The World Bank Improving Pre-primary and General Secondary Education Project (P144856) REPORT NO.: RES38040 DOCUMENT OF THE WORLD BANK RESTRUCTURING PAPER ON A PROPOSED PROJECT RESTRUCTURING OF IMPROVING PRE-PRIMARY AND GENERAL SECONDARY EDUCATION PROJECT APPROVED ON OCTOBER 23, 2014 TO REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN EDUCATION EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA Regional Vice President: Cyril E Muller Country Director: Lilia Burunciuc Regional Director: Jaime Saavedra Chanduvi Practice Manager/Manager: Harry Anthony Patrinos Task Team Leader: Janssen Edelweiss Nunes Teixeira The World Bank Improving Pre-primary and General Secondary Education Project (P144856) I. BASIC DATA Product Information Project ID Financing Instrument P144856 Investment Project Financing Original EA Category Current EA Category Not Required (C) Not Required (C) Approval Date Current Closing Date 23-Oct-2014 31-Jul-2019 Organizations Borrower Responsible Agency Republic of Uzbekistan Ministry of Public Education Project Development Objective (PDO) Original PDO The Project Development Objectives (PDO) are to increase access of children aged 3-6 to quality early childhood care and education in rural pre-primary institutions and to improve conditions for better learning outcomes of students of rural general educational secondary schools. Summary Status of Financing Net Ln/Cr/Tf Approval Signing Effectiveness Closing Commitment Disbursed Undisbursed TF-18066 29-Oct-2014 29-Oct-2014 26-Jan-2015 31-Jul-2019 49.90 47.09 2.81 Policy Waiver(s) Does this restructuring trigger the need for any policy waiver(s)? No I. SUMMARY OF PROJECT STATUS AND PROPOSED CHANGES The World Bank Improving Pre-primary and General Secondary Education Project (P144856) This restructuring responds to a request from the Government of Uzbekistan, through the Ministry of Finance, to extend the Project Closing Date by 5 months (i.e. from July 31, 2019 to December 31, 2019). This request is dated July 22, 2019. The overall progress with the implementation of the Project is satisfactory. The Ministry of Public Education (MoPE) is on track to achieve the Project Development Objectives (PDO). The final targets of 2 out of the 4 PDO level indicators were surpassed, and the target of the other 2 were partially met. The MoPE expects to fully achieve the final targets of these 2 indicators by July 31, 2019. Regarding the 14 intermediate level indicators, the final targets of 7 have been fully achieved or surpassed, 4 have been partially achieved (and are expected to be achieved by July 31, 2019), and 3 have not been achieved yet. As mentioned above, this restructuring would extend the Project Closing Date by 5 months, for the MoPE to be able to achieve additional results with the utilization of an amount of US$1.46 million (2.9 percent of the Grant) that will not be spent by the current Project Closing Date. These funds are mostly savings from large packages of goods procured through the Project. The activities that would be implemented over the extended period are included in an action plan prepared by the MoPE, and are as follows: (i) revision of standards for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines, (ii) training teachers and MoPE's staff in the utilization of a tool for observation of teaching practices that was already piloted through the Project, (iii) training of teachers in the utilization of modern equipment procured through the Project and in IT in education, (iv) enhancing MoPE's capacity, (v) modernizing practices for students assessment, (vi) paying fees (salaries) and operating costs of the Project Management Team. The Project Director (First Deputy Minister of Public Education) expressed a strong commitment to implement this action plan and spend the amount of US$1.46 million until December 31, 2019; this commitment is stated in a letter addressed to the World Bank and Global Partnership for Education dated July 24, 2019. The activities mentioned above would contribute to the sustainability of some key interventions supported by the Project. For example, additional teacher training and support to student assessment practices would help to further institutionalize the investments made under the Project in these areas and contribute to their continuity. No changes other than the extension of the Project Closing Date are proposed under this restructuring. This would be the second and final extension of the Project Closing Date. Regarding disbursements, around 94 percent of the Grant has been disbursed until July 25, 2019. This rate is expected to reach 97 percent by July 31, 2019. There are no overdue audits for the Project. The audit report for the period ending December 31, 2018 was submitted to the World Bank in due time and was already reviewed by the task team. An updated version of this report is expected by July 31, 2019. II. DETAILED CHANGES LOAN CLOSING DATE(S) The World Bank Improving Pre-primary and General Secondary Education Project (P144856) Original Revised Proposed Proposed Deadline Ln/Cr/Tf Status Closing Closing(s) Closing for Withdrawal Applications TF-18066 Effective 31-Jan-2018 31-Jul-2019 31-Dec-2019 30-Apr-2020