Domant Of The World Bank FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Report No. 6481 PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT MALI SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT (CREDIT 733-MLI) November 18, 1986 Operations Evaluation Department This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without Work Bank authorization. Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized
Transcript
Domant Of
The World Bank
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Report No. 6481
PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT
MALI
SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT
(CREDIT 733-MLI)
November 18, 1986
Operations Evaluation Department
This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performanceof their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without Work Bank authorization.
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FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLYTHE WORLD BANK
Washington. D.C 20431USA
office of Due< t4W-G~41tdOperatinns lValuaiten
November 18, 1986
MEMORANDUM TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND THE PRESIDENT
SUBJECT: Project Performance Audit Report: Mali Second EducationProject (Credit 733-MLI)
Attached, for information, is a copy of a report entitled"Project Performance Audit Report on Mali Second Education Project(Credit 733-MLI)" prepared by the Operations Evaluation Department.
Yves Rovani
by Ram K. Chopra
Attachment
This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performanceof their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
ABBREVIATIONS(with English acronyms)
BDPA - Bureau de développement de la production agricoleBIT - Bureau international du tra,ail
(ILO - International Labor Organization)BPE - Bureau du projet éducation
(EPO - Education Projects Office)CAA - Centre d'apprentissage agricole
(AAC - Agricultural Apprenticeship Center)CFEPC - Certificat de fin d'études du premier cycle
(PSLC - Primary School Leaving Certificate)CMDT - Compagnie malienne pour le développement des textiles
(MTCD - Mali Textile Development Company)CPS - Centre pédagogique supérieur
(HTTC - Higher Teacher Training Centre)CS - Centre de spécialisation agricoleDEA - Diplôme d'études approfondiesDEF - Diplôme de l'enseignement fondamental
(DBE - Diploma in Basic Education)DNAFLA - Direction nationale de l'alphabétisation fonctionnelle
et de la linguistique appliquée(NDFLAL - National Directorate for Functional Literacyand Applied Linguistics)
DNEF - Direction nationale de l'enseignement fondamentalDNETP - Direction nationale pour l'enseignement technique
et professionnelDNFAR - Direction nationale de la formation et de l'animation
rurale (NDREP - National Directorate for Rural Educationand Promotion)
DNPES - Direction nationale de la planification et de l'équipementscolaire (NDSPE - National Directorate for SchoolPlanning and Equipment)
EF - Enseignement fondamental(BE - Basic Education)
EHESS - Ecole des hautes études en sciehces socialesEIV - Eçole d'infirmiers vétérinaires
(SVN - School for Veterinary Nurses)ENETF - Ecole normale d'enseignement technique fémininENSEC - Ecole normale secondaire
(STTC - Secondary Teachers Training College)GRAEB - Groupe de recherche-action dans l'enseignement de base
(RAGBE - Research-Action Group in Basic Educatior.)
IDA - International Development Association(Association internationale pour le développement)
INA - Institut national des arts(NIA - National Institute of Arts)
INS - Institut national des sports(NSI - National Sports Institute)
IPEG - Institut pédagogique d'enseignement général(PIGE - Pedagogical Institute for General Education)
This document has a restricted distribution and may be used by recipients only in the performanceof their official duties. Its contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorization.
ABBREVIATIONS (cont'd)
IP - Institut pédagogique (Ecole normale)(PI - Pedagogical Institute (teacher training college))
IPGP - Institut de productivité et de gestion provisionnelle(IPFM - Institute for Productivity and ForecastingManagement)
IPN - Institut pédagogique national(NPI - National Pedagogical Institute)
IRAM - Institut de recherches et d'application des méthodesde développement
IRFED - Institut national de la recherche et de la formationpour l'éducation et le développement
Fiscal Year of Borrower
January 1 - December 31
PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT
MALI
SE(,OND EDUCATION PROJECT(CREDIT 733-MLI)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page No.
Preface ............................................................ iBasic Data Sheet ................................................... iiEvaluation Summary ................................. C............ v
PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT MEMORANDUM
I, PROJECT BACKGROUND ....................................... 1
Objectives .............................................. 1Design ............. 1..................................... 1Project Cost and Financing Plan .......................... 2Implementation Plan ...................................... 2
II. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND OUTCOMES ...................... 3
Project Design and Management ............................ 3Sequence . ............................................... 4Procurement ............................................. 4Reporting ....... 4...................................... 4Outcomes 5...............C............................. 5Sustainability ........................................... 7Role of Women ........................ CC.... . . 7
III. FINDINGS AND ISSUES ...................................... 7
Overview ................................ ..... C 7Findings and Lessons ....... C............................. 8
PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT
I. Summary and Conclusions .......... C....................... 11II. The Project - Context and Description ..... C....... 18
III. Project Management ....................................... 21IV. Means Employed in Developing the Project CCCC....C........ 22V. Project Costs ................ C...C..............C..... 26
VI. Project Results ,C.......... ............................. 28VII. The Bank's Role .............................. C........... 32VIII. The Government's Role ...... C............................. 35
TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont'd.)
Annexes Page No.
1. Comparison of Estimated and Actual Costs ................ 372. Data regarding Construction Costs ....................... 383. Project Implementation Schedule - Credit 733-MLI ......... 394. Execution of Credit Conditions ......................... 405. Trends in the Education Share of the National Budget ..... 426. Trends in the Share of the Education Budget
Allocated to Scholarships ............................... 437. Structure of the Education System........................ 448. Organigram of the Ministry of Education .................. 459. Organigram of Basic Education........................ 4610. Catchment Areas of Units, and Enrollments ............... 4711. Work Timetable of the Science Laboratory of the Second-
Cycle School Group at Hamdallaye, Plateaux 1 and 2 ...... 4812. Staff of the Science Units in Kayes and Gao .............. 5113. Kayes Training Institute ............................... 5214. Gao Training Institute ................................. 5315. List of Experimental "Ruralized" Schools in the
Sikasso Region ......................... 5416. Composition of the "Ruralization" Team in the NPI,
and of the Technical Assistance Team ................... 5517. List of the Principal Papers produced by the
"Ruralization" Team of the NPI as part of the ExecutiveTeam in the NPI, and of the Technical Assistance Team ... 57
18. Enrolments and Teachers in Experimental "Ruralized"Classes, (1983/84) ...................................... 59
19. Advanced Training for Rural Young People - Villagesincluded in the Training Schemes, and their Locations ... 60
20. Group IV - Female Training - Table of Villages whereFemale Training Schemes are operated - Summary Table .... 61
21. RAGBE. Subjects for Doctorate Theses submitted in July1983. Degree in Advanced Studies. Other Forms ofResearch conducted within the Group ..................... 63
22. Table of the Training Officials in the NationalLanguages (1979-1980-1981) ............. 65
23. Organigram of the Ministry of Agriculture ................ 6624. Organigram of the Directorate for Agricultural
Technical Education and Vocational Training ............. b725. The AACs in the Mali Education System .................... 6826. Enrolment Trends in the AACs ......................... 6927. New Program ............................. . 7028. Project Budget Covering the Mali Government's
Contribution .... .................. 7129. Experts and Scholarship Holders ..................... 72
Attachment I: Comments from the Borrower .......................... 73
PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT
MALI
SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT(CREDIT 733-MLI)
PREFACE
This is a performance audit of the Second Education Project inMali, for which a Credit of US$10 million was approved in July 1977 andsigned in September 1977. The credit account was closed in May 1984, whenthe sum of US$350,000 remaining in it was cancelled.
The audit report consists of a Project Performance Audit Memorandum(PPAM) prepared by the Operations Evaluation Department (OED) and a ProjectCompletion Report (PCR) dated June 1985. The PCR was prepared by a UNESCOmission which visited Mali in June 1984 and was issued by the Western AfricaRegional Office.
The PPAM is based on a review of material in Bank files, includingthe Appraisal Report No. 1379a-MLI and the President's Report No. P-2118-MLI,both dated June 24, 1977, the Development Credit Agreement dated September30, 1977, correspondence with the Borrower relating to this project, the PCR,and discussions with Borrower and Bank staff associated with the project. Asmall sample of project institutions was visited by an OED staff member dur-ing an OED mission visit in January 1986. The Project Performance AuditReport (PPAR) on the First Education Project in Mali supported by Credit420-MLI (Report No. 3848 dated March 9, 1982) has also been consulted.
The PCR, while it contains much useful detailed information, waswritten by staff unfamiliar with the project and, in the view of the audit,does not adequately cover questions of project design and outcomes, and ofIDA staff involvement in the project. These elements are therefore givenparticular emphasis in the audit memorandum.
As is customary in the preparation of audit reports, copies of thedraft audit report--in a French translation--were sent to the representativesof the Borrower for comment; this was done in July 1986. Comments receivedfrom the Government have been taken into account in finalizing the report andan English translation of the comments is reproduced as Attachment I.
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PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT BASIC DATA SHEET
MALI
SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT(CREDIT 733-MLI)
KEY PROJECT DATA
Appraisal Actual orItem Expectation Current Estimate
Actual -- 0.91 3.12 5.18 6.40 8.16 9.53 9.65Actual as % of Estimate 29 42 55 64 82 95 97
OTHER PROJECT DATA
Original Actual orItem Plan Revisions Est. Actual
First Mention in Files 08/11/75Government's Application none on fileNegotiations 04/18-21/77Board Approval 07/37/77Date of Credit Agreement 09/30/7Effectiveness Date before 12/01/77 before 02/01/78 01/31/78Closing Date 06/30/83 none 05/30/84 /bBorrower Republic of MaliExecuting Agency Project Implementation Unit, Ministry of EducationFollow-on Project Name Third Education Project
Credit Numbers Credit 1442-MLI and SF-10-MLIAmounts (US$ million) 4.6 and 4.9Credit Agreement Date 03/15/84
/a The project was scaled down when an overrun was foreseen.7-b The Credit Account was closed as of this date. The last disbursement had been
made on April 3, 1984.
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MISSION DATA
Sent Month/ No. of No. of Staff Date ofItem _y Year Days Persons* Weeks** Report
Identification IDA 03/76 1.5 2 3.0 04/15/76(Project Brief)
Appraisal IDA 06/76 2.5 4 10.0 06/24/77Pre-Negotiation IDA 03/77 1.0 2 1.5 03/25/77Pre-Board Presentation IDA 05/77 3.0 1 0.5 none on filePre-Implementation IDA 07/77 1.0 2 1.0 10/11/77
Total 16.0
Supervision I IDA 02/78 1.0 2(G,A) 1.0 04/18/78Supervision II IDA 07/78 1.0 1(G) 0.5 09/08/78Supervision III IDA 12/78 1.0 1(G) 0.5 01/17/79Supervision IV IDA 02/79 1.0 1(A) 0.5 02/15/79 BTOSupervision V IDA 10/79 1.0 2(G,A) 1.0 11/20/79Supervision VI IDA 03/80 2.0 2(E,Ag) 1.0 05/21/80Supervision VII IDA 06/80 1.0 1(A) 0.5 09/05/80Supervision VIII 1DA 10/80 1.0 3(A,Ag) 1.5 11/25/80Supervision IX IDA 04/81 1.0 1(Ag) 0.5 04/22/81 BTOSupervision X IDA 05/81 1.0 1(Ac) 1.0 05/27/81Supervision XI IDA 07/81 1.5 3(G,Ag) 2.0 09/21/81Supervision XII IDA 10/81 1.0 1(G) 0.5 11/18/81 BTOSupervision XIII IDA 04/82 1.0 3(A,Ag) 1.5 05/24/82Supervision XIV IDA 04-05/82 1.5 1(Ac) 1.5 05/18/82Supervijion XV IDA 10/82 1.0 1(A) 0.5 10/29/82Supervision XVI IDA 12/82 1.0 2(G,Ag) 1.0 none on fileSupervision XVII IDA 02/83 1.5 1(Ac) 1.5 03/03/83Supervision XVIII IDA 05/83 1.0 1(G) 0.5 05/26/83
(letter)Completion UNESCO 06/84 2.0 2(G,A) 4.0 06/85
* A = Architect; G - General Educator; E = EconomistAg - Agricultural Educator; Ac = Accounting Specialist
** Number of Staff-weeks attributable to this project.
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COUNTRY EXCHANGE RATES
Name of Currency (abbreviation) - Malian Franc (MF)
Exchange Rates:
Appraisal Year Average (1977) -- US$1 - MF 490Intervening Years Average -- US$1 - MF 550 (402 at end 1979)Completion year (1984) -- US$1 - MF 798
ALLOCATION OF CREDIT PROCEEDS(US$)
Original ActualCtegor Allocation Disbursements
1. Design and Civil Works 3,000,000 3,664,723.56
2. Furniture 100,0G3 179,858.56
3. Equipment and Vehicles 1,310,000 2,060,597.06
4. Personnel 2,660,000 2,648,313.80
5. Fellowships 170,000 17,720.80
6. Literacy Program:
(a) Construction 400,000 -(b) Equipment and Vehicles 580,000 554,792.86(c) Personnel 80,000 98,285.94
7. Project Unit 200,OOC 227,607.85
8. Special Account 200,000 200,000.00
9. Unallocated 1,300,000 ---
(Total Disbursed) (9,651,900.43)
Cancelled 348,099.57
Total 10,000,000 10,000,000.00
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PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT REPORT
MALI
SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT(CREDIT 733-MLI)
EVALUATION SUMMARY
Introduction
This project was identified in March 1976 and appraised in June1976. Total project costs were estimated at US$12 million and an IDA Creditof US$10 million, to meet all foreign exc-hange costs and a considerableproportion of local costs, was approved in July 1977 and a Credit Agreementsigned in September 1977. The Credit became effective at the end of January1978. The Closing Date of the Credit, June 30, 1983, was never changed;however, the final disbursement was made in April 1984 and the Credit Accountwas closed in May 1984 when the sum of about US$350,000 remaining in it wascancelled. The project was reduced in scope during implementation; totalproject costs at completion were estimated at US$10.9 million equivalent.
Objectives
The project had wide-ranging objectives. These included (i)improving secondary education by the construction of two science and techno-logy centers to serve groups of schools, and construction of science andtechnology rooms at twenty rural schools; (ii) improving primary education byrenovating a Primary Teacher Training College; (iii) meeting needs fortrained agricultural manpower by the construction or renovation of threeagricultural technician centers; (iv) improving management training byconstructing new premises for a National Management Institute; (v) improvingfunctional literacy by providing houses and offices for the staff concernedand (vi) improving basic education by developing, implementing and evaluatingnew programs. A considerable amount of technical assistance (129 man-years)and some fellowships (13 man-years) were to be financed to assist in theachievement of the project's objectives.
Implementation Experience
Initially held up by difficulties in recruiting technical assist-ance personnel, the project subsequently ran into difficulties because of thedecline in the value of the US Dollar relative to the Malian Franc, thusreducing the value of the Credit. A subsequent strengthening of the USdollar could not make up for time lost. The project suffered also fromserious government difficulties in providing cou-Aterpart funds in a timelymanner. Overall, the project design proved over-complicated with too manydifferent entities involved. The implementation experience could have been
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much worse had the two successive Malian project directors not been very com-petent, and indeed been assisted by IDA staff whose continuity on successivemissions enabled them to get to know the project well. Increasing unit costsled to some elements being deleted--the Primary Teacher Training College andthe Management Institute--and others reduced (only 9 of the 20 ruralscience/technology additions were built).
Results
These have been mixed. The science/technology centers are func-tioning but lack reasonably trained staff and, almost equally important,supplies of consumable materials. These centers are suffering from thedifficulties the Government has to meet the recurrent costs of good trainingin science and technology, costs which are of course much higher than thosein programs which do not involve individual experiments or practical exer-cises. The science/technology rooms in the nine schools which have been pro-vided with them are also not being used well for the same reasons; the auditconsiders in view of these problems that IDA would have been wise to acceptthe Government request during implementation to limit this component to thethree sets of rooms which had already been built. The agricultural schoolsare functioning better, but here the problem is that their outputs are havingincreasing difficulties in finding jobs because of past government policieswhich guaranteed a government job to every graduate and the saturation of therelevant labor market which has resulted. The functional literacy and basiceducation programs are regarded as the most successfil elements of the proj-ect but such programs are difficult to evaluate.
Sustainability
Essentially for the reasons mentioned in the last paragraph--i.e.,recurrent cost financing problems with the science/technology programs, itappears unlikely that these programs will be sustainable in the Maliancontext over the long term: indeed the government itself wished to cut downone of these programs further during project implementation when it becameclear that the program was not replicable on a large scale. The sustain-ability of the agricultural schools is also in doubt because of the diffi-culty their graduates are beginning to find in getting jobs. The benefits ofthe functional literacy and basic education programs are more difficult toquantify but here again their sustainability is in doubt--for example, publi-cation of the national language newspaper Kibaru has already ceased.
Main Findings and Lessons
(i) Despite dedicated work by both project and IDA staff involved inthe implementation phase the project has not fulfilled its objec-tives, partly because its design was too complicated and it triedto advance on too broad a front in difficult areas such as qualityimprovement, curriculum reform, and nonformal education (paras. 9,11, 16 and 29).
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(ii) IDA staff handled very well a question of non-payment ofcontractor's bills by the Government, prevailing upon it to meetits obligations (para. 13).
(iii) PCRs should be written by staff familiar with the project,especially in projects such as this, where hard-to-evaluate qualityimprovement is aimed at (para. 17).
(iv) Documentation needed to justify disbursement, or other importantBank Group action, should be retained on file (para. 19).
(v) Recurrent cost implications of projects must be kept in the fore-front of IDA staff thinking regarding projects in Mali; in thisproject the science units and the ruralized schools have highrecurrent costs which the Government cannot support (paras. 26 and30).
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PROJECT PERFORMANCE AUDIT MEMORANDUM
MALI
SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT(CREDIT 733-MLI)
I. PROJECT BACKGROUND
ObjectiveL,
1. An IDA project identification mission visited Mali in March 197oand reviewed the Government's priorities in the sector, which included thefurther improvement of science and technology instruction in secondaryschools and the development of low-cost programs for basic education,elements which were both being assisted under the First Education Project.This search for low-cost basic education was of great importance in theMalian context, as at the time of appraisal only 22% of the 6 - 13 age groupwas attending school, although some 35% of public expenditures were devotedto education. The Government requested also that IDA consider assisting theGovernment in extending an ongoing functional literacy program for farmersand in meeting critical manpower training needs (i) for senior and middlelevel managers for the public and private sectors and (ii) for junioragricultural and livestock technicians. This second project, appraised inJune 1976, was intended to help meet these priority needs.
Design
2. The project was in three parts:
Part A consisted in the construction, furnishing, and equipping of(i) two science and technology centers, at Gao and Kayes, which hadbeen included in the first project but could not be financed underit because of a lack of funds; (ii) science rooms and technologyworkshops for twenty rural lower secondary schools in the Sikassoregion; (iv) agricultural training centers at Samanko (renovation)and Kita (new) and a (new) school for veterinary technicians atSotuba; (v) a National Management Institute (IPGP) at Bamako, and(vi) offices and housing for the functional literacy program.
Part B, itself in three parts, consisted of (i) the carrying out ofa functional literacy program administered by the Groundnut andFoodcrop Development Scheme, (ii) the development, implementationand evaluation of new programs in basic education, functionalliteracy and ruralization to be carried out by the NationalDirectorate of Functional Literacy and Applied Linguistics (DNAFLA)and the National Pedagogical Institute (IPN), and of trainingprograms for the IPGP; and (iii) the procurement of vehicles,equipment and materials for (i) and (ii) above and for the ProjectUnit.
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Part C, again in three parts, consisted of (1) the design, develop-ment and evaluation of programs for the institutions in Part A, andthe training of instructors and on-the-job training o students;(ii) training of lecturers for the I1PGP and for the functionalliteracy program through fellowships outside Mall; and (Iii) theexpansion of the Borrower's functional literacy program through theestablishment and operation of about 1,600 village centers.
3. The project provided, in total, financing for 129 man-years ofspecialist/consultant services and 13 man-years of fellowships for Malianpersonnel, for the appointment of the majority of whom IDA agreement onqualifications and experience was required.
Project Cost and Financing Plan
4. The total project cost, including taxes, was estimated at MF 5,949million, or US$12.0 million equivalent at the rate of exchange then pre-vailing (US$1=MF 490). Net of taxes, the project costs were estimated atUS$11.2 million equivalent. The IDA credit, on standard terms, of USS10.0million was to finance 100% of the estimated foreign exchange component ofUS$7.1 million and about 71% of local costs. The balance of the net costs ofUS$1.2 million and US$0.8 million of taxes were to be financed by the Govern-ment. The recurrent costs of the project were estimated at about MF 200million (US$0.4 million equivalent) per annum, or 1.5% of the total recurrentcosts for education and training.
Implementation Plan
5. The existing Project Unit established under the First EducationProject, was to be responsible for all design work, procurement and adminis-tration of all contracts, with the exception of the functional literacyprogram, which was to be administered by the OACV. Civil works procurementwas to be by local competitive bidding, the procedure- for which had beenjudged acceptable to IDA, with some small works being c.nstructed using forceaccount. Furniture and equipment contracts would bo !et subject to IDAguidelines, with International Competitive Bidding for such lots overUS$50,000.
6. With the project's both implicit and explicit emphasis on softwareelements and quality improvement, construction elements were mad- subject todisbursement conditions--for example, no disbursement was to be made lor theconstruction of the agricultural and veterinary technician traiiing centersunder Part A of the project until an Advisory Council chaired by the Ministerof Rural Development and with terms of reference and membership satisfactoryto IDA had been established to advise such centers on admissions, programsand placement of trainees; additionally, no disbursements in respect of thejunior agricultural technician training center at Sameiko would be made untiladequate technical assistance for this center had been assured by an appro-priate agency. No disbursements were to be made foi the development ofprograms in basic education until the programs of cour-cs to be developed,their design and their estimated costs had been found satisfactory by theBorrower and IDA.
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7. The Credit iigreement, signed on September 30, 1977, envisaged thatthe project would be completed by December 31, 1982, with a Closing Date ofJune 30, 1983, although no activities were shown in the ImplementationSchedule in the Staff Appraisal Report (SAR) beyond the first. quarter of1982, by which time all technical assistance would have been supplied. TheSAR envisaged that all construction works would have been completed bymid-1981 (see Basic Data).
11. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND 0UTCM0fF.S
Project Dusign and Manapemnt
8. The Project Unit in thu Ministry of NatLionl EducaLion appears tohave performeo very well during the course of this project: it had only twoDirectors during the whole course of project implementation and thiscont-inuity was particularly helpful in a project such as this where manyproject elements were involved, most of which concentiated on softwarequality elements rather than the more easily dealt with -rdwaie.
9. However, despite the dedicated efforts of these project directorsthis project suffered from an overcomplicated proj--ct design, not only inregard to the number and kind of its components, but also because elementsoutside the project unit Ministry were involved. The agricultural schoolswere under the aegis of the Ministry of Rural Development and the functionalliteracy component, attempting to assist no less than 1,600 village centers,was under the Groundnut and Fooderop Development Scheme. It was to beexpected that once the project began to encounter problems, for example, withcost overruns involving cutbacks in project content, that theserepresentatives of other Ministries would feel that they were being less welltreated than they should have been.
10. The Credit was declared effective on January 31, 1978, about twomonths after the date originally envisaged. The project was soon in trouble,with the first supervision mission of February 1976 regarding it as havingquite serious problems. At this stage the main problems were those ofrecruiting technical assistance: the complicated project design involved theappointment of considerable numbers of specialists. Bank files contain manydocuments relating to technical assistance and it is difficult to find one'sway about in this maze of documentation. One of the main problems is thatone is unclear which particular technical assistance post is being spoken ofin the documentation; it would be helpful in future projects for eachtechnical assistance post to be identified by a position description and begiven a reference letter or number, to be mentioned in all correspondencerelating to the particular post.
11. Annex 29 of the PCR gives details of the technical assistance whichwas intended and which was actually supplied. It is notable that the kindsof expert actually supplied differed greatly from those envisaged. Thisannex indicates no less than 31 different kinds of experts were forecast as
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being necessary; of these only 6 were used. Annex 29 reveals the complexityof this project, with its listing of more than 40 expert specializations,divided into seven groups, dependent on where the expert was supposed to beemployed. It is difficult to see how IDA staff could possibly have dealtadequately with the problems of approving terms of reference, qualifications,and conditions of employment for the numbers of people shown.
Sequence
12. The problems of technical assistance adumbrated above continuedthroughout the duration of the project, which also suffered throughout itsimplementation period by government problems in providing counterpart funds.These problems became more acute still when the value of the US dollardeclined to some 400 Malian Francs at the time when disbursements could havebeen expected to be at their highest, compared with nearly 500 at the time ofappraisal. At this period of dollar decline further cuts in the project wereconsidered, but were not made when the dollar strengthened considerably inthe 1980s thus increasing the value of the US dollar denominated Credit.These fluctuations in the value of the dollar seem to have had some adverseeffects on project implementation which are however difficult to quantify.
Procurement
13. It is worth noting that a certain contractor's bills remainedunpaid by the Government over a long period. This contractor asked IDA forassistance, and IDA prevailed upon the Government to have these amountspaid. The audit generally commends the way IDA staff handled this situation,although it was not mentioned in any supervision report and was not broughtto the attention of higher management. Contractors are often interested inbidding, and in offering reasonable prices, because the Bank Group is in-volved in a project. These advantages may well be compromised if staff donot, as a matter of course, try to see that justice is done in fulfillingcontracts and in the contractors' being paid for work done.
14. The audit has nothing to add to the comments on furniture andequipment procurement mentioned in the PCR (paras. 4.16-4.18) which indicatethat some unsuitable material was purchased and that there were some delaysbecause of slowness of initial payments to contractors.
Reporting
15. IDA supervision of this project was generally of a very high stand-ard indeed, with good continuity between supervision missions. Only sevendifferent persons took part in the 18 supervision missions on this project,and the two main project officers each took part in seven missions extendingover the whole life of the project. Not only this, but they establishedexcellent relations with the Government staff and were very helpful.
16. However, good supervision and the fine work of the successiveproject directors could not entirely compensate for an excessively compli-cated and over-ambitious project. Also, while there was excellent continuity
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of supervision staff, there was a complete lack of continuity betweenappraisal and supervision staff. No member of the appraisal mission eversupervised the project.
17. Nor, at the end of the project, was the knowledge which IDA staffhad amasbed utilized in preparing the PCR, which was entrusted to two UNFSCOstaff, one a consultant., neither of whom had ever supervised the project. Asa result the PCR is lacking, especially in its treatment of the many softwareelements of this project, which would have benefited from the insights ofsomeone who had a continuing involvement with the project. The PCR also hasnumerous other shortcomings including conflicting information on events.
18. Three of the 18 supervision missions were staffed by specialists inauditing and accounts; the first of these reports written following thesemissions was very critical of what had been done in this field beforehand.New procedures were suggested and were put into place to some extent, thougheven by the end of the project the situation regarding project accounts wasnot judged entirely satisfactory for lack of qualified personnel in theproject unit. The point to be made in this audit is that, if the accounts ofthis project unit were in some ways deficient, then greater attention needsto be paid to accounting matters generally, for more attention was paid tothis aspect of project implementation in this project than in most educationprojects audited to date.
19. Most of the supervision missions produced full reports which are onfile, ei listed in the Basic Data. A notable exception however is the reportof the February 1979 supervision mission. This report is of particularimportance, as according to IDA's Controller's Department it stated that alldisbuysement conditions had been met. The audit has been unable to trace acopy of this report, nor does Controller's Department have one. TheBack-to-Office report of this mission, consisting of a telex from th0 field,makes no mention of disbursement conditions having been met. The auditconsiders that documentation which is necessary to justify disbursement, orother important Bank Group action, should be retained on file.
Outcomes
20. The project elements will be dealt with in the same order as theyare listed in paragraph two. The science and technology units at Gao andKayes have been built, and according to the PCR are benefiting nearly 2,000lower secondary students at Kayes and nearly 1,350 students at Gao (PCR,pare.. 6.4). However, the PCR records problems in the number and quality ofthe .eakhers and service staff, and in the replenishment of consumablematerials The audit mission was unable to visit Gao and Kayes because ofdistace and time constraints, but did visit a similar unit in Bamakoprovided under the first project. This unit suffers from the problemsidentified in the PCR. The lack of consumable materials was particularlyevident; also some unsuitable chemicals (e.g., sodium peroxidel) had been:,rcnased. In view of the high recurrent costs of units such as these andz#ie difficult economic situation of Mali the results to date do not justifythe further construction of such units. The utilization of the existingunits using less sophisticated materials and with a less ambitious curriculummight be considered,
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21. To avoid cost overruns only 9 out of 20 rural secondary schoolswere provided with science rooms and technology workshops. Two of these werevisited by the audit mission, involving a 1,000 km round trip. This visitconfirmed the difficulties with this project item mentiored in the POR para.6.9--insufficient.ly practical courses, unciertrained teachers, and lack ofoperational funds. There is, above all, a Lack of teachers. During projectimplementation it became clear that the recurrent costs of these schoolswould be such that this experiment could not be generalized, and theGovernment wanted to limit the experiment to the units already built forthree schools. Nine schools were in the event provided with additionalfacilities. It is arLuable that it would have been better to have agieed tothe Government request. It would seem sensable in future projects involving
basic education that unit recurrent costs not be increased. Here again theutilization of the facilities using a more simple curriculum based as far aspossible on locally available materials and studying local phenomena ought tobe considered.
22. The Primary Teacher Iraining College was not built, but the threeproject agricultural centers were constructed and/or renovated. The auditmission visited the centers at Sotuba and S-imanko. The new Sotuba Center isworking reasonably well, but the completion of its construction has coincidedwith far less jobs being available for its output than heretofore: in 1984for example, c.ut of 50 graduates 43 got jobs, in 1985 only 14. This hashappened in large part because for many y-ars all the t iduates got jobs inGovernment service; now the labor market, at any rate in the public sector,is saturated. During the generation of this project I)A staff recognizedthis developing situation as far back as 19/6, but the Qacstion was not takenup with the Government then, at any rate in any effectie way.
23. The ve'trinary school at Sotuba and the scho-l at Samanko bothsuffer from a serious water supply problem-. in Sotuba because there simplyis not enough water, and in Samanko because there is no fuel and bence noelectricity to pump the water. The existence of an adequate water supplyshould be a sine qua non in the selection of sites for such schools. Thiswas not given sufficient attention in this project.
24. Further details of these schools and their enrollments are given inthe PCR paras. 6.14 through 6.16. By and large the audit agrees with thesecomments; some progress has been made in improving the training offered.However, the PCR's para. 6.16, which is correct, contradicts its para.6.14(a). It also seems questionable whether the construction of all thefacilities at the veterinary school at Sotuba was entirely necessary giventhe existence nearby of a Training and Communications Center (CFC-Centre deFormation et Communications) financed by USAID. in 1982 it was suggestedthere may be some overlap, and that a consultant should look into thesituation. There is no evidence that this was ever done.
25. New premises for the National Management Institute at Bamako werenot financed under the project, though technical assistance was supplied forit. Neither this audit nor the PCR (para. 6.17) has any substantialinformation on this component.
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2b. The functional literacy and basic education components of theproject appe'rc to be reasonably dealt with in the PCR (paras. 6.10-6.13).These essetI.ly software elements are almost impossible to evaluate bypersons unfamiiiar with the project and visiting several years after theprogram has been implemented, unless a considerable amount of time andresearch Js expended. The OED mission visited briefly the NationalPedagogical. Institute (IPN) and the National Directorate for FunctionalLiteracy and Applied Linguistics (DNAFLA). Some of the doctoral theses ofDNAFLA staff supported under the project were weighty tomes which appeared tobe gathering 6ust in the Ministry of Education headquarters. One hopes theyhave been useful in Mali. Both DNAFLA and IPN are now suffering from anacute shortage of operational funds which confine headquarters staff toBamako and as a result the staff have become somewhat divorced from what ishappening in tme field. One point of great interest is that research inMali, accordirg to the IPN, has shown that, when students have had theirinitial grounding in their native language, then in the late.- stages of theireducation they do better, even in French-based studies, than students whoseinstruction has: been entirely in French. This is a fi,ding which is worthfollowing up. There is also the point made by certati Interlocutors of theOED mission that, rather than research all the languages mentioned in the PCR(para. 6.11(a)) it would have been better to concen(rate initially on themain local language (Bambara) alone. The OED mission feels this may be thecase, but is insufficiently familiar with the problem to -ay more about it.
Sustainabilit-,
27. As .as already been indicated, the sustainability of projectbenefits for m of the elements of this project is very problematic. Boththe science i.sitp and the ruralized schools have high recurrent costs whichthe Governmei.- cannot support (PPAM, paras. 20-21) and the graduates of theveLerinary center are now having difficuiLte3 in finding employment.
Ro'> of Womer
28r fhe PCR records (para. 6.11(c) and Annex 20) that village womenweie trained in pilot progran in dyeing, soap making, and operating milletmijs, leading to an improvement in their working conditions.
Ill. FINDINGS AND LESSONS
Overview
29. The final asse.;sment of this project must be that the project wasoverambitious with too many components and trying to advance on too broad afront in difficult areas--quality improvement, curriculum reform, nonformaleducation, and so on. Despite the high quality and hard work of successiveprojact directocs and the IDA staff involved in assistance with implementa-tion the project cannot be said to be achieving its objectives in mostarEs. Probably the most successful element was the literacy component,which the PCR (par-. 8.5) says, somewhat e::travagantly perhaps, has produced
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"excellent results." It is difficult to judge between the final effect of anambitious project which does not achieve all its objectives compared with amore limited effort which does. However, the audit strongly endorses thelatter approach in view of the morale-destroying effect of failure to reachobjectives.
Findings and Lessons
30. The PCR's summary of project achievements is given at length in itspara. 7.10, which the audit considers presents in general rather too rosy apicture of project achievements. This paragraph did not appear in the origi-nal version of the PCR prepared by UNESCO. Ongoing IDA involvement in thesector is sketched in the PCR (para. 7.11) which indicates that the ThirdEducation Project will continue the thrusts of the First and the Second.While this is alright as far as it goes the audit would like to see greaterefforts made in simplifying projects in Mali and greater attention being paidto the issue of recurrent costs.
31. The audit is hesitant to endorse the PCR findings that the non-fulfillment of time clauses by contractors makes it essential to pay muchmore attention to tenderer's financial and technical capacities than to thesize of their tenders (PCR, para. 8.1) as this would seem to call into ques-tion the whole concept of competitive bidding. The audit considers thatcontractor pre-qualification is the real answer to this problem. However,the files indicate that the main problem with fulfilling contracts in thisproject was the Government's inability to pay contractors' accounts in atimely fashion because of government financial difficulties. The lesson tobe learned here is that these government financial constraints, both inmeeting recurrent costs and its share of capital costs, must be carefullytaken into account by IDA staff in developing projects in Mali and in othersimilarly placed countries. The audit agrees with the PCR (paras. 8.2 and8.7) in this connection.
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PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT
MALI
SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT(CREDIT 733-MLI)
September 25, 1985
Projects DepartmentWestern Africa Regional Office
簪派發 ，k 否計 ！斗
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PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT
MALI - SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT (CREDIT 733-MLIJ
CHAPTER I - SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
Aims
1.1 The aim of the Second Education Project was to assist the Governmentin:
W applying the reform to junior secondary schools byintroducing new science and technology programmes andexperimenting with the new programmes for "ruralized"schools;
(ii) devel.oping more economical basic education programmes;
H10 trHining agricultural experts and veterinary nurses;
Hv) training in planning and management of administrative staffin the priority sectors of the econowj and education.
1.2 The Project, which was identified in 1976, was appraised in 1977and im-Dicmented from 1978 to 1983.
.Compone4s, of the Project*
1.3 To attain the objectives thus fixed, the Project comprised thefollowing components:
Objective No.1
Component a) Introduction of Science and Technology
Component b) "Ruralization"
Objective No.2
Component a) Adult literacy and education programme implemented by theNDFLAL
Component b) Functional literacy programme in the framework of the GFCO
.)bjective No.3
Com-Donent a) Training agricultural experts and specialists in theframework of the NDREE
Component b) Training veterinary nurses
Objective Vo.4
Component Preliminary and in-service training for administrative
staff at the IPFM
1.4 The Project Office is a separate additional component.
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Physical Implementation
1.5 The physical implementation of the project was not entirelysatisfactory. There were a number of delays because of slowness inselecting sites and difficulties in obtaining counterpart funds. Themulti-purpose science and technology workshops for "ruralization" schoolswere reduced to nine instead of the twanty planned for. The constructionof the SYN was revised downwards because of a drop in the exchange rate.The buildings for the IPFM, and for the PI at Loulimi were not constructedunder the project but were subsequently included as components in other Bank-financed projects.
Cost and Financing of the Prolect
1.6 At the time of the completion mission, the cost of the Projectamounted to MF 5,897,986,000 or US $ 10,933,427, that is, 9.75% less thanthe anticipated cost of US $ 12,000,000 at the time of appraisal. Thecredit amounting to US $ 10,000,000 was sipposed to finance 83.3% of theproject cost inclusive of taxes, estimated aT US $ 12,000,000.
1.7 Total disbursements of the credit amounted to US $ 9,651,900.43and covered 88% of the real cost of the project which was US $ 10,933,427.A sum of US $ 348,099.57 was cancelled..
Project Management
1.8 The Education Project Office (EPO), attached to the Ministry ofEducation, which was created on the occasion of the first educatiom project,undertook the management of the second project on behalf of all theMinistries concerned. A serious problem encountered in administeringthe project was the change of director and the extra work assigned tothe Office staff for schools or institutions which do not form part ofthe project. There were some weaknesses in the Accounts and PurchasingDepartments but fortunately these were corrected during the third project.Inadequate co-ordination between the Purchasing and Research Departmentsled to the acquisition of a certain amount of unsuitable equipment andsupplies.
Project Results
1.9 Continuing the action undertaken under the first project, the secondproject aimed at the four objectives specified in paragraph 1.1. whoseimplementation consisted of financing the following components:
- Introduction of science and technology at the junior secondarylevel. This component made it possible to make science andtechnology units available for 4,000 additional pupils. Newprogrammes were drawn up including 50% of practical sub4ectsdesigned to encourage actions related to the milieu surrounding
the school. The teachers were given special training for the
implementation of these new programmes.
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Novever, the results obtained did not measure up to expectationsbecause of: (i) the very sophisticated equipment; (ii)inadequate training of the teachers, due to lack of fundsto use this equipment and teach the new subjects, (IMiexcessively high recurrent costs which were difficult forthe country to sustain. This led to the gradual laying asideof the equipment provided and the resumption in many schoolsof a form of instruction that was just as theoretical as ithad been before. The administration of these units and theorganisation of their use by several classes in the areaswhere they were set up was sometimes difficult. This difficultywas increased by the excessively high number of pupils comparedto the insufficient number of teachers for technical subjects.
- The second component of this reform concerns junior primaryeducation in rural schools, whose programmes had to be adaptedto the realities and needs of the country. An experimentwas conducted in the Sikasso area where multi-purpose workshopswere erected for nine schools instead of the twenty planned.However, the fact that this reform was confined to the juniorsecondary stage instead of being applied to the entire primaryand secondary system impaired the results by making it moredifficult to change in three years that which is based onseven years of traditional schooling. New programmes to replacethe old ones were produced by the NPI but, since the latteris located in Bamako and is therefore far from the regionconcerned, it was not in a position to ensure that the newprogrammes were adapted to the needs of the community.
- The number and diversity of the subjects to be "ruralized",and their lack of-cohesion, made the NPI's task more difficult.Moreover, the NPI did not receive from the IIRTED and theMali researchers surveys of the community clearly definingthe objectives and the conditions for their realization.Fortunately, an attempt has been made in the third projectto remedy these shortcomings, and the "ruralization" of primaryeducation in conjunction with that of the junior secondarystage seems to be proceeding now in the right direction -by tackling Mali's educational problems at their roots.
1.10 As regards basic education, the objective sought was to extendthe results of the First Project relating to basic education alternativesat lowest cost, by implementing:
a) an adult literacy and education component under theresponsibility of the NDFLAL
b) a functional literacy component under the responsibility ofthe GFCO.
Adult literacy and education
1.11 This component enabled the NDFLAL to train 12,000 leaders intranscribing and reading the national languages, to develop linguisticresearch in six other national languages by producing for each of themreading and arithmetic booklets, teachers' guides, a transcription guide,a glossary, and scientific terminologies, thus making it possible to conducteducation in each of these languages.
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1.12 Action aimed at young people was conducted in six test villagesin the production areas. This made it possible to adjust the highertraining programme intended for them. In the case of women, a trainingprogramme with an economic bias was re-defined to meet their needs.
1.13 All these actions were combined with the training of senior NDFLALstaff within the RAGBE. Thirty of them completed studies for a DEA(advanced studies diploma) and doctorate in subjects bearing on theeducational problems of Mali.
1.14 The results achieved in the literacy training of young people,and the adult education programme, were supported and extended by theKibaru newspaper, which was published in the national language andcirculated beyond Mali's frontiers.
1.15 A post-literacy training programme for listener groups was providedon a permanent basis by the educational radio service.
1.16 There is, however, a danger that these activities will be compromisedin their development by a shortage of fnads and the departure of seniorstaff members. Kiba.u has already published only sporadically.
Yumctional liteay training in the framework of the GYCO.
1.17 This component has made it possible to include literacy trainingin rural development operations and to extend it to certain other specificproductivity areas.
1.18 It financed the remuneration of 81 literacy instructors who cateredfor 40,000 farmers. This action, appraised by the NDFLAL, has enabledfarmers to participate in the marketing of their produce and encouragedthem to assume responsibility for the village health centres. It hasalso ensured the development of cooperatives.
1.19 The leaders thus trained expedited the provision of agriculturalequipment for several thousand farmers. Wut the pattern of this activityhas been changed, and its scope and impact diminished, by the country'scurrent financial difficulties.
Training of Alricultural Experts and Veterinary Nurses.
1.20 The aim of this project component is to help the Government providebetter training and increase the numbers of agricultural experts andveterinary nurses. To this end, the Samanko Agricultural Centre wasmodernised and expanded to cater for 120 trainees. A specialised centrefor training in food crop production has been set up at Kita and a newjunior veterinary school erected at Sotuba with an estimated trainingcapacity of 55 and a real capacity of 60 veterinary nurses per year.
1.21 The agricultural centres, the specialised centre, and the Schoolfor Veterinary Nurses (SVN) have been provided with the necessary equipmentand laboratories for giving practical instruction. They have been equippedwith vehicles to enable them to provide in-the-field training.
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3.2? '.-c programmes have been brought up to date, and new teams ofqualifie; permanent teachers appointed. Thanks to the co-ordination ofthe Prc'et's activities with those of USAID, good results have beenobtained. But the SVN has been affected by a water shortage problem andbecau,:e cf restrictions on recruitment to the public service - the soleemployment outlet - it is becoming increasingly difficult for studentsfrom these centres to find work.
Traini!! for Administrative and Management Staff.
1.23 The aim of this project component was to provide preliminary andon-the-job training for personnel in the ministries and companiesresponsible for the priority sectors of the econony and education. Thistraining was to be given in a Planning and Managemert Institute (IPFM)whose construction was planned. In addition to personnel for ministriesand enterprises, training was also to be provided for the Institute'sbraining staff. But there has been considerable delay in building theInstitute and this, together with the simultaneous decline in the dollarexchange rate, has led to cancelling of the construction of the Instituteas part of the Second Project which was taken up by the World Bank'sTechnical Assistance Project 1307 MLI.
1.2A Or the other hand, the scholarships and expert services includedin this component have been provided in collaboration with the ILO andFrance. This has enabled the IPFM to install its administrative staff,to provide training for management experts and planners and to conductstudies for a number of Mal' Government agencies (Education).
LeAssons Leamed
Architectural and technical planning
1.25 Delays durIng the architectural planning stage of the Projectaffected the initiation of construction work and the cost of the buildings.In the light o,' this it would be advisable that the planning team bestrengthened at the Project launching stage and that the architecturalprogrames prepared in liaison with the educationalists be available intime. Long delays in deciding upon sites should be avoided (several yearsin the case of the IPPM). Studies for future projects should pay dueattention to the water problem, co-ordination of equipment and powerconnections, and participation of teachers in the selection of equipment.
1.27 The introduction of certain architectural innovations of an economiccharacter shoulA be made with the agreement of the future users of thepremises.
Tenders
1.28 With regard to the ordering of equipment, in order to respect theproject timetable, and taking into account the price revision clauses,it would be advisable to reduce to the minimum the time between the openingof tenders and the notification of the contract, and between the latterand the initial payment.
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Financial participation by the country
1.29 Because of its financial problems, the country was unable to pay itscontribution to the Project wit.in the desirable time. This is a frequentoccurrence, and, as has been done in the Third Project, provision shouldbe made in the credit arrangements for a special fund to protect theProject from delays that are detrimental to its aims. Recurrent costimplications of sustaining project investments should be analyzed at anearly stage in project design.
Keeping the Project accounts
1.30 Despite technical assistance at the start of the Project, difficultieswere experienced in keeping the accounts of the Second Project, and conflictsof opinion between the two audit companies who checked them in tuin did nothelp matters.
1.31 But the lessons learned during the execution of the Project weretaken into account by the Bank staff and Government officials, and thepreliminary and architectural plans for the Third Project were betterprepared before the effectiveness of the Credit Agreement. Mindful ofthe delays that occurred in the Second Project, the Government's contribu-tion to the Third Project has been limited to purely operating costs, theremainder of the expenses being financed 100%.
1.32 The Bank also paid close attention to the application of thetechnical and methodological agreements between it and the Government forthe execution of the Project. It prepared technical files for each sub-component and wrote systematically to the responsible Mali officialsabout matters requiring clarification or decisions.
1.33 The respective roles and conditions of participation of all theagencies involved in the execution of the Project became better definedas the Project progressed. Thanks to this experience, the allocation oftasks amongst the various national services concerned has been improvedin the Third Project.
Project Design
1.34 Several of the project components-particularly those dealingwith curricula reform and introduction of new teaching methods--wereexperimental. Still, as experiments they were probably overambitious inscale and design. Further complications arose due to lack of counterpartfunding for operating costs. Design of the Third Project has incorporatedthese lessons.
Recommendations
1.35 The reform of education through the creation of science units came
up against the problem of operational expense (renewable supplies, guardservices). The utilisation of income obtained from the productiveactivities of the schools, and of parents' contributions, should be
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considered in order to avoid reverting to purely theoretical instructionand wasting what has been achieved because of a lack of operationalfunds.
1.36 Training of a sufficient number of teachers in the practical ornew subjects introduced by the reform should be strengthened andgeneralized if the aims of the reform are to be made credible for thepupils and their parents.
1.37 To strengthen the inprovements made in siting the experimental4ruralization* zones and extending them, attention should be given toorganising the participation of the NPI, NDFLAL and NDBE (NationalDirectorate for Basic Education).
1.38 The planning of improvements in the administration of the reformin the light of the country's economic potential might be entrusted tothe NDSPE and the IFP4.
1.39 In order to facilitate the transition to working life of studentsgraduating from AAC, from the agricultural specialisation centre and fromSVN, the Mali authorities should encourage these graduates to act asleaders for the farmers organisations financed from non-governmentalsources.
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CHAPTER II
TIM PROJECT - CONTEXT AND INBCRIPTION
Problm of the Sector at the Time of Project Appraisal (Annexes 5,6,7,and 8)
2.1 When the Project was being identified in March 1976, first-cyclebasic education was more developed in towns, where the population wasin a better position to pay for the construction of schools. The nationalschool enrolment rate was 22%. Drop-out and repetition rates were high(some pupils take 12 years to complete their primary education). Thistends to increase the already high per unit costs and consequently impedesthe extension of education in its present form.
2.2 The growth in the number of pupils in second-cycle basic educationwas not followed by matching improvements in the syllabuses. Theinstruction provided showed gaps in science and technology and was illadapted to the community and its development needs.
2.3 The sharp and costly growth in higher education is fed by socialdemand, the possession of a degree being the only sure means of findinga job in the public sector, while no channel exists for management andplanning training for the senior staff needed in the private sector andthe administration.
2.4 The authorities, being unable to stem this demand, have preferredto enable all holders of the baccalaureat to enter university by givingthem scholarships. But under the present conditions of the economy andemployment, it is beyond the financial potential of the State to providejobs for the constantly growing number of graduates emerging from theuniversities. 1/
Now the Project aimed to Solve these Problems
2.5 The Second Project, which was integrated into the Government' splans and formed a follow-up to the First Prcject, set out to:
(I) extend the reform to the junior secondary cycle in thefield of science and technology and in the applicationof new programmes for schools in rural areas;
(ii) to finance the preparation of low-cost basic educationprogrammes which can be extended to all classes of thepopulation and within the country's means, and to continueand extend the functional literacy programme launched underthe Rural Development Project (Credit 491-Mm);
(iii) to ensure training for a greater number of agriculturaltechnicians and veterinary nurses;
(iv) to ensure preliminary and on-the-job training foradministrative and planning staff in priority sectors ofthe economy and education.
1/ Grandes Ecoles and Polytechniques
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Preparition of the Project
2.6 This Second Project was a follow-up to the First Credit No. 420-MLI signed on 11 July 1973 and closed on 1 August 1980, and implementsits 1principal recommendations.
2.7 It was identified in March 1976, appraised in June 1976 by WorldBank missions, and signed on 30 September 1977. It became effective on30 January 1978.
2.8 During negotiations, the Government undertook to have a surveymade of the training needs of employers, to have a periodic appraisalmade of basic educational and literacy training programmes and of secondcycle basic educational establishments, and to submit for the Bank'sapproval candidatures for the scholarships granted in the IPFM and basiceducation.
2.9 The Project accounts were to be kept according to acceptableaccounting methods and to be checked annually by an independent companyapproved by the Government and the Bank.
Description of the Project
2.10 The Project consisted of:
a) the construction or conversion of premises and the provisionof furniture and equipment for:
(i) two science and technology centres (whose creationwas provided for under the First Education Project)intended to serve groups of urban schools, multi-purpose science and technology classrooms for sometwenty second-cycle basic education schools as wellas the renovation of a teacher training collegespecialising in science, technology and agriculture(PI);
(ii) two agricultural training centres and one school forveterinary nurses;
(iii) the National Institute for Productivity and Management.
b) the construction work, equipment and supplies required forthe execution of a functional literacy training programme.
c, providing the equipment, supplies and funds for operatingthe Project Office as well as for preparing and testingprogrammes identified by the pre-investment survey of basiceducation.
d) financing 129 man-years of experi services and 13 man-yearsof study grants for a), b) and ).
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Credit Agreement
2.11 An IDA Credit of 10 million US dollars was approved on 30 September1977. This Credit was planned to become effective on 1 December 1977but because of delays in ratification it did not do so until 30 January1978.
2.12 Two changes were made in the Credit Agreement. The purpose ofthe first one, approved on 23 May 1979, was to amend Annex 3 of the Creditby including preferential clauses for local contractors and suppliers.
2.13 A second amendment, introduced on 10 March 1982, cancelled a numberof civil engineering components which had been planned for the GFCO, theIPFM and the PI in Loulouni. Because of delays in defining the numberand type of multi-purpose science and technology classrooms for ruralschools, and of difficulties in having a suitable site assigned for theIPFM, plus the deterioration in the dollar exchange rate, the constructionof buildings for the IPFM, the PI in Loulouni and the ex-GFCO was cancelled.The multi-purpose science and technology classrooms were reduced to nineinstead of the twenty originally planned.
2.14 This amendment provided for .reallocation of the Credit by categoryof expenditure in order to facilitate preparation of future projects.
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CHAPTER III
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
3.1 The Education Projects Office (EPO) attached to the Ministry ofEducation and created at the time of the First Project had responsibilityfor implementing the Second Project. The EPO was conceived as a temporaryadministrative unit within the Ministry for the purpose of IDA projectexecution.
3.2 It was responsible for ensuring liaison between the servicesconcerned with the Project and between the Government and the World Bank,
for managing the Project funds, for preparing - through its TechnicalSection - all the construction programmes for the various components,for the architectural planning, the preparation of tender notices andensuring supervision of building operations.
3.3 The EPO encountered some difficulties because of a change of directorduring the Project, and was often overburdened by additional uork assignedto it by the Ministry in connection with schools not included in theProject.
3.4 The inadequacy of the counterpart funds held up the progress ofconstruction operations, the extent of which had to be reduced as a result,as well as because of important fluctuations in the dollar exchange rateat that time.
3.5 Accounts were badly kept and it was only at the end of the Projectthat the situation was corrected.
3.6 At the time of the Completion Mission, the Technical Section, nowwell established, is preparing the Third Project with the assistance ofan extra architect.
3.7 The Accounts Department has been strengthened. The Project OfficeManagement has become more efficient, has achieved better control andprovides better coordination of the different services. All of thiscontributes greatly to the execution of the Third Project.
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CHAPTER IV
MEANS EMPLOYED IN DEVELOPING THE PROJECT
Sites
4.1 Long delays occurred in selecting a centrally located site for theIPFM in Bamako due to scarce suitable land. These hindered the progress ofthe architect .-al planning and, together with the decline in the dollarexchange rate, resulted in construction of this component being abandoned.It was subsequently financed under the Economic Management and TrainingProject (Credit 1307-MLI).
4.2 Similar delays have occurred in the case of the SVN, and there arewater supply problems on the Sotuba site and that of the Samanko AgriculturalCentre. These two resident establishments have insufficient water because ofthe poor yield from the Sotuba well and the short operating periods of thepower unit which, owing to inadequate funds, works for only four hours a day.A new well with a bigger output is being drilled at Sotuba for the SVN.
4.3 Apart from the "ruralized" school at Mpessoba, where the planned wellhad not been drilled before the Credit was closed, other establishment siteshave no water problems.
Architectural Planning
4.4 All the architectural plans for the Second Project were prepared by theTechnical Department of the EPO, except those for the science and technologyunits at GAO and Kayes, the plans for which had already been started during theFirst Project. The plans took account of the need to limit building costs byusing local materials as far as possible and - in the case of the "ruralized"schools - according to models which facilitated their construction underGovernment auspices.
4.5 Completion of the plans was delayed because of:
(i) the late assignment (June 1980) of a second architect;
(ii) extra work assigned to the EPO in connection with schools notforming part of the project (the school at Mopti);
(iii) the delay in determining pedagogical requirements for the multi-purpose classrooms in the "ruralized" schools; and
(iv) changes in the construction programs for the SVN to take accountof pedagogical constraints and financial limitations.
4.6 On the whole the architectural plans are satisfactory. It must, however,be said that solar protection of the building might be better and that greaterflexibility might have been ensured in the layout of the residential premises inorder to facilitate their adaptation for the accommodation of boys and girls,and in the equipping of dormitories.
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4.7 The studies of site development as consigned to external services have
sometimes suffered delays, which have, in turn, delayed work on the premises.
Buildings
4.8 Apart from the "ruralized" schools, which were built under Governmentsupervision, all the premises were constructed by private contractorsselected in accordance with World Bank procedures (except for the NDREEand Gao, which were the subject of private consultations because ofinsufficient tenders). Some building operations were held up becauseof difficulty in obtaining counterpart funds. Construction of the SVNwas delayed because of the drop in the dollar exchange rate at the timeof the Project, which led to the cancellation of site development works,a dormitory, a villa and bedrooms for visitors. Of the twenty "ruralized"schools planned, nine were built. This reduction was the result of acompromise between the Government's desire to confine the experiment tothe construction of three schools so that the rest of the budget allocationcould be devoted to the purchase of equipment for a larger number of schoolsand the Bank's wish to subordinate the technical and scientific equipmentto the provision of infrastructures to receive it, and for a sufficientnumber of schools to make the experiment credible.
4.9 The schools are equipped with multi-purpose laboratories andworkshops, a room which serves as a lounge, and a kitchen. The premisesand their interiors are pleasantly spacious. There are, however, somedefects - cracks, the absence of ceilings, insufficient projecting roofsand kitchens not equipped with chimneys, etc.
4.10 The users are not confident about the safety of the buildingsThe Mission observed that, apart from the workshops, storage premisesare used very little.
4.11 Construction of the PI buildings at Loulouni has been abandonedat the Government's request because of their under-utilisation and inorder to keep within the credit limits.
4.12 Construction of the premises planned for functional literacy traininghas been postponed because of the delays which have occurred and becauseof changes in the dollar exchange rate.
4.13 The improvements to the AAC at Samanko, and the Kita building,have satisfied the users of these two establishments. The Samankolaboratories are insufficiently protected from dust, the gas cooker isunsuitable, and there is no kitchen in the teachers' quarters.
4.14 Because of delays and a drop in the exchange rate during the project,the premises planned for functional literacy training in the frameworkof the GFCO have not been built.
4.15 These problems have also affected the construction of premisesfor the IPFM.
1/ There is no real safety problem in the Mission's opinion.
- 24 -
Furniture and Equipment
4.16 The lists of furoiture and equipment for each establishment wereprepared by the EPO in consultation with the users. The long periodswhich elapsed between the examination of tenders, their approval, andthe initial payments to contractors for equipment of the SVN led to suchdelays that 42% of the equipment could not be supplied.
4.17 Lack of consultation between the EPO and the users led to thedelivery of unsuitable and unusable equipment - gas cookers to Samanko,cold storage equipment to the SVN without the corresponding electricalconnections.
4.18 These difficulties in preparing consignments and providinginformation for contractors is due to lack of a competent purchasing experton the staff of the EPO.
Technical Assistance
4.19 Technical assistance, including scholarships, comes second infinancial volume, and contributed to the achievement of all the Project'scomponents. A large part of the assistance was provided by privatefirms.
4.20 A serious delay occurred in the appointment of certain experts(community study) and the services provided by two other experts werenot regarded as satisfactory by the Mali authorities.
4.21 The training programme for teachers in science and technologyunits, the planning and testing of the new programmes for "ruralizedschools and the training of teachers for them benefitted from technicalassistance, which also helped to strengthen and extend basic education.
4.22 The training of agricultural technicians benefitted fiom a new,more practically-orientated programme of a better level, involving a gooddeal of training in advisory work. This programme was planned by thetechnical assistance. The experts of this sub-oomponent collaboratedwith those provided by USAID. Thanks to the technical assistance, itwas possible to define a new profile for veterinary nurses.
4.23 Despite the postponement in the construction of its premises,the IPFM received the experts it needed to carry out its programme -
4.24 The Project Office has overcome its difficulties and improvedits account-keeping, tendering procedures and architectural planning.
*slraiwee
4.26 Training was an important element from which the various components
- 25 -
4.27 The preparation of new programmes in science and technology forthe science units and "ruralized" schools, as well as the training ofteachers to dispense education at these two levels, has been partiallysuccessf'!. The teacher training courses were inadequate and the programmesfor the "ruralized" schools did not integrate environmental elementssufficiently.
4.28 On the other hand, the training of staff for basic education withinthe RAGB2 has catered for 30 people from the NPI, the NDFLAL and theDirectorate for Basic Education. The staff of the agricultural centresand the SVN have received training which qualifies them to dispense theeducation required in their establishments. The IPFM was able to installits national team and organise seminars for personnel of the centraladministration.
4.29 Thanks to the training received by its staff and especially byits directors, the EPO has acquired better mastery of its operations.Although inadequate at the executive staff level, the training of planningpersonnel conducted by the project has led to the presence within thethree important directorates of the NPI, the NDFLAL, the NDBE (NationalDirectorate for Basic Education), the EPO, the IPFM, the NDTVE (NationalDirectorate for Technical and Vocational Education) and the SVN ofcompetent educational planners.
- 26 -
CIIAPTH V
PROJECT COSTS
5.2 At appraisal in June 1976, the total Iroject cost including
contingenfies and price increaf s was estimated at 5,95j,800,000 Malifrancs or 12 million US dollars- . At the date of the Proje2 CompletionMission, the Project cost amounted to 5,897,986,000 Mali francs .
5.2 A comparative table of originally estimated and actual costs ofthe Project will be found in Annex 1. A comparative table of costs inMali francs (MF) and United States dollars ($US) by category of expenditureis given below:
Estimates at Present PercentageAppraisal project cost difference (%)
5.3 Altogether, the cost of equipment and technical assistance, plusoperating costs, is 5% higher than the estimated cost of these items asindicated in the Appraisal. The total cost in Mali francs of buildingsis 9% lower than the figure adopted in the Appraisal, while the cost persquare metre built corresponds to that in the Appraisal Report except forrural schools and the SVN, for which the costs are 32% and 40% nigher,respectively (see Annex 2).
5.4 The total cost of furniture is 25% higher than estimated exceptin the case of furniture for the AAC at Samanko.
1/ At the time of appraisal the exchange rate was 490 MF = 1 US $.
2/ Including 45,399,000 MF worth of unpaid bills in the civil worksand site development categories for the SVN out of the Government'scontribution i.e. 18% of 25%, the Government's contribution to civilengineering costv.
3/ Category of expenditure introduced by the EPO but not appearing
- 27 -
Disbursements
5.5 The credit of 10 million US dollars was intended to cover 83% ofthe projec't costs, estimated at 12,000,000 US dollars, including taxes.Actual disbursements amounted at closing to 9,651,900.43 US dollars, i.e.88% of the estimated cost after reduction in project scope (para 2.13). Asum of 348,099.57 US dollars was cancelled.
5.6 Delays varying between 6 and 30 months occurred in disbursementsbecause of delays in the completion of plans and difficulties in the settingup of the Government participation fund. This led to a postponement inthe inititation of tenders. The Project Implementation Schedule was greatlyaffected by this.
5.7 These delays, added to the unfavourable change in the dollar rate,affected the Project cost, certain items being abandonedi' while thecorresponding amounts were retained in the credit.
/ - Multi purpose classrooms for rural transformation schools andPI buildings.
- Buildings for functional literacy training.- Buildings for the SYN and IPFM.
- 28 -
CHAPITER VI
PROJECT REULTS
A. Science and Technology Units
Ams
6.1 In the framework of educational reform, this component completedthe action taken in the first Project and made it possible to extend theintroduction of science and technology to the second basic education cycle.Two centres were built for this purpose: one
at Gao, to serve five schools of 40 classes and anotherat Kayes, to serve six schools of 11 classes (Annex 10).
6.2 Classrooms for the various science subjects were built and equipped.
6.1 New programmes were prepared by the NPI for the teaching of thesenew disciplines by teachers whose training was planned and carried outby a team from the NPI with the Project's support (Annex 16).
6.4 As a result of these measures, the number of second cycle pupilsbenefitted by the reform reached 1,973 at Kayes and 1,346 at Gao (Annexes13 and 14). A rotation plan for the schools in the zone served by eachunit (Annex 11) made it possible for the equipment to be used by all thepupils concerned. However, certain shortcomings have been observed:
- In the first place, the training received by, the teachersresponsible for these new programmes was rather limited dueto shortage of funds, and for certain subjects (agriculture,chemistry and physics), the number of teachers trained wasinsufficient (Annex 12).
- The number of work hours for each laboratory and, therefore,for each teacher are often too high; they involve use of thefacilities until very late in the evening and result in anoverloading, difficult to sustain, for the teachers (Annex 11).
- The replenishment or purchase of consumable materials and smallitems is difficult, since the units have an operational creditof only 400,000 Malian francs.
- While the supervisory and teaching staff is available (Annexes16 and 17) the same is not true of the service staff. As a result,the rather sophisticated equipment provided is inadequatelymaintained and there is a risk that this will shorten its life.
6.5 All these factors risk creating an obstacle to the provision ofpractical education in science and technology with a view to better preparingyoung Malians for their entry into the labour force or into institutionsfor further education. The Directorate for Basic Education needs to bereorganised and strengthened if this far-reaching reform is to be carriedthrough (Annex 9).
- 29 -
"Ruralized" schools
6.6 The second part of the reform, concerning the second basic educationcycle, was the subject of a pilot operation in the Sikasso region to testa training programme f"or pupils in the 7th, 8th and 9th grades aiming atintegrating them into their environment.
6.7 The experiment was applied to nine schools (Annex 15) instead ofthe twenty originally envisaged. These schools were provided withlaboratories, multi-purpose workshops and the necessary equipment.
6.8 New programmes based on environmental studies and involving practicalsubjects (agriculture, animal husbandry, forging, handicrafts and domesticscience) were prepared by a 14 member team from NPI. These programmeswere taught by teachers trained for this purpose.
6.9 Text-books and teaching guides were supplied (Annex 17). The numberof pupils reached was 772, of whom 453 were in the 7th grade and 319 inthe 8th grade. There were 154 girls.
But the results revealed a number of shortcomings:
- It was not possible to cover all the subjects in the teachertraining sessions. For certain subjects, the duration of theretraining was too short to provide the teacher with the requiredqualifications.
- The general impact of these programmes on the pupils and theirenvironment is limited because the subjects are not integratedwith each other and lack practicality. It was difficult for theteam to obtain satisfactory results in this respect as it wasbased at Bamaki, outside the pilot zone.
- The enthusiasm of both teachers and pupils was diminished bylivestock health problems and lack of operating funds.Nevertheless, the results obtained demonstrate the determinationof the Mali authorities to secure school reform. But it mustbe borne in mind that achievement of this objective demandssustained and long action throughout the educational systemarticulated with action on the envirormnt. The Third Project,launched in the Segu region, is based on this approach.
B. Basic Education
6.10 The aim was to make a more economical and more functional type ofbasic education available to a larger number of adults.
6.11 To this end, the project financed linguistic surveys and thepublication of textbooks in the national language; it provided trainingin literacy teaching for several leaders (Annex 21), and training for newlyliterate young people, women, and farmers from the GFCO. The resultsobtained from these training courses, which followed several approaches,vary considerably.
- 30 -
a) Linguistic research: This operation made it possible to conductmore thorough research into the four national languages which enjoyofficial status (Sonrai, Peul, Eambara, and Tamssheq) and to initiatestudies of six others (Dogon, Sonink6, Minianka, Senufo, Bomu, Bozo)making it possible to compile dictionaries and spelling books, toestablish a central form for Dogon, Bozo, Minianka and Senufo, andto carry out a census of oral traditions in each of these languages(Annex 21).
b) Youth training: This was provided by the NDFLAL and appliedto 16,858 young people and 359 leaders (Annex 19).
c) Training for women: This was conducted in pilot villages andled to the operation of mills and an improvement in women's workingconditions (Annex 20).
d) Leader training in national languages: This covered 12,000people who learned how to transcribe and read in their nationallanguages and who are now able to correspond in writing with newliterates in their area, whom they thus help by strengthening theirliteracy training (Annex 22).
e) Functional literacy training: Integrated into the GFTO, thisoperation provided literacy training for 40,000 farmers in 1,519centres established in the zones of Kayes, Kita, Kolokain and Segu.This enabled the farmers to participate in the marketing of theirproduce and the management of the village dispensaries andcooperatives.
6.12 These operations received valuable support from the educationalradio service which, through its listener groups, enriched and extendedtheir impact. The newspaper Kibaru, wiich was published Th gambaia, served asa_link between leaders, farmers and the young newly literate, who thus becamebetter motivated.
6.13 But there is a danger that this support will be jeopardised throughshortage of operating funds. The newspaper Kibaru has already ceased toappear. On the other hand, the administration and appraisal of the trainingprogrammes was efficiently performed by the NDFIAL. Farmers who have beentrained now conduct the primary marketing of their products, while thewomen take part in various development operations which improve their livingstandards (dry-cleaning shops, village pharmacies) and working conditions(millet mills).
C. Training of Agricultural Technicians and Veterinary Nurses
6.14 In order to attain this objective the Project financed:
a) The construction and equipment of the Samanko AgriculturalCentre and the specialised centre at Kita.
These two centres provide a two-year training for holdersof the DBE, which is obtained after nine years of basic education.They have made it possible to raise the number of students in theSamanko centre, to 120 to meet present needs in agricultural techniciansand to 50 in the Kita centre, which corresponds to the demand (Annex26) from the rural development agencies and other public or semi-publicagricultural activities.
- 31 -
The teaching staff was trained or up-graded, and the programmeswere revised and supported by laboratories and equipment which enabledpractical instruction. Some twenty short and long term scholarshipscontributed to this improvement. However the use of the equipmentsupplied must be accelerated.
b) The Project's rural action also includes an animal husbandryelement which made it possible to erect a new school for veterinarynurses at Sotuba to replace the previous one which was poorlyequipped. In addition to the premises, the Project has suppliedlaboratories, equipment and means of transport to enable futurenurses to keep in contact with the herds. Enrolments have beenraised to 60 to meet the demand, the teachers have been trainedand provided with a new programme which will help to train a newtype of nurse (Annex 27).
6.15 The impact of these two project components is positive and concernsa production sector which plays an important role in the country's economy.It has encouraged the restructuring of training in rural communities andstrengthened school management. Professional circles like the RDO weremore effectively associated (Annex 23).
6.16 A problem which is already apparent is that of providing outletsfor those trained. Administrative outlets are becoming increasingly scarcebecause of the country's budgetary constraints. The last group to qualifywaited nearly a year before being appointed.
D. The Institute for Productivity and Forecasting Management (IPFM)
6.17 The buildings to accommodate the IPFM have not been erected. However,the training operations proposed have been carried out: training for thestaff of the IPFM and initial and on-the-job training for staff to beappointed or belonging to the central administiation (Annex 28).
- 32 -
CHAPTER VII
THE BAMK'S ROLE
7.1 During the six years of the Project's implementation, the Bank carriedout eleven Supervisory Missions, all of which were performed by virtuallythe safe people. There was an average interval of seven months betweeneach mission. This was rather long for the local agencies and personnelresponsible for implementing the project.
7.2 The membership of the missions was determined by the project'scomponents. Eight missions out of ten included a general educationalist,six included an architect and four an expert in agricultural education.
7.3 The Supervisory Missions established a system of technical fileswhich were updated as the Project progressed. They were at pains to identifythe serious problems (the country's financial participation, the exceedingof costs, delays), and to draw the appropriate conclusions, which werecommunicated periodically in writing to the national authorities with arequest for corrective action. In nearly every instance the sought-foradjustments were made.
7.4 The Bank was at pains to ensure that the Director of the EPO receivedthe necessary training, and as a result he had an excellent mastery ofthe Project.
7.5 Contacts with the NDFIAL were particularly flexible and fruitfuland enabled that agency to accomplish outstanding work in the fields ofliteracy training, research and basic education in the national languages.
7.6 On the other hand, the NPI's assistance in the preparation of"ruralization" programmes did not produce comparable results, especiallyas regards the team's residence at Sikasso.
7.7 When the GFCO was replaced by the OIDGCP at the beginning of 1981,the Bank displayed the necessary flexibility by agreeing to a >sume thecosts of the literacy training staff for one year. The costs of some ofthis staff (23 field workers and 19 area chiefs) were subsequently borneby the national administration.
7.8 The lessons of the second project were learned by the Bank as theproblems came to light, and adequate measures were taken in time throughthe provision of a revolving fund for the Third Project and the strengtheningof the accountancy department which benefitted from the support of aprocurement specialist.
- 33 -
The Bank's Role in the Sector
7.9 The Project Performance Audit Report for the First Education Project,issued March 9, 1982, made a generally positive assessment of the project'seducational outcomes, partictlarly of the vocational training component. Italso supported strongly the continued assistance under the Second EducationProject for science and technology teaching and basic education. Finally,it recommended that: (a) more local specialists be trained under the improvedfellowship program; (b) technical assistants be carefully selected andrecruited; and (c) key institutions such as IPN and DNPES be strengthened.
7.10 With the Second Education Project completed, an assessment of theresults of Bank assistance through the combined results of the two educationprojects to the education sector is now possible. First, physical implementationof both education projects was satisfactory, although reductions in projectscope were necessary in the second project due to higher than expe.;tedinflation and exchange rate fluctuations. Second, quality improvements inbasic education have been effective for adult education, and the experimentsnow completed have led to a program that warrants expansion. Third, thetraining of mid-level agriculture and livestock extension agents has producedinitially encouraging results. Careful monitoring of the training programshould continue, however, and expansion should take place only in clearlyidentified priority areas. Fourth, practical skill-oriented vocational programshave been introduced and are operating efficiently. Fifth, the introductionof science and technology in lower secondary schools had not progressed asrapidly as expected, and is still at an experimental stage. An evaluation willnot be possible until two or three years from now. Finally, the expirementalintroduction of new curricula in lower secondary education aimed at linkingteaching programs closely to local environments was not completed. Reasonsfor the delays include: (a) a limit on the scope of the reform to Grades 7, 8and 9, instead of trying to develop a comprehensive and gradual progressivereform of the whole basic education system; (b) an implementation plan thatwas not prepared in sufficient detail and which was aimed at too-rapidintroduction of drastic changes; (c) unclear lines of responsibility amongofficials in charge of the program -- mainly the DEF and IPN directors -- anda lack of communication between c;.rriculum developmeat specialists and teachersin charge of the experimentation. A revision of teaching methods however,remains essential to improving the quality of instruction, and is a Governmentpriority. Overall, the impact of both projects on the development of theeducation sector has been extremely positive, and the Project Unit, whichmanaged and monitored both projects' implementation, has been very effective.
7.11 The Third Education Project (Cr. 1442-MLI and SF-10-NLI, for US$4.6Million and US$4.9 Million respectively, signed March 15, 1984) builds onthe experience gained during the implementation of the first two educationprojects in Mali. Teams of Malian educators, established under the FirstEducation Project, were largely responsible for the sector analysis and projectpreparation work for the proposed project. Lessons learned during the
- 34 -
implementation of the pilot phases of the basic education and adult literacyprograms have been integrated in the project design. The project wouldreap the fruits of past Bank involvement in the education sector which has,over the past decade, had the same objectives. While continuing to supportthese objectives, the project is focusing more sharply on the need toassist the Government in its effort to match the educational system'soutput more closely with the manpower requirements of the economy, and touse available resources more effectively. Specifically, this implies supportfor the following policy objectives: (a) developing capacities for planningand administering the education sector; (b) increasing access to oasiceducation; and (c) improving the quality of basic education and extensionagent training and upgrading programs.
- 35 -
CHAPI'ER VIIJ
THE GOVERUMET'S ROLE
8.1 The difficulties experienced by contractors in fulfilling timeclauses, which was observed both in the First and Second Projects, makesit essential to pay much more attention to tenderers' financial and technicalcapacities than to the size of their tenders. The cost and completionof individual items in the Project was affected by performance delays asmuch as by exchange rate fluctuations.
8.2 Attainment of some of the Project's aims was diminished by the absenceof certain support actions because of lack of operational funds (teachertraining, publication of textbooks, employment of those who had completedtheir courses in the newly created establishments). It would be advisableto remedy these difficulties by programming and quantifying all the recurrentoperations in the Project, and to provide the necessary funds for theirperformance. Otherwise, it would be unrealistic to expect to attain theobjectives set.
8.3 The new direction given to education in rural areas would be greatlyassisted if the Government gave attention to the preparation of itsprogrammes, the compilation of textbooks and guides, and the training oftechnical education teachers.
8.4 The integration of young people emerging from the " ruralized" schoolsdepends upon the type of training they receive, but also on the conditionsin which they enter the labour force in the community. It is indispensablethat concerted action be initiated so that the community and the institutionswhich play a role in it provide the right conditions for this entrance.
8.5 Now that the literacy service has produced excellent results, theGovernment should encourage the production of utilitarian material in thenational languages and make a written knowledge of a national languageone of the conditions for admission to certain posts in the public service.
8.6 State expenditure on education is already very high, and itsimprovement can be obtained only by better administration of the fundsalready allocated. To this end, the Government should extend and strengthenthe work of the IPFM in training all the higher and middle level staffof the Ministry of National Education.
8.7 The financial difficulties of the country which were taken intoaccount by the credit of a special financial advance were not sufficientlyestimated. It is desirable that with future projects the percentages offinancial participation by the country in the different expenditurecategories are reviewed in a more realistic way so as to avoid the troublecaused by the excessively long delays in payment.
4?-36-
CWmzISW W MI1n Am ACimL CET(in thousands of Mali francs)
Ctvil Works Equi punt Furnitur* Technical Aislstance Operational Costs Total
Coponents
Estim. Actual Dif.(1) Estim. Actual O1f.(S) Esti*. Actusl Dif.(s) Estig. Actua1 Dif.(%) Est. Actual Dif(t) Estim. Actual Di M
1/ Additon work em First Project sclec* units (Credit 420 ML)2/ wDrk mot e»c~uted - the exponditure ~s on prollmi*ary studies for the Third Project P18E's
3/ IncludIng 45.399.000 SW ot Yet pad4/ Ilua introduced during Project5/ Project ila. the civil engineerlng pert of %bich was not carried out
DATA REGARDING CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Gross areas Construction costs Costs per Mcin 000 MF in MF
Components Appraisal Actual Diff.% Appraisal Actual Diff.% Appraisal Actual Diff.
1/ Abandoned during Project2/ Included during Project n.a. = not available
- 39- ne
-11
. - - r
ø4 .4
---
:
4|
£14
E = ExecutedPE = Partly Executed Execution of Credit Conditions
Agreement Condition Position Remarks
2.02 Disbursements: establishment of special account to E(b)(c)(d) pre-finance expenditure eligible for financing by(e)(f) the Credit
2.03 Contracts for supplies or work financed by the Creditare made according to the rules in Annex 3 of the ECredit Agreement
2.04 Closing of credit fixed for 30 June 1983 E The Bank will agree tr accep'bills up to 31 Decembe- 1983for expenditure undertakenbefore 30 June 1983
01 EPO - Recruitment of extra staff to strengthen the E(b) EPO
3.01 EPO - The committee responsible for liaisons with(c) the authorities involved in the Project is kept E 0
active by the borrower
3.02 Employment of experts whose qualifications and expe- Erience are deemed acceptable by the association
3.03 The borrower arranges insurance of all imported Goods acquired for the work(a)(b) goods required for the Project and ensured that E of the GFCO were trtnsferred
all goods financed out of the Credit are assigned to the GDGCP when the formerexclusively to the execution of the Project was replaced by the latter
3.04 The borrower maintains all records required to PE The keeping of accounts up(b) follow the progress of the Project and gives the to date was a constant
association all facilities for supervision problem3.05 Candidates for scholarships for further training
granted by the IPFM, and the courses they attend Eshall be approved by the association
3.06 The borrower ensures that a survey of employers' E Survey effeeted Ln Decembertraining requirements be effected by September 19781978 at the latest. This survey shall be updatedevery 2 years 0
aM
Agreement Condition Position Remarks
4.01 The borrower maintains the necessary records and PE The keeping of the Pro,i-
(a)(b) accounts concerning the EPO and the GFCO accounts was irregular
The borrower has his accounts for each financialyear checked by independent auditors
4.02 The EPO takes all measures deemed satisfactory Eto insure itself against all risks and amountsin accordance with commercial practice
4.03 IPFM - the borrower ensures that at least 2/3 - Building component notof the places be given to employees executed. Training gi':'-
for staff training
4.04 The NPI appraises programmes for urban and rural E Survey executed and gre-(a) schools in second stage basic education dually enriched through
measures in the field cndretraining of teachers
4.04 NDFLAL and GFCO make regular assessments of the E Regular assessment en'(b) progress achieved by farmers attending the and staff training and
functional literacy centres retraining effected
4.04 For the basic education programmes, the Technical aid recruite! and,(c) NDFLAL, with the aid of experts, appraises the E on Bank's advice, pro-
programmes selected for application grammes adapted to ob.lective-
Annex 1 No funds may be withdrawn to build the Permanent council set izpara 4(ii) Agricultural Training Centres and the School E under chairmanship of
for Veterinary Nurses until a council for Minister for Agricultu---further training under this chairmanship of the with participation ofMinister for Rural Development has been set up to representatives of theadvise these establishments on admissions, livestock producersprogrammes and the placing of trainees
para 4 No funds may be withdrawn to build the AAC Centre(iii) at Samanko until an assurance of adequate technical F.
assistance for this Centre has been given
para 4 No funds may be withdrawn for the completion of the E Surveys made and subm."-,(iv) basic education programmes until their form and to the Bank whose rerrls
estimated costs have been found to be have been withheld >satisfactory by the borrower and the association
- 42 -Annex 5
TRENDS IN THE EDUCATION SHARE
OF THE NATIONAL BUDGE:
Education State RatioMF (thousands) MF (thousands) %
1978 33
1981 - - 22.50
1983 23 500 025 96 308 916 24.4
1984 24 096 233 100 616 000 23.94
- 43 -Annex 6
TRENDS IN THE SHARE OF THE EDUCATION BUDGET
ALLOCATED TO SCHOLARSEIPS
Scholarships Education Ratio
MF (thousands) MF (thousands) %
1978 45.2
1981 - - 29
1983 7 522 301 23 500 025 32
1984 7 100 000 24 096 233 29
- 44 -Annex 7
STRUCTURE OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
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tat*biiskmnts sported b> the r~et
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eart @thcal n cation
Ptttkilty 01 professjoNli ttten fi t 3 >eår& servict
cm C#Iit d*affmat. Agrilt**lutvl V01*~ Cantre mz,
Ilyv [cole 4'liftmienr wt#riui,t ~col for Iktrt*6r7 Gursts, 5
co Cnlite de t poftulmca nd~ Iocational m tc ttion
£161 [colt MIt. fløstus et 1lélcor. o*tioml ~cal fot postei aug
Technical assistant in the Educational Projects Office (2 years)
Technology - assistant in the Educational Projects Office (2 years)
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR A SINGLE SURVEY
5 experts from an international institute for educational research conducteda community survey mission of one month under this Project: an Economist,a Sociologist, a Technologist, a Hydrogeologist, and an Agronomist
- 57 -Annex 17page 1/2
LIST OF THE PRINCIPAL PAPERS PRODUCEDBY THE "URALIZATION" TEAM OF THE NPI AS PART OF THEEXECUTION OF THE EXPERIMENTAL "RURALIZATION" PROJECT
1. The overall alms of "ruralization" in 2nd stage basic education(October1977). This paper defines the aims pursued in the "ruralization"of education and the ways and means to achieve them.
2. Community survey - Why and how. This paper shows how, in the formit inherited from the colonial system, the school is ill adapted tothe needs of present-day society, because it is cut off from thecommunity of which it should form an integral part. The paper providesteachers with some methodological hints for conducting the communitysurvey.
3. Practical guide for a community survey (May 1978). This paper providesteachers with themes and a methodology for conductinq a communitysurvey with their pupils. It also gives an outline of 'ruralizationas a new school and the problems which justify this new approach.
4. The "ruralization" of basic education in the Sikasso region. TheSituation - Regional prospects - Proposals (January 1978). Thisis the report of the community survey conducied by a mission of fiveexperts from an international institute for educational research and eightresearchers from the NPI in the Sikasso region.
The purpose of the survey was to contribute to improvingcompatibility between basic education and the socio-economic, culturaland technical realities of the surrounding milieu.
5. Report of the NPI/IIRTED mission conducted in the Sikasso region inDecember 1977. This is a more condensed paper, more adapted to theneeds of preparing new programmes, and resulting from the samesurvey. The realities of the region are examined underdifferent headings - clinates, agriculture, animal husbandry, crafts,water, health, population, techniques employed, etc.
6. Programmes for the "ruralization" of elementary schools - second cycle(September 1976). This paper presents all the new programmes preparedfor this experiment (See preceding paper for list of activitiesconducted by the "ruralization" team). An accompanying document definesnew timetables and coefficients.
7. Socio-pedagogical specifications for the construction of special-purpose premises. These are indications of the desirablecharacteristics of workshops and laboratories to be constructed inexperimental schools (technology, home economics and science workshops,and the hostel).
8. List of material and equipment for experimental "ruralized" schools.This document indicates the types and quantities of material andequipnent required for practical work in technology, agriculture,animal husbandry, home economics, physics and natural science.
- 58 -
Annex 17page 2/2
9. Conclusions of the reflexion meeting on the "ruralization" project(January 1980).
10. Conclusions of the information meeting on "ruralization" (March 1979).These two documents summarise the conclusions reached at the twoconferences organised by the NPI to consider the "ruralization" project.The purpose of these two meetings was to inform those concerned (basiceducation inspectors, staffs of the Basic Education Directorate andthe NPI, as well as technical advisers from the Ministry of NationalEducation and the Ministry of Rural Development) of the work the NPIproposed to carry out under the "ruralization" project, to obtain theirobservations and suggestions and to seek their cooperation.
11. Outline of the "ruralizati,i" concept in basic education. This documentdescribes the aims, activities and progress of the experimental projectin "ruralization". It is a recapitulatory paper.
12. Winning public support. This document describes the motivating factorsof the 3ruralization initiative. Its aim is to win over teachers andcommunities to the idea of this type of school reform.
13. Some ideas about the school calendar (May 1979). This is a useful studyof the arguments, and their implications, for the inclusion of the rainyseason in the school year.
14. Teaching notes for teachers in experimental "ruralized" schools. Thesemanuals for teachers have been compiled in conjunction with the newprogramme, one for each of the subjects on the programme (natural science,agriculture, animal husbandry, technology, physical science, homeeconomics, history, geography, French, English, human health). Theycater for the 7th and 8th grades i.e. 22 manuals in all. Those forthe 9th grade are being prepared this year.
Apart from these main documents, the "ruralization" team has prepareda number of other documents of secondary importance, including miscellaneousmission reports.
- 59 -Annex 18
ENRO1MENTS AND TEACHERS
IN EXPERIMENTAL RURALIZED CLASSES (1983/4)
Numbers of teachers Numbers of pupils Nurbers of pupils2nd stage basic 7th grade 8th grade
Koumantou 10 47 28
Kbila 7 33 15
Doussoudiana 7 15 18
Kl4La 11 32 22
Loulouni 13 87 41
N'Kourala 12 62 39
M'Pessoba 16 83 88
Molobala 9 34 28
Koury 14 60 40
Tota 1 99 453 319
- 60 -
ADVANCED TRATNING FOR RURAL YOUNG M Annex 19
Villaa.s Included in the training schemes, and their locations
Development Operations Villages Region Populatiorconcerned
1. Integrated Development 1. Fancomba Kayes 700Operation at Kaarta
4. Malian company for 9. Xtoosoni 86gouTextile Development
10. Tonto Sgou
11. Ifola Sikasso
12. Begene 36gou
13. Kafozitra Sikasso *
14. Kintidri S#gou
S. Mils Mopti Operation 15. Dangat6nt Nopti *
16. Pomorododiou *
17. Barapireli
18. Koporo-Kendi4-Ptn
6. Groundnut and food crops 19. Suransan Tu-Operation aunto Kayes
20. GolobilaJi *
21. Iasa loulikoro
22. Toroolofo
TOTAL a 6 22 5 15 400
N.D. 358 people are engaged in the development operations. They vere trainedin advanced training methods. They are distributed amongst the sixoperations and act as leaders for the villages mentioned above.
- 61 -
Annex 20page 1/2
GROUP IV FEMALE TRAINING
Table of ilages in vbich femle training schemes are operated
VILLAGES ACTIVITIES MJMR OF TRAINEDTEACHERS
1. Nonsombougou - dyeing 2
- manufacture of local soap
- installation and operationof a millet mill
2. Tioribougou idem 2
3. Kabala idem 2
4. Sirakorola idem 2
5. Koula idem 2
6. Niamabougou - dyeing 2
- local soap making
7. Nonkon idem 2
8. Kolokari idem 2
N.B.: The 5 mills were financed by the World Bank (MLI 733) and continue tofunction, thus providing enormous service to the women of the villages.
~/APPmML Pla~
SUNMART TADLE
oprt 19~9-6
UDO -. v-g~ r ---------------- - -- r--p-eece~ or P~
• - Pigee ftr the C~t sMLe wr not reetevu- Te G figes dte fr 1982
- Alt~g the SIAL is res,ibm ftr the plai aspeets of litafeetrining, it is f~17 m~ostw" aM orta tW the DO. >=utats are omtra~d t the 0~L wbich vaaes liter4ay tr=in~ Ib
ritic at the dispasal of the EDQ- "T eUnM Buak financing did not ap3 totistp of ltre
-inia= tbr~ the EWUL chm1. alt~ the aak lid pla a rolein the field of lit«~ tr'ainin in the ww an the opti r e onerata.
- 63 - Annex 21
page 1/2
RAGBE
I. Doctorate theses presented in July 1983
SUB JECTS
1. Functional literacy training, village associations and traditionalcommunities in the micro-region of Koutiala
2. Youth training in the Dogon country
The transition from traditional teaching methods to training fordevelopment
3. Education and development in the Dogon country
Missionary contributions to meeting educational demands
4. "Ruralization" education and the Freinet teaching method
A comparative and prospective study of "ruralized" schools in theSikasso region of Mali
5. Functional literacy training and cooperative developments.The socio-economic impact of functional literacy training in therelaunching of the cooperative movement in the 7th region. An essayin appraisal.
II. Diplomas in Advanced Studies
6. The misadventures of a functional literacy programme in the caseof a transition from a single-crop to a multi-crop economy
Before, during and after the Mopti millet operation in the sub-regionof S6no-Grando
7. Language and socio-educational development
The introduction of the national languages into the educational system.The case of the Tamasheq in the 6th Region
8. Literacy training and rural development in the Miniyanka countryConflicts and compromises between the customary behaviour of theold Miniyanka and the technical aspects of the literacy trainingoperations.
9. Decline in school attendance in Mali.
- 64 -
Annex 21page 2/2
III. Other forms of research conducted within the group
10. Functional literacy training - what functions?
The contribution of the Mali experiment to a redefinition of Unesco'sconcepts
11. Basic education in the Kutiala district
Appraisal and transformation prospects
12. The transition from oral to written methods of communication
Traditional community : the case of Beledugu
13. The change from exogenous to endogenous literacy training
A reconstitution of Mali's experience with the Groundnut and FoodCrop Operation (1969-1977)
14. The school and the community
The community as the ways and means of teaching. Remarks on secondstage education in the Sikasso region, which is undergoing"ruralization"
15. A tradition of resistance amongst the Bambara of Beledugu
From unwilling schoolgoing to the acceptance of literacy training
16. Science teaching in second stage basic education in Mali
Observations and conclusions
17. Fifteen years of educational reform in Mali: 1961-1977
From the intentions of 1962 to the results of 1977
N.B. : - There have been losses in the Group, due to departures to
international organisations, deaths, or simply dropouts.
- The Group has a Governing Board composed of the Directors of theNDFLAL, PI (TTC), Basic Education, the Educational Projects Office
and the Coordinator of the Basic Education Survey. The Chairmanshipis occupied by the Director of the NDFLAL.
- 65 -
Annex 22
TABLE OF THE TRAINING OF OFFICIAIB IN THE NATIONAL IANGUAGES
1979-1980-1981
Department or establishment Number of staff trained
1. Ministry of National Education 1 500(all departments together)
2. Ministry of Health 375(all departments together)
3. Ministry of Agriculture 1 358(all departments plus RDO)
4. Askia Mohamed Secondary school 500
5. Badalabougou Secondary school 600
6. Advanced Teachers Training College 450
7. National School of Engineering 130
T 0 TAL 4 913
ORGAIGRA( OF THE MINISTRY 1R AGRICULTURE
MinisterDirector of Minister'sOfficeHead of OfficeOffice Assistant
Administrative Division -. -Financial Division Statistice and fT oduction PrograoingDocumentation and Projects Division pot.ect2ion of v lDivIsion -oout
R.D.O. Directorate for technica2education and vocationaltraining in agriculture
Directorate for luI/SECIDTecbnical Educatio AAC ProjectIn AwIcultur
development operations
Sikasso Tea OperationSeed and Harvest Protection Operation Administrative Section - Methods and Prol School farms - ection for Research in Advisor
High Valley Operation vvaLes Section section nd leadership methodsOperation for Integrated Developmentof Groundnuts and CerealsOperation for Integrated Developmentof BagunedaSegu Rice OperationSeed Selection and Production 'Pessobe agusneaaMopti Rice Operation Sauko MtoroHard Wheat OperationGundam Lake Region m*- Kits
Gao Sorghum Action aSenegal Valley OperationIntegrated Development of KaartaMaz Mopti Operation
ORGAIGRAN OF THE DIRACTURATE FOR AGRI*MAL 23CHRICAL EXCATIOR AND VOCATIGAL TRAIMI=G
Director of T.E.V.T.A Expert on Administrationf Expert on Re- Programe ExpertPro3ect Director training
ADMINISTRATIVE GENERAL SECRETARIAT ACCOUNTS AND EQUIPMENTSECTIONS - correspondence - staff budget
- typing - operational budget- records .
TECHNICALSECTIONS
PROGRAMMES AND METHODS SCHOOL FARM SECTION RESEARCH IN ADVISORY ANDSECTIONS - financial anagement LEADERSHIP METHODS- training methods - production - liaisons with operations- programes - management of equipment - roposals- documentation
CAA M'PESSOBA CAA SAMANO CAA SAXE CDR 01O CSM BAGUINEDA CSPVA KITA(AAC) I (A C) _______________ _______________ I I ______________ _______________ ___________f__D
- 68 - Annex 25
LES CAA DANS LE SYSTEME D'ENSEIGNEMENT MALIENTll1 AAC ]N Tlk MAI41 EIUOCATJON SYSTM
ISA
ITA
4 C
3 C~onducteur4 Agricole Agr;cu-.tura'
2 C.P.
Moniteur Agricultural
A ricole I" °r
(BACE ' .R autres
.o- 2 2me w;1î CAAt
wEncadreursAgricoles
. 2e Cycle AgrIcultural leaders
7-0 6E d BAC,. Baccalauréat
CA m Centres dapprentissage agricole4 ~Avieulturai Appremitceship centres -CAPA : Cert if icat d'8pt itudte profess ion-
I/ The provision for coot increases will be used only if the prices increasecompared with those estimted. This provision will not be used to increasethe number of items in the Project.
• E rs whose Qnlttieationa, Se of refe and cdtions of omplynt are subJec to tbo Assocaton'sap~roval.
- 73 -
COMENTS FROM THE BORROWER ATT&CHMENT I
Translation of Incoming Telex dated September 23. 1986
INTBAFRAD BAMAK0, MALI, SEPTEMBER 23, 1986.
ATTN: MR. GRAHAM DONALDSON
OUR OBSERVATIONS ON PPAR OF SECOND EDUCATION PROJECT ARE AS FOLLOWSt
PAGE VI, SECOND PARA; "INABILITY OF THE GOVERNMENT TO MEET THE RECURRENTCOSTS" INAPPROPRIATE WORDING; IT WOULD BE PREFERABLE TO SAY: "IN VIEW OFDIFFICULTIES OF THE GOVERNMENT TO FINANCE RECURRENT COSTS;'
PAGE 2, PARA. 5: DELETE "AND AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTIONAND PROCUREMENT SERVICE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATIONIlD
PAGE 4, (OLD) PARA. 13: THIS DOES NOT APPLY FOR MALI; 2
PAGE 4, PARA. 15: THE TEXT DOES NOT REFER TO MALI, BUT RWANDA.3i
