resorting to violence, and the fragile political situation in Liberia’s neighbors, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea. Political risks loom large as the population looks for a substantial peace dividend. Failure to deliver jobs and to tackle corruption could result in a lack of support for the government’s reform agenda. Potential for disruptions due to upcoming elections in 2011. Not only a major risk, but with limited scope for identifying mitigating steps. with the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) to maintain an security presence in Liberia including at the borders. UNMIL is scheduled to remain in Liberia at least until 2010. The government is also using communication outreach to better inform the public of ongoing reforms and the likely impact on the delivery of public services. The ESP has focused on involving, to the extent possible, local actors at county, district and school levels, in hopes that the involvement of these stakeholders, all of whom are important to their elected officials, will help stabilize policy gains in the face of political pressure. The Project Support Team to be established under the CF will be able to mitigate some of this risk by providing a core group with contractual status and no political orientation that will not be changed regardless of the outcomes of the election. Systematic Corruption The inadequacy of internal controls in government systems, the history of widespread corruption during the interim government and lack of trained civil servants also make this project a high risk. H The PFMU within the MOF addresses this risk to a degree. Additionally, this risk is further mitigated by the capacity building of staff within the PFMU and MOE (procurement and financial management) complemented by technical assistance and intense Bank supervision. M Sector-specific Risks Public Administration Low salaries/benefits render MOE jobs unattractive to qualified personnel. S Civil service reform is currently ongoing to design a compensation regime that attracts, retains and motivates civil servants as well as a pension scheme that ensures decent post-service benefits. M Basic Education Delivery of school grants without leakage. H Transparency via advertisement in the local newspapers of the list of schools receiving grants and amount to be received. In the first year of CF implementation, the MOE’s capacity to administer the school grants via CSBs at the local level will be strengthened. S Operation-specific Risks Technical Design Complexity of design and ambitious activities. M The operation builds on the activities implemented under the LPERP. For L
Annex 3: Results Framework and Monitoring : PDO Project Outcome Indicators Use of Project Outcome Information Project Development Objective: To increase access to basic education with a particular focus on poor areas, to improve conditions of teaching and learning, and to improve school management and accountability. Increased access to basic education in targeted poor areas 1. Basic education completion rate (%)* Ensure that children entering basic education (primary and junior secondary school) are completing school on time. 2. Direct project beneficiaries (number) – of which female (%) (Core Indicator) - Students enrolled in schools constructed in targeted areas - Students benefitting from school grants Improved conditions of teaching and learning 3. Textbooks- Student Ratio at basic education level (defined as number of textbooks aligned with new curriculum to students) Ascertain that students have adequate access to textbooks. 4. Teachers having at least one teaching guide (%) Ensure that teachers benefit from adequate support materials to facilitate classroom teaching Improved school management and accountability functions 5. Schools managed by a SMC or PTA (%) Ascertain the establishment of a SMC or PTA in schools 6. School grants implemented in accordance with agreed upon procedures (%) Verify that school grants are used adequately. Intermediate Outcomes Intermediate Outcome and Output Indicators Use of Intermediate Outcome Monitoring Additional classrooms at the basic education level 7. Number of additional classrooms built or rehabilitated at the basic education level resulting from project intervention (number) (Core Indicator) Verify that classrooms are being constructed in relation to the overall need Early Childhood Development strategy strengthened 8. Cost-effective Early Childhood Development model designed and piloted (yes/no) Assess the effectiveness of the models proposed and tested Improved health of school children in targeted area 9. Children benefiting from de-worming interventions (number) Monitor the implementation of deworming campaigns Strengthened personnel management and new assessment tools developed and used 10. Unified HR database (Civil Service Agency, MOE, MOF) developed and maintained (yes/no) Ensure the effective management of education personnel 11. Development of a pay and grade scale for teachers (yes/no) Ascertain the availability of job descriptions and development of a pay and grade scale
12. Availability of annual sector statistics by May of each year (yes/no) Ensure the availability of updated education statistics 13. System for learning assessment at the primary level (rating scale) (Core Indicator) Ensure the availability of a reliable and valid test to assess student learning 14. DEOs using the new assessment instruments (%) Assess strengths and weaknesses of instruments as they are applied in schools * The “basic education completion rate” is arrived at by averaging the primary and junior secondary completion rates. The following indicator will be tracked over time but will not be considered a performance indicator of the project: At least 25% improvement in connected text reading fluency, measured as correct words per minute in a passage of appropriate difficulty (grades 2 and 3)
Arrangements for Results Monitoring Project Outcome Indicators Baseline 2008 unless noted Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Frequency and Reports Data Collection Instruments Responsibility for Data Collection 1. Basic education completion rate (%) 49% 52% 54% 56% Annual MOE report MOE Planning Dept 2. Direct project beneficiaries (number) – of which female (%) (Core Indicator) - Students enrolled in schools constructed in targeted areas - Students benefiting from school grants 0 0 150,000 470,000 Annual Quarterly project reports MOE Planning Dept 3. Textbooks- Student Ratio at basic education level (defined as number of textbooks aligned with new curriculum to students) 0 0:0 1:2 1:2 Annual Audit report Instruction Department DEOs Schools Independent auditor 4. Teachers having at least one teaching guide (%) 0 0 50% 80% Annual Audit report DEO report Instruction Department DEOs Schools Independent auditor 5. Schools managed by a SMC or PTA (%) 0 20% 40% 60% Annual School Audit report Instruction/Administration Departments DEOs CSBs Schools Independent auditor
single entry recording system to an interim accounting system that is now used to prepare budget outturn reports. The interim system provides a foundation for migrating to IFMIS that will eventually handle all the accounting and recording for the consolidated funds with arrangements to capture and report on donor-funded projects. A PFM Law and its enabling regulations and manuals are being prepared in order to further strengthen the legal and regulatory framework. In the area of procurement, the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) Act came into force on January 16, 2006, as Liberia’s first significant step towards subjecting public sector contracts to transparency and meaningful competition. These measures in financial management and procurement will put in place appropriate structures and processes to promote transparency and accountability and mitigate the fiduciary risk in utilizing public funds both at the country and project level. Project Risk Assessment and Mitigation The Risk Assessment and Mitigation table below shows the results of the risk assessment from the Risk Rating Summary. This identifies the key risks that MOE may face in achieving the CF objectives and provides a basis for determining how they should be addressed. Type of Risk Risk Rating Risk Mitigating Measures/Remarks Residual risk rating Conditions for Negotiation or Effectiveness (Yes/No) Inherent Risk Country Level The PEMFAR assessment conducted in 2007 identified weakness in the country financial management systems with specific reference to internal audit, external audit, legal and regulatory framework, budgeting , procurement and concession and cash and debt management. H This risk is being addressed through the various support by the Bank and other donors to enhance the public financial management system through the various financial management reforms the preparation of the financial management act, public procurement act, setup of cash management committee, interim commitments control systems, and budget committee. S No Entity Level Though the MOE is currently implementing the pooled fund (UNICEF/Soros) for which the Bank (though the EPDF) provides financial and technical support, the MOE does not have hands-on experience in managing WB- funded projects; it has inadequate capacity to H The PFMU shall be used to support the project by providing financial management services to MOE. To this end MOE will execute a MoU with PFMU for these services in a manner similar to the education pooled fund. Additionally, the oversight role of the Bank through prior review, S No
C<100,000 All Values Direct Contracting All Contracts 2 Goods and services other than Consulting Services C>=500,000 ICB / LIB All contracts 50,000=<C<500,000 NCB /UN Agencies Specified contracts as would be identified in the approved Procurement Plans C<50,000 Shopping Prior reviews of first 5 contracts All Values Direct Contracting All Contracts 3 Consulting Services C>=200,000 (firms) QCBS / QBS All contracts 100,000=<C<200,000 (firms) LCS, FBS, and CQS All TORs by TTL and prior review for first 3 contracts C>=50,000 (individuals) IC All contracts C<50,000 (individuals) IC Only TORs (Except for the hiring of Lawyers and Procurement Specialists). All values SSS All contracts 4 Training, Workshops, Study Tours All Values Based on approved Annual Work Plan & Budgets (AWPB) Approved by TTL when due **These thresholds are for the purposes of the initial procurement plan for the first 18 months (July 1 – December 2011). The thresholds will be revised periodically based on re-assessment of risks. D. Frequency of Procurement Supervision In addition to the prior review supervision to be carried out from Bank offices, the capacity assessment of the implementing Agency has recommended three supervision missions each year to visit the field to carry out post-review of procurement actions. The procurement post-reviews should cover at least 20 percent of the contracts subject to post-review. In addition post-reviews of in-country training will be conducted from time to time to review the selection of institutions, facilitators, course contents of the training, and the justifications thereof, and costs incurred. Technical Audit: A technical audit will be performed by a consultant at the start of the project and again at the end of the second year of implementation to ascertain whether the number and types of learning materials purchased are actually delivered to the schools and being effectively used in the classrooms.
TA for personnel management 500,000 QCBS Prior 31-Jan-11 During the entire im- plementation period Project Coordinator 288,000 IC Prior For three years During the entire im- plementation period Procurement Specialist (Int’l) 108,000 IC Prior For one year Procurement Specialist (Local) 144,000 IC Prior For three years During the entire im- plementation period Financial Management (Local) 144,000 IC Prior For three years During the entire im- plementation period Financial Management (Local) 144,000 IC Prior For three years During the entire im- plementation period M&E Specialist 252,000 IC Prior For three years During the entire im- plementation period Planning Specialist 216,000 IC Prior For three years During the entire im- plementation period All contracts not subject to prior review will be post-reviewed. Annex 9: Economic and Financial Analysis : Rationale of the CF Links to Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) and Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRSP) The CF’s objectives are in line with the Joint Assistance Strategy (IDA and AfDB), presented to the Board in 2009, and with Liberia’s PRSP introduced in March 2008. The Joint Assistance Strategy pursues three strategic themes: (i) rebuilding core state functions and institutions; (ii) rehabilitating infrastructure to jump-start economic growth; and (iii) facilitating pro-poor growth. The government’s first full PRSP (2008–2011) has four core strategic areas of intervention: peace and security; economic revitalization; governance and rule of law; and