INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET
CONCEPT STAGE
Report No.: AC3979
Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 02/19/2009
I. BASIC INFORMATION
A. Basic Project Data
Country: Sudan
Project ID: P112096
Project Name: Basic Education Project
Task Team Leader: Yasser Aabdel-Aleem Awny El-Gammal
Estimated Appraisal Date: April 18, 2009
Estimated Board Date: April 15, 2009
Managing Unit: AFTH3
Lending Instrument: Specific Investment
Loan
Sector: Primary education (100%)
Theme: Education for all (P)
SPF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
GEF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
PCF Amount (US$m.):
0.00
Other financing amounts by source:
Borrower
0.00
Multi-donor Trust Fund for North Sudan
15.00
15.00
B. Project Objectives [from section 2 of PCN]
The PDO is to contribute to closing the enrolment gap and improving basic education in four of
the northern states of Sudan. This will thereby increase the literate and skilled population in these
states. By the end of this program, information on the following PDO indicators will demonstrate
the extent to which the PDO has been achieved.
•
Reduction in disparities in terms of enrollment and learning levels between these four
states and the national average.
•
Improving the quality of education by modernizing the basic education curriculum and
introducing a framework for teacher education.
•
Increasing the number of trained teachers in the four targeted states.
C. Project Description [from section 3 of PCN]
The project will include overall system support, namely by supporting the process of updating
the basic education curriculum and initiating a process to upgrade a general framework for
Faculties of Education (FoEs) curriculum. At the service delivery level, the project will work in
four states to support the expansion and physical upgrading of basic education facilities in
selected localities, and support in-service teacher training for a selected number of teachers in the
four states. Training will focus on teachers of the first grades and aiming at enhancing reading
skills and basic numeracy to students. The project will also support the physical upgrading of
four Teacher Training Institutes (TTIs – one in each state). The project will have a three years
implementation period and an estimated cost of US$15 million.
The project will include three components: a) increasing access to basic education in selected
localities in the four states b) contributing to enhancing the quality of basic education in Sudan;
and c) developing monitoring, evaluation and project management systems.
Component (1): Increasing Access to Basic Education (US$ 9 million). This component will
support the rehabilitation, additions of classrooms, offices or teachers’ housing to existing
schools, and the construction of new schools. The component will also finance some school
furniture to schools were students are learning on the ground. The component will focus on
geographical areas that will boost girls’ education by using criteria that favors areas where
interventions will enhance girls’ access.
Component (2): Contributing to enhancing the quality of basic education (US$4)
Under this component, the project will:
•
(2-A) Provide support to the process of updating the basic education curriculum in Sudan.
Support will include technical assistance to the various committees assigned to upgrading the
curriculum, as well as logistical support to facilitate the work of these committees. The current
curriculum for basic education has been introduced in 1996, it is imperative to undertake
evaluation of its content with the view of updating and reforming the curriculum. The curriculum
should be further developed to respond to the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Interim
National Constitution both signed in 2005 and have far-reaching impact on education. The
GoNU’s vision is for a Curriculum which is more focused on life skills, common to all but suits
all different abilities and is responsive to cultural diversity.
•
(2-B) Corresponding to the revised basic education curriculum, the component will also
support the development of a national curriculum framework for the FoEs. This framework,
which will include recent and proven approaches to improving teaching and learning, will direct
teacher training activities in the country.
•
(2-C) Finance Teacher training in the four states. Focus will be on the provision of
teacher in-service training targeting difficult areas of the curriculum and creative pedagogy.
Short courses will emphasis reading fluency and basic numeracy skills. The cascade model put in
place by UNICEF will be used beginning with the training of trainers.
•
(2-E) Finance physical upgrading to four TTIs in the four states to increase the capacity
of training and enhance the learning environment in these institutes.
Component 3: Monitoring, Evaluation and Project Management (US$1.5). This component will
have two sub-components. First, it will support a system of monitoring project implementation
and performance including the collection of baseline, mid-term and end-project data as well as a
system of regular reporting. Second, the component will support the establishment and capacity
building of project coordination teams within central and state ministries. Capacity building will
focus on developing administrative and management skills to improve system functioning.
D. Project location (if known)
The project will be implemented in selected communities in the four states of Red Sea, South
Kordufan, North Kordufan, and Blue Nile.
E. Borrower’s Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies [from PCN]
The GoNU's capacity to manage safeguard policies is relatively weak. Under the MDTF
however, other projects have developed systems and capacities. During preparation, the project
will ensure to build on the other projects'interventions and work on developing needed and
relevant capacities to projects' activities. The construction component will be entirely delegated
to the Community Development Fund (CDF) in three states, and to the Engineering Office (EO)
in Red Sea. The CDF has developed an Environmental and Social Management Framework
which it is currently using in its operations. Assessment, and support if needed, will be provided
to the EO in Red Sea State to ensure the existence of a system of identifying possible negative
environmental and social impacts, and develop mitigation measures.
To date no implementation issues came up in the large number of schools that the CDF has
supported. All of the schools where this project will operate are existing ones where the project
is replacing makeshift classrooms and school facilities with new construction.
There are social specificities to some of the areas where the project will operate. Namely, the
nomadic nature of some of these areas (especially in North Kordufan), and the conservative
nature and perception of girls education (especially in Red Sea). The project design caters to
these issues. In NK for example a % of the schools selected cater to nomad population. The
interventions in some of the schools selected (in the four states) also focus on girls’ education by
either supporting some girls’ schools, or constructing separate toilets for girls. The above
arrangements are in line with the system adopted by State Ministries of Education and have been
tried and are seen as effective by local populations and local governments.
F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists
Mr Hassan Mohamed Hassan (AFTH3)
Ms Yasmin Tayyab (AFTCS)
II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY
Safeguard Policies Triggered
Yes
No
TBD
Environmental Assessment (OP/BP 4.01)
X
BP4.01 is triggered because of the school construction component and the possibility that this
component could cause negative environmental impacts.
An Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) will be developed. This
will primarily be based on the CDF’s. The main changes to the CDF’s will be a)to remove
references to the other activities the CDF finances, and b) to introduce the same process and
formats to the Engineering Office in Red Sea State. The ESMF will: (a) establish clear
procedures and methodologies for environmental and social assessment, review, approval and
implementation of investments to be financed under the project; (b) specifies appropriate roles
and responsibilities, and outlines the necessary reporting procedures, for managing and
monitoring environmental and social concerns related to project investments; and (c) helps to
determine the training, capacity building and technical assistance needed to successfully
Safeguard Policies Triggered
Yes
No
TBD
implement the provisions of the ESMF.
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
Acquisition of land is properly dealt with in the CDF procedures and clear criteria (that are in
line with the World Bank’s) are put in place. No resettlements (voluntary or involuntary) are
expected under the project.
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: 02/25/2009
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.
A draft of the Environmental and Social Management Framework has been developed and
will be finalized by appraisal. It will be approved and disclosed by the Government and the
MDTF Administrator by grant signing (Mid April 2009).
The SMU has agreed to accept transfer of the safeguard responsibilities.
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:
Approved by:
Regional Safeguards Coordinator:
Comments:
Sector Manager:
Comments:
Mr Yasser Aabdel-Aleem Awny El-Gammal
02/11/2009
Mr Warren Waters
02/19/2009
Ms Lynne D. Sherburne-Benz
02/19/2009