Doing Development Differently (DDD): A Pilot for Politically Savvy, Locally Tailored and Adaptive Delivery in Nigeria Public Disclosure Authorized DELIVERY CASE STUDY Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Claudio Santibanez/World Bank Santibanez/World Claudio THE LAGOS EKO SECONDARY EDUCATION SECTOR PROJECT: TAILORING INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES Public Disclosure Authorized TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES AT THE STATE LEVEL MARCH 2016 1612750_Lagos_Eko.indd 1 4/6/16 9:51 AM The Lagos Eko Secondary Education Sector Project: Tailoring International Best Practices to Improve Educational Outcomes at the State Level Cover: Claudio Santibanez. Students at an Eko Secondary School. This case study was written by Sabrina Roshan, Roland Lomme, Halimatou Hima and Claudio Santibanez as part of the Delivery Case Studies series produced by the World Bank’s Nigeria Country Team under the guidance of Olatunde Adetoyese Adekola and Katherine Bain. The Delivery Case Studies series—part of the Doing Development Differently initiative—aims to generate knowledge on what works in Nigeria and why. These cases are among a number of instruments being piloted to help the World Bank continually improve its effectiveness as a partner to Nigeria. The Doing Development Differently pilot is task managed by Katherine Bain in the Governance Global Practice. The authors are grateful to Indira Konjhodzic for comments and support on earlier drafts. They also acknowledge the invaluable feedback provided by national stakeholders, including the former Project Coordinator and Special Assistant to the Governor, Ronke Azeez as well as editorial support from Amanda Green. The paper does not represent the views of the World Bank’s Board of Directors, and any errors are those of the authors alone. 1612750_Lagos_Eko.indd 2 4/4/16 8:53 AM ontents Contents C ExECutivE Summary v Tracing the Process v Lessons Learned vi introduCtion 1 thE dEvElopmEnt ChallEngE: nigEria’S high dEmand for EduCation, but low Quality 2 The Structure of Nigeria’s Education Sector 2 Challenges of Lagos State’s Education Sector 3 The Education Sector Politics in Lagos State 4 Launching the Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project to Improve the Quality of Education 5 Positive Project Improve, 2009–13, then Decline in 2014 5 Results Setback in 2014 6 Test Scores Bounce Back in 2015 6 thE dElivEry ChallEngE: tailoring intErnational Best praCtiCE to lEvEragE impaCt in thE nigErian ContExt 9 Targeting Interventions in Public Secondary Education to Maximize Impact in Lagos State 9 Why Target Secondary Education in Lagos State? 9 Why Focus on Education in Lagos State? 9 Identifying Best Practice Principles in Education Reform and Tailoring Them to the Local Context in Lagos State 9 Nurturing a Multilevel Culture of Performance in Lagos State 11 traCing thE process of thE Eko projECt: from Design to implEmEntation and bEyond 12 Challenges in Designing the Eko Project 12 Key Actors Trigger and Enable Change in the Education Sector 12 Alignment of Political and Institutional Leadership in Lagos State 12 Leaders with the Sector Experience Are Needed to Unpack Systemic, Root Problems 13 A Small but High-Powered PMU That Combined Internationally Competitive Technical Skills with Local System Knowledge and Effective Leveraging of State Institutions 13 A World Bank TTL Who Fostered a Partnership Based on Trust, Continuity, and Hands-on Supervision 13 Designing a Participatory Design Process Led by the State 14 Government-Driven Consultations Around a Clear Vision Leading to Strong Ownership of the Project’s Design 14 Role of State-Level Constituencies: Teachers, Principals, and Unions 14 Role of Nongovernmental Constituencies in Education Reform: Parents and Community Members 14 Implications of the Participatory Design Process in the Eko Project 15 iii 1612750_Lagos_Eko.indd 3 3/30/16 10:59 AM Eko Project Implementation Arrangements Designed to Span Government Levels with Clear Roles and Responsibilities 15 Design of Eko Project Systems for Data Collection and Analysis and Their Impact on Perceived Education Performance 15 Eko Project Implementation Challenges 17 Even in a Challenging Data Environment, a Data-Driven Approach Facilitates the Effective Use of Performance Incentives 17 Using Data Enables Accountability through Multistakeholder Monitoring of Program Performance 18 Adaptive Implementation Allows Flexibility to Seize Windows of Opportunity and Adequately React to Setbacks 18 Performance Data Can Help Identify Gaps and Provide Evidence in Support of Exit Strategies 19 The Status and Sustainability of Project Interventions at the Eko Project Closing 20 Sustainability Is Enhanced by Proving the Value Added of a High-Performing System 20 Lessons Learned 22 Eko Project’s Highly Consultative and Participative Design Process Leads to Achievements 22 Smooth Project Implementation Thanks to Participatory Design and International Best Practices 22 Building Project Sustainability from the Start 23 The Science of Delivery 23 BiBLiography 25 annexes Annex 1: Project Summary 26 Annex 2: Roles and Responsibilities for Project Implementation 27 Annex 3: Eko Project Implementation Arrangements 33 Annex 4: Basic Education Certificate Examination Results for Lagos State 38 LisT oF FigUres Figure 1: The Dynamics of Change in the Eko Project 6 Figure 2: Implementation Arrangements under the Eko Project 16 LaisT oF T BLes Table 1: Primary and Junior Secondary Gross Enrollment Rates by Household Consumption Quintile, Lagos, 2006 3 Table 2: WASSCE Scores at Public Secondary Schools, Lagos State 7 Table 3: Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project, Intermediate Results Indicators 7 Table A2.1: Component Management and Institutional Responsibilities 29 Table A2.2: Roles and Responsibilities for Implementation—State Level 31 Table A2.3: Roles and Responsibilities for Implementation of Additional Financing— Local Levels 31 Table A4.1: Basic Education Certificate Examination Scores, Lagos State 38 iv 1612750_Lagos_Eko.indd 4 3/30/16 12:00 PM Summary ecutive Executive Summary Ex this case study seeks to understand how the lagos Eko traCing thE process Secondary Education project (Eko project) in nigeria tailored international best practices to leverage impact during the Eko project’s design phase, a small set of through education sector reforms in lagos State’s public state actors served as essential change agents, leading a secondary school system. As the economic center participatory and thorough design process that resulted of Nigeria and a financial powerhouse in West Africa, in clear and effectual implementation arrangements to Lagos State has benefited from significant education facilitate project execution. Among the most effective sector reforms initiated by reform-minded state officials. enabling actors were the governor and his deputy, who Demand for education has always been high in the state, also served as commissioner of education; and, on the but for many years the quality of secondary schools World Bank side, a task team leader (TTL) who fostered lagged behind. Infrastructure deficiencies, shortages in a partnership with the state based on trust, continuity, learning materials, and scarce opportunities for teachers’ and close supervision. The yearlong design process made professional development compounded these problems. a conscious investment in local ownership, seeking and incorporating feedback from stakeholders to build on in this context, a new governor took office in 2007, the clear vision presented by the governor and his team. on a platform that placed education sector reforms at During implementation, the project mobilized change the top of the agenda. The governor recruited a top- agents along the entire delivery chain. The project notch program coordinator and sought the World Bank’s deepened ties with the community over time through support to design and launch the Lagos Eko Secondary targeted and continuous engagement with a wide range Education Project in 2009. Drawing on international of stakeholders. The project team was also able to forge a best practices, the project set out to support improved close and cooperative relationship with the teachers’ and learning outcomes through school development grants, principals’ unions by sequencing more sensitive project performance-based incentives for schools, public-private components. partnerships for technical colleges, teacher training and mentoring, and more reliable performance measurement in implementation, the availability of data—and through improved standardized testing of learning training in its analysis—allowed the Eko project achievement. The Eko Project, which is set to close in team to monitor overall project outcomes and hold June 2016, has worked steadfastly toward achieving its stakeholders accountable, thereby improving the development objective of improving the quality of public performance of all actors involved in school operations. junior and senior secondary education in Lagos State, School performance information was posted publicly so despite a significant drop in test scores in 2014—a setback all stakeholders were aware of how their schools fare in that accentuated a national-level trend. comparison to others and can argue for further change. This data-driven approach helped link incentives to actual this case study explores how the Eko project tailored performance, motivating key stakeholders to perform international best practices to leverage impact in lagos better and strengthening the project’s credibility.