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Document of
The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Report No: 71655-ZR
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT
ON A
PROPOSED GRANT
IN THE AMOUNT OF US$ 100 MILLION
TO THE
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
FOR A
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROJECT
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
May 2, 2013
Human Development Sector
West and Central Africa 1
Africa 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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ii
CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS
(Exchange Rate Effective as of February 27, 2013)
Currency Unit = Congolese Franc (CDF)
US$1.00 = CDF 922.32
FISCAL YEAR
January 1 – December 31
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
AfD French Development Agency (Agence Française de Développement)
AFTFM Africa Technical Financial Management
ALE Agence Locale d’Exécution
APEFE Association pour la Promotion de l’Education et de la Formation à l’Etranger
AUF Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie
BGP Bureaux Gestionnaires de Proximité
CARITAS International Confederation of Catholic Organizations for Charitable and Social Action
CAS Country Assistance Strategy
CAT Technical Advisory Unit
CDF Congolese Francs (Francs Congolais)
CFAA Country Financial Accountability Assessment
COGES Conseil de Gestion Scolaire
CONAT Coordination Nationale
CONFEMEN Conférence des Ministres de l'Education ayant le Français en Partage
COPRO Coordination Provinciale
DA Designated Account
DfID Department for International Development
DIPROMAD Direction des Programmes et du Matériel Didactique
DRC Democratic Republic of Congo
ECD Early Child Development
EDC Education Development Center
EPSP Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel)
ESU Higher and University Education (Enseignement Supérieur et Universitaire)
FM Financial Management
FTI Fast Track Initiative
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GER Gross Enrolment Rate
GPE Global Partnership for Education
HDI Human Development Index
HIPC Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection / Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
IBRD International Bank of Reconstruction and Development
ICT Information Communication Technology
IDA International Development Association
IEP Interim Education Plan (Plan Intérimaire de l’Education)
IFAC International Federation of Accountants
IFADEM Initiative Francophone pour la Formation à Distance des Maîtres
IFR Interim Financial Report
IPP Inspecteur Principal Provincial
IRC International Rescue Committee
iii
LS Lower Secondary
MAS Ministère des Affaires Sociales
M&E Monitoring & Evaluation
MEF Ministry of Economy and Finance
MEPSP Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education (Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire,
Secondaire et Professionnel)
MLA Modern Language Association
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
OIF Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie
PAD Project Appraisal Document
PAQUED Projet d’Appui à la Qualité de l’Education
PARSE Education Sector Support Project
PASEC Programme d’Analyse des Systèmes Educatifs de la CONFEMEN
PDO Project Development Objective
PEFA Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability
PER Public Expenditure Review
PFM Public Financial Management
PIE Projet Intérimaire de l’Education
PIU Project Implementation Unit
PROVED Provincial Education Offices
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
PUAICF Projet d’Urgence d’Atténuation des Impacts de la Crise Financière
PURUS Projet d’Urgence de Réhabilitation Urbaine et Sociale
SECOPE Service de Contrôle et de la Paie des Enseignants
SERNAFOR Service National de Formation
SIL Specific Investment Loan
TC Technical Committee
ToR Terms of References
TVET Technical Vocational Education Training
UCOP Unité de Coordination des Projets
UIS UNESCO Institute for Statistics
UN United Nations
UNICEF United Nations International Children Emergency Fund
US Upper Secondary
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USD United States Dollar
WFP World Food Program
Regional Vice President: Makhtar Diop
Country Director: Eustache Ouayoro
Sector Director: Ritva Reinikka
Sector Manager: Peter Materu
Task Team Leaders: Dung-Kim Pham
iv
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT ................................................................................................. 1
A. Country Context ............................................................................................................... 1
B. Sectoral and Institutional Context .................................................................................... 2
C. Donor Coordination and Financing ................................................................................ 10
D. Higher Level Objectives to which the Project Contributes ............................................ 12
II. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES .............................................................. 12
A. PDO ................................................................................................................................ 12
B. Project Beneficiaries ....................................................................................................... 13
C. PDO Level Results Indicators ........................................................................................ 13
III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................ 13
A. Project Components ....................................................................................................... 14
B. Project Financing ............................................................................................................ 20
C. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design ................................................... 20
IV. IMPLEMENTATION ..................................................................................................... 22
A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements ............................................................ 22
B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................................................ 25
C. Sustainability .................................................................................................................. 25
I. KEY RISKS AND MITIGATION MEASURES .......................................................... 26
A. Risk Ratings Summary Table ......................................................................................... 26
B. Key Risks and Mitigation Measures .............................................................................. 26
II. APPRAISAL SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 27
A. Economic and Financial Analyses ................................................................................. 27
B. Technical ........................................................................................................................ 28
C. Financial Management ................................................................................................... 29
D. Procurement .................................................................................................................... 30
v
E. Social Accountability ..................................................................................................... 30
F. Social .............................................................................................................................. 31
G. Environment and Social Safeguard Policies .................................................................. 32
. 34
Annex 2: Detailed Project Description ...................................................................................... 40
Annex 3: Economic and Financial Analysis .............................................................................. 49
.................................................................................. 57
....................................... 65
................................................ 81
................................................................................... 87
......................................................... 91
Annex 9: ...................................................................................................................... 99
List of Tables
Table 1: School fees allocated to the “bureaux gestionnaires” (2011-12) ......................................... 4
Table 2: Support by Various Partners .............................................................................................. 10
Table 3: Project Cost and Financing ................................................................................................ 20 Table 4: GDP and GDP per capita, 2000-2011 ................................................................................ 27 Table 5: Education and EPSP expenditure, 2010-2011 ................................................................... 27
Table 6: Needs-based assessment by province ................................................................................. 48 Table 7 : GDP and GDP per capita, 2000-2011 ............................................................................... 49
Table 8: Enrolment and Gross Enrolment Ratio, 2000-2010 ........................................................... 50 Table 9: Context indicators in Equator and Kasaï-West .................................................................. 52
Table 10: Sector indicators (Primary Education) in Equator and Kasaï-West ................................. 52 Table 11: Education and EPSP expenditure, 2010-2011 ................................................................. 53 Table 12: Financing Framework for the EPSP (IEP) ....................................................................... 55
List of Graphs
Graph 1: Gross Enrolment Ratio, comparison with neighbor countries ....................................... 50 Graph 2: Public recurrent expenditure per student in primary education, comparison with other
African countries, expressed as a percent of GDP per capita ....................................................... 54
List of Chart
Chart 1: Distribution of "faith-based” public schools (2009), (disaggregated by network) ........... 2
vi
PAD DATA SHEET
Congo, Democrat
ZR SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM (P131120)
PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT
AFRICA
AFTEW
Report No.: PAD489
Basic Information
Project ID Lending Instrument EA Category Team Leader
P131120 Specific Investment Loan B - Partial Assessment Dung-Kim Pham
Project Implementation Start Date Project Implementation End Date
01-Jul-2013 30-Jun-2016
Expected Effectiveness Date Expected Closing Date
01-Apr-2013 31-Aug-2016
Joint IFC
No
Sector Manager Sector Director Country Director Regional Vice President
Peter Nicolas Materu Ritva S. Reinikka Eustache Ouayoro Makhtar Diop
Borrower: Democratic Republic of Congo
Responsible Agency: Ministry of Primary, Secondary and Technical Education
Contact: Mr. Lufunisabo Bundoki Title: Secretary General
Telephone No: 24381 091 9965; 0810919965 Email: [email protected]
Project Financing Data(in USD Million)
[ ] Loan [ ] Grant [ X ] Other
[ ] Credit [ ] Guarantee
Total Project Cost: 100.00 Total Bank Financing: 0.00
Total Cofinancing: Financing Gap: 0.00
Financing Source Amount
vii
Borrower 0.00
EC European Commission 6.40
Education for All - Fast Track Initiative 93.60
Total 100.00
Expected Disbursements (in USD Million)
Fiscal
Year
2013 2014 2015 2016
Annual 2.00 25.00 55.00 18.00
Cumulati
ve
2.00 27.00 82.00 100.00
Institutional Data
Sector Board
Education
Sectors / Climate Change
Sector (Maximum 5 and total % must equal 100)
Major Sector Sector % Adaptation Co-
benefits %
Mitigation Co-
benefits %
Education Primary education 100
Total 100
I certify that there is no Adaptation and Mitigation Climate Change Co-benefits information
applicable to this project.
Themes
Theme (Maximum 5 and total % must equal 100)
Major theme Theme %
Human development Education for all 100
Total 100
Project Development Objective(s)
Proposed Development Objective(s)
In support of the implementation of the MEPSP Interim Education Plan the project objectives are to: (a)
increase access and equity in primary education, (b) improve learning conditions in primary education and (c)
strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability by introducing new management practices at
the local levels.
viii
Components
Component Name Cost (USD Millions)
Improving of Access and Equity at the Primary Level 24.40
Quality of Learning Environment 60.10
Strengthening Sector Management 15.50
Compliance
Policy
Does the project depart from the CAS in content or in other significant respects? Yes [ ] No [ X ]
Does the project require any waivers of Bank policies? Yes [ ] No [ X ]
Have these been approved by Bank management? Yes [ ] No [ X ]
Is approval for any policy waiver sought from the Board? Yes [ ] No [ X ]
Does the project meet the Regional criteria for readiness for implementation? Yes [ X ] No [ ]
Safeguard Policies Triggered by the Project Yes No
Environmental Assessment OP/BP 4.01 X
Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 X
Forests OP/BP 4.36 X
Pest Management OP 4.09 X
Physical Cultural Resources OP/BP 4.11 X
Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 X
Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP 4.12 X
Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 X
Projects on International Waterways OP/BP 7.50 X
Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP 7.60 X
Legal Covenants
Name Recurrent Due Date Frequency
The Recipient shall furnish to the World
Bank, no later than one (1) month after the
Effective Date, an opinion or opinions
satisfactory to the World Bank of counsel
acceptable to the World Bank or, if the
World Bank so requests, a certificate
One Month after
effectiveness
ix
satisfactory to the World Bank of a
competent official of the Recipient,
confirming that tuition and other associated
fees are not permitted to be levied from
parents and communities by the Recipient’s
Equator and Kasai-West provinces to
finance the administrative cost of the
SchoolManagementOffices
(BureauxGestionnaires).
(b)Without limitation upon its other
reporting obligations under this Agreement,
the Recipient shall (and shall cause the
Governors of Equator and Kasai-West
provinces to) collect, compile and submit to
the World Bank, in accordance with
Section II.A of this Schedule 2 to this
Agreement, reports on the status of
compliance with, and enforcement of, the
prohibition on the collection of tuition and
other associated fees to finance the
administrative cost of the School
Management Offices
(BureauxGestionnaires).
Description of Covenant
Under decrees promulgated by the Governors of Equator and Kasai-West provinces are prohibited from the
collection of fees from parents, communities and schools to finance the costs of the administrative offices
Name Recurrent Due Date Frequency
The Recipient shall prepare and furnish to
the World Bank for its approval, not later
than December 15 of each year during the
implementation of the Project (or such later
date as the World Bank may agree), an
annual work plan and budget (“Annual
Work Plan and Budget”) containing all
eligible Project activities and expenditures
planned for the following fiscal year,
including a specification of the source or
sources of financing for all eligible
expenditures
15-Dec-2014 Yearly
Description of Covenant
x
Transmission of annual work program and budget
Name Recurrent Due Date Frequency
Financial Management dated covenants Three months after
effectiveness
Description of Covenant
a) The Recipient shall recruit, no later than three (3) months after the Effective Date, an independent external
auditor in accordance with the provisions of Section III of this Schedule 2 to this Agreement.
(b) The Recipient shall recruit, no later than three (3) months after the Effective Date, (i) a finance office for
each of the Recipient’s seven (7) educational provincial offices (PROVED); and (ii) an engineer for each of the
Recipient’s six (6) educational provincial offices (PROVED) in which it will be implementing Part A of the
Project, all in accordance with the provisions of Section III of this Schedule 2 to this Agreement each with
skills, experience and qualifications acceptable to the World Bank.
(c) The Recipient shall, no later than three (3) months after the Effective Date, engage the services of Delegated
Contract Managers in accordance with the provisions of Section III of this Schedule under contracts pursuant to
which the Recipient shall delegate to the Delegated Contract Managers certain Project implementation
responsibilities, including procurement of the works and equipment required for Part A of the Project and
financial management thereof, in accordance with this Agreement.
Conditions
Name Type
Description of Condition
Team Composition
Bank Staff
Name Title Specialization Unit
Dung-Kim Pham Senior Operations Officer Team Lead AFTEW
Adriana M. Da Cunha
Costa
Language Program
Assistant
Language Program
Assistant
AFTEE
Rachidi B. Radji Country Manager Country Manager AFMBI
Paul Jonathan Martin Sector Leader Sector Leader AFTSN
Bourama Diaite Senior Procurement
Specialist
Senior Procurement
Specialist
AFTPW
Norosoa Andrianaivo Senior Program Assistant Language Program
Assistant
ECSHD
xi
Antoine V. Lema Senior Social
Development Specialist
Senior Social
Development Specialist
AFTCS
Monthe Bienvenu Biyoudi Senior Economist Senior Economist AFTP5
Aissatou Diallo Senior Finance Officer Senior Finance Officer CTRLA
Mathieu Brossard Sr Education Econ. Sr Education Econ. AFTEW
Kolie Ousmane Maurice
Megnan
Sr Financial Management
Specialist
Sr Financial Management
Specialist
AFTMW
Anthony Molle Senior Counsel Senior Counsel LEGSO
Lanssina Traore Procurement Specialist Procurement Specialist AFTPW
Non Bank Staff
Name Title Office Phone City
Souleymane Zerbo Architect Washington DC
Johan Verhaghe Consultant Human
Development
Kinshasa
Jean Claude Hameidat Consultant Planning France
Donald Hamilton Consultant Education Washington DC
Locations
Country First
Administrative
Division
Location Planned Actual Comments
1
I. STRATEGIC CONTEXT
A. Country Context
1. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a country with a vast natural endowment
with the potential to underpin significant economic development, yet it remains one of the poorest
countries in the world. Located in Central Africa, it is the third largest country on the continent
with an area of 2.3 million square kilometers. Its population of nearly 71 million is widely
dispersed with just under 40 percent living in urban areas. The country is extremely rich in natural
resources, including diamonds, copper, cobalt, crude oil, and gold, and benefits from an abundance
of fertile land. It has the potential to become one of Africa’s richest countries and an engine for
regional growth. Despite this abundant endowment of resources, the incidence of poverty remains
stubbornly high with 71 percent of the population living on less than US$1.25 a day. The
International Food Policy Research Institute estimated that half the country is undernourished. The
DRC performs most poorly of all countries assessed by the 2011 Global Hunger Index.
2. Since the end of the wars in 2002, DRC has been everywhere at peace, except in some
areas in the Eastern provinces where conflicts have been persistent. The country has made
significant progress with regard to economic growth and political development in the intervening
years, but peace remains fragile, and reconstruction and economic development will remain
challenges for years to come. Economic growth slowed in 2009 due to the global financial and
economic crisis but averaged a healthy 7 percent in 2010 and 2011. Inflation has been brought
under control, falling to less than 10 percent in 2010 from a high level of 53.4 percent in 2009.
Improved macroeconomic policy management and performance facilitated the DRC accessing the
Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in July 2010. Nevertheless, due to entrenched
structural weaknesses, the country’s economic recovery is expected to remain precarious for the
foreseeable future.
3. Recent developmental improvements have moderately impacted the country’s human
development. Progress with regard to normalizing the political context, improving the business
environment and strengthening service delivery have had an uneven impact, with only a marginal
improvement in socio-economic conditions for the population as a whole. The vast majority of
Congolese continue to live in conditions characterized by poverty; deprived of access to basic
services like education; health; electricity; sanitation; drinking water; and critical commodities
such as cooking fuel. The DRC was at the bottom of the 2011 Human Development Index (HDI)
in 187th
position, with an HDI of 0.286, well below the averages for countries in the ‘low human
development group’ as well comparator countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
4. The resumption of hostilities in the east could interrupt continuation of recent progress with
both long and short-term effects. The long term impact of the conflict is that it could undermine
state institutions as the law is not enforced in those parts of the country. This could be avoided if
proposed internal reforms to improve governance and initiatives to reestablish political stability
which the government is trying to put in place with the support of the international community
succeed. The short term impact has been a shock that threatens fiscal stability. The security
situation in the east has indeed led recently to a rapid expansion in security related expenditure.
However these increased expenditures have been absorbed by a reallocation from investments in
infrastructure, current funding for education and other social sectors remains protected. Public
service salaries are being paid, including teachers. The government has also started to transfer
teachers who are now paid from household contributions to the budget. This trend is likely to
2
continue as the government has made a commitment to increase allocations to the sector to finance
teachers and other essential expenditures. These increases are likely to accrue since government
revenues from its rich oil and mineral resources are likely to remain stable and increase slightly in
the medium term. According to Congolese Central Bank projections, economic growth in 2013-15
is projected to reach 7.3 percent, some 5 percent per capita.
B. Sectoral and Institutional Context
5. Primary Education in the DRC is administered by the Ministry of Primary, Secondary and
Technical Education (Ministère de l’Enseignement Primaire, Secondaire et Professionnel -
MEPSP) and is characterized by a de-concentrated managerial and organizational structure. In line
with the country’s administrative organization, the MEPSP is subdivided into eleven
administrative provinces, and an additional thirty ‘educational provinces’ (PROVEDs), which have
some administrative autonomy. PROVEDs are further divided into sub-PROVEDs at the district
level. Religious networks that directly administer the majority of primary schools are structured
similarly, with representations at the provincial and the district level. This dual structure reflects a
deep-rooted tradition of education management shared between State and religious networks. In
other words, a specificity of the DRC context is that faith-based organizations are part of the
management of the education system.
6. In primary education approximately 72 percent of students attend schools owned and
managed by churches and religious communities but fully or partially funded by the government
(“Ecoles Conventionnées”). Secular public schools (“Ecoles non Conventionnées”) only account
for 17 percent of the overall enrolment, with private sector schools accounting for the remaining
11 percent. The distribution of schools run by the various religious organizations is shown in Chart
1. The contract (“La Convention”) that has governed the partnership since 1977 grants the State a
primary role in the administration of schooling with all non-private schools financed and
controlled by government as part of the public system. However, churches retain significant day-
to-day oversight and managerial independence over the schools in their networks.
Chart 1: Distribution of "faith -based” public schools (2009), (disaggregated by network)
7. In practice, the roles and responsibilities of State and religious organizations are unclear.
Religious networks operate largely as autonomous, parallel structures inside the public system,
Source : MEPSP, compiled by J. Verhaghe
7%
40%
43%
1%
3%
1%
5%
0% 0%
Catholic Protestant
Kimbanguist
Independent
Islamic
Salutist
Adventist
Fraternité
Lumière
3
resulting in a system that divides the management of public schools between “state-run” and
“church-run” networks. This “out-sourcing” in the provision of education services ensured the
survival of public education during years of the State’s absence and periods of severe public
financing restrictions. Today, the vast size of the country, generally weak state administration and
poor communications, and the durability and distribution of these non-state actors throughout the
primary education sector present multiple opportunities for collaboration and a division of labor
that has not been fully explored. Despite these existing and potential benefits, the practical
manifestation of dual management of the education sector has resulted in a system characterized
by layers of administrative offices operating with significant efficiency and accountability deficits.
8. In an effort to address these weaknesses, government has invested considerable effort in
increasing access to education with promising results. Over the course of the last five years,
important investments have been made to expand the system, resulting in a rapid increase in
enrollments in all levels of education. Between 2008 and 2010, the number of public and private
education institutions increased from 47,000 to 51,000, and the number of students registered
across the system, from primary to higher education, grew from 13.6 million to 14.6 million. In
2010, gross enrollment rates reached 94 percent in primary education, 38 percent in secondary
education and 7 percent in higher education. The gradual introduction of a fee-free policy for
primary education in September 2010 has further strengthened this positive trend in access,
specifically for children from poorer household’s and has contributed to a reduction in gender
disparity.
9. In spite of these achievements, challenges remain. Barriers to access and continued
inequity are driven by high costs to households, poor infrastructure, and socio-economic and
cultural factors that constrain access for girls, and children from low income groups and hard to
reach areas. A poor learning environment, underpinned by poor teaching skills and the limited
availability of textbooks, undermine the quality of student learning as demonstrated by student
learning assessments. These challenges remain pervasive in the absence of capacity to carry-out
regular assessments and the ability to analyze data to improve the teaching and learning interface.
Finally, as mentioned above, deficiencies resulting from to the dual character of education
management impede efficiency and accountability.
Limited Access and Equity at the Primary Level
10. High Costs to Households. Despite the financial efforts undertaken by the government
(with support of the donor community), the direct costs of schooling to households remain high
and, in many cases unaffordable, for most households. In 2009, it was estimated that households
financed at least 37 percent of direct education expenditures, the state 48 percent, and other
sources 15 percent. In DRC, school fees are pervasive, many authorized by provincial decrees.
About 70 percent of the fees collected stay at the school level while 30 percent is transferred to
local and provincial education offices to finance their administrative costs. The breakdown of how
the funds for administration are used is shown in Table 1 for two provinces. Out of the 70 percent
that remains at the school level, the largest share is used as “prime de motivation”, a top-up for
teachers collected at the school level to compensate for low salaries. The government has not yet
succeeded in raising salaries to the level required to eliminate this practice. These fees are not
regulated by national legislation and are, at origin, often dubious, reflecting the perverse
relationship that has evolved between schools and their respective administrators whereby the
latter have grown financially dependent on parental contributions.
4
Table 1: School fees allocated to the “bureaux gestionnaires” (2011-12)
(Case of Bas-Congo and Orientale provinces)
11. Limited access due to poor infrastructure. Despite significant government investment over
the course of the last five years, the need to re-build and to rehabilitate classrooms remains urgent.
Many schools were devastated by decades of wars and under-investment, and continue to
deteriorate, while those built by communities are characterized by very poor quality. In 2010, 80.5
percent of the schools were judged to be in “good condition” despite 42 percent being built out of
non-durable materials (33 percent were built with pressed earth and 8.7 percent with straws and
leaves). Data demonstrates wide variations in the quality of schooling infrastructure between and
within the 11 provinces (see Attachment to Annex 2). Many schools also lack basic amenities such
as furniture; equipment; latrines; clean water and electricity. Implementation of the fee-free policy
has resulted in an influx of children to schools and increased demand for school places,
exacerbating the challenge associated with the poor existing stock of school infrastructure.
12. The Interim Education Plan (IEP), developed by the government to operationalize the
sector strategy, estimates that approximately 9,500 new primary schools need to be built and close
to 5,000 classrooms will require rehabilitation for the period 2011/12 to 2013/14.
13. Disparities in access persist across a range of dimensions – accessibility (financial and
physical), geographical and gender. The high costs of education limit demand, especially for
children from poor families and rural areas. These households incur higher relative opportunity
costs for schooling, especially for girls, and, as a consequence, are less likely to enroll their
children in school. In addition, there remain serious geographical disparities: While primary gross
enrollment averages 94 percent at national level during 2010-11, it ranges from 75 percent in
Katanga to 102 percent in North-Kivu. Children living in underserved and hard to reach regions
are still disproportionately excluded from the system and/or study under very difficult
circumstances (distance from the school, dilapidated classrooms, impact of war, etc.).
% CDF CDF CDF
Ecoles Non Convent NConv Conv
PROVED 20 54 Province 50 50
S/PROVED 32 86,4 Ministère provinciale 30 30
IPP 15 40,5 PROVED 65 40
Inspool IPP 50 30
Chef de Pool 8 21,6 SECOPE Prov 45 30
Pool Itinérant 20 54 SECOPE Antenne 10 10
SECOPE 5 13,5 SERNIE Prov 10 10
Total 100 270 SERNIE Antenne 10 10
Antenne des pensions 10 10
Ecoles Convent S/PROVED 80 10
COPRO 20 54 Inspool 15 10
Coord S/PRO 32 86,4 Itinérance 15 10
PROVED 12 32,4 Coord Nat 0 15
S/PROVED 15 40,5 COPRO 0 35
IPP 7 18,9 Coord S/PRO 0 90
Inspool Total 390 390
Chef de Pool 4 10,8
Pool Itinérant 8 21,6
SECOPE 2 5,4
Total 100 270
Sources: (1) PROVED Bas-Congo 1 (school year 2011-12)
(2) Provincial decree N°01/MAA/051/CAB/PROGOU/PO/2011 (school year 2011-12)
Province du Bas-Congo Province Orientale
5
14. Gender Disparities. Gender-based inequality is relatively high in DRC: 72 percent of
females aged 15 – 24 years attend an educational institution compared to 78 percent of males.
Progress has been made in increasing the girls:boys enrolment ratio (parity index of 0.87 in 2010
in primary education); however, gender disparity is wider at higher levels of education. The 2011
Gender Inequality Index demonstrated that only 10.7 percent of adult women reached secondary or
higher levels of education, compared to 36.2 percent of their male counterparts. The social and
economic consequences of gendered educational disparity is evidenced, for example, by the fact
that 20 percent of children of mothers without any education die before they are 5 years old
compared to 10 percent for children of mothers with secondary education.
15. Several factors underpin gender disparity: female children bear a disproportionate burden
with regard to demand for out-of-school work, and household work to support their families; girls
on average marry earlier; and the absence of proper latrines and water supply also discourages
girls’ participation. Poor security on roads/paths leading to schools and armed conflict negatively
impact female participation rates. Moreover, female teachers and administrators, who have the
potential to serve as role models and encourage girls to stay in school, represent only 27 percent of
the teaching force. Persistent high costs and inadequate financing of education lead to some
families prioritizing boys’ enrollment in school. These factors are further compounded by a lack of
sensitivity to gender issues and a proper system to address the treatment of sexual abuse and
unwanted pregnancies, which in many instances limit further participation of girls in schools.
Poor Learning Environment
16. Challenges remain with regard to the quality of education delivered to students, and
endowing students with the skills necessary to realize their full potential. Despite significant
progress in improving access to education, learning achievement remains low. The results of a
learning assessment carried out by the Program on the Analysis of Education Systems (PASEC)
(2010) indicate that at the end of the 5th
year of primary education, average scores of pupils show
only 47 percent in French and 59 percent in Math. The poor quality of primary education is, in
part, a consequence of the poor quality of pre-service training, inadequate support for upgrading
in-service teacher skills at the local/school levels, and a scarcity of textbooks and other learning
materials.
17. Factors contributing to limited access and enduring inequity also negatively impact internal
efficiency. The 2009/10 annual statistics demonstrate high rates of repetition, fluctuating between
8.5 percent in the 6th
grade and 16.6 percent in the 3rd
grade. Although drop-out rates are low in all
grades, with the exception of the 1st and 6
th grades where they can reach 20 percent, only 59
percent of Congolese children complete a full course of 6 grades in primary education. The causes
of repetition and drop-out are diverse and remedial solutions will require a combination of policies
and measures to strengthen the quality of education delivered.
18. Low Teacher Skills. Poor teacher skills limit learning outcomes. The quality of pre-
service teacher training is low and the in-service training program implemented in the eighties to
improve teacher skills no longer operates at the level required to effectively supplement low
teaching skills. This is compounded by weak supervision of teachers. Several agencies address
these weaknesses through programs targeted to specific pedagogical issues or districts/provinces.
But these efforts do not reflect a coherent and strategic approach to addressing generic weaknesses.
The size and terrain of the country compound the limited scope of these programs, making it
difficult to reach all teachers in a systematic manner.
6
19. Scarcity of Textbooks. Despite recent improvements to the distribution of textbooks,
availability of learning materials continues to be a problem at the primary level. Since 2004,
textbooks and pedagogical materials mainly in French and math have been distributed free of
charge to schools (public and private) across the country. With the support of the Belgian
Cooperation, reading and math textbooks for primary grades 5 and 6 were distributed for the
school year 2004-05, and for grades 3 and 4 in 2007-08. Under the auspices of the Education
Sector Support Project (PARSE) intervention, textbooks in French and math were distributed in
2009-10 for grades 1 and 2. Significant improvements are evident in the distribution of textbooks
for French and math, however, a coherent policy will be required to sustain and improve these
gains as the system expands over time. In addition, a shortage of textbooks in other subjects has
persisted through the course of the last ten years, specifically in sciences, and civic and moral
education.
20. In addition to improvements in the distribution of textbooks, there is a concurrent need to
ensure that the textbooks are used appropriately in the classroom. Current teacher guides are
unsuitable and will require significant revision. Distribution of teaching guides with
complementary training is envisaged through the continuing teacher education program. Periodic
surveys will also be conducted to ensure that communities and schools follow the guidelines
related to the use and maintenance of books.
21. In light of recent progress, the sustainability of the textbooks program is now a priority to
bolster the potential for delivering quality education. Government will develop and implement a
textbooks policy and strategy to build the capacity necessary for the development, evaluation and
publication of textbooks; the strengthening of textbook management and distribution systems; and
the design and realization of a financing system to ensure the continuous supply of affordable
textbooks and learning materials to schools.
22. The existing distribution approach will be replaced by a system that further decentralizes
textbook distribution to the PROVED and sub-PROVED levels where collaborating local officials
and the coordinating offices of religious organization will be responsible for delivery of books to
schools.
23. Learning Assessment. Periodic assessment of student achievement is carried out in the
context of the recommendations of the Dakar World Conference on Education held in 2000, but
the process is not yet institutionalized in the DRC. There are also concerns that poor organization
and management of examinations reduce the reliability of the exam results. With the support of
various donors, the MEPSP has implemented a number of initiatives to assess students learning in
French/Reading and math, notably through the development of standardized tests with UNICEF
(between 1999 and 2001), the assessment under the PASEC in 2010 for grades 2 and 5 with
CONFEMEN, and the assessment under PAQUED in 2010 with USAID financing for grades 2
and 4. In addition, Early Grade Reading Assessments have been carried out with the support of
USAID. The results of these assessments have not been fully exploited to serve as the basis for
policy making or for improving the teaching/learning process due to capacity constraints for
managing learning assessments consistent with international best practice, and for the preparation
and use of test results. The government plans to establish capacity in the near-term with support
from the donor group utilizing the experience gained in carrying the various assessments. As part
of this exercise, the PARSE would finance a national assessment in 2013 and studies on options
for establishing sustainable assessment capacity.
7
Weak Sector Financing and Management
24. Public financing of the sector is limited, with skewed expenditures. Sector financing is low
and has not increased relative to changes in need. It is estimated that in 2010, the budget for the
education sector was approximately 3 percent of GDP and only 8.9 percent of the national budget,
lower than averages for Sub-Saharan Africa. Even though some improvement has been noted in
2011 and 2012, this remains a challenging issue (see annex 3 for more details). The overwhelming
majority of this spending is used for the payment of salaries (on average 91 percent of the
domestically funded spending),1 and the limited funds allocated to development and operating
costs are inefficiently used. A comprehensive analysis of public expenditure underscores the
DRC’s overall dependence on aid (about 40 percent of the budget is externally funded), and that
poverty reduction priorities remain weakly protected in the budget. In 2011, it was estimated that
less than 50 percent of the national budget was allocated to priority areas to combat poverty and
improve basic service delivery, with the remainder being dedicated to sovereignty and security
sectors. The government is committed to increase financing of education and has started increasing
the share of the budget dedicated to education (see section VI.A and Annex 3 for more details).
25. Access to education and the quality of education delivered are adversely affected by weak
management, specifically through an inefficient operational system and the burden imposed as a
consequence of corrosive budgetary burden imposed by the cost of school management offices.
Comprehensive sector management reform is complicated by the size of the country and the
cumbersome nature of administrative structures. There is a need to strengthen management offices
closest to the schools as their performance has greater impact on school outcomes. Weak
application of norms and standards by the MEPSP as well as the proliferation and over staffing of
these offices, have contributed to inefficiencies in education sector management. Staff who have
reached the mandatory age of retirement continue to be employed within the system (as is the case
throughout the DRC’s administration), regulations pertaining to the establishment, staffing and
coordination of inspectorate offices are not applied and regulations related to recruitment are
bypassed through unauthorized appointments. The nature of the haphazard expansion of
administrative offices has institutionalized duplicated mandates and parallel structures, exacting a
substantial cost on the State (salaries, operating costs provided to the administrative offices) and
the households who pay fees to maintain administrative offices.
26. These factors have contributed to a context of increasingly scarce school inputs, the
deterioration of education infrastructure, and the ineffectual delivery of critical services such
teacher management and data collection. In the absence of effective allocation of state resources,
households have had to contribute to the operating costs of administrative offices, with a
subsequent erosion of accountability and oversight. In an effort to address this, government has
begun to finance the operating costs of administrative offices, and more vigorously enforce norms
and standards.
27. Linked to weaknesses in school management offices is inadequate control with regard to
the payment of teacher salaries and the establishment of new schools. The movement of the
existing stock of 341,000 teachers (primary and secondary education), the additional 91,000
teachers in schools awaiting admission to the government payroll, and the absence of accurate data
relating to school openings and payment of teacher salaries further complicates financial control
1 Operating costs and investment represent 8.5percent and 0.5percent, respectively (2008-2010).
8
and the administration of teacher management. The unit responsible for teacher management lacks
the organizational, institutional and technological capacity to handle the task and the government
does not have enough resources to meet the costs of absorbing new teachers. Government cannot
afford the cost required to retire the large number of over-aged teachers and the additional burden
of covering the salaries of teachers currently supported by community contributions. An improved
management system is needed to increase efficiency and gradually reduce the burden of teacher
salaries and running costs imposed on parents.
Government’s Education Strategy
28. To address these issues in a more structured and coherent manner, the MEPSP established a
strategy for the development of primary education that was adopted by the government, and
subsequently endorsed by the Local Education Donors Group (LEDG) on March 16, 2010. While
waiting for the completion of a holistic strategy for the entire education sector (to include higher
education, adult literacy and non-formal education), and with the goal of accelerating the
achievement of universal primary education, the MEPSP has adopted an Interim Education Plan
(IEP) for the period 2012-2014. The IEP provides a framework for future interventions in the
subsector by increasing the alignment of government and donor programs to improve
administration and management. It is expected that the IEP will result in increased coordination,
and efficiency gains to the benefit of impact on the ground.
29. Objectives of the IEP. The three specific objectives of the IEP are to:
(a) Increase access to primary education through: (i) promotion of gender parity; (ii)
specific measures to increase access for girls and overage children in first grade; (iii)
improving school infrastructure; and (iv) initiate a community approach to early childhood
development.
(b) Improve learning achievement through (i) the provision of textbooks for all students in
French, math, sciences, and civic and moral education; (ii) strengthening reading and
writing; (iii) adapting training for vocational training instructors to their areas of specialty;
(iv) strengthening in-service training of teachers; (v) updating or adapting training
programs to the needs of the economy; (vi) developing measures to ensure retention of
students for the full cycle of primary education; and (vii) improving actual learning time.
(c) Improve system management through (i) strengthening management at the local/school
level; (ii) improved allocation of public sector resources for the operation of offices at the
de-concentrated level; (iii) the development of specific actions for more effective
involvement of parents and civil society in school management; (iv) strengthening of the
capacity of administrative and pedagogical supervisors of educational establishments and
teachers; and (v) establishing a system of management by results at all levels of the
education system.
30. The IEP emphasizes priority actions to support the development of the sector in the
medium and long-term. These priority actions also constitute the conditions necessary for the
success of future reforms in the sub-sector and build the foundation for the development of an
overall sector strategy. Of particular importance are the expansion of free primary education, a
national policy for teacher training, reorganization of the management structure of the MEPSP, a
census of schools and staff of EPSP, a national policy on early childhood education, the integration
9
of children currently outside the education system, and the incorporation of cross-sectoral themes
such as gender, HIV/AIDS, the environment, promotion of peace, good citizenship and democracy.
31. The proposed project components are premised on consensus and will constitute a base that
other donors can replicate and/or scale up. The same holds true for the "local" partners (faith-based
networks, civil society), even if some are part of the public system. These groups have been
involved in the development of the IEP and this project. The participation of these important
stakeholders, and the resulting consensus for reforming the sector, constitute a significant
achievement that should not be discounted.
32. Status of the IEP. Implementation of the IEP has already commenced in a number of
key areas mainly as a consequence of Development Partners’ interventions, including IDA-
financed activities. These interventions serve as examples of best practices upon which IEP
programs will be built including the fee-free policy, improvements in the provision of funding and
grants to support the running costs of schools, and adding teachers to the payroll. In September
2009, the government commenced implementation of a fee-free policy on a gradual basis with
relative success in grades 1 to 4 in all provinces except Kinshasa and Lumumbashi, the 2 largest
cities in the country. Efforts were also made to progressively absorb the stock of non-budgeted
primary school teachers, and salaries were increased by 20 percent in the provinces to match the
salaries of teachers in Kinshasa. Schools and administrative offices have also begun to receive
monthly payments to support operating costs. However, these efforts remain inadequate to meet
needs and have evidenced limited impact.
33. With regard to teacher training, the government is planning to reactivate and strengthen the
in-service training program by embedding it in structured national framework. The framework will
address generic weaknesses while providing flexibility at the local level to adapt training content
to the specific needs of communities. It is envisaged that the structured program will allow for the
provision of technical support where needed, with appropriate oversight from the center, to ensure
compliance with, and the maintenance of, minimum standards. To ensure a wide reach, the
government plans to expand the use of information and communications technology (ICT) in the
delivery of in-service training; in line with a program piloted in the DRC context by USAID.
34. Improved textbook distribution must be complemented by interventions to ensure that
textbooks are used appropriately in the teaching process and are available across the system. To
achieve this objective, the current teacher guides will be revised and redistributed to teachers to
complement training provided through the continuing teacher education program. Periodic surveys
will be conducted to ensure that communities and schools follow the guidelines related to the use
and maintenance of textbooks.
35. Government is committed to the development and implementation a textbooks policy,
strategy and program, to deepen and sustain recent improvements in textbook distribution. It is
envisaged that this will entail the institutionalization of capacity for the development, evaluation
and publication of textbooks, strengthening of the textbook management and distribution system to
improve efficiency and sustainability, and the design of a financing system to ensure the
continuous supply of affordable textbooks and learning materials to schools. Previously the
distribution of textbooks relied on expensive modes of transportation from three points in the
country from which it was difficult to reach isolated areas. This approach will be replaced by
system that further decentralizes distribution to the PROVED and sub-PROVED levels from where
10
textbooks will be delivered to schools through collaboration between local officials and the
coordinating offices of religious organizations.
36. Progress is also being made in the area of teacher management reform. Specifically, the
government carried out a functional and organizational evaluation of Service de Contrôle et de la
Paie des Enseignants (SECOPE) and changed the leadership team in February 2012. A rapid
census of all ministry schools and staff was carried out in April/May 2012 and the government
budget is being increased to finance the costs of recruiting teachers and administrative staff to
offset contributions from parents. The government plans to introduce a new system and procedures
for the establishment, registration and budgeting of schools, management offices and teachers to be
financed by the public sector. The new system will function under the oversight of an inter-
ministerial committee made up of the ministries of education, budget, finance and the public
service as well as trade unions and other key stakeholders. In the immediate future SECOPE will
update the software responsible for the administration of teachers and staff data. The cost of the
software, computer equipment and training will be financed under the PARSE.
C. Donor Coordination and Financing
37. The IEP provides a framework for future interventions in the sector. The plan applies to all
partners supporting the sector, including government. The role of the Technical Advisory Unit
(CAT) as the coordinating unit for donor intervention will allow for improved coordination and
minimize the potential for duplication. Recent developments and discussions demonstrate the
commitment of donors to the alignment of new projects within the IEP framework (DfID,
Belgium, Spain, UNESCO, UNICEF, USAID and French AfD).
38. As shown in Table 2 below, donor support covers a significant swathe of the education
sector in DRC, and the coordination thereof is not only helpful, but critical to avoid duplication of
efforts. In practice, school construction has come to be led by UNICEF, AfD, CARITAS, and
DfID. USAID has assumed the lead in financing girls’ education, while multiple donors contribute
to quality improvement efforts with regard to in-service teacher training, textbook provision, ad-
hoc student assessments and general capacity building.
Table 2: Support by Various Partners
Donor Period Type of intervention Total funding
(USD)
USAID
2009 – 2014 Teacher training (implemented by EDC) 40,000,000
2010 – 2015 Teacher training policy (implemented by IRC) 22,500,000
Current Early grade reading with EDC and IRC TBD
World
Bank
(Current
Projects)
2008- 2013 School construction/rehabilitation
Textbooks 1st-2nd grades
Operating costs for schools
Payment of teacher salaries (adding additional teachers onto the payroll)
Support to development of policies and strategies
150,000,000
DfID
2012 Study on exclusion (out-of-school children) - implemented by UNICEF 2,000,000
2012 – 2015 Girls’ Education Challenge Fund TBD
2013 - beyond
2015 Direct support to schools, communities (esp. early grade learning) 58,000,000
UNICEF 2008-2012
ECD (community-based)
Access to quality primary education (construction, in-service training,
learning materials etc.)
Emergency and transition
85,000,000
11
Adolescent development and participation
2013 – 2017
Improve access: infrastructure and ECD
Improve completion: social protection (most vulnerable girls and boys)
Improve quality: in-service training, early grade literacy and math, life
skills; system of monitoring learning outcomes
Emergency and transition (peace education, systems restoration,
emergency response capacity strengthening)
Policy and partnerships (knowledge generation for policy analyses;
policy dialogue, civil society and donor coordination and partnership
building; EMIS decentralization; schools accountability)
98,000,000
AfD
2011 – 2013 Community based Construction, in-service teacher training and
institutional capacity building
6,600,000
2014 – beyond Community based Construction, in-service teacher training and
institutional capacity building and teachers salaries 66,000,0002
Belgium
2009 – 2012 In-service training (grades 3 and 4) – implemented by FEMS 3,960,000
2006 – 2012 In-service training (grades 3 and 4) – implemented by MS2 18,080,000
2012 – 2013 Training of secondary teachers and inspectors (French) - implemented
by SESAM
640,000
2008 – 2011 Institutional capacity building 2,640,000
2011 – 2015 Institutional capacity building (central and decentralized entities) 7,620,000
TBD TVET new country program 39,600,000
Spain 2011-2013 Construction, in-service training and institutional capacity building 6,600,000
ADB 2013-2017 TVET TBD
World Bank Strategy and Rationale for GPE Engagement
39. The World Bank has been engaged in the education sector in DRC for a significant period,
working closely with partners and the government to address critical challenges. Bank-supported
analytical and operational work has enabled a strategic dialogue that has helped the government
leverage support for further development of the education sector. Through IDA financing, the
Bank has also contributed to reducing the cost of education for families. The IDA-financed Projet
d’Urgence de Rehabilitation Urbaine et Sociale (PURUS) and PARSE initiated a process for
allocating grants to primary schools to help cover running costs as a first step towards alleviating
the burden of school fees on households, and to make schools primarily accountable for locally
managed expenditure. PURUS and PARSE moreover reduced costs to households by adding
teachers to the public payroll who were previously paid by communities. The implementation of
these activities included the establishment of reliable financial flows, the design of operations
manuals and reporting mechanisms in line with the deconcentrated/decentralized approach of the
IEP. These initiatives have encouraged the government to commence financing (2011) of the
operating costs of some schools and administrative offices utilizing domestic (non-donor)
resources. In addition, PARSE conducted a number of studies (Diagnostics organisationnels du
MEPSP et du SECOPE) that form the basis of analysis to underpin the institutional reforms
proposed in the IEP. Another PARSE study supported the government in developing a national
policy for school rehabilitation and construction. This analytical work provided the basis for a
more cost-effective approach (community-based design and use of low-cost local materials)
adopted under the auspices of the IEP, and is already being implemented by a number of donors.
Government has succeeded in improving the supply of textbooks to students in the key subjects of
French and math. Additional interventions are being envisioned to strengthen the data collection
and analysis system, with adecentralization to the local level.
2 Exact amount still to be confirmed.
12
40. Despite heavy donor engagement in the education sector, the Bank’s role has been critical
in covering the gap found in recurring costs and the funding of teacher salaries, as well as through
the introduction of innovative methods and for systems strengthening. Through the GPE, the
World Bank, as the supervising entity, will contribute to support the Government of DRC to
address the increasing pressure on the education system flowing from increased enrollment, and
improve the quality of learning delivered through the provision of quality textbooks and teacher
training.
D. Higher Level Objectives to which the Project Contributes
41. The project contributes to the higher level objectives of the country’s growth and poverty
reduction strategy supported by the Bank’s Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) for 2007-2010. The
main pillars of the CAS are to (i) promote good governance; (ii) improve access to basic social
services and reduce vulnerability; and (iii) promote community dynamics. A new CAS, currently
being prepared, will be presented to the Board in FY13. Project design is aligned with the
objective of the Bank’s Education Strategy 2020 by striking a balance between the provision of
essential inputs (school buildings, textbooks and trained teachers) and activities that contribute to
strengthening accountability within the education system (low-cost strategy in school construction,
decentralization of the decision-making process, use of results agreements).
42. The project also contributes to the objectives and activities of the IEP endorsed by the
LEDG and GPE members: (a) increase access to primary education; (b) improve learning
achievement and (c) improve system management. Components outlined in this operation will
serve as the mechanism for operationalizing these objectives set out by the government and
endorsed by the local donor group.
II. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
A. PDO
43. Design of the project takes into account the complexity and scope of the IEP, the size of the
country, and the short three year implementation horizon of the project. The project is premised on
the principle of collaboration with the government and other stakeholders and complements the
efforts being undertaken by other donors. A targeted approach will maximize impact, and ensure
effective implementation support to the project, including supervision of new
interventions/reforms to ensure that lessons are learned prior to scaling up. It is proposed that
project interventions be mainly concentrated in two provinces, Equator and Kasai-West, with the
exception of textbooks which will be national in scope, and benefit from the experience accrued
through a number of donor supported programs. The two provinces were selected based on six
needs-based criteria that were decided through a participatory process involving the LEDG and the
Government (see Attachment to Annex 2 for details).
44. The project’s development objectives are to: (a) increase access and equity in primary
education, (b) improve learning conditions in primary education and (c) strengthen sector
management and promote greater accountability by introducing new management practices at the
local levels.
13
B. Project Beneficiaries
45. The benefits of the project will accrue both in the short- and medium-term. Some
objectives focus on activities that would have an immediate impact (provision of classrooms,
textbooks and teacher training etc., while others will produce more sustained gains through
measures supporting system building and strengthening that are integrated into the design of each
of the components. The key beneficiaries will be current and future participants in the education
sector including: (a) all school children; (b) teachers, school directors, pedagogical advisors,
inspectors and other officials in MEPSP; (c) schools’ managers, and (d) parents and communities.
School children will benefit from an improved physical and pedagogical environment, and
improvements to the quality of education delivered, with the potential to increase earnings and
positively influence the social conditions for outgoing students and their communities. Improved
conditions and higher levels of education for girls will not only help them raise future earnings but
also help protect them from social ills associated with abuse and HIV/AIDS. Educating girls to
higher levels will also help improve the social welfare conditions of their families. Teachers and
other pedagogical and administrative officials will benefit from higher levels of training, an
improved working environment and higher levels of income and employment security. School
managers will benefit from working in a more structured environment with greater clarity of roles
and responsibilities and greater security in the financing of salaries and operations. The burden
imposed on communities through the levying of informal fees associated with education will be
alleviated by more efficient and effective public financing of education. Parents and communities
will benefit from increased opportunities to educate their children, the increased provision of free
textbooks, and through the eventual reduction and elimination of fees currently supplementing the
running costs of school administration.
46.
C. PDO Level Results Indicators
PDO Outcome indicators
(i) Improve access and equity in primary
education
- Primary net 1st year intake rate, average and
by gender
(ii) Improve learning conditions in primary
education
- French textbook:pupil ratio
- Math textbook:pupil ratio
(iii) Strengthen sector management and promote
greater accountability by introducing new
management practices at the local levels
- % of “bureaux gestionnaires de proximité“
functioning according to regulatory norms
and under results agreements system
III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
47. To minimize implementation risks and maximize impact on the neediest areas, the
Government and Local Education Donors Group (LEDG) decided to focus project interventions
mainly in two provinces (Equator and Kasai-West), with the exception of the textbooks sub-
component which will cover the whole country. Following a participatory consultation process
with the LEDG and the Government, various criteria were discussed and agreed upon for selecting
the two targeted provinces out of the 11 Congolese provinces. Six criteria were used to capture the
most deprived provinces in terms of schooling (in particular for girls) and where donors are least
active. The six criteria chosen included: (i) Primary Completion Rate, (ii) Number of Out-Of
school Children, (iii) Gender Parity Index in primary education, (iv) Enrolment growth rate due to
tuition-free policy, (v) Percentage of classrooms in durable material and (vi) Number of
14
classrooms rehabilitated/rebuilt by donors and government during the last 5 years as a percentage
of the total number of classrooms in the province. This analysis identified the Equator Province
and Kasaï-West as the provinces most urgently in need (see attachment to Annex 2 for more
details).
48. The project will be financed by two sources of financing: the Global Partnership for
Education (US$93.6 million) and the Education for All Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Trust Fund -
European Commission (US$6.4 million). The closing dates of the TFs corresponding to these
funds, August 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016 respectively have been taken into account in the design
of implementation arrangements for this operation.
A. Project Components
Component 1: Increasing access and equity at the primary level through Rehabilitation and
Re-Construction of Classrooms (US$24.4 million)
49. To increase access and promote equity, this component will rehabilitate and replace
unsuitable classrooms, and build ancillary facilities. The component will strengthen and
complement the government’s existing free primary education program and initiatives to promote
girls’ education.
50. Specific Objective. The objectives of this component are to: (i) rehabilitate or replace
classrooms in disrepair and those built with non-durable materials (mud and straws and leaves);
(ii) add or rehabilitate school director offices and annexed facilities such as latrines and water
supply, and (iii) involve local communities, specifically the Conseils de gestion scolaire (COGES)
in the provision and management of school infrastructures and furniture. A total of 900 classrooms
in the provinces of Equator and Kasai-West, in existing schools, have been identified for
rehabilitation and the provision of furniture and equipment. Ninety percent (90%) of these
classrooms will replace temporary nondurable structures in rural areas, and 10 percent (10%) will
be rehabilitated in peri-urban and urban areas. The construction of latrines and the provision of
clean water will help attract and retain girls in school. The strategy will imply the inclusion of
rehabilitation of schools attended by indigenous people, as revealed by the provincial consultations
in conjunction with the preparation of the Indigenous People Planning Framework (IPPF).
51. The distribution of resources between the two provinces is premised on the number of
classrooms and girls enrolled, with a 60/40 percent weighting in favor of classrooms and number
of girls. Based on these criteria, 56.51 percent of the funds will be allocated to Equator and 43.49
percent to Kasai-West.
52. An important feature of the proposed project is the promotion of de-concentrated decision-
making. School building program implementation will be based on the following principles: (i)
delegation of implementation to the de-concentrated levels of the ministry; (ii) recruitment at
deconcentrated level of LEAs with support from the central level to ensure operational
management of the construction program ; (iii) capacity building of PROVEDs to ensure the
technical monitoring of the construction program ; (iv) involvement of the local school networks
(S/PROVED for the “state-run” schools and “Coordinations” for the “faith-based” schools) in the
selection of the schools; (v) for the duration of the project, involvement of the COGES and school
networks in supervision of the implementation of the works and their compliance with
15
environmental and social requirements ; and (v) involving deconcentrated officials such as the
provincial minister of education in supervision tasks.
53. The execution of the infrastructure program will build on the government construction
strategy3 that promotes the use of appropriate technology and local materials and through the
outsourcing of the program to specialized executing entities with community participation. This
approach is being used for the school infrastructure program under the on-going PARSE as well as
by other international donors, such as UNICEF and AfD. PROVEDs, strengthened with TA, will
assume overall responsibility for construction program, while LEAs will be responsible for
operational management of construction. The capacity of the Directorate of Infrastructure at the
central level will be strengthened. The implementation arrangements will be developed in the
operations manuals. The strategy will imply the inclusion of rehabilitation of schools attended by
indigenous people as revealed by the provincial consultations in conjunction with the preparation
of the Indigenous People Planning Framework (IPPF).
54. The criteria for the selection and distribution of schools among provinces are described in
detail in Annex 2. In summary, (i) the schools in the program should have a full cycle and at least
40 percent of the schools will be “state-run” (non conventionnées) schools; (ii) civil works should
be carried out only on existing sites and within the limits of the school. The works should not
present any major environmental or social risk; (iii) schools to be rehabilitated should be structures
built from durable material and the cost of the rehabilitation should be less than 50 percent of the
replacement costs; (iv) schools to be replaced should be within 3 miles of a principal road or water
way. (v) As a result of provincial and national consultations carried out in conjunction with the
preparation of the Indigenous People Planning Framework (IPPF),, about 10% of the selected sites
(between 10 and 15 sites) will harbor schools that are also attended by indigenous students. Works
on these sites will be carried out on the basis of studies that assess the specific living conditions of
these indigenous people and provide a tailored architectural design, including of furniture.
55. Under the leadership of MEPSP, the measures and processes described above are expected
to lead to a uniform policy for school construction. The estimated cost of this component is
US$24.4 million for civil works, furniture, equipment and consultancy fees.
Component 2: Improving the Quality of the Learning Environment (US$60 million)
56. To improve quality, the project will support (i) teacher skills development in Equator and
Kasai-West and (ii) the provision of textbooks and pedagogical materials country-wide.
Sub-component 2.1: Strengthening in-service training (US$16.9 million)
57. Improving teacher quality is a top priority for the government given the erosion of teacher
training capacity through the crisis period. A number of partners are assisting the government to
address this issue through training programs. Government and donors share consensus with regards
to the need for a robust and sustainable system for teacher training. Government intends to
introduce a national system to upgrade teacher skills and to meet the needs of teachers according to
the diverse social and geographic conditions of the country.
3 Its development was supported by the PARSE.
16
58. The project will activate and improve school/local based in-service training program by
introducing successful elements of ongoing programs such as IFADEM financed by OIF, AUF and
APFE in the province of Katanga, APEP financed by AfD and PAQUED financed by USAID. The
program will combine a distance training (taking into account the country’s very poor road
network and connectivity) and on-site approach. Delivery will be anchored at the individual
school, and networks of three schools, with upward linkages to the central ministry through the
sub-PROVEDs and PROVEDS using printed media (printing can be done locally) and
radio/television. Print media will be used for areas that cannot easily be reached by radio and
television. The distance approach will allow access to a large number of teachers, reduce drop-outs
associated with travel to training programs, minimize absences from schools, and costs associated
with travel. In addition, the interventions will ensure that Le Service National de la Formation
(SERNAFOR) has the required training skills and reduce the period between acquisition and use of
skills in the classrooms.
59. A joint technical committee of the Direction des Programmes et du Materiel Didactique
(DIPROMA)-SERNAFOR will provide overall guidance for the training component of the project,
with support from local and international technical experts. The Training teacher program will start
with existing modules, developed by the MEPSP with support from USAID and being used in
other provinces. New modules will be prepared by specialists in workshops based on that
experience, and school directors and other local trainers will be capacitated in the use of the
modules in the targeted sub-PROVEDs during school vacations. Training at the school/local level
will be conducted through tutorials organized by the school directors and experienced teachers to
stimulate participation and obtain feedback. Radio/television modules will be delivered at agreed
upon times and will contain instructions for both teachers and students on their use. Self-training
sessions will also be held by groups of teachers facilitated by the school director or an experienced
teacher.
60. At the national level, the program will be managed by the SERNAFOR in collaboration
with the DIPROMAD. These directorates will work closely with the education department of the
University of Kinshasa, UNICEF and UNESCO as well as other international institutions in
designing the modules and in evaluating programs. The Director of the sub-PROVED will manage
the delivery of training at the local level supported by the inspector of primary schools and the
pedagogical inspector. School directors supported by experienced teachers will manage the
program at the school level. A resource center, staffed by a part-time technical specialist, will be
established at each sub-PROVED.
61. The project will finance school and proximity based teacher training in the amount of
US$16.9 million.
Sub-component 2.2: Provision of learning materials (US$43.1 million)
62. This sub-component will, as planned in the IEP, support the acquisition and the distribution
of textbooks, country-wide to all public and private primary education schools. The project will: (i)
procure and distribute textbooks for grades 3 and 44 for French and math and for grades 5 and 6 in
French, math, sciences and Civics in primary education and (ii) develop and introduce a national
textbooks policy and program.
4 The textbooks for grades 1 and 2 in French and math are already delivered thanks to the ongoing PARSE project.
17
63. About 4.5 million of the current textbooks and teacher guides in math and French for
grades 3 and 4 will be reprinted and distributed. (The cost of these textbooks estimated at US$6.4
million will be financed under the Education for All Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Trust Fund -
European Commission). The textbooks and teachers guides for grades 5 and 6 in French, math and
sciences will be new editions as the current versions are outdated. About 9.9 million textbooks and
complementary teacher guides will be procured for these grades.
64. The textbooks and teacher guides for civics and moral education for grades 5 and 6 will
also be prepared by the ministry based on technical guidelines in effect, and approximately 1.8
million textbooks will be provided and distributed to all schools.
65. To reinforce the capacity of the DIPROMAD to lead the implementation of the program,
the project will (a) finance training in: (i) the preparation of textbooks, (ii) define the technical and
pedagogical specifications of textbooks; (iii) institutionalize evaluation of textbooks, and (iv)
support logistics related to management of textbooks stocks and their distribution. In addition, the
DIPROMAD will (b) support the development of a textbook policy, strategy and program.
DIPROMAD will be provided with materials and equipment to improve their effectiveness.
66. Building on lessons learned from PARSE, the distribution approach will be further
decentralized by linking the center to schools through the intermediate levels. Decentralization of
textbooks distribution will substantially reduce the need to manage very large stocks and heavy
transportation. Textbooks will be delivered to PROVEDs and distributed further to sub-PROVEDs
who will liaise with network coordinators for religious schools to arrange for the distribution of
textbooks to schools using local transportation.
67. The school management offices will be charged with the responsibility to verify that the
books have been delivered and are being used. Parents and communities will be sensitized about
the provision of the textbooks and their use, and encouraged to monitor the program. Systematic
beneficiary surveys will be carried out to assess the effectiveness of the system as a whole.
68. The project will finance acquisition and distribution of textbooks as well as capacity
building in an amount of US$43.1 million.
Component 3: Strengthening Sector Management (US$15.5 million)
69. This component will support interventions to ensure that current regulations are applied
and strengthened as a basis for more efficient and more accountable sector management.
Sub-component 3.1: Restructuring of the education administrative offices (US$4.7 million)
70. The government is committed to reforming the management of the system following the
drop in standards resulting from the crisis. However, it recognizes that this would be a major task
which would need to be carefully designed and implemented to avoid further damage to the
system. The focus at this stage is therefore to ensure that the school management offices closest to
schools provide the necessary support to allow for improvements in the quality of education
delivered in schools. Results-based agreements will be used initially to re-establish norms and
standards that would facilitate provision of cost-effective quality education and increased
accountability for results. To help re-establish progressively a “healthier” administrative and
pedagogical relationship between the administrative offices and schools, a roadmap has been
18
formally discussed and agreed upon with all stakeholders and will be implemented in the short to
medium term.
71. The road map will be introduced at the sub-provincial level in the two selected provinces
targeting (a) the retirement of eligible staff still in the system, and (b) addressing the over staffing
of offices due to unauthorized recruitment. Retirement of eligible staff will not be addressed in this
project as it requires a national approach encompassing all sectors. However, over staffing can and
will be handled by the MEPSP in the short-term through reassignment to other positions based on
a new organizational structure, or in instances where staff are unqualified or there are no available
positions to fill, affected staff will be made redundant.
72. To ensure transparency and objectivity in implementing the reforms, representative
commissions will be established at the central and provincial levels. To complement support from
managing agencies, parental and community involvement in school management will be
strengthened.
73. Financing under the sub-component will consist of: (i) provision of operating costs for
school management offices (“Bureaux Gestionnaires de Proximité”); (ii) the development of
management and reporting tools and communication activities; (iii) the design of results-based
agreements; and (iv) financial audits and quality assessments (US$4.7 million). It has been agreed
upon thatoperating costs of provincial level administrative offices of Equator and Kasai-West
provinces will be financed by the Government and not anymore by fees collected at school level.
Sub-component 3.2: Other Strengthening of institutional capacity (US$2.7 million)
74. Teacher management (US$2.1 million). Premised on an organizational diagnostic, this
component will build on the intervention implemented by SECOPE (new organigrams, redefined
and targeted roles etc.). Support is currently being provided by PARSE to assess the essential
needs of SECOPE in terms of immediate technical support (ITC, decentralization internal
management etc.) and initiate the basis for reform. To assist with the institutionalization of the
system, the project will provide technical assistance to SECOPE to implement reform. This
technical assistance will cover the 3-year period of the project but will intervene on a periodic
basis following a clear work plan.
75. Technical support is critical to strengthening the education system in DRC, including the
need for further dialogue with the government with regard to the budget framework to (i) increase
the adequacy and efficiency of budget allocations with a particular attention to teacher recruitment
and school operating costs; and (ii) ensure effective monitoring of budget execution. This process
is expected to be strengthened by the planned Afd support to increase fiscal space for core
education expenditures under the debt-relief program, encouraging the sustainability of the IEP
implementation and more effective administration. The project will finance technical assistance in
an amount of US$2.1 million
76. Shaping the strategic framework for tackling Girls Education (US$0.6 million) – Given
prevailing gender disparities, the project gram will support the development of a national strategy
for girls’ education, in consultation with UNICEF and DFID. Government is committed to
pursuing a comprehensive and cost-effective approach that would eliminate barriers to girls’
education and bridge equity gaps. The project will finance a study for the development of a
strategy in this area.
19
Sub-component 3.3: Project Management and Coordination (US$8.1 million)
77. The sub-component will support project management and coordination through the
financing of medium-term consultant services and technical assistance in the education sector. It
will also support workshops, seminars on technical subjects relevant to the project objectives, and
training in project management skills. In addition, it will provide financing for the acquisition of
computer equipment, office materials and supplies as well support the development and
implementation of communication strategies and campaigns to bolster the fee-free policy. The
project will finance supervision costs and provide additional resources for monitoring and
evaluation that could include support for the collection and analysis of school statistics in the two
selected provinces of Equator and Kasaï West (US$8.1 million).
20
B. Project Financing
Lending Instrument
78. Project financing is through two sources: (i) a grant from the Global Partnership for
Education (GPE) in the amount of US$93.6 million and (ii) a grant from the Education for All Fast
Track Initiative– European Commission fund in the amount of US$6.4 million. Both grants are
provided using a SIL in light of the weak macro-economic and fiduciary systems in the country.
The project will also complement the on-going PARSE financed by an IDA credit of US$150
million.
Table 3: Project Cost and Financing
Project Components Project cost
US$ M
GPE or
EFA-FTI EC % Financing
1. Increasing access and equity at the
primary level
2. Quality of Learning Environment
3. Strengthening Sector Management
Total Baseline Costs
Physical contingencies
Price contingencies
Components costs including pro-rated
contingencies
1. Increasing access and equity at the
primary level
2. Quality of Learning Environment
3. Strengthening Sector Management
23.0
56.5
14.6
94.1
5.5
0.4
24.4
60.1
15.5
GPE
GPE (50.1)
GPE
GPE
GPE
GPE
EFA-FTIEC (6.4)
23.0
56.5
14.57
94.1
5.5
0.4
24.4
60.1
15.5
Total Project Costs
Total Financing Required
100.0
100
C. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design
79. The project draws on lessons learned from closed and on-going projects in DRC such as
PARSE and other post-conflict countries, as well as the implementation of GPE-financed projects.
80. The following key lessons have been taken into consideration in the project design.
(a) Support to post-conflict/fragile countries needs to strike a balance between essential
inputs to address urgent needs including construction, textbooks, teachers’ training and
broader sector reform interventions such as restructuring of the administrative offices
and further strengthening of SECOPE to progressively establish a foundation for
further systems with a better accountability. In this regard this project as stated earlier
will further expand and help institutionalize expansion of the provision of classrooms,
textbooks and in-service teacher training being carried out under PARSE and other
donor supported projects. The use of LEAs for construction is being further improved
to enhance fiduciary management and efficiency and the textbooks distribution system
is being further decentralized to overcome issues encountered in PARSE related to
21
geographic challenges and weak linkage with sub-provincial offices and schools.
Given the time required to design and implement the reforms aimed at improving
teacher quality through pre- and in-service teacher training, the project will build on its
school/cluster level in-service program by integrating aspects of the USAID financed
program to get quick results more efficiently.
(b) At the same time the project will continue to support the sector level reforms to ensure
sustainability. In this regard, given the lessons learned in the payment of teacher
salaries and financing of school fees under PARSE, the project will continue to support
these reforms but in a strategically different manner. These activities will no longer be
projectized, but paid through the government system as essential recurrent costs which
need to be integrated to ensure sustainability. Also, these expenditures can now be
financed by the government given the improved fiscal context, reducing the need for
temporary external financing. Institutionalization of these interventions will be
supported through technical assistance.
(c) Related to this was the choice to focus project support for institutional change at the
school management office/school level. This was done with the recognition that sector
level changes can take time to impact schools and that school based management was
an essential part of the institutional chain that needed to be addressed to yield quick and
sustainable results. The aim is therefore to help establish the institutional framework,
procedures and initial financing to make school management offices independent from
financing by schools and to help the government for its oversight functions related to
the performance of these offices and schools. This is a challenging task given the weak
capacity in many of the local offices and the need to also ensure a structured and
systematic relationship between the management offices/schools, parents and civil
society. This intervention will therefore be piloted in two provinces with the close
collaboration of other donors to learn lessons before the measures are taken to scale.
(d) In a vast country like DRC and with limited resources, it is important to proceed on a
gradual basis, limiting the coverage to a modest number of provinces, so as to more
efficiently monitor and assess the impact of interventions.
(e) Effective donor coordination is essential in providing the government with
complementary assistance programs, ensuring a coherent and systemic approach to
reform and maintaining a focus on the need to strengthen education outcomes. This
approach was applied in the preparation of the IEP and in the selection of the policy
and investment areas this project would cover. This collaboration is also built into the
monitoring and evaluation arrangements for the project.
(f) Mainstreaming project implementation arrangements in government structures
strengthens the capacity of the executing ministries, builds stronger ownership of the
reforms and is more likely to contribute to sustainable results. This approach is built
into the project design, however given the challenges related to use of government
structures in an environment with weak capacity some modifications were made to
manage the risks. First, the Secretariat General’s office will be strengthened and
fiduciary management will be supported by the unit in the PARSE project. The
provincial offices will also be reinforced with TA especially for the construction
component.
22
(g) Effective supervision is needed to ensure impact of projects. The geographic scope of
the project has therefore been scaled down to 2 provinces to manage strengthening of
systems effectively and permit adequate supervision and monitoring of project
outcomes. In addition the ISP and GAC Plan will include the key elements that would
need support during implementation.
(h) Use of disbursement conditions to ensure action is taken on key issues can delay project
implementation if they cannot be met. All project components will therefore be fully
prepared prior to project effectiveness and there will not be any disbursement
conditions.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION
A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements
81. The detailed project implementation arrangements are shown in Annex 4.
Guiding principles
82. The implementation arrangements envisaged for this Project are premised on the de-
concentrated implementation framework developed under the auspices of the IEP. Implementation
will be mainstreamed through the existing structures and coordination mechanisms of the sector,
and will be framed by the following principles: (i) responsibility and accountability; (ii) equity and
(iii) performance-based agreements.
(a) A de-concentrated approach requires a stronger sense of responsibility and
awareness of accountability at the lower levels of the education system, specifically the
administrative offices at sub-provincial levels (S/PROVED, Inspool primaire and Sous-
Coordinations) and schools. In return for financing from the government they will be
expected to deliver quality public services.
(b) Equity: The principle of equity not only refers to issues of vulnerability and
exclusion, but necessitates a more equitable distribution of resources, and the prioritization
of those most in need. This requires establishing objective criteria for targeted interventions
(e.g., choice of geographic locations) and institutional arrangements for equitable service
delivery (e.g., number of inspectors proportional to the number of schools etc.);
c) Performance-based agreements require periodic evaluations of work on the basis
of established and agreed upon indicators. In line with the IEP, this Project will establish
“performance” agreements at the sub-provincial level. This is a relatively new concept as
very little accountability exists with regard to the management of school fees and the
delivery of services.
83. In addition to a partnership agreement between the center and the PROVEDs, a results
based performance agreement will be established between the sub-PROVED and school
management offices regarding the administrative structure, operations and the supervision of
schools to ensure that the required administrative and pedagogical standards are maintained
23
Implementation at central level
84. MEPSP will ultimately be accountable for meeting the objectives of the project. Project
implementation will be mainstreamed, using the MEPSP structure at the central and
deconcentrated levels, with the large majority of activities executed at the deconcentrated levels.
85. Strategic oversight of project implementation will be ensured by the Steering Committee
(SC, Comité de pilotage) composed of the Ministers of EPSP (President), ESU, MAS, Planning,
Finance and Budget, the Donors Coordinating Agency and the Secretary General of MEPSP
(Secretariat of the SC). The SC will approve annual work plans and reports, and endorse major
decisions of the project. The committee will meet formally twice a year and invite the World Bank
(as an observer). The committee will meet formally twice a year and invite the World Bank (as an
observer). A Project Implementation Team has been established within the MEPSP by a-
ministerial decree as follows: Overall project management, supervision and coordination will fall
under the Secretary General assisted by an executive officer for day-to-day decision making.
Mechanisms will be established to monitor implementation progress. A Technical Committee (TC)
and the Technical Advisory Unit (CAT) will work closely together, meeting on a regular basis, and
reporting to the Secretary General. The TC will be comprised of a core group including the heads
of the Directorates responsible for key project components, notably school construction, sector
planning, pedagogical inputs, teacher training, teacher management and system governance. Other
Directorates of the MEPSP will be seconded to the TC if the need arises. The CAT, composed of
national and international experts, is already operational. It was involved in the development of the
IEP and is a source of technical advice to the Directorates. Project management within the
Secretary General’s Office will be strengthened with the support of the fiduciary specialists of the
PARSE. These specialists have accrued important expertise, and demonstrated satisfactory
performance with regard to the procurement activities and financial management of the PARSE.
The capacity of the recently created Procurement Services unit of MEPSP will be built through the
course of the project to ensure sustainable results.
Implementation at de-concentrated levels
86. At the provincial level, the PROVED, as cosignatory to performance-based agreements
with sub-provincial offices, is ultimately responsible for project oversight. The PROVED will
exercise this authority in line with a participatory process and within limits approved by the
Provincial Committee (Commission provinciale de l’EPSP) comprised by provincial education
officials, representatives of civil society, church-run networks and the donors coordinating agency.
87. The sub-provincial offices are directly accountable, from a technical perspective, for
implementation of the Project. For this reason, their organigrams have been revisited and essential
tasks redefined in order to ensure implementation at the school level. They will closely monitor the
performance of school heads and teachers. Sub-provincial offices and schools will be responsible
for reporting on results under the performance-based agreements. At the level of the school, parent
committees will be actively involved in approving and monitoring local implementation plans.
Existing operations manuals will be adapted and included in the project’s operations manuals.
88. The execution of the school rehabilitation/reconstruction component will build on
government’s construction strategy5 promoting a low-cost approach using appropriate technology,
5 Its development was supported by the PARSE.
24
local materials and through the outsourcing of the program to specialized executing entities and
local communities. Local Executing Agencies (LEA) will be recruited at provincial level with
support from central level. LEAs will recruit general contractors (responsible for studies and
oversight of the construction works), local enterprises to carry-out construction and firms to
deliver furniture. Furniture will be procured locally through competitive bidding. Local
communities represented by the school management committees (COGE) will receive initial
training from the LEAs and will be responsible for the maintenance of the buildings and the
furniture. The COGEs will be involved in implementation arrangements such as monitoring
progress of construction works and the reception of buildings and furniture. The specific
implementation procedures will be developed in operations manuals. The PROVEDs will be
strengthened by a team composed of a financial person (minimum of Bac+3 level) and a qualified
engineer (A0 level) to permit them to effectively carry out the planning and supervision of the
ALEs, the construction firms and other contractors (general contractors, construction enterprises
and furniture providers). A technical evaluation of buildings and furniture will be conducted by an
independent consultant on an annual basis to ensure the quality of the investments made.
Role of Partners
89. The collaboration among the donor group during the preparation of the IEP and of the
project will continue during implementation. There will be direct involvement of other partners in
the implementation of some components while for other components the project will benefit from
the experiences of projects financed by other partners. USAID for example will work very closely
with the MEPSP and the Bank team in the development of in-service teacher training system
through the development of modules and for putting in place the mechanisms for distance
education in the 2 provinces. The LEDG will also work jointly in developing the systems for
promoting girls education and teacher management. Discussions are well advanced with UNICEF,
USAID and DfID on issues related to girls’ education and with AfD on the development of the
teacher management system. Regular consultations will also take place at the informal and formal
levels on the implementation of all components given the experience of other donors in the various
activities included in the project to learn from their experiences and to ensure a coherent national
approach. The systems that will be developed will be adopted by all donors in future programs, in
the framework of the IEP. The role of the Technical Advisory Unit (CAT) as the coordinating unit
for donor intervention will allow for improved coordination and minimize the potential for
duplication. Recent developments and discussions demonstrate the commitment of donors to the
alignment of new projects within the IEP framework (DfID, UNICEF, USAID and AfD).
90. Donors will jointly monitor project implementation in the context of the IEP. The Donors
Coordinating Agency will be a member of the Steering Committee chaired by the Minister of
MEPSP, which will provide strategic oversight of the project. This committee will approve annual
work plans and reports and endorses major decisions. The Committee will meet at least twice a
year. There will also be joint annual reviews of the implementation of the IEP during which the
project will also be discussed as part of the IEP. The Donors Coordinating Agency will also be part
of the Provincial Committees and participate twice a year in meetings organized by the Provincial
Committee located in the “capital” of the administrative province, chaired by the provincial
Minister of Education.
91. Donors and civil society representatives will also be members of the various platforms that
coexist and serve as frameworks for dialogue and concerted action between the donors and the
government. These include the Thematic Education Group (Groupe Thématique Education) and
25
the Comité de Concertation. The Thematic group is a high-level body including the Ministers of
Education (EPSP, ESU and MAS); while the Comité is more technical, responsible for analytical
work and the production of technical reports. The role of these groups will be to monitor
government action and formulate recommendations.
B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation
92. At the central level, strategic monitoring of overall project progress will be ensured by the
Steering Committee. To ensure effective monitoring, the project will provide funds for further
development of school statistics, and for surveys to monitor the use and maintenance of textbooks.
93. Monitoring and evaluation will be supported by semi-annual implementation support
missions from the Bank as Supervising Entity, and joint annual sector reviews organized by the
government with the contribution of the Parent Teacher Associations. The results of annual sector
reviews will be communicated to affected stakeholders through workshops. Information campaigns
developed through the communication strategy will assist in disseminating information relating to
project activities, and ensure more vigorous public monitoring of project activities.
94. Day-to-day project activities will be monitored and periodic evaluations undertaken, at the
deconcentrated level with the first line of responsibility assumed by the “bureau gestionnaires de
proximité” through the use of results agreements.
95. A prerequisite for efficient implementation is the existence of a reporting and monitoring
systems at all levels. Sub-provincial offices will report to their counterparts at provincial level (for
instance, Inspool to IPP). Provincial offices will compile these reports and formally transmit them
to the PROVED who, in turn, will elaborate a synthesis report to be transmitted to the central level.
The project’s operations manuals will establish the format and reporting periods for the
compilation of reports.
96. Independent financial audits will closely monitor spending procedures at the sub-provincial
and school level. Quality surveys will be conducted on a regular basis to assess the impact and
quality of the public service delivery. As a forerunner of an independent watchdog body (as
described in the IEP), the system will rely on groups already present on the ground (local and
international NGOs, UNICEF, teacher unions, parent associations etc.) to collect qualitative data
utilizing a uniform survey design. Finally, joint annual reviews will be organized involving all
partners.
C. Sustainability
97. The sustainability of the project outcomes will depend largely on continued and deepening
government commitment. Integral to the IEP, is an implementation platform for reform to which
the government, partners and civil society are committed. Construction activities will utilize local
resources and technology, while the teacher training and textbooks programs build on successful
interventions. Strengthening the management offices is a key priority for the government in the
provision of quality education on a sustainable basis. All of these initiatives support the DRC in
building sustainable mechanisms to address access, equity, and quality challenges within the
education system. The project, moreover, has the potential to serve as a catalyst for further
financial commitment to education. A promising development in this regard was the written
26
commitment on the part of the Ministers of EPSP and Budget to increase the MEPSP allocation of
the national budget (domestic resources) to at least 12 percent (2012).
I. KEY RISKS AND MITIGATION MEASURES
A. Risk Ratings Summary Table
Risk Category Rating
Stakeholder Risk High
Implementing Agency Risk
- Capacity High
- Governance Substantial
Project Risk
- Design High
- Social and Environmental Low
- Program and Donor Low
- Delivery Monitoring and Sustainability High
Overall Implementation Risk High
B. Key Risks and Mitigation Measures
The risk assessment and mitigating arrangements are detailed in the Operational Risk Assessment
Framework (ORAF) contained in Annex 6.
98. The overall implementation risk (before mitigation) is rated as “High”. While the
likelihood of some of the risks being realized may be low, their impact on the project could be
severe.
99. Some reforms envisioned by the project remain relatively complex given the institutional
context and the diversity of stakeholders’ motivations. Capacity constraints across the edifice of
the system for procurement, fiduciary oversight, data collection, and project management remain
weak. However the WB and partners, together with government have identified these risks and
will directly address them through the mitigation measures.
100. To mitigate the technical risks, especially with regard to institutional reforms, project
interventions will be limited to the management offices closest to school in only two provinces.
Mainstreaming of the project in the MEPSP will also ensure that line managers with intimate
knowledge and experience of the issues will be responsible for implementation. This approach
often raises the motivation level of managers and staff and permits the use of interventions tailored
to the specific context and which take into account the technical, economic and socio-cultural. The
technical weaknesses of line staff will be addressed by the support of the CAT. This combination
will substantially increase the chances of successful implementation.
It would also allow seamless oversight by the leadership of the ministry. Fiduciary management
which is more technical and for it is difficult to find specialists to fill public sector positions will
be addressed using the strengthened capacity of PARSE along with technical assistance and LEAs
at the provincial level.
27
II. APPRAISAL SUMMARY
A. Economic and Financial Analyses
Macroeconomic context
101. During the past decade, the Congolese economy has demonstrated consistent recovery
following several years of civil conflict and war (see Table 4 below). Between 2002 and 2008, the
GDP growth rate was healthy, but slowed-down as a consequence of the global financial crisis in
2009. Growth recovered to rates of 7.2 percent and 6.9 percent for 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Economic growth GDP is largely premised on healthy commodity prices and the expansion of the
mining industry.
Table 4: GDP and GDP per capita, 2000-2011
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2011
GDP, const (growth rate) -6.9 3.5 6.6 5.6 6.2 7.2 6.9
GDP, cur. (billions FC) 297 1,922 2,601 4,132 6,530 11,875 14,393
GDP, cur (US $) 5,501 5,410 5,753 6,172 6,563 6,822 7,056
GDPpc, cur (US $) 82 100 111 141 175 186 216
Source: International Monetary Fund and World Bank data, August 2012.
102. Despite these gains, the DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2011 per
capita GDP was equivalent to US$216, less than US$1 per person per day. The DRC, with a score
of 0.286, performed worst - 187 out of 187 countries- in the UNDP Human Development Index
(HDI).
Table 5: Education and EPSP expenditure, 2010-2011
2010 2011
National Domestic Resources (CFD billion) 3 013 3 735
EPSP expenditure (excl. transfers to education local authorities) funded from Domestic
Resources (CFD billion) 197 273
Education Sector expenditure funded from Domestic Resources (CFD billion) 303 399
EPSP expenditure as a share of Domestic Resources 6.5% 7.3%
Education Sector expenditure as a share of Domestic Resources 10% 10.7%
Source: IEP.
Economic Analysis and sustainability
103. In order to assess the economic impact of schooling, a rate of return analysis was
conducted using data from the 1-2-3 Survey (2004-2005).6 One extra year of education in DRC
leads to a 6 percent increase in revenue; almost twice the rate of return observed in Benin (3.3
percent). Evidence from the same survey suggests a poverty incidence of 71 percent, with a
decreasing incidence associated with rising educational attainment. A non-educated person has a
77 percent likelihood of being poor, whereas this falls to 34 percent for a university graduate.
6 Ulloa, Kast & Kekeh (2009). Democratic Republic of the Congo. A study of binding constraints.
28
104. The fee-free policy education in 2009 aimed to reduce the costs currently being supported
directly by households.7 The policy was intended to bring into the system children from the most
disadvantaged households and provinces.
105. By providing textbooks for students and in-service training for teachers, the project is
expected to improve the quality of education delivered. Rates of repetition are expected to fall to 7
percent in 2015, from 13 percent in 2011. International research demonstrates the effect of reduced
repetition on drop-out reduction8 (on average, 1 percentage point increase of repetition corresponds
to a 0.8 percentage point increase of the drop-out rate). Using this benchmark, it is estimated that
the targeted reduction in repetition will lead to a decrease in drop-outs by 6 percent with the
contingent effect of increasing average school enrollment from 8.5 years to 8.9 years.
106. Poor budgetary allocations for education have been raised by local donors and the GPE
with government. Commitments on the part of the Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Budget
have secured a significant increase to the EPSP budget for the next four years (see letter sent by
the Government to the Head of the GPE Secretariat). According to this agreement, the public
financing secured for EPSP in the budget framework will demonstrate an increase from 299 billion
FC in 2012 to 409 billion FC in 2015 (a 37 percent increase over three years).
107. The credibility of this commitment is strengthened by the rapid recovery of fiscal revenues
after the financial crisis in 2009. The tax base is increasing thanks to economic growth of 6-7
percent since 2009, projected to increase to over 8 percent in 2013. Fiscal revenues also increased
as share of GDP up from 17 percent in 2009 to 19 percent in 2011 and projected at 22 percent in
2012 in the wake of significant revenue mobilization efforts by the authorities. Thanks to a
strengthening exchange rate during 2009-11, revenues increased rapidly in dollar terms, reaching
almost US$3 billion in 2011 up from US$1.8 billion two years earlier. Going forward the exchange
rate has stabilized but revenues are projected to continue to increase to over US$5 billion in 2015.
B. Technical
108. The project supports the implementation of an IEP appraised by a group of experts who
found it to be technically sound and “a well-prepared plan”. Most project interventions have been
tested and will benefit from applied experience and lessons learned from comparator contexts.
109. The construction methodology is premised on a national construction strategy developed in
collaboration with the end-users through the course of 2010. The approach promotes the use of
appropriate technology, local materials and labor. This will help to reduce costs, promote
ownership and increase the chances of appropriate maintenance, in turn prolonging the life of
infrastructure.
110. The in-service teacher training component follows best practice both in terms of the
strategy for improving teacher skills and in the delivery thereof. Continuous teacher support and
training at the school/local levels has been shown to be one of the most effective methods for
upgrading the skills of teachers with limited or no formal teacher training. It allows for tailored
targeting of training to the specific needs of teachers reducing the time between acquisition of
skills and their use in the classroom, and assists with the development of a professional culture at
7 The direct school fee is US$18 a year per child.
8 Repetition is a strong reason for parents, in particular for the poorest and/or non-educated ones, to drop their children
out from the education system. Therefore, by reducing repetition, children are likely to stay longer in the system.
29
the school level with positive effects for student learning. The provision of training at the local
level reduces costs and disruption to teaching schedules by eliminating the need for travel. Implicit
in the design of the training program are backward linkages to the province and central levels that
enable level technical support, supervision and maintenance of professional standards.
111. Textbooks provision follows best practice by utilizing a partnership between local teachers,
authors and international publishing houses to ensure that relevant local content is reflected in the
textbooks and associated pedagogical materials. Textbook use and maintenance will be promoted
through supervision in schools and the adoption of manufacturing specifications and protective
covers to limit damage to books. The distribution system is deconcentrated to ensure books will
reach all schools including those in hard to reach areas. Costs and delays, as well as the
deterioration of books stored in unsuitable conditions for long periods or not transported, will be
minimized through local oversight, the utilization of deconcentrated staging posts and distribution
networks.
112. The strengthening of management offices and school level management is premised on
extensive research on improved school based management. The intervention lends itself to rapid
results and minimizes delays associated with central and provincial decision-making. This
approach will ensure that school infrastructure, pedagogical inputs and teachers are managed in a
coherent and cost-effective manner, in the service of improved education delivery.
C. Financial Management
The detailed project financial management arrangements are shown in Annex 5.
113. In accordance with the Financial Management Manual issued on March 2010, the financial
management arrangements of the Support to Basic Education Project have been reviewed to
determine whether it is acceptable to the Bank with consideration for the country’s post conflict
situation. To this end, the following were reviewed (i) FM arrangements of the existing Bank
financed project – PARSE (Projet d’Appui au Redressement du Secteur Educatif -P086294) on
which the proposed program will be entrusted, (ii) the arrangements in place at the MEPSP and
(iii) implementation progress of the national PFM strategy. The proposed project will use the
financial management arrangements currently in place at PARSE. These will be strengthened
through additional mitigation measures described below. The overall FM risk at preparation is
considered Substantial. The proposed financial management arrangements including the mitigation
measures for this project are considered adequate to meet the Bank’s minimum fiduciary
requirements under OP/BP10.00.
114. The review revealed that the following actions will need to be completed (i) the revision of
the existing manual to include the new project specifications and ensure adequate ownership by the
new players including the Local Execution Agencies (LEA), (ii) the development of the ToR of the
external auditor, (iii) the appointment of one finance and budget officers at the provincial
education office and (iv) the recruitment of LEAs who will execute the schools construction under
a contract management agreement, based on agreed terms of reference.
30
115. Dated Covenants:
Three months after effectiveness:
1. Recruitment of the external auditor.
2. Recruitment of one finance and budget officer at each province education office.
3. Select the LEAs.
D. Procurement
The detailed project procurement arrangements are shown in Annex 5.
116. Procurement rules and procedures: Procurement activities under this project will be carried
out in accordance with the World Bank’s "Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA
Credits" dated January 2011; and "Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by
World Bank Borrowers" dated January 2011; and the provisions stipulated in the Legal
Agreement. The following anti-corruption guidelines will apply “Guidelines on Preventing and
Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loaons and IDA Credits and
Grants”, dated October 15, 2006 and revised in January 2011.
117. The procurement activities of this project will be handled at the central level and the
decentralized level. At the central level the procurement activities will be handled by the newly
created procurement unit (Cellule de Gestion des Projets et des Marchés Publics – CGPMP) within
the Ministry of Education (MEPSP). The CGPMP will be strengthened by the integration of the
staff of the former procurement unit of PARSE who will provide needed support and technical
assistance. It will also benefit periodically from technical support of an international procurement
expert whenever necessary. At the decentralized level procurement activities will be carried out by
local executing agencies (LEA) within a framework of a contract management agreement (CMA-
convention de mise en oeuvre) which they will sign with MEPSP at the province level. LEA will
carry out procurement activities at the decentralized level under the overall quality control of the
CGPMP. The CGPMP has the overall responsibility for the quality of procurement under the
project Operations manual for this program, satisfactory to the Bank, will be adopted to define and
describe (i) the procurement procedures and process at the decentralized level; (ii) the roles and
responsibilities of each actor/beneficiary in the management of the procurement cycle and the
process to be followed; and (iii) the role of the Bank in the review process.
E. Social Accountability
118. Oversight of Project implementation. The project will reinforce involvement of the COGES
(fifty percent of whose members represent the parent teacher organizations) and school networks
in implementation including in the provision and use of textbooks and school construction. They
will also ensure integrity in fiduciary management as they will be actively involved in approving
and monitoring the local implementation plan. PARSE operations manuals will serve as a model
for the project’s manuals. As final beneficiaries of the project the COGES will contribute by
observing the procurement process and supervising construction works and other project activities.
LEA will strengthen the capacity of communities through simplified procurement training.
119. Monitoring. Consensus exists within civil society (NGOs, children rights activists, parent
committees, women associations and teacher unions) to establish a permanent and independent
watchdog to monitor the quality of public service delivery. In addition, and building on the
31
PURUS/PARSE experience, a hot line (texting transformed into email) will be implemented
enabling citizens to report on the quality of the service delivery. The use of mobile phones and
texting has been used very effectively to overcome the communication challenges imposed by the
large size of the country and limited infrastructure. Mobile communications have penetrated the
country more deeply than other methods.
120. Restructuring of the administrative offices –Role of FBOs. - One of the key objectives of
the project is to strengthen the roles of the Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) (National
Coordinators and church representatives) that manage schools on behalf of the government. These
agencies were severely weakened because of the lack of effective public oversight and financial
resources during the war and period of crisis. In the absence of public resources the FBOs relied on
fees collected from parents for financing their administrative costs. This relationship prevented the
FBOs from exercising oversight of school operations to ensure that the relevant pedagogical and
administrative standards were maintained. With the resumption of public financing for the
management offices and the use of results agreements the FBOs will be empowered to verify that
minimum standards are maintained in schools to promote learning.
121. Roadmap. To implement this strategy, a roadmap (see Annex 9) has been cosigned by the
MEPSP (Secretariat General) and the FBOs. The roadmap reflects agreement on the need to
restructure administrative offices as a prerequisite for financing and efficient service delivery. The
financing agreements include an immediate halt to the collection of school fees from households
by these offices. Restructuring will entail the establishment of new organigrams and compliance
with existing staffing norms. These norms will be integrated into SECOPE’s data base to mitigate
overstaffing in future. The main roles and tasks of these offices have been redefined to target
specific activities and results.
122. Tools. In order to enhance accountability and mitigate risks, PURUS and PARSE have
developed simple procedures manuals for schools. These contain ministerial decrees on
management and parent committees (election rules, composition and specific roles, etc.), detailed
information on allocated amounts, eligible expenditure, book keeping processes, reporting
requirements etc. These manuals have been distributed to all eligible schools. The GPE will build
on this experience and tailor tools to the needs of the administrative offices.
F. Social
123. Social Assessment and Beneficiaries: The economy of the project impact area is
predominantly agriculture and forestry (Equator), livestock and artisanal mining (Kasai-West). The
main food crops produced include root crops, vegetables and plantains. Fruit production, mainly
mangoes and pineapples, is also highly developed. Livestock production includes goats, mutton
and cattle. Main minerals exploited are: diamonds, gold, uranium and iron.
124. The socio-economic impacts of the proposed project are expected to be largely beneficial;
enhancing short term, medium term and long term benefits. Immediate benefits will include:
access to text books; improved classrooms; strengthened pedagogical and logistic capacity for
teachers, and income generation at local community level, during classroom rehabilitation work.
Medium and long term benefits will comprise, but not limited to: (i) enhanced literacy level; (ii)
gender parity; (iii) access to education services; and (iii) enhanced access to basic means of
communication (e.g., mobile phones) and facilitation of communication between communities and
markets. In addition, the project will strengthen ownership of means of production.
32
125. Key beneficiaries consist of: (a) school children; (b) teachers; (c) school administrators
(directors, pedagogical advisors, inspectors and other officials; (d) parents and communities and
(e) indigenous people. School children will enjoy improved infrastructures and pedagogical
environment. Teachers and school administrators will benefit from enhanced working
environment, capacity building, higher incomes and employment security. Parents and
communities will benefit from increased opportunities to educate their children, provision of free
textbooks, and a potential reduction/elimination of informal fees currently supplementing the
running costs of school administrations. Indigenous people will have enhanced opportunities to
send their children to schools.
126. Gender, Indigenous People, Poverty and Equity . To reduce gender disparity is one of the
cornerstones of the proposed project, as gender-based inequality is relatively high: gender parity
index in primary education are in 2011 respectively 0.76 and 0.80 in Equator and Kasai-West
provinces. An equally important equity issue to be addressed by the project is the inclusion of
schools with a significant presence of indigenous people students.
127. Poverty and equity concerns informed the selection of the two provinces, based on a list of
six needs-based objective criteria (including gender parity index) applied to all 11 (administrative)
provinces of the country. Also the classrooms rehabilitation/replacement that will be funded by the
project will include sanitary infrastructures with access to water and separate latrines for boys-girls
which are expected to attract more girls into schooling.
G. Environment and Social Safeguard Policies
128. Environmental safeguards triggered. The project has triggered OP 4.01 Environmental
Assessment and OP 4.11 Physical Cultural Resources due to potential negative environmental
impacts related to the rehabilitation/reconstruction of schools. OP 4.11 Physical Cultural
Resources was triggered, as civil works may induce chances of finding physical cultural properties,
e.g. under the school class foundation, or where sand or stones are retrieved for construction work.
An ESMF was prepared, consulted upon, and disclosed before appraisal. Environmental and Social
Management Plans (ESMPs) will be prepared, consulted upon, and disclosed during project
implementation once sites and works have been finalized.
129. Social safeguards triggered. Involuntary Resettlement (OP 4.12) was triggered as civil
works of component 1 may require, on an exceptional basis, land acquisition e.g. vegetable
gardens or structures (shacks, market stalls) occupying land on school premises. To mitigate
potential adverse impacts, a Resettlement Policy Framework (RPF) was prepared, consulted upon,
and disclosed, prior to appraisal. It is noteworthy that school buildings sites will be selected for
rehabilitation or replacement only if the civil works to be carried out within the school site do not
present any environmental or social threats and do not involve new land acquisitions. Resettlement
Action Plans (RAPs) will be prepared, consulted upon, and disclosed as and when necessary
during project implementation. Indigenous People (OP 4.10), was triggered as the two provinces in
which the project is being implemented include Indigenous Peoples in the project area. This was
identified in the Bank's Strategic Framework for Pygmy Development in DRC, as well as in the
ESMF of the proposed project. To mitigate potential adverse impacts on indigenous people, an
Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) was prepared and disclosed, prior to appraisal.
Indigenous Peoples Plans will be prepared, consulted upon, and disclosed during project
33
implementation once sites and activities have been finalized. The social impacts identified, are not
expected to have long term or cumulative effects.
130. Consultations and Communications. The identification, design and preparation of the
project have been participatory at several levels: provincial level, at national administration level,
as well as at donors’ level. The results of the public consultations carried out in conjunction with
the preparation of the environmental (ESMF) and social safeguards instruments (RPF and IPPF),
confirm a solid support for the implementation of the project. Furthermore, continuous
consultations with local, provincial and national administration will be part of the project
implementation and monitoring strategy.
131. DRC Government Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies. The government
demonstrated its commitment to safeguards compliance, during project preparation. An ESMF, an
RPF and an IPPF were prepared by the MEPSP and disclosed prior to appraisal. The DRC
government’s capacity to monitor or implement safeguards polices is, however, weak.
Environmental policies and their compliance are governed by the Ministère de l’Environnement,
de la Conservation de la Nature et du Tourisme (MECNT) – (Ministry of Environment,
Conservation and Tourism). The MECNT has three departments in charge of environmental
monitoring and management: i) Le Groupe d’Etudes Environnemental du Congo (GEEC); (ii) le
Centre National d’Information sur l’Environnement (CNIE); and iii) La Cellule Réglementation et
Contentieux Environnementaux (CNIE). The GEEC is responsible for safeguards compliance of all
projects in the country. The unit is understaffed and has limited capacity. Despite several donor
funded capacity building investments, the unit still largely relies on donor funds to carry out its
field supervisions duties. The proposed project will support and strengthen the GEEC by providing
short term consultancy services to monitor the implementation of the safeguards instruments
prepared. The project will also seek to strengthen the capacity of the GEEC staff through hands on
training. Supervision and monitoring will be a continuous process. The day to day field
supervision will be conducted by the consultant engineers and documented in the monthly progress
reports. Periodic supervision will be conducted by the GEEC and Bank’s safeguards specialists.
The GEEC will produce quarterly progress reports on environmental and social performance. The
reports will form part of the overall project monitoring system. Experience with prior and ongoing
Bank projects in the country suggest that, resources to implement the RPF and the IPPF as well
GEEC resources to carry out supervision work, should be supported by the project.
Safeguard Policies Triggered by the Project Yes No
Environmental Assessment (OP/BP/GP 4.01) [X] [ ]
Natural Habitats (OP/BP 4.04) [ ] [X]
Pest Management (OP 4.09) [ ] [X]
Physical Cultural Resources (OP/BP 4.11) [X] []
Involuntary Resettlement (OP/BP 4.12) [X] [ ]
Indigenous Peoples (OP 4.10) [X] [ ]
Forests (OP/BP 4.36) [ ] [X]
Safety of Dams (OP/BP 4.37) [ ] [X]
Projects in Disputed Areas (OP/BP/GP 7.60) [ ] [X]
Projects on International Waterways (OP/BP/GP 7.50) [ ] [X]
34
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
Project Development Objective: In support of the implementation of the MEPSP Interim Education Plan the project objectives are to: (a) increase access and equity in primary education, (b)
improve learning conditions in primary education and (c) strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability by introducing new management practices at the local levels.
Indicators
Core
Unit of
Measure
Baseline Target Values
Frequency Data Source/
Methodology
Responsibility
for Data
Collection
Broken Value Baseline
year 2013 2014 2015
2016
PROJECT OUTCOME INDICATORS
Indicator One (Access):
Primary net 1st year intake
Rate
%
Male 48.5
2009-10
51 53 55 57
Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
Sub- proved/
Proved and MEPSP
Female 40.5 44 47 50 53
Total 44.5 47.5 50 52.5 55
Indicator Two (Equity):
Gender parity index (GER
F/GER M)
% N/A 0.78 2010-11 0.79 0.80 0.81
0.82 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Three (Quality):
French textbooks: pupil
ratio for Grade 3 and Grade
4
Ratio N/A 0.4 2011-12 0.5 0.8 1
1 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Four (Quality):
French textbooks: pupil
ratio for Grade 5 and Grade
6
Ratio N/A 0.2 2011-12 0.5 0.8 1
1
Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Five (Quality):
Math textbooks: pupil ratio
for primary education for
Grade 3 and 4
Ratio N/A 0.4 2011-12 0.2 0.8 1
1 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
35
Indicator Six (Quality):
Math textbooks: pupil ratio
for primary education for
Grade 5 and 6
Ratio
N/A
0.3
2011-12
0.3
0.8
1
1
Annual
Monitoring Report of S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Five
(Management): % of
“bureaux gestionaires de
proximité” functioning
according to regulatory
norms and under results
agreements
%
“Conventionnés”
(Faith-based) 0 2011-12 20 40 65
75
Annual Monitoring Report
of Sub- PROVED/PROVED
Sub- proved/
Proved “Non-
conventionnés” (Secular)
0 2011-12 5 35 65
75
INTERMEDIATE RESULTS
Increasing access and equity at the primary level
Project beneficiaries : # of
primary school students, of
which girls Number
Total 1,323,351
2010-11
1,405,633 1,446,774 1,487,916 1,530,080
Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
Sub- proved/ Proved and
MEPSP Female 578,688 621,588 643,037 664,487 719,200
Primary 1st year new
entrants, of which girls Number
Total 255,524
2009-10
275,372 281,989 288,605 296,130
Annual
Monitoring Report of S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id- Female 115683 126,415 129,993 133,570
142,080
Additional classrooms
rehabilitated or rebuilt Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 300
504
504 Annual
Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED
Sub- proved/
Proved
Number of latrine blocks
built Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 50
84
84 Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED -id-
Number of water points
installed Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 50
84
84 Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED -id-
Quality of learning environment
Number of textbooks and
teacher guides distributed
(country-wide indicator) Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 4,500,000 11,700,000
11,700,000 2014 Monitoring Report
of Sub
PROVED/PROVED
-id-
Project beneficiaries :
Teachers benefitting in-
service training
(cumulative)
Number Total 0 2011-12 1,000 7,000 16,000
21,000
Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
Sub- proved/
Proved and
MEPSP
% of school clusters having
organized inter-school
pedagogical meetings (3
% N/A 10 2011-12 20 40 75
80 Annual Monitoring Report of
S-PROVED/PROVED
Sub- proved/
Proved
36
per year)
% of “cellules
pédagogiques” organizing
in-service training (at least
once every week during
working hours)
% N/A 10 2011-12 20 40 75
80 Annual Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED -id-
Strengthening management
% of schools having
COGES having quarterly
meetings as documented by
the Minutes
Number N/A 0 2011-12 20 40 75
80 Annual
Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED -id-
Annual qualitative surveys
undertaken (“Bureaux
gestionnaires de proximité”
no longer collecting fees
from the schools)
Number N/A 0 2011-12 1 1 1
1
Annual Survey Report -id-
37
Annex 1: Results Framework and Monitoring and Kasai West Province
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
Kasai West Province
Project Development Objective: In support of the implementation of the MEPSP Interim Education Plan the project objectives are to: (a) increase access and equity in primary education,
(b) improve learning conditions in primary education and (c) strengthen sector management and promote greater accountability by introducing new management practices at the local levels.
Indicators Core Unit of
Measure
Baseline Target Values
Frequency Data Source/
Methodology
Responsibility
for Data
Collection
Broken Value Baseline
year 2013 2014 2015 2016
PROJECT OUTCOME INDICATORS
Indicator One (Access):
Primary net 1st year intake Rate %
Male 69.1
2009-10
72 74 76 79
Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
Sub- proved/
Proved and MEPSP
Female 57.9 61 64 67 72
Total 63.5 66.5 69 71.5
75
Indicator Two (Equity):
Gender parity index (GER
F/GER M)
% N/A 0.79 2010-11 0.82 0.84 0.86
0.9 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Three (Quality):
French textbooks: pupil ratio for
Grade 3 and Grade 4
Ratio N/A 0.4 2011-12 0.4 0.8 1
1 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Four (Quality):
French textbooks: pupil ratio for
Grade 5 and Grade 6
Ratio N/A 0.2 2011-12 0.2 0.8 1
1 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Five (Quality):
Math textbooks: pupil ratio for
primary education for Grade 3
and Grade 4
Ratio N/A 0.4 2011-12 0.4 0.8 1
1 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Indicator Six (Quality):
Math textbooks: pupil ratio for
primary education for Grade 5
Ratio N/A 0.3 2011-12 0.3 0.8 1
1 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED and School Statistics
-id-
38
and Grade 6 Data
Indicator Seven
(Management): % of “bureaux
gestionaires de proximité”
functioning according to
regulatory norms and under
results agreements.
%
“Conventionnés”
(Faith-based) 0 2011-12 20 40 65
70
Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED
Sub- proved/
Proved “Non-
conventionnés” (Secular)
0 2011-12 5 35 65
70
INTERMEDIATE RESULTS
Increasing access and equity at the primary level
Project beneficiaries : # of
primary school students, of
which girls Number
Total 987,219
2010-11
1,044,675 1,073,402 1,102,130
1,152,300 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics Data
Sub- proved/ Proved and
MEPSP Female 436,791 466,341 481,116 495,891
530,120
Primary 1st year new entrants, of
which girls Number
Total 208,279
2009-10
221,660 226,121 230,581
235,800 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED and School Statistics
Data
-id-
Female 96,127 104,012 106,641 109,269
115,542
Additional classrooms
rehabilitated or rebuilt Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 240 396
396 Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED
Sub- proved/ Proved
Number of latrine blocks built Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 40 66
66 Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED -id-
Number of water points installed Number N/A 0 2011-12 0 40 66
66 Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub
PROVED/PROVED -id-
Quality of learning environment
Project beneficiaries :
Additional teachers benefitting
in-service training
Number Total 0 2011-12 1,000 7,000 16,000
21,000 Annual
Monitoring Report of
S-
PROVED/PROVED
and School Statistics
Data
Sub- proved/
Proved and MEPSP
% of school clusters having
organized inter-school
pedagogical meetings (3 per
year)
% N/A 10 2011-12 20 40 75
80 Annual
Monitoring Report
of Sub
PROVED/PROVED
Sub- proved/
Proved
% of “cellules pédagogiques”
organizing in-service training (at
least once every week during
working hours)
% N/A 10 2011-12 20 40 75
80 Annual
Monitoring Report
of Sub
PROVED/PROVED
-id-
Strengthening management
% of schools having COGES Number N/A 0 2011-12 20 40 75 Annual Monitoring Report of
Sub -id-
39
having quarterly meetings as
documented by the Minutes
80
PROVED/PROVED
Annual qualitative surveys
undertaken (“Bureaux
gestionnaires de proximité” no
longer collecting fees from the
schools)
Number N/A 0 2011-12 1 1 1
1 Annual Survey Report -id-
40
Annex 2: Detailed Project Description
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
Project Components
Component 1: Increasing access and equity at the primary level through Rehabilitation
and Re-Construction of Classrooms (US$24.4 million)
1. To increase access and promote equity this component will rehabilitate and replace
unsuitable (deteriorated, out of standard etc) classrooms and build ancillary facilities such as
latrines, ensure water supply, and offices for school directors. It will complement the
government’s free primary education program and initiatives to promote girls’ education. The
government has started taking over the running costs of primary schools and school management
offices from parents and has been providing free textbooks to students in key subjects for a
number of years. Through a program supported by UNICEF a number of initiatives are being
implemented to promote girls education, including the provision of block grants to schools to
support individual disadvantaged girls, increasing the proportion of female teachers in primary
schools, and sensitizing opinion leaders and the community to the value of girls education. The
interventions are already contributing to improved enrollment.
2. Specific Objective. The objectives of this component are to: (i) rehabilitate or replace
classrooms in disrepair and those built with non-durable materials; (ii) add or rehabilitate
annexed facilities such as latrines and water supply; and (iii) involve primary school
management committees (COGEs) in the management of school infrastructures and furniture. A
total of 900 equipped classrooms will delivered in the provinces of Equator and Kasai-West.
Ninety percent of these classrooms replace temporary non-durable structures in rural areas and
ten percent rehabilitated classrooms in peri-urban and urban areas. The program will also
construct or rehabilitate offices for school directors and separate latrines for boys and girls.
Clean water facilities will be delivered in the schools. The different buildings will have access
ramps for disabled people. The distribution of resources between the 2 provinces is based on the
numbers of classrooms and girls enrolled with a 60/40 percent weighting in favor of number of
classrooms and number of girls. Based on these criteria, 56.51 percent of the funds were
allocated to Equator and 43.49 percent to Kasai-West.
3. The following criteria were used for the selection and distribution of schools among
provinces. The school should be on the MEPSP payroll and have a full cycle. Forty percent of
the schools would be “state-run” schools (écoles non conventionnées) and 60 percent ”church-
run”schools (écoles conventionnées) , The existing proportion of schools within religious
networks in the province will be maintained as part of the selection criteria. The civil works will
be carried out only within the limits or perimeter of the school and should not present any
environmental or social threats. Schools to be rehabilitated should be structures built in durable
material and the cost of the rehabilitation should be less than 50 percent of replacement costs.
Infrastructures to be reconstructed in schools in rural areas should be within 3 miles of a
41
principal road or water way. . Provincial and national consultations carried out in conjunction
with the preparation of the Indigenous Peoples Planning Framework (IPPF) have resulted in
considering the needs of these local populations. Also, the schools to be rehabilitated in favor of
Indigenous Peoples will represent approximately 10% of the sites (between 10 and 15 sites) that
harbor schools attended by them. Also, the infrastructure program will include at least 10% of
the sites (between 10 and 15 sites) that harbor schools that are also attended by indigenous
students.
4. An important feature of the proposed project is to promote deconcentrated decision-
making processes. Specifically, the school building implementation strategy will be based on the
following principles: (i) delegation of implementation responsibility to the de-concentrated levels
of the ministry; (ii) recruitment of LEAs by the deconcentrated level with support from the
central level to ensure the operational management of the construction program; (iii)
strengthening of the capacity of the PROVEDs to ensure technical monitoring of the construction
program; (iv) involvement of the local networks in the school selection process; (v) involvement
of the COGES and school networks in the implementation, and (vi) participation of
deconcentrated officials and units such as the provincial minister of education in supervision.
Decisions relating to the selection of school sites included in the rehabilitation program will be
left to the deconcentrated units, using objective criteria set by the central level that will ensure
compliance.
5. The execution of the infrastructure program will be guided by government’s construction
strategy9 promoting a low-cost approach using appropriate technology, local materials and
through the outsourcing of the program to specialized executing entities and communities. This
approach is partially being used for the school infrastructure program under the on-going PARSE
as well as by other international donors, such as UNICEF and AFD. The PROVED will assume
overall responsibility for the construction program, while LEAs will be responsible for the
operational management of construction. The LEAs will, in turn, recruit the general contractors
(responsible for studies and the oversight of the works), construction enterprises and furniture
providers. Furniture will be procured locally through competitive bidding. Communities will be
involved commitments to repair and maintain infrastructures, monitor progress of construction
works and in the reception of buildings, equipment and furniture. The specific implementation
procedures will be contained in operations manuals. The PROVEDs will be strengthened with
financial persons (minimum level Bac+3) and civil engineers (level A0) recruited at provincial
level with support from the central level, to permit them to effectively carry out the planning and
-supervision of the ALEs and the construction companies.
6. Under the leadership of MEPSP, the measures and processes described above are
expected to lead to a uniform policy ensuring a low-cost construction approach, and
deconcentrated decision-making for the selection of school sites. This policy will be applied to
government-financed civil works program as well those of other donors. Financing for the
activities of component 1 (civil works, furniture and equipment acquisitions etc.) envisaged as
part of the project will amount to US$24.4 million.
9 Its development was supported by the PARSE.
42
Component 2: Quality of learning Environment (US$60 million)
7. To improve quality, the project will support (i) improving teacher quality and
professional development in Equator and Kasai-West provinces and (ii) the provision of
textbooks and pedagogical materials country-wide.
Sub-component 2.1: Strengthening in-service training (US$16.9 million)
8. Improving teacher quality is a top priority for government given the erosion of teacher
training capacity during the crisis period. Although a number of training programs are currently
supported by partners and NGOs, they tend to be limited in scope and geographic coverage. The
government is concerned that these interventions do not adequately address generic weaknesses
of teachers and those specific to particular areas. In addition, it is difficult to judge the quality
and impact of the programs provided. In light of this the government would like to introduce a
national system and program that would allow upgrading of teacher skills as well as to meet the
variety of teacher needs in the diverse geographic context of the country.
9. To achieve this, the proposal is to reactivate school/local based in-service training
courses and improve interventions through the introduction of successful elements of ongoing
programs such as IFADEM by OIF, AUF and APFE in the Katanga province and APEP financed
by Afd and PAQUED financed by USAID. Specifically, the program will combine a distance
training and on-site approach with delivery anchored at the individual school, and networks of
three schools, with backward linkages to the central ministry through the sub-PROVEDs and
PROVEDS through printed media (printing can be done locally) and radio/television. Print
media will be used for areas which cannot be easily reached by radio and television. This
distance approach will allow access to a large number of teachers, reduce drop-outs that often
occur when teachers need to travel to training programs, avoid protracted absences from schools,
and reduce costs associated with travel. In addition, it will encourage direct teacher participation
in the program, and aid sustainability by ensuring that SERNAFOR has the required training
skills and by reducing the period between acquisition and use of skills in the classrooms.
10. The program will be carried out as follows: A joint technical committee of DIPROMA-
SERNAFOR will provide overall guidance in the management of the program and in the
preparation of training modules. The Training teacher program will start with existing modules,
developed by the MEPSP with support from IFADEM and USAID, that are being used in other
provinces. New modules will be prepared by specialists in workshops based on that experience.
The committee will be complemented with local and international technical assistance. Modules
will be prepared by pedagogical and technical specialists in workshops. School directors and
other local level trainers will be trained in the use of the modules in the targeted sub-PROVEDs
during school vacations. Training at the school/local level will be done through tutorials
organized by the school directors and experienced teachers to stimulate participation and
maximize feedback. These sessions will also provide opportunities to identify the needs of
specific teachers and the development of local modules to address these needs. These tutorials
utilize print media. The radio/television modules will be delivered at agreed times and include
instructions for both teachers and students on how they should be used. Self-training sessions
43
will also be held by groups of teachers facilitated by the school director or an experienced
teacher.
11. At the national level the program will be managed by SERNAFOR in collaboration with
DIPROMAD. These directorates will work closely with the education department of the
University of Kinshasa and international institutions to design modules and evaluate the
programs. The director of PROVED will coordinate the program at the provincial level
supported by a committee made up of the deputy provincial inspector, a representative of the
SERNAFOR, and the provincial inspector for primary education. This committee will link the
central level and the sub-districts. Its members will also participate in the provincial technical
committee of the PME on questions related to the in-service training program. Similar to the
provincial level, the program will be coordinated at the sub-provincial level by Director of the
MEPSP. He will be supported by the inspector of primary schools and the pedagogical
inspector. The school directors will take direct responsibility for the administrative and
pedagogical management of the training programs with the support of experienced teachers.
They will work both with programs prepared at the central level and those designed to take into
account local need. A resource center, staffed by a part-time technical specialist, will be
established at each sub-PROVED for use by trainers and teachers to supplement the training
modules.
12. To start with and for reasons of capacity and effectiveness, the subcomponent will
pioneer the above approach in Equator and Kasai-West provinces. The subcomponent will feed
into the development of a national in-service training strategy and system. The project will
finance school and proximity based teacher training in the amount of US$16.9 million.
Sub-component 2.2: Provision of learning materials (US$43.1 million).
13. As described earlier, textbooks supply has been a priority for the government over the
last ten years and availability of textbooks in schools has been significantly improved. This
initiative is key to the IEPs efforts to improve the quality of education delivered. Increased
availability of textbooks will also facilitate implementation of the USAID financed Early Grade
Reading Assessment (EGRA) project. It would permit the assessment of students against a more
complete quality package through a planned national assessment under PARSE. In turn these
various interventions will form the building blocks onto which an integrated system for provision
of quality education and assessment of student learning will be built.
14. This sub-component will, as planned in the IEP, support the acquisition and the
distribution of textbooks, country-wide to all public and private schools. The project will: (i)
procure and distribute textbooks for grades 3 and 410 for French and math and for grades 5 and 6
in French, math, science and Civics in primary education and (ii) develop and introduce a
national textbooks policy and program.
15. About 4.5 million of the current textbooks and teacher guides in math and French for
grades 3 and 4 will be reprinted and distributed. The cost of these textbooks estimated at US$6.4
million will be financed entirely, at 100%, by the Education for All Fast Track Initiative
Catalytic Fund – European Commission. The textbooks and teachers guides for grades 5 and 6
10
The textbooks for grades 1 and 2 in French and math are already delivered thanks to the ongoing PARSE project.
44
in French, math and sciences will be new editions as the current versions are outdated. About 9.9
million textbooks and complementary teacher guides will be procured for these grades.
16. The textbooks and teacher guides for civics and moral education for grades 5 and 6 will
also be prepared by the ministry based on technical guidelines in effect, and approximately 1.8
million textbooks will be provided and distributed to all schools.
17. To reinforce the capacity of the DIPROMAD to lead implementation of the program, the
project will (a) finance training in: (i) the preparation of textbooks, (ii) define the technical and
pedagogical specifications of textbooks; (iii) evaluate textbooks, (iv) oversee logistics related to
the management of textbooks stocks and the distribution of books, and (b) support the
development of a national textbooks policy, strategy and program. DIPROMAD will also be
provided with materials and equipment to improve their effectiveness.
18. The current distribution system will be replaced by a more decentralized approach that
will link the center to schools through the intermediate levels. Textbooks will be delivered to
PROVEDS from which they will be sent to sub-PROVEDs. From these points the sub-
PROVEDs and network coordinators for religious schools will arrange for the distribution of
textbooks to schools using local transportation. To address geographical challenges such as
rivers and mountains, logistical arrangements will permit distribution of books from one
PROVED to a sub-PROVED in a neighboring PROVED to reduce costs and save time. UN
emergency agencies such as the World Food Program and UNHAS planes will be used to
transport textbooks in areas affected by conflict.
19. A number of initiatives will be put in place to ensure that textbooks are delivered and
used. The school management offices will be charged with the responsibility to verify that the
books have been delivered and that they are being used in line with teaching and maintenance
guides. Parents and communities will also be sensitized about the provision of the textbooks and
their use and encouraged to verify that established procedures are in use. Civil society
organizations will be provided with ongoing channels to comment on textbooks supply and use.
Systematic beneficiary surveys will also be carried out to assess the effectiveness of the system.
Decentralization of textbooks distribution will substantially reduce the need for large warehouses
at central points and the need to manage very large stocks and the utilization of heavy
transportation. Existing local enterprises with which the sub-PROVEDS and coordinating offices
are most familiar with their respective areas to enable them to most effectively and efficiently
fulfill this mandate. These arrangements will allow for the provision of textbooks in the main
subjects to students on a sustainable basis. The project will finance procurement and distribution
of textbooks as well as capacity building in an amount of US$43.1 million.
45
Component 3: Strengthening Sector Management (US$15.5 million).
20. This component will be essentially implemented in Equator and Kasai-West provinces
and aims to ensure that current regulations are applied and strengthened as needed as a basis for
more efficient and accountable management.
Sub-component 3.1: Restructuring of education administrative offices (US$4.7 million)
21. The government is committed to reforming the management of the system following the
drop in standards associated with the crisis. It recognizes the complexity of this task, and the
need for careful design and implementation measures to avoid further damage to the system.
Achieving this will need time and can only be achieved in the medium term. The focus at this
point is to ensure that the school management offices closest to schools provide the necessary
support to support quality education in schools. It will support the national effort in reactivating
the school administrative offices, to establish an institutional configuration functioning under a
governance system to maximize efficiency. Results-based agreements will be used initially to re-
establish norms and standards and facilitate the provision of cost-effective quality education and
increased accountability for results. To help re-establish progressively a “healthier”
administrative and pedagogical relationship between the administrative offices and schools, a
roadmap has been formally discussed and agreed upon with all stakeholders to the process and
will be implemented in the short to medium term.
22. In line with this incremental approach, the road map will first be introduced at the sub-
provincial level in Equator and Kasai-West provinces. The two issues to be addressed are: (a)
retirement of eligible staff still in the system and (b) the overstaffing of offices due to
unauthorized recruitment of staff. The staff retirement issue will not be addressed in this project
as it requires a national approach beyond the education sector. However, overstaffing can and
will be handled by the MEPSP in the short-term through reassignment to other positions based
on the new organizational structure, or making staff redundant if they are unqualified or if there
are no available positions they can fill.
23. To ensure transparency and objectivity in implementing the reforms, broad based
commissions will be established at the central and provincial levels. To complement the support
from the managing agencies, the involvement of parents and communities in school management
will also be strengthened.
24. Financing under the subcomponent will consist of: (i) provision of operating costs for
school management offices; (ii) the development of management and reporting tools building on
those currently used by the schools; (iii) the design of performance-based agreements; and (iv)
financial audits and quality assessments (US$4.4 million).
46
Sub-component 3.2: Other Strengthening of institutional capacity (US$2.7 million)
25. Improving teacher management (US$2.1 million). In parallel with the institutional
change of the administrative offices, and on the basis of an organizational diagnostic, this
component will build on the exercise commenced by SECOPE (new organigrams, redefined and
targeted roles etc.) that will ultimately lead to a more efficient system. Support is currently being
provided by PARSE to assess the essential needs of SECOPE in terms of immediate technical
support (ITC, decentralization internal management etc.) and to lay the foundation for reform. In
order to institutionalize the system, the project will provide technical assistance to SECOPE and
PFM actors involved at the deconcentrated level in implementing the different phases of reform
with the aim of improving budget execution (by adopting decree clarifying the new PFM
Organic Law, providing technical training to the public accounts, and other actors). This
technical assistance will cover the three-year period of the project, but will intervene on a
periodic basis following a clear work plan.
26. It is worth mentioning that this technical support is critical to building the capacity of the
education system in DRC, and includes dialogue with the government on the budget framework
with the objective of (i) increasing the adequacy and efficiency of budget allocations with
particular attention paid to teacher recruitment, school operating costs; and (ii) to ensure the
effective monitoring of budget execution. In addition, this process is expected to be strengthened
by the planned AfD support to increase fiscal space for core education expenditures under their
debt-relief program, leading a greater sustainability of the IEP implementation and more
effective administration.
27. Girls Education (US$0.6 million): Given prevailing gender disparities, the project will
support the development of a national strategy for girls’ education, in consultation with UNICEF
and DFID. Government is committed to pursue a comprehensive and cost-effective approach to
eliminate barriers to girls’ education to bridge equity gaps The project will finance a study and
activities for the development of a strategy in this area in an amount of US$0.6 million.
Sub-component 3.3: Project Management and Coordination (US$8.1 million)
28. The sub-component will support project management and coordination. It will finance
medium term consultant services to provide technical assistance and knowledge on topics in the
education sector. It will also support workshops, seminars on technical subjects relevant to the
project objectives, and training in project management skills. In addition, it will provide
financing for the acquisition of computer equipment, office materials and supplies as well as
communication strategies and campaigns to bolster the implementation of the fee-free policy and
encourage behavior changes induced by the policy. The project will finance supervision costs
and provide additional resources for monitoring and evaluation that will include support for the
collection and analysis of school statistics (US$8.1 million).
47
Attachment to Annex 2
Criteria for selecting the two provinces
1. To minimize implementation risks and maximize impact on the neediest areas, the
Government and Local Education Donors Group (LEDG) decided to focus project interventions
in two provinces (Equator and Kasai-West), with the exception of the US$43.1 million textbooks
sub-component which will cover the whole country.
2. Following a participatory consultation process with the LEDG, the supervising entity and
the Government, various criteria were discussed and agreed on for selecting the two targeted
provinces out of the 11 Congolese provinces.
3. Six criteria were used to capture the most deprived provinces in terms of schooling (in
particular for girls) and where donors are least active.
4. The six criteria chosen are the following: (i) Primary Completion Rate (Source:
Statistical Yearbook), (ii) Number of Out-Of school Children (Source: EADE Report and
MICS 2010 data), (iii) Gender Parity Index in primary education (Source: Statistical
Yearbook), (iv) Enrolment growth rate due to tuition-free policy (Source: rapport d’enquête
sur la gratuité), (v) Percentage of classrooms in durable material (Source: Statistical
Yearbook), and (vi) Number of classrooms rehabilitated/rebuilt by donors and government
during the last 5 years as a % of the total number of classrooms in the province (Source:
Specific donors’ survey on school rehabilitation). This list of indicators is also in line with the
core indicators of the Global Partnership for Education (in particular, the primary completion
rate, the out of school children and the gender parity index).
5. Based on the criteria’s values for the 11 provinces, a score was given for each criterion to
each province on a sliding scale: 10 points to the neediest province down to 0 point to the least
needy province. An overall needs-based score was then computed for each province by summing
up the scores for six criteria.
6. Applying this methodology, Equator and Kasai-West were judged the first and second
neediest of the eleven provinces, scoring 51 and 44 points respectively out of a possible
maximum of 60. (Table 6 below shows the details). It is noteworthy that the difference between
Kasaï-West and the next neediest provinces in the ranking (Kasaï-East and Katanga) is
significant; 6 points.
48
Table 6: Needs-based assessment by province
1. Primary
Completion
Rate (%)
2. Out-of-
school
Children
(%)
3.
Gender
Parity
Index
4.
Enrolment
growth rate
due to
tuition-free
policy (%)
5.
Classroo
ms in
durable
material
(%)
6.
Classrooms
rehabilitated
during the
last 5 years
(in %)
Overall
score
Kinshasa Value 77.9 15.1 1.01 N/A
11 95.9 5
2 Score 0 0 0 0 0 2
Bas-Congo Value 53.8 27.6 0.88 11 57 4.1
22 Score 7 2 5 4 1 3
Bandundu Value 61.2 27 0.89 4 11.8 1.1
25 Score 1 1 2 1 10 10
Equator Value 51.2 37 0.76 21 15.7 1.4
51 Score 9 7 10 7 9 9
Orientale
Province
Value 52.3 33 0.88 14 36.9 2 33
Score 8 5 5 5 5 5
North-Kivu Value 60.8 39.2 0.87 6 39.2 1.9
28 Score 2 9 6 1 4 6
Sud-Kivu Value 56.1 34.6 0.9 16 46.9 5.9
22 Score 6 6 1 6 2 1
Maniema Value 57.8 29.2 0.88 32 29.2 7.8
30 Score 5 3 6 10 6 0
Kasai-East Value 58.8 29.9 0.86 26 23.5 1.5
38 Score 3 4 7 9 7 8
Kasai-
West
Value 58.5 38.1 0.8 24 21.5 1.7 44
Score 4 8 9 8 8 7
Katanga Value 45.9 41.8 0.82 7 46 4
38 Score 10 10 8 3 3 4
Source: Education Statistical Yearbooks, EADE Report/MICS 2010 data, Rapport d’enquête sur la gratuité,
Donors’ survey on school rehabilitation.
11
Not applicable in Kinshasa as the tuition-free policy is not implemented in that Province.
49
Annex 3: Economic and Financial Analysis
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
Macroeconomic context
1. During the past decade, the Congolese economy has demonstrated consistent recovery
following several years of civil conflict and war (see Table 7 below). Between 2002 and 2008,
the GDP growth rate was healthy, but slowed-down as a consequence of the global financial
crisis in 2009. Growth recovered to rates of 7.2 percent and 6.9 percent for 2010 and 2011
respectively from -6.9 percent in 2000. Economic growth measured by the GDP is largely
premised on healthy commodity prices and the expansion of the mining industry.
2. Despite these gains, the DRC remains one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2011
per capita GDP was equivalent to US$ 216, less than US$1 per person per day. The DRC, with a
score of 0.286, performed worst - 187 out of 187 countries- in the UNDP Human Development
Index (HDI). Inspite of this bleak picture indicated by the GDP and GDP per capita levels,
overall growth has been strong over a sustained period which augurs well for the fiscal climate in
the medium term.
Table 7 : GDP and GDP per capita, 2000-2011
2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2011
GDP, const (growth rate) -6.9 3.5 6.6 5.6 6.2 7.2 6.9
GDP, cur. (billions FC) 297 1,922 2,601 4,132 6,530 11,875 14,393
GDP, cur (US $) 5,501 5,410 5,753 6,172 6,563 6,822 7,056
GDPpc, cur (US $) 82 100 111 141 175 186 216
Source: International Monetary Fund and World Bank data, August 2012.
Sector context: Enrolment, disparities and efficiency
3. The pre-university education system in DRC is structured in four cycles: pre-primary,
primary, secondary (lower secondary and upper secondary) and tertiary. Primary cycle officially
starts at age 6 for 6 years/grades, while lower secondary cycle begins at age 12 and ends at age
13 for 2 years/grades. In 2010, about 10.6 (respectively 1.6) million children were enrolled in the
primary cycle (respectively in lower secondary cycle).
4. In the primary cycle, around 72 percent of students attend “Conventionnées” schools
which are owned and managed by churches and other religious organizations although they are
financed partly or entirely by the Government as part of the state system. Secular public schools
(“Non Conventionnées”) only account for 17 percent of the overall enrolment of that cycle while
the private sector accounts for 11 percent.
5. From 2002 to 2010, the enrolment in basic education (primary + lower education)
doubled, with an average growth rate of 8.7 percent every year. This increase is associated with
the secession of conflict, and government efforts to increase access through a variety of methods
50
including lowering the cost of education to households and expanding the capacity of the system
to accommodate new students. In the primary cycle, the number of school facilities (all types of
school put together) increased from 19,265 to 35,890 during the same period.
6. Despite gains in enrolment, the gross enrolment rate (GER) for the primary cycle is still
less than 100 percent. Between 2002 and 2010 enrollment nearly doubled and the GER increased
from 60.4 percent to 92.7 percent (see Table 8). Improved enrollment is reflected in improved
coverage in the past decade, with a relative slowdown during the past three years. The progress is
a reflection of the government’s efforts to develop the sector in the recent past. However a
further expansion of infrastructure will be required to enroll all school-aged children.
Table 8: Enrolment and Gross Enrolment Ratio, 2000-2010
2000 2001 2002 … 2008 2009 2010
Enrolment
Preschool 38,792 40,432 68,710 … 201,351 249,326 218,842
Primary - - 5,455,391 … 9,973,365 10,244,086 10,572,422
Lower Secondary - - 779,414 … 1,446,005 1,568,515 1,561,036
Upper Secondary - - 833,426 … 1,683,483 1,830,035 1,923,423
Gross Enrolment
Ratio
Preschool 0.7 0.8 1.3 … 3.2 3.8 3.3
Primary - - 60.4 … 90.3 90.8 92.7
Lower Secondary - - 30.2 … 46.6 49.2 47.6
Upper Secondary - - 18.3 … 30.1 31.7 32.3
Source: MEPSP Statistical Yearbook and UIS database.
7. Despite the tremendous progress, compared to neighboring countries, the DRC performs
poorly with regard to school coverage (see Graph 1). The country’s GER (93 percent) is 27
percentage points lower than the average GER of its neighbors (120 percent).
Graph 1: Gross Enrolment Ratio, comparison with neighbor countries
Source: MEPSP Statistical Yearbook, UIS database and authors calculation.
181.7 156.3
141.7 133.8 124.5 121.1 119.8 102.3 94.1 92.7 92.5 88.7 86.6
Gross Enrolment Ratio (Primary) for selected countries
51
8. Girls remain disadvantaged compared to boys, despite improvements to the gender gap.
In 2010, the gender parity index of the GER was 0.87 for the primary cycle and 0.65 for the
lower secondary cycle, compared to 2007 values of 0.81 and 0.58 respectively.
9. The education system remains characterized by low internal cost efficiency, marked by
high repetition and drop-out rates and a lack of consistency in teachers’ postings to regions and
schools. In 2011, the repetition rate in the primary cycle was 13 percent. The gross intake rate to
first grade of primary is estimated to 117 percent but only 59 percent of children reach the last
grade (completion rate). The students-teacher ratio (excluding private schools) in primary
education is 39:1 (2011).
10. Learning achievement remains low. The results of a learning assessment exercise carried
out by PASEC (2010) indicate that at the end of the 5th
year of primary education, only 47
percent of pupils demonstrate “minimal” knowledge in French and 59 percent in math. The poor
quality of primary education is partly explained by the poor learning environment (42 percent of
classrooms are built in non-durable material), low quality of pre-service training, inadequate
support for upgrading teacher skills at the local/school levels, and the scarcity of textbooks.
Context and Sector Analysis at the Province level: Equator and Kasaï-West
11. In order to minimize implementation risks and maximize impact on the most needy areas,
the Government and LEDG decided to focus the project interventions in Equator and Kasai-West
provinces (with the exception of the textbooks sub-component which would be country-wide)
which were selected using six needs-based criteria (see attachment to Annex 2 for details).
12. Context analysis. The context analysis is based on Table 9. Equator is the third-largest
province of DRC with an estimated population of 7.2 million (2010). The climate is tropical, hot
and humid, dominated by an 8-month rainy season. Only 43 km out of 14,313 km of roads are
paved and 72 percent of the province’s surface is covered by rainforest. The Congo River (an
800 km stretch) and its tributaries are the economic backbones of the province. Equator has the
highest poverty incidence in DRC (see Table 8). Nearly 77 percent of the population works in
subsistence agriculture. Almost no inhabitant has access to electricity or tap water in contrast to
the average of 10.3 percent and 10.9 percent respectively for the DRC. The infant mortality rate
is 102 per 1000 live births in Equator also higher than the average for DRC, 92 per 1000 live
births. Past support from international aid to the province is also substantially below the average
for the 11 provinces US$0.7 per inhabitant versus US$24.3. Kasaï-West has an estimated
population of 4.7 million (2010). The northern part is covered by tropical rainforest; the southern
part by savanna. Similar to Equator province, 78% of the people are subsistence farmers and
almost no one has access to electricity or tap water. The provincial infant mortality rate (95 per
1000 live births) is also higher than the national average. The province is the least supported by
international aid (US$0.2 per inhabitant).
52
Table 9: Context indicators in Equator and Kasaï-West
Indicator Equator Kasaï-
West DRC
Poverty incidence (%) 93.6 55.8 71.8
% of population working in agriculture 76.5 77.9 71.4
% of population with access to electricity 1 0 10.3
% of population with access to tap water 1 2.2 10.9
Infant mortality rate (per 1000 live births) 102 95 92
Support from International aid per inhabitant (US$, 2000-2005
average)
0.7 0.2 24.3
Sources: 1-2-3 Survey, EDS 2007, ONU/SIDA, Statistical yearbooks (2009-2010), Bulletin statistique sur les aides extérieures
mobilisées en RDC sur la période 2000-2005.
13. Sector analysis (see Table 10). Equator is the province with the most critical needs for
support in education. The primary completion rate is only 51 percent (compared to the national
average of 57 percent) and the proportion of out-of-school children is still very high (37 percent).
Girls’ enrolment is a particularly critical issue as reflected by the very low parity index (0.76, the
lowest of all provinces value). Only 15.7 percent of the 4,263 schools are built in durable
material (versus 42% for the national average). The recent tuition-free policy has also increased
the needs for that province significantly: it is estimated that school enrolment has increased by
21 percent due to the new policy compared to 13 percent for the national average. Kasaï-West is
the second most deprived province as indicated by the high proportion of out-of-school children
(38 percent), the second lowest gender parity index (0.80) and low proportion of classrooms built
in durable material (21.5 percent). Also the impact of the tuition-free policy on enrolment growth
(24 percent) was even bigger than for Equator.
Table 10: Sector indicators (Primary Education) in Equator and Kasaï-West
Indicator Equator Kasaï-
West DRC
Number of schools 4 263 3 298 35 890
Number of pupils (2010-11) 1 323 350 987 220 11 082 501
Completion rate (%) 51.2 58.5 56.7
Out-of-school children (%) 37.0 38.1 32.9
Parity index 0.76 0.80 0.86
Classrooms built in durable material (%) 15.7 21.5 42.0
Enrolment growth rate due to tuition-free policy (%) 21 24 13 Sources: Statistical yearbooks (2009-2010 and 2010-2011), EADE Report and MICS 2010 data, Rapport d’enquête sur la
gratuité.
Education Sector Expenditure, Budget framework (2012-2015) and sustainability
14. Compared to other countries, education in the DRC is poorly supported by budgetary
allocations. In 2011, the whole education sector (EPSP and Higher Education) expenditure
accounted for 10.7 percent of the domestic resources (see Table 11), below the Sub-Saharan
Africa average of 22 percent. Recent trends are encouraging (from 10 to 10.7 percent for the
sector share and from 6.5 to 7.3 percent for the EPSP share, between 2010 and 2011) and
government is committed to securing additional domestic resources for the sector in the next 4
years.
53
Table 11: Education and EPSP expenditure, 2010-2011
2010 2011
National Domestic Resources (CFD Billion) 3 013 3 735
EPSP expenditure (excl. transfers to education local authorities) funded from
Domestic Resources (CFD Billion) 197 273
Education Sector expenditure funded from Domestic Resources (CFD Billion) 303 399
EPSP expenditure as a share of Domestic Resources 6.5% 7.3%
Education Sector expenditure as a share of Domestic Resources 10% 10.7% Source: IEP.
15. The largest share of the education allocation (65% in 2010, 68% in 2011) was allocated
to EPSP (primary, secondary and vocational education). It is estimated that around 45 percent of
the education spending is allocated to primary education.
16. Based on international data (UNESCO-Pôle de Dakar), public expenditure per student
(unit recurrent cost) is very low in DRC compared to other countries in the region. In primary
education, public expenditure per student is only 5 percent of GDP per capita, in contrast to an
average of 12 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on countries for which data is available,
only Gabon has a public expenditure unit cost lower than the DRC; but GDP per capita in Gabon
is significantly higher than the DRC. This low level of public expenditure is compensated for by
a sizable financial contribution from households. In 2009 estimates show that households
financed at least 37 percent of direct education expenditures. The Government is aware that
under financing of the system limits participation especially for the poorest and prevents
provision of quality education. To address this issue the government is gradually expanding free-
fee primary education as a first step in a reform process. However, this policy needs to be
implemented more effectively and scaled up rapidly nation-wide and grade-wide.
54
Graph 2: Public recurrent expenditure per student in primary education, comparison with
other African countries, expressed as a percent of GDP per capita
Source: UNESCO-Pôle de Dakar.
17. Information from the Ministry of Budget for 2011 demonstrates the following breakdown
for education expenditure funded by domestic resources: 87 percent for salaries; 11 percent for
operating cost (“fonctionnement”); 0.6 percent for subsidies to sciences and culture, 0.7 percent
for student grants; and 1 percent for capital expenditure.
18. Budget Framework (2012-2015) and sustainability. Low budgetary allocations for
education in the past have been raised by local donors and the GPE with government. While this
is a legitimate concern, several factors suggest that sustainability could be effectively managed
by the government. As shown in Table 12, a substantial part of the IEP program, 73 percent is
financed from government resources, with only 13 percent from external financing (LEG and
GPE) to cover largely investment expenditures. The remaining gap is only 14 percent.
19. In addition, the largest part of the IEP costs consists of recurrent expenditures to finance
salaries and other recurrent costs and the government is already financing these costs. In the
recent past the government has increased its financing of teachers’ salaries and the operation
costs of school through the gradual introduction of fee free primary education and financing of
the administrative costs of school management offices. These increased expenditures are
reflected in the increased allocations to the sector from 2010 to 2012 when the budget for the
MEPSP increased faster than for the sector as a percentage of the national budget. While the
national budget increased by 24% during this period, that for MEPSP increased by about 38.6%.
0
5
10
15
20
25
Leso
tho
(2
00
8)
Nig
er
(20
09
)
Sén
égal
(2
00
9)
Cô
te d
'Ivo
ire
(20
07
)
Gh
ana
(20
07
)
Bu
run
di (
20
10
)
B F
aso
(2
00
6)
S. A
fric
a (2
00
9)
Mau
rita
nia
(2
00
8)
Togo
(2
00
9)
Swaz
ilan
d (
20
08
)
Eth
iop
ia (
20
07
)
Be
nin
(2
00
9)
SSA
Ave
rage
Sud
an (
20
08
)
Tan
zan
ia (
20
09
)
Lib
eria
(2
00
8)
Mal
i (2
00
9)
Gam
bia
(2
00
9)
Mal
awi (
20
07
)
Erit
rea
(20
06
)
Ch
ad (
20
08
)
Gu
ine
a (2
00
8)
Rw
and
a (2
00
8)
Uga
nd
a (2
00
9)
Bo
tsw
ana
(20
07
)
Mad
a (2
00
9)
G. B
issa
u (
20
10
)
DR
C (
20
05
)
Gab
on
(2
00
8)
Public exp per student as % of GDP pc, primary education
55
Table 12: Financing Framework for the EPSP (IEP)
Budget Framework for the EPSP
(Base Case)
2012 2013 2014 2015 TOTAL Percentage
Share
2012-2014
GDP (Billions FC) 15,963 18,583 21,500 24,815
National Budget from Internal
Resources as a % of GDP
23.0% 22.6% 22.6% 22.6%
National Budget from Internal
Resources (Billions FC)
3,671 4,200 4,859 5,608
Share of Internal Resources Allocated
to MEPSP (%)
9.0% 10.8% 12.5% 14.0%
MEPSP Budget from Internal
Resources (Billions FC)
330 453 607 785 1,390 73%
External Resources to MEPSP
(billions FC)
57 52 41 * 150 8%
TOTAL RESSOURCES (Billions
FC)
387 505 648 785 1,540 81%
IEP Expenditures (Billions FC) 520 670 721 * 1,911 100%
Financing GAP (Billions FC) 133 165 73 * 371 19%
Expected Contribution from GPE
(Billions FC)**
20 40 40 100 5%
Net GAP (Billions FC) 117 125 33 * 271 14%
Source: Presentation of IEP to GPE Secretariat (September 2012)
20. Much of this increased financing is derived from the positive fiscal conditions which
followed the cessation of major conflict and political tension in the country that reduced the need
for education to compete for resources with security concerns and that stalled GDP growth. It is
also expected that the savings from the HIPC initiative will be allocated to teacher salaries.
Assured financing of recurrent expenditures is critical to ensure sustainability since investments
expenditures can be adjusted based on availability of resources.
21. Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Budget has confirmed in a letter sent by the
government to the Head of the GPE Secretariat that the government is committed to increase the
EPSP budget significantly over the next four years. According to this agreement, public
financing secured for EPSP will increase from FC 299 billion in 2012 to FC 409 billion in 2015
(a 37 percent increase over three years).
22. The credibility of this commitment to increase funding for education is strengthened by
the rapid recovery of fiscal revenues after the financial crisis in 2009. The tax base is increasing
thanks to economic growth of 6-7 percent since 2009, projected to increase to over 8 percent in
2013. Fiscal revenues also increased as share of GDP up from 17 percent in 2009 to 19 percent
in 2011 and projected at 22 percent in 2012 in the wake of significant revenue mobilization
efforts by the authorities. Thanks to a strengthening exchange rate during 2009-11, revenues
increased rapidly in dollar terms, reaching almost US$3 billion in 2011 up from US$1.8 billion
two years earlier. Going forward the exchange rate has stabilized but revenues are projected to
continue to increase to over US$5 billion in 2015.
56
Expected impact and project cost-efficiency
23. By supporting the fee-free policy initiated by the government in 2009, the project will
help reduce the cost currently levied on households, and bring poor and vulnerable children into
the system.12
24. In order to assess the economic impact of schooling, a rate of return analysis for
education has been conducted using data from 1-2-3 Survey (2004-2005).13
One extra year of
education in DRC leads to a 6 percent increase in revenue; almost twice the rate of return
observed in Benin (3.3 percent). Evidence from the same survey suggests a poverty incidence of
71 percent, with a decreasing incidence associated with rising educational attainment. A non-
educated person has a 77 percent likelihood of being poor, whereas this falls to 34 percent for a
university graduate.
25. By providing textbooks for students and in-service training for teachers the project is
expected improve the quality of education delivered. More specifically the repetition rate is
targeted to fall to 7 percent in 2015, from 12 percent in 2010. International research has shown
that reducing repetition has a positive impact on drop-out reduction14
(on average, 1 percentage
point increase of repetition corresponds to a 0.8 percentage point increase of the drop-out rate).
Based on that assumption, it is estimated that the repetition rate reduction will lead to a decrease
of the drop-out rate by 6 percentage points (the school life expectancy would then increase from
8.5 years up to 8.9 years).
12
The direct school fee is US$18 a year per child. 13
Ulloa, Kast & Kekeh (2009). Democratic Republic of the Congo. A study of binding constraints. 14
Repetition is a strong reason for parents, in particular for the poorest and/or non-educated ones, to drop their
children out from the education system. Therefore, by reducing repetition, children are likely to stay longer in the
system.
57
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
Implementation Arrangements
Guiding principles
1. The implementation arrangements set up for the GPE are in line with the implementation
framework of the IEP and its deconcentrated approach. They are built on the following guiding
principles: (i) responsibility and accountability; (ii) equity; and (iii) result-based contracting.
(a) A deconcentrated approach requires a strong sense of responsibility and awareness of
accountability on the part of sub-national units (S/PROVED, Inspool primaire and Sous-
Coordinations) and schools. Both will receive financing from the government; in return,
they are expected to deliver quality public services. PROVED will bear fiduciary
responsibility for a defined list of activities that are defined in the Operations Manual,
and will set up Management Committees: Comité de gestion for the offices and Conseil
de gestion for the schools. Budget and finance officers will be recruited located at the
PROVED level and cover a number COGES. These will build on existing and best
practices from IDA-financed PURUS and PARSE (operations manuals, book keeping
guidance and reporting mechanisms).
(b) Increased accountability will require changes in administration practices at the central
level. Offices at national and provincial level will be required to transparent management
practices. In addition, a code of conduct will be elaborated and widely distributed. It will
apply to all offices and schools that receive public funding and contain clear measures for
disciplinary action, including procedures as prescribed by the law.
58
(c) Equity: The principle of equity not only refers to issues of vulnerability and exclusion,
but necessitates a more equitable distribution of resources, and the prioritization of those
most in need. This requires establishing objective criteria for targeted interventions (e.g.,
choice of geographic locations) and institutional arrangements for equitable service
delivery (e.g., number of inspectors proportional to the number of schools etc.).
(d) Performance-based agreements require periodic evaluations of work on the basis of
established and agreed upon indicators. In line with the IEP, the GPE will establish
“performance” agreements at the sub-provincial level. This is a relatively new concept as
very little accountability exists with regard to the management of school fees and the
delivery of services.
(e) Finally, and whenever possible, project coordination, implementation and
monitoring/evaluation at central, provincial and sub-provincial levels will be carried out
by existing, operational structures of MEPSP that allow effective participation of all key
actors (other ministries, faith-based groups, donors, NGOs, civil society and
beneficiaries).
2. Two types of “agreements” will be established: In addition to a partnership agreement
between the center and the PROVEDs there will be two other formal arrangements:
(a) A partnership agreement (partenariat) between the centre and the different “educational”
provinces (PROVEDs), setting the norms and the key results indicators for programs.
The role of the PROVED is to ensure that activities are effectively implemented at the
sub-provincial level;
(b) Results-based contracting (contrat de résultats) between the PROVED and the sub-
provincial offices is at the heart of implementation, defining clear results indicators and
reporting mechanisms in line with work plans and essential tasks. Sub-provincial offices
are directly accountable for implementing activities on the ground;
59
(c) As a rule, all agreements will establish clearly delineated lines of authority and
accountability for all parties involved. These will be in line with the vision of efficient
service delivery as redefined in the package of essential activities, and related post
descriptions at the different levels of the implementation chain. Ministerial decrees will
formalize these responsibility lines.
Implementation at central level
3. MEPSP will be ultimately accountable for meeting the objectives of the project. Project
implementation will be mainstreamed, using the MEPSP structure at the central and
deconcentrated levels, with the majority of activities executed at the deconcentrated levels.
4. The overall project management and coordination of the IEP/GPE will be placed under
the direction of the Secretary General (SG). The SG will be responsible for (i) taking strategic
decisions as recommended by findings of analytical work and evaluations; (ii) liaising between
the government and the donor community; (iii) ensuring the effective involvement of civil
society on a participatory process; (iv) monitoring the IEP/GPE implementation process; (v)
consolidating, analyzing and disseminating implementation reports; and (vi) organizing external
audits and joint annual reviews.
5. In order to strengthen its capacities, the General Secretariat will benefit from the
following resources:
(d) An executive officer will be appointed as the SG’s principal assistant for day-to-day
decision-making. The recruitment process for this full-time position will be competitive
and subject to non-objection from the World Bank;
(e) A Technical Committee (TC) composed of a core group, including the heads of the
Directorates oriented toward the strategic axes of the project (school construction, sector
planning, pedagogical inputs, teacher training, teacher management and system
governance), experts from the CAT and the Fiduciary Unit (see below), representatives of
the ‘church-run’ network, representatives of ESU and MAS (on a needs-basis) and the
Lead/Co-lead of the education donor group. The TC meets monthly under the direction of
the SG. The TC approves the budgeted work plans in close consultation with the World
Bank;
(f) The Technical Advisory Unit (CAT) of the MEPSP will be comprised of a national
(PARSE) and international expert (AfD). This unit is already operational and has been
actively involved in the development of the IEP and the technical work of the
Directorates. It will play a central and supportive role to the TC. The Project will
reinforce the CAT and hire additional staff to boost capacity (experts in PFM, in quality
control and institutional reform, in educational planning and a M&E specialist);
(g) Project management in the SG’s office will be strengthened with the fiduciary capacity
from the PARSE. The latter has accrued important experience and expertise through the
procurement activities and financial managementof the PARSE project .and will
60
technically support the recently created CGMP of MEPSP in carrying out procurement
activities at the national level and supervision of procurement at the deconcentrated level.
. This team of fiduciary specialists will include (i) a Financial Controller, (ii) an
Accountant; (iii) a Cashier; (iv)a Procurement Specialist; and (v) a Procurement
Assistant.
Implementation at de-concentrated levels
6. At provincial level, the PROVED, as cosignatory of the result-based “contracts” with the
sub-provincial offices, is ultimately responsible for project oversight. The PROVED exercises
authority following a participatory process and within the limits approved by the Provincial
Committee of EPSP (Commission provinciale de l’EPSP). These Committees are already
operational and bring together key education officials at provincial level, including
representatives of civil society (teacher unions, parents, NGOs), and the “church-run” networks.
It is envisaged that they will meet on a bimonthly basis. Finally, PROVEDS are only in charge of
“educational” provinces. For instance, Equator province has five “educational” provinces and
five PROVEDs. In order to ensure more efficient oversight at provincial level, all PROVEDs
will participate twice a year in meetings organized by the Provincial Committee located in the
“capital” of the administrative province, chaired by the provincial Minister of Education and
including the participation of the Donors Coordinating Agency.
7. The sub-provincial offices are directly accountable for implementation. For that purpose,
their organigrams have been revisited and essential tasks redefined in order to align them with
school-based activities to ensure implementation at the school level. Sub-provincial offices will
closely monitor the performance of school heads and the teachers. These offices will meet
formally as a Technical Committee on a regular basis to monitor and coordinate project
implementation. They will be responsible for the collection and compilation of M&E reports
before transmission to the PROVED. The Technical Committee is composed of (i) the
Sous/PROVED; (ii) the Inspool; (iii) SECOPE; and (iii) the Sous-Coordinateurs and Conseillers
Résidents (“church-run” offices).
8. Both sub-provincial offices and schools will receive fiduciary support from budget and
finance officers to be recruited and located at the PROVED for financial management and
reporting. Sub provincial offices and simple schools local management units (Comités de gestion
and Conseils de gestion) will then focus in implementing the activities. At the school level, the
management committee (COGES) of the school comprises: (i) the school head; (ii) the president
and two members of the COPA (parent committee); (iii) the representative of the teachers; and
(iv) the representative of the pupils (as observer). The COGES is actively involved in approving
and monitoring the local implementation plan. Existing operations manuals will serve as models
for the project’s manuals.
61
Monitoring and reporting mechanisms
9. At the central level, a Steering Committee (SC) composed of the Ministers of EPSP
(President), ESU, MAS, Planning, Finance and Budget, the Donors Coordination Agency and the
Secretary General of MEPSP (Secretariat of the SC) will provide strategic oversight of the
project. The committee will approve annual work plans and reports and endorses major
decisions. The Committee will meet at least twice a year.
10. Various platforms coexist and serve as frameworks for dialogue and concerted action,
including the Thematic Education Group (Groupe Thématique Education) and the Comité de
Concertation. The Thematic group is a high-level body including the Ministers of Education
(EPSP, ESU and MAS); while the Comité is more technical, responsible for analytical work and
the production of technical reports. Both platforms are composed of government, donor and civil
society representatives. The role of these groups will be to monitor government action and
formulate recommendations.
11. A precondition for efficient implementation is a well-organized, fluid reporting and
monitoring circuit across all levels. This implies simple and pragmatic mechanisms to facilitate
rather information flows (see diagram below). Sub-provincial offices will report to their
counterparts at provincial level (for instance, Inspool to IPP). Provincial offices will compile
these reports and formally transmit them to the PROVED who, in turn, will elaborate a synthesis
report to the provincial level. A consolidated report will then be transmitted to the central level.
The project’s operations manuals will set the format and the reporting periods.
12. In addition, independent financial audits will closely look into spending procedures at
both sub-provincial and school levels. Quality surveys will be conducted on a regular basis to
assess the impact and the quality of the public service delivery. Further, a monitoring system
involving civil society will be established. As a forerunner of a permanent independent watchdog
body (as described in the IEP), the system will rely on groups already present on the ground
(local and international NGOs, teacher unions, parent associations etc.) to collect qualitative data
via a uniform survey design. Finally, joint annual reviews will be organized involving all
partners.
62
13. The diagram below summarizes the nature of accountability relationships between offices
and schools, on the one hand, and schools and parents, on the other. The rationale is to put in
place a “combined” accountability system where bottom-up monitoring can trigger top-down
oversight. School heads and teachers are the main agents of implementation, and should feel
accountable toward both their employer (state) and their clients (parents). For instance, if the
outreach office facilitates the election of a Parent Committee to the benefit of transparency, then
it builds pressure on the school head to act accordingly. Similarly, if a school inspector is entitled
to look at the schools’ compliance with e.g., established expenditure procedures, then this may
become a reason for the school head to act by the rules. The bottom-up involvement of a
representative COPA will equally contribute to monitoring and enforcing a “climate of
compliance”.
Social Accountability
14. Oversight of Project implementation. The project will also reinforce involvement of the
COGES, (fifty percent of whose members represent the parent teacher organizations) and school
networks in implementation including in the provision and use of textbooks and school
construction. They will also ensure integrity in fiduciary management as they will be actively
involved in approving and monitoring the local implementation plan. PARSE operations manuals
will serve as a model for the project’s manuals. As final beneficiaries of the project the COGES
will contribute by observing the procurement process and supervising construction works and
other project activities. LEA will strengthen the capacity of communities through simplified
procurement training.
63
15. Monitoring. A consensus exists among the main actors of the civil society (NGOs,
children rights activists, parent committees, women associations and teacher unions) to establish
a permanent and independent watchdog to monitor the quality of service delivery. In the interim
the project will depend on existing structures active in the two provinces and associated local
networks. On the basis of a predefined, uniform report card (monitoring protocol) these groups
will monitor implementation of key activities such as in-service training, delivery and utilization
of textbooks, school fees, effectiveness of school-based management committees etc. Reports
will be collected, analyzed and discussed at provincial (Commission provinciale de l’EPSP) and
central levels (Secretariat General/CAT) to allow remedial action. In addition, and building on
PURUS/PARSE experience, a hot line (texting transformed into email) will be initiated to
facilitate citizens’ participation in reporting on the quality of service delivery. The use of mobile
phones and texting has been used very effectively to overcome the communication challenges
imposed by the large size of the country and limited infrastructure. Mobile communications
have penetrated the country more deeply than other methods.
16. Restructuring of the administrative offices –Role of FBOs.- One of the key objectives of
the project is to strengthen the roles of the Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs) (National
Coordinators and church representatives) that manage schools on behalf of the government.
These agencies were severely weakened because of the lack of effective public oversight and
financial resources during the war and period of crisis. In the absence of public resources the
FBOs relied on fees collected from parents for financing their administrative costs. This
relationship prevented the FBOs from exercising oversight of school operations to ensure that the
relevant pedagogical and administrative standards were maintained. With the resumption of
public financing for the management offices and the use of results agreements the FBOs will be
empowered to verify that minimum standards are maintained in schools to promote learning.
17. Roadmap. The roadmap was cosigned by the MEPSP (Secretariat General) and the faith-
based organizations (National Coordinators and church representatives). There is consensus for
the need to restructure the administrative offices as a prerequisite for financing and efficient
service delivery. The financing entails an immediate halt on the levying of school fees on
households by these offices. The restructuring will require new functional organigrams and
compliance to existing norms (staffing). These norms will be integrated into SECOPE’s data
base to block overstaffing. The main roles and tasks of these offices have been redefined to
target specific activities and results.
18. Tools. In order to enhance accountability and mitigate risks, PURUS and PARSE have
developed simple procedures manuals for schools. These contain ministerial decrees on
management and parent committees (election rules, composition and specific roles, etc.), detailed
information on allocations, eligible expenditure, book keeping procedures, reporting
requirements etc. These tools have been distributed to all eligible schools. The GPE will build on
this experience and tailor the tools to the needs of the administrative offices. The use of mobile
phones and texting has been used very effectively to overcome the communication challenges
imposed by the large size of the country and limited infrastructure. Mobile communications have
penetrated the country more deeply than other methods.
64
Role of Partners
19. The collaboration among the donor group during the preparation of the IEP and of the
project will continue during implementation. There will be direct involvement of other partners
in the implementation of some components while for other components the project will benefit
from the experiences of projects financed by other partners. USAID for example will work very
closely with the MEPSP and the Bank team in the development of in-service teacher training
system through the development of modules and for putting in place the mechanisms for distance
education in the 2 provinces. The LEDG will also work jointly in developing the systems for
promoting girls education and teacher management. Discussions are well advanced with
UNICEF, USAID and DfID on issues related to girls’ education and with AfD on the
development of the teacher management system. Regular consultations will also take place at
the informal and formal levels on the implementation of all components given the experience of
other donors in the various activities included in the project to learn from their experiences and
to ensure a coherent national approach. The systems that will be developed will be adopted by all
donors in future programs, in the framework of the IEP. The role of the Technical Advisory Unit
(CAT) as the coordinating unit for donor intervention will allow for improved coordination and
minimize the potential for duplication. Recent developments and discussions demonstrate the
commitment of donors to the alignment of new projects within the IEP framework (DfID,
UNICEF, USAID and AfD).
20. Donors will jointly monitor project implementation in the context of the IEP. The Donors
Coordinating Agency will be a member of the Steering Committee chaired by the Minister of
MEPSP, which will provide strategic oversight of the project. This committee will approve
annual work plans and reports and endorses major decisions. The Committee will meet at least
twice a year. There will also be joint annual reviews of the implementation of the IEP during
which the project will also be discussed as part of the IEP. The Donors Coordinating Agency
will also be part of the Provincial Committees and participate twice a year in meetings organized
by the Provincial Committee located in the “capital” of the administrative province, chaired by
the provincial Minister of Education.
21. Donors and civil society representatives will also be members of the various platforms
that coexist and serve as frameworks for dialogue and concerted action between the donors and
the government. These include the Thematic Education Group (Groupe Thématique Education)
and the Comité de Concertation. The Thematic group is a high-level body including the
Ministers of Education (EPSP, ESU and MAS); while the Comité is more technical, responsible
for analytical work and the production of technical reports. The role of these groups will be to
monitor government action and formulate recommendations.
65
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Support to Basic Education Program under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Fund
Financial Management and Disbursements
1. Country PFM situation and Use of Country System. CFAA (Country Financial
Accountability Assessment), PER (Public Expenditures Review), and PEFA (Public Expenditure
and Financial Accountability) reports completed for the DRC between 2002 and 2008 portray an
unsatisfactory environment for economic and financial control including weak mechanisms for
budget preparation and control, financial reporting, external audit and human resources. In-depth
structural reforms are required to improve economic governance, public expenditure
management, the financial sector and public enterprises to strengthen capacity in public
administration. To this end, with the support of the donor community, the Government of DRC is
undertaking a series of PFM reforms in budget preparation and execution, adhesion to Treasury
forecasts, preparation of regular budget execution reports, and the simplification of the national
budget classification system. The first critical steps for PFM reform include the adoption of a
new procurement code in December 2008 and the adoption in July 2011 of a new PFM organic
Law. Additional decrees are being finalized to clarify the organic Law. It will take time for these
reforms to yield substantial improvements in the management of public funds. As a result, the
overall country fiduciary risk is still considered High.
2. A repeated PEFA will be performed by the end of 2012 to take stock of progress and
revise the existing PFM strategic plan, paving the way for a new PFM Technical Assistance
operation expected to be implemented by the Bank. An assessment of the use of national PFM
systems will be undertaken in FY13 to identify areas for Bank assistance and projects. While
waiting for the outcomes of the use of country system assessment, the proposed project will (i)
be entrusted to the Secretary General of the MEPSP, (ii) use the deconcentrated administrative
services (bureaux gestionnaires, ordonnateur délégué provincial, Service de Contrôle et de la
Paie des Enseignants…) at the provincial level subject to reinforcement15 and (iii) rely on
PARSE fiduciary arrangements that will be strengthened. It is worth noting that PARSE
fiduciary unit has performed satisfactorily in the management of the procurement activities and
financial management in the project.16
In addition, it has acquired substantial experience in the
sector. PARSE’s existing financial management arrangements are more than adequate and
comply with Bank minimum requirements.
15
Actions aiming at reinforcing these structures are incorporated into the third component of the project. This will
also involve the review of the budget transfer and reporting (crédit délégué) arrangements. 16
FM performance rating has been constantly satisfactory since 2009.
66
3. Key weaknesses and Action Plan to reinforce the control environment Significant Weaknesses or
risks
Action Responsible body Completion Date
Existing FM manual of
procedures do not include the
new project specifics.
Revise the existing manual to include
the new project specifics and ensure
adequate ownership by the new
players including the LEAs.
PARSE
Done
National budget execution and
accounting procedures at the
deconcentrated level suffers
from bottlenecks in the
expenditures chain (duplicate
controls, delay in transferring
the resources…). This could
hamper the execution of the
project components to be
implemented at the
deconcentrated level. PARSE is
already suffering from this
situation.
During project
implementation
Recruit, through a competitive process
the LEAs for the implementation of
the school constructions component.
Each LEA will need to comply with
minimum fiduciary requirements
(seasoned FM officer, adequate
fiduciary platform).
Recruit one budget and finance officer
at the PROVED offices. They will be
in charge of providing technical
support to the PFM actors at the
decondentrated level on budget cycle.
MEPSP (Central and
PROVEDs)
ToR done
Recruitment 3
months after
effectivemess
Current External audit
arrangements are not related to
the new project
Amend the ToR of the external auditor
underway to be recruited.
IDA/MoF
Done
Risk of fraud & corruption in
the payroll management and
operation cost transferred at
the deconcentrated level.
Ex ante controls: The revised
operations manual will help to ensure
an adequate ex ante control
environment. Ensure actual
implementation of SECOPE reform
action plan.
Ex post controls: Technical and
financial internal auditors will play a
key role in the ex post controls
arrangements. External financial audit
as well as Bank integrated fiduciary
review will complement the
arrangements. The development of an
effective complaint handling
mechanism will help to capture
beneficiaries concerns and track poor
performance. This will complement
the social accountability measures
already in place and proposed in the
project.
PARSE/IDA
Over project
implementation
67
4. Staffing and Training: The financial team is in place using the capacity of PARSE (an
Administrative and Financial Manager, and two internal auditors).. The team is well conversant
with Bank FM procedures. After a period of one year, an assessment of the team work load will
be performed to determine if an additional accountant should be recruited. At the deconcentrated
level, the project will rely on administrative and accounting staff present in the “bureaux
gestionnaires”. To reinforce the arrangements one finance and budget officer for each provincial
education office will be recruited to support these provinces in overseeing the expenditure by the
LEAs. They will also reinforce the capacity of the public accountants that will become key actors
in the next phases of support to the education sector. This staffing will be complemented by the
recruitment on a competitive basis of LEAs endowed with adequate fiduciary staff. The last two
mitigation actions are deemed to be appropriate alternatives for weaknesses in the public
expenditure chain. They also allow to build capacity for utilization of the public expenditure
chain in the medium term.
5. Budgeting: PARSE’s existing operations manuals include detailed budgeting procedures
for the consolidation of the activities submitted by the implementing entities, the preparation of
annual work plans, and their adoption by the Steering Committee to the budget execution. The
manuals will be revised to incorporate the new project specifics including the role of LEAs.
6. Accounting Policies and Procedures: PARSE’s operations manuals detail the
accounting policies and procedures which are in line with Congolese accounting principles.17
The manuals will be revised to include project specifics (chart of account, procedures of posting
of teachers salaries transactions, LEAs....). The existing accounting software which has multi
projects, multi sites and multi donors’ features will be used. At the deconcentrated level, a
simplified accounting system will be put in place. A statement of expenditures will serve to
account for the money transfer. The supporting documents will be retained at the “bureaux
gestionnaires” which will be subject to external and internal audits.
7. Internal Control and Internal Auditing: Subject to revision of the operations manual,
the existing internal control arrangements at PARSE will be applied. In addition, the Provincial
Education offices will play a key role in overseeing the local executing agencies. Each local
implementation agency will comprise a minimum staff (e.g., head of office, one finance and
administration officer, etc.). The finance and budget officers to be recruited will play a key role
in the internal control environment at deconcentrated level as they will build capacity of the
actors and oversee the LEAs. The existing internal audit unit located at PARSE which comprises
2 internal auditors (financial and technical auditors) will be used. Subject to a performance
evaluation, their contracts could be extended after the initial term scheduled for December 2012.
The new project will be included in the annual audit plan that will be set up on the basis of risk
evaluation Given the risk associated with operating cost transactions, rehabilitation of classrooms
and text books distribution, the focus of the annual audit will be on the verification of
expenditures and physical outputs of transactions. Joint audit with the General Inspectorate of
Finance are envisaged. A summary of audit reports as well as implementation status of the
recommendations will be incorporated in the quarterly Interim Financial Management Reports.
17
The country has recently adopted the OHADA (Organisation pour l’Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des
Affaires) principles which are shared with 16 francophone countries in Africa.
68
8. Funds Flow and Disbursement Arrangements: As for the Global Partnership for
Education Fund, two Designated Accounts (DAs) will be opened. The bank accounts will be
denominated in US$. The transaction-based disbursement procedures will be applied.
9. Designated Account A will be opened in a commercial bank acceptable to
World Bank and used to finance all components except the activities that will be implemented by
the “bureaux gestionnaires”. The ceiling of designated account A will be set to 2US$ million
and is estimated to cover four months of project expenditures for all project components except
subcomponent 3.1.
10. Payments from the DA will be made in accordance with the provisions of the revised
operations manuals (i.e., joint signatures by the Secretary General of EPSP and the FM project
officer will be required for any payment, application of Bank procurement guidelines for goods
and services. The contract management agreements signed with the Local Execution Agencies
for the school construction (the LEA to be recruited based on agreed terms of reference) will
specify the payment modalities (opening of subaccounts in commercial banks acceptable to the
Bank, etc.) to be used to pay the suppliers selected through acceptable Bank procurement
procedures. Replenishment of the LEA accounts will be done monthly by the project upon
submission through the Provincial Education office, of acceptable supporting documents that
will include a Statement of Expenses together with all invoices, good receipt notes and bank
reconciliation. Payments from the sub accounts will be subject to joint signatory of the head of
office and the finance and administration officer. They will be subject to external audit. The DA
will be used for all payments less than twenty percent of the ceiling and replenishment
applications will be submitted electronically via the Client Connection website as often as
possible against full documentation, except for the following items of expenditures: (a) contracts
for works in an amount less than US$500,000; (b) contracts for equipment and goods less than
US$250,000; (c) contracts for consultants firm in an amount less than US$100,000 equivalent
per contract; (d) and contracts for individual consultants in an amount less than US$50,000
equivalent per contract, as well as all operating costs, which would be claimed on the basis of
Statement of Expenditures. All supporting documents should be retained at the project or
implementing agencies and readily accessible for review by IDA implementation support
missions and external auditors. Direct payments will be made to service providers, if need be.
11. Designated Account B will be opened at the Central Bank of Congo (BCC) - much more
decentralized in the areas of project implementation than commercial banks - to finance a
defined list of activities to be implemented by 160 “bureaux gestionnaires”. It is worth noting
that the central government resources financing these “bureaux gestionnaires” are already being
channeled via existing local branches of the Central Bank. The ceiling of designated account B
will be set to US$800,000 and is estimated to cover four months of project expenditures related
to subcomponent 3.1.
69
12. Transactions on Designated Account B will be initiated by the Secretary General of EPSP
and the Finance Officer and be submitted to the signature of the Ministry of Finance in line with
the national procedures for any account opened at the Central Bank. Sub accounts will be opened
by the “bureaux gestionnaires” (S/PROVED, Inspool and Subprovincial Coordinations) in the
Central Bank branches where they exist. To this end an updated stock take will be conducted to
identify the remaining areas where these branches do not exist. For these areas, other financial
institutions such as existing “messageries” will be used. The subaccounts will be managed by the
local management committees established in the “bureaux gestionnaires” composed of, among
others, the head of the office and an accountant. These committees will account for the advance
received on a quarterly basis (not later than 15 days after the end of the quarter) using a
simplified reporting template that will include the details of expenditure and the opening and
closing balance of the treasury. The supporting documents will be retained by the “bureaux
gestionnaires” for internal and external audits…The DA as well as sub-account management, as
described, meets the minimum requirements for Bank Financial Management policy (OP 10.02
and its effective replacement thereafter).
13. To manage the Education for All Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund – European
Commission, one Designated Account (DA-C) will be opened at a commercial bank acceptable
to the Bank. However, given the nature of activities to be financed under this TF (textbooks), it is
likely that direct payment will be the mostly used. The ceiling of the DA will be set to US$
300,000.
14. Disbursements by category: The table below sets out the expenditure categories to be
financed out of the Grant proceeds. This table takes into account the prevailing Country
Financing Parameter for DRC in setting out the financing levels.
GPE Category Amount of the Grant
Allocated (expressed in
US$
Percentage of Expenditures to be Financed
(inclusive of Taxes)
(1) Goods, works, non-
consulting services,
consultants’ services,
Training and Operating
Costs under the Project
(other than Parts
B.2(a)(i) and C.1 of the
Project)
88,600,000 100%
(2) Goods, non-consulting
services, consultants’
services, Training and
Operating Costs under
Part C.1 of the Project
5,000,000 100%
TOTAL AMOUNT 93,600,000
70
EFA-FTI EC
Category Amount of the Grant
Allocated (expressed in
USD)
Percentage of Expenditures to be Financed
(inclusive of Taxes)
(3) Goods under Part
B.2(a)(i) of the
Project
6,400,000 100 %
TOTAL AMOUNT 6,400,000
15. Financial Reporting and Monitoring: The existing PARSE administrative, financial
and accounting procedures have provisions for quarterly and yearly financial reporting including
reporting on physical progress. The same arrangements will continue to be applied and are
indicated in the administrative, financial and accounting manual. . The current format includes
(i) statements of sources and use of funds, and use of funds per category, (ii) updated
procurement plans, and (iii) physical progress will be amended to incorporate the summary of
the internal audit missions as well as the implementation status of recommendations.
16. External Auditing: The project’s financial statements as well as internal control system
applied will be subject to an annual audit using the existing external audit arrangements. The
scope mandate of the auditor under recruitment will be revised to include the new project and its
specifics (all the LEAs, all the 160 “bureaux gestionnaires”.). The auditor will provide an
opinion on the annual financial statements in compliance with IFAC Standards on Auditing. In
addition to the audit reports, the external auditors will be expected to prepare a Management
Letter giving observations, comments, and providing recommendations for improvements in
accounting records, systems, controls and compliance with financial covenants in the Financing
agreement. A special opinion will be produced on the component the school constructions. The
project will be required to produce, no later than June 30 of the following fiscal year, audited
annual financial statements. In line with the new access to information policy, the project will
comply with the Bank disclosure policy of audit reports (e.g., make publicly available, promptly
after receipt of all final financial audit reports (including qualified audit reports) and place this
information on its the official website within one month of the report being accepted as final by
the team.
17. Implementation support Plan: FM implementation support missions will be consistent
with a risk-based approach, and will involve a collaborative approach with the entire Task Team.
A first implementation support mission will be performed six months after project effectiveness.
Thereafter, missions will be scheduled using a risk based approach and will include the
following diligences: (i) monitoring of the financial management arrangements during
supervision at intervals determined by the risk rating assigned to the overall FM Assessment at
entry and subsequently during Implementation (ISR); (ii) integrated fiduciary review of key
contracts, (iii) review of the IFRs; (iv) review of the audit reports and management letters from
the external auditors and follow-up on material accountability issues by engaging with the Bank
team leader, MEPSP, and/or Auditors; the quality of the audits (internal and external) will also
be monitored closely to ensure that they cover all relevant aspects and provide evidence of the
71
appropriate use of funds by recipients; (v) physical supervision on the ground; and (vi) assistance
to build or maintain appropriate capacity in financial management.
18. Conclusions of the FM Assessment: The overall residual FM risk at preparation is
considered Substantial. The proposed financial management arrangements for this project are
considered adequate to meet the Bank’s minimum fiduciary requirements under OP/BP10.02.
Procurement
A. General: Procurement rules to be applied
19. Procurement activities under this project will be carried out in accordance with the World
Bank’s "Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits" dated January 2011; and
"Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers" dated
January 2011; and the provisions stipulated in the Legal Agreement. The general description of
various items under different expenditure category is described below. For each contract to be
financed by the Loan/Credit, the different procurement methods or consultant selection methods,
the need for prequalification, estimated costs, prior review requirements, and time frame are
agreed between the Borrower and the Bank project team in the Procurement Plan. The
Procurement Plan will be updated at least annually or as required to reflect the actual project
implementation needs and improvements in institutional capacity.
B. Use of the national procurement law/code provisions and the related institutions and
texts of application
20. For all contracts not advertised internationally, the Bank may authorize the use of the
national procurement system that comprises the law including its texts of application and the
institutions in charge of control and regulation. In such case, the national competitive bidding
procedures shall be reviewed and modified as necessary to assure economy, efficiency,
transparency, and broad consistency with the provisions included in Section I and paragraphs 3.3
and 3.4 of the Bank Procurement Guidelines.
C. Items to be procured and the methods to be used
21. Advertisement : General Procurement Notice (GPN), Specific Procurement Notices
(SPN), Requests for Expression of Interest, and results of the evaluation and contracts award
should be published in accordance with advertising provisions in the following guidelines:
"Guidelines: Procurement under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits" dated January 2011; and
"Guidelines: Selection and Employment of Consultants by World Bank Borrowers" dated
January 2011. For this purpose, the MEPSP will prepare and submit to the Bank a General
Procurement Notice (GPN). Specific Procurement Notice (SPN) for all goods, non-consulting
services and works to be procured under International Competitive Bidding (ICB) and Requests
for Expressions of Interests for all consulting services costing the equivalent of US$200,000.00
and above will be published in Dg Market, on the Bank’s external website, and in the national
press, in addition to other media with wide circulation.
72
All other specific procurement notices and other requests for expression of interest shall be
published at a minimum in the national press with wide circulation.
22. Procurement of Goods: Goods procured under this project will include: (i) the
acquisition and distribution of textbooks; (ii) school furniture and equipment, computer
equipment, office materials and supplies, vehicles and related products. The procurement will be
done under ICB or NCB using the Bank’s Standard Bidding Documents for all ICB and National
Standard Bidding Documents agreed with or satisfactory to the Bank. Small value goods may be
procured under shopping procedures. Direct contracting may be used where necessary if agreed
in the procurement plan in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3.7 to 3.8 of the
Procurement Guidelines. All ICB contract and the first contract for Goods for each LEA will be
subject to prior review by the World Bank.
23. Procurement of Non-consultancy services: Non-consultancy services under this project
will include the distribution of textbooks in all provinces by various means of transportation
deemed to be the most convenient and economical way to reach all schools. They will also
include workshops, training, etc. The project will use NCB procedures agreed with the Bank and
National Standard Bidding Documents agreed with or satisfactory to the Bank. Small value non-
consultancy services may be procured under shopping procedures. Direct contracting may be
used where necessary if agreed in the procurement plan in accordance with the provisions of
paragraph 3.7 to 3.8 of the Procurement Guidelines.
24. Procurement of Works: Works procured under this project will include reconstruction
and renovation of approximately 900 dilapidated classrooms, and the provision of latrines and
clean water. Procurement will be done under NCB using National Standard Bidding Documents
agreed with or satisfactory to the Bank. Small value works may be procured under shopping
procedures. Direct contracting may be used where necessary if agreed in the procurement plan in
accordance with the provisions of paragraph 3.7 to 3.8 of the Procurement Guidelines. The
prequalification processes for all the contracts for works to be procured using NCB are subject to
prior review by the Bank. The first contract for works (schools construction works) for each LEA
will be subject to prior review by the World Bank.
25. Selection and employment of Consultants: Consultancy services (Consulting firms or
Individual consultants) under this project will be selected on a competitive basis. The selection
method for consulting firms will be Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS) method whenever
possible. Contracts for specialized assignments estimated to cost less than USD200,000.00
equivalent may be contracted through Consultant Qualification (CQ). The following additional
methods may be used where appropriate: Quality Based Selection (QBS); Selection under a
Fixed Budget (FB); and Least-Cost Selection (LCS).The LEAs will be selected on a competitive
basis using the selection method based on the Consultants’ Qualifications (CQS). The selection
of LEAs will be subject to Bank prior review.
73
26. Short lists of consultants for services estimated to cost less than the equivalent of
US$200,000.00 per contract may be composed entirely of national consultants in accordance
with the provisions of paragraph 2.7 of the Consultant Guidelines. However, if foreign firms
express interest, they will not be excluded from consideration.
27. Single Source Selection (SSS) may be employed with prior approval of the Bank and will
be in accordance with paragraphs 3.8 to 3.11 of the Consultant Guidelines. All services of
Individual Consultants (IC) will be procured under contracts in accordance with the provisions of
paragraphs 5.1 to 5.6 of the Guidelines.
28. Operational Costs which would be financed by the Project would be procured using the
implementing agency’s administrative procedures described in the Project administrative,
financial and accounting manual to be reviewed and found acceptable to the Bank.
74
D. Institutional arrangements for procurement and capacity assessment
1) Implementation arrangements
29. The procurement activities of the project will be handled at the central level and at the
decentralized level. At the central level the procurement activities will be handled by the Cellule
de Gestion des Projets et des Marchés Publics (CGPMP) the newly created procurement unit
within the Ministry of Education (MEPSP), and at the decentralized level they will be carried out
by local executing agencies (LEAs) through a signed CMA (Contract Management Agreement)
The CGPMP at the central level has the overall responsibility for the quality of procurement
under the whole project.
30. At the central level the CGPMP of the MEPSP will benefit from the staff of the current
Procurement Unit of PARSE; this unit is staffed with one Procurement Specialist and one
procurement assistant who have acceptable qualifications and experience in procurement. While
the CGPMP handles procurement activities at the central level, it should ensure that the agreed
procurement rules are respected at the decentralized level. For this purpose, it will carry out
periodic post controls on the way procurement activities are conducted and build the capacity of
the actors at the deconcentrated level. The important role of the CGPMP in the management of
procurement activities and the fact that it does not have currently the necessary skills and
experience shows the need for more capacity. For that reason, and beyond the assistance received
from staff of the former PARSE, it is crucial to recruit an International Procurement Expert who
will provide the CGPMP with technical support and training on a periodical basis.
31. At the decentralized level procurement activities will mainly concern the implementation
of the infrastructure program in the component 1. These procurement activities will be carried
out by LEAs which will sign a contract management agreement (CMA-convention de gestion)
with MEPSP at the provincial level. Given the lack of capacity and experience in procurement at
the decentralized levels the selection of LEAs will be carried out at the decentralized level in
close collaboration with the procurement unit at the central level. The LEAs will be selected on a
competitive basis using the selection method based on the Consultants’ Qualifications (CQS).
The selection of LEAs will be subject to Bank prior review.
32. In the execution of its mandate through the CMA, LEAs will outsource the
implementation of the activities to enterprises and suppliers for works and furniture for the
reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools’; the tasks may include hiring individuals and firms
for design and supervision of the works. The enterprises will be outsourced by LEAs after a
prequalification process acceptable to the Bank. The invitation to prequalify prior to bidding will
use the Standard Prequalification Document issued by the Bank adapted to the context in a
manner acceptable to the Bank. The invitation for prequalification will be advertised and
interested parties notified as described in compliance with World Bank Guidelines. The
responsibilities of LEA on procurement activities management will be detailed in the operations
manual. The procurement activities carried out by LEAs will be periodically reviewed by the
CGPMP in the purpose of quality control.
75
33. As final beneficiaries of the rehabilitated or reconstructed classrooms the community
represented by COGES will contribute and supervise construction works. LEA will strengthen
the capacity of communities through simplified procurement training.
2) Assessment of the agency’s capacity to implement procurement
34. An assessment of the capacity of the MEPSP to implement procurement actions for the
project has been carried out. The assessment reviewed the organizational structure of the
CGPMP within the MEPSP for implementing the procurement. The assessment found that the
CGPMP has currently limited capacity and does not have the required staff with necessary
qualifications and experience to handle the project procurement activities. This is why the
CGPMP will be reinforced by the procurement staff of former PARSE and one International
Procurement Expert who will provide periodically technical support and training to the CGPMP.
E. Assessment of the risks and the related mitigation measures
1) Risks that have been identified
35. The risk factors for procurement performance include those posed by the country context
and those due to the low procurement capacity of the MEPSP. This ministry will be in charge of
project implementation as pointed out above. With reference to the country context and the
experience with the current project implemented by PARSE the procurement in this project is
likely to involve the following risks:
• The administrative system as it operates in practice creates opportunities for
informal interference in the procurement process by senior officials;
• Government officials likely to be involved in project procurement through tender
and evaluation committees may not be familiar with procurement procedures
according to IDA guidelines and rules;
• Control and regulation mechanism according to the provisions of the new
procurement law and its application procedures could delay the procurement
process if mandatory reviews are required;
• At the decentralized level, few companies are qualified and experienced in
supplying goods and construction works for development projects in the current
country conditions; thus Goods may not be available or exorbitantly expensive,
especially up-country. As a result, there may be insufficient competition resulting
in higher prices of goods and services;
• The implementation of the management contracts signed with the LEAs could be
problematic in some sub-provinces because of lack of experience of LEAs.
The overall project risk level for procurement is High.
76
2) Measures to mitigate the above risks
• To mitigate the risks of political interference, the Project Implementation Team
will have full responsibility through delegation from Minister of education. The
operations manual will elaborate on how this delegation will operate.
• To mitigate risks related to the low level of capacity at the decentralized level, all
proposed procurement decisions at a given threshold (to be determined) will be
subject to mandatory review by the CGPMP at the central level.
• To avoid delays in the procurement process due to the interventions of the
national control and regulation system, it was agreed that the Government will
complete the on-going work on establishing the review threshold of Bank-
financed projects and pass a decree to that effect.
• In case of goods and works for which there is a few number of suppliers or
contractors the advertisement may be done country wide if necessary.
• A project launch workshop will be carried out for all project stakeholders
including the actors from the decentralized level, (relevant staff of all other
entities involved in project implementation, NGOs, contractors, suppliers and
civil society). During this workshop clear explanations of LEAs intervention will
be provided. In addition to this LEAs will benefit the design and implementation
of an appropriate capacity building and training program.
36. For more transparency and integrity in the implementation of this project, all relevant
information will be published in a well-known web site; these include the following: Project
Appraisal Document and Grant Agreement; advertisements; funding proposals; terms of
reference for all activities; contract awards; progress reports from implementing entities; a
procedure for handling complaints satisfactory to the Word Bank; and complaints received and
action taken.
37. The Project Operations Manual includes all procurement methods to be used in the
project along with step by step explanation as well as the standard and sample documents to be
used for each method.
F. Frequency of Procurement Supervision
38. In addition to the prior review supervision to be carried out by the Bank staff, the
capacity assessment of the Implementing Agency has recommended one supervision mission
each six months during the first 18 months to visit the field to carry out post review of
procurement actions. These missions in the first 18 months shall involve a Bank Procurement
Specialist or a Consultant.
G. Procurement Planning
39. The Recipient has developed a Procurement Plan acceptable to the Bank. For each
contract to be financed under this program, the different procurement methods or consultant
selection methods, the need for pre-qualification, estimated costs, prior review requirements, and
77
time frame are included in the Procurement Plan. The procurement plan will be updated at least
annually, or as required, to reflect actual project implementation needs and improvements in
institutional capacity. All procurement plans, their updates or modifications shall be subject to
Bank’s prior review prior to implementation. Following the grant negotiations, the Bank shall
arrange publication of the agreed initial procurement plan and all subsequent updates, on the
Bank’s external website. The Anti-Corruption Guidelines, namely, the “Guidelines on
Preventing and Combating Fraud and Corruption in Projects Financed by IBRD Loans and IDA
Credits and Grants” dated October 15, 2006, and revised in January 2011, shall apply.
40. The thresholds for the use of the various procurement and selections methods are
summarized below:
Thresholds for procurement methods and Bank prior review
Expenditure
Category
Contract Value
Threshold
(US$)
Procurement
Method
Contracts Subject
to Prior Review
(US$)
1. Works ≥10,000,000
<10,000,000
<200,000
All amount
ICB
NCB
Shopping
Direct contracting
All
All contracts ≥
5.000.000, the first
contract of each
LEA and the
prequalification
processes for all the
contracts
None
All
78
2. Goods ≥1,000,000
<1,000,000
<500,000
<100,000
All amount
ICB
NCB
Shopping from all
major brands of
vehicles dealers or
distributors of
petroleum products
Shopping
Direct contracting
All
All contracts
≥500,000 and the
first contract of
each LEA
Shortlist of: (i)
vehicles dealers;
and (ii) distributors
of petroleum
products. The
technical
specifications of
vehicles.
None
All
2. Services
Firms
Individual Cons.
≥200,000
<200,000
≥100,000
<100,000
All amount
CQ
IC
IC
SSS
All
Only the selection
of LEAs
All
None
All
All TOR regardless of the value of the contract are subject to prior review.
79
H. Details of the Procurement Arrangements Involving International Competition
1. Goods and Works and non-consulting services
List of contract packages to be procured following ICB and direct contracting:
Ref. Contract
(Description)
Estimated
Cost
In US$
Procurement
Method
Domestic
Preference
Review by
Bank
(Prior/Post)
Expected
Bid-
Opening
Date
Comments
1 Poste radio avec
modem pour carte
SD
(3radios/école)
pour Equateur et
Kasai Occidental
1,800 AOI Non Priori 28/03/2013
2 Lecteur vidéo
type iPad avec
panneau solaire
1vidéo/3écoles
pour Equateur et
Kasai Occidental
1,650 AOI Non Priori 02/04/2013
3 Achat cartes SD
pour duplication
modules audio et
AV pour
Equateur et K-
Occ
1,460 AOI Non Priori 30/04/2013
4 Réimpression des
manuels scolaires
(Français et Math
3e et 4e années
primaires) par :
BEAUCHEMIN
INTERNATION
AL ET
HACHETTE
INTERNATION
AL
9,342 ED Non Priori
5 Impression des
nouveaux
manuels livrés
aux PROVED et
COORD (
Français, Math,
Sciences,
Ed.Civ&morale
5e et 6e)
27,886 AOI Non Priori 27/11/2012
6 Impression de
guides livrés aux
PROVED et
COORD (toutes
les matières)
2,508 AOI Non Priori 17/12/2012
80
2. Consulting Services
List of Consulting Assignments recruited internationally:
Ref Description of
Assignment
Estimated
Cost
Selection
Method
Review by
the Bank
(Prior/
Post)
EOI
published
on
Expected
Proposals
Submission
Date
Expected
contract
signature
date
Com
ment
Etudes et
enquêtes de
suivi auprès
des
béneficiaires
400 SFQC Priori 15/05/2013 16/08/2013 24/11/2013
81
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Support to Basic Education Program under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Fund
1. Project Stakeholder Risks Rating High
Description:
The MEPSP is overseen by a committed Minister, and the PIU
within MEPSP will be led by an experienced Secretary General.
Government as a whole is committed to improving delivery and
management of primary education, and to achieving the MDGs.
Inspite of this changes in the leadership of the ministry are
possible given the fragile context in which the government
operates and this could undermine continued commitment to the
sector program.
The benefits of the involvement of communities and religious
organizations in the management of schools could be
undermined by increased participation by the government in the
system
Risk Management:
The Minister was reappointed to the ministry after the elections given his commitment to
seeing through reforms in the sector. This is a demonstration of the commitment of the
country to developing education as a priority.
Resp: MEPSP and Bank| Stage: Prep | Due Date: | Status: Completed
Risk Management:
The GPE intervention is one component of a broader education intervention that has been
developed through a participatory process, inclusive of religious organizations and other
critical stakeholders. To mitigate the potential for disagreement, and to ensure smooth
implementation across the edifice of education delivery, the MEPSP and relevant faith-
based organizations, cosigned the Roadmap for education reform, establishing a broad-based
consensus regarding the need to restructure the administration of education as a prerequisite
for financing and improved delivery of education. The spirit of this consensus, and
established participatory processes will be continued through the Provincial Committees for
EPSP – comprising key provincial education officials and local civil society (including but
not limited to: teacher unions, parents NGOs) and faith-based organizations.
Communications campaigns to highlight the benefits of education and education reform will
be intensified to encourage community buy-in, and ensure the deepening of consensus
around the need for reform throughout the education system.
Resp: MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In Progress
2. Implementing Agency Risks (including fiduciary)
82
2.1 Capacity Rating: High
Description:
The MEPSP has limited experience in managing and
coordinating externally funded operations, including Bank
projects, and will require capacity to be built for effective
project management. The MEPSP Secretariat General is part of
the administration working in an environment of low motivation
and accountability, with lengthy processes. In addition, being a
line ministry, the MEPSP does not directly execute budgets and
consequently lacks experience in financial management and
reporting.
A procurement unit has been established in the MEPSP but is
relatively inexperienced. The procurement unit will require
capacity building to implement a project of this magnitude.
Weak capacity to administer procurement of textbooks, and
pedagogical content could hamper the rapidity of textbook
distribution. Supply chains in rural and conflict affected areas
could undermine distribution and service delivery.
Risk Management:
Mainstreaming of the project in the MEPSP will ensure that the Secretary-General and line
managers with intimate knowledge and experience of the issues will be responsible for
implementation. The Secretary General will be supported by of an executive officer
dedicated to the project. This approach would raise the motivation level of managers and
staff and permit the use of interventions tailored to the specific context and which take into
account technical, economic and socio-cultural factors.
The technical weaknesses of line staff will be addressed by appointment of qualified staff
with clear terms of reference and the support of the CAT to support implementation and
M&E activities. This combination will substantially increase the chances of successful
implementation. It would also allow seamless oversight by the leadership of the ministry.
Fiduciary management which is more technical and for it is difficult to find specialists to fill
public sector positions will be addressed using the strengthened capacity of PARSE along
with technical assistance and LEAs at the provincial level.
Although conventional construction and procurement methods will be utilized, while
building the capacity for communities to participate in future interventions, communities
will participate by observing the procurement process and performing oversight during
construction.
Construction activities draw on government’s construction strategy developed with the
support of the PARSE. In addition, implementation at PROVED and sub-provincial offices
will be tied to performance-agreements to ensure effective oversight of implementation. In
turn, employment contracts between sub-provincial offices and school heads will ensure
accountability and oversight to the most devolved unit of education delivery.
LEAs will play a key role in reinforcing local capacity. The project will build the capacity of
the MEPSP procurement unit to ensure skills transfer for long term sustainability.
International procurement specialists will be hired to assist the procurement unit in
fulfilling its duties at the central and provincial levels and assist in capacity building.
The current arrangements for delivery of textbooks will be further decentralized to the
PROVEDs and sub PROVEDs levels, including school management offices, to improve
efficiency and accountability. Emphasis will be put on using local networks and
transportation with more intimate knowledge of the local challenges and resources for
overcoming them.
Resp: MEPSP| Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In Progress
83
Description:
Capacity at the PROVED and LEA level for implementation
and oversight of construction is expected to be highly variable.
Capacity for oversight and implementation of the infrastructure
component of the project will require capacity building and
technical assistance. Construction activities draw on
government’s construction strategy developed with the support
of the PARSE.
Risk Management:
Construction activities will draw on lessons learned and expertise developed through the
course of the PARSE initiative, as well as the experience of established initiatives conducted
by UNICEF and CARITAS. PROVEDs will be strengthened by the retention of engineers
and other technicians for effective planning and supervision of LEA activities. LEAs will
recruit consultants, where necessary, to assist in operational management and supervision of
construction. TA will be recruited at the provincial level to help supervise the LEAs. A
detailed manual is being developed, premised on lessons learned and best practice, to
establish norms and standards to guide the infrastructure delivery component of the project.
Resp: Bank and MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In progress
Description:
The in-service training component of the project will generalize
the successful interventions associated with the APEP and
PAQUED initiatives. Supplementing technical expertise of the
DIPROMA and SERNOFOR to manage in-service training and
prepare training modules could lead to delays in the roll-out of
this component of the interventions.
Risk Management:
A joint technical committee will be established to guide the management of in-service
training and the development of modules at the national level. This committee will be
supplemented by local and international technical experts where necessary. The Training
teacher program will start with existing modules, developed by the MEPSP with support
from USAID and being used in other provinces. New modules will be prepared by
specialists in workshops based on that experience, SERNAFOR and DIPROMA will be
assisted by experts from the University of Kinshasa and international institutions in the
design and eventual evaluation of training modules.
Resp: MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In Progress
2.2 Governance Rating: Substantial
Description:
Significant management, oversight and implementation capacity
weakness is evident across the edifice of education
administration. Decision making in the administration of
education in the DRC tends to be centralized, with less than
optimal communication lines. The decentralized execution of
project activities in a system with a hybrid structure (state-run
and church-run) will add to the complexity of information flows
and potentially undermine transparency.
Devolution of implementation responsibility to sub-national
units could complicate the governance of the project as a whole,
and undermine coherent management thereof.
Risk Management:
The CAT which has been involved in the development of the EPSP strategy and the
Education Interim Plan, and has played a catalytic role during all these processes, will be
retained as part of the implementation arrangement structure. Staffed with national and
international experts, it is more agile in the dissemination of information in a neutral way,
and is relatively insulated from the institutional culture of the MEPSP as a whole. A strong
communication strategy will be prepared and implemented throughout the project execution
with the view not only to share information but also to foster greater accountability.
Resp: MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In Progress
Risk Management:
Close supervision by the LEDG, World Bank and partners with regard to technical support
should help to mitigate and address governance problems as they arise
Resp: Bank and partners | Stage: Ongoing | Due Date: Throughout| Status: Complete
Risk Management:
The inclusion of norms and standards in the operations manuals, as well as clear lines of
84
reporting to the MEPSP SG through results based agreements should mitigate the potential
for suboptimal governance. The formation of technical committees and the retention of
technical expertise at the PROVED level should strengthen the capacity of PROVEDs for
the effective exercise of oversight and accountability. Results -agreements between school
heads and sub-PROVEDs will bind activities and reporting arrangements at the most
deconcentrated level of implementation. Moreover, civil society and community
engagement, and the capacitating of communities to effectively oversee implementation of
the project is given particular attention in the project to encourage bottom-up accountability
and the demand for better governance of education more generally.
Resp: Bank and MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal| Due Date: | Status: -In Progress
3 Project Risks
3.1 Design Rating: High
Description:
The project has retained a relatively simple design, supporting
one reform with technical complexity (restructuring of the
administrative offices) and also introduces innovation to
mainstream project management in MEPSP structure.
Delays in procurement, capacity building, and the development
of methodologies have the potential to negatively affect aspects
of implementation and/or disbursement, and result in significant
delays to project implementation.
The need to accommodate different stakeholders and decision-
making procedures at sub-national level could lead to slow
down of project implementation due to inexperience in
implementing WB projects.
Risk Management:
All relevant stakeholders were consulted at the design stage to avoid confusion/ensure
clarity amongst all parties involved. Capacity building and the training of ministerial
directorate staff, and PROVED officials should reduce risk. M&E capacity will be
strengthened to support efficient project implementation.
The project has limited its major interventions to two provinces. Best practices, mechanisms
and procedural arrangements that have been enhanced under many Bank’s operations will be
used.
Resp: MEPSP and Bank | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In Progress
Risk Management:
Project management staffing will be undertaken using clear terms of reference, with
transparent selection criteria. Salary level will be commensurate to the scope of
responsibilities and performance. Preliminary discussions with the authorities underscored
that counterpart funds will be secured to finance these motivation arrangements. The
implementation arrangement to include the fiduciary specialists of the PARSE will also
contribute to mitigating the risk.
Resp: MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal| Due Date: | Status: Completed
Risk Management:
Regular oversight and supervision from the Bank team, as well as assistance from the LEDG
and CAT, should help to address bottlenecks and backlogs when and where they occur.
Resp: Bank and Partners | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: Throughout | Status: In
Progress
3.2 Social & Environmental Rating: Low
85
Description:
The project is designed to address infrastructural backlogs, and
delivery of educational services to marginal and needy
communities. Construction is not expected to entail major
safeguards issues.
Construction will only affect existing communities, and the
model envisaged makes explicit account of their concerns. No
involuntary displacement is expected as a result of project
interventions.
Risk Management:
An ESMF, RPF, and IPPF have been prepared, consulted upon, and disclosed before
appraisal. Construction design follows technical standards premised on international best
practice. Close monitoring of safeguards during implementation.
Resp: Bank and MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: | Status: In Progress
Risk Management:
Appropriate staffing of MEPSP with social and environmental oversight capacity and
training of these staff. Although it is unlikely that any major social and environmental risks
will materialize, the safeguards instruments include guidance for addressing impacts and
propose mitigation measures. ESMPs and IPPs will be prepared, consulted upon, and
disclosed during project implementation; RAPs will be prepared, consulted upon, and
disclosed as and when necessary.
Resp: MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal| Due Date: | Status: In progress
3.3 Program & Donor Rating: Low
Description:
While the project supports the implementation of the IEP that
are supported by other donors, it is also a stand-alone operation,
and as a consequence the PDO is insulated from changes in the
donor environment. Nevertheless, the project builds synergy and
coherence between the specific interventions associated with the
project and those of the other donors. For example the in-
service training component of the project will be adopted by
UNICEF in other provinces.
Risk Management:
Regular coordination through donor meetings and the LEDG, and information sharing
should mitigate the risk of poor communication and the potential for duplication between
partners. In addition, joint annual sector reviews are expected to be organized so as to foster
operational coordination while lowering transaction costs. The project should serve to
deepen relations between government and partners, strengthen donor harmonization and
reduce risk.
Resp: Partners and MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal| Due Date: | Status: In Progress
3.4 Delivery Monitoring & Sustainability Rating: High
Monitoring and Evaluation
Description: The culture of monitoring and evaluation in the DRC, utilizing
evidence-based information, is under-developed. Impact
evaluation of interventions is seldom undertaken. The capacity
to collect sector data to produce annual statistics is inadequate,
and the information is not used for analytical purposes.
Moreover, the process is not institutionalized and is dependent
on external support. Weaknesses in data management and
analysis, as well as the decentralization of delivery, could result
informational delays.
Weaknesses within the MEPSP relating to management and
planning, and M&E have the potential to undermine gains
Risk Management :
In close synergy with other donors (specifically UNICEF and UNESCO) the project will
explicitly addresses weaknesses in data collection and analysis through the decentralization
of the process of data collection and data treatment to targeted areas. To ensure regular
M&E and data management, and to encourage accountability, annual joint sector reviews of
the IEP will be conducted with the participation of civil society. The IEP also envisages the
creation of an education observatory with sustained NGO participation.
Resp: Bank, partners and MEPSP | Stage: Appraisal| Due Date: | Status: In Progress
86
associated with the project and compromise sustainability.
Sustainability
Description:
Sustainability is fostered through anchoring anchoring the
project in the IEP.
Some of the reforms supported by the project are vulnerable to
changes in commitment on the part of a range state and non-
state entities: specifically the Education and Finance ministries,
budget support, and the civil service, as well as the important
religious networks.
The fiscal implications of reforms are transitory costs also
financed by the project, which could lead to sustainability
challenges. Sector expansion and reform could be constrained
by the budget framework and financing sustainability in the
context of existing limitations on public financing of the sector.
Risk Management:
The geographic coverage of the key reforms has been limited to better support and monitor
implementation. Communication and information campaigns are on-going and will
continue. With the assistance of the Bank, Government has made commitments to support
the recurrent costs (integration of additional teaching posts in the budget, national
harmonization of teachers’ pay, operating costs to schools and to the administrative
structures, etc.) in the recent past. The project includes actions to institutionalize activities
that currently depend on external financing. Restructuring of administrative offices and the
introduction of results agreements with sub-national units will contribute to a leaner
organizational structure with strengthened institutional capacity.
Resp: Bank, partners and MEPSP| Stage: Appraisal | Due Date: continuous | Status: In
Progress
Risk Management:
The Government committed to increase the budget allocations to education and this
commitment will be closely monitored by the LEDG.
Resp: Bank, partners and MEPSP| Stage: Complete | Due Date: Project Duration|
Status: In Progress
Overall Implementation Risk Rating: High
Comments: The challenging institutional context as well as complexities arising from both the technical nature of some envisaged reforms and the need to mainstream
project implementation within the MEPSP imposes a high implementation risk. Variable capacity across sub-national units will require specific interventions
tailored to identify capacity weaknesses.
87
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
1. This implementation Support Plan is designed to address the critical areas in which
support will be needed to ensure successful project implementation and complements the ORAF
and the Governance and Anti-Corruption Plan. The project builds on a series of World Bank
operations and other development partner projects aiming at supporting the recovery of basic
education services. It is an integral part of the government’s program since it is designed to help
implement the IEP. It has strong support from authorities, development partners, provincial and
sub-provincial education offices as well as religious organizations that manage schools. It was
designed in collaboration with the different levels of stakeholders taking into account the lessons
learned from experiences with PARSE and other donor supported projects. In this regard the
project will build on experiences to move the locus of decision making from the central to local
levels which are more critical for ensuring provision of quality education. Therefore, a
significant part of the project aims at strengthening the management offices closest to schools by
re-establishing the required norms, providing adequate resources for operating costs and
developing a results-based management system to which all the key players are committed
through an agreed “road map”.
2. Duration of implementation. The project will be implemented over a 3-year period,
therefore, significant preparatory activities have already been initiated to strengthen capacity and
establish guidelines for operationalizing project activities. The design of the program reflects the
need to use existing systems that are familiar to policy makers, stakeholders and implementing
agencies in order to maximize the short implementation period. Innovations and improvements
to these systems are being introduced, but the project maintains simplified arrangements in line
with current government processes. Instead of a separate PIU the project will be implemented by
the various directorates and units of the MEPSP with continued support from the CAT and its
team of technical assistance specialists. This decision also reflects the government’s and Bank’s
intention to mainstream project activities within their current system. Fiduciary management will
be the responsibility of the Secretary General, strengthened by the fiduciary and procurement
specialists from the PARSE project reinforced to undertake the additional load.
3. Scope. To minimize implementation risks and maximize impact on the neediest areas, the
project will be implemented in 2 provinces except for the textbooks component which will be
nation-wide building on past successes. The rationale for limiting the scope is that since a large
part of the project is focused on system strengthening, there is a need to ensure that the
interventions are well implemented, properly supervised and that progress and results are
observed and appropriate lessons drawn as a basis for future scaling up. Following a
participatory consultation process with the LEDG, the supervising entity and the Government,
various criteria were discussed and agreed upon for selecting the two targeted provinces out of
the 11 Congolese provinces. Six criteria were used to capture the most deprived provinces in
terms of schooling (in particular for girls) and where donors are least active. The six criteria
88
chosen are the following: i) Primary Completion Rate, ii) Number of Out-Of school Children, iii)
Gender Parity Index in primary education, iv) Enrolment growth rate due to tuition-free policy,
v) Percentage of classrooms in durable material and vi) Number of classrooms
rehabilitated/rebuilt by donors and government during the last 5 years as a % of the total number
of classrooms in the province. This analysis identified the Equator Province and Kasaï-West as
the provinces most urgently in need.
4. Technical support will be provided by the LEDG, Bank staff, CAT and external
consultants, especially during the first phases of project implementation. Specialized support for
in-service teacher training implementation, monitoring and evaluation will also be assured by
practitioners who can spend time in the country to support government and implementing
agencies. Study tours or country visits will also be organized. In addition to ongoing technical
assistance programs such as the CAT the project also provides adequate supervision funding to
help support various technical experts as needed. In mainstreaming the project in the MEPSP, the
implementation arrangements will ensure that the Secretary-General and line managers use their
intimate knowledge and experience of the issues to carry-out their functions. This will be done
by asking them to develop specific implementation plans, monitoring implementation of these
plans and holding the managers responsible The Secretary-General will be supported by an
executive officer dedicated to the project. The technical weaknesses of line staff will be
addressed by appointment of qualified staff with clear terms of reference and the support of the
CAT to support implementation and M&E activities. Although conventional construction and
procurement methods will be utilized, communities will participate in the process to increase
ownership by observing the procurement process and performing oversight during construction
while building the capacity for communities to participate in future interventions.
Implementation of the in-service training component of the project will draw substantially from
generalize the successful interventions associated with the APEP and PAQUED initiatives and
TA will be provided to strengthen the capacity of the DIPROMA and SERNOFOR to manage in-
service training and adapt the training modules. Oversight of the restructuring of the school
management offices will be done by PROVED and sub-provincial offices using the revised and
agreed norms and will be supported by TA.
5. Monitoring and Evaluation: The project will be coordinated and overseen by the
Secretary-General of the MEPSP whose office will be strengthened by a qualified staff
responsible for project activities. The PROVEDs, sub-PROVEDs and religious organizations
will be responsible for implementation at the province, sub-province and school levels following
clearly laid down guidelines. Based on inputs received from schools, sub-PROVEDS and
PROVEDs, MEPSP including the fiduciary and procurement specialists of PARSE will be
responsible for providing the following consolidated monitoring data: (i) status reports on project
implementation by component, including summary description of activities at the regional,
district, and school levels (annually); (ii) status reports on the use of project funds (quarterly);
and (iii) detailed M&E reports (annually). The main findings from the M&E reports will be
incorporated into the Education Sector Annual Report discussed by the government, donors and
other stakeholders during the joint reviews. In addition, the MEPSP HQ and PARSE will be
responsible for preparing the following documents: (iv) interim financial reports (IFRs) for the
project covering all the components; (v) financial statements and independent financial audits
reports (annually); (vi) a mid-term review report with recommendations and lessons learned, and
(vii) an Implementation Completion and Results Report (ICRR) including the project’s
89
economic, financial, social and environmental impact, prior to the project closing. Significant
training and technical assistance will be provided by the project to ensure that project
interventions and activities are properly monitored and evaluated. A monitoring and evaluation
framework will be drafted which includes an M&E Plan for tracking and assessing the activities
and results of the project. Significant capacity building will be provided under the project for
M&E to support deconcentrated staff in particular to undertake supervision, monitoring and
evaluation especially in the collection and analysis of data. During supervision missions, the
team will assess progress on staff training and development and recommend specific areas for
intensive support.
6. Joint supervision: Developed as a multi-donor program, the project implementation will
continue the spirit of cooperation and partnership through joint supervision and support. The
World Bank, as the supervising entity, will be responsible for ensuring compliance, performance
and fiduciary standards as established in the PIM and the PAD. The Donors Coordinating
Agency will take the overall leadership for coordinating the DP education group. The DP group
will provide ongoing capacity building and support for implementation during the life of the
project through meetings, semi-annual reviews, strategic implementation workshops and annual
reviews. This strong partnership between the DPs, government and the Bank has already been
established during joint preparation and is essential for ensuring continued coordination and
harmonization of support in the education sector. Technical assistance will be rationalized with
key positions supporting education activities across various DP initiatives. In many cases, DPs
are co-financing ESP objectives and support to their implementation will need to be equally
coordinated. For example, USAID and UNICEF are funding teacher training from which the
project design benefitted and this collaboration will continue during monitoring and evaluation.
7. Financial Management: FM implementation support missions will be consistent with a
risk-based approach, and will involve a collaborative approach with the entire Task Team. To
establish an adequate fiduciary framework for implementation, the revised FM and Procurement
Manuals will be reviewed and approved by the Technical Committee at the inception of
implementation and its use is regularly monitored in FM management process and in review
meetings of the TC. The Steering Committee will confirm the issuance of the decree prohibiting
continued imposition of fees for the running of administrative offices, and the MEPSP/Provincial
Governments and PROVEDs will regularly verify that it is applied. MEPSP/PARSE/PROVEDs
will confirm that LEAs have the required standards before contracts are signed. A first
implementation support mission will be performed six months after project effectiveness.
Thereafter, missions will be scheduled using a risk based approach and will include the
following diligences: (i) monitoring of the financial management arrangements during
supervision at intervals determined by the risk rating assigned to the overall FM Assessment at
entry and subsequently during Implementation (ISR); (ii) integrated fiduciary review of key
contracts, (iii) review of the IFRs; (iv) review of the audit reports and management letters from
the external auditors and follow-up on material accountability issues by engaging with the Bank
task team leader, MEPSP, and/or Auditors; the quality of the audits (internal and external) will
also be monitored closely to ensure that they cover all relevant aspects and provide evidence of
the appropriate use of funds by recipients; (v) physical supervision on the ground; and (vi)
assistance to build or maintain appropriate capacity in financial management.
90
8. Procurement: Procurement Reviews will be carried out annually by Bank procurement
staff and/or independent auditors. The specialists coming from PARSE in charge of procurement
have adequate capaciy to coordinate all project-financed procurement activities, ensuring that
activities are procured in compliance with World Bank Guidelines. Given that the bulk of
procurement will be decentralized to district, level, capacity and continued supervision will be
critical to ensure that procurement at these levels receive the support they need to deliver at the
sub-PROVED and school levels. The sub-PROVEDs and schools will rely on the PIM which
clearly defines procurement procedures (as per Bank guidelines) for all schools and districts to
utilize project resources. Procurement training workshops to explain/train/raise awareness of
implementing DAs will be organized during the first quarter of project implementation. Close
monitoring of procurement plans by PARSE (read GPE) on a quarterly basis will ensure progress
on the projected time lines, as well as quality control on all aspects of the procurement process,
including evaluation, selection and award. Ex ante and ex post controls will be guided by the
manual of procedures will include adequate measures to ensure adequate controls can be
exercised.
9. Safeguards: Regular bank implementation support missions will include environmental
and social development staff. Missions will include field visits to sites to ensure that any
environmental or social issues are being properly addressed. Missions will ensure that
implementation adheres to the guidance in the ESMF, RPF and IPPF and especially that civil
works do not have major adverse environmental and/or social impacts. ESMPs and IPPs will be
prepared, consulted upon, and disclosed during project implementation; RAPs will be prepared,
consulted upon, and disclosed as and when necessary during project implementation.
Implementation support and skills needed (including resource estimates) Time Focus Skills Needed Resource Estimate
Full project Close supervision and implementation support
(co TTL)
Education specialist $240,000
First 12
months
Monitor technical aspects of the procurement
of textbooks
Textbooks specialist $40,000
Monitor performance of procurement Procurement $40,000
Monitor performance of financial management FM $40,000
Assess performance of M&E M&E specialist $40,000
Design and baseline of Impact Evaluation IE specialist $40,000
Assess implementation of in-service teacher
training
Teacher Education
expert
$25,000
Supervise and support the school building
component
School construction
specialist
$40,000
12-48
months
Assess performance of environmental and
social issues
$20,000
Follow up on restructuring of school
management offices
Management specialist $40,000
Monitor compliance to agreed FM/procurement
and M&E reporting
FM/procurement/M&E $30,000
Supervise and support the school building
component
School construction
specialist
$40,000
Total $635,000
91
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
SUPPORT TO BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAM
UNDER THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR EDUCATION FUND
1. The main objective of the GAC plan is to ensure that use of the project proceeds result in
the expected outcomes including improving learning achievement, promoting gender, income
and regional equity and are used efficiently by adopting agreed fiduciary standards in a
transparent context with the participation of beneficiaries and civil society. This is however
challenging in the DRC because of a number of challenges described below.
2. The MEPSP has limited experience in managing and coordinating externally funded
operations, including Bank projects, and will require capacity building for effective project
management. The MEPSP Secretariat General is part of the administration working in an
environment of low motivation and accountability, with lengthy processes. The overall structure
of the system is also complex comprising the central and provincial governments and school
management agencies overlapping at various levels and represented by Provincial education
offices and committees PROVEDs, sub-PROVEDs and local school management offices. This is
compounded by underfinancing of the system by the state and reliance on the communities
through schools for part financing of government and school management offices. The roles and
responsibilities of the various units and levels are also unclear.
3. In addition management capacity is weak at all levels. The MEPSP does not directly
execute budgets and consequently lacks experience in financial management and reporting.
Capacity at the PROVED and Local Executing Agencies (LEA) level for implementation and
oversight of construction and other components is highly variable. LEA will be recruited under a
competitive basis with specific and tight fiduciary criteria. TA will also be brought to PARSE
fiduciary specialists for their oversight of the implementation of the infrastructure component.
Implementation of the in-service teacher training component could also be threatened by lack of
capacity in the DIPROMA and SERNOFOR to manage in-service training and to prepare
training modules.
4. Similarly, weak capacity to administer procurement of textbooks, and pedagogical
content could hamper the speed and efficiency of textbook distribution. Supply chains in rural
and conflict affected areas could be even more difficult and undermine distribution and service
delivery.
5. All of this creates a very difficult environment for effective governance and fiduciary
management. Significant management, oversight and implementation capacity weakness is
evident across the education system. Decision making in the administration of education in the
DRC tends to be centralized, with less than optimal communication lines. The decentralized
execution of project activities in a system with coexistence of central and local government
structures and a hybrid education sector structure (state-run and church-run) adds to the
complexity of information flows and potentially undermine transparency.
92
6. In light of this the project design is relatively simple, focused largely on one reform
related to restructuring the management offices closest to schools while strengthening in-service
teacher training and improving the system for provision of textbooks nationwide. Project
management will however be mainstreamed in MEPSP structure to help strengthen management
in the sector in the medium term and this could be a challenge given the context.
7. Financial management and procurement capacity is also weak and could lead to delays in
implementation or significant leakage which could seriously undermine achievement of project
outcomes. Fiduciary systems, training and TA will therefore be essential to ensure that there is
the required capacity to implement the project effectively.
8. A parallel requirement for effective implementation is transparency and proper
monitoring and evaluation. However, the culture of monitoring and evaluation in the DRC,
utilizing evidence-based information, is under-developed. The capacity to collect sector data to
produce annual statistics is adequate, and the information is not used for analytical purposes.
Moreover, the process is not institutionalized and is dependent on external support. Weaknesses
in data management and analysis, as well as the decentralization of delivery, could result
informational delays for the PIU. Impact evaluation of interventions is seldom undertaken.
Monitoring of implementation will therefore need to be ensured for each component as well as
for fiduciary issues.
9. Given the above challenges, the GAC plan has been designed to address the size and
complexity of the country, the administrative complexity, weak administrative and fiduciary
capacity and lack of proper oversight by the state and beneficiaries.
93
Key Area Proposed Action Indicators of Performance Person/Unit
Responsible
Monitoring Mechanisms
Political
Commitment/Support and
Leadership for GAC
Continued strong political
leadership in MEPSP and
mainstreaming of measures
to improve GAC in the
Ministry
The political and administrative leadership
provide clear and agreed GAC rules and
procedures to units and staff at the central and
decentralized levels as well as agencies
managing schools and monitor use of these
directives.
The Minister and
Secretary-General of
the MEPSP and
Heads of Provincial
Governments.
Review and confirmation
of these guidelines by the
steering committee and
adoption by the Technical
Committee
Governance in the Education Sector
Clarification of roles and
responsibilities
The roles and
responsibilities of the
various oversight and
steering committees, the S-
G and units of the MEPSP
at the central and
decentralized levels as well
as those of the school
management offices are
clearly described in the
implementation manual.
The implementation manual contains
descriptions of the various roles and specific
responsibilities of all parties involved in
implementation as agreed
The S-G and CAT The Steering and technical
Committees will verify
the contents of the
implementation manual
and monitor the exercise
of the various functions at
their respective meetings
and through progress
reports.
Transparency in
implementation and
dissemination of
information
Open and complete
communication of project
contents, resources and
results to all parties
involved especially
beneficiaries
Agents at the PROVED, sub-PROVED and
school levels as well as other beneficiaries
receive regular and complete communication
on project contents, resources and results.
The S-G, heads of
PROVEDs, sub-
PROVEDs and
schools and school
management offices
3. Project oversight
committees, beneficiaries
and civil society monitor
and confirm access to the
requires information. The
COGES is actively
involved in approving and
monitoring the local
implementation plan.
Technical audits Technical audits will be
conducted regularly to
assess the impact and the
quality of the public service
delivery
High quality audits conducted regularly on all
project components
The S-G, PROVEDs
and school managing
agencies.
The reports disseminated
widely and discussed by
the technical and
oversight committees,
CGS and management
agencies.
Organizational Efficiency
Sector performance and
performance
indicators for the
The performance of units at
the central, PROVED, sub-
PROVED and school
Partnership agreements signed between the
centre and the PROVEDs setting the norms
and the key results indicators for programs.
The Secretary-
General
The S-G will report to the
Steering Committee
whether the contracts have
94
implementation
agencies
management offices are
evaluated using Partnership
Agreements between the
center and the PROVEDs
and Performance
Agreements between the
PROVEDs and sub-
PROVEDs
Results-based agreements defining clear results
indicators and reporting mechanisms in line
with work plans and essential tasks signed
between the PROVED and the sub-provincial
offices.
The Heads of
PROVEDs
been signed and the status
of execution.
The PROVEDs will report
to the S-G whether the
contracts have been
signed and the status of
execution based on
implementation progress
reports.
Internal performance
management and
accountability
systems
Specific lines of authority
and accountability chains
established between and at
the various administrative
levels and approved by the
respective authorities.
Accountability mechanisms including
monitoring mechanisms and remedies
developed and agreed for each level
The S-G and heads of
PROVEDs, sub-
PROVEDs and
schools
All agents monitored by
their supervising entities
using the accountability
chains and the results
reported up the chain of
command to the S-G.
The construction, textbooks, in-service teacher training and strengthen of school management offices components pose unique challenges that will require
special attention
The challenges posed by
the construction
component include
identifying, rehabilitating
and rebuilding
community owned
schools using a
decentralized approach
A detailed operations’ manual
will be developed with
mechanisms for working with
communities and management
agencies in identifying staffing
and managing schools to
complement the fiduciary
arrangements described below.
The manual is prepared and agreed with
IDA
PARSE/PROVEDs/C
AT
The Technical Committee
verifies that the manual is
used in the management
of the component.
There is substantial
experience in the DRC on
textbooks procurement
and distribution, however
the system for distribution
will be further
decentralized and this
requires given the
capacity issues and
geographic challenges
Detailed guidelines will be
prepared for distribution of
textbooks in including
numbers of books by school,
the key units responsible,
methods for using local
resources for distribution,
reception at schools and
feedback through the sub-
PROVEDs, PROVEDs to the
center. Technical audits of the
process will also be conducted
to complement the fiduciary
arrangements described below.
The guidelines are prepared and approved
by the Technical Committee in
collaboration with the Bank and other
partners.
CAT/PARSE/Bank/P
artners
The TC will ensure that
the guidelines are
prepared and implemented
as agreed. It will also
request and review
progress in the
implementation of the
component at agreed
intervals
95
The teacher training
component relies largely
on local initiatives and
capacity with backward
linkages for technical
support and quality
control to the center. This
would challenge capacity
and weak communication
systems.
Develop a manual to
complement the fiduciary
manual which describes
clearly the roles,
responsibilities and chain of
command for the program as
well as the monitoring and
accountability mechanisms
that will ensure quality
outcomes
The manual is produced and agreed by all
from the center to the school levels
including IDA and other partners.
CAT/Directorate for
teacher
Training/USAID/Part
ners
The TC will require
regular reports from the
CAT and TT Directorate
on the quality of
implementation and the
results. Technical audits
will also be carried out at
agreed intervals.
The restructuring and
financing of the
management offices also
requires careful planning
and monitoring
A manual of procedures will
be prepared describing the
agreed staffing norms and
other institutional changes that
will justify financing of these
offices by the state. This will
complement the fiduciary
arrangements for this
component in the project.
The manual is prepared and approved by the
Technical Committee and IDA in
collaboration with the other partners.
SECOPE/CAT/Bank/
Partners
Provision of the funding
will be linked to
respecting the provisions
of the manual during
implementation. Progress
reports will also be
requested and discussed
by the TC at agreed
intervals
Strengthening Financial and Procurement Management
Existing FM manual of
procedures do not include
the new project specifics
Revise the existing FM manual
to include the new project
specifics and ensure adequate
ownership by the new players
including the LEAs.
The FM manual is revised in the manner
agreed prior to negotiations
PARSE The revised manual is
reviewed and approved by
the Technical Committee
and its use is regularly
monitored in FM
management
National budget execution
and accounting procedures
at the decentralized level
suffers from bottlenecks in
the expenditures chain
which could hamper
execution of project
components at the
decentralized level.
Review the public expenditure
chain at the decentralized level
with the aim to issue a new
decree that will standardize the
process as well as key control
in line with the new PFM
organic Law.
The new decree is issued in line with the
new PFM organic law
MoF/MEPSP/IDA/Pr
ovincial
Governments/PROV
EDs
The Steering Committee
will confirm the issuance
of the decree and the
MEPSP/Provincial
Governments and
PROVEDs will regularly
verify that it is applied
Weak FM and
Procurement capacity at
decentralized levels could
undermine the school
Recruit TA (FM and
Procurement) to strengthen
fiduciary capacity at the de-
centralized level (PARSE) and
The TAs and LEAs that are recruited
comply with the required fiduciary
standards
MEPSP and
PARSE/PROVEDs
MEPSP/PARSE/PROVE
Ds confirm that LEAs
have the required
standards before contracts
96
construction program LEAs that comply with
minimum fiduciary
requirements (seasoned FM
and procurement officers
working with an adequate
fiduciary platform).
are signed
FM and procurement
capacity at the
decentralized level is too
weak to support effective
project implementation
Appoint budget/finance and
procurement officers at the
central and provincial levels to
provide technical support at
the decentralized level over
budget cycle.
A budget and procurement officers are
appointed prior to effectiveness
MEPSP/PARSE/PRO
VED
IDA/MEPSP verify that
the appointment is made
before project
effectiveness is declared
External audit
arrangements for FM and
Procurement are not
adequate to ensure timely
production of audit reports
on the use of project
proceeds.
Amend the ToRs of the
external auditor to be recruited
as agreed with IDA.
The TORs of the auditor are amended as
agreed prior to Negotiations
The S-G
/PARSE/IDA
IDA/The Technical
Committee confirms that
the TORs have been
amended
Risk of fraud & Corruption
The current ex ante and
ex post controls are
inadequate
Ex ante controls: The
revised manual of
procedures will include
adequate measures to
ensure an adequate ex ante
controls.
The revised manual of controls contain the
agreed ex ante measures
CAT/PARSE/MEPS
P/IDA
The Technical Committee
and IDA will verify that
these systems are applied
regularly
Ex post controls: Internal
technical and financial
auditors will set up clear
systems that would permit
proper ex post reviews and
external audits in line with
Bank integrated fiduciary
standards.
Internal technical and financial audit systems
set up as agreed with Bank
MEPSP/PARSE/IDA
Social Accountability
Current complaints
handling mechanisms are
Establishment of an
effective complaint
The complaints mechanism system developed
and agreed with IDA
MEPSP/PARSE/IDA The S-G/PARSE/IDA will
be required to inform the
97
either weak or non-
existent
handling mechanism to
capture beneficiaries
concerns and track poor
performance.
Steering and Technical
Committees about all
complaints and how they
are handled
The ultimate project
outcome is to benefit
school children and
communities. They will
therefore provide the final
verdict on the
effectiveness of the
project. The official
administrative system is
at least one step removed
and will be responsible
for implementation.
The COGES comprising
fifty percent parents will
exercise oversight including
observing the procurement
process and supervising
construction works and
other project activities
COGES are elected using the agreed
procedures and are regularly involved in
monitoring the agreed activities
Schools, PROVEDs,
managing offices and
sub-PROVEDs
PROVEDs and sub-
PROVEDs will supervise
establishment of COGES
and regularly monitor
their involvement in
implementation.
In the absence of the
agreed permanent and
independent watchdog to
monitor the quality of
service delivery, this role
will be played by similar
but temporary units in the
two provinces and
associated local networks.
Predefined, uniform report
cards will be used by these
groups to monitor
implementation of key
activities such as in-service
training, delivery and
utilization of textbooks,
school fees, effectiveness of
school-based management
committees etc.
The format of the Report Cards are designed,
approved and used for monitoring project
activities
The TC at the central
level and PROVEDs,
sub-PROVRDs,
management
agencies, schools
NGOs and COGES
Reports will be collected,
analyzed and discussed at
provincial and central
levels (Secretariat
General/CAT) to allow
remedial action.
In addition, a hot line
(texting transformed into
email) will be initiated to
facilitate citizens’
participation in reporting
on the quality of service
delivery. Mobile
communications have
penetrated the country
more deeply than other
methods.
School management
Agencies could not
effectively exercise
oversight of schools as
they depended on the
latter for financing
Results agreements with
management agencies will
include responsibility to
verify that minimum
standards that promote
learning are maintained in
School management agencies produce regular
reports on school performance in line with
their performance agreements
PROVEDs, sub-
PROVEDs,
Managing Agencies
and schools
The central level,
PROVEDs, sub-
PROVEDs will monitor
execution of contracts by
managing agencies
98
schools
Managing Agencies may
continue to levy fees even
after they start receiving
state subventions to cover
their running costs
Regulations will be
introduced at the provincial
for an immediate halt on the
levying of school fees on
households by these offices.
Report Cards from COGES and NGOs confirm
that these fees are no longer levied
Central level,
Provincial
governments,
PROVEDS, sub-
PROVEDS,
managing agencies,
schools, COGES and
NGOs
Audits of school and
management office
accounts and analysis and
discussions of report cards
by the provincial and
technical committees.
Weak capacity at the
local/school level to
implement school projects
and to manage funds
The simple procedures
manuals for schools
developed under PARSE
and other projects will be
adapted and used in schools
to improve fiduciary
management and
accountability at the school
level. These tools contain
ministerial decrees on
management and COGES
committees detailed
information on allocations,
eligible expenditures, book
keeping procedures,
reporting requirements etc.
These tools have been distributed to all eligible
schools and are being used
S-G, CAT, PARSE,
PROVEDs, sub-
PROVEDs,
managing agencies,
schools and COGES
Technical and fiduciary
audits verify that these
procedures are being used
in at the local/school
levels.
Role Of other Partners
Key opportunities could
be missed in fully
assessing project
outcomes or identifying
issues because neither the
government nor the Bank
will be able to monitor all
project activities
especially as some
components are closely
related to programs
implemented by other
partners.
Partner and civil society
representatives will be
members of the various
platforms that coexist and
serve as frameworks for
dialogue and concerted
action between the donors
and the government
including the oversight and
technical committees
Donors are represented and participate in the
various platforms as agreed.
MEPSP, Partners and
civil society
Donors and civil society
regularly participate
formally and informally in
monitoring and reporting
on project
implementation.
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Annex 9:
100