INTEGRATED SAFEGUARDS DATA SHEET CONCEPT STAGE Public Disclosure Copy Report No.: ISDSC1009 Date ISDS Prepared/Updated: 16-Oct-2014 Date ISDS Approved/Disclosed: 16-Oct-2014 I. BASIC INFORMATION A. Basic Project Data Country: Pakistan Project ID: P130193 Project Name: Punjab Skills Development (P130193) Task Team Scherezad Joya Monami Lat Leader: Estimated 15-Jan-2015 Estimated 25-Mar-2015 Appraisal Date: Board Date: Managing Unit: GEDDR Lending Investment Project Financing Instrument: Sector(s): Vocational training (80%), Tertiary education (10%), Secondary education (10%) Theme(s): Education for the knowledge economy (75%), Education for all (25%) Financing (In USD Million) Total Project Cost: 60.00 Total Bank Financing: 50.00 Public Disclosure Copy Financing Gap: 0.00 Financing Source Amount BORROWER/RECIPIENT 10.00 International Development Association (IDA) 50.00 Total 60.00 Environmental C - Not Required Category: Is this a No Repeater project? B. Project Objectives To support institutional reform of the skills sector, and the improvement of access, quality and relevance of skills training programs in priority sectors in the Punjab. C. Project Description The Project would be implemented over a five year period. It would have three parts. The first, consisting of Component 1, would be disbursement linked (DLI) where funds would be disbursed against agreed results to the Finance Department of Punjab. Components 2 and 3 would follow a traditional reimbursement mode based on statements of expenditures after the completion of activities. Public Disclosure Copy Component 1: Institutional reform for delivery of high quality skills training for all. This component will address much needed institutional reform which would underpin the potential success of any skills related interventions, and support areas identified in the NSS and complement ongoing donor activities . Exact DLIs, sequencing and pricing would be worked out during Project preparation. Initial areas identified for support through this component include: (i) Support to effective regulation of the skills and training sector in Punjab. Actions include the separation of the Punjab Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority’s (P-TEVTA) regulatory function from training provision, and strengthening and consolidating quality assurance systems, namely the Punjab Board of Technical Education (PBTE) and Trade Testing Board (TTB). (ii) Institutionalize industry and private sector participation in the development and planning of skills and training programs. This reform area would pilot the creation of Industry Advisory Groups starting with one to two growth sectors identified by GoPunjab in their Growth Strategy. It is likely that IAGs would be piloted in sectors where support is being provided by the proposed Project through Component 2 to ensure coordination, complementarity and maximum benefits for Project interventions. Component 2: Increasing quality, relevance and access. This component would consist of two parts: (1) competitive grants for Technical Education; and (2) access to training for the disadvantaged. Component 2.1 Increasing quality and relevance of technical education in specific growth sectors of the Province with a view to increasing the employability of graduates. This sub component would focus on improvements in the quality and relevance of technical education and training that is provided by the public and private sector in prioritized sectors. Priority sectors would be defined by the provincial Growth Strategy and could include those schools that are part of the GoPunjab’s Centers of Excellence—also identified as areas of support in the National Skills Strategy. Public Disclosure Copy The objective of the subcomponent would be achieved through the implementation of a competitive grants mechanism at the institutional level to improve the “supply side” of technical education training. Through competitive grant, eligible Training Providers (TPs), both public and private, could fund critical quality inputs identified by the institutions themselves such as training of trainers, teaching and learning materials (including equipment), and partnerships or twining arrangements with institutions abroad as well as institutional and formal linkages with the private sector such as internship or OJT programs for its trainees. Component 2.2: Increasing access to vocational training for the poor and disadvantaged. This sub component would aim to increase the employability of the poor and disadvantaged especially women through increasing access to short-term market relevant vocational training in priority sectors. The Project at concept stage envisages achieving this objective by providing funds to the Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) to fund additional students in selected sectors in its existing Vocational Training Institutions (VTIs). This component could be expanded to include in addition to the PVTC, any other organization with a similar mandate and proven track record. Reimbursement to implementing agencies would be contingent (in part) on their performance, measured by the employment of their graduates over a 3-6 month period after graduation (from the training program). Component 3: Monitoring, Evaluation and Project Management. This component would finance Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). The overarching responsible agency for the proposed Project would be the Punjab Planning and Development Department and the implementing agency of the Project would be the Industries Department, GoPunjab. A coordination Public Disclosure Copy and implementation cell for the Project would be set up in the Industries Department to manage the various components and carry out all M&E activities. D. Project location and salient physical characteristics relevant to the safeguard analysis (if known) The Project will be implemented in the province of Punjab. Project activity will take place in mostly urban or semi-urban areas with no expected activities in any pristine environments. The project does not involve any physical works, civil works or rehabilitation and thus have no interactions with physical environment relevant to safeguards analysis. E. Borrowers Institutional Capacity for Safeguard Policies Since the project does not involve any physical works and no safeguards issues are envisaged to arise from project activity, no additional capacity assessment or capacity building is needed to ensure compliance with safeguards. Guidance on social safeguards aspects of the Project will be provided by the Social Safeguards team at and after the PCN Review. F. Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialists on the Team Fouad Muhammad Khan (GENDR) II. SAFEGUARD POLICIES THAT MIGHT APPLY Safeguard Policies Triggered? Explanation (Optional) Environmental Assessment OP/ No No physical works, construction, reconstruction BP 4.01 or rehabilitation activity is envisioned as part of the project. Public Disclosure Copy Natural Habitats OP/BP 4.04 No Forests OP/BP 4.36 No Pest Management OP 4.09 No Physical Cultural Resources OP/ No BP 4.11 Indigenous Peoples OP/BP 4.10 No Involuntary Resettlement OP/BP No 4.12 Safety of Dams OP/BP 4.37 No Projects on International No Waterways OP/BP 7.50 Projects in Disputed Areas OP/BP No 7.60 III. SAFEGUARD PREPARATION PLAN 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. A. Tentative target date for preparing the PAD Stage ISDS: 17-Oct-2014 B. 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: Public Disclosure Copy Further guidance to be sought at PCN Review. IV. APPROVALS Task Team Leader: Name: Scherezad Joya Monami Lat Approved By: Regional Safeguards Name: Francis V. Fragano (RSA) Date: 16-Oct-2014 Coordinator: Practice Manager/ Name: Halil Dundar (PMGR) Date: 16-Oct-2014 Manager: Public Disclosure Copy