INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET
CONCEPT STAGE
Report No.: AC3093
Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 10/11/2007
I. BASIC INFORMATION
A. Basic Project Data
Country: Egypt, Arab Republic of
Project ID: P095820
Project Name: Egypt Education Reform Program
Task Team Leader: Michel J. Welmond
Estimated Appraisal Date: May 1, 2008
Estimated Board Date: October 15, 2008
Managing Unit: MNSHD
Lending Instrument: Specific Investment
Loan
Sector: General education sector (100%)
Theme: Education for the knowledge economy (P);Education for all (S)
IBRD Amount (US$m.):
50.00
IDA Amount (US$m.):
0.00
GEF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
PCF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
Other financing amounts by source:
Borrower
10.00
10.00
B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN]
The five-year project aims to foster conditions to improve learning outcomes and opportunities
for students, both in terms of distribution and mean. In order to achieve goals, the Bank will
support the government efforts in (a) improving the interface between secondary and tertiary
education and (b) ensuring the creation and application of quality assurance mechanisms that can
guide schools at all levels of instruction to improve education quality.
C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN]
The project will be a joint operation with the MOE and MOHE. It will consist of four
components. The project will be a specific investment budget. A SWAp was considered (as the
operation is sector-wide), but it was decided that using SWAp mechanisms, such as ex post
reviews of expenditures, would add another layer of complication to an already complex
endeavor. A DPL was also contemplated, but the government already has a policy based loan in
the financial sector and would not want another one at this time.
1) Increase flexibility and relevance of secondary and tertiary education by reforming
admission policy and restructuring technical education. Reforming admission policy will
address the bottlenecks in student flows between secondary and tertiary education and reverse
disincentives to improved quality and opportunities at both levels of instruction. A joint effort to
reform technical education is expected to produce a positive interaction effect in terms of quality,
labor market relevance, and links to other educational opportunities. This component will be
implemented jointly by the MOE and MOHE. There are two sub-components:
- Change admission policy for wider entry to higher education. The government aims to allow
universities to develop new admission criteria. This will affect the secondary education graduate
standards, reduce the high stakes nature of the Thanawi?aama and open the door for technical
high school and college students to pursue other post-secondary education opportunities. Inputs
would include technical support for policy dialogue, development of policy benchmarks to
measure the progress of project.
- Pilot new types of technical institutions at the secondary and tertiary levels (as well as
institutions that straddle both levels) that promise more diverse learning opportunities Examples
would include comprehensive secondary schools; joint secondary/post-secondary technical
institutes; community colleges; and polytechnic schools). Inputs would include technical support,
training, construction, rehabilitation and equipment
2) Establish a Teacher Academy, supported by the Faculties of Education, to provide services to
teachers for the new performance based promotion schema. The teacher cadre law implies that
the competencies and standards expected for promotion will need to be established based on
research and evaluation. MOE and MOHE expect the Faculties of Education to support this
complex activity. Consequently, this component will support the creation of the Teacher
Academy and reinforce the capacity of the Faculties of Education to play a key role in its
establishment and functioning (e.g., research, program development, monitoring and evaluation,
training). This component will be implemented jointly by the MOE and MOHE. Inputs would
include technical support, capacity building, construction, rehabilitation and equipment.
3) Support school based reform by financing school efforts to meet new quality standards.
Introducing and generalizing school based management requires two elements to succeed. First,
it must provide schools with the flexibility and resources to set local priorities and achieve them.
Second, general standards need to be established to ensure coherence and provide guidance to
schools. This component will help establish quality standards for schools and a grant mechanism
to finance the implementation of school improvement plans. It will be implemented by the MOE.
Inputs would include technical support and grants to schools.
4) Improve educational quality by generalizing the quality assurance process and instituting
results base planning and budgeting in the universities and technical colleges. The Higher
Education Enhancement Project (HEEP) introduced two innovations that aim to improve quality.
(1) piloting of a quality assurance and accreditation process in universities that led to the
development of school improvement plans, (2) establishment of an innovation grant mechanism.
Based on the success in phase I, this component will support an effort to introduce results-based
planning and budgeting by generalizing previously developed mechanisms. Inputs would include
technical support and innovation grants.
D. Project location (if known)
Egypt, Arab Republic Of
E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN]
To be evaluated during project preparation.
F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists
Ms M. Yaa Pokua Afriyie Oppong (MNSSD)
II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY
Safeguard Policies Triggered
Yes
No
TBD
Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01)
X
TBD. Environmental Specialist to be designated.
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
The exact nature and extent of construction as well as the ownership status of the required
land will be assessed during project preparation in order to determine whether the Bank?s
Involuntary Resettlement safeguard (OP/BP 4.12) will or will not be triggered.
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
Environmental Category: B - Partial Assessment
III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN
A. Target date for the Quality Enhancement Review (QER), at which time the PAD-stage ISDS
would be prepared: 03/31/2008
B. For simple projects that will not require a QER, the target date for preparing the PAD-stage
ISDS: N/A
C. Time frame for launching and completing the safeguard-related studies that may be needed.
The specific studies and their timing1 should be specified in the PAD-stage ISDS.
TBD.
1
Reminder: The Bank's Disclosure Policy requires that safeguard-related documents be disclosed before appraisal (i) at the
InfoShop and (ii) in-country, at publicly accessible locations and in a form and language that are accessible to potentially affected
persons.
IV. APPROVALS
Signed and submitted by:
Task Team Leader:
Mr Michel J. Welmond
Approved by:
Regional Safeguards Coordinator:
Mr Hocine Chalal
Comments:
Sector Manager:
Mr Mourad Ezzine
Comments: The Project has been transfered to the TTL on July 24, 2007.
09/18/2007
09/28/2007
10/01/2007