Capacity Building for Quality Improvement and Modernization of the Educ Sys Development objective: To build institutional capacity in the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) and improve performance in the areas of developing programming, project management, outcome measurement, and partnership development, through the new Directorate "Coordination of Educational International Projects and Programs" (CEIPP) in order that it may effectively support local and regional level agency efforts to access ESF and IFI financing aimed at modernizing the education system. It will be achieved with the support of mostly on-site advisors retained under the grant. Description of the IDF-financed components and activities  To meet this objective, the grant is intended to finance the following key activities: a.   Results-Based Program Monitoring and Evaluation System The grant will support the development of a results-based education program M&E system, identification of benchmarks for quality, efficiency and access to education and of credible and measurable indicators of performance and results. This system will apply to the entire Ministry and to any new education reform program. It could be used to assess the extent of meeting the development objectives of donors' or state budget funded projects, as well as to assess the impact of government, municipal or school-based education policies, programs and projects.  The grant will also support development of skills and knowledge for systematic monitoring, evaluating and reporting on program and project results and outcomes, and for collection and analysis of relevant data. The grant will explore how to establish linkages of education performance indicators and benchmarks with those which are already used to monitor the outcomes of existent commitments made by MES (e.g. with the National Program for Modernization of Bulgarian Education, the strategy for educational integration of children from ethnic minority communities, the strategy for integrated education of children with disabilities and special education needs, the action plan for reducing the number of children raised in MES-managed residential institutions) and at national level like the national-level MDGs, the Joint Inclusion Memorandum with the EU, and the Action Plan for the Decade of Roma Inclusion. The grant will provide technical assistance on how to capture the outcomes of the results-based monitoring component. b.   Building Capacity to provide advice to local and regional agencies Capacity will be built in (but not limited to) the directorate to function as: (1) provider of consultancy and guidance to municipalities, schools, school boards, inspectorates, etc. for participation in international competitions for project financing with an emphasis on ESF programs, IFI projects, Roma Education Fund funding opportunities; (2) provider of methodological support for project identification, feasibility assessment, preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, reporting;  (3) provider of training programs and education sector staff training for international projects management, procurement, financial management and fiduciary issues. The training and capacity building will be expanded to key staff from the other MES directorates and especially from the regional inspectorates. The latter will act as trainers and consultants at local level. The directorate will develop and implement an action plan and roadmap for provision of information and advice to the regions and municipalities and will maintain a pool of consultants and trainers of trainers who will be trained under the Institutional Capacity Building component of the grant. c.   Institutional Capacity Building             The directorate will need to exercise leadership and partnership skills, and staff need to be trained to acquire a mix of skills which will allow (1)  identification, preparation and implementation of project financed by the EU, the World Bank and other sources; for project coordination and control; (2) understanding policy reforms in education and assessment of their social impact, as well as the relevant legal and regulatory context; (3) understanding how to use IFI funding instruments and the EU funds (PHARE at present, ESF and other cohesion/ structural funding mechanisms after accession) for modernizing the education system in line with the Lisbon requirements.  The training will take place through ad-hoc in-country training efforts, including mentoring/ twining arrangement with analogical department(s) of EU8 and/or EU15 which will mean bringing and transferring knowledge and good practice experience; and academic project management training delivered by established private business schools (e.g. the New Bulgarian University, the American University in Bulgaria Ilieff Business School). The capacity building will be extended to the staff of the directorate but will also encompass key staff from each of the MES regional inspectorate who will act as trainers of trainers at regional level. This will allow setting up of a trainers and consultants' network covering all regions and municipalities, knowing the local context and problems and capable to respond to the local needs. TF056222 The purpose of the Grant is to assist the Recipient's Ministry of Education and Science (MES) to build institutional capacity and improve performance in program developing, project management, outcome measurement and partnership development and thus to increase the capacity of MES to absorb EU structural funds and other project financing.