Document of The World Bank

FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY

Report No: 25073

IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION REPORT(IDA-25000)

ON A

CREDIT

IN THE AMOUNT OF US$17.1 MILLION

TO THE

SOLOMON ISLANDS

FOR A

THIRD EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROJECT

June 10, 2003

Human Development Sector UnitEast Asia and Pacific Region

This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.

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CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS

(Exchange Rate Effective March 1993)

Currency Unit = Solomon Islands Dollars (SBD) SBD 2.930 = US$ 1

US$ 335,570 = SBD 1 Million

FISCAL YEARJanuary 1 December 31

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

CDC Curriculum Development CenterCHS Community High SchoolDfID Department for International Development, United KingdomEFA Education for AllMDG Millenium Development GoalsMEHRD Ministry of Education and Human Resources DevelopmentMHMS Ministry of Health and Medical ServicesNZODA New Zealand Official Development AssistancePILL Pacific Islands Literacy LevelsPIRU Planning, Implementation and Research UnitSAR Staff Appraisal ReportSICHE Solomon Islands College of Higher EducationSIG Solomon Islands' GovernmentUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural OrganizationUNFPA United Nations Family Planning Agency

Vice President: Jemal-ud-din KassumCountry Manager/Director: Zhu Xian

Sector Manager/Director: Emmanuel Y. Jimenez Task Team Leader/Task Manager: Rekha Menon

SOLOMON ISLANDSTHIRD EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROJECT

CONTENTS

Page No.1. Project Data 12. Principal Performance Ratings 13. Assessment of Development Objective and Design, and of Quality at Entry 24. Achievement of Objective and Outputs 65. Major Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcome 126. Sustainability 147. Bank and Borrower Performance 158. Lessons Learned 179. Partner Comments 1810. Additional Information 21Annex 1. Key Performance Indicators/Log Frame Matrix 22Annex 2. Project Costs and Financing 22Annex 3. Economic Costs and Benefits 23Annex 4. Bank Inputs 24Annex 5. Ratings for Achievement of Objectives/Outputs of Components 26Annex 6. Ratings of Bank and Borrower Performance 27Annex 7. List of Supporting Documents 28

Project ID: P004629 Project Name: SB-EDUCATION IIITeam Leader: Rekha Menon TL Unit: EASHDICR Type: Core ICR Report Date: June 10, 2003

1. Project Data

Name: SB-EDUCATION III L/C/TF Number: IDA-25000Country/Department: SOLOMON ISLANDS Region: East Asia and Pacific

Region

Sector/subsector: Secondary education (56%); Primary education (16%); Health (15%); General public administration sector (11%); Tertiary education (2%)

KEY DATESOriginal Revised/Actual

PCD: 10/24/1991 Effective: 12/28/1993 10/29/1993Appraisal: 09/25/1992 MTR: 11/24/1996 11/24/1996Approval: 05/25/1993 Closing: 06/30/1999 12/31/2001

Borrower/Implementing Agency: SIG/MIN EDUC.& H.R.DEV.Other Partners:

STAFF Current At AppraisalVice President: Jemal-ud-din Kassum Gautam S. KajiCountry Director: Xian Zhu Marianne HaugSector Manager: Christopher Thomas Himelda MartinezTeam Leader at ICR: Rekha Menon Albert AimeICR Primary Author(s): Luis Benveniste; Rekha Menon;

Lingzhi Xu; Ian Collingwood; Naoki Umemiya; with Junxue Chu

2. Principal Performance Ratings

(HS=Highly Satisfactory, S=Satisfactory, U=Unsatisfactory, HL=Highly Likely, L=Likely, UN=Unlikely, HUN=Highly Unlikely, HU=Highly Unsatisfactory, H=High, SU=Substantial, M=Modest, N=Negligible)

Outcome: S

Sustainability: UN

Institutional Development Impact: M

Bank Performance: U

Borrower Performance: S

QAG (if available) ICRQuality at Entry: U

Project at Risk at Any Time:

3. Assessment of Development Objective and Design, and of Quality at Entry

3.1 Original Objective:

In 1992, there were about 65,700 students enrolled in primary schools and 6,700 in secondary schools, with just about 1,200 students attending beyond Form 3 (Grade 9). The level of participation by females showed a decrease from about 37% in Form 1 to about 29% in Form 4. Data from the 1990 Pacific Islands Literacy Levels (PILL) test demonstrated that although most primary school graduates could perform simple literacy tasks after 6 years of education, 18% of students were considered "at risk" in basic numeracy skills.

Teachers were ill-prepared, especially at the secondary level where there were no adequate pre-service training programs at the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE). Twenty three percent of upper secondary teachers were expatriates. Goverment expenditures in education showed a declining trend and were heavily skewed towards the higher education sector. Education service delivery in general, and especially the primary level, relied on a high degree of cost recovery.

Another group of profesionals trained at SICHE are nurses and midwives. In 1992, the Solomon Islands had the highest population to nurse ratio in the Pacific at 730:1 which was low compared to most developing countries and especially a concern given the remote locations of some health facilities and the poor health status of the population.

The development objectives for the Third Education and Training Project reflected four policy priority areas of the Solomon Islands' Government (SIG): (a) easing the bottleneck to secondary education access, particularly at Forms 4 and 5, while encouraging greater participation of females at this level: (b) improving educational quality at the primary and secondary levels; (c) reviewing the allocative efficiency and strenghtening the management of the educational system; and (d) responding to a shortage of skilled nurses and midwives. These priorities had been established through a series of sectoral studies conducted jointly by other donors and IDA, and acknowledged by all parties at two Donor Round Tables. In addition, while the project was under preparation, Cyclone Nina had seriously damaged or destroyed primary school facilities in four provinces. SIG requested that IDA consider financial support to address this emergency situation.

Thus, the specific objectives of the Third Education and Training Project were to:

Expand access to secondary schools, while increasing female participation to 45%; 1.Introduce lower unit-cost day secondary schools at the village level; 2.Improve the quality of primary and secondary education through teacher upgrading and in-service 3.training, curriculum inputs and increased availability of educational materials; Enhance the efficiency and management of the educational system; 4.Expand the supply of nurses and midwives; 5.Strengthen budgeting and financing planning to promote the rationalization of the education sector; 6.and, Undertake emergency rehabilitation or reconstruction of education facilities damaged or destroyed 7.by Cyclone Nina in January 1993.

3.2 Revised Objective:

The project objectives were not revised.

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3.3 Original Components:

Component 1. Secondary Education ExpansionThe Secondary Education Expansion component provided for (a) the expansion and renovation of eight existing secondary schools (grades 7 to 11), including workshops, science laboratories, staff housing and boarding facilities to promote participation of girls; and (b) the construction of five new village junior secondary day schools (grades 7 to 9).

Component 2. Teacher UpgradingThe Teacher Upgrading component supported (a) the development of an Advanced Diploma at the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education for accreditation into teaching at the secondary level in the fields of English, Mathematics, Business Studies and Social Studies; (b) upgrading of 25 to 30 existing teachers to the Advanced Diploma level per year; (c) provision of 5 to 10 overseas fellowships for teacher upgrading from diploma to degree level on an annual basis; (d) short-term overseas fellowships for two two SICHE teacher trainers; and (e) construction of staff houses at SICHE.

Component 3. Curriculum and MaterialsThe Curriculum and Materials component included: (a) syllabi review and development for the recently-introduced "mixed mode" curriculum in secondary schooling; (b) funding for a printing facility, the construction of a storage warehouse and staff housing for the Curriculum Development Center (CDC); (c) materials production, printing and distribution; and (d) in-service training for primary teachers in the use of the existing and new educational materials and textbooks developed at the CDC.

Component 4. Nurses' TrainingThe Nurses' Training component included (a) civil works construction and remodelling for classrooms and accommodation at SICHE's School of Nursing in the Kukum Campus and selected rural health facilities; (b) review of the nursing curriculum, including a practicum graduation requirement for students at selected provincial hospitals; (c) staff upgrading through in-service and overseas training; and (d) increase the supply of nurses by raising enrollment to 50 students per year to meet identified shortages.

Component 5. Staff DevelopmentThe Staff Development component sought to improve the efficiency and management of the education system by (a) providing training for Ministry of Education and Human Resources (MEHRD) middle-level and management staff; (b) developing an MEHRD policy handbook and school management manuals; and (c) providing in-country and overseas training for CDC, assessment, inspectorate and provincial staff to increase their skills in performing their tasks.

Component 6. Project Management and StudiesThe Project Management and Studies component financed (a) project management related activites under the leadership of the Planning, Implementation and Research Unit (PIRU); and (b) sectoral policy research, including a study to strengthen budgeting and financing planning. The financing plan sought to promote the rationalization of the education sector by (i) developing a unit-cost based formula for central government grants/subsidies, (ii) establishing a workable mechanism for a flow of funds, and (iii) establishing a budgetary process to support such a fund flow.

Component 7. Emergency Cyclone ReliefThe Cyclone Relief component undertook the rehabilitation or reconstruction of classrooms and staff houses at about 60 primary schools located in three provinces, where education facilities were seriously

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damaged or destroyed as a result of Cyclone Nina. The component was also to provide educational materials, textbooks, equipment and schools supplies for these damaged schools.

3.4 Revised Components:

Component 8. Emergency Rehabilitation GrantsIn early 2001, after about a one-year suspension period brought about by a civil strife between Malaita and Guadalcanal, an additional component was included into the project to utilize savings made as a result of currency realignments. At this time, most of the activities programmed within the original project design had been or were close to being completed. The Emergency Rehabilitation Grants component was to undertake renovation and repair of community high schools and teachers' housing damaged or destroyed as a result of the civil strife through a targeted community-based small grants program aimed at providing furniture, education materials, textbooks, school equipment and school supplies. A community-based approach was favored to facilitate rapid implementation within the allotted project extension period and to promote social participation during this reconciliation period. The component's objectives were within the original objectives of the project.

3.5 Quality at Entry:

Quality at entry is rated unsatisfactory. Although project objectives and components are consistent with policy priorities of MEHRD, the overall design was considered weak on a number of counts. It should be noted that there was no Pacific Regional Strategy (CAS) within which to anchor the project design prior to 2000. A brief country strategy note was included as part of the Memorandum of the President to the Executive Board for this project (Report No. P-6000-SOL). Project design was developed in coordination with a donor support program that included Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, UNESCO, UNDP and the South Pacific Board for Educational Assessment.

Project concept, objectives and approach. The project contained too many diffuse objectives, which complicated implementation. In retrospect, although the project sought to promote a sector-wide strategy, the lack of a tight focus across project components, coupled to Government's limited institutional capacity and an unstable socioeconomic and political environment, precluded from a coherent sectoral vision.

Project activities, if more closely integrated, may have had a larger impact. Some specific examples are supplied to illustrate this point. First, even though the project covered the primary, secondary and tertiary levels, more attention could have been devoted to the linkages across sub-systems--patterns of student flow-supply-demand, poverty targeting and equity considerations. Second, the project could have fostered closer ties across teacher training, curriculum development, school supervision and student assessment activities. Finally, the Nurses' Training component seems especially out of place in the overall project design.

Technical and economic aspects. Until the early 1990s, 22 of 23 secondary schools were boarding establishments, mostly catering to a select group of students. National secondary schools, those providing 5 years of post-primary education, had a richer curriculum as well as superior physical facilities and resources than provincial secondary schools, only providing 3 years of post-primary schooling. Hence, the project sought to support the equalization of this two-tiered system by upgrading some provincial secondary schools into offering Forms 4-5 and instituting a national "mixed mode" curriculum. In addition, the project introduced lower-cost day junior secondary schooling, later known as "Community High Schools," to broaden access to post-primary education.

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The project greatest achievement was probably the introduction of Community High Schools (CHS). This idea quickly took root across villages that vied to open secondary education opportunities for their children. Project investments in civil works certainly assisted in creating more secondary school seats, but these efforts were dwarfed by those made by local communities directly. And without doubt, communities attained this same goal at a remarkably lower cost by building schools with local materials. The average investment on civil works for the National and Provincial secondary schools financed through the project was estimated at its inception at around US$500,000 per school. Actual average costs came out just below US$ 675,000 per educational establishment, for a total of US$ 8.76 million for 13 schools. The appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of this investment is at best open to question.

At project's end, the two-tiered secondary school system remained in place nonetheless. National and provincial secondary schools stand apart from village CHS. The gap in physical and human resourcing has not diminished and the "mixed mode" curriculum is in urgent need of review.

Poverty aspects. In terms of distributive impact, more than half of project investments were made in secondary education -- and especially in upper secondary classrooms. Thus, project investments tended to benefit differentially more affluent sectors of the Solomon Island population (who can attend secondary schooling and afford its fees). Compounding this, investments were largely distributed to administrative districts with limited consideration given to targeting vulnerable populations or making provisions to opening up new opportunities for disadvantaged children.

Educational and policy aspects. The project adopted a traditional inputs-oriented supply-driven approach in addressing barriers to schooling access and poor educational quality. The strategy espoused was primarily to construct facilities, provide basic materials and offer training for teachers. This approach demonstrated some success in reducing gender barriers in secondary education; however, it also demonstrated some shortcomings. For instance, although the Advanced Diploma teacher in-service scheme was designed as an avenue to enhance teacher quality, it elicited very little demand among its target audience. It would have perhaps been beneficial to explore interventions and policy alternatives that would have fostered greater educational equity and effectiveness, such as elimination of formal and informal fees for poor children to eliminate access barriers, incentives schemes to promote attendance by under-represented or disadvantaged groups, regular monitoring of educational quality and student achievement outcomes, etc.

Although the Staff Appraisal Report emphasized the importance of quality enhancement needs, project components were heavily skewed towards civil works, even for software components such as Teacher Upgrading or Curriculum and Materials. This was partially a result of the fact that other international partners had agreed to provide grant financing for software-type activities and capacity building. Facilities construction certainly contributed positively to the rise in student enrollments at the secondary level. Yet, some project choices deserved closer scrutiny. For instance, as indicated earlier, the upgrading of eight schools and construction of five additional ones had been originally budgeted at an average of over US$ 500,000 per school. Boarding schools were promoted as a means to encourage female participation; however, it is not apparent the extent to which parents are willing to send their daughters away to school or, since the education system is largely dependent on cost recovery, pay for their education. The share of females in secondary schooling has increased from 36% in 1992 to 43% in 2001, but the share represented by females at the senior secondary level actually continues to lag considerably behind at 38%. Complementary analytical work and investments in capacity building and policy development would have helped to ensure that these investments in hardware produced a higher return.

Project intervention choices in terms of teacher professional development proved to be misguided. Teacher

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pre-service training sponsored through the project was heavily reliant on costly overseas fellowships, which ultimately rendered little benefit due to high drop out rates of trainees who could not cope with the academic demands of a challenging university curriculum. The Advanced Degree teacher in-service/ upgrading scheme produced good materials, but could not attract a critical number of trainees because it was a residential program which required teachers to be absent from their schools and classrooms for long periods. In addition, the absence of reinforcing salary incentives upon graduation discouraged student demand.

Institutional capacity. The project did not do enough to compensate for MEHRD’s limited management capability, which was clearly pointed out in the Staff Appraisal Report (SAR) as a "serious" risk. The project was too complicated with too many activities for a country of limited human resources and implementation capacity. Implementation support was largely concentrated at the central level, with little assistance provided to provincial offices where much of the day to day work takes place. The project was managed from a Project Implementation and Research Unit (PIRU), which also functioned as the Planning Unit of MEHRD. This unit was consumed by the requirements of the project (procurement, financial management, etc.) and took on the responsibility of implementing the project rather than coordinating its implementation. Project implementation took precedence over PIRU's role in education planning. Other departments of MEHRD had overall limited involvement in the implementation of project components.

4. Achievement of Objective and Outputs

4.1 Outcome/achievement of objective:

Achievement of objectives and outputs under the Third Education and Training project was rated overall satisfactory, but important caveats need to be highlighted.

As seen in Table 1, the project was part of a successful expansion in access to secondary education, with an increase in student enrollments at the senior secondary level from 1,099 in 1990 to 5,854 in 2001 and at the junior secondary level from 4,822 in 1990 to 17,263 in 2001. Girls’ enrollment rates in (junior and senior) secondary schools also showed significant growth, from 2,086 in 1990 to 9,866 in 2001, accounting for approximately 43% of the total enrolment. In absolute terms, the gains in student enrollment well surpassed project expectations. There was also a notable increase in female participation at the secondary level, albeit the share of girls' participation fell short by two percentage points of project targets. The male-female participation gap has remained acute at the senior secondary level, where females' share only amounted to 38% of the total enrollment.

Table 1. Indicators on secondary schooling access

1990 2001Enrollment at Senior Secondary School 1,099 5,854 Enrollment at Junior Secondary School 4,822 17,263

Girls’ enrollment in secondary schools (% of the total) 37% 43%

This dramatic growth in enrollments was initially spurred by the civil works supported by the project. But, perhaps most importantly, the project provided a sound demonstration model in its pilot lower unit-cost village schools that was quickly replicated nationwide. CHS spread swiftly throughout the country, opening up secondary education opportunities throughout the archipelago. The total number of secondary schools increased from 35 in 1995 to 122 in 2002.

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The overall picture at the primary level is more troubling. The project did not (and probably could not have) anticipate the deterioration experienced in relative access and quality in primary schooling that was to take place during the 1990s caused by a downturn in the economy and civil unrest combined to an overall expansion in education demand (especially at the secondary level) that put a strain in already poorly-resourced schools. The project could not respond in sufficient measure to these developments, and the Solomon Islands now finds itself in the difficult position of declining primary enrollment rates at the same time it is reaffirming its commitment to achieving quality Education for All.

According to the 2000 Census, only 80% of 7 to 13 year old children attend school, a significant drop in their enrollment share from estimates in the early 1990s. In terms of gender disparities, attendance rates for boys and girls are largely at parity at a young age, but the gender gap tends to increase as children grow older.

Educational quality data from the 1993 and 1999 PILL test administered to a sample of Grade 4 students reveal a decrease in student achievement over time. The extent of the decline was significant in most provinces, especially in Isabel and Choiseul. In percentage terms, the reduction in literacy for the nation was 15%. The decline for numeracy was 9.5%. Expressed in terms of a basic literacy standard -- evidence of some capacity to produce or comprehend simple prose in English -- then only 43% of grade 4 children in 1999 could be defined as “literate.” The corresponding figure for numeracy is 73%.

Figure 1. PILL Literacy and Numeracy Mean Scores by Province, 1993-1999_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Province English Literacy Difference Numeracy Difference1993 1999 1993 1999

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Honiara 3.45 3.28 -0.17 3.70 3.07 -0.63Western 3.24 2.61 -0.63 3.18 2.68 -0.50Malaita 3.22 2.88 -0.34 3.42 3.40 -0.02Guadalcanal 2.75 2.45 -0.30 3.14 3.17 +0.03Makira 2.67 1.81 -0.86 3.33 2.89 -0.44Temotu 2.02 2.04 +0.02 2.86 2.98 +0.12Isabel 3.19 2.01 -1.18 3.47 2.98 -0.49Rem/Bellona 2.33 1.90 -0.43 3.23 3.27 +0.04Choiseul 2.88 2.04 -0.84 3.22 2.59 -0.63Central NA 2.86 -- NA 3.40 --_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Total 3.03 2.29 -0.74 3.34 3.00 -0.34_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Note: Students are graded on a 5-point level scaleSource: Examinations and Assessment in the Solomon Islands, Report of the Working Group on Assessment (2001)

Although the project delivered some quality enhancing inputs, these were insufficient to bring about a significant change in average student outcomes. This might have been expected, given the large expansion in enrollment, but it is nonetheless worrisome. In addition, schools still have insufficient textbooks and teaching materials. Many primary schools still have few books, and key junior secondary subjects are routinely taught with no student textbooks. An important part of the problem rests with how books are distributed to schools. In many instances, books are procured or get printed but do not reach the end user. They sit idle in Provincial Education Offices.

Project preparation was driven by a concern over the shortage of teachers. An expansion of secondary

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schooling, particularly Forms 4 and 5, was deemed as a pressing and viable solution to increase the local applicant pool to teaching certification programs and decrase the dependency on expatriate teachers. The supply of candidates for a profession in teaching, once in great shortage, has surged, thanks to the successful nationwide expansion in secondary schooling. Teachers are in fairly adequate supply for the current level of student enrollment. The teacher-student ratio at the primary level is presently about 30:1. As the country moves towards reaching its Millenium Development Goals/Education For All (MDG/EFA) goals, there will be a need for more skilled personnel.

Schools face three distinct challenges related to teacher quality. First, a major problem is that teachers (both trained and untrained) are inequitably distributed across provinces and between the primary and secondary sectors. Second, many of the teachers who are certified as qualified in fact lack the content and pedagogical knowledge to be effective teachers. Teachers receive minimal feedback on their performance either from school heads or inspectors and there are no incentive mechanisms to motivate enhanced professional conduct. Third, about 17% of primary teachers have not attended certification courses and officially are viewed as unqualified and the current system of teacher pay does not provide strong incentives for teachers to improve their skills.

From a sectoral perspective, the project made some important contributions during implementation to move towards a sector-wide approach. Project financing was used to support policy research studies and a number of task forces with representation from a wide spectrum of Ministry agencies and international partners were established to explore challenges faced by the education system in areas such as curriculum, teacher training, student assessment, vocational educational and institutional strengthening. The project also financed stakeholder consultations and dissemination workshops which led to the development of an interim Education Strategic Plan, 2002-2004, immediately following the post-conflict period. (The project had also supported at an earlier stage an effort spearheaded by SIG and AusAid to develop an education sectoral plan, but this initiative was interrupted when the civil strife erupted.)

In terms of education finance, the real value of public spending on education declined in recent years. Hardest hit was primary education, and in particular funding for non-teacher operational needs and instructional materials in schools. A school financing formula, known as the "Community Standard," was developed and adopted under the project to attempt to revert this trend. This formula estimates operating expenses for primary and secondary schooling and proposes a sliding scale for Government financing across educational levels, giving preference to the primary sector. The proposed Government share ranges from 90 per cent at the primary level to 50 pecent in upper secondary schools. The "Community Standard" assumes and expects that communities will finance the difference between per student schooling costs and Government's contribution. This has meant, in other words, that at present basic education is not free to students as schools expect families to make financial contributions. Furthermore, the financial burden on families has in all reality become more acute than originally estimated since the "Community Standard" formula was deemed attainable under "moderate" or "high" economic growth scenarios which have not materialized.

Thus, the country faces an intrinsic tension between making education free for all children and its ability to adequately finance the education sector. Currently, SIG does not have adequate resources to support educational services and depends on funding from international donors and family contributions to cover basic school operating budgets. In the end, the "Community Standard" formula, as presently conceived, may have helped maximize resources to education, but have placed an undue burden on the poor. Community consultations clearly indicate that levies on families discourage access to schooling. Explicit allowances and mechanisms for ensuring that schooling fees do not act as barriers to schooling entry -- such as a fee excemption program for poor children or in-kind labor in lieu of cash contributions -- need to

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be urgently incorporated into the "Community Standard" allocative formula.

4.2 Outputs by components:

Component 1. Secondary Education Expansion -- Cost: Estimated US$ 6.8 million; Actual US$ 8.76 million The component experienced cost over-runs and implementation difficulties, but the expansion and renovation of eight provincial schools were completed as planned, except that the scope of work in one of the secondary schools was reduced and not finalized until the year 2000 due to a legal dispute between SIG and a contractor. The construction and equipment of five village junior secondary schools was completed as initially expected. Implementation delays were mostly product of poor management and supervision, low skilled contractors, cash flow shortages, and access to and shipment of materials for schools in remote areas. Greater community participation and oversight could have helped improve implementation and foster grassroots ownership. However, on balance the component achieved its objective and is rated satisfactory.

Component 2. Teacher Upgrading -- Cost: Estimated US$ 0.3 million; Actual US$ 0.38 millionThe component successfully supported the design and development of the Advance Diploma programs at SICHE for the subjects of English, Mathematics, Business Studies, Social Studies, Communication Skills and Science. However, the teacher upgrading schemes did not achieve quantitative targets. The total number of teachers upgraded to the Advanced Diploma level was a total of 30 during the life of the project, rather than the targeted 25-30 per year. The problem with the Advanced Diploma scheme was that it required teachers to be absent from their posts during the long training period. Local authorities could not release teachers for training without closing schools or classes. Another reason for the lack of interest in the program was the absence of salary rewards for those who completed the program. The Advance Diploma program has now been rolled into the first year of the Bachelor of Education program.

The overseas fellowship scheme to upgrade teachers to degree level also turned out to be a disappointment. The initiative got off to a late start. Instead of the expected 5 to 10 fellowships awarded per annum, only ten candidates were actually selected by the National Training Unit. Of those ten, only one graduated in Science, three others completed their studies under SIG sponsorship while the rest were either terminated or withdrew voluntarily. Candidates found overseas courses in maths and science too challenging and were quite unprepared both academically and socially. This component is rated unsatisfactory.

Component 3. Curriculum and Materials -- Cost: Estimated US$ 2.5 million; Actual US$1.81 million The component successfully supported the development and adoption of the "mixed mode" curriculum, now common to all secondary schools. At the secondary level, approximately 20,000 books were procured and distributed to 13 project schools and 65 CHS, covering subjects such as English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Agriculture, Business Studies, Home Economics, Industrial Arts, New Testament Studies, Creative Arts and Physical education. Specialized equipment for science subjects were supplied to the five project-sponsored CHS. The tremendous growth in CHS, however, has created new demand for materials which the project could not meet. Furthermore, the civil strife in 2000 led to the destruction of facilities and educational materials in many of the conflict areas. The need for books and laboratory equipment remains high in much of the country.

At the primary level, the project funded the production and printing of 278,000 English and Mathematics textbooks for Standards 1-3, including a supplementary storybook series, developed under the DfID-funded Primary Education Development Project (PEDP). Due to delays in the revision of the syllabi for the upper primary grades, textbooks and materials for Standards 4-6 were not financed by this component.

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In-service training workshops for primary teachers in the use of existing and new educational materials and textbooks developed at the CDC were provided to 2,860 primary teachers and head-teachers. As highlighted in the PEDP midterm review, teachers who have received the new materials and training were using them effectively in schools.

Two staff houses at the CDC were constructed and their printing shop equipment was upgraded to enable small in-house printing jobs. A warehouse was built to improve the procurement, storage and distribution of books. The construction of this center took over three years and was beset with problems, including inappropriate selection for its site, changes in construction design, and lack of qualified constructors. The building was completed during the life of the project, but neither sufficient personnel have been appointed or trained to adequately staff it nor a business plan for effective management of a textbook distribution network exists to date.

Overall, this component is rated satisfactory, although only marginally so.

Component 4. Nurses' Training -- Cost: Estimated US$ 2.4 million; Actual US$ 2.28 millionThis component included the construction of accommodations for both male and female students as well as five additional classrooms, a demonstration room, staff houses, a library and an ancillary house to the School of Nursing. The additional civil works and related office, computing and classroom equipment made it possible to increase the School of Nursing annual intake to more than 50 traineess a year, amply reaching project targets. The quality of teaching was enhanced through in-service staff upgrading programs.

A curriculum overhaul was conducted and approved by the School of Nursing Board of Studies. A Queensland University of Technology report considered that the new diploma program provided comprehensive coverage of the knowledge and skills required by beginning registered nurses, although some changes were recommended to place greater emphasis on Primary Health Care concerns. Off-campus accommodations for trainees during their practicum in rural clinics were built in 12 selected rural clinics. This hands-on practical training opened the opportunity for improved medical services to many people in underserved areas. Unfortunately, several of these facilities were vandalized during the civil strife.

The Midwifery course was developed and approved in 1999, but it has not been implemented due to the civil strife and budgetary crisis that has enveloped SICHE thereafter. The course was later reviewed, found inadequate and re-written under funding from UNFPA. The current World Bank-financed Solomon Islands Health Sector Development Project supports a midwifery school which completed the pilot year in 2002 using the revised curriculum.

Overall, this component is rated satisfactory.

Component 5. Staff Development -- Cost: Estimated US$ 0.4 million; Actual US$ 0.18 millionThis component financed a variety of training programs, including accounting and financial planning for MEHRD education officers, financial management for 52 community high school principals, student formative assessment for 41 primary teachers, and library management for school librarians. A high quality training module on school monitoring and evaluation for inspectors was implemented, but the instruments developed were never utilized in the field due to lack of counterpart funds or a transportation budget for field visits. In addition, a National Education Summit was held in 1995.

The project also supported the elaboration and printing of an Education Policy and Administrative

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Handbook as well as a Primary School Headteachers' Manual. These documents compile and present MEHRD operational guidelines and procedures. Their practical application in actual terms, however, could be described as limited.

Overall, this component is rated satisfactory, but again only marginally so due to limited implementation of training and application of new procedures developed.

Component 6. Project Management and Studies -- Cost: Estimated US$ 1.3 million; Actual US$ 1.13 millionA unit-cost based education financing formula, the "Community Standard," was developed and approved by Cabinet in 1999. The Government funds a percentage of the total operating budget needs of schools, while Education Authorities, schools and communities are expected to raise their own income or fees to meet the gap between expected costs and the share received from MEHRD. The "Community Standard" formula, however, has not been fully implemented due to the financial cash flow problems currently being experienced by SIG. Since the civil strife, some bilateral organizations have been covering recurrent budget costs, including school capitation grants and teacher salaries.

The education financing study that gave way to the "Community Standard" is credited in providing credible estimates for minimum financing requirements in primary and secondary schools (which were later used, for example, by NZODA to establish a school grants program for secondary schools). The Solomon Islands must now grapple with the fact that public resources even to meet the most basic education inputs are severely limited. The Ministry will need to conduct further consultations with education authorities and communities in order to address concerns over school fees acting as barriers to schooling for the most disadvantaged children if Univeral Primary Education is to be achieved. The study provides a solid basis to work from, but must be adapted to new needs that have emerged as a result of the budget crisis and civil strife.

The overall rating for this component is satisfactory.

Component 7. Emergency Cyclone Relief -- Cost: Estimated US$ 2.0 million; Actual US$ 3.81 millionThis component supported rehabilitation and reconstruction of 12 classrooms and 16 staff houses in Guadalcanal, 76 classrooms and 42 staff houses in Makira, and 79 classrooms and 47 staff houses in Temotu. The New Zealand Government furnished books and educational materials to these devastated schools. This component experienced significant implementation difficulties due to remoteness of school locations, shipping problems, material shortages and poor contractor performance. Implementation began in 1994 but was halted for two years, leaving much of the civil works abandoned, particularly in Temotu province. Implementation delays led to large cost overruns by about 40% of the project estimated budget as new construction materials had to be procured and transported. The component was resumed in 1998 under a community-based contracting scheme with villages providing labor and the MEHRD Clerk of Works providing supervision. This proved to be an effective implementation approach, leading to the completion of all planned civil works. Since project objectives were ultimately reached after facing serious difficulties and putting into practice a new implementation approach, this component is rated satisfactory.

Component 8. Emergency Rehabilitation Grants -- Cost: Estimated US$ 0.8 million; Actual US$ 0.56 millionThis component provided targeted emergency rehabilitation grants to sixty-six community high schools affected by the civil strife between Guadalcanal and Malaita. A community contracting approach was espoused and streamlined procedures laid out in an operations manual. Provincial authorities and communities were given responsibility to identify their needs, prepare a grant proposal and implement it.

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Quality control and implementation supervision was led by a local Grants Management Committee, the local education authority and PIRU. With the exception of two schools, there were no reported cases of mismanagement of grant funding and 90% of schools completed implementation. The two principal challenges encountered were: (i) lack of banking facilities made fund tranfers to remote locations difficult, and (ii) hardware stores were only found in Honiara, Gizo and Auki, making purchasing and shipping of materials difficult in all other locations. The overall rating for this component is satisfactory.

4.3 Net Present Value/Economic rate of return:

Not Applicable.

4.4 Financial rate of return:

Not Applicable.

4.5 Institutional development impact:

The project has had modest institutional development impact. On the one hand, the capacity of PIRU to conduct basic sectoral planning and oversee implementation of sectoral interventions has been enhanced. The Education Strategic Plan, 2002-2004, was a Ministry-led initiative developed through a participatory process. PIRU played an important role as facilitator and coordinator across Ministry agencies and other national and international education stakeholders.

On the other hand, the concentration of project implementation activities in PIRU circumscribed the role and involvement of other relevant Ministry departments. PIRU attended to most project activities, with limited participation from line agencies, such as the Teaching Service, Primary and Secondary Education Divisions. SICHE's School of Nursing was perhaps a noteable exception. The project served as a platform to strengthen its administrative and service delivery capacity. Also, the institutional capability of the CDC to develop local syllabi and produce indigenous materials was bolstered, albeit the sustained technical support from the PEDP project was a key contributing factor. The same has not held true for the textbook distribution aspects of the project though. The CDC was only marginally involved in the construction of the textbooks storage warehouse and has no capacity to oversee a distribution network.

The foundations of an education sector financing sustainability plan were designed with project support and gained wide acceptance within the Ministry. Due to the economic crisis that ensued the civil strife, financial sustainability of the sector remains to be highly questionable though.

Overall, although great effort and progress were observed during project implementation, the institutional capacity of the central Ministry of Education remains weak. This situation has been exacerbated by the recent civil conflict that severely disrupted government administration and displaced many civil servants. At the provincial level, local Education Authorities are thinly staffed and lack the human and financial resources to adequately service schools and their constituents. Public confidence in Government's ability to attend to their educational needs is limited. It is not surprising that in this context the concept of Community High Schools has firmly taken root across the country. Communities have assumed directly the responsibility to mobilize and create new educational opportunities for their children.

5. Major Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcome

5.1 Factors outside the control of government or implementing agency:

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After growing by more than 6 percent per year during the 1992–1995 period, the Solomon Islands economy turned downward. Exports declined partly as a result of the economic crisis in Asia, and more recently a civil strife that has devastated the local economy. The economic performance for the past three years has been reduced to less than half of its normal output. GDP growth slumped from an average of over 6% during 1992-95 to an average of 0.2% during 1995-1999. The country's overall exports dropped from US$150 million in 1999 to US$ 69 million in 2000. Increasing arrears in debt payments, declining revenues, high government spending and an overexposed financial sector threaten the country’s economic stability. A further major contraction in economic growth cannot be ruled out. Thus, further public expenditure declines also appear likely for the education sector.

In 2000, the country was enveloped by civil unrest between Malaita and Guadalcanal provinces which severely disrupted Government functioning and put on hold project implementation for over one year. Government staff were displaced. Many students stopped attending school in Guadalcanal and most teachers left their posting. Some schools incurred significant physical damage as a result of the conflict and/or lost their instructional materials and furniture due to violence or vandalism associated with the unrest. Many students migrated in order to flee the violence and certain schools have experienced sharp fluctuations in enrollments.

The economic crisis and civil unrest have left Government heavily dependent on donor support for education sector recurrent costs. There is a need to build upon existing informal efforts for donor coordination and support. International partner activities, however, have recently been shifting away to other sectors.

5.2 Factors generally subject to government control:The inability of SIG to meet its debt service payments to the World Bank resulted in suspension of operations and several delays in the availability of credit proceeds during the life of the project. In 2001 alone, the final year of the project, disbursements were halted on three occasions. This was tremendously disruptive for project operations, which had to withstand these repeated “on-off” fluctuations as the country goes in and out of suspension.

Counterpart funding was not always readily available and was eventually suspended due to the effects of the social unrest on the national economy during the last years of the project. The unavailability of counterpart funds brought about delays in cash flows and payments to project contractors who sometimes found themselves forced to abandon project activities midway. The effectiveness of project investments were also severely hampered by the lack of counterpart funding. For example, the school monitoring training for school inspectors never translated into enhanced school support practices because there was no transportation budget for school visits.

5.3 Factors generally subject to implementing agency control:PIRU staff was stretched to the limit to manage, implement and monitor such a complex and demanding project spread across the archipelago. The unit suffered from work overload, exacerbated by shortage of dedicated full-time staff. In addition, PIRU staff had to juggle with the demands from other bilaterally-supported projects. Staff were occassionally drawn from other departments, draining them in turn of adequate staffing. Ministry and PIRU leadership experienced staff turnovers, further hindering project implementation. In short, these constraints added up to an overall poor implementation capacity.

Although the project had a component to improve SICHE's School of Nursing, which is under the College of Higher Education but is also supervised by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS), there was no inter-Ministerial management structure that included MHMS. On the other hand, PIRU staff made

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a commendable effort to promote beneficiary participation and work closely with provincial Education Authorities so as to incorporate their viewpoints and concerns into project activities.

5.4 Costs and financing:The project experienced significant cost overruns in two components. The Secondary Education Expansion component was estimated at US$ 6.8 million and its actual costs came to US$ 8.76 million (+29%). The Emergency Cyclone Rehabilitation component was estimated at US$ 2.0 million and its actual costs came to US$ 3.81 million (+91%). The problems faced by these two components were largely similar: inadequate costing and price contingency estimates, unrealistic completion schedules which did not take into consideration of local situations such as remoteness of construction sites, implementation and disbursement delays, lack of management experience and low skilled local contrators.

As explained in Section 5.1 above, cash flow problems, lack of counterpart financing and suspension of project disbursements negatively impacted project implementation and progress.

6. Sustainability

6.1 Rationale for sustainability rating:

The project sustainability is rated as unlikely. The financing of the education sector faces grave challenges. Financial resources are insufficient to fund the education sector adequately and cover its minimum basic requirements. In addition, governmental expenditures continue to be biased towards the higher levels of the education system. In 1998, the government devoted 36% of the education sector budget to post secondary education (out of which, a significant proportion is allocated to overseas scholarships) and only 60% to the primary and secondary levels. This figure is three to four times greater than other island nations such as Vanuatu or some of the Caribbean nations. This contributes to a shortage of funds for basic education, particularly for the most disadvantaged sectors of the population. In order for advances in the expansion of educational access and the enhancement of education quality to take root, Government must prioritize the financing of the education sector while, at the same time, revise its existing budgetary allocations within the sector. Although the project supported the development of a sustainable and more equitable education financing formula, the "Community Standard," the current economic turmoil has made its implementation improbable in the short term. Moreover, the "Community Standard" formula must be adapted to respond to the needs of poor children that cannot afford school levies.

The institutional and managerial capacity of the Ministry of Education both at the central and provincial levels require further strengthening to ensure the sustainability of activities and achievements of the project. Provincial authorities are a vital link between schools and governmental support to the education sector. Their role is of particularly importance given the remoteness and isolation of educational establishments in relation to the capital city. Yet, provincial authorities are probably the governmental administrative education agencies in most need of assistance. Staff would benefit from more training, resources and incentives to perform their jobs well. Oftentimes, educational materials are stored for months in provincial offices before distribution. And school inspectors have carried out too few school visitations in recent years. Moreover, the turnover of local staff make it difficult to ensure continuity in provincial programs and services. Delegating management and supervisory responsibilities to provinces and communities could be an important vector to expand access and enhance quality of the education system. Strengthening this educational level through technical assistance ought to be a priority in future interventions.

The secondary education sector has experienced rapid growth in recent years due to the development of Community High Schools. Between 1995 and 2001, junior secondary enrollments almost tripled (from

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about 6,500 to 17,000 students). This has relieved some of the enrolment pressures faced by this highly competitive subsector; however, Government is now finding difficulty to finance staffing and basic education materials for these schools. Another issue was that many of the schools developed using Constituency Development Funds were very poorly constructed or not completed. The Ministry of Education did not engage in quality assurance supervision of construction works. Therefore, in 2001, a stay was placed in the development of new CHS.

6.2 Transition arrangement to regular operations:

Disbursements to the Solomon Islands were under suspension due to nonpayment of debt arrears between September 30, 2001 and February 10, 2003. Although a new IDA-supported education project was originally envisioned to build on the lessons learned from this operation, project preparation has been halted for the moment.

The Education Strategy Paper, 2002-2004, partially financed under the Third Education and Training Project, and the "Community Standard" financing paper will continue to serve as a constructive organizing framework for the education sector as a whole, albeit they will be in need of further revision and updating.

7. Bank and Borrower Performance

Bank7.1 Lending:

Through two previous projects, the World Bank has had a continuous and healthy relationship with the Solomon Islands' Government. As a result, the preparation team benefitted from a wealth of past experience in working together with SIG to develop the country’s education system. World Bank projects have provided comprehensive support for primary and secondary education reform over the last two decades. The Third Education and Training project built on the strategies and approaches espoused in the previous Secondary Education Project.

The preparation team worked in close partnership with MEHRD in identifying investment priorities and targeting mechanisms. A comprehensive set of background working papers (available in the project files) were commissioned to inform project design. In addition, the Secondary Expansion Components, Teacher Upgrading, and Curriculum and Materials components benefitted from the inputs of other international partners. Implementation of project components were also conceived to align closely with other sectoral initiatives being supported by bilateral donors.

As already discussed in Section 3.5, the project quality at entry has substantial shortcomings. In addition, the project may have benefited from more extensive social assessments and beneficiary consultations. It would have been advantageous to appraise apriori the demand and social expectations for some of the proposed project interventions (for instance, in-service teacher capacity building schemes). Communities could have also played a stronger role in all project-financed civil works, as later piloted in the Emergency Cyclone and Rehabilitation Grants. Consequently, the Bank's performance at lending is rated as unsatisfactory.

7.2 Supervision:

For most of the duration of the project, supervisory visits took place on a semi-annual basis. World Bank supervisions were focused and methodical. Supervision reports are detailed, covering progress of project components, identifying obstacles and proposing recommendations for action. Bank staff made concerted

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efforts to assist the implementation team in overcoming difficulties and finding suitable alternatives for action. During the post-conflict period, the Bank team mobilized quickly in response to SIG's request for assistance so as to apply savings in currency realignments into an emergency school grants program that was decentralized, targeted and community driven. PIRU staff describe their partnership with Bank staff as "good, fruitful working relationships, sharing a genuine concern for the education sector." A particular challenge for the local implementation staff, however, was the large turnover in the staff composition of supervisory missions in the early years of the project (1993-1996). The lack of continuity in personnel required having to repeatedly orient new task managers on project background and implementation constraints.

A limitation in Bank supervision missions was that between March 1994 and June 1999, the Bank team did not include an architect or relevant procurement staff to monitor the civil works financed by the project. MEHRD had contracted a former Bank-staff as a procurement consultant during this period. Nonetheless, Bank missions should have included their own procurement personnel. The Bank's performance at supervision is rated as marginally satisfactory.

7.3 Overall Bank performance:

Bank staff worked closely and cooperatively with MEHRD and other local and international partners. They sought to best serve and respond to client needs, while providing technical assistance and advice. An open dialogue and a trusting relationship led to a climate where significant policy changes were promoted.

However, there were also deficiencies in Bank performance. Project design was unfocused and did not take into adequate consideration the instititutional capacity constraints of MEHRD. In light of the difficulties experienced by the borrower during implementation, compounded by the deteriorating political and socio-economic environment, the Bank should have restructured and simplified the project design during its Mid Term Review. Frequent changes in task team leadership in the early years of the project hampered continuity and responsiveness to client needs. Hence, the Bank’s overall performance is rated as unsatisfactory.

Borrower7.4 Preparation:

MEHRD demonstrated commitment and ownership during project preparation. During this period, the Ministry of Education spearheaded two significant policy initiatives to change the secondary education landscape in order to foster an enabling environment for the proposed project interventions. First, it sought to formally unify the existing two-tiered secondary education system so as to make it more equitable. Second, it adopted a "mixed mode" curriculum with the purpose of providing a unified and more relevant secondary education academic program. The borrower's performance at lending is rated as satisfactory.

7.5 Government implementation performance:

The Ministry of Education team made great efforts to see that project components were implemented on a timely basis, but poor economic conditions caused cash flow problems leading to inevitable delays. This situation represented a tremendous problem. Counterpart funds were not readily available and deferrals in payments of Bank arrears led to repeated suspensions in disbursements. Unavailability of counterpart funding greatly curtailed the progress, application and impact of project investments. Despite these significant setbacks, project components were for the most part implemented as originally designed. All legal covenants under the credit agreement, except for one with regards to annual budgetary review of the

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sector, were complied with by project closing.

The Ministry of Education demonstrated strong leadership in two important reform areas: the development of a new education financing formula that seeks to redress the historical bias in budgetary allocations towards higher educational levels and the formulation of a comprehensive education sector strategy, inclusive of teacher service reform needs among other themes.

The burden of project implementation rested largely on PIRU. Little involvement was fostered among other Ministry line departments and education stakeholders. One significant skill missing in the project implementation team or MEHRD was expertise in civil works. The Ministry of Works does have these skills, but a fruitful collaboration between the two ministries did not develop. The borrower's implementation performance is thus rated as unsatisfactory.

7.6 Implementing Agency:

PIRU's management capacity to implement and monitor such a complex project grew slowly but steadily. Changes in directorship and staff, however, interfered in capacity building efforts. During the initial stages of the project, MEHRD personnel had little experience with procurement policies and procedures. PIRU relied heavily on international consultants to carry out procurement activities, including contract management and supervision. Many local staff who acquired some procurement knowledge left the civil service due to low salary incentives. Although PIRU over time has gained some procurement experience, capacity was a significant issue and will continue to be so for the future.

With regards to financial management, a manual was developed for a simple cash-based project account. In general, the system adequately met Bank requirements for monitoring and administration. Whenever discrepancies occurred, they were quickly corrected. Through the project, capacity on financial management at the central government level was enhanced. Financial management capacity at the provincial level remains weak. The performance of the implementation agency is rated as satisfactory.

7.7 Overall Borrower performance:

MEHRD acted responsively throughout project implementation. Its capacity grew gradually, albeit significant challenges still exist. In the future, greater attention ought to be paid to monitoring and evaluation activities, which may have helped to swiftly identify and resolve some implementation problems experienced in this project. Yet, a significant predicament remains. The poor national macroeconomic context and unstable socio-political environment represent a hefty impediment to project progress. The borrower’s overall performance is rated as marginally satisfactory.

8. Lessons Learned

Community involvement and participation. Communities can act as a tremendous catalyst for change land growth. The swift expansion of Community High Schools throughout the country proved that with little resources and great commitment communities can mobilize forcefully to increase and improve social service delivery opportunities for their children. Similarly, the experiences with the Emergency Cyclone and Rehabilitation Grants showed that communities can play a key role in needs identification, contracting, administration, management and supervision of local initiatives, such as civil works, leading to swifter responsiveness, improved implementation and greater cost-effectiveness.

Matching project design to institutional capacity. A disconnect existed between the complexity of the l

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project design and MEHRD institutional capacity for implementation. A more focused project, with adequate provisions for capacity building and institutional strengthening, would have eased implementation and the achievement of development objectives. This was also the case for procurement processes and procedures. Solomon Islands is a small state, with few local industries and limited material resources and institutional capacity. The complex nature of standard Bank operational procurement processes and procedures imposed a significant burden on the country. Simpler procedures (such as international shopping or community contracting for civil works) would have been more suitable in this country context.

Central programs vs. local initiatives to enhance educational quality. The educational system of the lSolomon Islands is highly centralized. Yet, schools are often in remote areas and isolated from the national capital. While past initiatives have tried to spearhead national programs, investments oftentimes do not reach the intended beneficiaries. A new paradigm is required that empowers and increases the capacity for decentralized management and administration.

o There is a need to strengthen the role of Education Authorities in tending to the specific needs of schools and addressing local educational challenges. This may be an increasing imperative as the movement towards furnishing provinces with greater political autonomy gains momentum.

o In-service teacher education has traditionally been provided through formalized, face-to-face instruction in residential courses at SICHE. This is a high-cost approach that limits the number of participants who can benefit. Capacity building opportunities could be brought closer to schools and teachers, either through distance learning or localized implementation arrangements. o In the case of textbooks and educational materials that are centrally procured, close attention must be devoted to developing suitable and reliable distribution networks.

Behavioral change is a long-term process. Sustained capacity building efforts are necessary to bring labout lasting change in schooling practices. Short one-off training opportunities can raise awareness or provide a general introduction to a new set of skills. But in order to realize a transformation in classroom or school management practices, systemic support networks, sufficient resources and appropriate incentive schemes are critical for observable differences in performance to take place. For example, a two-week training program cannot be expected to produce lasting change, without adequate follow-up and resourcing to monitor and support the putting into practice of newly acquired skills.

Greater integration to Ministry line agencies and across Ministries. PIRU had the mandate to limplement this large and complex project. This was a herculean effort that stretched the minimal resources of the unit, oftentimes leaving little time to dedicate to other responsibilities, such as its planning and research functions. Greater involvement and participation from other MEHRD line agencies and other Ministries (Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Works) could have reduced some of the work overload of PIRU as well as fostered greater ownership and capacity building opportunities throughout the Ministry of Education. This process was initiated and well received during the development of the education sector plan in 1999-2000 (prior to the civil conflict period) and later during the formulation of the Education Strategic Plan, 2000-2002. Since the project multisectoral it could have also benefitted from more collaboration with the Ministries of Health and Medical Services and the Ministry of Works.

The relevance of sectoral monitoring. During the 1990s, the primary education system suffered l

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considerable setbacks. A greater proportion of primary school-aged children than previously forseen were estimated to be out-of-school, while student achievement levels suffered a considerable decline. Only in the last year of the project, during the formulation of the sector-wide Education Strategic Plan, did these critical issues become apparent. A greater focus on sector-wide monitoring and evaluation during the life of the project would have enabled greater prioritization and proactivity to respond to emergent needs.

9. Partner Comments

(a) Borrower/implementing agency:The content of this Implementation Completion Report (ICR) was discussed on May 26, 2003 with Mr. Barnabas Anga (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education of the Solomon Islands) during the Third Pacific Region Education Donors Meeting in Nadi, Fiji. Mr. Anga officially communicated that Government concurred with the overall assessment of this ICR.

Below is an extract of the Borrower's Implementation Completion Report. The full document can be found in the project files.

Project Impact

Quantitative goals were met for most part of the project. Enrolments increased from 7,160 in 1993 to 23,117 in 2001 though major increase was due to opening up of numerous Community High Schools. The pilot project on day schools was an incentive to communities. The side benefit was that communities had taken onboard the initiatives developed for the piloting of the five day junior secondary schools under the project, to establish additional community high schools at their own cost.

Although this effort had helped to meet the demand for secondary education, the quality of these CHS is a concern. One of the objectives was to increase community participation. However, during the implementation stage, there was no strong support from the communities and there was a high dependence on the project. With the completion of the pilot schools, communities have taken over the role of maintaining them. This transfer of role could have been more readily accepted had the communities been more involved from the beginning.

One of the issues in the sector was the shortage of secondary places. While the targets in the SAR were achieved, the demand for secondary places is still an issue. For instance, in year 2000, a total of 8,992 class 6 pupils sat for the Secondary Entrance Examination and about 3,998 pupils did not have places in secondary schools. The issue on curriculum and teacher shortages were not resolved. The growth of community high schools has been ad hoc with little planning resulting in inequitable distribution of schools in the country. The success of community high schools has also put more pressure to the government to equip these schools with adequate curriculum and educational materials, qualified trained teachers and their salaries.

The objective to develop and produce primary curriculum materials was partially achieved. With the provision of a long-term TA under ODA/UK, only class 1-3 English and Mathematics and teachers guides were developed and produced due to lack of provision of local counterparts by SIG. The materials developed by teachers and CDC staff are of high quality and appropriate for local conditions. However, schools need to have proper storage so that these books/materials can last longer.

The issue of teacher shortage was not met. While there is adequate supply in lower levels, there is still the need for teachers in the upper levels. The objective to upgrade teachers to degree level was not satisfactory to supply the demand and to reduce the dependence on expatriate teachers. Implementation started very late in1997, which was a year before the original closing date of December 31st 1998 and as a result the project only funded one year of study.

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The project unit was not in a position to review funding because of the near completion date and those continued had to be transferred to SIG. This was coupled with the unpreparedness of sponsored trainees who could not cope with the academic demands and dedication the programs required.

The Emergency rehabilitation grant is an additional component to utilize the savings from the project. The administration and implementation of the grant was based on the operation manual developed in conjunction with the Ministry of Education. Funds were disbursed to the Education Authority Grant Management Committees and schools. Management problems were encountered especially with Guadalcanal Province and with the post ethnic situation, it was even more difficult to monitor the progress in Guadalcanal schools. Given the short implementation period for the grant, progress was more than satisfactory in the majority of schools. Lesson learned from the grant program is that schools and education authorities can manage education provisions given good coordination and monitoring from the central ministry. It is also equally important that the consultation process does not stop at the provincial level but must reach the school and community level.

The experience and knowledge gained from the project is enormous. The staff and the Ministry had betterunderstanding of both international and local procedures in the areas of procurement, finance, and contractmanagement. These knowledge and experiences had better equipped the Ministry for future projects

Project Sustainability

Over the past years, funding to schools had declined while, on the other hand, there was a corresponding rise in student enrolments. The current economic crisis in the country has made it difficult for communities, education authorities and the government to be able to sustain schools. The main concerns here relate to the operation and maintenance of school buildings and facilities. Schools are affected by the inadequate operation grant from the government, often resulting in suspension of classes and closing of schools. Because of geographical factors, the country is highly dependent on boarding schools for secondary education. This has resulted in high boarding costs and limited assistance for instructional materials and development activities. The government has therefore encouraged the development of day Community High schools. However, there is still some boarding involved in these schools. Financial contribution from parents is mainly through school fees and assisting schools with fund-raising activities. The community support is enormous if communities are involved in the whole process of planning and management of schools. This is evident in the pilot project of the five day junior secondary schools under the project. There was not enough consultation and awareness programs with the communities and provincial authorities so there was no strong support for the project schools. Community high schools have expanded dramatically over the past five years because of the demand for secondary education. Communities have established these schools to enable their children have access to secondary education. However, the difference between these schools and the project schools is that the project schools have quality facilities and fully equipped specialised classrooms with good staff housing which is an incentive to qualified teachers, while the community established schools are poorly equipped with no proper buildings required for secondary schooling.

To ensure sustainability, Government has accepted the financial sustainability Plan developed under the project. This plan ensures that all stakeholders have obligations to fulfil in funding the schools as well as ensuring the equitable allocation of funds. The proposed Community Standard formula establishes the level of spending necessary for effective instruction in schools, and help establish the responsibilities of each stakeholder. The community standard sets the level of non-teacher cost and it is based on level, not type, of school. It sets the targets for the government subsidies and the contribution required from the schools, communities and education authorities

There is however, a need for realistic boarding cost to include in the formula. The implementation of this financial plan will require more consultation and awareness programs with schools, communities, education authorities and government ministries. This will help to establish interventions, both at the national and school levels, for those who cannot afford to pay fees.

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The recent social unrest on Guadalcanal has given implications on future development in the Education sector. Schools in Honiara are generally seen as better equipped with resources, facilities and trained teachers while rural schools are poor. In addition, post-secondary training is only available in the capital. This has attracted the movement of students to the capital in search for better learning. Future directions will have to be focused at the provincial and village levels so that there is equitable provision of education services. This will encourage the participation of the provincial governments and communities.

The move towards state governments is also another issue for consideration. This could lead to redefining the roles and responsibilities of the states and the central government. It is important to strengthen provincial authorities in their ability to manage education provision not only because they manage the majority of schools but also to ensure that funds allocated for the education sector are spent for education purposes so that goals in quality education and equitable education services are achieved and sustained. This capacity building will involve recruiting of qualified staff and strengthening and imposing of financial procedures and regulations.

The World Bank’s Performance

The Unit appreciated the advice and technical assistance given through Supervision Missions. However, it would be most helpful if there was continuity among mission personnel. During the lifetime of the project there was a frequent change of task managers as well as team members coming for supervision. Each time they had to be oriented with the project backgrounds, implementation constraints relating to the local situation. Despite the lack of continuity in mission personnel, the Bank staff and the unit staff had established good, fruitful working relationships sharing a genuine concern for the education sector.

(b) Cofinanciers:Not applicable.

(c) Other partners (NGOs/private sector):Not applicable.

10. Additional Information

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Annex 1. Key Performance Indicators/Log Frame Matrix

Outcome / Impact Indicators:

Access to Educational Services 1990 2001Primary School Enrollments--Total 57,720 82,275Primary School Enrollments--Girls % of Total Enrollment 45% 45%Estimated Primary Gross Enrollment Rates (1992-1998)* 90% 97%Secondary School Enrollments--Total 5,636 23,117Secondary School Enrollments--Girls % of Total Enrollment 37% 43%Senior Secondary School Enrollments 1,099 5,854Senior School Enrollments--Girls % of Total Enrollment 26% 37%Number of Secondary Schools 23 121*Primary gross enrollment rates peaked in 1995 at 99%.

Educational Quality 1993 1999PILL Grade 4 Mean Score Literacy 3.03 2.29PILL Grade 4 Mean Score Numeracy 3.34 3.00Transition Rate from Grade 6 to Form 1 (1992) 25% 40%

Teacher Supply and Qualifications 1991 2001Primary--Total Trained Teachers 1,759 2,200Primary--Total Untrained Teachers 629 500Secondary--Total Number of Teachers 364 850

Education Finance 1994 1998% of National Budget to Education 11.89% 9.74%Budget Allocation to Primary Level 42.90% 36.80%

Nursing 1992 2001Nurse candidates enroll in SICHE School of Nursing (Year 1) 30 50

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Annex 2. Project Costs and Financing

Project Cost by Component (in US$ million equivalent)AppraisalEstimate

Actual/Latest Estimate

Percentage of Appraisal

Component US$ million US$ millionSecondary Education Expansion Upgrading of 8 Provincial Secondary Schools Construction of 5 village Junior Secondary Schools

6.80 8.76 129

Teacher Upgrading 0.30 0.38 127Curriculum and Materials 2.50 1.81 72Nurses' Training 2.40 2.28 95Staff Development 0.40 0.18 45Project Management and Studies 1.30 1.13 87Emergency Cyclone Relief 2.00 3.81 191Emergency Rehabiliation Grants* 0.00 0.56

Total Baseline Cost 15.70 18.91 Physical Contingencies 1.10 Price Contingencies 2.00

Total Project Costs 18.80 18.91Total Financing Required 18.80 18.91

Project costs include IDA-financed portion (total US$17.11 million) and the counterpart funding provided by SIG.* Emergency rehabilitation grants were provided using saving from currency realignments at the end of the project in response to the post-conflict period.

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Project Costs by Procurement Arrangements (Appraisal Estimate) (US$ million equivalent)

Expenditure Category ICBProcurement

NCB Method

1

Other2 N.B.F. Total Cost

1. Works 9.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.10(8.60) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (8.60)

2. Goods 0.70 0.40 1.40 0.00 2.50(0.60) (0.40) (1.30) (0.00) (2.30)

3. Services 0.00 0.00 3.20 0.80 4.00Technical Assistance Training Studies

(0.00) (0.00) (3.20) (0.00) (3.20)

4. Project Management and Incremental Operating Costs

0.00 0.00 1.20 0.00 1.20

(0.00) (0.00) (0.80) (0.00) (0.80)5. Cyclone relief: Civil Works Equipment, educational materials, textbooks and school supplies

0.20(0.20)

1.60(1.60)

0.20(0.20)

0.00(0.00)

2.00(2.00)

6. Grants 0.00(0.00)

0.00(0.00)

0.00(0.00)

0.00(0.00)

0.00(0.00)

Total 10.00 2.00 6.00 0.80 18.80(9.40) (2.00) (5.50) (0.00) (16.90)

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Project Costs by Procurement Arrangements (Actual/Latest Estimate) (US$ million equivalent)

Expenditure Category ICBProcurement

NCB Method

1

Other2 N.B.F. Total Cost

1. Works 8.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.28(8.28) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (8.28)

2. Goods 1.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.90(1.90) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (1.90)

3. Services 3.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.40Technical Assistance Training Studies

(3.40) (0.00) (0.00) (0.00) (3.40)

4. Project Management and Incremental Operating Costs

0.00 0.00 0.16 0.00 0.16

(0.00) (0.00) (0.16) (0.00) (0.16)5. Cyclone relief: Civil Works Equipment, educational materials, textbooks and school supplies

0.00(0.00)

2.80(2.80)

0.00(0.00)

0.00(0.00)

2.80(2.80)

6. Grants 0.00(0.00)

0.00(0.00)

0.56(0.56)

0.00(0.00)

0.56(0.56)

Total 13.58 2.80 0.72 0.00 17.10(13.58) (2.80) (0.72) (0.00) (17.10)

1/ Figures in parenthesis are the amounts to be financed by the IDA Credit. All costs include contingencies.2/ Includes civil works and goods to be procured through national shopping, consulting services, services of contracted staff

of the project management office, training, technical assistance services, and incremental operating costs related to (i) managing the project, and (ii) re-lending project funds to local government units.

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Figure 1. Disbursement Summary (in millions)

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Annex 3. Economic Costs and Benefits

Not applicable.

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Annex 4. Bank Inputs

(a) Missions:Stage of Project Cycle Performance Rating No. of Persons and Specialty

(e.g. 2 Economists, 1 FMS, etc.)Month/Year Count Specialty

ImplementationProgress

DevelopmentObjective

Identification/Preparation5/1992 5 1 Education Planner, 2 Education

Specialists, 1 Architect, 1 Economist

11/1991 4 1 Education Planner, 2 Education Specialists, 1 Medical Specialist

Appraisal/Negotiation11/1992 7 1 Education Planner, 2

Economists, 1 Medical Specialist, 2 Education Specialists, 1 Lawyer

Supervision3/2001 3 1 Economist, 1 Education

Specialist, 1 Procurement Specialist

S S

12/2000 3 1 Economist, 1 Education Specialist, 1 Procurement Specialist

S S

3/2000 3 1 Education Specialist, 1 Education Consultant, 1 Procurement Specialist

S S

11/1999 2 1 Education Specialist, 1 Financial Management Specialist

S U

06/1999 4 1 Education Specialist; 1 Economist, 1 Education Consultant, 1 Financial consultant

S S

08/1998 3 1 Education Specialist, 1 Education Consultant, 1 Economist

S S

02/1998 2 1 Education Specialist, 1 Education Consultant

S S

08/1997 3 1 Educator, 1 Economist, 1 Education Consultant

11/1996 3 2 Education Specialists, 1 Nursing Specialist

S S

05/1996 2 1 Education Specialist, 1 Education Consultant

S S

09/1995 2 2 Education Consultants S S07/1994 1 1 Education Specialist S S03/1994 3 1 Economist, 1 Architect, 1

Education SpecialistS S

10/1993 2 2 Consultant Education Specialists

S S

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ICR11/2002 2 1 Education Specialist, 1

Procurement SpecialistS S

09/2001 2 1 Education Specialist, 1 Procurement Specialist

S S

(b) Staff:

Stage of Project Cycle Actual/Latest EstimateNo. Staff weeks US$ ('000)

Identification/Preparation 198,042Appraisal/NegotiationSupervision 597,863ICRTotal 795,905

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Annex 5. Ratings for Achievement of Objectives/Outputs of Components(H=High, SU=Substantial, M=Modest, N=Negligible, NA=Not Applicable)

RatingMacro policies H SU M N NASector Policies H SU M N NAPhysical H SU M N NAFinancial H SU M N NAInstitutional Development H SU M N NAEnvironmental H SU M N NA

SocialPoverty Reduction H SU M N NAGender H SU M N NAOther (Please specify) H SU M N NA

Private sector development H SU M N NAPublic sector management H SU M N NAOther (Please specify) H SU M N NA

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Annex 6. Ratings of Bank and Borrower Performance

(HS=Highly Satisfactory, S=Satisfactory, U=Unsatisfactory, HU=Highly Unsatisfactory)

6.1 Bank performance Rating

Lending HS S U HUSupervision HS S U HUOverall HS S U HU

6.2 Borrower performance Rating

Preparation HS S U HUGovernment implementation performance HS S U HUImplementation agency performance HS S U HUOverall HS S U HU

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Annex 7. List of Supporting Documents

World Bank Documents

Staff Appraisal Reportl

Working Papers for the Third Education Project Vol. I and IIl

Memorandum and Recommendation of the International Development Association to the Executive Directorsl

Back to Office Report for Identification/Preparation Mission dated 12/2/91l

Back to Office Report for Health & Population Mission (Nurse Training) dated 12/13/91l

Terms of Reference for Project Preparation dated 4/23/92l

Back to Office Report for Identification/Preparation Mission dated 7/5/92l

Back to Office Report for Appraisal Mission dated 12/4/92l

Minutes of the Yellow Cover Review Meeting dated 12/28/93l

Terms of Reference for Negotiation Mission dated 3/8/93l

Minutes of Negotiations dated 3/26/93l

Summary of Negotiations dated 4/6/93l

Initial Implementation Summary Report (form 590) dated 8/27/93l

Back to Office Report for Project Launch dated 11/2/93 Bernard Mastersl

Supervision Mission Report dated 4/5/94: Susan Hirshbergl

Supervision Mission Report dated 9/14/94: Donald Hamiltonl

Supervision Mission Report dated 10/8/94: A. de Guzmanl

Supervision Mission Report dated 9/11/95: Peter Morrisonl

Supervision Mission Report dated 6/27/96: A. de Guzmanl

Mid Term Review Report dated 10/23/96 prepared by IPUl

Mid Term Review Mission Report dated 2/4/97: Rozany Deenl

Supervision Mission Report dated 9/15/97: Rozany Deenl

Supervision Mission Report dated 3/12/98: Rozany Deenl

Supervision Mission Report dated 9/15/98: Rozany Deenl

Supervision Mission Report dated 6/29/99 : Rozany Deenl

Supervision /Progress Report dated 6/29/00 : Rozany Deenl

Back to Office Report dated 10/29/99: Carol Balll

Supervision Report dated 12/14/99: Rozany Deenl

Supervision Package dated December 2000: Rekha Menonl

Supervision Mission Report dated 04/01/2001: Rekha Menonl

Supervision Mission Report dated 09/11/2001: Luis Benvenistel

Back to Office Report for Financial Management Mission dated 10/27/01: Junxue Chul

Project Documents

Development Credit Agreement l

Progress Report by Pindeke Holdings Architects: August 1993l

Preliminary Studies on Nursing and Midwifery Curriculum, University of Technology, Sydney: October 1993l

Quarterly Report by IPU Mid April 1994l

Quarterly Progress Report, Mid April to End August 1994l

Advanced Diploma in Teaching (Secondary), Charles Stuart University: April 1994l

Quarterly Report for January to March 1995l

The Construction of Rural Health Facilities: Temotu and Makira Ulawa Provinces, Nigel Wakeham: l

November 1995Secondary Curriculum Development Policy Assignment, Julian Treadaway: July 1996l

Mid Term Review Report on Nursing Component: November 1996l

Quarterly Report January to April 1997l

Quarterly Report May to July 1997l

Education Policy and Administrative Handbook for Ministry of Education (including Primary School Head l

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Teachers' Manual and Finance Manual for Schools: February 1997 Report on Rural Training Centers: August 1997l

Review of Curriculum & Continuing Education at the School of Nursing & Health Studies, Queensland l

University of Technology: December 1997Progress Report September 1997 to January 1998l

Inspectorate Development Program (with Annexures), W.D. Scott International Development Consultants: l

1998 Report on The SI School Certificate, Kerapuke Toben: 1999l

Community High Schools, Implementation Specialist, Nigel Wakeham: January 1999l

Implementation Specialist’s Report, Nigel Wakeham: February 2000l

Solomon Islands Primary and Secondary Education: A Community Standard for School Financing, Ken l

Gannicott: February 2000Curriculum Report No. 1/2, Janet Davy: March 2000l

SI: Proposed Basic Education in Community Schools Project, Judith Parker: May 2000l

Implementation Specialist’s Report, Nigel Wakeham: February 2001l

Report on a Human Resources Strategic Plan for Solomon Islands, Hassall & Associates: July 2001 l

Examinations and Assessment in the Solomon Islands, Warwick Elley: July 2001l

Examinations and Assessment Systems in the Solomon Islands Education System, School Support Services: l

July 2001Review of Curriculum in the Context of Basic Education Needs: August 2001 l

A Review of the Non Formal Vocational and Community Education and Training in the Solomon Islands, l

Sura & Associates: September 2001Teacher Education and Training Report, John Pettit: October 2001l

Education Strategic Plan, 2002-2004l

Implementation Completion Report (including data tables), Ministry of Education and Human Resource l

Development: 2002

Additional References

Kabutaulaka, T. (1998). Pacific Islands Stakeholder Participation in Development: Solomon Islands. l

Washington, DC: The World BankGeoffrey Coyne and Mark Bray (1999). "External Aid and Education in Small States: Structural Issues, and l

Insights from a World Bank Assisted Project in Solomon Islands." Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 19(1), pp. 31-43.Ministry of Education (2000). EFA 2000: Solomon Islands Country Reportl

Ministry of Education (2001). Solomon Islands National EFA Plan of Actionl

DfID (2001). Primary Education Development Project II: Joint Mid Term Review.l

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