Technical Assistance Consultant’s Report Project Number: 37307 January 2006 People’s Republic of Bangladesh: Preparing the Secondary Education Sector Improvement Project- II (Financed by the Japan Special Fund) Prepared by A team consisting of: G. Kelly (team leader,) D. Carroll, S. Mendoza, A. Parkes, R. Tasker, M. Akhand, H. Begum, P. Biswas, F. Chowdhury, N. Nasreen, M. Manan and A. Rashid. British Council Development Services United Kingdom This consultant’s report does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB or the Government concerned, and ADB and the Government cannot be held liable for its contents. (For project preparatory technical assistance: All the views expressed herein may not be incorporated into the proposed project’s design. Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) ADBTA4532-BAN: Preparing the Secondary Secondary Education Sector Improvement Project- II (SESIP- 2) January 2006 This report was prepared by a team consisting of: G. Kelly (team leader,) D. Carroll, S. Mendoza, A. Parkes, R. Tasker, M. Akhand, H. Begum, P. Biswas, F. Chowdhury, N. Nasreen, M. Manan and A. Rashid. 1 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) 2 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) Table of contents Page List of abbreviations 5 Loan and project summary 8 The proposal 12 Sector description and performance 13 Performance indicators and analysis 14 Issues and opportunities 15 Governance 15 Transfer and deputation: the effect on efficiency 15 Reform of the DSHE 16 Decentralisation 18 Education Management Training 19 Education Management Information System (EMIS) 20 Completion of EMIS 20 Data verification 20 User aspects of EMIS 20 Relationship between EMIS and BANBEIS 21 Administrative and management issues 21 Data collection issues 22 Monitoring and evaluation 22 Curriculum, textbooks and teaching-learning materials 23 Curriculum 23 Textbooks and teaching-learning materials 27 Assessment 29 Teachers 34 Gender and underserved communities 36 Girls 36 The female stipend programmes 39 Background 39 The poor 41 Gender and poverty 43 Indigenous people 44 Information Technology 45 Madrasah 46 3 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) The proposed sector development programme 49 Objectives and scope 50 The Secondary Education Sector Development Plan (SESDP) 50 The Asian Development Bank and the secondary sector 50 Important features 51 The project loan 51 Impact and outcome 51 Outputs 51 Management and governance 52 Human resources development 52 Planning and policy formulation 55 Decentralised management 57 Monitoring and evaluation 60 EMIS project activities 63 Madrasah 66 Information management in DSHE and MOE 67 Improved education provision 70 Upgrading quality and capacity in curriculum development 70 Improved secondary textbooks and teaching-learning materials 74 Teacher development 77 Student assessment 78 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) 80 Equity and access 82 Gender and poverty 82 Underserved areas 84 Second Chance Education (SCE) 85 Cost estimates 86 Financing plan 86 Implementation arrangements 87 Management and coordination 87 Implementation period 88 Civil works 88 Procurement 88 Bidding procedure 88 Consulting services 89 Advance action 89 Disbursement arrangements 89 Accounting, financial auditing, and reporting 89 Project performance, monitoring, and evaluation 90 Project monitoring function 90 Baseline study 90 Inception report 90 Project performance management system 91 4 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) Project review 91 Annual reviews 91 Midterm review 91 Project benefits, impacts, and risks 93 Expected benefits 94 Risk analysis 95 Appendices 96 Appendix 1: Subsector analysis 97 Appendix 2: Design and monitoring framework 105 Appendix 3: Policy and institutional reform matrix 125 Appendix 4: Summary of initial poverty and social analysis 131 Appendix 5.1: Summary of project cost by expense category 135 Appendix 5.2: Cost estimate and financing arrangements 137 Appendix 6: Timelines 139 Appendix 7.1: Procurement packages 143 Appendix 7.2: Procurement packages 145 Appendix 8: External assistance and lessons learned 147 Appendix 9: Problem analysis 150 Appendix 10: Financial sustainability analysis 152 Appendix 11: Economic analysis 155 Appendix 12: Summary of consultancy services 158 Appendix 13: Indicative terms of reference 160 Appendix 14: Data on madrasah education 178 Appendix 15: List of people consulted during the project 189 Supplementary annexes 206 Annex A: Chronology and details of stakeholder meetings 207 Annex B: Problem and constraints analysis (tree diagram) 209 Annex C: Description of the Innovation and Development Fund 211 Annex D: Description of training grants 213 Annex E: Description of Master of Education (MEd) training approach 215 Annex F: Indicative schedule for consultancy inputs 217 Annex G: Outline of terms of reference for consultancy inputs 221 Annex H: Outline of base line indicators 229 Annex I: Detailed economic, poverty impact, and financial analysis 233 Annex J: Materials referenced during project 243 5 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) List of abbreviations ACR Annual Confidential Report AD Assistant Director ADB Asian Development Bank ADEO Assistant District Education Officer ADF Asian Development Fund AI Assistant Inspector AIT Asian Institute of Technology AV Audio-Visual BANBEIS Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics BEd Bachelor of Education BEDU Bangladesh Examination Development Unit BFY Bangladesh Financial Year (01 July to 30 June) BIDS Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies BISE Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education BOU Bangladesh Open University BSEB Bangladesh Secondary Education Board CBT Computer-Based Training CDU Curriculum Development Unit CHT Chittagong Hill Tracts CIDA Canadian International Development Agency CW Curriculum Wing DD Deputy Director DEO District Education Office(r) DG Director General DIA Directorate of Inspection and Audit DPE Directorate of Primary Education DSHE Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education DTE Directorate of Technical Education EED Estimated Effectiveness Date EMIS Educational Management Information System EO Education Officer FEC Female Education Cell FESP Female Education Stipend Project FFE Food for Education programme FSS(P) Female Secondary Stipend (Programme) FSSAP Female Secondary Stipend Assistance Programme FY Financial Year (June to June in Bangladesh) GAP Gender Action Plan GDP Gross Domestic Product 6 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) GIS Geographical Information System GOB Government of Bangladesh HR Human Resources HRDW Human Resources Development Wing HSC Higher Secondary Certificate HSEP Higher Secondary Education Project HSTTI Higher Secondary Teacher Training Institute IBCC Inter-Board Committee of Chairmen ICB International competitive bidding ICT Information and Communications Technology IDA International Development Association IER Institute of Educational Research IS International Shopping IT Information Technology ITEC Independent Textbook Evaluation Committee LAN Local Area Network LCB Local competitive bidding M&E Monitoring and Evaluation MDU Materials Development Unit MEB Madrasah Education Board MEC Monitoring and Evaluation Cell MEd Master of Education MOE Ministry of Education MPIC Madrasah Programme Implementation Committee MPO Monthly Payment Order MTR Mid-Term Report MTTI Madrasah Teacher Training Institute NAEM National Academy of Educational Management NBSE National Board of Secondary Education NCCC National Curriculum Coordination Committee NCTB National Curriculum and Textbook Board NSS National Skill Standards NTEA National Teacher Education Authority (currently NAEM) NTRCA Non-government Teachers Registration and Certification Agency NU National University PC Personal Computer PCP Project Concept Paper PIC Programme Implementation Committee PIU Project Implementation Unit PMU Project Management Unit (sometimes called PIU) PP Project Pro-forma PPTA Project Preparation Technical Assistance PROMOTE Programme to Motivate, Train & Employ Female Teachers in Rural Sec Schools PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper 7 Second Secondary Education Improvement Project (SESIP- 2) PSC Project Steering Committee PSPU Policy Support and Planning Unit QA Quality Assurance QBS Quality-based selection QCBS Quality and cost-based selection RO Research Officer RRP Report and Recommendation of the President SAU Student Assessment Unit SBA School Based Assessment SCE Second Chance Education SCW Secondary Curriculum Wing SEDP Secondary Education Development Project SESDC Secondary Education Science Development Centre SESDP Secondary Education Sector Development Plan SESIP Secondary Education Sector Improvement Project SICT Support for ICT project SMC School Management Committee SPBMS School Performance-based Management System SPSC Specialist Post Selection Committee SSC Secondary School Certificate SSGSP Secondary Schoolgirls Scholarship Project SSMS Strengthening School Management and Supervision STE Secondary Teacher Education STM Staff Transfer Monitoring TA Technical Assistance TE Teacher Education TECVOC Technical and Vocational TETF Teacher Education Task Force TNO Thana Nirpali (Executive) Officer TOR Term(s) of Reference TQI Teaching Quality Improvement Project TTC Teacher Training College UAS Upazila Academic Supervisor UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural