Document of The World Bank Report No: ICR00003129 IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION AND RESULTS REPORT (IBRD-82660) ON A LOAN IN THE AMOUNT OF EUR 78.1 MILLION (US$100.0 MILLION EQUIVALENT) TO THE KINGDOM OF MOROCCO FOR A SECOND EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT POLICY LOAN October 31, 2014 Education Global Practice Middle East and North Africa CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS (Exchange Rate Effective May 2014) Currency Unit = Moroccan Dirham (MAD) 1.00 MAD = US$0.12 US$ 1.00 = 8.2 MAD US$1.00 = 0.73 Euro (EUR) FISCAL YEAR January 1 – December 31 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AFD French Development Agency (Agence française de développement) AfDB African Development Bank AREF Regional Academy of Education and Training (Académie régionale d’éducation et de formation) CNEE National Center for Assessment and Testing (Centre national de l’évaluation et des examens) [under DEOVSFCIA] CNEF National Education and Training Charter (Charte nationale de l’éducation et de la formation) CPS Country Partnership Strategy CRMEF Regional Centers for Education and Training (Centres régionaux métier éducation et formation) CSE Higher Council for Education (Conseil supérieur de l’enseignement) CY Calendar year DAGBP Directorate of General Affairs, Budget and Asset Development (Direction des affaires générales, du budget et du patrimoine) DAS Department of Social Support (Département de l’appui sociale) DPL Development policy loan DSSP Directorate of Strategy, Statistics and Planning (Direction de la stratégie, des statistiques et de la planification) EDPL1 First Education Development Policy Loan EDPL2 Second Education Development Policy Loan EIB European Investment Bank FUE University Education Programs (filières universitaires de l’éducation) GDP Gross domestic product IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development MEF Ministry of Economy and Finance (Ministère de l’économie et des finances) MEN Ministry of Education (Ministère de l’éducation nationale) MENA Middle East and North Africa Region MENFP Ministry of Education and Vocational Training (Ministère de l’éducation nationale et de la formation professionnelle) PAMT Education Action Plan 2013-2016 (Plan d’action moyen-terme) PDO Project Development Objective PMP Program of Priority Measures (Programme des mesures prioritaires) PUEN National Emergency Education Plan (Programme d’urgence de l’éducation nationale) Vice President: Inger Andersen Country Director: Simon Gray Practice Manager: Harry Patrinos Task Team Leader: Kamel Braham ICR Team Leader Kamel Braham THE KINDGOM OF MOROCCO Second Education Development Policy Loan CONTENTS Data Sheet A. BASIC INFORMATION .............................................................................................................. II B. KEY DATES ............................................................................................................................. II C. RATINGS SUMMARY ............................................................................................................... II D. SECTOR AND THEME CODES.................................................................................................. III E. BANK STAFF........................................................................................................................... III F. RESULTS FRAMEWORK ANALYSIS ......................................................................................... IV G. RATINGS OF PROGRAM PERFORMANCE IN ISRS.................................................................... VI H. RESTRUCTURING (IF ANY) ..................................................................................................... VI 1. PROGRAM CONTEXT, DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN............................................ 1 2. KEY FACTORS AFFECTING IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES ............................................. 3 3. ASSESSMENT OF OUTCOMES ................................................................................................... 9 4. ASSESSMENT OF RISK TO DEVELOPMENT OUTCOME ............................................................ 19 5. ASSESSMENT OF BANK AND BORROWER PERFORMANCE ..................................................... 19 6. LESSONS LEARNED ................................................................................................................ 21 7. COMMENTS ON ISSUES RAISED BY BORROWER/IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES/PARTNERS ...... 22 ANNEX 1 BANK LENDING AND IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT/SUPERVISION PROCESSES .......... 24 ANNEX 2. BENEFICIARY SURVEY RESULTS .............................................................................. 25 ANNEX 3. STAKEHOLDER WORKSHOP REPORT AND RESULTS ................................................. 26 ANNEX 4. SUMMARY OF BORROWER'S ICR AND/OR COMMENTS ON DRAFT ICR .................... 27 ANNEX 5. COMMENTS OF COFINANCIERS AND OTHER PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS ................ 33 ANNEX 6. LIST OF SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ........................................................................... 34 i A. Basic Information Second Education Country: Morocco Program Name: Development Policy Loan Program ID: P120541 L/C/TF Number(s): IBRD-82660 ICR Date: 10/31/2014 ICR Type: Core ICR Lending Instrument: DPL Borrower: MOROCCO Original Total USD 100.00M Disbursed Amount: USD 101.73M Commitment: Revised Amount: USD 100.00M Implementing Agencies: Ministry of Education and Vocational Training Co-financiers and Other External Partners: B. Key Dates Revised / Actual Process Date Process Original Date Date(s) Concept Review: 04/05/2012 Effectiveness: 08/30/2013 07/03/2013 Appraisal: 03/21/2013 Restructuring(s): Approval: 05/28/2013 Mid-term Review: Closing: 04/30/2014 04/30/2014 C. Ratings Summary C.1 Performance Rating by ICR Outcomes: Moderately Satisfactory Risk to Development Outcome: Substantial Bank Performance: Moderately Satisfactory Borrower Performance: Moderately Satisfactory C.2 Detailed Ratings of Bank and Borrower Performance (by ICR) Bank Ratings Borrower Ratings Moderately Quality at Entry: Government: Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Implementing Quality of Supervision: Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Agency/Agencies: Overall Bank Overall Borrower Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Performance: Performance: ii C.3 Quality at Entry and Implementation Performance Indicators Implementation QAG Assessments Indicators Rating: Performance (if any) Potential Problem Quality at Entry Program at any time No None (QEA): (Yes/No): Problem Program at any Quality of No None time (Yes/No): Supervision (QSA): DO rating before Satisfactory Closing/Inactive status: D. Sector and Theme Codes Original Actual Sector Code (as % of total Bank financing) General education sector 26 26 Primary education 19 19 Secondary education 19 19 Sub-national government administration 22 22 Tertiary education 14 14 Theme Code (as % of total Bank financing) Decentralization 14 14 Education for all 72 72 Public expenditure, financial management and 14 14 procurement E. Bank Staff Positions At ICR At Approval Vice President: Inger Andersen Inger Andersen Country Director: Simon M. Gray Simon M. Gray Sector Manager: Harry Patrinos Mourad Ezzine Program Team Leader: Kamel Braham Jeffrey Waite ICR Team Leader: Kamel Braham ICR Primary Author: William Experton iii F. Results Framework Analysis Program Development Objectives (from Project Appraisal Document) The proposed program aims to strengthen the school sector’s institutional arrangements in the short term, in ways that in the medium term would: (i) increase access to school education, especially for rural girls and boys at the lower secondary level; (ii) improve the quality of teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary education; and (iii) enhance efficiency in decentralized governance of the schools sector. Revised Program Development Objectives (if any, as approved by original approving authority) (a) PDO Indicator(s) Original Target Actual Value Formally Values (from Achieved at Indicator Baseline Value Revised approval Completion or Target Values documents) Target Years Indicator 1 : Ratio of new rural schools to new urban schools planned in the previous year Rural: 2 schools and 0 Rural: 32 schools Value Rural: 25 schools colleges and 38 colleges (quantitative or and 40 colleges Urban 78 schools and Urban: 9 schools Qualitative) Urban: 0 23 colleges and 24 colleges Date achieved 12/31/2010 04/30/2014 Comments Achieved. Priority was given to rural areas; the overall number of schools (incl. % was surpassed. The original target of 0 schools in urban area was an error due achievement) to an issue of classification between semi urban and urban. Indicator 2 : Number of new social support methodologies developed Value (quantitative or 0 2 0 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Not achieved. achievement) Indicator 3 : Number of Regional Assessment and Testing Centers established Value (quantitative or 5 14 15 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Achieved achievement) Proportion of Regional Assessment and Testing Centers producing an annual Indicator 4 : report during the previous year Value (quantitative or 0.00 100% 100% Qualitative) iv Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments Partially achieved. Reports are produced but they do not show any significant (incl. % change in the assessment and testing activities that were performed by staff achievement) before the creation of Regional Assessment and Testing Centers. Indicator 5 : Number of students enrolled in Regional Teacher Training Centers Value (quantitative or 7864 8000 6996.00 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments 87% achieved. The MdF only granted 7000 positions, when MENFP (incl. % requested 8000. achievement) Number of Regional Teacher Training Center Graduates assigned to teaching Indicator 6 : positions Value (quantitative or 5517 8000 7838.00 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % 98% achieved achievement) Indicator 7 : Urban/Rural ratio of female-male teacher ratio (primary) Value (quantitative or 3.00 1.6 1.67 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % 95% achieved achievement) Indicator 8 : Urban/Rural ratio of female-male teacher ratio (lower secondary) Value (quantitative or 2.90 1.50 1.25 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Surpassed achievement) Indicator 9 : Urban/Rural ratio of student-teacher ratio (primary) Value (quantitative or 1.20 1.0 1.26 Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Not achieved achievement) Indicator 10 : Urban/Rural ratio of student-teacher ratio (lower secondary) Value 1.20 1.0 1.02 (quantitative or v Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Achieved achievement) Indicator 11 : Proportion of human resource management decisions taken by AREFs Value (quantitative or 0.00% 50% 50% Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Achieved achievement) Revised guidelines for school charter development and funding use, based on Indicator 12 : recommendations of the evaluation of school charter implementation, sent to all schools Value (quantitative or No Yes No Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Not achieved achievement) Proportion of Regional internal audit units producing an annual report during Indicator 13 : the previous year Value (quantitative or 0.00% 100% 100% Qualitative) Date achieved 12/31/2010 05/29/2013 04/30/2014 Comments (incl. % Achieved achievement) G. Ratings of Program Performance in ISRs Actual Date ISR No. DO IP Disbursements Archived (USD millions) 1 08/06/2013 Satisfactory Satisfactory 101.48 2 05/05/2014 Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory 101.48 H. Restructuring (if any) Not Applicable vi 1. Program Context, Development Objectives and Design 1.1 Context at Appraisal 1. The Second Education Development Policy Loan (EDPL2) was part of a long history of the World Bank’s active engagement in Morocco to support investment in human capital through quality education. Originally, the EDPL2 was designed as the second and last operation in a programmatic DPL series to accompany the implementation of the Government’s Programme d’urgence de l’éducation nationale (PUEN) (Emergency Program over the period 2009-2012). The EDPL1, which was approved by the World Bank Executive Board on June 8, 2010, became effective on August 9, 2010, and closed on March 31, 2011, supported key initial institutional and regulatory measures as well as the introduction of new approaches to improve service delivery effectiveness and efficiency. The EDPL2 was designed to support deepening institutional reforms and scaling up the program to tackle core cross-cutting issues. The slow implementation of the PUEN resulted in considerable delays in completing most of the triggers originally agreed for EDPL2, thus, the two operations were delinked. EDPL2 was, therefore, prepared as a stand-alone operation, though the EDPL2 prior actions were in large part consistent with the triggers agreed when the EDPL1 was approved. 2. An evaluation of the PUEN done in 2012 showed that impressive progress has been achieved with regard to developing educational services and ensuring more equitable access, particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas. The net enrollment rate in primary education progressed from 90.5% in 2008/2009 to reach 98.4% in 2012/2013, and in lower secondary from 42.7% to 56.7%. The gap between boys and girls narrowed from 3 percentage points to 0.6 in primary education. However, there were still many challenges to be addressed, including: (i) resolving retention and dropout issues, in particular for underprivileged children and girls in rural areas; (ii) development of preschool public education; (iii) focusing efforts and resources on pedagogical priorities to improve the learning process; (iv) improving the effectiveness and efficiency of continuing education for teachers, with a focus on quality; (v) establishing an effective mechanism for monitoring individual students and synchronizing this mechanism with the pedagogical support; (vi) strengthening the skills of pedagogic and administrative staff; and (vii) completing the contracting process with the Regional Academies of Education and Training (AREFs) in the context of the progress of regionalization. 3. The EDPL2 was conceived to support the Government education policy outlined in the Education Action Plan 2013-2016 (PAMT) and organized around three guiding principles: (i) ensure continuity by building on the gains of the PUEN; (ii) better prioritize key policy interventions in order to focus resources on realistic goals; and (iii) improve coherency between the various actors at central, regional and school levels and across services. The priority areas were: (a) access by according priority to equity and equal opportunity through the adoption of an approach aimed at reducing disparities; (b) the quality of instruction by focusing on teacher training, the student learning assessment system, and the pedagogical support provided to students; (c) governance by enhancing 1 the effectiveness of the system and decentralization through to the schools; and (d) an efficient management of human resources through the transfer of this responsibility to the AREFs. 4. Following the pro-democracy unrest that swept through Morocco in 2011, on July 1, 2011, a new constitution of Morocco set the basis for a more open and democratic society, provided mechanisms for the construction of a modern state of law and institutions, and laid the foundation for extended regionalization. The four-party coalition Government, led by the “Parti de la Justice et du Développement,” which came about as a result of the November 25, 2011 elections, emphasized anti-corruption and defined policy proposals to deliver on good governance, revamping the delivery and quality of social services and improving economic inclusion. In 2013, Moroccans maintained their pressure on the Government to follow through on the promises and expectations. 5. Sound macroeconomic policies and structural reforms have produced solid foundations for sustainable growth. However, in 2012, a severe domestic drought, soaring fuel and food import prices, combined with the sovereign debt crisis among its main partners in the Euro area, have all exposed the fragility of the Moroccan economy. As a result, the GDP growth slowed down to a modest 2.7%. Unemployment at around 9% remained more than ever the main political and economic issue facing the Government. 1.2 Original Program Development Objectives (PDO) and Key Indicators (as approved) 6. The PDO of the EPDL2 was to strengthen the school sector’s institutional arrangements in the short term, in ways that in the medium term would: (i) increase access to school education, especially for rural girls and boys at the lower secondary level; (ii) improve the quality of teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary education; and (iii) enhance efficiency in decentralized governance of the schools sector. 7. The key performance indicators were: • Ratio of new rural schools to new urban schools planned in the previous year • Number of new social support methodologies developed (cumulative) • Number of Regional Assessment and Testing Centers established • Proportion of Regional Assessment and Testing Centers producing an annual report during the previous year on its assessment and testing activities • Number of students enrolled in Regional Teacher Training Centers • Number of Regional Teacher Training Center graduates assigned to teaching positions • Ratio of the urban female-male teacher ratio to the rural female male teacher ratio (primary and lower secondary) • Ratio of the urban student-teacher ratio to the rural student teacher ratio (primary and lower secondary) • Proportion of resource management decisions taken by AREFs 2 • Revised guidelines for school charter development and funding use, based on recommendations of the evaluation of school charter implementation, sent to all schools • Proportion of regional internal audit units producing an annual report during the previous year 8. In addition, a set of progress indicators for the PUEN were shared and jointly monitored with the six major sector donors supporting the PUEN: Spanish International Cooperation Agency for Development (AECID), French Development Agency (AFD), African Development Bank (AfDB) European Investment Bank (EIB), European Union (EU) and Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 1.3 Revised PDO (as approved by original approving authority) and Key Indicators, and Reasons/Justification Not applicable. 1.4 Original Policy Areas Supported by the Program 9. The EDPL2 was organized around three main policy areas: (i) achieve universal basic education; (ii) improve system performance (teaching, management and stewardship); and (iii) mobilize and utilize resources. The EDPL2 actions are detailed in the Program Policy Matrix (Section 2.1). 1.5 Revised Policy Areas Not applicable. 1.6 Other Significant Changes Not applicable. 2. Key Factors Affecting Implementation and Outcomes 2.1 Program Performance (supported by a table derived from a policy matrix) 10. The EDPL2 was a single tranche, stand-alone DPL. The following eight measures were identified as EDPL2 prior actions and were required for loan disbursement (EDPL1 actions are also included in the table for reference to show the consistency of policy decisions). The prior actions were identified through a process of extensive consultations with the MEN, the MEF and the other members of the donor consortium to ensure continuity with EDPL1 and the completion of the policy reforms initiated. 3 Objective EDPL1 Action (for reference) EDPL2 Prior Action Policy area 1 : Achieve universal basic education Rationalize EDPL2.1: MEN has developed new expansion of criteria for locating primary schools primary and and colleges, with priority given to lower rural and semi-urban areas, and has secondary instructed each AREF to adopt and education apply these criteria supply Ensure EDPL1.1: MEN increases EDPL2.2: MEN has developed and equitable access boarding scholarship to 1,260 adopted on November 26, 2012, a to primary and MAD per student per quarter social support action plan for lower and extends the duration of the 2012/2013 consolidating and secondary scholarship to cover the full integrating social programs education school year including school supplies, canteen/hostels, transport and conditional cash transfer program Strengthen EDPL1.2: CSE publishes on its EDPL2.3: Each of five AREFs has national website its analysis of results established its Regional Assessment learning of first national student and Testing Center, and carried out assessment learning assessment survey, its regional student learning organized jointly by CSE and assessment activities MEN under the National Learning Assessment Program Policy area 2: Improve system performance (teaching, management and stewardship) Modernize EDPL1.3: MEN receives EDPL2.4: MEN, in compliance with teachers’ pre- authorization, pursuant to the provisions of Decree No. service training Royal Decree No.1.09.100 2.11.672 dated December 23, 2011, dated June 29, 2009, to transfer signed by the Prime Minister and teacher training colleges to published in the Official Gazette of universities, with a view to February 2, 2012, has established creating new university fifteen (15) Regional Teacher programs in pre-service teacher Training Centers covering the education sixteen (16) regions of the Borrower, and has developed and adopted competency guidelines for pre- service teacher education (pre- school/primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education) Modernize EDPL1.4: MEN adopts EDPL2.5: MEN has developed and human resource strategic human resource adopted a mechanism for management management action plan 2009- rationalizing human resource 2012 allocation in the schools sector (covering teacher redeployment, mobility and retention) EDPL2.6: MEN has issued Orders 4 (Arrêtés) No. 113.13 and 114.13 dated January 2, 2013, transferring to AREFs the responsibility for human resource management decisions not subject to the MEF’s prior review Strengthen EDPL1.5: Each AREF EDPL2.7: MEN has evaluated the results -based develops and adopts a results of, and has drawn lessons management program-contract with MEN from, the first years of for period 2009- 2012. implementation of school charters and their funding, on the basis of a EDPL1.6: Government, representative sample of schools through AREFs, provides for a discretionary budget for primary schools’ and colleges’ non-staff-related recurrent costs for school year 2009/10. Policy area 3: Mobilize and Utilize resources Rationalize EDPL1.7: MEN develops EDPL2.8: Each AREF has sustainable Medium-Term Expenditure established its internal audit unit in financial Framework for schools sector compliance with Letter No. 12-663 resources, for period 2010-2012. dated May 31, 2012, from the MEN, through EDPL1.8: Each AREF Board and has approved the audit unit’s increased adopts its 2010 budget before work plan for 2013 in compliance budget January 31, 2010. with Letter No. 2-5405 dated transparency December 27, 2012, from the MEN. 2.2 Major Factors Affecting Implementation - The period during which the EDPL2 was implemented was not conducive to a breakthrough in the reform process. On July 9, 2013, after a crisis within the coalition and a blocking period in the Parliament, the Istiqlal withdrew from the Government coalition and five Ministers resigned. The Minister of Education (belonging to the Istiqlal party) kept his position for a few more months until a new Minister of Education was appointed on October 10, 2013. There was no continuity among some of the main administrative officials in charge of the components of the EDPL2 and this transitory period led to a slowdown in the decision-making process. - His Majesty King Mohammed VI in his speech on August 20, 2013, outlined the main orientations for the education sector: (i) improve quality to ensure a better relation between education and the labor market; (ii) consolidate the training in the languages used for scientific disciplines (iii) prepare a long-term education plan to ensure more continuity and stability through an evaluation and a large consultation with the civil society; and (iv) accelerate the adoption of the legal framework to revise the status of the Higher Council for Education (CSE) in line with the new constitution. 5 - The new Minister gave priority to: (i) re-organizing the new Ministry as the Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP), merging vocational training with education; and (ii) launching in April 2014 a large consultation process and a diagnostic with all the stakeholders, civil society and the financial partners to define a plan for the next decade. The Medium-Term Education Plan 2013-2016 (PAMT), which was not formally approved by the previous Minister, is still on hold. In the meantime, to ensure continuity and the ability to negotiate with the major financiers (EU and AFD before the end of 2014) the MENFP presented a Program of Priority Measures 2014- 2016 (PMP) in May 2014. - After the difficult year of 2012, economic performance improved in 2013. Despite a 10% reduction in overall Government budget in 2013, the education sector was not affected. Education share within the Government budget was maintained at 25%, representing 6% of GDP. The delays in investment that had accumulated in 2010-2011 were filled in 2013. As a result, the budget squeeze did not affect the investment, only the number of new teacher positions, which was slightly below what was initially programmed. - Still, the EDPL2, even if it was less ambitious since most of the reforms were initiated by EDPL1, was complex to implement in a one-year time frame. It was difficult to mobilize the different stakeholders on the reform agenda and the policy actions were slow to be implemented. Difficulties included: (i) the coordination of the eight departments of the MENFP that were involved; (ii) changes which had to be made at national, regional and school levels; and (iii) some measures depended on other ministries, for instance, the availability of basic infrastructure in school locations and the development of an undergraduate education program for teachers in the universities. 2.3 Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Design, Implementation and Utilization Design 11. The implementation progress of the EDPL2 was monitored based on a results framework which comprised the results outcome indicators highlighted in the policy matrix to measure progress regarding the three policy areas. This results framework was shared and coordinated with JICA. 1 In addition, since the Program supported the results- school-based management put forward by the PUEN and the PAMT, a common set of education performance indicators that were shared by all Technical and Financial 1 The measures supported by JICA are the following: (i) strengthening and improvement of the individual student monitoring mechanisms and mastery of the system that synchronizes these mechanisms with efficient pedagogical support procedures; (ii) effective implementation of the new “development plan” strategy and the new criteria grid for the approval, programming execution and monitoring and evaluation of development plans; (iii) development and formalization of organizational, pedagogical and technical procedures for the operational establishment of the CRMEFs; and (iv) motivation of parents/community members to enroll and keep their children in school at the basic education level. 6 Partners (Annex 3 of the PAD) continued to be closely monitored. These indicators – net enrollment rates, completion rates and learning assessment results - were disaggregated by levels, gender and urban/rural areas. 12. The results framework had the following shortcomings: (i) The policy matrix design, since it was organized around policy areas to show the continuity between the EDPL1 and EDPL2, did not exactly mirror the PDO. For instance: (i) the PDO aimed to “increase access” while the matrix included sub-objectives for rationalizing expansion and ensuring equitable access to primary and lower secondary education; and (ii) the PDO aimed to “improve the quality of teaching and learning” while the matrix included sub- objectives for strengthening the national learning assessment and modernizing teacher pre-service training. (ii) The indicators monitored specific actions and did not fully reflect the PDO. This was a decision made at the Bank’s Regional Operations Committee meeting (January 3, 2013) which rejected the initial presentation with specific PDO indicators distinct from intermediate outcome indicators. (iii) The baselines chosen for the key outcomes indicators were from 2010/2011. This decision was taken because EDPL1 and EDPL2 were originally considered as one operation. But this had an important drawback because without a specific baseline for EDPL2 (2012 or 2013), it was difficult to assess the progress made during the implementation period for EDPL2. 13. More specifically, the selected indicators had some deficiencies: - The indicator measuring the ratio of rural schools to new urban schools should have: (i) included three categories: rural, semi-urban and urban; (ii) referred to the schools constructed instead of planned; (iii) measured the proportion of schools respecting the new criteria and, more specifically, the reduction of the number of colleges with insufficient enrollment; and (iv) been complemented by an indicator measuring the transition rate in lower secondary. - The indicator measuring the new social support methodologies developed is not very useful. It would have been better to use indicators showing: (i) the increase of social support per beneficiary and number of beneficiaries; and (ii) the targeting of social support on lower income families. - The indicator measuring the Regional Assessment and Testing Centers activities was not useful since the National Learning Assessment Program was not implemented. - The indicators measuring the modernization of human resource management (urban female:male teacher ratio to the rural female:male teacher ratio, and the urban student:teacher ratio to the rural student:teacher ratio at primary and lower secondary) are difficult to interpret. The share of teachers teaching a minimum number of hours in lower secondary would have been more appropriate. - The indicators measuring the results of the Regional Teacher Training Center (CRMEF) could have been complemented by indicators measuring: (i) the number of students in the university education programs (“filières universitaires 7 de l’éducation,” FUE); and (ii) the cost per student or student:teacher ratio in the CRMEF. - The distribution of revised guidelines for school charter development (or school development plan) and funding used is a weak indicator. It would have been better to have measured the number of school charters that were effectively implemented according to the guidelines. Implementation 14. The Government was proactive in monitoring the Program activities. The MENFP made a regular collection of data to measure education sector performance. A yearly statistical handbook was published which included indicators for the school year 2012-2013. 15. Several evaluations and analyses were conducted during EDPL2: (i) the evaluation of measures and strategies implemented by the PUEN; 2 (ii) the impact evaluation of the Tayssir program; 3 and (iii) the diagnostic and redefinition of Community schools. 4 Utilization 16. The data collected are reliable and were used at the national level for programming. The education information management system also supported a more decentralized decision-making process and program contracts with AREFs. A better use of data at all levels could be made, in particular in the following three areas: (i) school mapping and construction; (ii) deployment of teaching staff; and (iii) implementation of results-based management. 2.4 Expected Next Phase/Follow-up Operation (if any) 17. In May 2014, the MENFP, in agreement with the Higher Council for Education, launched a one year consultation and preparation process to prepare a 10-year education plan and to set up the implementation and monitoring mechanisms. In the meantime, the MENFP presented in May 2014 a Program of Priority Measures 2014-2016 (PMP) to initiate the negotiation of projects with the major donors, including the European Union, the AFD, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and the World Bank. A follow-up operation to support education is included in the new Country Partnership Strategy (CPS) 2014-2017 between the World Bank and the Government of Morocco (approved on April 29, 2014). 2 Evaluation of the measures and strategies implemented in the PUEN SOFRECO CIEP 2014 3 “Turning a shove into a nudge? A labeled cash transfer for education” World Bank July 2013 4 The Diagnostic and Redefinition of the Concept Community Schools November 2013 MEN and UNICEF 8 3. Assessment of Outcomes 3.1 Relevance of Objectives, Design and Implementation 18. The EDPL2 objectives are consistent with pillar IV of the Government Program 2012-2016: promoting social programs guaranteeing equitable access to basic services and strengthening solidarity and equal opportunities across citizens, generations, and regions. The EDPL2 objectives are embedded in the PMP 2014-2016. 19. The EDPL2 objectives are consistent with Results Area 3 of the CPS: Strengthening Governance and Institutions for Improved Service Delivery to All Citizens. The EDPL2 design corresponds to the next lending support envisioned in the CPS for the education sector which will have a stronger focus on improving the quality, equity, and governance of education, particularly through: (i) supporting the acquisition of basic skills in early grades and more effective teacher policies; (ii) consolidating and improving the efficiency of subsidy programs targeting rural and disadvantaged areas; and (iii) improving the governance of the education system by building the capacity of the regional academies and providing support to school-based management mechanisms. EDPL2 objectives are also aligned with the Bank’s new framework for engagement in MENA, with its focus on improving the social and economic inclusion of disadvantaged groups, strengthening governance through transparency and accountability, and on gender equality. 3.2 Achievement of Program Development Objectives Increase access to school education, especially for rural girls and boys at the lower secondary level 20. Access to primary education is universal for girls and boys and there is no gap between rural and urban areas. Access is an issue mostly for rural girls and boys at the lower secondary level: only 53.9% of those who complete primary are able to continue in lower secondary education (when the totality can continue in urban areas). The gender gap is significant with a 10 percentage point difference for the girls’ transition rate (48.7%). Like in urban areas, the net enrollment in lower secondary in rural areas improved significantly from 27.5% in 2011-2012 to 33.7% in 2013-2014, but the gap (49 percentage points) between urban and rural area was not reduced. 9 Indicator 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Net enrollment rate primary 98.1% 94.9% 99.2% 97.4% 98.1% 100.2% education Net enrollment rate primary 97.3% 94.4% 98.2% 97.2% 97.1% 100.4% education for girls Net enrollment rate primary 98.9% 95.5% 100.2% 97.6% 99.1% 100.1% education for boys Transition rate from primary 113.6% 53.4% 115.0% 54.5% 111.9% 53.9% to lower secondary Transition rate from primary 114.6% 58.8% 115.4% 58.9% 111.0% 58.4% to lower secondary boys Transition rate from primary 112.6% 46.7% 114.7% 49.3% 112.9% 48.7% to lower secondary girls Net enrollment rate lower 77.4% 27.5% 80.7% 30.6% 83.2% 33.7% secondary education Net enrollment rate lower 76.1 31.3 79.3 33.9 81.5 36.4 secondary education for boys Net enrollment rate lower 78.7 23.6 82.1 27.2 84.9 30.7 secondary education for girls Prior Action .1: The MEN has developed new criteria for locating primary schools and colleges, with priority given to rural and semi-urban areas, and has instructed each AREF to adopt and apply these criteria 21. This development is due to the sustained efforts of MEN to increase school coverage. During the school year 2012-2013 66 primary schools and 14 colleges were opened in rural areas and 23 primary schools and 27 colleges in urban areas. For 2013- 2014, 32 primary schools and 38 colleges are programmed in rural areas and 9 primary schools and 24 colleges in urban areas. As a result, the ratio of new rural schools to new urban schools improved dramatically and the target set up by EDPL2 for rural area (25 community schools and 40 colleges in 2013-2014) was met. This indicates a significant rebalancing of the priorities of the construction program in favor of rural areas. It should be noted that the target of zero construction set up by EDPL2 for urban areas was not realistic. In fact, this is due to a statistical issue of classification of the school constructions in suburban area. New 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 schools Baseline programmed opened Areas Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Primary 78 2 72 89 23 66 9 32 Colleges 23 0 53 39 27 14 24 38 10 22. The criteria for locating primary schools and colleges were developed in 2010 and finalized in 2011. 5 They have been used for all the investment projects programmed between 2012 and 2014 (it was not possible to use them for the investments 2010 and 2011 because the lands to build the schools were already programmed in 2009). 6 The evaluation that was undertaken of the PUEN shows that the criteria were in general respected, even if in some cases the infrastructure and services were not available. In rural areas the main issues are: (i) access to the school (distance to the school and proximity of a road); (ii) the availability of basic infrastructure (water, electricity sewerage); and (iii) the availability of land (because of agriculture needs). In urban areas the issues are: (i) the availability of land in the area of high density of population; and (ii) the weak bargaining power of the MENFP in front of private developers. This could be improved by: (i) a better anticipation of the needs and coordination of the MENFP with the other Ministries; (ii) the constitution of land reserves by the MENFP; and (iii) an increasing role given to the AREFs to assess the needs and locate the construction sites. Prior Action .2: The MEN has developed and adopted on November 26, 2012, a social support action plan for 2012/2013 consolidating and integrating social programs including school supplies, canteen/hostels, transport and conditional cash transfer program 23. The Department of Social Support (DAS) worked at integrating and improving the social programs which included: (i) participation in the efforts (supported by technical assistance from the World Bank) to improve the targeting of social assistance programs (including Tayssir and RAMED) and the establishment of a single registry of the poor and vulnerable population; (ii) the integration of the database of the DAS to the new education information management system “MASSAR”; and (iii) the preparation of a diagnosis and plan to improve the school food program. This activity was not completed and the social programs were not fully integrated. 7 . The JSDF (Japanese Grant) of US$2.180 million (obtained on March 25, 2010) could have been used to support this action but the Grant was never disbursed so the Bank cancelled it on March 15, 2013. 5 « Evaluation et mise à jour des critères d’implantation des établissements scolaires Rabat » October 2010 MEN. The criteria are the following: (i) the environment of the school should be favorable to the learning process and safe; (ii) the land should have all the basic infrastructure, water, electricity, sewerage; (iii) the school should be accessible by a road; and (iv) the school demand should be considered for programming purposes. For the community schools, there are additional criteria: (i) access to the main services (health, police, postal); (ii) a minimum number of 38 students by level; (iii) the areas with the highest levels of drop outs; (iv) absenteeism of students or teachers.; (v) the areas with underprivileged or low income population. 6 Evaluation of the measures and strategies implemented in the PUEN SOFRECO CIEP 2014 7 The provision of social programs is managed on a component by component basis rather than in an integrated manner. For most programs, the targeting criteria are the poverty rate in the municipality. 11 Social Programs 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 Number of beneficiaries (all levels) Tayssir (cash transfer 609,000 704,835 756,774 825,000 program) “1 million de cartables” 3,214,580 3,939,979 3,933,749 3,906,948 (School supplies) Scholarships (Boarding) 92,061 104,289 119,920 123,101 Canteen 1,177,163 1,257,346 1,329,083 1,267,109 Transport 6,232 7,731 8,681 16,810 24. The social programs with regard to the number of beneficiaries have been progressing during the last four years, with measurable impact in terms of participation and achievement. For instance, the Tayssir program was evaluated by the National Bureau of Economic Research through a large-scale, randomized experiment conducted jointly with the Moroccan Government. 8 It shows that the unconditional cash transfers made to households of primary school-age children in rural areas: (i) had a very large impact on school participation despite the fact that the transfer was not conditional on attendance, was given to fathers rather than mothers, and was relatively small as a share of household consumption but enough to cover the direct costs of education; and (ii) is more cost effective than the standard conditional cash transfer because the enrollment for the program was administered by school headmasters and it required transfers of lower amounts. These results are due, in part, to an endorsement effect: parents increase their beliefs about the value of education when a large pro-education government program enters their community. Improve the quality of teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary education 25. No learning assessment was undertaken during EDPL2 so it is not possible to measure the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary education. The second edition of the NAEP (National Student Learning Assessment), which was initially planned for 2013, is scheduled to take place during the third quarter of the school year 2014-2015 and will likely be organized at two primary education levels, two lower secondary levels and two upper secondary levels. Therefore, as a substitute, we use the following indicators: the achievement rate at primary and lower secondary education level, and the rate of success in the exam at the end of grade 9. 8 “Turning a shove into a nudge? A labeled cash transfer for education” July 2013 National Bureau of Economic Research Working paper 12 26. The achievement rate did not progress much at both levels. As is the case in most countries, girls’ achievement rates significantly exceed those of boys. Nevertheless, low quality remains a major issue in lower secondary as exemplified by the low achievement rate (67.3% in 2013/2014) and the low rate of success at the exam in grade 9 (53.79% in 2012/2013). Unfortunately, data are not disaggregated for rural and urban areas. Indicator 2010/2011 2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014 Achievement rate in primary education 86.5% 86.2% 90.2% 87.8%** Achievement rate in primary education 85.9% 86.0% 89.3% 86.9%** boys Achievement rate in primary education 86.8% 86.2% 90.8% 88.3%** girls Achievement rate in lower secondary 64.6% 65.3% 70.6% 65.6%** Achievement rate in lower secondary 63.1% 64.6% 67.9% 63.1%** boys Achievement rate in lower secondary 65.4% 65.3% 72.7% 67.3%** girls Rate of success at the exam in 9th grade 57.6% 53.79% NA Number of students enrolled in the 7864* 6996 CRMEF Number of AREF graduates assigned to 5517* 7838* teaching positions Number of CREE established in the 0 5 15 AREF *From the students trained in 2012/2013 in the AREFs ** Estimated rates Prior Action .3: Each of five AREFs has established its Regional Assessment and Testing Center, and carried out its regional student learning assessment activities 27. Fifteen Regional Assessment and Testing Centers (CREE) were established in the AREFs by Ministerial decision dated December 27, 2012, with the mission to: (i) support implementation of national assessment activities at the local level; (ii) carry out assessment activities corresponding to specific local needs; and (iii) provide technical support to province, commune and school level activities. The CREEs are functional and produce annual reports on their activities. However, the contribution of this measure was modest insofar as: (a) the CREEs continued to limit their role to support locally the organization of national examinations (the final examination of grade 9 and the baccalaureate at the end of secondary); (b) their status remains precarious because they are not fully integrated in the organizational structure of the AREF and their staff and technical capacity were not significantly strengthened; and (c) they did not carry out specific learning assessment activities. Prior Action .4: The MEN, in compliance with the provisions of Decree No. 2.11.672 dated December 23, 2011, signed by the Prime Minister and published in the Official Gazette of February 2, 2012, has established fifteen (15) Regional Teacher 13 Training Centers covering the sixteen (16) regions of the Borrower, and has developed and adopted competency guidelines for pre-service teacher education (pre-school/primary, lower secondary, and upper secondary education) 28. Fifteen CRMEFs were established; they enrolled 6,996 trainees in 2013-2014; their full training capacity is estimated around 10,000. The contributions of CRMEFs to the quality of teacher training was expected from the following: (i) all the candidates to the CRMEF should hold an undergraduate university degree in the field of education; and (ii) the CRMEF provides a specific pedagogic training including practice time in schools prior to their teaching assignment. The CRMEFs are fully functional, and in April 2014 all the Directors were appointed. A first generation (7,838 teachers) was assigned to teaching positions for the 2013/2014 school year. This was slightly below the target of 8,000 established by the MOE, since only 7,000 teaching positions were opened to competition in 2013 because of budgetary constraints. CRMEFs faced several difficulties during the EPDL2 which limited their contribution to teaching quality: (i) the 50 existing FUE (University undergraduate programs in the field of education) have a limited training capacity of 1,000 students, as a result the CRMEF had to recruit students from different fields or experiences; and (ii) the school year 2013/2014 was shortened because the competitive selection process of the candidates took longer than expected. 29. CRMEFs have several advantages: (i) their curriculum focuses on pedagogy and includes a period of practice for the trainees; (ii) the selection of candidates is more transparent; (iii) recruitment is wider (180,000 candidates for 8,000 positions); (iv) the resources to ensure good quality training are concentrated in one institution; and (v) they are regional institutions located in each region. 30. However, several institutional issues remain: (i) the duration of training is too short to provide the content in the key disciplines; (ii) the CRMEF training is not efficient (the average ratio is five students to one professor) and is not organized as a professional training because of the professors condition of services (teaching time is limited to 12 hours a week and does not include the monitoring of students during their practice in schools); (iii) the CRMEFs have insufficient autonomy to recruit students, to adapt the content and teaching modules to local needs or to implement results-based management; (iv) the statutes of the CRMEFs are not clear enough about the collaboration that should be established with AREFs, in particular to organize in-service training and respond to local needs; and (v) the coordination between the FUE and CRMEFs is insufficient, in particular with regard to curriculum content. Enhance efficiency in decentralized governance of the schools sector Prior Action .5: The MEN has developed and adopted a mechanism for rationalizing human resource allocation in the schools sector (covering teacher redeployment, mobility and retention) 14 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014 Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Urban Rural Female – male 60.1% 33.6% 60.8% 34.5% 62.4% 36.6% 62.6% 37.5% teacher ratio in primary Female – male 40.5% 30.5% 41.3% 31.2% 42.7% 33.5% 43.1% 34.4% teacher ratio in lower secondary Pupil teacher 30.8 25.7 30.7 24.9 30.8 25.2 31.5 25 ratio in primary Pupil teacher 24.0 24.2 24.1 24.6 26.4 25 26.9 26.4 ratio in lower secondary Share of teachers 93.6% 96% 98.5% 98.7% teaching the legal number of hours in primary Share of teachers 43.0% 59.8% 34.0% 35.2% teaching the legal number of hours in lower secondary 31. The revision of the teacher relocation and assignment system through the adoption of criteria established by the Department of Human Resources, in agreement with the union and the display of results, has contributed to establishing better transparency in the management of teacher mobility. The organization of the Department of Human Resources has been revised following the creation of AREFs and in line with the modernization of human resources management (creation of two divisions: one for the integrated management of human resources and one for the modernization of the management of human resources). This contributed to maintaining a favorable climate for the development of the sector. The proportion of females among teaching staff at all levels in rural and urban areas is steadily increasing and the targets have been met, but it is still difficult to recruit female teachers in rural areas at the primary level. The student:teacher ratios remained broadly unchanged and the gap between rural and urban areas is significant. However, the main issue with regard to efficiency is the low proportion of teachers at lower secondary level meeting the legally required working hours, particularly in a context of high student:teacher ratio. Prior Action .6: The Minister of Education has issued Orders (Arrêtés) No. 113.13 and 114.13 dated January 2, 2013 transferring to AREFs the responsibility for human resource management decisions not subject to the MEF’s prior review 32. The EDPL2 contributed to a substantial path toward decentralization. Fifty-six management decisions regarding human resource which were not under the regulatory authority the MEF were transferred to the AREFs (essentially tenure administrative 15 frameworks, promotion levels, training authorizations, triggers for disciplinary procedures, sick leave and resignations). MEF and MEN have agreed to gradually transfer the remaining six management decisions, currently subject to MEN control (teacher recruitment, progression, conditions of service, detachment and disciplinary decisions) by strengthening the capacity of AREFs. Currently, the main benefits are the improvement of services provided to teaching staff and the reduction of delays for decisions. The next path should allow the AREFs to improve teacher redeployment to better respond to local needs. Prior Action .7: The MEN has evaluated the results of, and has drawn lessons from, the first years of implementation of school charters and their funding, on the basis of a representative sample of schools 9 33. The school charter guidelines were not fully revised (only the financial part) and were not released. It is expected that the MEN would release a guide in October 2014. The PAGESM (Improving the Management of Moroccan Schools Project), funded by CIDA (Canada), was implemented for about two years and promoted the establishment of communities of professional practice and the development of charters. The main PAGESM activities implemented in 2014 were: (i) training 495 school directors responsible for the charters, and 84 school life administrators of the AREFs; (ii) updating the survey of school charters; (iii) setting up a working group to revise the school charter guide; and (iv) establishing 497 Community Professional Practices. Their impact, however, is limited and there was no emergence of a new generation of charters. It seems that the charters were used more as a way of getting additional resources to improve the school environment (infrastructure, equipment and school supplies) than a pedagogic project to improve quality mobilizing all schools stakeholders. Little communication about the charters was made and there was insufficient budget programming coordination to implement them. Prior Action .8: Each AREF has established its internal audit unit in compliance with Letter No. 12-663 dated May 31, 2012, from the MEN, and has approved the audit unit’s work plan for 2013 in compliance with Letter No. 2-5405 dated December 27, 2012, from the MEN 34. The contribution of EDPL2 to the improvement of financial management and optimization of resources is substantial with the creation of 16 internal audit units which are fully functional in each AREF. These audit units: (i) consisted of 2 to 6 staff with the appropriate profile and skills; (ii) were under the direct authority of the Director of the AREF; and (iii) produced annual reports monitored centrally by the Department of General Affairs. The areas particularly considered by the internal audits in 2013-2014 were as follows: (a) public procurement and in particular contracts over 5,000,000 MAD; (b) organization and management of human resources; (c) social support, especially 9 Rapport sur l’Etat d’Avancement de l’implantation de la Stratégie nationale du projet d’établissement et de la démarche Projet d’établissement (October 2012) 16 canteens and boarding schools; and (d) financial management and accounting standards. Still some improvements could be envisioned to strengthen these internal audit units: (1) putting the units under the dual authority of the Director of the AREF and the Department of General Affairs to establish the guidelines for the annual program; (2) consolidating the annual reports to determine the issues that cut across the AREFs and glean lessons learned; (3) organizing annual workshops of the auditors to exchange good practices; and (4) anticipating the career paths of these new agents and their mobility. 3.3 Justification of Overall Outcome Rating Rating: Moderately satisfactory 35. The PDO was highly relevant, but the achievement of the PDO is judged to be moderately satisfactory: - Access to school education, especially for rural girls and boys at the lower secondary level is progressing but at a very slow pace. Investment in new college facilities in rural areas was insufficient to improve the transition rate from primary to lower secondary education, and the important gap between rural and urban areas for access at this level was not reduced. The social support policy for disadvantaged students was consolidated and its impact on access and retention is substantial. - There was no measurable improvement in the quality of teaching and learning in primary and lower secondary education. No learning assessment was done. The school charters program has a limited impact and had not been used for their intended purpose. It is premature to conclude if the modernization of teachers’ pre-service training will produce positive effects in the medium term. - Finally, there is considerable evidence that the actions taken to transfer human resource management, to strengthen results-based management and to increase budget transparency at the level of AREF can have a substantial medium-term impact on enhancing efficiency in decentralized governance of the school sector. 36. Of the eleven key indicators: − Five were fully achieved: (i) the Regional Assessment and Testing Centers were established; (ii) the proportion of human resource management decisions taken by AREFs exceed the target; (iii) regional internal audit units were established in all AREFs and produced satisfactory annual reports; (iv) the feminization of teaching staff improved and the gap between rural and urban areas was reduced; and (v) the ratio of new rural schools to new urban schools. − Three were partially achieved: (i) the annual reports of the Regional Assessment and Testing Centers do not show in their activities; (ii) the numbers of students enrolled and the numbers of graduates assigned to teaching positions were below the target, but more importantly there was no evidence that the pre-service training quality improved; and (iii) there were no significant changes of the student:teacher ratio and female:male teacher ratio in urban and rural areas for lower secondary education. 17 − Three indicators were not achieved: (i) no social support methodology was developed; (ii) the guidelines for school charters were not revised; and (iii) there was no improvement of the student:teacher ratio and female male teacher ratio in urban and rural areas for primary education. 3.5 Overarching Themes, Other Outcomes and Impacts (a) Poverty Impacts, Gender Aspects, and Social Development 37. The actions promoting education access and consolidating social programs directly addressed poverty and the source of inequity. Specifically, gains in reaching disadvantaged groups were made by: (i) using more systematically the criteria to locate the schools in rural areas where children are more likely to be poor or out of school; (ii) building community schools which specifically meet the needs of disadvantaged families; and (iii) increasing the number of beneficiaries of social support programs and, more specifically, the cash transfer programs for the families in the municipalities located in the poverty area. Even if the targeting still needs to be improved, these measures were clearly pro-poor. 38. The gender gap narrowed substantially. There is almost parity in primary education and the issue is now essentially for girls to access lower secondary education. Certain social practices, such as early marriage or the opportunity cost for the families, and stereotypes about the role of women in the society are often cited as the main obstacles. The MENFP implemented several policy measures which favor girls’ participation, such as the scholarship programs, boarding and transportation. The MENFP carefully monitored the gender policy and all statistics are broken down by gender. (b) Institutional Change/Strengthening 39. The PDO of EDPL2 aimed to strengthen the schools institutional arrangements. Among all the changes, the decentralization process to the AREFs is certainly the most irreversible since AREFs have been granted more administrative and financial autonomy. Still, the planning of the education sector development remains traditional and top down and it will take some time for the program contracts between each AREF and the MENFP to become common practice. The Higher Council for Education was strengthened but a lot remains to be done for the independent evaluation of system performance to be organized more often and disseminated more broadly. The second National Learning Assessment has been postponed several times and is still not a standard instrument of education policies. Finally, management procedures at the school level should evolve and parent’s participation should increase to better address educational, administrative and social issues. (c) Other Unintended Outcomes and Impacts (positive or negative, if any) None. 18 3.6 Summary of Findings of Beneficiary Survey and/or Stakeholder Workshops Not applicable. 4. Assessment of Risk to Development Outcome Rating: Substantial 40. The PMP 2014-2016 provides strong indications that education remains a priority of the Government and the main orientations of the MENFP policy are unchanged. 10 Most of the outcomes achieved by the EDPL2 are likely to be sustained and all the EDPL2 actions are still included in the PMP. More specifically, the decentralization process will be continued and expanded to reach the delegations and school level in order to promote initiatives and results-based management. Nevertheless, there are still some technical difficulties in developing and implementing the actions that have not been achieved, more specifically: (i) a mechanism consolidating and targeting social programs; (ii) an instrument for student learning assessment; and (iii) a program contract between the MENFP and the AREFs. There could be some resistance to move to next steps for the actions that have not been achieved: (i) transferring to AREFs more decisions for human resource management; and (ii) improving the efficiency of teachers’ pre-service training. 5. Assessment of Bank and Borrower Performance 5.1 Bank Performance (a)Bank Performance in Ensuring Quality at Entry Rating: Moderately Unsatisfactory 41. The EDPL2 was a difficult operation to prepare: too far from the EDPL1 to ensure the continuity and momentum for the actions initiated with the EDPL1 and too short as an independent DPL operation to identify actions that can be implemented and still make a substantial contribution to the PDO. For instance, there was no successful phasing and continuity for strengthening the national learning assessment and for strengthening results-based management. In both cases, the selected EDPL2 actions were rather weak and not conducive to a deepening of the reform process. This also explained the shortcomings in the monitoring and evaluation framework (section 2.3). 10 The main orientations are: (i) supporting the provision of a compulsory education accessible to all; (ii) promoting the principles of gender equality, equity, solidarity for access and retention; (iii) encouraging students access to vocational training, university and the labor market; (iv) implementing the measures that can improve the quality of learning; (v) modernizing human resources management and support the process of decentralization; (vi) strengthening the institutional and financial governance; and (vii) strengthening the school management inform system , control, communication and openness to stakeholders and key partners. 19 (b) Quality of Supervision Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 42. The change of task manager of the project in July 2013 did not affect the close and constructive dialogue between the Bank and the Government. 43. One supervision mission was carried out (February 2014) with the participation of JICA and consultation with European Union and AFD. The supervision was comprehensive, well organized, and included appropriate experts in the areas of education, public sector management and financial management. The aide memoir and Implementation Status Report provided detailed and accurate accounts of progress. 44. The joint supervision mission normally scheduled for the month of October 2013 to update the progress of result indicators, monitoring implementation performance and following up on previously agreed actions was not organized because of the change of Minister. This was a missed opportunity for the group of donors to strengthen the dialogue and maintain the momentum in the process of reforms. Nevertheless, the presence of the task manager in the field and the continuous and constructive dialogue with the MNEFP fully compensated. (c) Justification of Rating for Overall Bank Performance Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 45. Overall Bank performance is considered moderately satisfactory because even though the quality at entry is seen as moderately unsatisfactory, the quality of supervision and the project outcome were both rated as moderately satisfactory. 5.2 Borrower Performance (a) Government Performance Rating: Satisfactory 46. The Government was highly committed to the development of the education sector as evidenced by the portion of its budget allocated to the education sector (in 2013 and 2014 25% of the national budget, representing about 6% of GDP). The MEF worked closely with the MENFP and was particularly supportive of decentralization for the actions related to modernizing human resource management and establishing internal audit units in the AREFs. (b) Implementing Agency or Agencies Performance Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 47. The MENFP carried out efficiently the core management functions of the EDPL2. The EDPL2 was implemented under a matrix organizational structure with a thematic dimension and a regional dimension to ensure the coherence in the execution of the reforms. The Directorate of Strategy, Statistics and Planning (DSSP) prepared 20 comprehensive progress reports and ensured an effective coordination of the consortium of partners. 48. However, during the EDPL2, the MENFP had difficulties in maintaining the pace of reforms as major changes were achieved by EDPL1. Except for the actions transferring to AREFs, the responsibility of human resources and establishing an internal audit unit in the AREFs, all other lines of actions slowed down or faded. The MENFP faced a difficult context with the political situation, the abandonment of the Education Plan 2013-2016, the lost momentum among some stakeholders of the PUEN and the resistance to the most sensitive reforms. The MENFP was not able to make use of the JSDF and prepare a technical assistance program to support the more difficult and sensitive reforms. (c) Justification of Rating for Overall Borrower Performance Rating: Moderately Satisfactory 49. Overall Borrower performance is rated moderately satisfactory given the importance of the implementing agency in the success of the reforms and monitoring the impact of the prior actions. 6. Lessons Learned 50. The DPL, particularly when it is limited to one year, is not an efficient instrument to promote institutional reforms in the education sector. Reform processes in the education sector should go through long successive phases without interruption (development, consultation, feasibility study, and a pilot before a full scale implementation) to be successful. A one year DPL could be an efficient instrument if it is used in a series of at least three to five and accompanied with technical assistance. Reforms are generally complex and require a substantial amount of technical assistance. And since they are mostly dealing with behavioral changes among a variety of stakeholders, the political economy of reform requires communications campaigns and incentives. This is why institutional changes in the education sector should go hand in hand with a strong and sustained investment program. 51. The decentralization to the AREFs is essential for assessing the needs, locating investments, targeting social programs, motivating teaching staff, assessing quality and more broadly achieving better sector performance. A more bottom-up approach to programming should be progressively established. To be fully efficient, the ongoing decentralization process should be complemented by measures such as: (i) program contracts with the MENFP going on par with more decisions being delegated to the AREFs; (ii) a decentralized budget for in-service training of teaching staff and administrators; and (iii) the recruitment of teaching staff by the AREFs. 52. Quality should be at the center of an education strategy. To measure quality, national learning assessments should be frequent, procedures should be standard, and results should be disseminated widely at the school level and to all stakeholders. International experience shows that if national learning assessments are conducted 21 frequently and sustained over a long period, then they become a powerful instrument to orient policies, motivate stakeholders and improve performance. They must be accompanied by investments to improve quality in the classroom, otherwise they could be perceived negatively as a control. 53. The establishment of internal audit units in the AREFs was a useful action. Their organization can be improved to guarantee their independence, relevance, objectivity, transparency and sustainability. They should be placed under the dual authority of the AREF Director for defining their action programs and the Director of the budget (DAGBP - Direction des Affaires Générales du Budget et du Patrimoine) to review the annual report and organize transversal actions such as annual workshops of the auditors to exchange experiences, cross results analysis from several AREFs in specific areas, training and mobility of the auditors, and capitalization of good practices and methodologies. 54. Teachers’ pre- service training (FUE and CRMEF) should be assessed urgently to determine the corrective measures necessary to improve its quality and efficiency. (see paragraph 28). 55. The school charter approach can improve school performance by: (i) enhancing the collaboration between schools and parents associations; (ii) improving school management; (iii) training school directors; and (iv) promoting school networking and the exchange of experiences. However, this approach to succeed should: (i) be sustained and undertaken on a larger scale; (ii) include in-service training for teachers and school inspectors; and (iii) be complemented by the financing of small grants to schools for school supplies and pedagogic equipment. 56. A common monitoring framework with the donors consortium is an efficient tool to coordinate efforts and to keep the reform process on track. This contributed to the establishment of a robust data base and information management system. 7. Comments on Issues Raised by Borrower/Implementing Agencies/Partners (a) Borrower/Implementing agencies 57. The choice of lending instrument is still debated in the Government. While MEF and MAGG favor the DPL the MENFP prefers traditional investment loans. The MENFP value the support of the Bank to promote and to sustain reforms but would like more technical assistance from the Bank. Even if the experience showed that the analytical work of the different donors and the available technical assistance funds are underused. 11 11 The UE evaluation also concluded that technical assistance was underused. 22 (b) Cofinanciers 58. Even if this operation was not strictly financially supported by the full consortium of partners (AFD, EIB, EU, AfDB, AECID), an efficient coordination was ensured among them to monitor progress of the education sector through a common framework of progress indicators and regular meetings. The World Bank has been the lead donor in the consortium since January 2014, and previously, as the lead donor rotates regularly. 59. JICA, through the Basic Education Sector Support Project, financed four measures in the form of budgetary assistance and a parallel investment project with the understanding that JICA has also committed to tracking the progress of the Bank eight measures 12. JICA participated in the February 2014 supervision mission. (c) Other partners and stakeholders (e.g. NGOs/private sector/civil society) 12 The four measures were: (i) strengthening and improvement of the individual student monitoring mechanisms; (ii) effective implementation of the new “development plan” strategy and the new criteria grid for the approval, programming, execution, and monitoring and evaluation of development plans; (iii) development and formalization of organizational, pedagogical, and technical procedures for the operational establishment of the CRMEFs; and (iv) motivation of parents/community members to enroll and keep their children in school at the basic education level. 23 Annex 1 Bank Lending and Implementation Support/Supervision Processes (a) Task Team members Responsibility/ Names Title Unit Specialty Lending Anas Abou El Mikias Consultant MNAFM FM Admin and client Fatiha Bouamoud Program Assistant MNCMA support Abdoulaye Keita Senior Procurement Specialist MNAPC Procurement Stefano Paternostro Sector Manager, Social Protect AFTSW Nadine T. Poupart Senior Economist MNSHH Economist Jeffrey Waite Lead Education Specialist MNSHE TTL Education Christina D. Wright Operations Officer MNSHE Operations Supervision Kamel Braham HD Sector Coordinator and TTL MNSHE TTL Education Christina D. Wright Operations Officer MNSHE Operations Admin and client Fatiha Bouamoud Program Assistant support Anas Abou El Mikias Consultant FM (b) Staff Time and Cost Staff Time and Cost (Bank Budget Only) USD Thousands Stage No. of staff weeks (including travel and consultant costs) Lending FY 12 7.02 43.832 FY 13 31.58 171.706 Total: 38.6 215.538 Supervision/ICR FY14 21.42 164.011 Total: 60.12 379.549 24 Annex 2. Beneficiary Survey Results (if any) N/A 25 Annex 3. Stakeholder Workshop Report and Results (if any) N/A 26 Annex 4. Summary of Borrower's ICR and/or Comments on Draft ICR 27 28 29 30 31 32 Annex 5. Comments of Cofinanciers and Other Partners/Stakeholders N/A 33 Annex 6. List of Supporting Documents From World Bank: World Bank EPDL2 Program Document, Report no. 76719-MA, April 29, 2013 Loan Agreement between Kingdom of Morocco and the World Bank, Loan no. 8266-MA, June 4, 2013 World Bank Country Partnership Strategy for the Kingdom of Morocco for the period 2010-2013, Report No. 50316-MA, December 30, 2009 World Bank Country Partnership Strategy for the Kingdom of Morocco for the period 2014-2017, Report No. 86518-MA, April 1, 2014 Aide memoire for the joint supervision mission, February 2014 World Bank Implementation Status and Results reports Evaluation of the measures and strategies implemented in the PUEN SOFRECO CIEP 2014 “Turning a shove into a nudge? A labeled cash transfer for education” World Bank July 2013 The Diagnostic and Redefinition of the Concept Community Schools November 2013 MEN and UNICEF Rapport sur l’Etat d’Avancement de l’implantation de la Stratégie nationale du projet d’établissement et de la démarche Projet d’établissement (October 2012) From Borrower: Rapport d’achèvement et de résultats gouvernemental, Ministère de l’éducation nationale et de la formation professionnelle, April 2014 34