local actors on integrated planning and monitoring, and (d) support monitoring and supervision of the activities. Where relevant, the subcomponent will strengthen the capacity of other ministries that are part of the multi-sectoral technical and operational coordination at the national, regional, and subregional levels as well. 27. This subcomponent will also cover the cost of strengthening the monitoring capacity of the subnational and national institutions involved in the management and implementation of ECD activities. This will involve strengthening of data collection and reporting systems, piloting innovative data collection and reporting methods (for example, using mobile technology for data collection and reporting at the community level), and expanding analytic capacity within national M&E units in the relevant ministries. 28. To promote investing in the early years and present it as a top government priority, the MBGPE will organize a national conference biannually chaired by the President of the Republic, throughout the lifetime of the project. The conference will be attended by CSOs; government stakeholders; the Economic, Social and Environment Council, the Parliament, and the private sector. The conference will (a) present compelling evidence on the importance of investing in the early years, (b) present the ongoing Page 64 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) progress of the project, and (c) raise critical issues and barriers identified along with key recommendations for improvement. Component 4: Project management and technical assistance (US$5 million, SDR 3.5 million) 29. The objectives of this subcomponent are to strengthen the management capacity of the MBGPE, ensure smooth project implementation, and ensure evaluation and adaptive learning across the project activities. This component will be led by the PIU and MBGPE. Capacity building for the MBGPE will cover the areas identified by the ministry for support, including M&E, FM, procurement, communication, and organizational development. This component will finance project management costs, including staffing of the PIU, training for PIU staff, supervision, evaluations, project audits, M&E, and other operating costs associated with the running of the PIU. Capacity assessments and other types of research and analytic activities needed to support service delivery and project management will be carried out, including joint diagnostics, joint work plans, an M&E framework, and knowledge management systems. 30. This component will include extensive technical assistance and research and evaluation activities. Adaptive learning will be a key element of this component, and adjustments will be made to activity implementation on an ongoing basis. This work will be carried out with technical assistance from the World Bank. Rigorous impact evaluations are planned as part of the technical assistance provided by the World Bank. In addition to more traditional RCTs, the project team will work with the World Bank’s SIEF team to design rapid, low-cost evaluations that will provide timely information to evaluate and address implementation challenges early in the project lifetime. Table 1.6 provides a list of planned evaluations by component. Table 1.6. Planned Topics and Timeline for Evaluation of Project Activities Component Topic Stakeholder Timeline Component 1 Efficacy of activities promoting early CLM will lead, with Years 1 and 2 during stimulation (change in parent understanding, support from the PIU and development and practice, and ultimately impact on child World Bank team. early testing of new outcomes) approaches Component 2 Impact of new preprimary teacher training MEN (Teacher Training Years 2 and 3 program (to change teacher practice and Institute), with support ultimately influence child outcomes) from the World Bank team The quality of early learning programs in MEN (Daara Years 3 and 4 Daaras and supported by SMCs (quality within Inspectorate), with classrooms and impact on child development) support from the World Bank team Efficacy of quality assurance efforts by the CODEPE (impact on teacher practice and ANPECTP and MEN, with Years 3 and 4 classroom quality) support from the World Bank team Page 65 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Component Topic Stakeholder Timeline Component 3 Differences in cost-effectiveness between MBGPE and PIU, with Years 3 and 4 different approaches to increase birth support from the World registration Bank team Impact of communication campaigns World Bank team Years 3 and 5 Change in domestic violence and violent MBGPE, with support Year 4 discipline from the World Bank team Page 66 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) ANNEX 2: IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS COUNTRY: Senegal Senegal Investing in the Early years for Human Development in Senegal Project Institutional and Implementation Arrangements 1. The project will be implemented by a newly created PIU in the MBGPE. The PIU will consist minimally of a Project Coordinator, an FM Officer, an Accountant, a Procurement Officer, an Internal Auditor, a Child Development Technical Officer, an M&E Officer, a Communication Officer, and a Safeguards Specialist. Key staff (Project Coordinator, FM Officer, Procurement Officer, and M&E Officer) need to be in place before effectiveness, while the PIU shall be up and running no less than four months after the project has become effective. Project oversight will be provided by a Project Steering Committee also to be established within four months following the effective date. 2. The multi-sectoral nature of the project requires inputs from different sectors that are directly involved in project implementation, namely the CLM, the MEN, and the MBGPE. Accordingly, a Technical Working Group will be set up to provide technical directions to the PIU. The Technical Working Group will be chaired by the Secretary General of the MBGPE, or a representative identified by the Minister, and include technical officers of the three implementing structures and the PIU. The Technical Working Group will be responsible for the preparation of the annual plan of work and budget, to be approved by the Project Steering Committee. 3. The MBGPE has no prior experience with World Bank procedures. The project has the advantage of having the CLM among the implementing structures. The CLM has successfully implemented World Bank projects in the past. The CLM will provide technical assistance to the PIU for specific project management questions particularly during the first year of project implementation. 4. The activities will be implemented by the following three national structures that govern the relevant policies for the early years: (a) the CLM, which is responsible for the implementation of activities under Component 1; (b) the MEN through the Directorate of Preschool Education, the Directorate for the Education Reform and Plan, the DRH, the DFCO, and the Directorate of Koranic Schools, which are responsible for Component 2 (in collaboration with the ANPECTP); and (c) the MBGPE (including the ANPECTP), which is responsible for the implementation of activities under Component 3. At the implementation level, the planning and monitoring of activities will be coordinated by local governments and administrative authorities. 5. Local governments will play a key role in the planning and monitoring of interventions and ensuring a holistic approach so children receive the different services at different stages of their early years. The project will strengthen the existing coordination structures for specific focus areas of the early years agenda at the various levels of local government (for example, nutrition and child protection) and broaden the scope toward a holistic approach. Figure 2.1 provides a diagram of the implementation arrangements detailing out the various levels of coordinated action. The various structures at the different levels are described following figure 2.1. Page 67 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Figure 2.1. Implementation Arrangements for the Early Years Project 6. The project will not create new committees at the various administrative levels; instead, it will build on what already exists. At the regional, département, arrondissement, and commune levels, existing committees will be used and adapted to support the IEY agenda. These include the following: x Regional level. The existing Nutrition Monitoring Committee will expand its mandate to address IEY. It is chaired by the Governor’s office and includes the relevant administrative, elected, and technical stakeholders. x Département level. The existing Child Protection Committee will expand its mandate to support IEY activities. It is chaired by the Prefect and is composed of the relevant administrative, elected, and technical stakeholders at this level. x Arrondissement level. The Local Development Committees, chaired by the Sub-Prefect, will provide oversight of the IEY activities. Because of its proximity to the commune, the arrondissement level is well equipped to provide proximity monitoring and follow-up. The Sub-Prefects report to the Prefect at the level of the Département and are important authorities in their precincts. They will play an important role in coordinating efforts between communes. x Commune level. Existing nutrition and child protection committees at the commune level will plan, monitor, and supervise the commune and community-based activities and promote the incorporation of early child nutrition and development investments into the Commune Development Plans. These committees sit in and are chaired by the Mayor’s office Page 68 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) and include representatives of the various steering committees for nutrition, education, and protection. 7. While detailed implementation arrangements have been agreed at all levels, the complexity of the project and the number of stakeholders involved poses a risk to ensuring proper coordination and communication. Most stakeholders on the issue of the early years have little experience with cross- sectoral coordination and collaboration. Currently, structures tend to work vertically and in a partitioned manner. The project will address this through a renewed effort to ensure project committees and management structures at all levels are functional by providing guidelines and extensive and institutionalized capacity-building support in communication. Table 2.1 provides a more detailed description of roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders including coordination committees in the project. Table 2.1. Description of Roles and Responsibilities within Project Implementation Arrangement at the Institutional Level Entity Role and Mandate Composition Project Steering x Provide strategic orientations to the PIU to Project coordinator Committee meet expected outcomes. Representatives from IEY technical x Authorize the PIU to execute the budget. ministries; Ministries of Finance, Justice, x Validate key documents: yearly action plans Interior affairs, and Health and Social and budget at the political level, financial and Affairs; representatives from the technical reports, manual of procedures, and President’s office, Prime Minister’s office, the implementation diagram. the Economic, Social and Environment x Oversee the recruitment process for the PIU Council, Parliament, and the High Council staffing. for local government; and representatives x Arbitrate certain implementation decisions from CSOs when necessary. PIU x Manage project implementation. National coordinator x Develop yearly action plan. Procurement specialist x Conduct the procurement processes. Internal auditor (half-time position) x Implement project’s safeguard documents. M&E specialist x Develop the budget. FM specialist x Support implementation partners. Environmental and safeguard specialist x Write financial and technical reports to share Archivist/documentarist with the MGCP and the Steering Committee. Account persons x Validate requests submitted by operational ECD specialist(s) units. Engineer/architect x Collaborate with technical stakeholders. Bookkeeper Secretariat Driver Guards Housekeepers MBGPE x Lead the institutional communication on the Minister of Governance and Child project. Protection x Champion the IEY agenda. Chief of Cabinet x Harmonize content among the stakeholders Cabinet members involved in the implementation of the FM specialist parental education program. M&E specialist Page 69 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Entity Role and Mandate Composition x Conduct the communication with other line Child protection specialist ministries. Communication specialist x Facilitate relationship between the PIU and Secretariat the other line ministries and decentralized services (for example, governors and prefects). x Conduct quality assurance activities for the overall project implementation. Technical x Provide guidance on key sector and cross- Representatives from MBGPE cabinet Working Group sector based activities. Representatives from CLM x Aid on activity planning and M&E related Representatives from ANPECTP issues for the IEY. Representatives from MEN Representatives from the DGPSN Representatives from the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs Regional IEY x Conduct a regional oversight of project Governor, Prefects, Sub-Prefects, Mayors, Monitoring activities. representatives from relevant regional Committee service coordinators, representatives from (formerly, the PRN Regional Committee, Regional nutrition Education Inspector, regional focal point for committee) child protection, and CSOs focal points Département IEY x Conduct the activity planning process. Prefect, Mayors, Sub-Prefects, President of Coordination x Support activity implementation. the Département Council, representatives Committee x Aggregate commune-levels action plan into a from relevant departmental service (formerly, child departmental action plan. coordinators, representatives from the PRN protection departmental committee, DEI, committee) Departmental Child Protection Committee, and CSOs focal points Arrondissement x Provide backstopping to commune-level Sub-Prefect, representatives from relevant IEY Local activities. departmental service coordinators, Development x Monitoring of project activities at the community-based organizations (CBOs), Committee commune level. NGOs, Mayor, and Commune Council x Validate Commune Development Plans and members Budgets. Commune-level x Support operational planning at the Representatives of existing management IEY Committee commune-level. committees operating at the commune x Ensure activities will be implemented in an level for decentralized services, CBOs, integrated and participatory manner as NGOs, resource persons, local opposed to the current fragmentation of governments, and financial and technical services. partners x Champion the IEY agenda at the commune level. 8. A communication plan will be developed to ensure that each stakeholder is working with the same understanding and sharing the right information at the right time. Similarly, communication mechanisms and tools will be provided to facilitate the flow of information vertically (from the MBGPE/PIU/project steering committee to the community level) and horizontally (between the various stakeholders involved in the implementation of the project). The communication strategy will be Page 70 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) accompanied by a project knowledge management strategy to ensure further institutionalization, use of information and tools, and successful adaptation to changes by all stakeholders. 9. The project can recruit technical and fiduciary focal points at the regional level to facilitate the local planning and ensure proximity in the monitoring of implementation and FM, particularly of the community-based interventions. The PIU may open local bank accounts for swift handling of payments of activities at the local level. Between the CLM, MEN, and MBGPE, there is already a good technical presence at all levels, which will be needed to provide proximity monitoring to the local planning and implementation. 10. The following paragraphs provide a more detailed description of the implementation arrangements by component. 11. Component 1: Child nutrition and early stimulation in the first 1,000 days. The activities related to nutrition in the first 1,000 days will be led and implemented by the CLM through local governments and community agencies. Following current implementation practices, community agencies will be contracted by local councils to implement community-based interventions on behalf of the commune. Community agencies work with and on behalf of local government to implement the package of nutrition services and behavioral change communication activities at the community level. In concert with members of the Commune Council, community leaders, and service providers, the community agencies will mobilize and train communities to engage in the early years nutrition and stimulation activities. The community agencies will oversee the community mobilization and facilitation while local governments assist with social mobilization; monitoring of activities; and coordination with service providers in health, education, and agriculture. 12. Complementary actions are often required from service providers in health, education, and agriculture, which will be coordinated by the local government entities with guidance from the CLM. Similarly, the CLM will coordinate with the other sectors and provide technical support to the local actors and stakeholders through training and supervision; monitoring implementation; ensuring timely reporting; overseeing the annual planning and budget process by the community agencies in concert with the local government; engaging consulting services for policy, strategy, and tool development; and coordinating with stakeholders on the early years agenda. 13. Component 2: Quality early learning. Activities related to early learning will be implemented by two ministries: the MEN and the MBGPE. Within the MEN, DEPS oversees preschool classrooms attached to primary schools. The Inspectorate for Koranic Schools oversees the modernization of the Daaras. Other key directorates are the Human Resources Directorate, the Directorate for Training and Communication, and the DPRE, respectively responsible for teacher provision, teacher training, and education plan development. In the MBGPE, the ANPECTP is responsible for implementing the National Policy on ECD and the construction and running of CTPs. 14. The need for the different platforms for early learning, notably the CTPs, preschool classrooms attached to primary schools, SMC preschools, and Daaras, will be coordinated at the level of the local government. The early learning interventions will be rolled out by both the DEI and the Regional Coordination for ECD (part of the ANPECTP). SMCs will receive training and other capacity-enhancing support to deliver early learning services with support from early grade teachers and the DEI. Under the Page 71 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) authority of the Regional Coordination for ECD and the DEI, the CODEPE will be brought in to support teacher supervision and quality assurance. Improved supervision tools, including electronic tablets, will improve data collection and monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning system. 15. Construction and rehabilitation efforts will be handled centrally by the PIU, working in collaboration with the ANPECTP and MEN. The PIU and implementing agencies will work closely with the GoS staff in charge of implementing the PAQEEB AF to ensure smooth collaboration, given that much of the content delivered in Component 2 will be scaled beyond the project’s seven intervention regions to the national level through the AF. 16. Component 3: Child protection and system strengthening. This component falls under the realm of the MBGPE but involves the direct and active involvement of other stakeholders. The ministry and PIU staff will jointly execute the activities in this component. 17. Before the effective date, the Government will have to prepare a PIM, containing detailed arrangements and procedures for (a) institutional coordination and project implementation; (b) the roles and responsibilities of all involved stakeholders; (c) project budgeting, accounting, disbursement, and FM; (d) procurement; (e) safeguards; (f) monitoring, evaluation, reporting, and communication; and (g) other such administrative, financial, technical, and organizational arrangements and procedures. Synergy with Other World Bank-supported Projects 18. The project will build on and work with four other World Bank-funded projects. Table 2.2 summarizes the synergies and areas for collaboration in the early years agreed by the Senegal HD teams. Table 2.2. Areas of Synergies and Collaboration with Other World Bank-supported Projects World Bank-supported Projects Area of Synergy and Collaboration Investing in Maternal and Child Health x Strengthen the management of acute malnutrition. Project (P162042; pipeline) x Harmonize preventive measures for maternal nutrition and child growth. x Strengthen demand for health services. Senegal Safety Net Operation x Strengthen the accompanying measures of the unconditional cash (P133597) transfers through training in areas where the two projects are not co-located and through the nutrition sites of the PRN where the projects co-locate. x Improve the social promotion activities with parental education content. Senegal Quality and Equity of Basic x Jointly work on ECD tools and material. Education (P133333) and AF (P163575) x Strengthen ECD and preschool skills among primary education teachers. x Mainstream preschool education in modernized Koranic schools. x Strengthen SMC capacity to delivery preprimary services. x Jointly develop parental education training modules. Building Resilience to Food and x Enhance geographical overlap with food security and Nutrition Insecurity Shocks Project diversification measures. (P155475) x Strengthen the platform for multi-sectoral coordination of service delivery at the community level. Page 72 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) 19. In education, the project will collaborate with the PAQEEB AF. As described in table 2.2, the Early Years Project will develop content to be used to integrate early learning into the SMC reform process, as well as the work with Daaras to promote early learning. In addition, the two projects will work with the MEN on improving the preschool teacher training and recruitment process. Potential candidates for basic education teaching will have to choose either primary or preprimary education before the selection examination and teacher training for selected candidates. All potential teachers will have a six-month training on general education. Preschools candidate teachers will then be specialized for six months in ECD-related content. In line with the improvements in the recruitment process, the projects will work on improving the functioning of the regional centers for teacher training. All 14 regional centers will be reinforced to deliver quality teacher training on ECD. The centers will be allowed to offer paid training sessions to private preschools and equipped and supplied by both projects. The MEN will organize a national conference with the 14 regional centers for teacher training to build consensus on the new reform. 20. In health, the project will closely work with the pipeline Investing in Maternal and Child Health Project (P162042) to strengthen the service delivery system to deliver both curative and preventive nutrition interventions, including the management of acute malnutrition and micronutrient supplementation, while at the same time mainstreaming early stimulation services at primary and secondary service delivery. This will require revisions of the existing training curriculum of health personnel. 21. In social protection, the project will collaborate with the Senegal Safety Net Operation (P133597) on issues of (a) targeting to include aspects of nutritional vulnerability and (b) accompanying measures on child nutrition and development to enhance the impact of cash transfers. The two projects will also strengthen geographical overlap to facilitate coordinated implementation and maximize impact. Financial Management 22. The following paragraphs provide information on the FM arrangements for the project. Internal Control and Internal Auditing Arrangements 23. Internal control arrangements. The Administrative and Accounting Procedures Manual will be set up to provide a division of roles and responsibilities between implementing entities and a clear description of the approval and authorization processes in respect of the rule of segregation of duties. 24. Internal auditing arrangements. An internal auditor with qualification and experience satisfactory to the World Bank will be recruited. The internal auditor will reinforce the ministry’s internal inspectorate and cover the audit functions of the project. Accounting Arrangements 25. The current SYSCOHADA accounting standards in use by the West African Economic and Monetary Union countries for ongoing World Bank-financed projects will be applicable. Annual financial statements will be prepared by the PIU in compliance with SYSCOHADA standards. An acceptable Page 73 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) accounting and reporting system will be set up to maintain segregated accounting records, generate financial reports, and allow easy consolidation of financial information from CLM and from the MBGPE for the project. A qualified Financial and Administrative Officer and Accounting Assistant with experience and skills satisfactory to the World Bank will be recruited for the PIU to handle activities. Budgeting Arrangements 26. The project will prepare an annual budget based on agreed annual work program and annual PP. The budget will be adopted by the Project Steering Committee before the beginning of the year, and its execution will be monitored on a quarterly basis. The budgeting calendar, process, and monitoring will be clearly defined in the Administrative and Accounting Manual of Procedures. Annual draft budgets will be submitted to the World Bank’s non-objection before adoption and implementation no later than November 30 of every year. Periodic reports of budget monitoring and variance analysis will be prepared by the PIU. Financial Reporting Arrangements 27. The PIU will prepare at each quarter of the year a consolidated Interim Financial Report (IFR) for the project in form and content satisfactory to the World Bank. These IFRs will be submitted to the World Bank within 45 days after the end of the quarter to which they relate. The basic format of the IFR was discussed and agreed during negotiations. The PIU will also prepare project financial statements in compliance with SYSCOHADA and World Bank requirements. The CLM will keep the books for Component 1 and shall submit the necessary information on time for the quarterly IFR and annual financial statement that will be consolidated by the PIU. External Auditing Arrangements 28. The Disbursement and Financial Information Letter (DFIL) will require the submission of audited financial statements for the project to IDA within six months after the end of each fiscal year. The audit report shall reflect all the activities of the project. An external auditor with qualifications satisfactory to the World Bank will be appointed to conduct annual audits of the project financial statements in accordance with audit terms of reference (TOR) agreed with IDA. Flow of Funds and Disbursement and Banking Arrangements 29. Banking arrangements. Given the volume and specific nature of activities that will be implemented by the CLM (equal to 49 percent of the project amount), it has been agreed that two DAs for the project will be opened: one for the PIU and one for the CLM. These accounts will be opened in commercial banks acceptable to IDA, managed by the Directorate for Foreign Cooperation and Finance as the entity assigned with the overall responsibility of payments. Arrangements for the management of the DAs will be described in the manual and disbursement letter. 30. Disbursement arrangements. The following disbursement methods may be used under the project: reimbursement, advance, direct payment, and special commitment as specified in the DFIL and in accordance with the Disbursement Guidelines for Investment Project Financing, dated February 2017. Disbursements will be transactions-based whereby withdrawal applications will be supported with Page 74 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Statement of Expenditures. Documentation will be retained at the PIU and at the CLM for review by World Bank staffs and auditors. The DFIL provides details of the disbursement methods, required documentation, DAs' ceiling, and minimum application size. 31. Funds flow chart. Flow of funds arrangements for the project is as shown in figure 2.2. Figure 2.2. Funds Flow Chart Financial Management Action Plan 32. The actions detailed in table 2.3 need to be taken to enhance the FM arrangements for the project. Table 2.3. Financial Management Action Plan Action Date Due by Responsible Entity 1 Prepare and agree with the World Bank on the Agreed at negotiations MBGPE/ CLM format of the IFRs. 2 Adopt the project administrative and financial By effectiveness MBGPE/CLM manual. Recruit a qualified accounting officer satisfactory to the World Bank. 3 Draft the TOR for financial audits of the project. By effectiveness MBGPE/CLM 4 Set up an adequate accounting and reporting Not later than four months MBGPE’s PIU system. after effectiveness Recruit an internal auditor, an external auditor, and an accounting assistant with qualifications and experience satisfactory to the World Bank. Page 75 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Procurement 33. The borrower will carry out procurement under the proposed project in accordance with the World Bank’s ‘Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers’ (Procurement Regulations) dated July 2016 under the NPF and the ‘Guidelines on Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants’, dated October 15, 2006, and revised in January 2011 and as of July 1, 2016, and other provisions stipulated in the Financing Agreement. The procuring entity, the bidders, and service providers (that is, suppliers, contractors, and consultants) shall observe the highest standard of ethics during the procurement and execution of contracts financed under the project in accordance with paragraph 3.32 and Annex IV of the Procurement Regulations. 34. Advertising. The borrower shall prepare and submit to the World Bank a General Procurement Notice (GPN), and the World Bank will arrange for publication of the GPN in United Nations Development Business (UNDB) online and on the World Bank’s external website. The borrowers may also publish it in at least one national newspaper. 35. The borrower shall publish the Specific Procurement Notices (SPNs) for all goods, non- consulting services, and the Requests for Expressions of Interest on their free-access websites, if available, and in at least one newspaper of national circulation in the borrower’s country and in the official gazette. For open international procurement selection of consultants using an international shortlist, the borrower shall also publish the SPN in UNDB online and, if possible, in an international newspaper of wide circulation; the World Bank arranges for the simultaneous publication of the SPN on its external website. 36. PPSD and PP. As part of the preparation of the project, the borrower (with support from the World Bank) prepared its PPSD, which describes how fit-for-purpose procurement activities will support project operations for the achievement of PDOs and deliver VfM. The procurement strategy is linked to the project implementation strategy at the regional level, ensuring proper sequencing of the activities. It considers institutional arrangements for procurement, roles and responsibilities, thresholds, procurement methods, and prior review and the requirements for carrying out procurement. It also includes a detailed assessment and description of state government capacity for carrying out procurement and managing contract implementation, within an acceptable governance structure and accountability framework. Other issues taken into account included the behaviors, trends, and capabilities of the market (that is market analysis) to inform the PP. The activities also require a strong technical capability to prepare proper technical specifications to avert lack of, or inadequate, market response. This capability—or a plan to enhance—is considered in the strategies. 37. The PP covering the first 18 months of project implementation was prepared and submitted to the World Bank and discussed and approved by the World Bank during project negotiation. The PP will be updated by the procuring entity on an annual or as-needed basis to reflect actual project implementation needs. Updates of the PP will be submitted to the World Bank for ‘no-objection’, and the PPSD will be updated accordingly. 38. Operational costs financed by the project, if any, will be incremental expenses, including office supplies, communication costs, rental expenses, utilities expenses, consumables, transport and accommodation, per diem, workshop, supervision costs, and salaries of locally contracted support staff. Page 76 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Such service needs will be procured using the procurement procedures specified in the PIM accepted and approved by the World Bank. 39. The new PIU housed at the MBGPE will carry out the overall fiduciary responsibility of activities funded by this project. This PIU will be staffed by a dedicated Procurement Specialist who will be responsible to supervise and coordinate. 40. The MBGPE is a new ministry with less than one year of existence and has a Public Procurement Unit (Cellule de Passation de Marche, CPM) and a functional procurement office composed of qualified staff with several members experienced in procurement but not enough with the World Bank procedures. The MBGPE's procurement program is carried out centrally by its large dedicated structures. The Department of General Administration and Equipment is responsible for the procurement and management of supply contracts for central and decentralized services (equipment and furniture, school supplies, vehicles, textbooks, and so on). It coordinates and supervises all procurement activities at the central level and will play an important role in supporting the PIU in carrying out procurement activities. 41. However, the large number of projects to be managed by donors or the state sometimes involves high workloads that can sometimes lead to delays in the procurement process and execution as well as difficulties in archiving. 42. This project will be implemented under the new Procurement Regulations and bring an additional workload on the team. There are risks of possible delays in project implementation and ineffective procurement that deliver poor results. The following measures are proposed to mitigate these risks and reduce their classification from Substantial to Moderate: (a) recruit staff with strong experience in World Bank procedures; (b) develop an administrative and financial procedures manual, which includes the World Bank’s procurement procedures and the new provisions of the World Bank regulations; and (c) have an acceptable procurement filing system in place during project implementation. 43. The activities will be implemented by the three national structures involved in the implementation of the ECD policy, namely (a) the CLM, which is responsible for the implementation of activities under Component 1; (b) the MEN through the Directorate of Preschool Education, the Directorate for Education Reform and Plan, the DRH, the DFCO, and the Inspectorate of Koranic Schools, which is responsible for the implementation of activities under Component 2 (in collaboration with the ANPECTP); and (c) the MBGPE through the Directorate of Early Child Protection, the DSE, and the ANPECTP, which together are responsible for the implementation of Component 3. These structures will provide technical supports to the PIU for the implementation of the activities. 44. The overall project risk for procurement has been evaluated as Substantial and will be updated during implementation as necessary. Page 77 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Table 2.4. Risk Description and Mitigation Measures Risk Description Description of Mitigation Responsibility Deadline Additional workload that can Recruitment of a new PIU with MBGPE Three months after result into delays and strong experience effectiveness ineffective procurement Lack of experience in World Capacity building/training on the MBGPE/World Bank Continuous Bank procurement processes new NPF (NPF) The multi-sectoral nature of the Close collaboration with MBGPE/CLM/MEN/A When necessary project different sectors (CLM, MEN, NPECTP MBGPE, and ANPECTP) The MBGPE is a new ministry The MBGPE has a CPM and a MBGPE Continuous with less than one year of functional procurement office existence. composed of qualified staff with several members experienced in procurement and will implement a strong procurement system during project implementation. 45. Frequency of procurement reviews and supervision. The World Bank’s prior and post reviews will be carried out based on thresholds indicated in Table 2.5. IDA will conduct supervision missions every six months and annual post procurement reviews; the standard post procurement reviews by World Bank staff should cover at least 15 percent of contracts subject to post review. Post reviews consist of reviewing technical, financial, and procurement reports on project procurement actions by World Bank staff or consultants selected and hired by the World Bank according to procedures acceptable to the World Bank. Project supervision missions shall include a World Bank Procurement Specialist or a specialized Consultant. IDA may also conduct an Independent Procurement Review at any time until two years after the closing date of the project. 46. The procurement risk is rated Substantial. Table 2.5 summarizes the procurement prior review for ‘Substantial’ risk. These prior-review thresholds can evolve according to the variation of procurement risk during the life of the project. Table 2.5. Procurement Prior-Review Thresholds Procurement Categories Thresholds (US$) Works 10,000,000 Goods, information technology, and non-consulting services 2,000,000 Consulting firms 1,000,000 Individual consultant 300,000 47. Summary of PPSD. Based on the procurement risk assessment and the procurement risk prior- review threshold (Table 2.6), all contracts during the first 18 months of the project are supposed to be post reviewed. Page 78 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Table 2.6. List of Major Contracts for Goods, Non-consulting Services, and Consulting Assignments Prior or Description of the Estimated Pre or Post Method Post Evaluation Method Contract Amount (US$) qualification Review Acquisition of tablets for 30,769.00 RFB No Post Qualifying criteria/lowest the supervision task evaluated cost team for education Vehicle Acquisition 44,864.00 RFB No Post Qualifying criteria/lowest evaluated cost Printing 14,500 copies of 24,150.00 Shopping No Post Qualifying criteria/lowest the teacher guide evaluated cost Printing 32,000 240,429.00 RFB No Post Qualifying criteria/lowest workbooks evaluated cost Printing 10,000 53,667.00 Shopping No Post Qualifying criteria/lowest management guides evaluated cost TOTAL 1,067,148.00 Note: RFB = Request for Bid 48. The list of major contracts for goods, non-consulting services, and consulting assignments is described in Table 2.7. Several activities concerning print, reproduction of guides, and tools will be also procured. Other consulting services will concern capacity building of CODEPE members, conception of several modules on ECD and CPD, reference materials and learning activities in Daara, and administrative and pedagogical management. Table 2.7. List of Major Contracts for Goods, Non-Consulting Services, and Consulting Assignments Estimated Prior or Pre or Post Description of the Contract Amount Method Post Comments qualification (in US$) Review Update of the program and 32,200.00 IC No Post Technical and guides for early learning of the financial scores formal system combined 32,200.00 IC No Post Technical and Developing materials for ECD financial scores teacher training combined 1,000,000.00 QCBS No Prior Technical and Launch a national MELQO survey financial scores combined 46,959.00 QCS No Post Technical and Development of a religious financial scores education guide combined 31,871.00 IC No Post Technical and Study on parental practices in financial scores early years combined Teacher training on the use of 364,267.00 QCBS No Post Technical and guides for early learning (formal financial scores system) combined Page 79 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Estimated Prior or Pre or Post Description of the Contract Amount Method Post Comments qualification (in US$) Review Training of preschool Daara 120,751.00 IC No Post Technical and directors in administrative and financial scores pedagogical management combined Selection of a Cabinet for the 110,000.00 LCS No Post Technical and financial audit of the project financial scores combined Selection of a consultant for the 13,000.00 IC No Post Technical and development of an M&E manual financial scores combined Selection of a consultant for the 19,000.00 QCBS No Post Technical and preparation of the PIM and the financial scores manual of financial and combined administrative procedures Selection of a consultant firm for 722,361.00 QCBS No Post Technical and construction studies financial scores combined Firm to recruit the Coordinator 30,000.00 CQS No Post Technical and and the PIU staff financial scores combined TOTAL 2,118,833.00 Note: CQS = Selection Based on Consultants’ Qualifications; IC = Selection of Individual Consultants; LCS = Least- Cost Selection; QCBS = Quality- and Cost-Based Selection. Environmental and Social (including Safeguards) 49. The project has triggered OP/BP 4.12 (Involuntary Resettlement) due to the construction and/or rehabilitation of public preschool classrooms and CTPs and small-scale subprojects supporting community-based activities. The negative environmental and social impacts of these small-scale activities can be mitigated and should be low to moderate and site-specific. Since the location of the intervention sites is not confirmed, an RPF has been prepared by the borrower and submitted for review to IDA. In addition, the project will support small-scale community gardening, which may require pest management. The ESMF includes an annex on pest control. The RPF has been adopted and disclosed in the country and on the World Bank's website before the evaluation. 50. The project will initiate consultations with communities and establish appropriate stakeholder participation and document disclosure during the preparation and implementation of the ESMF and the RPF. According to World Bank safeguards policies, these two documents will need to be implemented before the start of civil works. Gender and Vulnerability 51. The project recognizes gender equality and women’s empowerment as key factors for the attainment of the PDOs. As a result, the project is supporting measures that strengthen the capacity of women and enhance the role of men in child development activities. The new National Gender Policy, which updates the National Policy for the Advancement of Women, marks the beginning of a new policy Page 80 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) implementation integrating gender in all projects in Senegal. The country gender profile was initiated as part of a wider effort to promote gender-responsive policies/programs. This project supports efforts to enhance the understanding of the vulnerability of women and children, including the identification of social risks, which can affect the development, health, and education of the children (for example, sexual abuse, disabilities, and violence). Citizen Engagement 52. The project will include the principles of citizen engagement through the development and implementation of a communications strategy supported through the ESMF and RPF. Citizen engagement indicators have been included in the results matrix. 53. Citizen engagement is being facilitated by the clear identification of beneficiaries (children, men and women, communities, NGOs, and local and central administration) during preparation, implementation, and evaluation. Throughout the project, citizens will be consulted and opportunities will be provided to collaborate with the project and participate in the sustainability of the investments. Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) 54. The GRM is a critical part of the project’s citizen engagement efforts. During implementation, complaints may arise with respect to breach of laws, project beneficiaries, land ownership and land use issues, pollution nuisance, and choice of beneficiaries among others. A project-level GRM is outlined in the ESMF and the RPF. It is designed to be a mechanism that is trusted by all relevant partners. It will facilitate the redress of any grievance and conflict that may arise from the project and will be supported by the Social and Environmental Specialists of the project. The grievance mechanism process should complement and facilitate access to independent judicial or administrative remedies outside the specific context and will resolve grievances immediately using traditional and administrative mechanisms or the law courts at the national, regional, and community levels. The PIU will be notified of any disputes in the project zone. The project field staff should work closely with the communities and the community leaders to clarify and resolve any misunderstanding that could give rise to conflicts. Where the dispute cannot be resolved at the community level, the affected persons or party shall be advised to lodge a complaint with the GRM committee. The project will develop a clear plan and procedures for the GRM, including complaint collection and processing procedures, reporting formats, database/records specifications, and committee membership as part of the RPF. Public participation and consultation will be a key part of the process at all times to promote understanding and prevent unnecessary complaints and disputes. 55. In addition, additional capacity building for citizen engagement for the client will be developed and delivered during the project to foster a participatory and inclusive national dialogue on nutrition, health, learning, protection, and service delivery. Monitoring and Evaluation 56. Regular data collection will be carried out by the line ministries, government agencies (such as the CLM), district governments, and independent consultants/consulting firms to create an M&E system for activities supported by the project at the state and local government levels. As part of standard monitoring, the PIU will regularly gather information and report on the implementation of components. Page 81 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) This monitoring will be supplemented by monitoring of results and performance of components by third parties. The project will support the strengthening of instruments that are already in use (such as the ASN) and the development of instruments for monitoring data that are not being collected. 57. To the extent possible, arrangements for the results monitoring will be integrated into the existing data collection and information systems of the implementation units. Line ministries already collect reliable information, which has served as the main source on a range of important child-, community-, and school-level indicators for the project. These data are expected to be used to examine changes over time in key indicators. In addition, results of large-scale surveys will be used to monitor and triangulate findings on outcomes. National surveys such as the DHS or MICS include modules on child development that will be of use to the project. The project will also include a national study on child development and the quality of early learning settings using the MELQO tools. This effort will provide a national baseline on the status of child development and opportunities to integrate monitoring of child development and early learning quality into existing systems. To complement the quantitative data collection, qualitative data will be collected from various stakeholders to enrich information and analysis. These additional data will be used to assess the achievement of results targets as well as inform the design and implementation of initiatives to address any identified issues. 58. Rigorous prospective impact evaluations are planned as part of the technical assistance offered by the World Bank, as described in Table 2.8. Table 2.8. Planned Topics and Timeline for Evaluation of Project Activities Component Topic Stakeholder Timeline Component 1 Efficacy of activities promoting early CLM will lead, with Years 1 and 2 during stimulation (change in parent understanding, support from the PIU and development and practice, and ultimately impact on child the World Bank team early testing of new outcomes) approaches Component 2 Impact of new preprimary teacher training MEN (Teacher Training Years 2 and 3 program (to change teacher practice and Institute), with support ultimately influence child outcomes) from the World Bank team The quality of early learning programs in MEN (Daara Years 3 and 4 Daaras supported by SMCs (quality within Inspectorate), with classrooms and impact on child development) support from the World Bank team Efficacy of quality assurance efforts by the ANPECTP and MEN, with Years 3 and 4 CODEPE (impact on teacher practice and support from the World classroom quality) Bank team Page 82 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Component Topic Stakeholder Timeline Component 3 Differences in cost-effectiveness between MBGPE and PIU, with Years 3 and 4 different approaches to increase birth support from the World registration Bank team Impact of communication campaigns World Bank team Years 3 and 5 Change in domestic violence and violent MBGPE, with support Year 4 discipline from the World Bank team Role of Partners 59. Throughout the design phase, the project team has consulted with key local partners, including local and international NGOs and UNICEF. The Government and the World Bank team partnered in a workshop with UNICEF in October 2017 to diagnose the early learning subsector and plans for moving forward, some of which have been incorporated into project preparation. The project will also build on pilots around early stimulation and community preschool education supported by UNICEF and continue to collaborate on technical assistance for early child nutrition and development. This project will coordinate with and work through NGOs as key partners in the scaling up of service delivery. There are several bilateral partners who are already undertaking or may undertake in the future early years activities (including KOICA, USAID, and Canada). This project will coordinate closely with other development partners to ensure complementarity of investments. Page 83 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) ANNEX 3: IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT PLAN COUNTRY: Senegal Senegal Investing in the Early years for Human Development in Senegal Strategy and Approach for Implementation Support 1. The proposed project will require intensive support during implementation. The multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder nature of the project, and the lack of experience with World Bank procedures among several key implementing structures, including the MBGPE, all necessitate a consistent and relatively intensive engagement from World Bank staff in the country, as well as the international team. The institutional anchor for the project, the MBGPE, is a newly established ministry with limited capacity and no experience implementing a World Bank project. A broad range of skills is required for the World Bank to effectively support project implementation. Some skills will be needed on a regular basis while others will be required more intermittently or on an ad hoc basis. 2. A core implementation support team will include financial, procurement, and operational review, complemented by sector-specific technical assistance and M&E and local governance and community experience. The core supervision team will include the following members: (a) Task Team Leaders (TTLs) (from HNP and Education Global Practices) with experience in nutrition and ECD; (b) an FM Specialist who will review adherence to World Bank procedures with regard to fiduciary responsibilities; (c) a Procurement Specialist, responsible for procurement, implementation, and institutional issues; and (d) a full-time Consultant based in Dakar to coordinate with counterparts on a day-to-day basis. As needed, the team will be expanded to include (a) an Environmental Specialist, (b) an M&E Specialist, and (c) a Community Intervention Specialist. 3. During the first year, this core team will meet monthly (virtually) to review project implementation progress and to adjust work plans accordingly. The core team will also participate in supervision missions, currently planned for three times per year in the project’s first two years and then two times per year thereafter. These formal missions will be complemented by regular visits by the country-based World Bank procurement and FM specialists to verify progress and provide ongoing assistance to the client. In addition, the project team seeks to employ a full-time local consultant (ideally as an extended term consultant) to support day-to-day assistance of operational aspects, local coordination with the client and other stakeholders, and engagement in policy dialogue. 4. During the first year, an intensive supervision program will be carried out to ensure a sound institutional base is put in place (particularly by providing capacity building to the MBGPE in the areas of FM, procurement, and M&E) and interventions are initiated on time. The team will draw from the PIM covering FM, M&E, and procurement matters. It is expected that there will be a learning curve as the PIU, MBGPE, and implementing agencies develop processes and smooth working relationships. The emphasis of the supervision missions during the first year will be on getting the project up and running and building the capacity of the PIU and MBGPE. Page 84 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Implementation Support Plan and Resource Requirements Resource Time Focus Skills Needed Partner Role Estimate First 12 Project management: Project 6 staff weeks months recruitment of PIU staff, management development of PIM, development of annual work program and budget, and sensitization of stakeholders at the decentralized levels Construction: development of Architect 3 consultant construction plan weeks Procurement: development and Procurement 6 staff weeks timely execution of PP; and development and review of TORs, bidding documents, call for proposals, and manifestation of interest Disbursement and FM: opening FM 3 staff weeks of accounts, client connection, withdrawal requests, and timely reporting M&E: development of project M&E and coaching 4 staff weeks and Technical monitoring framework 6 consultant assistance and (indicator framework, training weeks joint supervision manuals, and tools) and capacity building of local stakeholders on project monitoring Early nutrition, stimulation, and ECD, nutrition, and 2 staff weeks and Technical learning: development of education 6 consultant assistance and harmonized modules and tools weeks joint supervision for community-based interventions and curriculum revisions for teacher training Communication: development Communication 4 consultant Technical of communication strategy and weeks assistance development and testing of communication tools 12 months– Procurement: timely and Procurement 9 staff weeks project correct implementation of PP Page 85 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Resource Time Focus Skills Needed Partner Role Estimate completion FM: timely and quality FM 9 staff weeks reporting Project management: Project 12 staff weeks decentralized coordination, management, and consultant mobilization, knowledge implementation, weeks management plan and rollout nutrition, ECD, and of interventions education Construction Architect and social 3 Staff weeks and and environmental consultant weeks safeguards Policy development: advocacy Organizational 4 consultant Technical plan, institutional development, development weeks assistance and ownership, institutionalization, policy dialogue and mainstreaming M&E: process evaluation, M&E and coaching 4 staff weeks and Technical MELQO study, Lot Quality consultant weeks assistance and Assurance Sampling surveys, joint supervision and decentralized monitoring (dashboard, accountability, reporting, citizen feedback, qualitative supervision, learning and corrective action) Communication: capacity Communication 6 consultant Technical building for communication weeks assistance interventions and techniques Skills Mix Required Skills Needed Number of Staff Weeks Number of Trips Comments HQ based. The project will 8 weeks each per year (16 continue to have one HNP TTLs 3 per year weeks total per year) TTL and one Education Global Practice TTL Based in Dakar, ideally an Day-to-day project 44 weeks per year extended term or full-time management consultant Economist/M&E support 12 weeks per year 3 per year HQ or Dakar based Engineer/architect 4 weeks per year 4 total International or Dakar based Page 86 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Preschool teacher training 12 weeks total 3 total International or Dakar based and curriculum expert Impact evaluation experts 12 weeks total 6 total International FM specialist 4 weeks per year Based in Dakar Procurement specialist 4 weeks per year Based in Dakar Environmental safeguards 4 weeks per year HQ based Social safeguards 4 weeks per year Based in Dakar Partners Name Institution/Country Role UNICEF United Nations Technical assistance and joint supervision 5. Based on the outcome of the FM risk assessment, the following implementation support plan is proposed. The objective of the implementation support plan is to ensure the MBGPE PIU maintains a satisfactory FM system throughout the project’s life. Implementation Support Plan Based on FM Risk Assessment FM Activity Frequency Desk reviews IFRs review Quarterly Audit report review of the project Annually Review of other relevant information such as interim internal control Continuous as they become available systems reports On-site visits Review of overall operation of the FM system Every semester for Implementation Support Mission and annual when the risk becomes Moderate Monitoring of actions taken on issues highlighted in audit reports, As needed auditors’ management letters, internal audit, and other reports Transaction reviews (if needed) As needed Capacity-building support FM training sessions During implementation and as and when needed Page 87 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) ANNEX 4: REFERENCES Alderman, H., and Vegas, E. 2011 “The Convergence of Equity and Efficiency in ECD Programs.” In No Small Matter: The Impact of Poverty, Shocks, and Human Capital Investments in Early Childhood Development, edited by H. Alderman. Washington, DC: World Bank. Berlinski, S., S. Galiani, and P. Gertler. 2009. “The Effect of Pre-primary Education on Primary School Performance.” Journal of Public Economics 93 (1–2): 219–34. Carneiro, P. M., and J. J. Heckman. 2003. “Human Capital Policy.” In Inequality in America: What Role for Human Capital Policy? edited by J. Heckman and A. Krueger. Cambridge: MIT Press. Cunha, F., and James, J. Heckman. 2007. “The Technology of Skill Formation.” IZA Discussion Papers 2550, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn Cunha, F., J. Heckman, L. Lochner, and D. Masterov. 2005. “Interpreting the Evidence on Life Cycle Skill Formation.” NBER Working Paper 11331, National Bureau of Economic Research, Cambridge, MA. Engle, P. L., L. C. Fernald, H. Alderman, J. Behrman, C. O'Gara, A. Yousafzai, 2011. “Strategies for Reducing Inequalities and Improving Developmental Outcomes for Young Children in Low- Income and Middle-Income Countries.” Lancet 378: 1339–53. Garrett, J., and Natalicchio, M. eds. 2011. Working Multisectorally in Nutrition: Principles, Practices and Case Studies, 57–65. Washington, DC: IFPRI. Heckman, J. 2006. “Skill Formation and the Economics of Investing in Disadvantaged Children.” Science 312 (5782): 1900–02. Heckman, J., and Masterov, D. 2007. “The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children.” Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy 29 (3): 446–493. IEG. 2016. A Decade of World Bank Support to the Senegal Nutrition Program. Project Performance Assessment Report, World Bank. Kampman, Halie, Amanda Zongrone, Rahul Rawat, and Elodie Becquye. 2017. “How Senegal Created an Enabling Environment for Nutrition: A Story of Change.” Global Food Security 2017 Richter, L., Daelmas, B., Lombardi, J., Heymann, J., Boo, L. F., Behrman, J., Lu, C., Lucas, J., Escamila, R., Dua, T., Bhutta, Z., Stenberg, K., Gertler, P., Darmstadt, G. Lancet series, Advancing Early Childhood Development: from Science to Scale, (2016) Lynch, R. G. 2005. “Early Childhood Investments Yield Big Payoff.” Policy Perspectives San Francisco, CA: West Ed. Page 88 of 89 The World Bank Senegal Investing in the Early Years for Human Development (P161332) Naudeau, S., S. Martinez, P. Premand, and D. Filmer. 2011 “Cognitive Development among Young Children in Low-Income Countries.” In No Small Matter: The Impact of Poverty, Shocks, and Human Capital Investments in Early Childhood Development, edited by H. Alderman. Washington, DC: World Bank. Rubin, D. 2010. “Gender Issues and Agriculture in Senegal.” Research and Evaluations, USAID. Schweinhart, L. J., J. Montie, Z. Xiang, W. S. Barnett, C. R. Belfield, and M. Nores. 2005. Lifetime Effects: The High/Scope Perry Pre-school Study through Age 40. Ypsilanti, Michigan: High/Scope Educational Research Foundation. Shonkoff, J., and D. Phillips. 2000 “From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development.” National Research Council (US) and Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Integrating the Science of Early Childhood Development Walker, S. P., T. D. Wachs, S. Grantham-McGregor, N. N. Black, C. A. Nelson, S. L. Huffman, H. Baker- Henningham, S. M. Chang, J. D. Hamadani, B. Lozoff, J. M. Meeks-Gardner, A. Powell Cam Rahman, and L. Richter. 2011. “Inequality in Early Childhood: Risk and Protective Factors for Early Child Development.” Young, M. E. 2002. From Early Child development to Human Development: Investing in our Children’s Future. Washington, DC: World Bank. Young, M. E., and F. Mustard. 2007 “Brain Development and ECD: A Case for Investment.” In Africa’s Future, Africa’s Challenge: Early Childhood Care and Development in Sub-Saharan Africa, edited by M. Garcia, A. Pence, and J. L. Evans. Washington, DC: World Bank. Page 89 of 89