INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET APPRAISAL STAGE Report No.: ISDSA5588 Public Disclosure Copy Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 11-Nov-2013 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 11-Nov-2013 I. BASIC INFORMATION 1. Basic Project Data Country: Niger Project ID: P132405 Project Name: Niger - GPE - Basic Education Support Program (P132405) Task Team Kirsten Majgaard Leader: Estimated 11-Nov-2013 Estimated 15-Jan-2014 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: AFTEW Lending Investment Project Financing Instrument: Sector(s): Primary education (70%), Secondary education (30%) Theme(s): Managing for development results (10%), Education for all (80%), Education for the knowledge economy (10%) Is this project processed under OP 8.50 (Emergency Recovery) or OP No 8.00 (Rapid Response to Crises and Emergencies)? Financing (In USD Million) Public Disclosure Copy Total Project Cost: 100.00 Total Bank Financing: 0.00 Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount Borrower 0.00 FRANCE French Agency for Development 15.80 EFA-FTI Education Program Development Fund 84.20 Total 100.00 Environmental B - Partial Assessment Category: Is this a No Repeater project? 2. Project Development Objective(s) The project development objective is to improve access, retention, and the quality of the teaching and learning environment at the basic education level, in targeted areas of Niger 3. Project Description Page 1 of 11 The proposed project is based on the 10-Year PSEF, and informed by the 2010 Niger Country Education Status Report “Le Système Educatif Nigerien� (RESEN) along with its updated 2012 version, the July 2012 National Education Sector Joint Annual Review and the lessons learned from Public Disclosure Copy the EFA/FTI Basic Education Project which closed on May 31, 2012. It is being developed as part of a larger program of donor support to the Niger education sector. As a source of financing, the project supports areas that complement the government’s expenditures as well as other sources of financing to the sector. Despite the large education budget, investments are inadequate and inefficient to sustain a dynamic and equitable quality education system. Salary expenditures, for instance, crowd out investment in learning materials, infrastructure and pedagogical support. At the same time there is still insufficient emphasis on factors which are critical to improve the equity, quality and efficiency of the system such as girl’s access to education, student health, learning outcomes, teacher and school management. The project will address these constraints by supporting an ambitious reform program centered around three main pillars: i) Expanding access to and retention in basic education in an equitable way, with particular focus on education infrastructure, girls’ education and feeding interventions; ii) Improving the quality of teaching and learning, through more and better pedagogical inputs and teacher/teaching skills with more emphasis on learning outcomes; and 3) Strengthening management capacity, with focus on improving institutional capacity and incentives at the ministry, system and school level. The Project will specifically support the first phase (2014-2016) of Niger’s PSEF (2014-2024). Therefore, the following paragraphs do not present the entire PSEF, but only the activities directly financed by the GPE grant. By the same token, the description below does not detail the various strategies adopted by the Government for the implementation of the PSEF activities, which can be found in the Lettre de Politique Educative (LPE), as mentioned above, and which were evaluated during Niger’s endorsement process to GPE. It also does not detail the technical evaluation of the PSEF activities, which could be made available upon request. The program design has so far been developed around the following three components as described below. Public Disclosure Copy Component 1: Expanding equitable access to and retention in basic education (estimated base cost: US$54.0m) Access to and retention in basic education is constrained by supply and demand factors. On the supply-side, the insufficient number of classrooms and the poor quality of classrooms stand out. This situation has a negative impact on enrollment in rural areas, urban slums and especially for girls. Indeed, 21% of primary schools are not able to offer 6 grades of schooling due to lack of classrooms; 46% of the classrooms are provisional shelters ; and 34% of classrooms in urban areas have a class size over 60 students. Also, numerous schools lack the basic furniture as well as basic facilities (latrines and water): only 15% of the schools are equipped with latrines. Action is needed to increase both the quantity and quality of classrooms. Replacing shelters with standard classes, for instance, will not only increase their capacity to welcome students but also increase their durability during the rainy season, which will have a significant impact on time at school and thus also on the quality of instruction. In addition, there are still demand side constraints related to repetitive drought and famine in certain areas, and to opportunity costs that are particularly high for girls. On this second point, specific constraints often militate against girls’ schooling – long distances between the family home and the school, absence of school monitoring, affirmation of program and textbook stereotypes as well as teachers’ attitudes and behaviors usually detrimental to girls, preference given to boys in schooling Page 2 of 11 material, etc. Most of these constraints are detrimental to girls’ attendance by decreasing household demand for their schooling, a nd therefore need to be addressed. Public Disclosure Copy The main objective of this component is to increase equitable access to and retention in basic education by tackling supply and demand-side constraints to enrollment. It will involve replacing unsuitable classrooms, build related facilities and stimulate demand in areas most prone to food insecurity, with focus on areas which display gross school enrolment rates below the national average. Special attention will be paid to gender issues. In particular, the project will finance: (i) the construction, including replacement, and equipment of about 2,000 classrooms; (ii) other important school infrastructure (i.e. latrines, water points, construction of wells etc.), where possible; (iii) incentive schemes to promote girls’ education in both primary and lower secondary education; and (iv) enhancement of student nutritional status through school feeding. The Component is divided into three sub-components: (A): Education infrastructure; (B) Girls’ enrollment; and (C) School feeding programs. Subcomponent 1 (A): Education infrastructure (US$40.0m). This subcomponent aims at providing quality basic education for about 260,000 children (including both new students enrolled and students already in school benefitting from better teaching environment) of which 75% will come from the rural areas, within which 20 to 30% will come from the districts with the lowest enrollment ratios. It will support the program presently conducted by public authorities to provide universal primary education and will involve building roughly 1,500 classrooms equipped with pupil benches and teacher desks, latrines and water supply points, where possible . These buildings will be provided for primary schools (CB1) and lower secondary education (CB2) - to cope with the increased number of students achieving primary education, with priority given to schools with no permanent structures, for pupils to be accommodated during seasons when straw huts (temporary structures) cannot be used. Areas with the poorest access indicators will be given priority. The emphasis will be on priority areas identified by the government and agreed with TFPs. The selection of localities will be based on both need and demand. The program will also involve building Alternative Rural Schools (smaller facilities better adapted to the most remote areas). Public Disclosure Copy In addition to construction and replacement of classrooms, the project will finance equipment, facilities (i.e. latrines, water points, wells) and other critical inputs such as student desks and teacher desks for: (i) 1,000 new classrooms (50% of which will serve to complete existing schools; 30% to reduce the number of overcrowded classrooms in urban areas; 20% for low density population and nomadic zones); and (ii) 1,000 classrooms to be rebuilt. The classrooms will be disability-friendly to providing education access to children with disabilities and other special needs, and they will be complemented with gender-friendly latrines and water access. Based on the difficulties encountered in using previous project resources for implementation of the construction program, MEN/A/PLN will ensure that central and local government agencies as well as contracted firms and individuals have the required staff and equipment for successful implementation. The costs of these would be controlled by focusing sequentially on specific regions and included in project financing. A more detailed description of the implementation arrangements of this sub-component is included in Annex 2. Subcomponent 1 (B): Girls’ Education (US$5.0m). This sub-component aims at reducing gender disparities in access to education by supporting incentives to promote girls’ enrollment in both primary and lower secondary education in targeted areas, including awareness activities, payment of teachers' overtime for girls' tutoring and Girls' Education Grants. The project would provide funding Page 3 of 11 to continue activities which were successful under the previous IDA-funded project, focusing on areas where there is more resistance to female schooling and very low enrollment rates. It is anticipated that 51,700 girls will benefit from this subcomponent and that access and retention for Public Disclosure Copy girls will improve in the targeted areas. To complement the promotion of girls' enrollment through the construction of classrooms and latrines, supported by the infrastructure sub-component, this sub-component will: (a) continue the information campaign to sensitize and increase awareness of the population on the benefits of girls' education, supported by decentralized units, CGDES (Decentralized School Management Committees) and NGOs; (b) scale up and provide support to "mères educatrices� by organizing focus groups with young women and families to discuss factors limiting girls’ participation and proposing solutions relevant to existing conditions on the ground including proper use of water and sanitary facilities to make schools more female friendly; (c) develop and implement tutoring programs for poorly performing students in selected schools in targeted areas with the aim of improving retention rates and reducing dropouts; (d) provide awards to promising students at the regional level through “girls’ graduation ceremonies� rewarding girls with the highest final exam score during a public ceremony with a small monetary incentive (i.e. the equivalent of US$20/girl); and (e)increase girls' enthusiasm for, and retention in, lower secondary school through an incentive scheme (grant scheme) to study science subjects and to provide incentives for staying in school beyond the lower secondary level. The project will also support an impact evaluation of the different approaches to assess their relative cost-effectiveness. Subcomponent 1(C): School feeding and hygiene programs (US$9m). This sub-component aims at reducing the prevalence of nutritional deficiencies and support student health by promoting good nutrition practices and school hygiene and providing food. The program will target the districts affected by severe and recurrent droughts, and consequently food crisis, and by the recent flood damage. Priority will be given to areas where: (i) the enrolment ratios are the lowest (mainly in the poorest regions and in rural areas, which coincides with where girls’ attendance is the lowest); and (ii) schools buildings are incomplete and/or destroyed. Public Disclosure Copy The sanitary situation for children following recurrent droughts and flooding has deteriorated drastically, especially in the affected areas. To address these issues, the sub-component proposes to: (i) support the extension of school feeding programs (canteens) in areas suffering from acute food shortage and/or prone to natural disasters or with consequences arising from certain crises (conflicts). Canteens are a major school enrolment factor, especially amongst populations with the lowest schooling rates (girls, remote areas, nomadic peoples, etc.). The operation will complete the action that the WFP has been carrying out for several years now with a view to reaching out to approximately 300,000 more children over a 3-year period; (ii) support school de-worming; and (iii) train/sensitize teachers and other key school administrative staff on health and nutrition-related issues and in the development of a nutrition policy at the school level. In addition to the likely positive impact of these interventions on the health status of children, it is expected that school attendance and learning capacity will improve, leading to reductions in grade repetition and dropouts. The component will target the locations of Niger where: (i) the enrolment ratios are the lowest (mainly in the poorest regions and in rural areas, which coincides with where girls’ attendance is the lowest); (ii) the pupil-classroom ratios are the highest; (iii) schools are incomplete and/or were affected by flood damages. Consequently the new constructions will support strongly the reduction of disparities in school access between urban and rural areas, richest and poorest and boys and girls. Page 4 of 11 To finalize the preparation of this component, especially the construction activities, a committee in charge of the school building strategy will be set-up. This committee and the related worki ng group will, in the coming weeks and months: (i) define the norms and standards of the school buildings; (ii) Public Disclosure Copy define modalities and prepare implementation of the various approaches; (iii) prepare the documents types (including contracts, execution manual and inspection/community convention); and (iv) set-up the monitoring system. In addition, the merits and feasibility of various incentives to promote girls schooling such as school supplies, uniforms, take home rations or cash transfer for girls of primary education, girls' graduation ceremonies and distribution of awards, and teachers’ overtime for girls’ tutoring will be analyzed. Component 2: Improving the quality of teaching and learning (estimated base cost: US$23.0m) The education system in general and the basic education sub-sector in particular suffer from certain weaknesses, principally: (i) the lack of focus on the skills acquisition expected of learners; (ii) the inadequate programs, combined with the shortage of textbooks and teaching aids; and (iii) the limited subject knowledge and poor teaching methods of teachers. This second component will aim at addressing some of these constraints to help improve the quality of teaching and learning outcomes in Niger. The main Objective of this component is to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the two cycles of basic education by supporting: (a) increased provision of teaching and learning materials and a curriculum review; (b) pre-service and in-service teacher training; and (c) better tools for the measurement and improvement of learning outcomes in reading and math. Component 2 is divided into three sub-components: (A) Pedagogical inputs; (B) Teacher training; and (C) Learning outcomes. Subcomponent 2(A): Pedagogical inputs (US$8.0m). This sub-component will support higher quality of teaching and learning through the provision of teaching and learning materials and the initiation of a curriculum and textbook review of primary education. The textbooks program should provide all Public Disclosure Copy students with textbooks and teacher's guides in core subjects (mathematics, reading, sciences) at a ratio of 1:1 book in primary schools and at a ratio of 2:1 in lower secondary schools. Thus the project will provide about 6 million primary textbooks and 1 million secondary school textbooks, while also providing about 125,000 teacher's guides. Key activities supported by this sub-component include: (i) the re-printing or acquisition of textbooks for the first and second cycles of basic education (for about 2 million students); (ii) the provision of selected pedagogical materials to primary and lower secondary schools, for which a list of eligible items have been elaborated and approved; and (iii) launching a curriculum and textbook review of the first cycle of primary education. Pedagogical materials will largely include teachers’ guides and students’ learning materials to support better teaching and learning in core subjects. The assistance envisaged for textbooks is twofold: i) acquisition and distribution, from the inception of the project, of textbooks using the current editions to make up for the shortages in schools; and ii) designing of new textbooks aligned with the new curricula being finalized with national copyrights for subsequent printing. It is envisaged that these new books be printed in limited numbers to test the new curriculum. Subcomponent 2(B): Teacher (initial and continuous) training (US$11.0m). This sub-component will support higher quality of teaching and learning through more and better teacher pre-service and in- service training so as to increase by 20% the number of actual trained contractual teachers in the Page 5 of 11 project target areas and help all teachers acquire the fundamental teaching skills and practices, with particular focus on subject knowledge and more practical teaching methods. About 3,500 contractual teachers will benefit from in-service training in the areas targeted by the project and 375 teacher Public Disclosure Copy trainers will be trained. The sub-component will support: (i) the expansion of the capacity of teacher training schools through the construction of three new primary teacher training schools (ENIs) in the South (Tessaoua, Region of Maradi), So uth-East (Magaria, Region of Zinder) and East (Doutchi, Region of Dosso) of the country, envisaged over the next three years; (ii) higher quality training through the training of trainers at those and all other training institutions; (iii) the provision of in-service training for contractual teachers; and (iv) the development of new training modules and teacher guides for trainers and teachers on early reading. In terms of the training of trainers, focus will be put for both pre-service (PRESET) and in-service trainers (INSET) on improving their capacity for hands on, practical and class oriented teacher training to help them transfer well defined basic skills and practices in all teaching domains, starting from early reading and early math. Subcomponent 2(C): Learning outcomes (US$4.0m). This sub-component will support higher quality of teaching and learning through better tools for the measurement and improvement of learning outcomes, with focus on numeracy and literacy. It will include support to the development and implementation of: (a) a students’ learning assessment evaluation and monitoring system; and (b) the piloting of an early grade reading assessment (EGRA) and reading improvement tools in grades 1, 2 and 3. Both activities will feed to the extent possible in subcomponents A and B. Component 3: Strengthening management and implementation capacity (estimated base cost: US $18.0m) While unit costs for primary education in Niger align broadly with other countries in the region, learning outcomes, attainment and retention results rank among the lowest pointing to important inefficiencies in the use and allocation of financial and human resources. These inefficiencies are Public Disclosure Copy symptomatic of lack of a high-level managerial and technical capacity to provide a clear strategic and operational direction for the sector; a limited capacity for personnel planning, management and supervision, as well as overall M&E; and limited school management and planning capacity. These factors are made worse by the lack of linkages between resources and outcomes (lack of incentives to perform). The program, through its third component, will strive to address some of these constraints. Sustained by national organizations (both at central and regional levels), the project will help to build their capacities. The project contracting assistance that will be provided will have the twofold aim of supporting project implementation and building the capacities of the stakeholders. Component 3 will support more efficient use of resources for improved access and quality through the development of management and institutional capacity and better incentives at the central, district and school and project levels in several critical areas. Component 3 is divided into three sub- components: (A) Capacity Enhancement of the MEN; (B) System and school management; and (C) Project management and coordination. Subcomponent 3(A): Capacity Enhancement of the Ministry in charge of Basic Education (MEN) (US$6.0m). This sub-component will enhance the capacity of the MEN to manage and coordinate the primary education system effectively by supporting institutional strengthening activities. It will build the organizational capacities of the MEN at both central and decentralized levels by implementing new tools, changing the division of tasks, networking the central and decentralized services, Page 6 of 11 providing equipment and/or organizing training sessions. Synergies will be developed among the programs financed by various partners that support improvements of the pedagogical and administrative management of the MEN to ensure progressive and sustainable capacity building. Public Disclosure Copy The activities of this sub-component will derive from a comprehensive organizational review (complementing institutional analyses carried out during preparation of the PSEF) to be undertaken in the next six months prior to program implementation to delineate roles and functions in primary education policy-making, planning and financing, management, system support, and monitoring at each level. Subcomponent 3(B): System and school management (US$10.0m). This sub-component will support the Government’s initiatives to strengthen the planning, management, and monitoring capacity and the incentives to perform of the central administration, the deconcentrated agencies, the schools and t he communities to implement system-wide primary and lower secondary education programs effectively and efficiently. More specifically, the sub-component will support capacity development for: (i) education sector planning and management; (ii) school planning and management, including staff and CGDES training; (iii) school financing, including through introducing School Improvement Grants (SIGs); and (iv) better monitoring through an Education Management Information System (EMIS) at all levels, including data collection and school surveys. Subcomponent 3(C): Project management and coordination (US$2m). This sub-component will support program coordination and M&E, with the view to facilitate implementation. It will aim at ensuring effective implementation of the proposed project through efficient coordination mechanisms, proper FM and procurement practices, and effective monitoring and evaluation of project outcomes at the national and sub-national levels. Specifically, support will be given to the strategic committee in charge of the education sector plan, to the central level staff (in Finance, Procurement, Human Resources Management, M&E, Statistics), to the regional level staff and to the Public Disclosure Copy communities. This sub-component will notably train communities on procurement and M&E aspects for the implementation and supervision of school buildings. A key element would also be the establishment of an effective two way communications system between government (central and local) and communities to promote timely and continued exchange of information and assessments of project implementation so that successes can be enhanced and issues addressed quickly. 4. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The project is national in scope and school construction will be undertaken at a large number of sites in many parts of Niger. The exact location of the sites is not known at the time of project preparation. 5. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists Lucienne M. M'Baipor (AFTCS) 6. Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ Yes The policy is triggered due to the school BP 4.01 construction activities included in Sub- component 1A. An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) was deemed Page 7 of 11 appropriate due to the fact that sites for the works are not yet known. The works are expected to have minimal to moderate environmental Public Disclosure Copy impacts. The ESMF has been prepared, submitted to and approved by the Bank, and was disclosed through Infoshop on October 21, 2013. The ESMF outlines the procedures which will be used to screen sub-projects for environmental and social impact, and for preparing and carrying out specific environmental and social management plans, as relevant. Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 No Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No BP 4.11 Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP Yes This policy is triggered as land acquisition 4.12 resulting from school construction activities may lead to temporary or permanent limitations in access to natural resources by local populations. The project is not expected to lead to involuntary resettlement. As the sites of school construction Public Disclosure Copy are not yet known, the preparation of a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) was deemed appropriate. The RPF was prepared, submitted to, and approved by the Bank, and disclosed through Infoshop on October 21, 2013. In the event that project activities--particularly school construction--will restrict peoples access to resources, a Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) will be prepared and implemented by the Government of Niger, as appropriate. Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International No Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No 7.60 II. Key Safeguard Policy Issues and Their Management A. Summary of Key Safeguard Issues Page 8 of 11 1. Describe any safeguard issues and impacts associated with the proposed project. Identify and describe any potential large scale, significant and/or irreversible impacts: As a Category B, the potential environmental and social impacts of this project will not be Public Disclosure Copy adverse; they are likely to be small-scale, site-specific and thus easily manageable. The activities consist of primarily: construction and rehabilitation of classrooms; construction of latrines for public primary schools; construction of wells for primary schools; provision of furniture to classrooms in public primary education. The project triggers two safeguards policies: OP/BP 4.01 on Environmental Assessment, and OP/ BP 4.12 on Involuntary Resettlement. Two safeguards documents were prepared: An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF). These instruments outline the potential negative impacts of the project, provide mitigation measures to eliminate or minimize these impacts, screening mechanisms to assess the impacts of proposed activities, and the implementation arrangements for the mitigation measures. Moreover, the clauses and procedures for civil works rehabilitation will be inserted into contracts. Detailed environmental assessments or Environmental Management Plans and Resettlement Action Plans, if necessary, will be carried out for project activities that require them and disclosed in-country and at the Bank's Infoshop before specific or rehabilitation civil works can start. Consultations were held with stakeholders to present and discuss the safeguards instruments. Both the ESMF and the RPF have been reviewed, approved in-country, and approved by the Bank. They have been disclosed at the Infoshop and the Bank's Public Information Center in Niger, and in-country by the Ministry of Primary Education. 2. Describe any potential indirect and/or long term impacts due to anticipated future activities in the project area: The potential negative impacts of this project are likely to be small, site-specific and easily mitigated thus no direct or indirect long term impacts are anticipated from the implementation of the project. Public Disclosure Copy 3. Describe any project alternatives (if relevant) considered to help avoid or minimize adverse impacts. N/A 4. Describe measures taken by the borrower to address safeguard policy issues. Provide an assessment of borrower capacity to plan and implement the measures described. The borrower prepared an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) and a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) to cover all project-financed activities. These documents outline detailed institutional arrangements and capacity building plans for relevant stakeholders. This includes plans for technical and institutional support, and training. During implementation, Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs), Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and/or Resettlement Action Plans (RAPs) will be prepared as needed. 5. Identify the key stakeholders and describe the mechanisms for consultation and disclosure on safeguard policies, with an emphasis on potentially affected people. The project unit has a poor capacity to monitor the social and environmental mitigation measures. Capacity building activities will be organized for the project team and a strong supervision capacity will be arranged by the safeguards team and local NGOs to mitigate the poor capacity. In case of resettlement, the Project Coordination Unit will put in place a Support Group (NGOs) which will be responsible, in liaison with local authorities to monitor the implementation of the Page 9 of 11 resettlement process. During the elaboration of the safeguards the following structures were consulted: Public Disclosure Copy - The Ministry of Education - The decentralized institutions of the Ministry of Education - The Communes - Local authorities - NGOs - Local populations - Parents associations B. Disclosure Requirements Environmental Assessment/Audit/Management Plan/Other Date of receipt by the Bank 17-Jul-2013 Date of submission to InfoShop 21-Oct-2013 For category A projects, date of distributing the Executive Summary of the EA to the Executive Directors "In country" Disclosure Niger 05-Nov-2013 Comments: The ESMF has been disclosed in-country by the Ministry of Primary Education Resettlement Action Plan/Framework/Policy Process Date of receipt by the Bank 26-Jul-2013 Date of submission to InfoShop 21-Oct-2013 "In country" Disclosure Niger 05-Nov-2013 Comments: The RPF has been disclosed in-country by the Ministry of Primary Education Public Disclosure Copy If the project triggers the Pest Management and/or Physical Cultural Resources policies, the respective issues are to be addressed and disclosed as part of the Environmental Assessment/ Audit/or EMP. If in-country disclosure of any of the above documents is not expected, please explain why: C. Compliance Monitoring Indicators at the Corporate Level OP/BP/GP 4.01 - Environment Assessment Does the project require a stand-alone EA (including EMP) Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] report? If yes, then did the Regional Environment Unit or Sector Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Manager (SM) review and approve the EA report? Are the cost and the accountabilities for the EMP incorporated Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the credit/loan? OP/BP 4.12 - Involuntary Resettlement Has a resettlement plan/abbreviated plan/policy framework/ Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] process framework (as appropriate) been prepared? Page 10 of 11 If yes, then did the Regional unit responsible for safeguards or Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] Sector Manager review the plan? Public Disclosure Copy The World Bank Policy on Disclosure of Information Have relevant safeguard policies documents been sent to the Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] World Bank's Infoshop? Have relevant documents been disclosed in-country in a public Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] place in a form and language that are understandable and accessible to project-affected groups and local NGOs? All Safeguard Policies Have satisfactory calendar, budget and clear institutional Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] responsibilities been prepared for the implementation of measures related to safeguard policies? Have costs related to safeguard policy measures been included Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] in the project cost? Does the Monitoring and Evaluation system of the project Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] include the monitoring of safeguard impacts and measures related to safeguard policies? Have satisfactory implementation arrangements been agreed Yes [ ] No [ ] NA [ ] with the borrower and the same been adequately reflected in the project legal documents? III. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Kirsten Majgaard Approved By Public Disclosure Copy Regional Safeguards Name: Alexandra C. Bezeredi (RSA) Date: 11-Nov-2013 Advisor: Sector Manager: Name: Peter Nicolas Materu (SM) Date: 11-Nov-2013 Page 11 of 11