Document of The World Bank Report No.: PP1793 PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT FOR SMALL RECIPIENT EXECUTED TRUST FUND GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF U.S.$2.00 MILLION TO THE ORGANIZATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES COMMISSION FOR A SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL EDUCATION STRATEGY July 6, 2016 Education Global Practice Latin America and the Caribbean Region This document is being made publicly available prior to approval. This does not imply a presumed outcome. This document may be updated following management consideration and the updated document will be made publicly available in accordance with the Bank’s policy on Access to Information. Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized
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Document of
The World Bank
Report No.: PP1793
PROJECT APPRAISAL DOCUMENT
FOR
SMALL RECIPIENT EXECUTED TRUST FUND GRANT
IN THE AMOUNT OF U.S.$2.00 MILLION
TO THE
ORGANIZATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES COMMISSION
FOR A
SUPPORT TO IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REGIONAL EDUCATION STRATEGY
July 6, 2016
Education Global Practice
Latin America and the Caribbean Region
This document is being made publicly available prior to approval. This does not imply a
presumed outcome. This document may be updated following management consideration
and the updated document will be made publicly available in accordance with the Bank’s
policy on Access to Information.
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CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS
(Exchange Rate Effective July 6, 2016)
Currency Unit = East Caribbean Dollars
EC$2.71 = US$1.00
FISCAL YEAR
January 1 – December 31
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
CLASS Classroom Assessment Scoring System
CQS Selection Based on the Consultants’ Qualifications
CSEC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate
ECD Early Childhood Development
EDMU Education Development Management Unit
FM Financial Management
GPE Global Partnership for Education
GRS Grievance Redress Services
ICB International Competitive Bidding
IFR Interim Financial Report
LCS Least-Cost Selection
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MOE Ministry of Education
NCB National Competitive Bidding
NPV Net Present Value
OECS Organization of Eastern Caribbean States
OESS OECS Education Sector Strategy
PDO Project Development Objective
QCBS Quality- and Cost-Based Selection
RPS Regional Partnership Strategy
SIP School Improvement Plan
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
USAID U.S. Agency for International Development
Vice President: Jorge Familiar
Country Director: Sophie Sirtaine
Senior Global Practice Director: Claudia Maria Costin
Practice Manager: Reema Nayar
Task Team Leader(s): Harriet Nannyonjo, Leandro Costa
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Countries
Support to Implementation of the Regional Education Strategy
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I. INTRODUCTION AND CONTEXT ................................................................................... 1
A. Country Context ............................................................................................................. 1
B. Sectoral and Institutional Context ................................................................................ 1
C. Higher-Level Objectives to which the Project Contributes ....................................... 5
II. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES .................................................................... 6
A. PDO ................................................................................................................................. 6
B. Project Beneficiaries ...................................................................................................... 6
C. PDO-Level Results Indicators ....................................................................................... 6
III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................. 7
A. Project Components ....................................................................................................... 7
B. Project Financing ........................................................................................................... 9
Project Cost and Financing ...................................................................................................... 9
C. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design ................................................ 9
IV. IMPLEMENTATION ........................................................................................................... 9
A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements ....................................................... 9
B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................ 10
C. Sustainability ................................................................................................................ 11
V. KEY RISKS AND MITIGATION MEASURES .............................................................. 11
VI. APPRAISAL SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 12
A. Economic and Financial Analysis ............................................................................... 12
B. Technical ....................................................................................................................... 12
C. Financial Management ................................................................................................ 13
D. Procurement ................................................................................................................. 13
E. Social (including Safeguard Policies) ......................................................................... 13
F. World Bank Grievance Redress ................................................................................. 14
Annex 1: Results Framework and Monitoring ........................................................................ 15
3. The OECS countries have made significant progress in expanding access to basic
education in particular. The gross enrolment rate in early childhood education for students aged
3–4 years ranges from 100 in Grenada to 106 in St. Vincent, 79 in Dominica, and 105 in St.
Lucia. The gross primary enrolment rate is 113 percent in St. Vincent; 126 percent in Grenada;
109 percent in Dominica; and 103 percent in St. Lucia. Enrolment at secondary level follows a
similar pattern as the primary level. Gender parity has been achieved at the primary level,
although small differences emerge at the secondary level (118 percent for boys and 116 for girls
in Dominica; 96 percent for boys and 97 percent for girls in St. Lucia; with gender parity in
Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines). The progress at the secondary level was a result of
a policy push to achieve universal secondary education as soon as possible. This progress has
also been facilitated by the significant education expenditure as percentage of gross domestic
product: 5 percent in Grenada; 7 percent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines; 5 percent in
Dominica; and 5 percent in St. Lucia in 2014.1 In 2014, government expenditure on education as
percentage of the total public expenditure was close to 20 percent for Dominica, 18 percent in St.
1 OECS Education Statistical Abstract 2013/14.
2
Lucia (increasing to 21 percent), 21 percent in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and 17 percent in
Grenada.2
4. Some challenges remain with regard to access, equity, and quality. Close to 20 percent of
children aged 3 to 5 years were not enrolled in early education in 2013. The OECS recognizes
the importance of investing in early childhood development (ECD) and is making efforts to
address this challenge. Low learning achievement is the major challenge facing the education
sector in the OECS. The 2010 grade 4 Literacy and Mathematics tests showed that about 50
percent of grade 4 students had not achieved mastery at their grade level. At the secondary level,
the percentage of students passing the CSEC was 37 percent and below for all the states. The
percentage of students who pass both English and Mathematics at CSEC is on average 23
percent across the states. Moreover, the Caribbean Examinations Council examiner’s reports
indicate poor student performance on test items that require critical thinking, analysis, or
communication.
5. There are several underlying causes of low education quality in the OECS, including the
following: First, lack of clear learning standards to facilitate formative classroom assessment and
student-centered learning. The absence of clear learning standards to guide systematic formative
and summative classroom assessment leads to failure to address learning deficiencies before
transitioning to the next grade or exiting the system. Students are automatically promoted to the
next grade even if they have not mastered the relevant competencies. Many of these children
finish school without the necessary skills and competencies to enable them to secure good jobs,
increase productivity, and lift themselves out of poverty. The best-performing countries have
established learning standards and have developed assessment systems to monitor their
achievement (Barber and Mourshed 2007;3 Mourshed, Chijioke, and Barber 2010
4). Placing
students’ outcomes as the main goal of educational policies requires that the learning outcomes
to be achieved at every grade level are clearly specified and that the level of expected
performance is clear. Second, limited continuous professional development opportunities to
improve teaching, or to accompany changes to the curriculum, respond to policy changes and
address identified areas of need. Professional development is even more critical in cases where
teacher qualifications are low. In 2014, the proportion of untrained teachers at the primary school
level ranged from 11 percent to 38 percent across the member states. As research over the past
decade suggests, teacher quality is highly correlated with student learning outcomes (Rockoff
2004).5
6. Third is the low capacity of school leaders to support teaching and thereby improve
student achievement. In the OECS, good teachers are promoted to become head teachers without
any training, and there are limited opportunities for professional development for school leaders.
Moreover, communication between schools and parents or other stakeholders is weak and
instructional leadership and accountability need to be strengthened. Research has shown that
2 From OECS Education Statistical Abstract 2013/14 and OECS costing data.
3 Barber, M., and M. Mourshed. 2007. How the World's Best Performing School Systems Come Out on Top.
McKinsey and Company. 4 Mourshed, M, C. Chijioke, and M. Barber. 2010. How the World’s Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting
Better. McKinsey and Company. 5 Rockoff, Jonah E. 2004. “The Impact of Individual Teachers on Student Achievement: Evidence from Panel
Data.” American Economic Review 94 (2): 247–252.
3
there is no single case of a school improving its student achievement record in the absence of
talented leadership (Louis et al. 2010).6 Leadership is only second to classroom instruction
among school-related factors that influence student outcomes (Leithwood 2005).7
7. The OECS is taking steps to address the challenge of low learning achievement.
Improving the quality of learning for every child is at the heart of the Regional Education
Strategy for the OECS. The OECS has developed a Regional Education Strategy, ‘Every Learner
Succeeds’, to address the common challenge of low learning achievement across member states.
The strategy was endorsed, by the OECS Council of Ministers of Education at their annual
meeting of May 2012, for implementation across the states. This strategy also constitutes the
education chapter in the OECS Growth and Development Strategy. The OECS country-level
education plans have been or are being aligned to this overarching Regional Education Sector
Strategy. The results-based strategy is summarized in box 1.
8. Countries have started implementation of various aspects for the OECS Education Sector
Strategy (OESS): Under the strategic imperative for improvement of quality and accountability
of school leadership, the OECS is implementing various school leader development programs
although these are not grounded in the recently agreed OECS professional standards for school
leaders. Implementation of these standards would be a logical way forward. Regarding the
strategic imperative for improvement of curriculum and assessment strategies, countries are at
various stages—Dominica completed revision of its primary curriculum, Saint Lucia is in the
process of piloting curriculum for various subjects, and there is limited progress in this area for
Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. The OECS has agreed to build on the Dominica
experience as a basis for clarifying learning standards at the regional level and an accompanying
assessment system in line with the OECS Economic Union. Under the strategic imperative to
improve teachers’ professional development, teacher professional standards have been developed
but these are yet to be implemented.
9. Countries are implementing various activities focusing on improving teacher quality
including teacher training activities mainly focused on pre-service training, information and
communication technology, and orientation for new teachers. Although regional teacher
standards are yet to be adopted by the countries, they have been used as a basis for revising and
improving the existing teacher appraisal system. Countries have endorsed the teacher appraisal
system and are putting systems in place for their implementation. The timing and configuration
or implementation arrangements will vary across countries. Some are seeking to link the
appraisal with a broader strategy to professionalize the teaching service while others are using it
as a tool to establish teaching councils, which can monitor teacher quality and competency.
There will be need for specific professional development aimed at building teacher capacity to
implement the new initiatives focusing on improving teaching and learning for all, including the
use of learning standards, monitoring student learning based on these standards, and improving
classroom practices.
6 Louis, K. S., K. Leithwood, K. L. Wahlstrom, and S. E. Anderson. 2010. Investigating the Links to Improved
Student Learning: Final Report of Research Findings. New York: The Wallace Foundation. 7 Leithwood, K. 2005. “Understanding Successful Principalship: Progress on a Broken Front.” Journal of
Educational Administration 43 (6): 619.
4
10. The development of the regional strategy was informed by a study of students at risk in
the OECS. The findings and the recommendation informed the strategic priorities and key
strategies including the decision to deal with gender issues as a cross-cutting theme. The study
broadly examined many factors, including those related to the socioeconomic situation,
instructional practices in schools that affect access, participation, and learning. The emphasis on
improving teacher competencies and changing classroom practice to make them more learner
centered are strategies that are expected to reduce the at-school risks. The following ongoing
studies will shed further light on equity issues and what actions need to be taken to improve
equity: (i) status of student support services; (ii) out of school students; (iii) inequality of
education opportunity. With support from Caribbean Development Bank, additional work has
been undertaken to mainstream gender in planning and implementing education programs in the
OECS. The output of this activity was a set of guidelines for school leaders and teachers in
ensuring that gender sensitive issues were addressed, particularly in curriculum delivery.
5
Box 1. OESS – Program Vision, Goal, Objective, and Components
Vision
All citizens, at every stage of their learning journey, from early years to adulthood, are able to reach their full
potential and be successful in life, at work, and in society.
Goal
To contribute to the socioeconomic advancement of the OECS through a quality education system that enables
learners of all ages to reach their true potential
Objective
To improve learning outcomes, with equity
Subobjectives
1. To achieve increased and more equitable access to quality ECD services
2. To improve the quality of teaching and learning and achieve greater equity in learning opportunities, with a
priority focus on primary and secondary education, including
(a) improved teacher quality and qualifications;
(b) improved curriculum, strategies for student assessment, and instructional approaches, all effectively used
for learning-centered approaches, addressing the needs of all students, including the vulnerable (boys,
poor, remote, and so on); and
(c) improved school leadership and management capacity, especially to support improvements in the quality
of teaching and learning, evidence-based school management, and accountability.
3. To improve the quality, relevance, and affordability of tertiary and continuing education
4. To expand all students’ access to technical and vocational education and training at all levels of the education
system to respond to the demands of the jobs market
5. To strengthen sectorwide leadership, management, and accountability systems and capacities to instill a
culture of evidence-based strategic management and decision making
Strategic Imperatives (or Components/Areas of Intervention)
1. Improve the quality and accountability of leadership and management
2. Improve teachers’ professional development
3. Improve the quality of teaching and learning
4. Improve curriculum and strategies for assessment
5. Increase (and expand) access to quality ECD services
6. Provide opportunities for all learners in technical and vocational education and training
7. Increase provisions for tertiary and continuing education
Source: The OESS.
C. Higher-Level Objectives to which the Project Contributes
11. The higher-level objective is to improve learning outcomes at the basic education level.
The proposed project contributes to the World Bank’s twin goals of eliminating poverty and
boosting shared prosperity by improving the quality of basic education. These objectives will be
achieved through a mix of interventions aimed at improving teaching and learning. Improvement
in quality of education and outcomes in the OECS will, in the long term, enhance employability
of the citizens and support growth.8 Better education will also contribute to greater shared
8 Evidence shows that a difference of one standard deviation in test scores between countries equates to roughly two
percentage points in annual long-term gross domestic product growth. See: Hanushek, Eric A., and Ludger
Woessmann. 2010. Education Quality and Economic Growth.
6
prosperity because children from poorer households perform worse than their wealthier peers in
school.
12. The proposed project is consistent with the Bank Group OECS Regional Partnership
Strategy (RPS) FY2015–19 Framework discussed by the Board of Executive Directors on
November 20, 2014. The RPS recognizes the importance of improvement in the quality of
education as a way of contributing to long-term unemployment and poverty reduction. The
education aspects of the project are aligned with the RPS pillar of resilience, and in particular
outcome 7 focusing on establishment of quality learning standards. The proposed project focuses
on improving the quality of basic education that aligns with the Education Global Practice goals
of access for all and learning for all. In addition, the proposed project is aligned with the Global
Partnership for Education (GPE) Goal 2 of improved and more equitable student learning
outcomes through quality teaching and learning. Moreover, the project’s focus on strengthening
sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity as well as school leadership directly relates to
GPE Goal 3 of efficient and effective education systems. Furthermore, the proposed focus on
teacher professional development and primary grade assessment relates directly to the GPE
strategic objective 3 - implementing sector plans focused on improved equity, efficiency, and
learning.
II. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES
A. PDO
13. The project development objectives (PDOs) are to (a) use quality learning standards to
support evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level; (b) improve teacher practices
at the primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate
the strengthening of sector M&E capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management
and decision making, all in the member countries.
B. Project Beneficiaries
14. The project beneficiaries are children attending primary schools in Grenada (10,069), St.
Lucia (16,268), St. Vincent and the Grenadines (12,014), and Dominica (4,866). The current
teachers and school leaders will also benefit from professional development activities (285
principals and 3,335 teachers).
C. PDO-Level Results Indicators
(a) Percentage of primary teachers using formative assessment based on learning
standards
(b) Percentage of teachers rated effective on classroom practices9
9 Effective teaching practices will be determined through classroom observation that uses guidance provided by
Kane, Kerr, and Pianta (2014). Designing Teacher Evaluation Systems: New Guidance from the Measures of
Effective Teaching Project. John Wiley & Sons. Baseline based on guidance from country statisticians on
representative sampling will be established in March 2016 using Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
scores. Baseline CLASS scores will be established in August 2016.
7
(c) Percentage of primary schools with a School Improvement Plan (SIP) focused on
learning outcomes
(d) Percentage of school leaders reporting on progress of teachers practices and students
learning to oversight bodies
(e) Production of an annual report on plan implementation and performance indicators
at the country level
III. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
A. Project Components
15. Component 1: Curriculum and Assessment (US$396,500). The best-performing
countries have established learning standards and have developed assessment systems to monitor
their achievement (Barber and Mourshed 2007).10
Placing students’ outcomes as the main goal
of educational policies requires that the learning outcomes to be achieved at every grade level be
clearly specified and that the level of expected performance be clear; grade-level learning
standards need to be clarified and brought in line with international learning standards. The
commitment of the OESS to ensure that every child learns will underpin the definition of the
learning standards. Formative assessment will be the major focus of the reform. The project will
support the following activities:
(a) Reviewing the harmonized curriculum to clarify grade-level learning standards for
primary education in literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies through (i)
provision of consultant services and (ii) the carrying out of consultations at the
regional and member country levels
(b) Developing a learner-centered assessment framework to monitor the achievement of
learning standards (formative assessment), through (i) provision of consultant
services and (ii) the carrying out of consultations at the regional and member
country levels
(c) Developing and implementing guidelines for using the learning standards and
formative classroom assessment through (i) the provision of consultant; (ii) the
carrying out of consultations at the regional and member country levels; and (iii) the
adaptation of the learning standards and formative assessment to member country
level context
16. Component 2: Teacher Professional Development (US$1,115,000). Teachers’ content
knowledge and classroom practices are the strongest in-school predictor of student achievement
(Barber and Mourshed 2007). Teachers’ instructional effectiveness improves when they receive
opportunities for continuous professional learning that focuses on the quality of teacher-student
interaction around subject matter and collegial professional interactions, mentoring, and ongoing
coaching and respectful monitoring systems that provide frequent feedback on the quality and
10
Barber, M. and M. Mourshed. 2007. How the World's Best Performing School Systems Come Out on Top.
McKinsey and Company.
8
effectiveness of teachers’ instruction. In addition, professional development that is embedded in
teachers’ everyday teaching routines is critical when new instructional policy initiatives are
being introduced (Cohen and Hill 2001).11
17. This component will support the following activities: (a) reviewing the teacher training
programs in member countries; (b) reviewing classroom practices in member countries to
understand current practices and identify capacity gaps to inform teacher professional
development; (c) developing a teacher professional development course and school-based
professional learning communities to improve classroom practices; (d) carrying out
competence-based professional development activities for teachers12
in the member countries
through training on effective classroom practices, formative assessment, all in line with learning
standards and the use of student learning data; and (e) establishing an online community of
practice for teachers to access online instructional resources and share lesson plans and
experiences.
18. Component 3: Improve School Leadership and Accountability (US$209,000). Research has shown that there is no single case of a school improving its student achievement
record without talented leadership (Louis et al. 2010).13
Leadership is only second to classroom
instruction among school-related factors that influence student outcomes (Leithwood 2005).14
19. This component will support the following activities: (a) developing a school leader
training program based on professional standards, including instructional leadership to support
teachers to improve instructional practices; (b) carrying out competence-based training and
certification activities for school leaders based on leadership standards, including on instructional
leadership and use of data in planning, management, and reporting; and (c) developing a
handbook for school principals/leaders to guide school leadership and management.
20. Component 4: Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation (US$279,500).
This component will support project implementation and M&E through (a) the procurement and
financial management (FM) requirements of the project; (b) process monitoring of the teacher
and school leader professional development activities; (c) the establishment of the national
routines for ongoing and regular monitoring of learning standards and assessment using available
data and additional research; (d) the monitoring of teacher classroom practices through the use of
CLASS; and (e) the carrying out of annual regional and country-level program reviews.
11
Cohen, D., and H. Hill 2000. “Instructional Policy and Classroom Performance: The Mathematics Reform in
California.” The Teachers College Record 102 (2): 294–343. 12
Priority will be given to Pre-K teachers. The number of teachers in the four countries is as follows: Dominica
(511); Grenada (903); St. Lucia (1,071); St. Vincent and the Grenadines (819). The number of teachers to be trained
will depend on unit costs (to be obtained from the ongoing costing exercise) and available resources (St. Vincent and
the Grenadines and St. Lucia might allocate IDA resources toward implementation of education-related activities. 13
Louis, K. S., K. Leithwood, K. L. Wahlstrom, and S. E. Anderson. 2010. Investigating the Links to Improved
Student Learning: Final Report of Research Findings. New York: The Wallace Foundation. 14
Leithwood, K. 2005. “Understanding Successful Principalship: Progress on a Broken Front.” Journal of
Educational Administration 43 (6): 619.
9
B. Project Financing
21. This will be a grant, implemented through a Recipient Executed Trust Fund arrangement
between the GPE and the Bank. There is also a possibility of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and
St. Lucia allocating some IDA resources to education activities under the OECS Human
Development Resilience Project, and those resources will build on and scale up the proposed
activities under this grant. Preliminary discussions have led to an education component structure
consisting of four subcomponents.
22. At the regional level, the OECS Commission will implement the following activities in
collaboration with the countries and with support from grant funding: (a) development of
learning standards framework based on a review of the curriculum and assessment; (b)
assessment to identify capacity gaps for teachers and school leaders; (c) preparation of
professional development modules to support training of teachers and school leaders on effective
classroom practices and implementation of learning standards; and (d) M&E of implementation
of national activities to improve pedagogy and the promotion of knowledge sharing across
countries.
Project Cost and Financing
23. Table 1 provides the cost estimates and financing for the components described above.
Project Components Project Cost
(US$)
Grant
Financing
(US$)
% Financing
1. Curriculum and Assessment 396,500 396,500 100
2. Teacher Professional Development 1,115,000 1,115,000 100
3. Improve School Leadership and Accountability 209,000 209,000 100
4. Project implementation and M&E 279,500 279,500 100
Total Financing Required 2,000,000 2,000,000 100
C. Lessons Learned and Reflected in the Project Design
24. The importance of professional development for both teachers and school leaders when
new initiatives are introduced is well established. The planned professional development aspects
will be based on best practice, including imbedding training in practice and promoting
collaboration, including through communities of practice.
IV. IMPLEMENTATION
A. Institutional and Implementation Arrangements
25. The OECS Commission will be the implementing agency for the project. Implementation
at the regional level will be coordinated by the Education Development Management Unit
(EDMU) of the OECS Commission. The head of the EDMU will be the project coordinator
responsible for the day-to-day management of the project. The EDMU will also be the main
10
focal point for monitoring the implementation of the regional activities, including the collection
and reporting of the results. It will organize regular for a, including joint reviews, for reviewing
progress and sharing lessons learned from the overall program, share best practices, and promote
knowledge exchange between countries. The fiduciary responsibilities will be managed by the
respective units at the OECS Commission. The OECS Commission managed the Institutional
Development Grant, which supported development of the Regional Education Strategy and has
implemented other Bank-financed projects. The EDMU has in the past successfully coordinated
a Bank grant, which supported capacity building for education statistics across six member
states. This grant achieved satisfactory results and the activities supported through that grant
continue to be sustained, including annual publication of education statistical digest. In addition,
the OECS Commission has implemented regional education projects financed by other partners.
For example, the OECS Eastern Caribbean Reform Project and a Technical and Vocational
Education project financed by the Canadian and German governments, respectively. The
UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Areas Office through an ongoing Program Cooperation Agreement
with the OECS has been providing financial support for regional education activities.
26. The Chief Education Officers’ Forum established at the time of preparation of the OESS
will act as the Project Steering Committee with chief education officers assuming chairmanship
of the committee on a rotating basis as is the current practice. The committee will offer advice
and guidance on the project activities as part of the overall implementation of the OESS.
27. Institutional and implementation arrangements at the national level. As part of the
regional arrangements for implementing the OESS, the program implementation at the national
level will be mainstreamed into the Ministry of Education (MOE). This model is in response to
previous experience where projects were perceived as competing priorities outside the scope of
the work program of the MOE. The national-level counterpart will be the chief education officer
who may designate a national focal point. The actual implementation will be managed by the
units responsible for the various program components. For example, the curriculum and
assessment components will be implemented by the Curriculum Unit with the head of the
Curriculum Unit having direct responsibility for related activities. Similarly, education officers
with responsibility for teacher training and school leadership—usually a senior education
officer—will be responsible for activities related to their respective portfolios. Implementation
calls for a high level of coordination between various units and education officers. This
coordination will be managed by the chief education officer or a delegated focal point. The focal
point will coordinate closely with all relevant stakeholders and beneficiaries, and organize
national consultation meetings of various aspects of the project.
B. Results Monitoring and Evaluation
28. The project will rely on the revised results and monitoring framework developed for the
implementation of the Regional Education Strategy 2012–2021. The results framework for the
project detailed in annex 1 includes project-specific indicators. Quarterly and annual progress
reports will be submitted to the Bank by the EDMU and will be informed by reports submitted
from the countries.
29. The project-level results mapping and M&E framework are derived from the broader
results mapping and M&E frameworks prepared for the OECS 10-year Regional Education
11
Strategy (2012–2021). As such, they lay out a hierarchy of impacts, outcomes, intermediate
outcomes, and outputs (and related indicators), which will facilitate the tracking of progress
along the project results chain. This supports the intention of the OECS, as expressed in its
10-year education strategy, to monitor and evaluate implementation progress, as well as
outcomes, and their plausible links. Annex 1 thus presents (a) a mapping of the project’s results;
(b) a matrix of project outcome indicators organized by project objectives; and (c) a matrix of
project output indicators organized by project components. The M&E of project implementation
and outcomes will rely on existing capacity and systems at the country level and at the regional
level, which will be strengthened through (a) a learning-by-doing approach and (b) technical
assistance, as needed. The EDMU will coordinate M&E activities at the regional level, including
organizing progress reviews, and coordinating with the countries to ensure that the statisticians
and planners collect the country level project data as part of monitoring sector performance. This
will not present any unnecessary additional burden on those carrying out this work, because they
will be collecting, analyzing, and using this information for management and decision making as
a part of the overall M&E plan for the 10-year strategy.
C. Sustainability
30. The sustainability of the project results is assured because it supports the existing OECS
Regional Education Strategy 2012–2021, which was endorsed and is supported by all of the
OECS member states. Improving quality of learning is a key priority for the heads of government
(who are at the same time the ministers of finance) in the OECS. In addition, most of the GPE
resources will go toward activities to strengthen system capacity and not recurrent costs.
Moreover, the project will be implemented within the government system, thus increasing the
chances of continuity even after the end of the project. All these increase the likelihood of
continued implementation of the frameworks and actions supported by the project.
V. KEY RISKS AND MITIGATION MEASURES
31. The overall risk for the project is Moderate. The political and sector strategy risks are
Low. The quality of education agenda enjoys broad-based political support in the four states; it is
the major focus of the OECS Regional Education Strategy and, therefore, faces a low risk of
political opposition to the proposed project. The implementing agency risk is substantial both at
the country and regional levels. The additional layer created by the regional aspects of the project
may create implementation delays. This problem will be mitigated by having the Chief
Education Officers’ Forum to oversee the implementation of project activities. In addition, this
will require more effort and an experienced team from the Bank to be able to deliver on results
on the proposed innovative interventions. There is a moderate risk that countries may not
implement at the same pace. Addressing this risk will require putting in place a mechanism to
support the countries to move at the same pace to achieve the economies of scale that the
regional approach seeks to achieve. There is a moderate risk of underestimation of required
supervision resources. The costs for managing this operation will be higher than a single country
operation. This is a new model for delivering support to small island states using a single
operation to support several countries. This has to be taken into consideration when allocating
GPE resources for supervision. There is a substantial stakeholder risk mainly related to teacher
and school principals’ resistance to taking on the new initiatives. This will be mitigated by
ensuring strong stakeholder participation in the preparation process. Consultations will take place
12
both at regional and country levels. Every effort will be made to present the project-supported
initiatives as building on what already exists rather than as new initiatives.
VI. APPRAISAL SUMMARY
A. Economic and Financial Analysis
32. The rationale for public sector provision and GPE support to primary education is a
justifiable option. Education and human capital development are directly linked to economic
growth, productivity, and the improvement of living standards.15
The low quality of education
has been highlighted, by the Caribbean Growth Forum, as the major constraint to growth,
employment, and poverty reduction. It is expected that as learning achievement improves, more
people will enter the labor market and the economic benefits of the workforce affected by the
project are expected to improve and more people will move out of poverty. The activities
implemented under the project will have a direct development impact on the capacity of
education systems in the OECS to provide better quality instruction, which in the long term will
improve educational outcomes and labor market outcomes at the individual level. This impact
will be seen through a higher probability of school completion, which improves the lifetime
earnings and type of employment, and higher labor productivity growth, using labor earnings as
a proxy for labor productivity. Moreover, as schools are able to offer better instruction, including
to the poor students, the gap in learning outcomes between the rich and the poor will reduce.
33. The Bank has global experience in supporting government efforts to improve teacher
pedagogical practices and professional development, capacity for school leadership, and
monitoring student learning. It provides added value in this project through its technical expertise
and financing. The Bank has and will contribute to support development of government’s
capacity, under each component that supports the achievement all three PDOs. A quantitative
economic analysis shows a net benefit and positive return for the GPE Project. It was considered
that the project effects lead to higher returns to skills that affect the wages of beneficiaries
(Hanushek et al. 2015).16
With a 10 percent discount rate, the project has a net present value
(NPV) of US$11.1 million with an internal rate of return of 27.0 percent. In addition, a
sensitivity analysis to consider an alternative worsening scenario, in which the effects of
activities on students’ performance are assumed to be only half as large. Even in this alternative
case, the project appears to be a good investment from an economic point of view, with an NPV
of US$5.5 million and an internal rate of return of 20.2 percent.
B. Technical
34. The OECS policy priorities supported under the project are supported by global evidence
as most crucial to improving educational outcomes. First, the quality of an education system is
bound by the quality of its teachers. There is emerging evidence that the right policies for
professional development of and supporting teachers can transform the effect that teachers have
in the classroom. Second, no education system has systematically and sustainably improved its
15
Barro, R. 2001. “Human Capital and Economic Growth.” The American Economic Review 91 (2): 12–17. 16
Hanushek, Eric A., Guido Schwerdt, Simon Wiederhold, and Ludger Woessmann. 2015. “Returns to Skills
around the World: Evidence from PIAAC.” European Economic Review 73: 103–130.
13
performance without good leadership. The OECS’s move toward setting professional standards
and providing competence-based professional development for school leaders will fulfill that
critical element of education system management. Third, there is increasing evidence that the use
of formative learning assessment can have a significant impact on learning if properly
implemented. The selected areas of intervention are also reflected in the Bank’s Education Sector
Strategy 2020: ‘invest early, invest smartly, and invest for all’. All these activities will, in the
medium to longer term, improve the learning conditions of students and improve educational
outcomes.
C. Financial Management
35. FM will be handled by the OECS Commission fiduciary team, which is also handling
other ongoing Bank-financed activities and has implemented several Bank-financed trust funds,
including an Institutional Development Fund supporting education. Disbursement of project
funds will be based on Interim Financial Reports (IFRs). The IFRs will be prepared and sent to
the Bank every six months (July–December and January–June) and 45 days after the end of
every reporting period. Accounting records will be kept in the accounting system ‘Sage 50’ and
will be updated and monitored in accordance with the financial regulations manual of the OECS
Commission. The current Operations Manual is very comprehensive and the processes and
procedures once applied consistently are adequate to ensure that the financial information is
accurate and funds are only used for project purposes.
36. A segregated U.S. dollar designated account and local currency project account will be
opened upon effectiveness of the project at First National Bank in St. Lucia, and the bank
account and bank information will be conveyed to the Bank. The operation of the bank accounts
will fall under the current operations processes of the OECS Commission.
D. Procurement
37. Procurement will be handled by the OECS Commission Procurement Unit, which is also
handling the ongoing Bank-financed activities being implemented through the commission. The
team has extensive experience working with Bank-financed projects.
38. Procurable items financed under the project will be limited to small goods and
consultants and will be procured in accordance with the Bank’s ‘Guidelines: Procurement of
Goods, Works, and Non-Consulting Services under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by
World Bank Borrowers’, dated January 2011 and revised July 2014; ‘Guidelines: Selection and
Employment of Consultants under IBRD Loans and IDA Credits and Grants by World Bank
Borrowers’ dated January 2011 and revised July 2014; the IDA Anticorruption Guidelines dated
July 1, 2005, and as amended October 15, 2006; and the provisions stipulated in the Grant
Agreement.
E. Social (including Safeguard Policies)
39. The project is classified as Category C because it does not finance any construction or
other activities that can cause potential negative impacts to the environment or natural habitats.
The main thrust of the OESS is equity in learning outcomes: ‘Learning for All’. The planned
activities—formative assessment, improving school leadership, teacher professional
14
development, and M&E—are all focusing on areas proven to be impactful on equity aspects. The
following studies will shed further light on equity issues and what actions need to be taken to
improve equity: (a) status of student support services; (b) out of school students; (c) inequality of
education opportunity
40. Gender. The project will support the OECS in making teaching sensitive to the
differences in learning styles of boys and girls and the impact this may have, for example, on
motivation. The project also includes support in improving teacher sensitivity within
teacher-student interactions as they relate to the learning needs of boys and girls. In addition, the
assessment framework as well as the M&E framework for the project will provide information
by gender, to better inform policy interventions. The Bank will also work with the OECS to
incorporate gender aspects in the training materials to make them gender sensitive. Where
applicable, indicators in the project’s M&E framework will be reported by gender.
41. Beneficiary feedback mechanisms. The project will include mechanisms to incorporate
beneficiary feedback at several levels. The project will support the surveys, which will be used to
incorporate feedback from teachers, parents, school leaders, and community members. This will
be reflected in the results framework. The project will also promote feedback from students
through the application of the new diagnostic census-based student assessment, which will
include surveys on student perceptions.
F. World Bank Grievance Redress
42. Communities and individuals who believe that they are adversely affected by a
Bank-supported project may submit complaints to existing project-level grievance redress
mechanisms or the Bank’s Grievance Redress Service (GRS). The GRS ensures that complaints
received are promptly reviewed to address project-related concerns. Project-affected
communities and individuals may submit their complaint to the Bank’s independent Inspection
Panel, which determines whether harm occurred, or could occur, because of Bank
noncompliance with its policies and procedures. Complaints may be submitted at any time after
concerns have been brought directly to the Bank’s attention and Bank management has been
given an opportunity to respond. For information on how to submit complaints to the Bank’s
corporate GRS, please visit http://www.worldbank.org/GRS. For information on how to submit
complaints to the Bank Inspection Panel, please visit www.inspectionpanel.org.
OECS COUNTRIES: Support to Implementation of the Regional Education Strategy (P158836)
Results Framework - Regional Level
Project Development Objective
Expected Impact: Improved learning outcomes (expected to happen beyond project completion but included to keep the focus on learning). Equity
considerations: gender, location, disability.
Project Development Objectives: The objectives of the proposed project are to (a) use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and learning; (b)
improve teacher practices at the primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate the strengthening of sector M&E
capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision making, all in the member countries.
Indicator Name Core Unit of
Measure
Cumulative Target Values
Frequency Data
Source/Methodology
Resp. for Data
Collection Description Baseline
2016 2017 2018 2019
Impact Indicators17
Primary School Literacy Skills
% of pupils literacy at or above their grade level at the key stages of grade 2 by gender, urban-rural residence
Primary School Mathematics Skills
% of pupils by gender and urban-rural residence performing at or above the minimum standards at grade 2 in Mathematics
Project Development Objective Indicators
PDO Indicator 1: Use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level.
17
These are included to keep the focus on learning but are expected to be achieved after Project closing. Project Development Objective indicators will be used to monitor Project achievements. This applies to all countries (Annex 1b-e) as well as the regional level.
16
Percentage of primary
teachers using
formative assessment
based on learning
standards
% 0 25 50 Annual MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
Number of teachers
using formative
assessment/Total
number of primary
school teachers
PDO Indicator 2: Improve teacher practices at the primary level.
Percentage of teachers
rated effective on
classroom practices18
% TBD TBD TBD Annual Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
Number of teachers
assessed as
effective/Total
number of teachers
observed using
CLASS
PDO Indicator 3: Improve primary school leadership and accountability.
Percentage of primary
schools with an SIP
focused on learning
outcomes
% 0 25 50 Annual Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
Number of primary
schools with SIPs
focused on
learning/Total number
of primary schools
Percentage of school
leaders reporting on
progress of teachers
practices and students
learning to oversight
bodies
% 0 25 50 Annual Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
Number of primary
school leaders
reporting progress on
teacher practices and
student learning/Total
number of primary
school leaders
PDO Indicator 4: Initiate the strengthening of sector M&E capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision making.
Production of an
annual report on plan
implementation and
performance indicators
Yes/No No Yes Yes MOE Statistics
and Planning
Units
Country annual report
on plan
implementation and
performance
indicators
18
Capacity building for respective staff of the MOE is ongoing. Baseline data will be available by August 2016.
17
at the country level
.
Intermediate Results Indicators
Component 1 - Curriculum and Assessment
Learner-centered
assessment framework
and guidelines for
using learning
standards approved
Yes/No No Yes Once Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Curriculum and
Assessment Unit
Component 2 - Teacher Professional Development
Teacher professional
development course
developed
Yes/No No Yes EDMU
Number of teachers
trained and certified as
competent
Cumulative
number
0 270 540 Annual Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
Component 3 - Improve School Leadership and Accountability
Handbook for school
leaders developed and
printed
Yes/No No Yes EDMU Handbook
School leadership
training program
developed
Yes/No No Yes EDMU Course
Number of school
leaders certified in
competence-based
standards
Cumulative
number
0 135 270 Annual Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
Component 4 - Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
Number of teachers
monitored through
CLASS
Cumulative
number
200 300 400 Annual Project Implementation
Reports
MOE
Department of
Primary
18
Education
Number of schools
analyzing and using
student learning data
Cumulative
number
140 200 300 MOE
Department of
Primary
Education
M&E Manual
developed
Yes/No No EDMU Manual
Stakeholder feedback
surveys undertaken
No No Yes Yes Annual Project Implementation
Reports
EDMU
Survey
19
20
ANNEX 1 B. RESULTS FRAMEWORK DOMINICA
Expected Impact: Improved learning outcomes (expected to happen beyond project completion, except perhaps for Grade 2 performance). Equity considerations:
gender, income, location, disability, ethnic groups
Project Development Objectives: The objectives of the proposed project are to (a) use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and
learning; (b) improve teacher practices at the primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate the
strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision making.
Indicator Name Core Unit of
Measure
Baseline
(GPE
2016)
Cumulative Target Values Frequency
Data Source
/Methodology
Resp. for
Data
Collection
Description
2017 2018 2019 2020
Impact Indicators
Primary School literacy Skills
% of pupils literacy skills at or above their grade level at the key stages of grade 2 by gender, urban-rural residence
Primary School Mathematics Skills
% of pupils by gender and urban-rural residence performing at or above the minimum standards at grade 2 in Mathematics
Project Development Objective Indicators
PDO Indicator 1: Use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level
Percentage of
primary teachers
using formative
assessment based
on learning
standards
%
0
0
25
50
Annual
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Dpt
#of teachers using
formative
assessment/Total # of
primary school
teachers
Objective Indicator 2: Improve teacher practices at the primary level
21
Percentage of
teachers rated
effective on
classroom
practices19
% TBD TBD TBD TBD Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Number of teachers
assessed as
effective/Total
number of teachers
observed using
CLASS
Objective Indicator 3: Improve primary school leadership and accountability
Percentage of
primary schools
with a School
Improvement
Plans (SIP)
focused on
learning
outcomes
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary
schools with SIPS
focused on
learning/Total No. of
primary schools
Percentage of
school leaders
reporting on
progress of
teachers practices
and students
learning to
oversight bodies
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary school
leaders reporting
progress on teacher
practices and student
learning/Total No. of
primary school
leaders
Objection 4: initiate the strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision
making.
19
Capacity building for respective staff of the Ministries of Education is ongoing. Baseline data will be available by August 2016
22
Production of an
annual report on
plan
implementation
and performance
indicators at the
country level
YES/NO NO YES YES YES
MOE
Statistics
and Planning
Units
Country annual report
on Plan
implementation and
performance
indicators
.
Intermediate Results Indicators
Component 1 – Curriculum and assessment
Learners-centere
d assessment
framework and
guidelines for
using learning
standards
approved
YES/NO NO YES
Once
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 2 – Teacher Professional Development
Teacher
professional
development
course developed
YES/NO NO YES
Number of
teachers trained
and certified as
competent
#
Cumulative 0 0 44 87
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 3 – School Leadership and Accountability
Handbook for
school leaders
developed and
printed
YES/NO NO YES
Handbook
23
School
leadership
training
program
developed
YES/NO NO YES
Course
Number of
school leaders
certified in a
competence
based standards
# Cumulative 0 0 27 54
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Component 4 – Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Number of
teachers
monitored
through the
Classroom
Assessment
Scoring System
(CLASS)
#
Cumulative 0 32 49 65
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Number of
schools
analyzing and
using student
learning data
#
Cumulative 0 26 38 57
M&E Manual
developed YES/NO NO YES
Manual
24
ANNEX 1 C. RESULTS FRAMEWORK GRENADA
Expected Impact: Improved learning outcomes (expected to happen beyond project completion, except perhaps for Grade 2 performance). Equity considerations:
gender, income, location, disability, ethnic groups
Project Development Objectives: The objectives of the proposed project are to (a) use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and
learning; (b) improve teacher practices at the primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate the
strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision making.
Indicator Name Core Unit of
Measure
Baseline
(GPE
2016)
Cumulative Target Values Frequency
Data Source
/Methodology
Resp. for
Data
Collection
Description
2017 2018 2019 2020
Impact Indicators
Primary School literacy Skills
% of pupils reading at or above their grade level at the key stages of grade 2 by gender, urban-rural residence
Primary School Mathematics Skills
% of pupils by gender and urban-rural residence performing at or above the minimum standards at grade 2 in Mathematics
Project Development Objective Indicators
PDO Indicator 1: Use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level
Percentage of
primary teachers
using formative
assessment based
on learning
standards
%
0
0
25
50
Annual
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Dpt
#of teachers using
formative
assessment/Total # of
primary school
teachers
Objective Indicator 2: Improve teacher practices at the primary level
25
Percentage of
teachers rated
effective on
classroom
practices20
% TBD TBD TBD TBD Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Number of teachers
assessed as
effective/Total
number of teachers
observed using
CLASS
Objective Indicator 3: Improve primary school leadership and accountability
Percentage of
primary schools
with a School
Improvement
Plans (SIP)
focused on
learning
outcomes
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary
schools with SIPS
focused on
learning/Total No. of
primary schools
Percentage of
school leaders
reporting on
progress of
teachers practices
and students
learning to
oversight bodies
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary school
leaders reporting
progress on teacher
practices and student
learning/Total No. of
primary school
leaders
Objection 4: initiate the strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision
making.
20
Capacity building for respective staff of the Ministries of Education is ongoing. Baseline data will be available by August 2016
26
Production of an
annual report on
plan
implementation
and performance
indicators at the
country level
YES/NO NO YES YES YES
MOE
Statistics
and Planning
Units
Country annual report
on Plan
implementation and
performance
indicators
.
Intermediate Results Indicators
Component 1 – Curriculum and assessment
Learners-centere
d assessment
framework and
guidelines for
using learning
standards
approved
YES/NO NO YES
Once
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 2 – Teacher Professional Development
Teacher
professional
development
course developed
YES/NO NO YES
Number of
teachers trained
and certified as
competent
#
Cumulative 0 0 72 144
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 3 – School Leadership and Accountability
Handbook for
school leaders
developed and
printed
YES/NO NO YES
Handbook
27
School
leadership
training
program
developed
YES/NO NO YES
Course
Number of
school leaders
certified in a
competence
based standards
# Cumulative 0 0 36 72
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Component 4 – Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Number of
teachers
monitored
through the
Classroom
Assessment
Scoring System
(CLASS)
#
Cumulative 0 53 80 107
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Number of
schools
analyzing and
using student
learning data
#
Cumulative 0 37 53 80
M&E Manual
developed YES/NO NO YES
Manual
28
ANNEX 1 D. RESULTS FRAMEWORK SAINT LUCIA
Expected Impact: Improved learning outcomes (expected to happen beyond project completion, except perhaps for Grade 2 performance). Equity considerations:
gender, income, location, disability, ethnic groups
Project Development Objectives: The objectives of the proposed project are to (a) use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and
learning; (b) improve teacher practices at the primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate the
strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision making.
Indicator Name Core Unit of
Measure
Baseline
(GPE
2016)
Cumulative Target Values Frequency
Data Source
/Methodology
Resp. for
Data
Collection
Description
2017 2018 2019 2020
Impact Indicators
Primary School literacy Skills
% of pupils literacy at or above their grade level at the key stages of grade 2 by gender, urban-rural residence
Primary School Mathematics Skills
% of pupils by gender and urban-rural residence performing at or above the minimum standards at grade 2 in Mathematics
Project Development Objective Indicators
PDO Indicator 1: Use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level
Percentage of
primary teachers
using formative
assessment based
on learning
standards
%
0
0
25
50
Annual
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Dpt
#of teachers using
formative
assessment/Total # of
primary school
teachers
Objective Indicator 2: Improve teacher practices at the primary level
29
Percentage of
teachers rated
effective on
classroom
practices21
% TBD TBD TBD TBD Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Number of teachers
assessed as
effective/Total
number of teachers
observed using
CLASS
Objective Indicator 3: Improve primary school leadership and accountability
Percentage of
primary schools
with a School
Improvement
Plans (SIP)
focused on
learning
outcomes
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary
schools with SIPS
focused on
learning/Total No. of
primary schools
Percentage of
school leaders
reporting on
progress of
teachers practices
and students
learning to
oversight bodies
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary school
leaders reporting
progress on teacher
practices and student
learning/Total No. of
primary school
leaders
Objection 4: initiate the strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision
making.
21
Capacity building for respective staff of the Ministries of Education is ongoing. Baseline data will be available by August 2016
30
Production of an
annual report on
plan
implementation
and performance
indicators at the
country level
YES/NO NO YES YES YES
MOE
Statistics
and Planning
Units
Country annual report
on Plan
implementation and
performance
indicators
.
Intermediate Results Indicators
Component 1 – Curriculum and assessment
Learners-centere
d assessment
framework and
guidelines for
using learning
standards
approved
YES/NO NO YES
Once
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 2 – Teacher Professional Development
Teacher
professional
development
course developed
YES/NO NO YES
Number of
teachers trained
and certified as
competent
#
Cumulative 0 0 88 177
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 3 – School Leadership and Accountability
Handbook for
school leaders
developed and
printed
YES/NO NO YES
Handbook
31
School
leadership
training
program
developed
YES/NO NO YES
Course
Number of
school leaders
certified in a
competence
based standards
# Cumulative 0 0 39 77
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Component 4 – Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Number of
teachers
monitored
through the
Classroom
Assessment
Scoring System
(CLASS)
#
Cumulative 0 66 98 131
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Number of
schools
analyzing and
using student
learning data
#
Cumulative 0 36 52 78
M&E Manual
developed YES/NO NO YES
Manual
32
ANNEX 1 E. RESULTS FRAMEWORK FOR SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
Expected Impact: Improved learning outcomes (expected to happen beyond project completion, except perhaps for Grade 2 performance). Equity considerations:
gender, income, location, disability, ethnic groups
Project Development Objectives: The objectives of the proposed project are to (a) use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and
learning; (b) improve teacher practices at the primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate the
strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision making.
Indicator Name Core Unit of
Measure
Baseline
(GPE
2016)
Cumulative Target Values Frequency
Data Source
/Methodology
Resp. for
Data
Collection
Description
2017 2018 2019 2020
Impact Indicators
Primary School literacy Skills
% of pupils literacy at or above their grade level at the key stages of grade 2 by gender, urban-rural residence
Primary School Mathematics Skills
% of pupils by gender and urban-rural residence performing at or above the minimum standards at grade 2 in Mathematics
Project Development Objective Indicators
PDO Indicator 1: Use learning standards to support evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level
Percentage of
primary teachers
using formative
assessment based
on learning
standards
%
0
0
25
50
Annual
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Dpt
#of teachers using
formative
assessment/Total # of
primary school
teachers
Objective Indicator 2: Improve teacher practices at the primary level
33
Percentage of
teachers rated
effective on
classroom
practices22
% TBD TBD TBD TBD Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Number of teachers
assessed as
effective/Total
number of teachers
observed using
CLASS
Objective Indicator 3: Improve primary school leadership and accountability
Percentage of
primary schools
with a School
Improvement
Plans (SIP)
focused on
learning
outcomes
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary
schools with SIPS
focused on
learning/Total No. of
primary schools
Percentage of
school leaders
reporting on
progress of
teachers practices
and students
learning to
oversight bodies
% 0% 0% 25% 50%
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
No. of primary school
leaders reporting
progress on teacher
practices and student
learning/Total No. of
primary school
leaders
Objection 4: initiate the strengthening of sector monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and decision
making.
22
Capacity building for respective staff of the Ministries of Education is ongoing. Baseline data will be available by August 2016
34
Production of an
annual report on
plan
implementation
and performance
indicators at the
country level
YES/NO NO YES YES YES
MOE
Statistics
and Planning
Units
Country annual report
on Plan
implementation and
performance
indicators
.
Intermediate Results Indicators
Component 1 – Curriculum and assessment
Learners-centere
d assessment
framework and
guidelines for
using learning
standards
approved
YES/NO NO YES
Once
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 2 – Teacher Professional Development
Teacher
professional
development
course developed
YES/NO NO YES
Number of
teachers trained
and certified as
competent
#
Cumulative 0 0 66 132
Annual
Project
Implementatio
n Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Education
Component 3 – School Leadership and Accountability
Handbook for
school leaders
developed and
printed
YES/NO NO YES
Handbook
35
School
leadership
training
program
developed
YES/NO NO YES
Course
Number of
school leaders
certified in a
competence
based standards
# Cumulative 0 0 34 67
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Component 4 – Project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
Number of
teachers
monitored
through the
Classroom
Assessment
Scoring System
(CLASS)
#
Cumulative 0 49 73 97
Annual
Project
Implementati
on Reports
MOE
Department
of Primary
Number of
schools
analyzing and
using student
learning data
#
Cumulative 0 40 57 86
M&E Manual
developed YES/NO NO YES
Manual
36
Annex 2: Detailed Project Description
OECS COUNTRIES: Support to Implementation of the Regional Education Strategy
1. The objectives of the proposed project are to (a) use quality learning standards to support
evidence-based teaching and learning at the primary level; (b) improve teacher practices at the
primary level; (c) strengthen primary school leadership and accountability; and (d) initiate the
strengthening of sector M&E capacity in support of evidence-based strategic management and
decision making, all in the member countries. The goal is to improve learning achievement but
given the short time frame for implementation (only three years) it is unlikely that changes will
be seen in learning achievement during the implementation period. The expected theory of
change is as follows:
2. Component 1: Curriculum and Assessment. This component will support the
following activities:
(a) Reviewing the harmonized curriculum to clarify grade-level learning standards for
primary education in literacy, numeracy, science, and social studies through (i)
37
consultant services and (ii) the carrying out of consultations at the regional and
member country levels
(b) Developing a learner-centered assessment framework to monitor the achievement of
learning standards (formative assessment), through (i) provision of consultant
services and (ii) the carrying out of consultations at the regional and member
country levels
(c) Developing and implementing guidelines for using the learning standards and
formative classroom assessment through (i) the provision of consultant services; (ii)
the carrying out of consultations at the regional and member country levels; and (iii)
the adaptation of the learning standards and formative assessment to member
country level context.
3. Effective instruction relies on clear learning standards and a high-quality system of
assessment so that in the course of instruction, teachers have insight into student learning and can
adjust instruction accordingly. Effective assessment also ensures that stakeholders in the school
community are aware of how all students (boys and girls and regardless of social economic
background or disability) benefited from instruction—or how instruction might be modified.
Clear learning standards will help guide classroom practices, including systematic formative and
summative classroom assessment to address learning deficiencies before children transition to
the next grade or exit the system. The best-performing countries have established learning
standards and developed assessment systems to monitor their achievement (Barber and
Mourshed 2007;23
Mourshed, Chijioke, and Barber 201024
). Placing students’ outcomes as the
main goal of educational policies requires that the learning outcomes to be achieved at every
grade level are clearly specified and that the level of expected performance is clear.
4. The project will support the following activities: (a) consultant services to facilitate
clarification of grade-level learning standards; the consultant will also ensure international best
practices are incorporated while developing the learning standards; (b) consultant services to
facilitate development of a learner-centered assessment framework to include formative
classroom assessment based on learning standards; (c) consultations (both at the regional and
country levels) to enable a wide range of stakeholders to provide inputs to the draft learning
standards and assessment framework; (d) printing and distribution of the learning standards and
assessment framework after incorporating inputs from stakeholder consultations; (e) further
country-level forum to adapt the standards and assessment framework to the country-level
context; and (f) orientation training activities for directors of studies and school leaders and
education officers to the learning standards and assessment framework.
5. Learning assessment will be an integral part of a cycle of standards, curriculum, and
instruction that forms an ongoing feedback loop to provide desired information to teachers,
parents, and students. It will be an ongoing process of gathering evidence of what each student
actually knows, understands, and can do in relation to the learning standards and goals and will
23
Barber, M., and M. Mourshed. 2007. How the World's Best Performing School Systems Come Out on Top.
McKinsey and Company. 24
Mourshed, M, C. Chijioke, and M. Barber. 2010. How the World’s Most Improved School Systems Keep Getting
Better. McKinsey and Company.
38
serve various purposes. The proposed assessment framework will be comprehensive and will be
at three levels: (a) regional, (b) national, and (c) classroom.
6. Assessment will serve the following purposes: (a) provide information that can help
ensure responsiveness to the needs of all students; (b) provide feedback to students, educators,
parents, policymakers, and the public about learner’s progress and the effectiveness of
educational services; (c) assessment results will be used to improve instruction to respond to
student learning needs and ensure that all students attain the defined learning goals; (d) help
teachers and school leaders make informed decisions about which strategies need to be
strengthened, how instructional strategies can be modified depending on what students
understand or misunderstand in the course of instruction, and whether or not instruction has been
successful; and (e) provide valuable information on the type of professional development
activities needed to improve teachers’ instructional practices.
7. The assessment framework will include three types of assessment.
Classroom or formative assessment will provide teachers and pupils with timely
feedback on student knowledge and ability to guide shifts in instruction instructional
plans and student learning. Research has demonstrated that formative assessments
improve student learning, with the largest gains among the lowest-performing
students (Black and William 1998).25
Formative assessments play a critical role in
narrowing learning gaps between student groups and can be used as a tool for
ensuring equitable access to learning opportunities in classrooms. Effective
formative assessment processes provide immediate, actionable data about classroom
learning to help teachers adjust their teaching practices. Formative tools help
teachers and students gauge learning, which can lead to more targeted student
questions and learning activities. Teachers can use formative assessment tools to
provide corrective feedback, modify their instruction, or identify areas where
additional instruction and other support is needed. Formative assessment will be the
main focus of the assessment reform.
Examinations for making decisions about each individual student’s progress
through the education system will be conducted at the end of the primary school
cycle and will be standardized and conducted at the regional level.
System-level assessment will be undertaken at grades 2 and 4 for monitoring and
providing policymakers and practitioners with relevant information of overall
performance levels in the system, changes in these levels over time, and related
contributing factors. These will be standardized and will be performed at national
level although they can also be compared at the regional level.
8. Component 2: Teacher Professional Development. This component will support the
following activities: (a) reviewing the teacher training programs in member countries; (b)
reviewing classroom practices in member countries to understand current practices and identify
capacity gaps; (c) developing a teacher professional development course and school-based 25
Black, Paul, and Dylan William. 1998. “Assessment and Classroom Learning.” Assessment in Education:
Principles, Policy and Practice 5 (1): 7–74. DOI:10.1080/0969595980050102
39
professional learning communities to improve classroom practices (use of formative assessment,
teacher-student interaction, and use of student learning data through consultant services; (d)
carrying out competence-based professional development activities for teachers26
in the member
countries through training on effective classroom practices, formative assessment, all in line with
learning standards and the use of student learning data; and (e) establishing an online community
of practice for teachers to access online instructional resources and share lesson plans and
experiences.
9. Teachers’ content knowledge and classroom practices are the single strongest in-school
predictor of student achievement (Barber and Mourshed 2007). Teacher professional
development will commence in the second year following materials development and consensus
building activities which will take place during the first year of implementation.. Teacher
professional development will be in the form of school-based professional learning communities.
This will include workshops and teachers’ engagement in ongoing self-reflection, peer support,
experimentation, and modification of instruction and management practices based on student
performance data, student work, and both learning and social behaviors embedded in teachers’
everyday teaching routine. Through an intensive process of collaborative and job-embedded
learning, teachers can gain content knowledge, technical strategies, and an improved
understanding of their own teaching and learning and of the various ways by which students
learn (Darlington-Hammond et al. 2009).27
It is therefore an ongoing professional learning
process grounded in teachers’ everyday work to support student success.
10. Teacher professional development will be competence based and will focus on improving
classroom practices, including emotional support, classroom organization, instructional support28
(to ensure that teachers understand the components of their teaching that matter for their student
achievement), formative assessment, and use of assessment information to tailor support to
student learning needs. It will be an ongoing professional learning process grounded in teachers’
everyday instructional routines to support student success. In addition to the face-to-face
professional training for teachers, the professional learning will involve teachers meeting on a
regular schedule in learning teams organized by grade-level or content-area assignments and
sharing responsibility for their students’ success. Learning teams will follow a cycle of
continuous improvement that begins with examining student data to determine the areas of
greatest student need, pinpointing areas where additional teacher learning is necessary,
identifying and creating learning experiences to address these needs, developing and sharing
lesson plans and assessments, applying new strategies in the classroom, reflecting on their
impact on student learning, and repeating the cycle with new goals. The project will also support
establishment of an online community of practice for teachers and school leaders to further
enhance professional collaboration. Teacher professional development will start with Pre-K
teachers.
26
The number of teachers in the four countries is as follows: Dominica (511); Grenada (903); St. Lucia (1,071); St.
