Report on Education Management and Service Delivery at the District Level in Pakistan Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Pakistan District Education Management and Service Delivery Study (P166880) Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized 1 Report on Education Management and Service Delivery at the District Level in Pakistan Contents Acronyms .................................................................................................................................. 5 Executive Summary ................................................................................................................. 7 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................. 15 1.1 Context and Approach ................................................................................................ 15 1.2 Objective and Scope of the Study ............................................................................... 16 1.3 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 18 1.4 Structure of the Report ............................................................................................... 18 BALOCHISTAN .................................................................................................................... 21 EDUCATION GOVERNANCE AND SERVICE DELIVERY CAPACITIES ............... 21 2.1 Education in Balochistan at a Glance ........................................................................ 21 2.1.1. An Overview of Education Policy Landscape ....................................................... 21 2.1.2. Education Management and Service Delivery Structure: Province, Districts and Schools ............................................................................................................................. 22 2.1.3 Process Flow in Core Education Functions: Horizontal and Vertical Linkages ..... 27 2.2 Horizontal Operational Constraints and Capacity Challenges: The Provincial Tier ...................................................................................................................................... 29 2.2.1. Administrative Inefficiencies, Overlapping Mandates and Institutional Gaps ...... 30 2.2.2. High Turnover in Appointments at Key Provincial Posts ..................................... 32 2.2.3 Ad-hoc Appointments and Capacity Challenge ...................................................... 32 2.2.4 Lack of Need-based and Demand-driven Budgeting .............................................. 32 2.2.5. Political Economy of Education Service Delivery ................................................ 32 2.2.6. Missing Data on Private Schools ........................................................................... 33 2.2.7. Communication and Coordination Challenges ...................................................... 33 2.2.8. Capacity and Financial Resource Constraints........................................................ 34 2.3 Vertical Coordination and Service Delivery Challenges: The District and Sub- District Tiers ....................................................................................................................... 34 2.3.1. Inconsistent Transfer Pattern and Frequent Transfers and Postings ...................... 34 2.3.2. Diluting Powers of Education Managers: .............................................................. 35 2.3.3. Management Capacity and Skills Gap ................................................................... 35 2.3.3 Less Involvement of District Tier in Planning ........................................................ 35 2.3.4. Lack of Institutional Capacity for Data-based Planning and Feedback ................. 35 2.3.5. Average Time Spent by District Management on Different Tasks........................ 36 2.3.6. Job Descriptions of Sub-District Officials ............................................................. 36 2.3.7. Initiatives to Improve School Participation and Quality........................................ 36 2.3.8. Time Spent by Sub-district Officials on Different Tasks during School Visits .... 37 2.3.9. Limited Coordination and Communication between Province, District and Sub- District Tiers .................................................................................................................... 37 2.3.10. District Official Capacity Needs .......................................................................... 37 PUNJAB: ................................................................................................................................ 40 Education Governance and District Service Delivery Capacities ..................................... 40 2 Report on Education Management and Service Delivery at the District Level in Pakistan 3.1 Education in Punjab at a Glance .................................................................................... 40 3.1.1 An Overview of Education Policy Landscape ........................................................ 40 3.1.2 Education Management and Service Delivery Structure: Province, Districts and Schools ............................................................................................................................. 41 3.1.3 Management Processes on Core Education Functions: Horizontal and Vertical Linkages ........................................................................................................................... 45 3.2 Horizontal Operational Constraints and Capacity Challenges: The Provincial Tier ...................................................................................................................................... 48 3.2.1. Administrative Inefficiencies, Overlapping Mandates and Institutional Gaps ...... 48 3.2.2. High Turnover of Senior Officials ......................................................................... 50 3.2.3. Capacity and Human Resource Deficits ................................................................ 50 3.2.4. Political Will and Support ...................................................................................... 51 3.2.5. Political Economy of Education Service Delivery ................................................ 51 3.2.6. Operational Coordination and Communication Challenges .................................. 51 3.2.7. Delays in Transfer and Release of Funds .............................................................. 52 3.3 District and Sub-District Service Delivery Challenges ............................................. 52 3.3.1. Frequent Transfers and No Performance Framework ............................................ 52 3.3.2. Average Time Spent on Different Tasks ............................................................... 53 3.3.3. Job Descriptions and Awareness of Mandated Roles ............................................ 53 3.3.4. Initiatives to Improve School Participation and Quality........................................ 53 3.3.5. Time Spent on Different Tasks during School Visits ............................................ 54 3.3.6. Coordination and Communication between Province, District and Sub-District Tiers ................................................................................................................................. 54 3.3.7. Delays in Budget Release and Low Absorptive Capacity ..................................... 55 3.3.8. Lack of Institutional Capacity for Evidence-Based Planning and Budgeting ....... 55 3.3.9. District and School Capacity Needs ...................................................................... 56 SINDH:.................................................................................................................................... 58 Education Governance and District Service Delivery Capacities ..................................... 58 4.1 Education in Sindh at a Glance .................................................................................. 58 4.1.1. An Overview of Education Policy Landscape ....................................................... 58 4.1.2. Education Management and Service Delivery Structure: Province, Districts and Schools ............................................................................................................................. 59 4.1.3 Management Process in Core Education Functions: Horizontal and Vertical Linkages ........................................................................................................................... 63 4.2 Horizontal Operational Constraints and Capacity Challenges: The Provincial Tier ...................................................................................................................................... 65 4.2.1. Administrative Inefficiencies, Overlapping Mandates and Institutional Gaps ...... 65 4.2.2. Frequent Transfers of Senior Officials .................................................................. 66 4.2.3. Political Economy of Education Service Delivery ................................................ 66 4.2.4. Staffing Gap and Ad hoc Appointments ................................................................ 67 4.2.5 Lack of Need-based and Demand-driven Budgeting .............................................. 67 4.2.6. Coordination and Communication Challenge ........................................................ 67 4.3 District and Sub-District Service Delivery Challenges ............................................