The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) Project Information Document (PID) Concept Stage | Date Prepared/Updated: 18-Oct-2019 | Report No: PIDC27574 Sep 30, 2019 Page 1 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data OPS TABLE Country Project ID Parent Project ID (if any) Project Name Tuvalu P171681 Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) Region Estimated Appraisal Date Estimated Board Date Practice Area (Lead) EAST ASIA AND PACIFIC Mar 23, 2020 Apr 30, 2020 Education Financing Instrument Borrower(s) Implementing Agency Investment Project Financing Ministry of Finance Ministry of Education Youth and Sports Proposed Development Objective(s) To improve the readiness of children entering first grade, improve the reading skills of students in primary school and strengthen education system management in Tuvalu. PROJECT FINANCING DATA (US$, Millions) SUMMARY-NewFin1 Total Project Cost 9.00 Total Financing 9.00 of which IBRD/IDA 9.00 Financing Gap 0.00 DETAILS -NewFinEnh1 World Bank Group Financing International Development Association (IDA) 9.00 IDA Grant 9.00 Environmental and Social Risk Classification Concept Review Decision Moderate Track II-The review did authorize the preparation to continue Sep 30, 2019 Page 2 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) B. Introduction and Context Country Context 1. Tuvalu is a Pacific Island country of approximately 11,000 people on nine small islands with a total land area of just 26 square kilometers scattered over 0.5 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean. Six of the islands - Nukulaelae, Funafuti, Nukufetau, Vaitupu, Nui, and Nanumea - are coral atolls, while the other three islands - Niulakita, Niutao, and Nanumaga - are raised limestone reef islands. More than half of the total population live on Funafuti, which is also where the nation’s capital is located. With most of the country lying just above sea level (average elevation is one meter above sea level), climate change vulnerability is a significant risk. As one of the smallest, most remote countries in the world, Tuvalu is categorized as a fragile state facing natural disaster risks, limited economic opportunities, escalating fiscal costs for meeting health care needs, and near total dependence on imports. Highly dependent on external aid, as well as remittances from Tuvaluans working abroad, gross domestic product (GDP) growth is constrained by the small size of the domestic economy, limited natural resources (except for fisheries) and infrastructure deficits in utilities, transport and communications. 2. Tuvalu’s GDP growth is estimated at 3.8 percent in 2018, largely driven by infrastructure construction. Inflation is expected to decline from 3 percent per year to 2 percent as economic growth slows. The fiscal deficit is expected to increase to 5 percent of GDP over the medium term. The lack of economies of scale in such a small and fragmented domestic market constrain private sector development. The economic and fiscal costs associated with health care expenditures of an aging population and an epidemic of non-communicable diseases further limit macroeconomic performance. The most recent poverty assessment indicates 26 percent of the population was living below the national poverty line (2010). Disparities in levels of poverty have increased over time between the outer islands and Funafuti. Lack of access to services, employment opportunities and exposure to shocks limits inclusive growth. However, female headed households are less likely to be identified as poor and the gender parity index demonstrates a high level of access to education. 3. Te Kakeega III (2016-2020)1 is the Government of Tuvalu’s National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) which aims to achieve security and prosperity for all Tuvaluans; higher standards of quality health and education; and good relations with allies on the international stage. This vision is expected to be realized through: (i) improved resilience, mitigation and adaptation to climate change; (ii) strengthened institutional capacity to serve the public interest with competence and justice; (iii) sound macroeconomic management and policy; (iv) improved health and social development; (v) strengthened island development policies; (vi) improved private sector, employment and trade; (vii) high quality education to equip people with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve a higher degree of self-reliance in a changing world; (viii) maximization of social and economic returns from the management and sustainable use of Tuvalu’s natural resources; (ix) efficient, high quality infrastructure and support services; (x) protection, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems; (xi) address internal migration and urbanization; and (xii) conservation of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. 1National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2016-2020. Government of Tuvalu, “Protect and save Tuvalu: Improve the quality of life and prosperity for all.� March 2016. Sep 30, 2019 Page 3 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) 4. According to the Human Capital Index which measures the amount of human capital that a child born today can expect to attain by age 18, Tuvalu ranks 83rd out of 157 countries. A child born in Tuvalu today will be 55 percent as productive when he/she grows up as he/she could be if she/he had complete education and full health. The current ranking is skewed by the education challenges. Out of the average years of schooling in Tuvalu (11.9 years), the number of quality adjusted learning years is 7.4, meaning children are in school but not learning for nearly 4.5 years, pointing to issues of quality of learning and children’s readiness for school at Grade 1. Sectoral and Institutional Context 5. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) is responsible for Tuvalu’s education system and policy. The Government of Tuvalu provides free primary education for all, which includes first grade through grade 8. By law, it is compulsory for all children ages 6-15 (grades 1 to 10) to attend school. There are 18 community-based Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centers that receive support from the government through grants and teacher salaries. There are nine government primary schools (one on each island) and a faith-based primary school in Funafuti. Secondary education consists of five years of schooling (grades 9 through 13) and is delivered by two schools- a government-run boarding school on Vaitupu island (Motufoua) and a non-government day school located in Funafuti (Fetuvalu). As a result of a recent decision by the Prime Minister grade 9 students have been removed from the high school campus and are now being taught at primary schools. There is also one special needs school/center to cater to children with severe disabilities. The Tuvalu Maritime Training Institute (TMTI) is the only post-primary technical/vocational institution, although a technical/vocational stream has been introduced in primary schools. The University of the South Pacific Campus (SPC) on Funafuti is the only tertiary institution in the country. Most secondary school graduates travel abroad for tertiary degrees, and continuous professional development (conducted overseas) is offered to civil servants through study leave often supported either by government scholarships and/or development partner scholarships. 6. Education is a priority sector in Tuvalu. The education sector absorbs the largest share of the national budget (increasing from 13 percent in 2012 to 18.4 percent in 2019) reflecting its status as a priority sector and biggest public sector employer. Tuvalu’s education expenditures are higher than most other Pacific Island Countries, including Tonga (16%), Samoa (15%), Kiribati (14%), and Vanuatu (12%).2 Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Tuvalu plays a key role in supporting education investments annually. Government estimates that over 24 percent of student funding in 2017 was contributed by donor partners. The Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is currently the donor with the largest investments in the education sector. However, the MEYS has steadily increased per-child expenditures since 2012 across all sub-sectors. Average unit costs per student range from AUD1,000 in ECCE to almost AUD4,000 at the secondary level in 2017. Per capita costs have increased considerably since 2012- (AUD728 in 2012 to AUD1,276 in 2017 in primary education) in line with the increase in overall Tuvalu budget, recurrent expenditures and nominal GDP. These unit costs are in line with other small countries and fragile states, although the allocation to ECCE is considerably higher than other countries in the Pacific. 7. Near universal access to basic education. The Tuvalu Education Sector Plan (TESP III) which has been implemented since 2016 outlines an overarching strategy to promote nationwide access to relevant and modern curriculum, quality schooling and efficient and sustainable education systems in Tuvalu. The next plan (TESP IV 2021-2026) will 2 World Bank 2019; latest UIS data. Sep 30, 2019 Page 4 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) be prepared during 2020 and launched in January 2021. Achievements to date include significant access to pre- primary and primary education, increased primary school completion rates and passing rates at the end of primary education nearing 80 percent. With a total enrollment of 3,085 in pre-tertiary and 232 qualified teachers (2017 TEMIS), class sizes and pupil-teacher ratios are low. Net Enrollment Rate (NER) in primary education is 99 percent, surpassing many of the middle-income countries in the Caribbean States. However, Tuvalu’s NER in secondary education is only 58 percent (2017), lower than most of the Pacific and other small island states, such as Kiribati (69%), Tonga (75%) and Samoa (77%). Only Melanesian countries have lower rates in the Pacific. Completion rate to year 8 has increased from 81 percent in 2012 to 92.8 percent in 2017, but transition rate from primary to secondary has remained roughly the same at 65 percent.3 The majority of teachers are female and have the requisite certification/qualification to teach. Out of 239 full time teachers, 184 are female, 66 are teaching in ECCE centers, 115 are in primary schools and 56 in the two secondary schools. There are two teachers in the special needs center. The highest numbers of teachers are on Funafuti and Vaitupu islands where the largest share of students attend school. Key challenges facing the education sector 8. Quality of education and low literacy. The Pacific Islands Literacy and Numeracy Assessment (PILNA) 2015 data indicates that only 22 percent of grade 4 students meet or exceed proficiency level (significantly lower than the 58 percent for small island states (SIS) subregion). Grade 6 results are similarly low at 33 percent achieving proficiency (against 67 percent for the SIS subregion). Weak results are also reflected in the Tuvalu Junior Certificate (TJC) examination (year 10) pass rate of just 31 percent in 2017. Girls outperform boys in both PILNA and TJC and students in urban areas perform better than students in rural areas. The PILNA 2018 results will be disseminated by end-September 2019. Literacy challenges, however, begin much earlier, with Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) 2016 results indicating only 20 percent of Year 3 students meeting the benchmark for reading comprehension, and 40 percent with zero scores for reading comprehension. While regional differences in scores were not statistically significant, the disparity between girls and boys demonstrated higher reading fluency and comprehension for girls across all sub-tests. The results also showed factors positively associated with better oral reading fluency such as pre-school attendance, reading at home, if a student enjoys reading, and classroom pedagogical practices such as new vocabulary, daily reading, and teaching unfamiliar words. 9. Drop outs pose a challenge at the secondary level. While access to primary education is high across Tuvalu, secondary education net enrollment rates drop sharply. The decline has serious implications for human capital development and the flow of skilled graduates available to enter the labor market, take up key leadership positions and influence future directions for economic growth. Recent analytical work4 indicates that some students fail to attend schools because parents cannot afford the indirect financial requirements. To attend schools, students need school uniforms, school stationery, lunches, transport to and from schools, PTA funds, field trips, sports gear, examination fees, and many other schools’ activities that require additional outlays from parents. Quality of learning also has been identified as a possible cause of student drop outs, as students struggle to keep up with the pace of curriculum once they start to fall behind. Bullying/hazing in schools has been identified as a contributor to the high dropout rate at the secondary level. MEYS is trying to improve quality of learning with a focus on teacher 3 Data as reported in the Tuvalu Education Statistical Report for 2016/2017. MEYS, November 2017. 4 Realizing Education Access for the Pacific (REAP) DFID and TuEHCI 2017. Sep 30, 2019 Page 5 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) professional development and by developing a Teacher Professional Development Framework. Additional activities to improve pedagogy for teaching foundational skills are also being planned. 10. The Department of Education, MEYS lacks current operational policies in several areas essential to guide teaching and learning. These include policies related to: school-based management; textbook and learning materials; classroom assessment; inclusive education; instructional leadership; workforce planning; and teacher quality. As the Government continues to build the education evidence base, efforts are underway to document key policies and programs to have consistent guidelines available for all education stakeholders. 11. Gender parity is in favor of girls- boys are not doing as well. While gender parity is relatively even in ECCE and primary education, the percentage of boys in secondary education drops off significantly, with gender parity ranging between 1.27 and 1.55 between 2012 and 2017. Transition rate from primary to secondary education demonstrates the imbalance with 86 percent of females transitioning against 69 percent of males in 2017. Assessments also indicate gaps in learning outcomes with boys performing less well on standardized tests. Social analyses have pointed to the lack of parental supervision and encouragement for boys to focus on their school work and the poor quality of educational material to address gender biases and stereotypes. This has the potential to cause issues not only for the boys that are not reaching their full education potential or future employment prospects, but evidence from international studies suggests this can also lead to other social issues. Further country-level analysis would help to better understand the causes of the gender gap. Schools would play a key role in mitigating these risks with appropriate interventions directed at students, teachers and communities. 12. Child Development and School Readiness. According to the Tuvalu Early Human Capability Index (TuEHCI) 2016, 37.3 percent of children ages 3 to 5 in Tuvalu are stunted, comparable to rates of stunting in Sub-Saharan Africa. This has profound implications for the overall development of children, including in cognitive domains. Looking at all undernutrition indicators - stunting, underweight and wasting - males fare considerably worse than females in this age group. More analysis is required to better understand the causes of stunting in children and identify cost effective actions to address the issue in Tuvalu. Across all domains of child development measured by the TuEHCI, results were lowest for perseverance, pre-literacy and pre-numeracy, skills normally learned at preschool. It is positive to note that preschool enrolment did have a positive impact on these domains; however, the relationship between preschool enrolment and child development was not as high as would be expected. This could be attributed in part to the low attendance rates picked up in the survey, as well as the effects of stunting on cognitive development. There is significant international evidence that shows that parent engagement is crucial to ensuring children are ready to start school. While the TuEHCI reported high levels of parent engagement, home stimulation levels were recorded as low to moderate. There is need to increase the activities parents/caregivers do at home to stimulate children while improving attendance rates at ECCE. 13. Teacher and Student Absenteeism. Student attendance is not monitored at the school level, making it difficult to obtain information on teacher and student absenteeism. However, anecdotal evidence based on school visits and information from Department of Education staff indicates attendance for both teachers and students is inadequate. Community sensitization about the importance of education is critical for ensuring consistent student engagement and learning. Collecting teacher and student attendance should be mandated at the school level and monitored at the central level. Data on students with disabilities is not currently available, but their exclusion is suspected given Sep 30, 2019 Page 6 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) the low enrollment in the special needs center (20 students in 2017). Additional social assessment surveys would help shed more light on the reasons for low attendance and potential solutions. 14. Collection and use of education data for decision making. The Government of Tuvalu is investing significant resources in its education system, with a strategic focus on early childhood education. In its efforts to get schooling “right� at the foundation levels, data collection, management and analysis is critical to improve the quality of the system. Tuvalu’s participation in regional learning assessments, education surveys and early grade assessments such as EGRA are commendable. The Tuvalu Education Management Information System (TEMIS) collects data through an annual school census and a statistical report is produced, albeit with some delay. Technical assistance is provided by DFAT, SPC and the Educational Quality and Assessment Program (EQAP). However, more real time data collection is required along with improved data analysis and forecasting. A feedback loop for assessment data, school performance and cost-benefit analysis of interventions would go a long way towards steering education policy and improving accountability of the sector. Providing schools with data on student performance, attendance and other data would shape how teachers and administrators focus efforts on teaching and learning. Relationship to CPF 15. The proposed project (TuLEP – Tuvalu Learning project) is aligned with the priorities identified in the Regional Partnership Framework (FY2017-FY21) (RPF) covering nine Pacific Island countries (Report #120479).5 The project is aligned with two of the four focus areas of the RPF, specifically: Focus Area 2 Enhancing access to employment opportunities, Objective 2.2 Addressing education and skills gaps which highlights the issue of low quality of education undermining efforts to improve access to employment; and Focus Area 3 Protecting incomes and livelihoods, through contributing to Objective 3.1 by strengthening the education sector’s resilience to natural disasters and climate change. The RPF identifies expansion of the PEARL program as an important vehicle with which to improve school readiness of children, teacher quality, and equitable learning opportunities. The proposed project builds on the PEARL program in Tuvalu, under which activities in school readiness and early literacy were piloted, by expanding the resources and materials developed under PEARL and scaling up interventions across the country. Component 3 of the project would also look at system-wide activities that impact learning in the higher grades to ensure the quality improvements in the early years of a child’s life can be built upon as a child progresses through their schooling. C. Proposed Development Objective(s) 16. The proposed development objective is: to improve the readiness of children entering first grade, improve the reading skills of students in primary school and strengthen education system management in Tuvalu. Key Results (From PCN) 17. The design of the proposed project reflects the Government’s objective to incorporate focused interventions to improve learning outcomes for Tuvaluans in a sustainable, embedded national program. Given the small population size (estimated 11,000), the proposed project would support nation-wide activities in all schools and communities. At least 4,000 students and over 250 teachers and administrators would benefit from the proposed project. 5 Kiribati, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Nauru, Republic of Palau, Independent State of Samoa, Kingdom of Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. World Bank January 2017. Sep 30, 2019 Page 7 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) 18. Progress toward meeting the PDO would be measured through the following potential outcome indicators: • Percentage of students with improved reading skills in grades 1, 2 and 3 as measured by TuEGRA annual assessments (disaggregated by gender) • Improved percentage of children aged 2-5 years old meeting school readiness criteria as measured by TuEHCI (disaggregated by gender) • Adherence to new education policies as measured by implementation of key policy recommendations • Direct project beneficiaries (of which female) D. Concept Description 19. The proposed project builds on the analytical work carried out under the recently closed Pacific Early Age Readiness and Learning (PEARL) Program (2014-2019), funded by the Global Partnership for Education and executed by the World Bank in Tuvalu and other countries in the Pacific. In Tuvalu, PEARL carried out surveys of school readiness and early literacy, and piloted interventions to provide the government with evidence of what works to improve school readiness and early grade reading skills of children. Based on this evidence, the government developed a Tuvalu Early Education Roadmap 2019-2023 to scale up the successes of PEARL, and do more to strengthen children’s early experiences, both in preparing them for formal schooling, and improving their reading skills through improved teaching practices in the early grades of preschool and primary education. Figure 1. Key impacts of PEARL Tuvalu reading program 20. The proposed project would scale up the PEARL activities across all ECCE centers and primary schools in Tuvalu (18 ECCE centers and 9 primary schools). School-based interventions would focus on primary education. However, given the small size of the education sector and the urgency of building human capital across all beneficiaries, the TULEP would include support beyond these grades and the primary level and include support at the upper primary and secondary grades. System-level strengthening, research and policy support would cover the entire education Sep 30, 2019 Page 8 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) sector. Such system-wide activities would support assessments (e.g., TuEGRA, TeHCI), policy reviews (e.g., curriculum, teacher policy), survey/research (e.g., stunting), teacher training (short term professional development) and school leadership strengthening. In addition, the proposed project may also support key actions related to improving school safety and resilience, such as inclusive evacuation procedures aligned with the proposed Development Policy Operation and an assessment of school climate and disaster resilience (environmental audit), as well as activities related to school health, such as nutrition. Component 1: Strengthening early childhood education and school readiness for all children 21. Component 1 would support early childhood education and community engagement to improve school readiness of all children in Tuvalu. Outreach to communities and parents is central to improve health and education outcomes. This component would scale up school readiness activities piloted under the PEARL Program to improve play-based learning in all pre-schools; sensitize communities, churches and parents on the importance of early childhood stimulation, health, nutrition and education; and conduct further research to inform interventions and policies. The ECCE centers, through playgroup interventions, encourage this linkage and help sensitize teachers, caregivers and parents in child stimulation, nutrition, importance of education, and inclusivity. Further study on the scale and causes of stunting among young children would also inform future messaging and targeted interventions under this project or those supported by other development partners. a. Sub-component 1.1: Support the operation of Playgroups@preschools. This sub-component would provide: (i) training of preschool teachers, parents and communities on playgroup methodology (play- based learning with caregivers and young children); (ii) conduct weekly playgroups at all 18 ECCE centers across the country; and (iii) provide playgroup kits and pre-school learning materials/resources to the centers annually. b. Sub-component 1.2: Conduct public awareness program and community outreach. This sub-component aims to raise the understanding of parents, caregivers and community leaders on the importance of early childhood stimulation, preschool, nutrition and health for school readiness. The outreach campaigns would include surveys and feedback from communities on attendance and barriers to access. In addition to focus groups, radio, community and church meetings, the project would support child protection and positive behavior management strategies as well as messaging for inclusive education and disability screening. The awareness program would also support a “Read with your Child� campaign to encourage community support for a culture of reading. c. Sub-component 1.3: Analysis and research related to nutrition and school readiness. This sub-component would: (i) undertake census surveys of all children to determine causes of stunting, and recommendations for action; and (ii) host a National Conference of the Child 2020 to consider evidence and priorities for ECCE strengthening, multisectoral collaboration (particularly across ministries of education, health and home affairs). The findings from these studies would then be used to enhance community outreach under sub- component 1.2 and introduce new targeted activities to support improved nutrition outcomes of children. Component 2: Improving Local Language Literacy Outcomes in all Primary Schools 22. Component 2 would support local language literacy in the early grades to ensure improved reading, understanding and writing skills. All teachers in grades 1-3 would be trained in the PEARL methodology for targeted instruction (scripted lessons) delivered daily in all primary schools. Regular coaching of teachers and student feedback are used Sep 30, 2019 Page 9 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) to support teacher effectiveness. In addition, classrooms will have access to PEARL materials and supplementary reading materials. An e-reader pilot may be explored to significantly expand access to reading materials. A DFAT program is currently supporting English language instruction in the same grades and would start a program in teaching numeracy next year. The bilingual dual language approach requires consistent terminology and teaching methods in order to be mutually reinforcing and not cause confusion among teachers. This component could also offer remedial activities to students to strengthen literacy beyond the early grades. 23. This component would provide resources to improve reading in all primary schools through: (i) the implementation of the PEARL reading program, including teacher training, teacher coaching and development of learning materials; (ii) implementation of remedial and catch up literacy classes in primary; and (iii) pilot the use of technology for distance education and expanded reading materials (e.g. e-readers). a. Sub-component 2.1: Implementation of the Tuvalu PEARL Reading Program (years 1-3) to roll out Year 1 materials in all schools across the country, develop Year 2 and Year 3 materials, pilot and implement in all schools, and train teachers and coaches for roll out. i. Carry out in-service training for all teachers and school principals, head teachers and assistant head teachers in PEARL approach for Years 1-3; ii. Provision of teacher guides (scripted lessons), student work books, classroom library books, basic instructional materials and equipment; iii. Coaching and mentoring of all teachers implementing the reading program; and iv. Develop a Gana Tuvalu (Tuvaluan language) Dictionary b. Sub-component 2.2: Remedial and catch up literacy activities for primary and secondary school students to apply teaching methods from PEARL and DFAT-supported literacy program to ensure literacy across all primary grades. c. Sub-component 2.3: Use of technology to strengthen teaching and learning. This sub-component would encourage ed-tech innovations to support teachers and students. This includes: (i) aligning e-learning resources and e-learning library to the curriculum and context; (ii) an e-reader pilot to expand number of reading materials available to students in both Gana Tuvalu and English; (iii) technology for distance education and for coaching of teachers; and (iv) Information Technology Centers for Schools. Component 3: Research, Learning Assessment and Policy Review 24. This component would provide resources to strengthen the evidence base of what works in improving learning in Tuvalu through: (i) strategic research, surveys and analysis; (ii) measurements of student learning and school readiness; and (iii) strengthening policy framework for education through key policy reviews and operationalization Sep 30, 2019 Page 10 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) of newly adopted policies. Examples of potential activities under this component include: • Measuring reading using Tuvalu Early Grade Reading Assessment (TuEGRA) • Measuring school readiness using Tuvalu Early Human Capability Index (TuEHCI) • Curriculum review for Years 1-13 – incorporating a learning resource audit and compiling a catalogue • Analysis of Workforce planning • Study on Teacher quality • Study on absenteeism • Gender analysis of enrolment and retention • Disability and inclusive education plan • Tuvalu Education Management Information System (TEMIS) data collection shared with schools and communities (aligned with Australian Education Sector Support) Component 4: Strengthening institutional capacity, monitoring and evaluation and education sector management 25. This component would provide overall support to the other three components and help ensure the activities are sustainable beyond the life of the project, including monitoring and evaluation (M&E), training, management, and operations related to project activities. The component would fund M&E activities conducted at the headquarters, island and community level, as well as operational costs. School leadership training, school-wide coaching and increased monitoring of outer islands would be supported as well as improved connectivity to schools through ICT, two-way radios, satellite communication devices, video lessons and pod casts. A school infrastructure audit would be conducted to identify vulnerabilities to environmental risks and climate change, in line with the recently revised national building code, and inform future investments. In addition, the project could support an impact evaluation. Legal Operational Policies Triggered? Projects on International Waterways OP 7.50 No Projects in Disputed Areas OP 7.60 No Summary of Screening of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts . 26. Impacts associated with the Project are expected to be largely positive. Strengthening of the education policy framework, teacher capacity and M&E of education performance are expected to lead to improved education outcomes. Beneficiaries are located across the country as the Project will be implemented in all nine islands of Tuvalu. The E&S risks associated with Project activities are expected to be limited and easily managed through project design and effective implementation. Sep 30, 2019 Page 11 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) . CONTACT POINT World Bank Deborah Newitter Mikesell Senior Education Specialist Borrower/Client/Recipient Ministry of Finance Implementing Agencies Ministry of Education Youth and Sports Kaai Fanoiga Director kaaifanoiga@gmail.com FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT The World Bank 1818 H Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Telephone: (202) 473-1000 Web: http://www.worldbank.org/projects APPROVAL Task Team Leader(s): Deborah Newitter Mikesell Approved By APPROVALTBL Environmental and Social Standards Advisor: Practice Manager/Manager: Country Director: Sep 30, 2019 Page 12 of 13 The World Bank Tuvalu Learning Project (P171681) Sep 30, 2019 Page 13 of 13