The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 Implementation Status & Results Lao People's Democratic Republic Catalytic Fund EFA/FTI (P114609) Public Disclosure Copy Operation Name: Catalytic Fund EFA/FTI (P114609) Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 7 Status: ARCHIVED Archive Date: 05-Jul-2014 Country: Lao People's Democratic Republic Approval FY: 2011 Product Line: Recipient Executed Activities Region: EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Implementing Agency(ies): Key Dates Board Approval Date 20-Jul-2010 Original Closing Date 31-Aug-2013 Planned Mid Term Review Date 01-Oct-2012 Last Archived ISR Date 17-Nov-2013 Effectiveness Date 12-Aug-2010 Revised Closing Date 31-Aug-2014 Actual Mid Term Review Date 01-Oct-2012 Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objective is to support the Government of Lao People's Democratic Republic to increase the coverage and improve the quality of Pre-primary and Primary Education with a focus on the most educationally disadvantaged children. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No Component(s) Component Name Component Cost Component A: Access and Quality for Pre-primary and Primary Education 41.30 Component B: Stewardship of Education Sector at Local, Provincial and Central Levels 8.10 Overall Ratings Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Public Disclosure Copy Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Low Low Implementation Status Overview This ISR is prepared as part of the Implementation Support Mission which took place from April 28 - May 9, 2014 and included both World Bank, representatives from Australian Government, Unicef, UNESCO and World Food Program. The Mission jointly reviewed the implementation progress since the September 2013 mission, and provided recommendations that would enable the Program Development Objective (PDO) to be fully achieved by the August 31, 2014 Closing Date. OVERALL STATUS: The Program continues to make significant implementation progress toward the Closing Date of August 31, 2014. The level of commitment to the Program by the MoES, ECU and all IUs remains high and efforts are continued to be made to ensure a closer working relationship to speed up Program implementation. The ECU has been Page 1 of 7 The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 effective in a) providing general Program oversight, b) coordinating the monthly Program Committee meetings, and c) collaborating with IUs, including through hosting two retreats to speed up activities during the final year of implementation. The ECU and the IUs continue to explore ways to work together to solve daily issues and to closely monitor and document progress during the last phase of implementation. The quality of the progress report has been significantly improved. The report is well organized, documenting achievements, challenges, lessons learned and future planned activities for each sub-component. This will help facilitate the preparation of the Implementation Completion Report. Public Disclosure Copy Over the past six months, disbursement averaged USD 1.0 million per month. As of April 30, 2014, the disbursements from two sources of funds stood at: EFA-FTI-CF: US$ 25.9 million or 86.33 percent of the total Grant; and AusAID TF: AUD 18.92 million or 93.41percent of the Grant. MoES will remain attentive about sustaining these expenditure levels in order for program targets to be met. With the CBC activities covering 56 remote target districts, the numerous training activities undertaken, and the innovative nature of the National School Meals Program, the Community-Based School Readiness Program (Playgroup) and the Mobile Teacher Program, the EFA-FTI Program is making satisfactory progress toward the last phase of implementation. School construction will be completed before the Closing Date, with firm plans for water and latrines to be fully provided by UNICEF’s WASH program. The Program has made good progress on all the quality inputs and all activities are expected to be completed prior to the August 31, 2014 closing date. In preparation for the ICR, the ECU, with support from an international consultant, in conducting an assessment of five activities supported under the quality component of the program. The five activities are: (i) VEDC training; (ii) mobile teacher pilot program; (iii) CBSRP pilot program; (iv) school principal training; and (v) pre-primary 9+2 teacher training. The findings from the assessment are expected to be disseminated in May 2014. In addition, in the final four months of the project the ECU and IUs will monitor the remaining activities to ensure the completion. In addition, the ECU and IUs will make sure that the remaining project funds are monitored to ensure maximum use by project closing. Despite commendable accomplishments above, challenges remain, particularly in the area of financial management, which is rated as “moderately satisfactory.” Although there has been improvement over the past six months, there are continuing issues relating to the current financial arrangements and practices that do not facilitate effective Program implementation. Locations No Location data has been entered Results Project Development Objective Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Gross Enrollment Rate in program target area Text Value 121.8 125.5 126 by gender F:112.6 F:121.1 F:123 Public Disclosure Copy Date 01-Sep-2009 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Gross Enrollment Rate for Country (by gender) Text Value 123.4 120.6 122 F:118.3 F:117.6 F:119 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Page 2 of 7 The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 Enrollment in target areas (grade level, gender) Text Value G1:112,937 G1:99,201 G1: 96,965 Female:52,259 F:46,818 Female: 45,741 G2:65,039 G2: 70,112 Female: 29,713 G2: 66,797 Female: 33,301 Public Disclosure Copy G3: 51,912 F:31,354 G3: 64,880 Femal: 23,582 Female: 31,237 G4: 41,980 G3:58,283 G4: 57,680 Female: 18,894 F:27,289 Female: 27,629 G5: 34,758 G5: 49,443 Female: 15,377 G4:51,707 Female: 23,524 Total: 306,626 F:24,513 Total: 339,081 Female: 139,825 Female: 161,432 G 5:45,632 F:21,553 Total:321,620 F: 151,527 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Baseline 2008/09 Data is for academic year 2012-13 Net Enrollment Rate Program target area/ Text Value [G1:3.88 94.0 G1: -3.2 gender Female: 4.84 F:94.1 Female:2.8 G2: 4.83 G2: 1.5 Female: 5.75 Female:2.2 G3: 6.49 G3:4.2 Female: 8.60 Female:5.2 G4: 8.32 G4:5.8 Femal: 8.89 F:6.7 G5: 8.43 G5:6.3 Female: 8.63 Female:7.4 Total:6.39 Total:2.0 Female:7.34] Female:2.8 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Public Disclosure Copy Comments Data is for academic year 2012-13 Net Enrollment Rate (Country and Gender) Text Value 91.60 96.8 96.50 F: 90.4 F:96.8 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Data is for academic year Data is for academic year 2008-2009 2012-13 Page 3 of 7 The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 Education Quality Standards (EQS) Framework Text Value EQS approved and adopted approved and adopted at school level at school level Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Public Disclosure Copy Comments Over 2011and 2012 the EQS approved and adopted EQS approved and adopted MoES transitioned from a at school level. Training at school level. Training in Schools of Quality model to provided. EQS at district and school the development of minimum levels. service standards for schools- now called the Education Quality Standards (EQS). The SOQ had 72 indicators and the EQS has 42 indicators, which are based on thesame dimensions present under the SoQ model. The EQS have consolidated indicators from within the initial SoQ approach in an attempt to make the self-assessments easier for school principals and head teachers. Dropout rate for program target area (grade, Text Value Program: 11.3 4.5 gender) G1-5=? F: 11.2% F: 4.4 Total average: 8 G1: 18.4 G1: 16.2 Female:4.4 Female: 19.0 F:16.2 G2: 7.6 Female: 8.0 G2: 9.1 G3: 7.4 F:9.4 Female:7.3 G4: 7.1 G3:10.1 Female:9.0 F:9.9 G5: 10.1 Female: 9.1 G4: 8.9 Public Disclosure Copy G5: 7.9 F:6.9 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Data is for academic year 2012-13 Dropout rate of primary education grade 1 to 5 Percentage Value 7.50 6.30 3.50 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Page 4 of 7 The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 Comments Data is for academic year Data is for academic year 2008-2009 2012-13 System for learning assessment at the primary Yes/No Value Yes Yes Yes Public Disclosure Copy level Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments ASLO of students grade 5 on Completed data collection ASLO of students grade 3 on 3 subjects and conducted workshops on 2 subjects data cleaning, coding and entry. RIES developed four summary versions of the ASLO report and shared with four groups : (i) RIES staff, (ii) central MoES staff, (iii) provincial staff and, and (iv) district staff and teachers. The results are shared with the first three group and RIES will share with the last group over the next few months. Utility of the learning assessment system Number Value 0.00 2.00 2.00 Sub Type Supplemental Gender parity index for primary education Number Value 0.88 0.96 0.97 Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Data for academic year Data is for academic year 2008-2009 2012-13 Primary completion survival rate to grade 5 in Percentage Value 54.20 60.00 62.00 targeted districts Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments The baseline data is for Academic year 2012-13 academic year 2008-2009 Public Disclosure Copy Intermediate Results Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Number of additional classrooms built or Text Value 00 Primary: 1,461 Primary:1,500 rehabilitated at the primary level resulting from Pre-primary: 343 Pre-primary:350 project interventions Date 11-Aug-2011 31-Dec-2013 31-Aug-2014 Comments Number of schools constructed Text Value 0 303 412 Page 5 of 7 The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 Date 11-Aug-2011 31-Jan-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Academic year 2012-13 Addition of at least one data point in EMIS Text Value 1 data point 1 data point 2 data points Public Disclosure Copy reporting (3.1.2, 3.6.1) Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Number of villages with Mobile Teachers Text Value 0 321 (114 original + 207 in 300 Phase II) Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 29-Aug-2014 Comments Academic year 2012-13 Number of schools with teachers received Text Value 0 1,538 1500 quality training Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 29-Aug-2014 Comments Academic year 2012-13 Number of schools with a functioning VEDC Text Value 0 960 1500 (including in their new M&E role) Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 29-Aug-2014 Comments Percentage of complete primary schools in Text Value 38.6%: 67% 75% target areas 1,391 schools Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 29-Aug-2014 Comments Academic year 2012-13 Number of additional qualified primary teachers Text Value 0 1,498 1500 resulting from project interventions Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 29-Aug-2014 Comments Number of schools that become "complete Number Value 0.00 332.00 412.00 schools", offering 5 grades of primary Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 education Comments Data is for academic year 2010-2011 Number of playgroups with a trained care-giver Number Value 0.00 38.00 210.00 Public Disclosure Copy and adequate materials Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2014 Comments Data is for academic year Data for academic year 2010-2011 2012-13 Number of schools with principals trained on Number Value 0.00 2097.00 2500.00 their 7 roles Date 11-Aug-2011 09-May-2014 31-Aug-2013 Comments data is for academic year 2010-2011 Data on Financial Performance (as of 30-May-2014) Page 6 of 7 The World Bank Report No: ISR15094 Financial Agreement(s) Key Dates Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Original Closing Date Revised Closing Date P114609 TF-97384 Effective 12-Aug-2010 12-Aug-2010 12-Aug-2010 31-Aug-2013 31-Aug-2014 Public Disclosure Copy P114609 TF-99625 Effective 14-Jul-2011 14-Jul-2011 14-Jul-2011 31-Aug-2013 31-Aug-2014 Disbursements (in Millions) Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P114609 TF-97384 Effective USD 30.00 30.00 0.00 26.70 3.30 89.00 P114609 TF-99625 Effective USD 18.86 18.86 0.00 19.40 0.88 103.00 Disbursement Graph Public Disclosure Copy Key Decisions Regarding Implementation The Program is making excellent implementation progress. However, financial management issues are still pending and need to be improved. Restructuring History Level two Approved on 16-Dec-2011, Level two Approved on 06-Jun-2013 Related Projects There are no related projects. Page 7 of 7