The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) AFRICA | Lesotho | Education Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2016 | Seq No: 8 | ARCHIVED on 06-Mar-2020 | ISR40077 | Implementing Agencies: The Kingdom of Lesotho, Ministry of Finance Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 26-May-2016 Effectiveness Date: 08-Jul-2016 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 15-Oct-2018 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 28-Nov-2018 Original Closing Date: 30-Jun-2021 Revised Closing Date: 30-Jun-2021 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objective (PDO) is to improve basic education service delivery and student retention in targeted schools. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Component 1: Improving the teaching and learning environment in targeted primary and junior secondary schools:(Cost $11.39 M) Component 2: Strengthening school accountability for student learning and retention in targeted schools:(Cost $4.78 M) Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Project Management:(Cost $4.50 M) Component 4: School Construction:(Cost $4.33 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Implementation Status and Key Decisions The Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (LEQEP) was approved by the World Bank Board of Directors on May 26, 2016 and became effective on July 8, 2016, following the signing of the Financing Agreement by the Lesotho Minister of Finance and the World Bank Country Representative on June 10, 2016. The Project was restructured and the Amendment of the Financing Agreement was signed on May 29, 2019 by the Lesotho Minister of Finance and the World Bank. The restructuring included school construction – specifically construction of additional furnished classrooms, separate latrines, and playgrounds for a few combined primary and junior secondary schools. A second restructuring has been carried out to include the Contingent Emergency Response Components (CERC) which aims to provide flexibility to address potential emergency issues, including drought, that may arise. The second amendment to the Financing Agreement was signed on October 11, 2019. 3/6/2020 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) This is the 8th ISR since the Project became effective. This ISR includes findings from the implementation support mission carried out in October 2019. Progress towards achievement of the PDO and overall implementation progress ratings continue to be rated Moderately Satisfactory. Intermediate results indicators show that the project is still on track to achieve the PDO. The project has disbursed 64 percent of the total credit amount (US$16.23 million of a total credit of US$25 million). Component 1 is progressing moderately satisfactorily. Key activities targeting junior secondary schools are on track with the successful rollout of the following activities: 1,600 teachers were trained (despite the delay in training due to teacher strikes); the procurement of some learning materials such as numeracy kits and Sesotho literacy kits and readers had to be retendered and are expected to be delivered at schools during the first semester of 2020. Component 2 is progressing moderately satisfactorily with results exceeding the yearly targets for 2019 with 371 school improvement plans (SIPs) approved, 240 schools having spent half of their grants, and 374 school report cards submitted by schools to the Planning Department and the Project Facilitation Unit. However, the third-party verification as well as evaluation of the program have not started yet due to lengthy finalization of the ToRs by inspectorate. Components 3 and Component 4 are progressing moderately satisfactorily with no major issues. Component 4. With regards to school construction, MoET recruited in January 2020 a firm provide technical assistance to the ministry and to the community on drawings and execution of the construction itself. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Substantial Substantial Substantial Macroeconomic Substantial Substantial Substantial Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Moderate Moderate Technical Design of Project or Program Moderate Moderate Moderate Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Substantial Substantial Substantial Sustainability Fiduciary Moderate Moderate Moderate Environment and Social Low Low Low Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Substantial Other -- -- -- Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes To improve basic education service delivery and student retention in targetted areas IN00787843 ►PDI 1a. Improvement in teacher content knowledge in targeted primary schools (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 3/6/2020 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) Value 39.30 39.30 39.30 44.30 Date 28-Dec-2018 28-Dec-2018 28-Dec-2018 30-Jun-2021 For primary school teachers, teacher content knowledge is assessed as the performance of Grade 1–4 teachers on written exams testing competencies in numeracy and literacy. The scores are based on correct answers provided by teachers and presented as a percentage (X/100). The baseline data on teacher content knowledge were available in end 2018. The teacher content Comments: knowledge at primary schools are 49.1 percent for literacy, 29 percent for numeracy compared with 51.4 percent and 30 percent, respectively, at national level. The value of the end target should be understood 39.30+5=44.30 because the indicator is on improvement by 5 percentage point. The Examination Council of Lesotho (ECoL) will carry out the endline test in April 2021 before the closing of the project. IN00787844 ►PDI 1b: Improvement in teacher content knowledge in targeted junior secondary schools (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 49.40 49.40 49.40 54.40 Date 28-Dec-2018 28-Dec-2018 28-Dec-2018 30-Jun-2021 For junior secondary school teachers, the teacher content knowledge is assessed as the performance of Grade 8–10 teachers on written exams testing competencies in math and science (biology, physics and chemistry). The scores are based on correct answers provided by teachers and presented as a percentage (X/100). The baseline data on teacher content knowledge were available in end 2018. The Comments: teacher content knowledge at junior secondary schools are 47.1 percent for mathematics, 51.7 percent for science compared with 49.5 percent and 53.4 percent, respectively, at national level. The expected value of the end target should be understood 49+5=54 because the indicator is on improvement by 5 percentage point. ECoL will carry out the endline test in April 2021 before the closing of the project. IN00787845 ►PDI 2: Reduction in dropout rate (Grade 1 to Grade 6) in targeted primary schools (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 16.00 16.00 15.00 13.00 Date 30-Dec-2016 30-Dec-2016 31-Dec-2018 30-Jun-2021 The dropout rate is calculated utilizing EMIS data. The baseline of the dropout rates was based on the projection from 2013 and 2014 data available during project preparation. EMIS data puts very long to be available. We can have only data for 2018 because for EMIS in Lesotho, data in year t is available only in year t+1 (i.e., 2019). In targeted primary schools, dropout rates were16 percent in 2016, lower than 18 Comments: percent estimated in the PAD. The dropout rates were 15 percent in December 2018, following the estimated trend estimated during project preparation. Data for 2019 are expected to be available by the last quarter of 2020. IN00787901 ►PDI 3: Reduction in dropout rate (Grade 8 to Grade 9) in targeted junior secondary schools (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 21.00 21.00 22.00 16.00 Date 30-Dec-2016 30-Dec-2016 31-Dec-2018 30-Jun-2021 Comments: The dropout rate is calculated utilizing EMIS data. The baseline of the dropout rates was based on the projection from 2013 and 2014 data available during project preparation. EMIS data puts very long to be available. We can have only data for 2018 because for EMIS in Lesotho, data in year t is available only in 3/6/2020 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) year t+1 ie In targeted junior secondary schools, dropout rates are 21 percent in 2016, similar to the estimated data in the PAD. However, it increased to 22 percent in 2018 although it was expected to decrease down to 20 percent. Data for 2019 are expected to be available by the last quarter of 2020. Overall Comments PDO Based on the restructuring paper related to the first restructuring of the project signed in May 2019, to assess improvements in teacher content knowledge in targeted primary schools, only two assessments will be done: the baseline in 2018 and the endline in 2021. For the dropout rates, the trend is decreasing for primary schools. However, for junior secondary schools, the dropout increased up to 22 percent instead of the forecasted 20 percent. MoET is expected to do further analysis on enrollment and overall EMIS data. The team will closely monitor this indicator. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Component 1: Improving the teaching and learning environment in targeted primary and junior secondary schools IN00787902 ►Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 66,815.00 91,450.00 86,500.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 31-Oct-2019 30-Jun-2021 1,929 PS teachers + 297 JSS teachers + 69,504: PS students + 19, 259 secondary students + 84 Comments: inspectors and DRTs + 377 school boards IN00787908 Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 52.00 55.00 55.00 52.00 IN00787909 ►Primary teachers trained (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 65.00 1,683.00 1,400.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 31-Oct-2019 30-Jun-2021 80 LBSE training, 892 teachers trained on literacy, pedagogy and multigrade classes, 711 teachers trained on Grades,5 to 7 mathematics and science. 246 teachers trained after review of assessment Comments: packages included in Grade 5 to 7 training. IN00787912 ►Math and science teachers at junior secondary trained (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 3/6/2020 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) Value 0.00 463.00 202.00 200.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 06-Dec-2019 30-Jun-2021 In 2019, Sub component 1 b with 142 teachers trained and subcomponent 1c with 60 teachers trained. (actual number of teachers attending all trainings was 491 but some teachers went to more than 1 Comments: training) IN00787915 ►Schools with readers and supplementary reading materials (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 309.00 312.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 06-Dec-2019 30-Jun-2021 Readers in English have been distributed to 309 primary schools. Three schools were closed and being replaced. Therefore, they could have not received any readers yet. Readers in Sesotho are at Comments: procurement stage. IN00787916 ►New Lesotho model for Grade 8 developed and implemented in targeted schools (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No no no Yes Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 31-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 The new Lesotho model on teaching and learning mathematics and science for Grade 8 is expected in Comments: end 2020. Component 2: Strengthening school accountability for student learning and retention in targeted schools IN00787903 ►School Boards trained (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 377.00 377.00 377.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 06-Dec-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00787906 ►Schools with approved SIPs (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 368.00 371.00 377.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 06-Dec-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00787910 ►Schools submitting report cards (Number, Custom) 3/6/2020 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 375.00 374.00 377.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 06-Dec-2019 30-Jun-2021 2018 is 374 as well and not 375. Comments: IN00787913 ►Schools spending 50 percent or more of the total school grant (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 120.00 240.00 377.00 Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 06-Dec-2019 30-Jun-2021 Component 3: Strengthening Institutional Capacity and Project Management IN00787904 ►National Assessment in Grade 9 (Text, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No yes yes Yes Date 02-Feb-2016 31-May-2019 31-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 Component 4: Construction Works IN00787905 ►IRI 11: Number of additional classrooms built by the project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 63.00 Date 15-Mar-2019 31-May-2019 31-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00787907 ►IRI 12: Number of toilet blocks constructed (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 57.00 Date 15-Mar-2019 31-May-2019 31-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00787911 ►IRI 13: Number of classrooms furnished (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 57.00 3/6/2020 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) Date 15-Mar-2019 31-May-2019 31-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 IN00787914 ►IRI 14: Number of playgrounds prepared, upgraded and completed (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 Date 15-Mar-2019 31-May-2019 31-May-2019 30-Jun-2021 Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P156001 IDA-58200 Effective USD 25.00 25.00 0.00 16.23 8.95 64% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P156001 IDA-58200 Effective 26-May-2016 10-Jun-2016 08-Jul-2016 30-Jun-2021 30-Jun-2021 Cumulative Disbursements 3/6/2020 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project (P156001) Restructuring History Level 2 Approved on 21-May-2019 ,Level 2 Approved on 09-Oct-2019 Related Project(s) P173330-Additional Financing to Lesotho Education Quality for Equality Project 3/6/2020 Page 8 of 8