REPUBLIC OF COTE D'IVOIRE EDUCATION IV PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT INTER-DEPARTMENTAL WORKING GROUP MEETING REPORT I. INTRODUCTION The interdepartmental working group meeting on the Education IV Project was held on Monday 23 April 2007 in Room 323 of the Bank’s ATR Building. Present at this meeting were the following: Messrs J. E. PORGO, Acting Division Manager, OSHD.1, Chairperson R. KANE, Country Economist for RCI, ORWA S. AMADOU, GECL.1 C. DIGUIMBAYE, FFCO.3 ORPU and EDRE.1 sent their comments in writing. After a brief presentation of the report by the authors, the Chairperson asked the members of the working group to review the report, starting with the general comments before moving on to the specific ones. This report gives a summary of all the discussions, comments, conclusions and recommendations made by the working group members. II. SUMMARY OF COMMENTS A. General Comments With regard to general comments, the members of the working group asked that the report provide further detailed explanations of observations made. They asked for an explanation as to why there was no project preparation and why there was a delay in project implementation. They suggested that further details be provided of the negotiations, the risk analysis planned at the inception of the project be undertaken, and the lessons and recommendations be reviewed. To this end, lessons must be learnt from the splitting up of contracts and the relevant recommendation made. The participants were also of the view that the performance appraisal needed to be revised, and that the report needed to specify the project’s link with the Bank’s CSP for that period as well as address the issue of the conflict in the RCI and link it to that of the sustainability of the project outcomes. B. Specific Comments Specific comments from the participants related to the clarification of points made in the observations contained in the document, and the need to add more details, with explanation. III. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS In conclusion, the members of the working group asked the authors to incorporate the points raised to improve the document. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK REPUBLIC OF COTE D'IVOIRE EDUCATION IV PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT Loan N° ADB/BD/WP/92/86 HUMAN DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (OSHD) OCTOBER 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES, ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS, LIST OF ANNEXES, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS, BASIC DATA AND PROJECT MATRIX i-xii 1 INTRODUCTION 1 2 PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND FORMULATION 1 2.1 Project Objectives 1 2.2 Project Description 1 2.3 Project Formulation 2 3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 3 3.1 Effectiveness and Start-Up 3 3.2 Modifications 4 3.3 Implementation Schedule 4 3.4 Quarterly Activity Reports and Auditing . 6 3.5 Procurement of Goods, Works and Services 6 3.6 Costs, Sources of Financing and Disbursements 7 4 PROJECT PERFORMANCE 8 4.1 Operational Performance 8 4.2 Institutional Performance 11 4.3 Performance of Consultants 12 4.4 Performance of Contractors 12 4.5 Performance of Suppliers 12 5 SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT 12 5.1 Social Impact 14 5.2 Environmental Impact 14 5.3 Impact on Women 14 5.4 Impact on Poverty 15 6. SUSTAINABILITY 15 7. PERFORMANCE OF THE BANK AND THE BORROWER 16 7.1 Performance of the Bank 16 7.2 Performance of the Borrower 16 8. OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND RATING 17 9. CONCLUSION, LESSONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 17 9.1 Conclusion 17 9.2 Lessons 18 9.3 Recommendations 19 This report was prepared by Ann Dao Sow, Education Expert, and two Consultants, following a project completion mission to the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire from 18 December 2006 to 1st January 2007. Further enquiries should be addressed to Mr. T. HURLEY, Director OSHD (Ext. 2046) and Mr. A. de ROQUEFEUIL, Division Manager OSHD.1 (Ext. 2184). CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS At Project Appraisal (April 1992) At Project Completion (January 2007) UA 1= CFAF 381.858 UA 1 = CFAF 749.293 UA 1= US$1.37174 UA 1 = US$ 1.50440 METRIC SYSTEM 1 metre = 3.28 feet 1 square metre (m2) = 10.76 square feet 1 hectare (ha) = 2.47 acres 1 square kilometre (km2) = 0.38 square miles FISCAL YEAR 1st January – 31st December ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ADB African Development Bank ADF African Development Fund BD Bidding Documents BNETD National Technical Research and Development Department CAA Autonomous Sinking Fund CFAF CFA Francs CNO Centre, North and West Zone CP Educational Adviser DCGTx Department of Public Works and Inspection (now BNETD) DELC Department of Basic Education, Junior Secondary and High Schools DIPES Department of Information Technology, Planning, Evaluation and Statistics DREN Regional Directorate of National Education DRF Request for replenishment of revolving fund GER Gross Enrolment Rate HRDP Human Resource Development Programme IEC Information, Education and Communication IEP Primary Education Inspector/Primary Education Inspectorate KfW Kreditams fur Wiederaufbau MCU Ministry of Construction and Urban Planning MECU Ministry of the Environment, Construction and Urban Planning MEN Ministry of National Education OPEC Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries PAMES Macro-Economic and Social Adjustment Programme PAS-RH Structural Adjustment Programme- Human Resources PIU Project Implementation Unit S/DBS Sub-Directorate of School Buildings SAP Systems Applications and Products SIGFIP Integrated Public Finance Management System SYSCOA West African Accounting System TCF Technical Consulting Firm UA Unit of Account ii LIST OF ANNEXES Number of pages Annex1 Country Map showing Project Sites 1 Annex 2 Sources of Information 2 Annex 3 Estimated and Actual Project Costs by Category of Expenditure 1 Annex 4 Estimated and Actual Schedule of Disbursements 1 Annex 5 Project Implementation Performance 1 Annex 6 Impact on Development 2 Annex 7 Recommendations and Follow-Up Matrix 2 Annex 8 Tables of Primary and Secondary Education Gross Enrolment Trends 1 Annex 9 List of Contractors and Suppliers 4 Annex 10 Borrower’s Observations on Project Completion Report 19 iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 The Education IV project, which forms the subject of this completion report, is the fourth Bank Group operation in the sector in Côte d'Ivoire. The project, which cost a total of UA 59 million, was financed with an ADB loan of UA 53 million that was signed on 16 October 1992 and became effective on 11 February 1993, i.e. 4 months later, as well as with a Government contribution of UA 6 million. Its objectives were to (i) restore the functionality of the existing primary and secondary school facilities; (ii) provide primary schools in regions where they are seriously lacking; (iii) reduce student migration to and from secondary schools by building new schools in areas where they are lacking; (iv) introduce environmental awareness among the general public and design instructional packages for primary schools; (v) set up a programming tool for the streamlining and coordination of actions geared towards staff and facility planning; (vi) increase the enrolment rate, especially that of girls in the remote areas of the country’s north; (vii) support the primary objectives of the Structural Adjustment Programme-Human Resources, namely to improve access to primary education, upgrade the quality of the educational system and adapt school curricula to realities. The project had six components including (i) strengthening of primary education; (ii) strengthening of secondary education; (iii) increased enrolment in rural areas; (iv) introduction of environmental studies; (v) school map support; and (vi) project implementation. 2 The project as designed met the needs identified at the time of its appraisal. The implementation schedule was not adhered to due to the lengthy delays in the processing of documents by the Bank and the Borrower and the suspension of disbursements for non- payment of arrears, among others. Upon completion, the project cost, net of all taxes, was estimated at UA 54.65 million, representing 92.62% of the total project cost. The Bank financed UA 49.53 million or 93.46% of the loan amount estimated at appraisal. The actual government counterpart funding was UA 5.11 million, or 85.23% of the expected national contribution. 3 At the institutional level, the project provided support to the Department of Information Technology, Planning, Evaluation and Statistics, which it equipped with IT equipment that enabled it to produce better designed and more precise school maps. Environmental studies was introduced into the educational system. The Project Implementation Unit and its regional offices were established and have acquired a solid experience in project implementation. Improved accessibility and better teaching and learning conditions have been achieved in the project areas through the building and rehabilitation of facilities and provision of the educational institutions with furniture, equipment as well as learning and teaching materials. A significant rise of 17.56% was observed in pupil numbers in the target regions, where those numbers increased from 1 735 814 in 1996-1997 to 2 113 836 in 2001-2002. The number of girls in the deprived Centre, North and West (CNO) regions went up from 91 925 in 1991-1992 to 132 812 between 1995 and 1997, representing an increase of about 31%. However, despite the increased intake capacity of primary and secondary education, with the current socio-political crisis the teacher/pupil ratio remains high in the southern parts of the country, where the schools operate double shifts. This adversely affects the