TACR: Lao People's Democratic Republic: Secondary Education … · 2014. 9. 29. · educational attainment in Lao PDR.The expected outcome is enhanced equity, quality, and efficiency

Technical Assistance Consultantôs Report

This consultantôs report does not necessarily reflect the views of ADB or the Government concerned, and ADB and the Government cannot be held liable for its contents. (For project preparatory technical assistance: All the views expressed herein may not be incorporated into the proposed projectôs design.

Project Number: 40368 June 2011

LAO Peopleôs Democratic Republic: Secondary Education Sector Development Program (Financed by the Technical Assistance Special Fund)

Prepared by

Cambridge Education in association with the Lao Consulting Group

Lao PDR

For Ministry of Education Department of Secondary Education

Secondary Education Sector Development Program(Formerly Basic Education Sector Development Program II)

ADB TA 7555 LAO

Project Preparation Technical Assistance(PPTA)

DocumentFINAL REPORT

June 2011

Department of Secondary EducationMinistry of Education

Lao PDR

Document List

Document 1 BESDP II Inception Report December 2010

Document 2 BESDP II Interim Report March 2011

Document 3 SESDP Draft Final Report May 2011

Document 4 SESDP Final Report June 2011

Cambridge Education (United Kingdom) in association with the Lao Consulting Group (Lao PDR) havebeen contracted by ADB to provide technical assistance to the Government of Laos PDR for thepreparation of the second Basic Education Sector Development Program (BESDP II) now theSecondary Education Sector Development Program SESDP.

ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS

ADB Asian Development Bank

ADF Asian Development Fund

AusAid Australian Agency for International Development

ASLO Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

BEGP Basic Education (Girls) Project

BESDP I Basic Education Sector Development Program I

BESDP II Basic Education Sector Development Program II (now SESDP)

CACIM Committee on Approval of Curriculum and Instructional Materials

CRC Camera Ready Copy

DEB District Education Bureau

DMF Design and Monitoring Framework

DNFE Department of Non-formal educationDOF Department of Finance, MOE

DOI Department of Inspection, MOE

DOP Department of Personnel, MOE

DPEM Department of Private Education Management, MOE

DPPE Department of Pre-school and Primary Education, MOE

DSE Department of Secondary Education, MOE

DTE Department of Teacher Education, MOE

ED Educational Disadvantaged

EDGP Education Development Grant ProgramEDP Second Education Development ProjectEGP Ethnic Group Plan

EMIS Education Management Information System

EQIP II Second Educational Quality Improvement Project

ESDF Education Sector Development Framework

ESITC Education Statistics & Information Technology Centre

ESQAC Education Standards and Quality Assurance Centre

ESWG Education Sector Working Group

EU European Union

FMIS Financial Management Information system

FOE Faculties of Education

FTI CF Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Framework

GAP Gender Action Plan

GER Gross Enrolment Rate

GOL Government of Lao PDR

ICT4LE Information Communication and Technology for Lao PDR Education

IEC Inclusive Education Centre

IU Implementing Unit

IVET Integrated Vocational Education and Training Schools

JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

KOICA Korea International Cooperation Agency

LABEP Lao-Australia Basic Education Project

Lao PDR Lao Peoples Democratic Republic

LDC Least Developed Country

LSE Lower Secondary Education

MIS Management Information Systems

MDG Millennium Development Goals

MOE Ministry of Education

MOF Ministry of Finance

MPI Ministry of Planning and Investment

MTE BESDP I Mid-Term Evaluation Study

MTEF Medium-term expenditure framework

NESDP National Socioeconomic Development Plan

NESRS National Education System Reform Strategy

NGO Non-Government Organization

NGPES National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy

NPIE National Policy on Inclusive Education

NSC National Statistical Center

NUOL National University of Laos

ODA Official Direct Assistance

PAF Performance Assessment Framework

PAM Project Administration Manual

PES Provincial Education Service

PIU Provincial Implementing Unit

PMIS Personnel Management Information System

PMO Prime Minister’s Office

PMU Program Management Office

PPA Pupil Parents Association

PPTA Project Preparation Technical Assistance

PREI Procurement Review for Effective Implementation

PRSO Poverty Reduction Support Operation

RIES Research Institute for Educational Studies

SOQ Schools of Quality

Sida Swedish International Development Agency

SPA Secondary Pedagogical Advisers

SREAC Strategy Research and Education Analysis Centre

SEAP Draft Secondary Education 5-year Action Plan

SESDP Secondary Education Sector Development Program (formerly BESDP II)

SPRSS Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategy

SY School Year

TB Textbook

TDMP Teacher Development and Management Policy Framework and Action Plan

TEI Teacher Education Institution

TESAP Teacher Education Strategy and Action Plan

TEMIS Teacher Management Information System

TG Teachers’ guide

TQPM Teacher Quality and Performance Monitoring

TTEST Teacher Training Enhancement and Status of Teachers Project

TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training

UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund

USE Upper Secondary Education

VEDC Village Education Development Committee

CONTENTS

List of acronymsTable of contentsKnowledge summary

PageNumber

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1

2.0 POLICY AND PLANNING CONTEXT 2

3.0 SECONDARY EDUCATION SUBSECTOR 3

3.1 Secondary Education 33.2 Equitable Access to Secondary Education 43.3 Quality and Relevance at the Secondary Level 63.4 Education Budget, Expenditure, Costs, Management and Administration 93.5 Coordination and Linkages With Development Partners 13

4.0 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITY 14

5.0 PROGRAM DESIGN 15

5.1 SESDP Program Component 155.2 SESDP Investment Project Component 20

5.2.1 Project description 205.2.2 Impact and outcome 215.2.3 Outputs 21

Output 1 Improved Access to Secondary Education 21Output 2 Improved delivery of New Secondary Education Curricula 25Output 3 Strengthened secondary education subsector management 32

5.2.4 Monitoring and Evaluation of SESDP 36

6.0 SAFEGUARDS 38

7.0 COST ESTIMATES AND FINANCING 39

7.1 SESDP Program Component 397.2 Project Investment Plan 407.3 Financing Plan 41

8.0 PROGRAM MANAGEMENT 41

8.1 Project Implementation Organizations – Roles and Responsibilities 418.2 Financial Management Assessment 428.3 Risk Management 44

9.0 PROCUREMENT 44

10.0 SUMMARY 45

ANNEXES

ANNEX 01 PPTA Implementation

ANNEX 02 Problem Tree Analysis

ANNEX 03 Design and Monitoring Framework

ANNEX 04 Implementation Plan

ANNEX 05 Documents Accessed

ANNEX 06 Secondary Education Sub-Sector Situational Analysis

ANNEX 07 Secondary Teacher Tracer Study

ANNEX 08 Secondary Teacher Placement Scheme

ANNEX 09 LD Financial Analysis

ANNEX 10 LD Economic Analysis

ANNEX 11 LD Development Coordination

ANNEX 12 LD Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategy

ANNEX 13 LD Ethnic Group Plan

ANNEX 14 LD Gender Action Plan

ANNEX 15 Selection of Access Focus Districts (SESDP)

ANNEX 16 SESDP Access Support Delivery Models

ANNEX 17 Proposed Staff and Teacher Training Schedule

ANNEX 18 Proposed Civil Works Schedule

ANNEX 19 Procurement Plan

ANNEX 20 SESDP Scholarships, Access Grants and Dormitories

ANNEX 21 Proposed Textbooks, Teachers Guides Printing and Delivery Schedules

ANNEX 22 Indicative Lists of Civil Works Equipment and Materials

ANNEX 23 Summary Capacity Building Plan for Curriculum Delivery

ANNEX 24 Management Capacity Development Plan

ANNEX 25 Outline Design for Impact Evaluation Study of SESDP Scholarship Program

ANNEX 26 Detailed Costing and Financing Plan

ANNEX 27 Financial Management Assessment

ANNEX 28 LD Risk Assessment and Risk Management

ANNEX 29 Consultant Services Schedule

ANNEX 30 Procurement Capacity Assessment

TABLES

Table 1 The magnitude of the ODA effect for 2008/09

Table 2 Outline Plan for M3-M7 Teacher Training

Table 3 Outline Plan for M3-M7 Curriculum Materials development

Table 4 Outline Plan for M3-M7 Printing Assumptions

Table 5 Project Investment Plan

Table 6 Financing Plan

BOXES

Box 1a Output: 1 Policy Actions by end 2013

Box 1b Output 1 Policy Actions by end 2015

Box 2a Output 2 Policy Actions by end 2013

Box 2b Output 2 Policy Actions by end 2015

Box 3a Output 3 Policy Actions by end 2013Box 3b Output 2 Policy Actions by end 2015

Box 4 Project Management Organisation

KNOWLEDGE SUMMARY

The purpose of the Secondary Education Sector Development Program (SESDP) is toenhance equity, quality and efficiency of secondary education in Lao PDR throughexpanding access to secondary education, improving delivery of the new secondaryeducation curricula and strengthening the management of the secondary educationsubsector.

The proposed Program is in close alignment with the government’s National EducationSector Reform Strategy and the Education Sector Development Framework. In addition tolower secondary education specific interventions, the Program would also support: furtherrefinement and launch of the revised upper secondary education curriculum, withenhanced linkages to lower secondary education and upstream to higher education andemployment; broader system capacities, including support to the Ministry of Education,provincial offices, and institutions responsible for curriculum development and teachertraining for secondary education; and increased resourcing of secondary education.

Linkages with Development Partners have been maintained throughout the preparation ofthe Program through the Education Sector Working Group and individual consultations. Inparticular a dialogue has been maintained with UNESCO, Unicef, JICA and the WorldBank.

Cutting across all of the work are the issues of gender, language and ethnic identity,poverty and social exclusion, disability rights, safeguarding of ethnic group welfare, carefor the environment, and geographical equity. Other areas that cut across componentsinclude decentralization, institutional capacity building, improving linkages betweendepartments and units, and implementation of policy into practice, quality assurance andperformance monitoring. Awareness of the backwards and forwards linkages to primaryand post secondary education is maintained.

The SESDP consists of a $10 million policy loan and a $30 million investment grant, bothfrom the Asian Development Fund. In close alignment with the government's priorities,the policy loan will support reforms to enhance secondary education access and equity,quality and relevance, and subsector governance. It is currently envisaged that theprogram loan will be released in two equal tranches, released in or around the end of2013 upon completion of all first-tranche policy actions, with the second scheduled forrelease 24 months later, when remaining policy actions are expected to have beencompleted. Draft tranche conditions are identified subject to further review by thegovernment and ADB and finalization at loan negotiations. The linked investment grantwill focus on lower secondary and upper secondary education delivery in determinednational target areas, and on improving educational outcomes of disadvantaged groups(girls, children from poor families and ethnic groups, and disabled children).

For both the loan component and the grant component the anticipated impact is improvededucational attainment in Lao PDR. The expected outcome is enhanced equity, quality,and efficiency of SE in Lao PDR. Supporting the government's ongoing reforms in thesecondary education subsector and in close alignment with ESDF’s three pillars andtargets, the Program will deliver three core outputs.

Both the grant and the loan components will contribute to SESDP addressing supply anddemand-side constraints to educational access among disadvantaged groups, includingby supporting development of new or improved systems for scholarships and school-level“access grants” aimed at equity enhancement, as well as modest support for provision oflower and upper secondary classrooms and facilities in underserved disadvantaged focus

areas (selected using ‘educationally disadvantaged’ and ‘poorest’ criteria). Particularemphasis will be given to teaching, including supportive reforms as well as capacitybuilding for teacher training institutions. The Program will also support (a) pre-service andin-service training; (b) completion of the rollout of the revised lower secondary educationcurriculum; (c) the full rollout of the revised upper secondary education curriculum,including developing textbooks and teacher guides; and (d) provision of equipment andmaterials for teaching and learning. The Program will support policy reforms and capacitybuilding in key areas affecting lower secondary and upper secondary education, such asfinancing, management information systems, performance assessment, and mobilizationof the private sector (including non-profit) actors.

The SESDP, to be implemented over seven years, is supported by a grant of $30.00million from the Asian Development Fund (ADF). The grant will fund 92.8% of theproposed program, with the GOL accounting for the remaining 7.2%.

Project implementation organizations to be established by the Ministry of Education priorto effectiveness include: a Ministry of Education Steering Committee, a SESDPSupervisory Committee, a Project Management Unit, and Implementing Units. ProvincialImplementing Units and Pupil Parent Associations will set up at province, district orschool levels as relevant. The Director General of the Ministry of Education, Departmentof Secondary Education will serve as Program Director.

TA-7555 LAO Final Report Secondary Education Sector Development Program PPTA

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1.0. INTRODUCTION

1. This F inal R eport presents a c oncise account of the c ontext of the s econdary education subsector and a summary of the des ign of the Secondary Education Sector Development P rogram 201 1-2016 (SESDP ; the P rogram)1. T he development o f t he design through the inputs and activities of the Project Preparation Technical Assistance (PPTA) Team is outlined in Annex 1. The PPTA Team worked closely with the Director General of the Department of Secondary Education (DSE) and other departmental staff within the Ministry of Education (MOE).

2. The purpose of SESDP is to enhance equity, quality and efficiency of secondary education in Lao PDR through expanding access to SE, improving delivery of the new SE curricula and strengthening the management of the SE subsector. An ADB concept paper has guid ed th is design process (ADB 201 0). Annex 2 pres ents a problem tre e analysis, A nnex 3 the Des ign an d Monitoring Frame work a nd A nnex 4 the Implementation Pla n. The proposed Pro gram is in c lose alignment with the government’s National Education Sector Reform S trategy (NESRS) and the Education Sector Development Fr amework (ESDF) .2 I n addition to l ower s econdary education (LSE) specific interventions, the Program would also support (i) fur ther refinement and launch o f th e revised up per secondary education (USE) c urriculum, w ith enhanced linkages to LSE and upstream to higher education and employment; (ii) broader system capacities, including support to the MOE, provincial offices, and institutions responsible for c urriculum development and teacher tr aining for L SE and USE; and (iii) i ncreased resourcing of secondary education. Documents accessed are listed in Annex 5.

3. The p reparation of SESDP was based around review, analysis, communication, capacity building and partnership. The preparatory approach had three overlapping and mutually reinforcing p hases: (i) reviewing the B asic Ed ucation S ector D evelopment Program (BESDP) initiatives and the status of intended system reforms; (ii) preparing a situation analysis of the secondary education sub-sector; and (iii) designing and costing detailed SESDP plans to address gaps and pursue opportunities.

4. Cutting across all of the w ork ar e t he iss ues o f gend er, la nguage and eth nic identity, p overty and social e xclusion, d isability r ights, safeguarding of indige nous people’s welfare, c are fo r t he environment, and geographical e quity. Other areas t hat cut across components include decentralization, institutional capacity building, improving linkages b etween d epartments and units, a nd implementation of polic y in to prac tice, quality assurance and performance monitoring. A wareness of the bac kwards and forwards linkages to primary and post secondary education is maintained.

5. The proposed S ESDP consists o f a $1 0 milli on policy loa n and a $30 milli on investment grant. The Pr ogram would s eek t o s upport GOL i n enhancing ac cess, quality, and efficiency of secondary education. In close alignment with the government's ESDF, the inv estment gran t will s upport reforms to e nhance s econdary e ducation access and equity, quality and relevance, and education sector governance with a focus on the secondary education sub-sector.

1 Formerly known as the second Basic Education Sector Development Program (BESDP II). The change in name corresponded with a change in financing modality to a $30 million investment grant and a $10 million policy loan. 2 The draft Secondary Education Sub-Sector Action Plan (SEAP) 2010 – 2015, DSE, MOE, Vientiane (MOE 2010) prepared with UNESCO support has been developed within the Education Sector Development Framework (ESDF).


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2.0. POLICY AND PLANNING CONTEXT

6. Lao PDR had a population estimated at 5.62 million in 2005 that is grow ing at a rate of 2.1% per annum3. Approximately 73% of the population lives in rural areas. 39% of the population is under the age of 15. Ru gged terrain high seasonal rainfall, limited infrastructure of roads, bridges, etc. make the provision of school buildings and facilities difficult in re mote s parsely po pulated ar eas o f th e c ountry. Ens uring they h ave appropriately t rained teachers and adequate te aching and learning ma terials are particularly problematic.

7. In the urban areas, the fertility rate has stabilized at 2.044. In rural areas that have easy access to ma in roads, the fertility rate is 3.70, and in rural ‘off road’ remote areas the f ertility r ate is 4.74 (M OE 2008). The lite racy rate for the popu lation aged 15 and over, was 49 perc ent f or the non Lao-Tai grou ps compar ed to 84 percent among th e Lao-Tai groups (NSC 2005).

8. The Government of Lao PDR (GOL) aims to grad uate from its status as a le ast-developed c ountry (LDC) by 2020. Ec onomic p rogress h as r esulted i n a s ubstantial reduction in poverty over the past 15 years5 and the country is on course to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target of halving poverty by 2015 and on track to meet MDG tar gets such as those on primary en rolment and child mortalit y rates . The secondary e ducation su bsector mu st play an in creasingly cen tral ro le in ad dressing human capacity constraints to development in Lao PDR. The Program will support three interlinked t ransformations: ( i) f rom a p lanned to a market economy; (ii) f rom a largely inward-focused, subsistence-based economy to a commercially or iented and region ally integrated economy; and (iii) fro m an agrarian to more u rbanized so ciety.6 For an increasing number of workforce participants making a living is based upon arms length wage or salary contracts rather than traditional forms of family or self-employment. In this changed environment qualifications, as a means of s kills and k nowledge, become much mo re c ritical ma rkers than th ey w ere previously. Thes e transformations imply demand for a lab or for ce tha t ha s at leas t a moder ate le vel of lite racy, n umeracy, communication and other specialized skills, which are linked, to s econdary and hi gher levels of ed ucation and t echnical a nd vocational educ ation and training (TVET). Economic d evelopment will i ncrease th e opportunity for emp loyment, e specially i n industrial and service sectors.

9. The MDG development strategy was ar ticulated i n t he National Gro wth a nd Poverty Era dication S trategy (NGPES) (GOL 20 04) a nd the sixth Nation al Soc io-Economic De velopment Pla n (NSEDP ) 20 06-2010 (GO L 2 006). The s ixth NSE DP emphasized the importance of education as one of its four pillars and the improvement of educ ation quality a nd h uman r esource de velopment h as been ide ntified as a k ey directive in the draft seventh NS EDP 201 1-2015 ( MPI 20 10). The P overty R eduction Strategy Operation (PRSO 2004) now includes actions supporting school block g rants and the s trengthening of expenditure assignment from the central to the provincial level of a dministration. E ducation planning w ill n eed to t ake a ccount o f P RSO p lanning so that outputs can b e aligned wi th PRSO ou tcomes. All na tional de velopment plans highlight the importance of literacy and numeracy through universal primary e ducation. Policies r eaffirm the nationa l human res ource agenda for im proving social w elfare, enhancing workforce p roductivity and greater ac cess to further educ ation. A strong er relationship between formal education and employment is a key feature of these plans.

3 NSC (2005) Population Census National Statistics Centre Vientiane, NSC 4 Births per 100 women of child-bearing age 5 The poverty incidence fell from 46 percent in 1992 to 26 percent in 2007 (MPI, 2009), and Lao PDR is on course to meet the MDG target of halving poverty from 48 percent in 1990 to 24 percent in 2015. 6 See ADB. 2010. Country Assistance Program Evaluation (CAPE) for Lao PDR. Manila.


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10. The Ed ucation La w ( GOL 2007) defines th e o verall educ ation sector and there are particular referen ces to s econdary e ducation and v ocational education within a framework t hat em phasizes c itizenship, l ife s kills an d t he l abor m arket. The l egal framework set out by the Law underpins the directions set out by the NESRS.

11. The overall goals of t he NESRS focus on moving towards relevant regional and international standards with Government priorities being identified as: (i) increasing the length of gener al educ ation to 1 2 years (5+4+3) 7; (ii) furthe r i mproving quality a nd access; ( iii) i mplementing the T eacher E ducation S trategy a nd Action P lan (TESAP) 2006-2010; and (iv) expanding technical schools and vocational training. Amongst eight approaches to achieving NESRS goals two might be mentioned as particularly relevant: (i) modification of the purpose and the content of the general education curriculum and (ii) c ontinuation of th e development of the national e ducation s tructure. Specific reference to technical education and vocational training in the NESRS again repeats the need to “improve the quality of education and training, and s ee that it is closely related to t he world of work”. It continues by stating tha t the training r eceived by s econdary school graduates, technical personnel and technicians should be relevant to the needs of the e conomy and the labor market. There is a ne ed to “ encourage lower and upper secondary education graduates to enter technical schools at different levels”.

12. The ESDF was prepared as the national education sector action plan to identify, define and articulate the priority gov ernment polic ies and strategies tha t the national education s ystem needs to pur sue in ord er to meet the ed ucation goals, tar gets and outputs set out in key GOL policy statements. Also the ESDF supported the phasing of numerous e ducation pl ans p roduced s ince 2005 a nd k ey n ew education development projects. The ES DF sets o ut p olicy tar gets and strategies for ac celerating implementation of the NSEDP, NGPES and NESRS. The National Policy on I nclusive Education (NPIE) ( GOL 20 10) complements and r einforces t he i mplementation of t he National Plan of Act ion on Education for All 2003-2015, the NESRS, the ESDF and the Education Development Plan 2011-2015. Other documents guiding the development of secondary education are the N ational Inclusive Education Strategy 2011-2015, Teacher Development and Management Policy Framework and Ac tion Plan (TMDP) 2010-2015, Strategy for Promoting P rivate Educ ation, 2010-2010, TVET Mas ter Plan 2008-2020, and the draft Secondary Action Plan (SEAP) 2010 – 2015.

3.0. SECONDARY EDUCATION SUBSECTOR

3.1 Secondary Education

13. The MOE is responsible for formal and non-formal education at all levels, for both public and private education. T he MO E is g overnment’s lead ag ency and c entral management organization in e ducational ma tters, pla nning and d etermining policy, as well as super vising, leading, an d i mplementing and con trolling educational tasks nationwide. Under the GOL de-concentration policy the Minis try shares responsibilities with the P rovincial Edu cation S ervices (PES) and District Education Bur eaux (DEB). Various institutions have spe cified responsibilities at t he school, village and community level. Th e D SE ha s a clear man date to adminis ter and manage secondary edu cation throughout th e c ountry and a s pecified role i n communicating, c oordinating, and cooperating w ith oth er MOE departments and c enters, d evelopment partners, international organizations, non- government org anizations, and oth er g overnment sectors, in the development of secondary education (Interim Report8 Annex 8 Secondary Education Institutional Stakeholders Map).

7 Achieved in academic year 2010/2011 8 BESDP II PPTA Interim Report March 2011 is called the Interim Report throughout this document.


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14. Se condary schools are categorized as low er s econdary gr ades (M1 to M4)9, upper s econdary (grades M5 an d M6 and fr om 20 10 grade M7), c omplete secondary (grades M1 to M6 and from 2010 grade M7) and incomplete lower secondary, which do not have all lower s econdary g rades. In 2 009-2010 t here were 594 l ower s econdary schools w ith 7 ,883 teachers, 1 7 upper secondary s chools w ith 612 teachers, 354 complete secondary schools with 12,409 teachers and 209 incomplete lower secondary schools with 1,130 te achers. In 2 009-2010 th ere were 421,269 s econdary school students; 105,769 in M1; 8 8,220 in M2; 75,221 in M 3; 66,178 in M 4; 52,202 in M5 and 45,837 in M6 (EMIS 20 09/2010). Following 2010/2011 M7 data will be c ollected by the Education Statis tics a nd I nformation Tec hnology C enter (ESITC) and included i n the annual school census.

15. In 2009-2010 of 19,299 secondary teachers 50.3% were female. 17,289 of these teachers were Lao-Tai (52.8% female), 993 were Mon-Khmer (31.3% female), 247 Sino-Tibetan (69.6% female), 746 Hmong-Yu Mien (12.3% female) (SEAP 2010). There are a further 2684 te achers reported by q ualifications in EMIS w ho either did n ot r eport ethnicity or are i n DEB a nd PES p ositions ra ther than in scho ols, br inging t he total number of secondary teachers to 22,034 in 2009/10.

16. The ESDF outlines the policies and strategies related to secondary education with a steady expansion of enrolments in both LSE and USE following the introduction of the 5+4+3 s chool o rganizational s tructure from 2010 onwards10. T he s trategy i s f or a gradual expansion of USE, including enhanced provisions for USE vocational education and pos t-secondary tec hnical e ducation. The re a re p lans to establish 22 Integr ated Vocational Education and Training Schools (IVET) with a capacity for 500 students each by 2015 (MOE 2008). These IVET schools will strengthen the delivery of USE. Lao PDR is mo ving to wards a th ree-track u pper s econdary education s ystem: g eneral or academic related, vocational-related, and m ixed academic and v ocational-related. The GOL has made the s trategic choice to provide technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as part of the secondary education system. What is still being debated is the detailed form it will take.

17. Developed within t he frame work of th e ES DF the dr aft SEAP p uts effective management, g overnance and financ ing of LSE and US E as a g oal. The ov erall objectives ar e g iven as (i) s trengthen m anagement and governance at c entral, provincial, district and school levels to improve education delivery; (ii) ensure demand-driven and equitable teacher deployment and d istribution; and (i ii) ensure coordinated, evidencebased sector planning, financing and monitoring.

3.2. Equitable Access to Secondary Education

18. Improving access to secondary education, learning outcomes and pro gression to further education and employment requires specific attention to three aspects of the Lao PDR education system: (i) access to quality primary education, competencies developed by Grade 5 (primary completion) and community “demand” for secondary education; (ii) access to a network of secondary schools (“supply”) which meets standards for physical facilities, t extbooks and l earning materials an d qualified t eachers a ble t o a ssist their students to p erform well and progress to high er g rades; and (iii ) management of schools, dis tricts, pr ovinces an d c entrally which gives prio rity t o quality l earning outcomes for all students.

9 In Lao PDR lower secondary international school grades 6, 7, 8 and 9 are labelled as M1, M2, M3 and M4 respectively, while grades 10, 11 and 12 are known as M5, M6, M7 respectively. 10 The ESDF gross enrolment ratio target of 75% differs from the NSEDP6 target of 40%10. The ESDF argues that 75% should be possible due to the ESDF strategy for reducing repetition and dropout.


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19. Progress on each dimension requires successful implementation of other policies and adequate funding for the education system as a whole. In most education systems, where available budget funding limits implementation, dependence on the availability of project fu nding can dis tort the s equence i n which the MOE c an implem ent re forms. Integration o f dev elopment as sistance within t he ESDF ha s been an imp ortant s tep forward.

20. Improving secon dary education access will de pend on initia tives th at su pport improved pr imary ed ucation completion ra tes an d learning outc omes. Th is pro cess creates demand for “access” to LSE grades, as well as an increased demand for training and appointment of LSE teachers (World Bank 2009).

21. Universal LSE cannot be achieved if a large proportion of students drop out, or do not complete primar y s chool with l earning s kills re quired for success in s econdary grades. Improving a ccess fo r ch ildren in sma ll, remote co mmunities a ttending small, incomplete primary schools becomes even more difficult if they are to complete Grade 5 and have access to a viable LSE school.

22. Of the 8,968 primary schools reported in EMIS 2009/10, 2,380 had fewer than 50 students and ano ther 2,598 hav e betw een 50 an d 100 s tudents. Small in complete primary s chools o ccur across many districts a nd “ complete” primary schools are concentrated in the 50 to 149 band of enrolment. The dispersed rural population, terrain, distance t o the n earest prim ary school and dis tance fr om th e nearest ma in ro ad contribute to this pattern of small, incomplete primary schools, which are more difficult to staff with trained/qualified teachers than schools in more densely settled areas.

23. Primary completion is a pre-requisite for access to secondary education. Analysis of t he G rade 1 inta ke i n 2005/06 (i ncluding repetition) s hows more than half di d not reach Grade 5 in 2009/10. The pr ofiles fo r gir ls and boys are s imilar. This analysis is limited to provincial data, which obscure within-province differences. 24. In four prov inces (Oudomxai, Sek ong, Phongsaly, Sar avan), edu cation survival rates for gi rls to Gra de 9 is mo re than 2% tha t f or boys. In Vie ntiane City, Lua ng Namtha, Savann akhet an d K hammouan, g irl an d boy education s urvival ra tes are similar. In n ine other pro vinces, male s urvival to Grade 9 e xceeds femal e s urvival to Grade 9, especially in Vientiane Province where the male rate is 10% above the female rate.

25. Low primary completion reduc es demand for s econdary ed ucation and th ere is marked r ural-urban a nd gender differences in a ccess to q uality s chooling. If t he 17 provinces are divided into 5 groups, based on their educational disadvantage (ED) rating and their government poverty classification,11 there are 30 ed ucationally disadvantaged poorest rural dis tricts; 26 non-ED r ural districts po or and non-poor, 29 non-ED rural districts w hich are p oorest or poor, 3 7 non- ED non -poor “rural” d istricts outs ide Vientiane City and not provincial centers and 22 districts in Vientiane City and non-poor provincial centers.

26. In 2009/10 each of these five groups had between 44,000 and 60,000 Grade 1 students, but only 12,100-32,800 by Grade 6 (M1) and 3,300-20,800 in Grade 11 (M7). High repetition in lower primary grades and poor primary completion rates contribute to the profile, especially the poor educational outcomes in ED districts. Note: this analysis is a 2009/10 “snap-shot” not a longitudinal analysis of the cohort that entered Grade 1 and progressed to Grade 11 over the decade.

11 See Section 4 Social Development and Equity


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27. The F ast Track Initiative (FTI) Project an d other dev elopment p artners are assisting th e MO E to implement th e ESDF, w hich will c ontribute to imp roved primary completion r ates. On e MOE target c ould be lifting the FTI dis tricts p rofile to th e countrywide average. Th e A DB BES DP w as plan ned, and th e SESDP is planned t o strengthen transition from p rimary to l ower s econdary and onto Gr ade 9 (M4) completion.

28. Of the 55,569 female students in Grade 5 in 2005/06 who continued to Grade 6 in 2006/07 there were 29,202 or 52.6% still enrolled in Grade 9 in 2009/10. There were almost 12,0 00 more male students in G rade 5 in 2004/05 (6 7,344), o f whom 36,976 (54.9%) were s till present in G rade 9 i n 2009/10. A br eakdown of Lao P DR data by gender and pr ovince is inc luded in the Situa tional A nalysis (Annex 6). Und erstanding reasons for dropout is the first step towards a strategy to reduce these losses.

29. Enrolment data can be expressed as a percentage of the Grade 1 e nrolment to show the relative positions of the ED and other poorest/poor districts relative to the Lao average and the non-poor urban dis tricts. On th is measure, t hree out of fou r s tudents (74.7%) in non- poor urban d istricts re ach Gra de 6 (M1) and a lmost one in two re ach Grade 11 (M7) (47.3%). The poorest ED Dis tricts, by contrast, average only one in five to Grade 6 (21.8%) with only 1-in-15 reaching Grade 11 (6%). 12

30. A difficult question remains whether poor primary school outcomes combine with family expectations and dis tance to the nearest secondary school to r educe “demand” for s econdary s chooling. If lack of community demand for continuing to s econdary school is th e issu e, co nstruction of n ew se condary sch ools may no t be su fficient to produce appreciable change in the above patterns.

31. If access to a complete primary school is the first barrier to improving educational outcomes for many children in Lao PDR, access to a complete secondary school, or to at least Grade 9 (M4), access may be an even greater problem in po orest ED districts, where most incomplete LSE schools have fewer than 100 students. Most LSE schools have more than 100 students while most complete secondary schools have over 300 students. Students have to spend more time travelling to a larger secondary school with qualified teachers. Many small, remote districts cannot guarantee access to a complete LSE, with viable class groups, and teachers qualified in at least the core LSE subjects.

32. Without clarification of the access issues abov e, prov inces and dis tricts m ay continue to build s chools in places where “ demand” is hig h but n ot in areas where demand “appears” low when the lack of an accessible school may be the major barrier to progression into, and completion of, secondary school education.

33. Difficulty of staffing existing secondary schools in more remote, rural districts may be a further supply constraint – especially the lack of specialist teachers in mathematics, physics, or c hemistry. MOE is c ontinually exploring incentives to a ttract (a nd retain) qualified teachers. The delivery of textbooks to remote districts may cost more than the printing cost of many of the books. An alternative strategy being discussed is provision through the proposed block grant.

3.3. Quality and Relevance at the Secondary Level

34. The analysis of progress in delivery of the new secondary school curriculum has focused on three broad areas: institutional capacity assessment of the education system to deliver pre-service and in-service teacher training; teacher supply and demand issues including recruitment of graduate science and mathematics teachers to lower and upper secondary s chools, a nd s upply of s econdary s chool tea chers to poor, e thnic gro up

12 Note that this reference is cross-sectional and not longitudinal. It compares survival rates across age groups and sexes in a single year rather than trace the experience of a single cohort year.


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areas; and review of progre ss a nd i dentification of fu ture needs for de velopment and delivery of th e ne w M1 to M7 c urriculum te xtbooks, teachers guides a nd ins tructional materials.

Institutional Capacity Gap Assessment

35. The capacity of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) and F aculties of Education (FOEs) h as bee n s trengthened throug h th e Sid a TTEST Project 2002-2008, and the implementation of the activities s pecified i n t he TESAP 2 006-2010. Th e r eview of TESAP currently being undertaken by the Department of Tea cher Education (DTE) will provide a comprehensive upd ate on the s tatus o f all a ctivities, which w ill s erve as a basis for prioritizing and future planning of teac her education. All TEIs and FOEs have prepared 5 year institutional plans through which human, financial and physical capacity gaps at institutional level have been identified.

36. The analysis of institutional capacity gaps for secondary teacher training indicates two pri ority areas for furth er s trengthening of TEIs : ( i) the p re-service teacher training curriculum for LS E an d U SE t eachers an d t he c orresponding i nstructional resource capacity of TEIs needs to b e developed to more c losely align with the new M1 to M7 curriculum; a nd (ii ) the s ystem of Q A introduced into TE Is needs to be f urther strengthened thr ough, for example, th e d evelopment o f a standardized s ystem f or course accreditation between TEIs.

37. The Teacher Development and Management Policy Framework and Action Plan (TDMP 20 10) prov ide the policy foundation for c apacity dev elopment in tea cher education. Teacher Quali ty an d Pe rformance (TQP) is identified i n the T DMP as a priority activity f or syste m-wide qu ality imp rovement. The Ed ucation St andards and Quality Assurance Centre (ESQAC), in collaboration with DSE and DTE, has begun the design of a TQP system, w hich aligns with the S chools of Quality (SOQ ) init iative. Monitoring guidelines now need to be developed as a b asic tool for imple mentation of the TQP system.

Teacher Recruitment and Deployment

38. Graduate Teacher Supply - although the total number of teacher graduates being produced by TEIs and FOE is sufficient, the re is a c ontinuing s hortage in supply of teachers in remo te area schools, a s hortage of female t eachers in s ome areas and a shortage of science teachers in LSE and USE. Wastage at g raduate level is due to a number of r easons including teachers refus ing deployment to re mote areas, and more attractive alternative employment opportunities for English, mathematics, science and IT graduates outside the profession and/or into the private school sector.

39. Tracer Study - a small tracer study undertaken during the SESDP PPTA, provides data on student flow from U SE to tea cher training and g raduation from TE I/FOE into teaching (Annex 7). The analysis shows a lack of clear information on student flow, and the need fo r P ES a nd T EIs to imp rove the mo nitoring of grad uate r ecruitment fr om TEI/FOE, to imp rove s ystem e fficiencies. A me chanism fo r monitoring th e flow of graduates into t eaching posts and of tho se who do not take up teaching would assist MOE to improve efficiency in teacher education and effectiveness in teacher supply.

40. Teacher Incentives – a k ey barrier to ac hieving t he g oal of providing quality secondary school education is the difficulty of recruiting and retaining teachers to work in underserved areas of the country. Teachers are least attracted to areas where living and working conditions are more c hallenging, and supplementary allowances have not provided sufficient inc entive. The quota system h as n ot pro ved effective as a


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mechanism for deployment of teachers to areas of n eed, and neither have the exis ting scholarship and contract sc hemes solved the pr oblems of u ndersupply o f te achers to poor eth nic a reas. The MOE recognizes th at the liv ing an d working c onditions and salaries of t eachers ar e c rucial factors that need t o be addressed to hel p solve the problem.

41. The TDMP includes upgrading of compensation, benefits and incentives. One of the g oals s tated in th e TD MP is “to ensure t hat the c urrent teaching fo rce is retained through t he s etting up of prop er systems for inc entives, promotion and career development. Teachers who are assigned to work in rur al and remote areas should be provided with r easonable inc entives, a nd training opportunities for continuous upgrading”.

42. The feasibility and design of a focused pilot of an incentives mechanism for rural teacher deployment has been drafted based on wide consultation, and reflects the views and perspectives of teachers and education officers. An initial design for a Pilot Teacher Placement Scheme is included in Annex 8).

In-Service Training to support implementation of the SE curriculum

43. Strengthening of Secondary Pedagogical Adviser Support In each province there are 22 Secondary Pedagogical Adv isers (SPA) responsible for ped agogical support to LSE and USE schools. The majority of SP As are located in the prov incial centers. In-service and school-based support is very limited for t eachers in t he mor e remote schools. Budget constraints restrict the mobility of SPAs. Lack of teaching resources in secondary schools limits the teaching of practical lessons. SPAs have expressed a need for more opportunity for professional networking through regional meetings.

44. Upgrade Program for Secondary Teachers - analysis of teacher in-service training revealed th at a pproximately 68 pe rcent of all s econdary te achers h ave 11+3 qualification or above13 meaning that approximately 32 percent of all secondary teachers do not meet this minimum standard. There is an on-going secondary teacher upgrade program c onducted in TEI s and FO Es with enr olment bas ed on a quota s ystem and attendance is s elf-financed by t eachers. The program is popular because upg rade qualifies the teacher for a salary increase. Access to teacher upgrade courses is difficult for t eachers f rom r emote districts fu rther perpetuating th e c hallenge of improv ing education quality in poor, ethnic group areas.

Development and delivery of the new M1 to M7 curriculum

45. The se condary sch ool cu rriculum has b een revised to a lign w ith the expanded secondary school s ystem fro m 5 +3+3 to 5+4 +3. LS E was expanded in 2009-2010 to include the four grades 6-9 (M1-M4 ), and USE was expanded in 2010-2011 academic year to c over the three grades 10-12 (M5-M7). Th e new M1-M7 c urriculum is in th e process of development to align with the expanded secondary education system, and is managed by the Research Institute for Educational Science (RIES).

46. The new M1 to M7 curriculum framework has been developed and M1 curriculum implementation was completed i n 2010. M2 textbooks and teachers’ guides are being distributed to sch ools and M2 te acher training will be pro vided b y mid-2011. Th e provisional M7 c urriculum, in troduced in to G rade 1 2 in 2 010/2011 is b ased on th e universities foundation year course.

13 MOE EMIS 2009/2010. Data could not be disaggregated to show lower and upper secondary school teachers by qualifications


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47. Text Books (TB), Teaching Guides (TG) and Instructional Materials – a Textbook and T eachers Guide Production S trategy has been d eveloped t o assist RIES in implementing the writing and publishing of textbooks, which provides a sound basis to guide the curriculum development process including QA guidelines. A review of current procedures f or curriculum delivery has identified the need to im prove the efficiency of textbook distribution, build the capacity of teachers to teac h the new curriculum and to assess s tudent le arning. Further support is needed f or implem entation of t he loc al curriculum.

48. Review of M1 Teacher Training Model – a cascade model of teacher training was used for tra ining of 4,033 M1 teachers in 2 010. A training ma nual was p repared, and master trainers and SPAs were trained to d eliver the M1 tea cher tra ining at provincial level. A rev iew of the M1 te acher training mod el i ndicates tha t a rrangements f or provincial-based t raining varied from place-to-place as PES us ed innovative stra tegies for delivery of M1 training. Teachers identified the need for follow up support in schools and for more than one te acher per s chool t o be tr ained. Tr aining programs need to include opportunity for part icipants to prepare activities that they will implement in the ir school. The follow up actions taken by teachers in their schools should be monitored to provide an impact assessment.

49. Enhancing the use of Information Technology and Education Media for curriculum implementation - central and provincial training workshops are high cost, and this limits the n umber of tea chers w ho c an a ttend. Th is, in tu rn, p laces a re sponsibility o n participants to trans fer th e le arning f rom the tr aining c ourse t o the ir own c lassroom practice, and to also share their new learning with colleagues in their schools. There is scope for s trengthening professional development activities at district an d school level, including strengthening of the RIES Education Media Centre to deliver television, radio and ICT ba sed tea cher t raining ma terials. This would ali gn with the I nformation Communication Technology for Lao Education (ICT4LE) initiative [See 2B4].

50. Student Learning Outcomes - the expanded secondary education system and the new M1 to M7 curriculum will impact on the national examinations for completion of LSE and USE. The SEAP includes, under Student Performance Monitoring, a requirement to “develop new institutional arrangements for nationwide student performance monitoring requirements to improve learning outcomes and employment opportunities” (draft SEAP 2010, Target 2.2b). At USE level the G12 National Information Resource Centre is to be established, alon g with procedures f or t ransparent national e xaminations (SEAP USE Quality Progr am 4.5). S chool p erformance monitori ng pla ns a re to be developed by ESQAC for implementation in LSE schools (SEAP 2010 LSE Quality Program 1.4). The BESDP Mid-term Evalu ation (MTE) noted “a lthough there i s an attemp t to have assessment activities as part of i nstructional process, the MTE s tated that t here is no clear inclusion of any assessment system in the c urriculum, especially if the n ew LSE and USE curricula will be used as qualifications for employment and further s tudies in higher education”.

3.4. Education Budget, Expenditure, Costs, Management and Administration

Review of Education Budget, Expenditure and costs

51. Lao PDR has a fa vorable e conomic o utlook bas ed on projected revenues from hydro-electricity sales and other natural resources, but budg et revenue benefits to th e social s ector are limited by high ed ucation s ector operating costs. With s alaries and related costs accounting for 87.4% o f t he education recurrent budget in 2008/09 (and 90.8% of education local recurrent budgets), the sector has limited budget flexibility and


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the costs o f supporting almost 1.3 5 million students, more t han 57 ,000 teachers and 10,000 schools spread across the country.

52. The education s ector fun ctioned with 1 5.8% of to tal g overnment expenditure in 2008-09 bec ause it attracted 19.6% o f Official Direct Assistance (ODA) to s upport school c onstruction, provision of textbook s and t eacher traini ng. Th ere are t hree problems with this pattern – ODA represented 34.8% of the education sector budget, it subsidized some operating costs where the budget allocation was insufficient and ODA fluctuates from year to year.

53. ADB fu nding u nder BESDP required the Gov ernment to a llocate 16% of th e annual bud get to education as a tra nche condition. In e xplaining the s hortfall, the Government no ted th at tota l education expe nditure de clined because foreign fundi ng (ODA) declined. The an alysis is co rrect, but t he lo gic o f the t ranche conditionality requires r eview. T wo m easures may b e necessary - G overnment c ontribution to the education budget as a p roportion of the state budget (e xcluding ODA) where the measure achieved in 2008/09 was 10.5% and Government contribution including ODA where the r esult was 1 3.0%. Link ing G overnment c ontribution to ODA c ontribution exposes th e s ystem to p ipeline fluctuations i n project appr oval, d isbursements and external factors affecting ODA. The magnitude of the ODA effect is apparent in Table 1.

Table 1 The magnitude of the ODA effect for 2008/09

Education

Sector Expenditure Million Kip

2008/09 ODA

Education minus ODA

2008/09 Enrolment

USD exchange

rate

Total USD per Student

Excluding ODA

(a) (b ) (c)=(a)-(b) (d) (e) (a*e)/d ((a-b)*e)/d

1,302, 600

453, 500 849, 080 1,330,779 8,000 $106 $80

(a), (b) from December 2010 report on 2008/09 Budget Implementation (d) EMIS (e) assumed constant

54. An alternative measure would be real expenditure per student, which requires an adjustment for c ost changes. The share of budget measure sidesteps any measure of inflation, is sues about e nrolments in n on-government s chools, and exc hange rates if comparability with other countries is required. The real expenditure per student measure can also be used to id entify regi onal/geographic differ ences in the c osts o f d elivering education to smaller classes in remote or difficult to access localities.

55. Another issue is how the allocated funds are s pent, especially the proportion on salary and related costs versus non-salary expenditure. In 20 08/09, 74% of education sector recurrent expenditure was on Chapter 10 salaries and al lowances, increasing to 88% if C hapter 11 c ompensation an d allo wances a re in cluded. If lo cal edu cation expenditure is examined, salaries and allo wances were 81% (Chapter 10) and 91% if Chapter 11 expenses a re in cluded. Loc al b udgets ha ve limited f unds f or non-salary related e xpenditure (mai ntenance an d ope rations, utilities, c onsumable mate rials, an d costs of travel).

56. The limited flexibility within the budget allocations for non-salary-related expenses is fu rther c omplicated by previous a nd pr oposed dev olution to p rovince and district.14 The MOE has developed a draft Budget Norms Decree with an adjustment for LSE with

14 See for example Jean-Marc Lepain (August 2010) End of Mission (EU) Report and an April 2010 Concept Note on the Introduction of Expenditure Norms in the Education Sector (especially Table on Budget Trends, page 5). Reference to Andrew Jackson draft paper (November 2010)


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fewer t han 50 students. Fifty may be appr opriate for prim ary sc hools but up t o 100 students would cover three-quarters of incomplete LSE.15

57. Lao PDR has more than 2 ,131 incomplete primary schools, plus 249 “complete” primary s chools w ith few er than 50 s tudents, and 2 ,598 s chools w ith 50-9 9 s tudents. Maintaining this network includes the additional costs of recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, p lus d istrict expenditure f or deliv ery of book s and materials. With out an adequate budget allocation, the materials are either not delivered or teachers bear the cost o f travel to the district ce ntre to collect their salary pa yment a nd bring ma terials back to their school.

58. With increased primary c ompletion rates and impr oved tra nsition to lo wer secondary s chools which ar e further from students’ h omes, an additional s et of c osts arise – tr avel to s chool o r c osts of b oarding with rel atives o r i n other accommodation away fr om home. For inv estment in c lassrooms, s tudent a ccommodation where necessary an d te acher ac commodation to be s ustainable/justified, more s tudents will have to travel further to access a complete LSE school or a complete secondary school. It is justifiable to fund these investments under SESDP for improved access for girls and poor students to secondary e ducation, and to dev elop procedures f or gov ernment payment o f t hose co sts, p rovided provincial bu dgets a llocate f unds t o su stain th ese schools beyond the life of the Program. 59. Annexes 9 and 1 0 g ive a mor e detailed fin ancial analysis a nd a more d etailed economic analysis respectively.

Management and Administration

60. Rapid expansion in demand fo r s econdary edu cation i n s ome loc ations (for example, where LSE gross enrolment has risen to 76% by 2008/9 and where the GER is as low as 31%), coupled with under-enrolment in some rural, ethnic group and poorer districts (31%), h as led to dis parities and inadequacy in service provision (s ee dra ft SEAP 2010) . Sec ondary educ ation (and in p articular l ower secondary educ ation) remains a b ottleneck to balanced educational development. Failure to keep pace with, and to r eflect dif ferences in p atterns of, demand for LSE and USE places have led the SE subsector to become a bottleneck to balanced education development. This situation has b een exacerbated by s ystemic pr oblems w ith t he secondary edu cation subsector including: (i) institutional weaknesses and uneven decentralization; (ii) inadequate sector financing and imba lance between cap ital an d recurrent budge ts; (iii) hum an r esource and capacity g aps, e specially in poor l ocalities; (iv ) g aps in ma nagement in formation systems a nd tea cher assessment; and (v ) limit ed international support and a weak private sector (Annex 2 Problem Tree Analysis).

61. There ar e challenges a ssociated with re structuring the cycles o f p rimary education (5 years), LSE (4 years) and USE (3 years), and the current low throughput to USE. Th e r estructuring of the cycles d oes not overcome t he educational pr oblems connected with staffing s mall s chools, w hich may nee d a range of alternative interventions. The c hallenge of the r ising overall tra nsition fr om prima ry y ears to secondary, combined with the demand-side challenge of improving GER for girls, ethnic groups, disabled children and children from poor rural areas, link direc tly to s ignificant disparities in provision and inequalities in outcomes.

15 Add note re Block Grant payments to primary schools to cover costs of student textbooks and teacher workbooks. If grants are too small, other costs may reduce funds available to procure the required textbooks. Procedures, guidelines and training for school managers and community required if funds are to be spent on approved items.


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62. The 2007 Education Law, the NESRS, and the ESDF, within the broader contexts of t he NS EDP, NG PES an d t he PR SO, i ndicate t hat t he G overnment regards strengthening managem ent in the edu cation s ector as a p riority. Wh ile t he fo cus of BESDP h as been on s econdary education the program also c ontributed to bro ader education system developments.

63. The draft SEAP has effectiv e ma nagement, governance and financ ing of lowe r and upper s econdary e ducation as a goal. The overall objectives are given as (i) strengthen management and governance at central, provincial, district and school levels to improve education delivery; ( ii) en sure demand -driven and equitable tea cher deployment and dis tribution; and ( iii) e nsure coordinated, e vidence ba sed s ector planning, financing and monitoring. Certain targets in the ESDF focusing on secondary education were supported by BESDP (strengthening management; management related to teacher issues; planning, and monitoring and evaluation; and school fees). The MOE is continuing to examine human resource development for teachers and administrators in the context of ESDF implementation. The TDMP has been mentioned in the previous section on quality and relevance, along with the updated TESAP. In both documents key areas are identified for strengthening teacher management and administration.

64. The S trategy f or Promoting Priv ate Education, 2010-2020 (MOE 201 0) i ncludes an analysis of t he s ub-sector. Constraints of t he P rivate E ducation S ector i nclude an urban focus, a shortage of qualified administrators, teachers whose qualifications do not match the ir po st, no framew ork for sa lary levels, facilities sometimes d o no t meet standards, and weak subsector regulation. In addition the rules and regulations related to the man agement of p remises are not imp lemented and nee d r evision. B oth awareness of the role of private education and collaboration between stakeholders are low in t he su bsector. A t th e po st-secondary le vel, courses are focused t owards business, English and ICT. Private education is seen as needing more access to capital investment. Inc entives for private education development h ave b een identified, but implementation of these incentives has been slow.

65. Planning and financing (inc luding bu dgeting) at all l evels (c entral, pr ovincial, district an d school) s till h ave difficulties. W here funding is in sufficient to implement sector plans, greater pr iority needs to be given to s tructural reforms than to spreading investment t oo thinly across too ma ny initiatives. Cap acity buil ding w ill nee d t o foll ow structural reforms. There is confidence in central, provincial and district education offices in using the education Medium-term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) but fo r the MTEF to be implemented smoothly further c apacity building may be needed in the in stitutions responsible for preparing MTEF. The education MTEF needs to be part of a whole-of-government MTEF and for MOF to issue appropriate guidelines.

66. Weak ins titutional c apacity for pla nning and ma nagement at a ll levels in the system h as impacted o n the effic iency o f education s ervice de livery, with further progress on rationalization and dec entralization requ ired. Th e human resource management and data s ystems within MOE while improv ing are s till under-developed and consequently do not alw ays contribute effectively to p lanning p rocesses. There is still a ne ed f or EMIS to be furth er streng thened and im proved to mee t t he various information needs of edu cation pl anners. Th e d ifferent d atabases (FMIS, PMIS and TEMIS)16 used by the managers and decision-makes in the education sector have still to be lin ked to gether. MO E databases would use c ommon c odes for provinces, distric ts and schools a nd a c ommon teac her ID - an d this c ould be fo cus for (any ) proposed

16 EMIS = Education Management Information system, FMIS = Financial Management Information System, Personnel Management Information System and TEMIS = Teacher Educator Management Information System


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"tracking" initiative. There is an expressed view that EMIS has been a priority in the past and that the next priority is PMIS followed by FMIS.

67. The D epartment o f I nspection h as i dentified needs an d t hese include capacity building of PES and DEB on monitoring and evaluation, establishment of a mo nitoring and evaluation database, re vising th e te rms of referenc e of the mo nitoring and evaluation di vision, improvement o f mon itoring and evaluation too ls and s trengthening provincial and district level monitoring and any implementation units established at sub-national and national l evel. A Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) w ill assess ESDF pr ogress. PA F components r elate t o principles, focus, res ponsibilities, organization, timing , indicators of pr ogress, monitoring and reporting instruments, cost categories, a nd c apacity bu ilding re quirements fo r ESDF p erformance assessment (MOE 2009). PAF indicators for ESDP 2011 – 2015 are in process of being set.

68. Manuals of working procedures need to be revised for all entities with secondary education responsibilities linked. Some need for caution has been expressed, as MOE is considering further re-organization although opinions were given that the changes would not be major enough to af fect the development of manuals. This would help clarify the way in which DOI, ESQAC, ESITC, SREAC and RIES work together.

69. Capacity of dis tricts to support i nstructional leadership in s econdary s chools needs strengthening. A Secondary Education Unit has been established but currently is staffed by one person. Consideration should be giv en to dev eloping the U nit so that it has the capacity to provide support to sch ool m anagement teams. Villa ge Education Development C ommittees ( VEDC) are in some ways more directly a ligned t o primary schools (sin ce its typically one school per village) than to second ary schools ( where even the government target would be one secondary school per four primary schools (or villages). BESDP h elped to set u p the student-parent associations to co ordinate w ith VEDCs in all villages in a secondary school’s catchment area. If SESDP c ontinues this SPA model, it may be important to further institutionalize their role.

70. District Educa tion D evelopment C ommittees h ave been s uccessfully p iloted in some dis tricts, and c ould be used to promote th e establishment o f p rimary-secondary school networks. Expanding the number of these committees could be considered. The District G overnor would chair the C ommittee with r epresentatives fro m education stakeholders.

3.5 Coordination and Linkages with Development Partners

71. An Education Sec tor Work ing G roup (ESWG), c haired b y the MOE and co-chaired b y Au stralia and U NICEF, has an o verall responsibility to co ordinate and implement th ree education programs o f access, quality and management in alignment with the GOL NSEDP and the GOL H R D evelopment Pla n. In addit ion, ESWG h as a role in helpi ng MOE in fo rmulating, d eveloping and m onitoring le gislation for th e implementation of education sector priority polic ies and strategies. The MOE members of ESWG ar e c omposed of senior s taff from different l ine d epartments; op erationally there are 4 foc al g roups w ith up t o 13-19 members: LSE is represented on the Bas ic Education Fo cal Gro up an d USE on the Pos t-Basic Focal G roup by s taff of the MOE DSE (Annex 11 Development Coordination).

72. Several key projects implemented over the past decade have provided support to quality improv ement in th e s econdary e ducation s ector. Th e Teac her Training Enhancement and S tatus of Tea chers P roject ( TTEST) und er the s econd Edu cation Quality Imp rovement P roject (EQ IP II) has s trengthened th e c apacity of T EIs an d improved the quality of p re-service and in-service teacher training programs. The EQIP


14

II, the s econd Educ ation Development Projec t ( EDP II), the Bas ic Education ( Girls) Project (BEGP), the Lao-Australia Basic Education Project (LABEP) and KOICA projects have provided support to curriculum delivery through funding of curriculum reform and textbook de velopment inc luding reprinting o f textb ooks and te achers guides, an d printing of the new primary school textbooks and teachers guides. JICA has built lower secondary schools in 2 provinces. The first major intervention at secondary level BESDP became effective in Oc tober 2 007 a nd w ill phys ically c lose March 20 12. T he main features of BESDP, and the p rogram’s s tatus a re s ummarized in a matr ix (Interim Report Annex 04). 73. Linkages with development partners have been maintained in the course o f the PPTA through t he ES WG a nd individual c onsultations. While ADB is th e major development partner in the secondary education sub-sector other development partners have imp ortant programs c ontributing to th e gr owing s upport for l ower secondary education (basic education) a nd s upport to po st-basic education inc luding TVE T an d higher e ducation. In p articular t he P PTA maintained a dialogue with UNE SCO (Draft SEAP), Unic ef (S chools of Quality), J ICA (to e nsure c omplementary activities in provinces where they h ave lo wer s econdary s chool ac tivities in cluding building new schools) and World Bank and other development partners involved in the FTI program to ensure complementary program design in educational disadvantaged districts.

74. SESDP will m aintain close d ialogue w ith de velopment partners (and other stakeholders) and build partnership in certain strategic areas. Subject to more detailed planning early in the p roject, o ther for eseen c oordination and c ooperation will inc lude aligning dis trict-level c apacity building on s econdary educ ation m anagement in the 30 districts w ill th at provided b y FTI for loc al prima ry s ubsector management (including block gr ant introd uction), as well as c ooperation with UNICEF in p romotion of c hild-centered learning and child-friendly school environments.

4.0 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND EQUITY

75. The poverty rating system used by the GOL categorizes administrative districts as non-poor, poor and poorest. As ind icated in t he previous section, the MOE under FTI has identified 56 districts as ED. 2009/10 EMIS data have been mapped to both these sets o f d istricts, GOL po verty sta tus and 5 6 ED d istricts. Reduced edu cation opportunities for girls are apparent in both primary completion and the Grade 5 to Grade 6 transition to lower secondary school. In the poorest districts, the proportion of children in Grade 2 reaching Grade 5 is 59.5% compared with 72.9% in non-poor districts - and the difference f or g irls is e ven greater (57.3% v ersus 74.1%). For t he poorest E D districts, the disparity becomes even wider (51.5% for girls in poorest ED districts versus 87.5% for girls in those "urban" districts not ED). 76. A Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategy (SPRSS) has been prepared to identify potential target groups and beneficiaries (Annex 12). 77. Specific interventions and procedures to promote participation by, and benefits to, women, the poor, e thnic g roups, and oth er d isadvantaged groups in initiatives to be supported under the Project are consolidated under an Ethnic Group Plan (EGP) (Annex 13). The project Gen der Ac tion Plan (GAP) ( Annex 14) ens ures that (i) s ite lo cation prioritizes areas with low female enrolment and all school construction and upgrading of schools i ncludes separate la trines fo r girls in separate locations; (ii) 50 % o f dormitory spaces, sc holarships, r emedial l earning opportunities, mater ials, sc hool d evelopment grants are allocated for poor female students from remote areas; (iii) target 50% female participants in all pre-service and in-service teacher training for LS and US teachers; (iv) target a t least 50% o f inc entive a nd te acher up grade grants to fema le te achers,


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especially from et hnic gr oups; (v) prioritize f emale r epresentation in a ll m anagement training p rograms and su pport strategies including SPAs: recruitment, train ing and mentoring programs for increasing women in school management positions; (vi) develop social mark eting c ampaign f or parents and c ommunity le aders t o inc rease understanding of the positive benefits of s econdary education for female students and promote female education in science as well as a strategy to provide recognition awards for d istricts with good practices in gender awareness ra ising and inc reasing access of female, especially from ethnic areas.

78. Key gender issues that the Project will impact on include: financial factors such as the c ost o f clothing and s chool s upplies; physical fa ctors such as the dis tance to the nearest school, road access to school, and the existence of separate l atrines fo r girls and b oys; e ducational barriers s uch as the la nguage of instruction, relevance of th e school c urriculum, p oor q uality of ins truction, the l imited number of eth nic minority teachers, an d s ocio-cultural barriers, f or example, t he l evel of p arents’ s upport, awareness of opportunities related to education, etc. A gender action plan and a fuller gender analysis is found in the SESDP PAM Appendices 19 and 21.

5.0. PROGRAM DESIGN 79. The SE SDP con sists of a $10 milli on policy loan and a $30 millio n investme nt grant. The proposed SESDP would seek to s upport GOL in enhancing access, quality, and efficiency of secondary education. In close alignment with the government's ESDF, the policy grant will support reforms to enhance secondary education access and equity, quality and relevance, and subsector governance. The linked investment grant will focus on LSE and USE delivery in determined target areas , and o n i mproving educ ational outcomes of disadvantaged groups (girls, children from poor families and ethnic groups, and disabled children). Indicators and targets at the impact, outcome, and output levels are identified in the revised draft design and monitoring framework (DMF) in Annex 3.

5.1. SESDP Program Component

Impact

80. The anticipated impact is improved educational attainment in Lao PDR. The Program and Project Impact will be measured in 2023 against three targets/indicators: (i) a percentage increase of 20% in the share of young adults aged 15-24 that complete at le ast 9 y ears of s chooling using a 2012 bas e l evel; (ii) an increase i n the gross enrolment rate for girls in LSE to at least 0.75 from a 2008 baseline in of 0.47; (iii) a ratio of gi rls to boys enrolled in secondary education of at least 1.0 fr om a 0.81 baseline in 2009/10; and (iv) a ratio of secondary to primary enrolment at least 0.6 (from baseline of 0.47 in 2009/10)

Outcome

81. The expected outcome is enhanced equity, quality, and efficiency of SE in Lao PDR. The Pro gram and P roject Outc ome will be measured in 2018 a gainst fou r targets/indicators: (i) the sh are o f female primary s chool gr aduates that e nter L SE in poorest districts increasing to at lea st 86% (baseline 81% in 200 8); (ii) a t least 75% of secondary teachers qualif ied (baseline 68% in 20 09); (iii) LSE s urvival rate to grade 8 rises 89% for girls and 87% for boys (baseline 79% for girls and 77% for boys in school


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year 2007/08);17 (iv) survival rate from grade 6 through to completion of grade 11 rises at least 15% for both girls and boys (baseline 51% for girls and 49% for boys in school year 2007/08)18

Outputs

82. Supporting the gov ernment's ongoin g reforms in th e s econdary ed ucation subsector and in close alignment with ESDF’s three pillars and targets, the Program will deliver three core outputs.

83. Expanded access to secondary education. Th e Pro gram will addr ess both supply- and d emand-side constraints t o e ducation access am ong disadvantaged groups, in cluding by supporting development of n ew or im proved syste ms f or scholarships/stipends an d sc hool-level “access g rants” a imed at equit y enhancement, as w ell as modes t s upport for prov ision of L SE and USE c lassrooms an d fac ilities in underserved disadvantaged target areas.

84. Improved delivery of new secondary education curricula. Particular emphasis will be given to teaching, including supportive re forms as well as ca pacity building for teacher training ins titutions. The P rogram will als o s upport (a) p re- and i n-service training; (b) completion of the r ollout of the revised LSE curriculum; (c) full rollout of the revised USE c urriculum, inc luding de veloping te xtbooks and teacher gui des; and ( d) provision of equipment and mater ials for teaching and learning. The Program will also include focused pilot testing of new mechanisms, as described below.

85. Strengthened secondary education subsector management. The Program will support policy reforms and capacity building in key areas affecting LSE and USE, such as fina ncing, ma nagement in formation s ystems, pe rformance as sessment, an d mobilization of private sector (including non-profit) actors.

86. Complementary policy program and investment project components will contribute to these outputs, as detailed below.

Program Loan Component, by Output

87. The P rogram will align w ith and suppo rt na tional ref orms and policies aimed at improving equity and access, quality and relevance, and education sector management, with a focus on the secondary education subsector. Draft Policy Actions which identify key reform-related targets that would serve as conditionalities for release of two program loan tranches, indicatively consisting of eleven conditions for achievement by end 2013 and ten conditions for achievement by end 2015, are given below following descriptions of Program outputs.

Output 1: Expanded access to secondary Education

88. The P rogram will s upport progress towards n ational go als (including the achievement of 75% g ross enr ollment rates in LSE and USE by 201 5 and 2020, respectively) and advancement of the Inc lusive Educ ation Polic y. The po licy program will, i n particular, support con tinued progress in 2 areas, re lated to (i) scho larships for disadvantaged students; and (ii) dormitories to enhance equitable access.

17 In school year 2009/10, LSE was extended to cover grades 6-9, while grade 12 will be added in 2010/2011. Survival rate target herein maybe revised during Program Implementation as survival rates for grade 9 and grade 12 become available. 18 See prior footnote


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89. Scholarships for disadvantaged students (li nked to Project su b-output 1B ). The government’s ES DF s ets am bitious t argets f or p rovision o f LS E an d USE scholarships, namely: (i) “ expanded Grades 6-9 scholarships program fo r 20% of students from 2010 onwards, beginning with the 4719 poorest districts”; and (ii) “around 20% of students in u pper s econdary s chool, TVET, an d un iversity awarded scholarships”. In v iew of the resources r equired for government p rovision of scholarships on any large scale (even if less than 20%), i t will be critical to pursue an evidence-based approach and to d evelop appropriate mec hanisms an d guidelines to ensure targeting to the most disadvantaged students.

90. Dormitories to enhance equitable access (links to Project sub-output 1C). MOE recognizes that provision of dormitories is a key instrument for addressing constraints to access. Th is is pa rticularly s o fo r gir ls and ethnic gro up c hildren in r emote villages, where distances to the nearest secondary school are largest. At the same time, despite increasing investments, there h as currently n o c oncrete p olicy for d ormitories at th e secondary education level, a nd support in this area w as identified a s a priority for SESDP.

91. Supported b y c omplementary in terventions under SESDP’s project c omponent, the draft Policy Actions foresee the following conditions related to Outpu t 1 (Boxes 1a and 1b). The Loan could be released in t wo tranches - Tra nche 1 (T1 ) and Tranche 2 (T2) following completion of policy triggers at the end of 2013 and 2015. Similar boxes follow for Output 2 and Output 3.

Box 1a: Output 1 Policy Actions by end 2013

Policy Actions by end 2013 T1.(i).1 MOE shall have approved criteria for beneficiary selection as well as interim guidelines for implementing MOE- administered scholarships for disadvantaged students at all post-primary levels, including targets for female and ethnic group students. T1.(i).2 MOE shall have completed a review of existing dormitories for secondary education and their impact on equitable access

Box 1b: Output 1 Policy Actions by end 2015

Policy Actions by end 2015 T2.(i).1 By fiscal year 2015/16, MOE shall have created and budgeted for an additional budget line for secondary education scholarships for disadvantaged students, including targets for female and ethnic group students. T2.(i).2 MOE shall have adopted a policy on dormitories for secondary education, including guidelines on ensuring their impact on equitable access

19 Additional district has recently been added to the ‘poorest’ category making 48.


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Output 2: Improved Delivery of New Secondary Education Curricula

92. The policy program, in particular, supports continued progress in 3 areas: (i) pre- service teacher training, recruitment, deployment, and utilization planning; (ii) improving in-service teacher performance; and (iii) secondary education curriculum reform.

93. Pre-service teacher training, recruitment, deployment, and utilization planning (linked to Project sub-output 2A). Policy and project support to the pre-service teacher training system, recruitment and deployment, and local planning for utilization of new and existing tea chers w ere i dentified as priorities for th e Program, to s upport implementation of the new TDMP, TESAP, and other policies.

94. Improving in-service teacher performance (link ed to Pro ject sub-output 2B ). Monitoring and imp roving teacher performance a re recognized as c ritical to impr oving quality and advancing pupil-centered, active learning, as reflected in the TESAP.

95. Secondary education curriculum reform (linked to Project sub-output 2C). The introduction of a n imp roved c urriculum (and rel ated textb ooks) s panning four years of LSE and three years of USE a core thrust of the government’s education reform agenda. ESDF a lso stipulates targ ets of “a t least ... 4 textbooks for each s econdary school student”, and “one textbook per student per subject for Grades 1- 9 by 2015”.

96. Pre-service tea cher training will be strengthened through re vision of th e TEI curriculum by 2015 , to ful ly align with t he M1-M7 sch ool curriculum. All TEIs w ill be provided with an equipment package for secondary education and the M3-M7 textbooks and teacher guides. The quality assurance procedures for TEI course accreditation will be enhanced. To support the staffing of rura l remote schools a new policy will need to be adopted on proce dures for rural tea cher deployment and utilization. An i ncentive mechanism will be trialed for improved deployment of n ew gr aduate LSE teachers to understaffed schools in remote areas.


Policy Actions by end 2013 T1.(ii).1 To align with the new secondary education curricula in schools, MOE shall have approved a revised national curriculum for higher diploma programs for pre-service training of LSE teachers at all TEI. T1.(ii).2 MOE shall have commenced pilot testing of a placement incentive scheme for newly graduated teachers recruited to remote areas T1.(ii).3 MOE shall have approved a guidelines for use by PES, DEB, and concerned institutions in developing annual teacher recruitment and utilization plans T1. (ii).4 MOE shall have approved a guidelines and adopted an operational manual for teacher performance monitoring and evaluation T1.(ii).5 MOE shall have completed the cohort- based introduction of the new LSE curriculum, including nationwide textbook and teacher guide distribution and related teacher training for fourth year LSE in SY2013/14


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Policy Actions by end 2015 T2.(ii).1 MOE shall have (i) approved a revised national curriculum for bachelor’s degree programs for pre-service training of USE teachers at all FOEs; and (ii) minimum quality standards for all TEIs and FOEs T2.(ii).2 MOE shall have completed implementation and analysis of the pilot test of a placement incentive scheme for newly graduated teachers recruited to remote areas T2.(ii).3 MOE shall have approved new textbooks for all USE grades, ensuring these are sensitive to gender, ethnicity, and disability Output 3: Improved delivery of new secondary education curricula

97. The policy p rogram, in partic ular, s upports c ontinued p rogress in: (i) enh anced resourcing and planning for education; and (ii) improved SE subsector management.

98. Enhanced resourcing and planning for education (linked to Project sub-output 3A). As refle cted in th e rev ised La w on Educ ation20, the ESDF, a nd v arious po licy documents, a k ey priority will be increasing resourcing to th e education sector, as well as the efficacy of fund utilization. Within this, ESDF targets increased, better managed non-salary recurrent costs and the i ntroduction of block grants as key thrusts. ESDF’s Section 2 .5 on Pr o-poor Financing stipulates, “Introduction o f formulae a nd unit cost based non-salary school block grants to all primary and secondary schools to offset loss of school income through abolition of fees.” Alongside the government’s move towards village cluster (kumban) development, it will also be essential to ensure that investments in ne w s chool c onstruction are based on c areful s chool network mapping, that a ligns investment with unmet need to efficiently and equitably expand access.

99. Improved secondary education subsector management (linked to Project sub-output 3B). Under ES DF’s thir d pilla r, improv ed s econdary education s ubsector management and governance will be c ritical to d elivery o f Lao PDR’s secondary education s ubsector refor ms a nd ov erall s ubsector p erformance. To p romote reforms’ efficacy, identifie d priorities for SESDP s upport inc lude (i) d evelopment of a communication strategy within the MOE system and outwards to communities and other stakeholders; (ii) further operationalization of th e new St rategy f or P romoting Private Education, 2 010-2010 ( which w as developed w ith BESDP support), including mobilization of non-profit actors ( e.g., N GOs), corporate s ocial responsibility, a nd various types of public-private-partnerships; and (iii) development of policy and strategy related to how s elective in vestments in ap propriate forms of information and communication te chnology ( ICT; ranging from print, tele vision and r adio, to more modern forms of ICT) can serve Lao PDR’s education objectives.

20 Approved in July 2007 The Law on Education stipulates that by 2015, 18% of the total Government budget shall be allocated to the education sector


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Policy Actions by end 2013 T1.(iii).1 MOE shall have approved (i) a policy for introducing block grants to cover recurrent costs for all schools and education institutions at all levels within the MOE system, and (ii) a supporting block grant management manual T1.(iii).2 MOE shall have (i) completed a nationwide secondary education school network mapping, and (ii) issued a decree directing PES and DEBs on use of the school network mapping to guide planning for future capital investment T1.(iii).3 MOE shall have developed, approved, and initiated implementation of a communication strategy within the MOE system and to the general public T1.(iii).5 MOE shall have approved a policy on appropriate ICT to support school education (grades 1-12), which is dictated by educational objectives and clearly prioritizes equity and sustainability


Policy Actions by end 2015 T2.(iii).1 The Government of Lao PDR shall have allocated to the education sector a share of the total Government budget not less than 18.0% T2.(iii).2 MOE’s budget allocation for non-salary recurrent expenditure (excluding salaries and allowances) shall be not less than 11.0% of MOE’s total budget T2.(iii).3 MOE shall have budgeted for and released block grants to cover recurrent costs in LSE schools in all districts defined as poorest and educationally disadvantaged districts as of May 2011 T1.(iii).4 The Prime Minister’s Office shall have approved a revised decree on private education that is in alignment with the Investment Law and supports implementation of the Strategy for Promoting Private Education T1.(iii).5 MOE shall have approved a strategy for implementing the policy on appropriate ICT to support school education (grades 1-12), which is dictated by educational objectives and clearly prioritizes equity and sustainability

5.2. SESDP Investment Project Component

100. The Project Grant will support a set of activities that are closely aligned with the policy actions and are designed to support their implementation as well as attainment of broader SE subsector goals nationwide, with some interventions targeted to prioritized disadvantaged areas. Key design features and targets are outlined by output below, as well as in the DMF (Annex 3).

5.2.1 Project Description 101. As w ith th e po licy program l oan c omponent of SES DP the p roject gr ant component will address equity, qua lity and efficiency of seco ndary education issues in Lao PDR t hrough expanding access to secondary education, improving delivery of the new secondary education curricula and strengthening the management of the secondary education subsector. The Program is in close alignment with the government’s National Education Sector R eform St rategy ( NESRS) a nd t he Ed ucation S ector De velopment


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Framework (ESDF). In ad dition to s econdary ed ucation s pecific interventions, the Program will sup port: com pletion of th e lau nch of th e revise d secondary education curriculum, w ith enhanced l inkages to p rimary edu cation a nd upstream to higher education and employment; broader system capacities, including support to th e MOE, provincial offices, and ins titutions responsible fo r c urriculum dev elopment and tea cher training f or L SE an d USE; an d inc reased resourcing of secondary e ducation. Cuttin g across all of the work are the is sues of gender, l anguage a nd ethnic identity, poverty and social exclusion, disability rights, safeguarding of indigenous people’s welfare, care for the environment, and geographical equity. Other areas that cut across components include decentralization, institutional c apacity bu ilding, impro ving link ages between departments and units, and implementation of policy into practice, quality assurance and performance monitoring.

5.2.2 Impact and Outcome

102. The Pro ject’s targeted impact is impr oved educational attainment in La o PD R. The project’s e xpected outc ome is e nhanced eq uity, qu ality, a nd efficiency o f the secondary education sub-sector in Lao PDR.

5.2.3 Outputs 103. Three o utputs h ave been designed too achieve the e xpected o utcome: ( i) expanded ac cess to secondary educ ation; (ii) im proved deliv ery o f new s econdary education curricula; and (iii) strengthened secondary education subsector management.

104. In the detailed project description below the activity reference numbers (1A1, 1A2, etc.) relate to activities with milestones as listed in the DMF presented as Annex 3.

Output 1: Expanded Access to Secondary Education

105. The P roject w ill expand access through the construction o f new LSE schools in targeted districts. The tar geted districts will meet two key criteria as determined by the MOE during the PPTA. Firstly officially defined by the government as a ‘poorest’ district, and secondly, classified by the MOE as ‘educationally disadvantaged’.21 Site selection will depend on additional criteria including (i) being situated on acceptable government-owned land (that does not currently host an existing permanent LSE school) that will not involve any resettlement or any adverse environmental impacts; (ii) the site’s selection is supported by the kumban; and (iii) meets a set of technical conditions (Annex 15).

106. Support to im prove access will be provided through: LSE Model 1, LSE Model 2 and an USE Model (Annex 16).

LSE Model 1 consists of on e new LS E school ( 4+1+1), LSE furniture, scholarships, a low-cost community dormitory, remedial support, an access grant, equipment and materials that include M1 and M2 textbooks and teacher’s guides, and additional arts and physical education materials

LSE Mo del 2 c onsists of sc holarships, o ne lo w-cost c ommunity dormitory, remedial support, and an access grant for existing schools

USE Mo del c onsisting of o ne teac hing b lock (3+1+1+1), USE fur niture, scholarships, a low-cost community dormitory, remedial support, an access grant,

21 Letter referenced 319/NCRD/Cabinet dated 19 May 2011 from the Prime Minister’s Office (National Commission for Rural Development and Poverty Reduction) confirmed newly designated districts, Phonthong (Luang Prabang), Mun (Vientiane Province), Xaisathan (Xaignabouly Province) and Xaichamphon (Bolikhamxai Province) are classified as ‘poorest’.


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equipment and m aterials. The U SE te aching b locks w ill be constructed on 15 existing secondary school sites.

107. Output 1 staff and teacher training activities are summarized in Annex 17. Sub-output 1A: Classroom Provision to Address Physical Access

1A1 Construction of 30 new LSE schools which provide access to quality education 108. SESDP will support PES and DEB in ide ntifying new school locations, which will reduce di stance and t ravel time for s tudents f rom t he p oorest c ommunities. The new schools w ill have 4 classrooms, a mu lti-use room tha t su pports science tea ching and provides space for a library, and a teacher-resource room. Schools will also be provided with reliable supplies of electricity and potable water supply and gender-segregated wet areas (Annex 18). D esigns will be similar to th ose de veloped u nder BESDP and will ensure a ccess to d isabled ch ildren. P rocurement of LSE ci vil works will follow the procurement plan in Annex 19; the PES will be responsible for the process supported by the Project Management Unit (PMU), following the announcement by the MOE (PMU).

1A2 Expansion of USE classroom and laboratory facilities at 15 existing secondary schools 109. USE c lassroom c onstruction will either exp and an existing LSE sc hool to be a complete s econdary s chool or will expand USE p laces in an al ready complete secondary school. These facilities will be created in 15 Provinces on sites identified by DEB and PES so that there are c lassroom places for the greater numbers of students completing Gra de 9. These expa nded USE fa cilities on government-owned land will receive 3 c lassrooms, a labor atory, a multi-u se room, a t eacher-resource room, electricity, water supply and gender-segregated toilets accessible to d isabled children. Procurement of US E civil works will follow the procurement plan in Annex 19; the PES will be responsible for the pro cess supported by the PMU, following the announcement by the MOE (PMU).

1A3 Furniture packages for 30 LSE schools and new USE classrooms in 15 existing secondary schools 110. The 30 new LSE schools and 15 USE teaching blocks will be provided with basic furniture p ackages. In a ddition they will be p rovided with equipment pac kages u nder Output 2 to support the new M3-M7 curricula [see 2D1/2D2]. Procurement of LSE and USE furniture and equipment will follow the procurement plan in Annex 19; the PMU will be responsible for the process. Sub-output 1B Direct Support for Disadvantaged Students

1B1 LSE baseline in 30 districts 111. During 2012 following initial training, provided by the PMU with support from the Inclusive Ed ucation Centre (IEC) and ESITC, pr ovincial an d district sta ff w ill s upport school-level members o f the pupil parents associations (PPAs), VEDCs and kumbans as appropriate to establish or confirm baseline data on feeder primary schools, including details of s tudents by gr ade, gender, year of bir th, home la nguage, family e conomic status, and distance/time to the nearest school with Grades 6-9.


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112. Some information about out of sc hool children aged 11-14 will also be collected. Information collected in the LSE baseline will be used by the DEB to re-confirm sites for new LSE con struction identified by t he MO E d uring t he PPTA , and provide a comprehensive lis t of Grade 4 s tudents in 20 11/12 who will f orm the pool of Grade 5 students in 2012/13 for possible LSE scholarships in 2013/14.

113. In c ommunities selected fo r new LSE construction, c ommittee me mbers of the PPA, VEDC, and kumban would undertake a more detailed study of all 11-14 year-olds in their c ommunity, inc luding numbers by gender and whether children h ave ev er attended s chool, a re c urrently attending primary s chool, c urrently a ttending LSE, o r have dropped out of school. For new LSE schools drawing students from feeder villages remote from the proposed school site, SESDP will support baseline data collection and consultation with village communities.22

1B2 LSE scholarships in selected communities of 30 districts 114. SESDP c onsultants w ill a ssist the IE C in r evising scholarship pr ocedures developed under BESD P; w ith PP As in targ et sch ools pr oviding grea ter commu nity supervision of scholarship awards, attendance and completion rates (Annex 20).

115. Up to 1 ,740 LSE scholarships w ill b e made a vailable to the p oorest students entering Grade 6 in 2013/14 in 30 new schools and 30 existing LSE schools in tar get districts: at least 50% s hall be r eserved fo r gi rls and 80% f or ethn ic group students. Scholarships will be paid a t t he Gov ernment mo nthly r ate at the beginning of ea ch semester in Grade 6 to Grade 9, with an incentive payment in the second semester in Grade 9 for scholarship students completing Grade 9.

116. Community participation in ba seline da ta collection w ill assist identification of poorest families and selection of Grade 5 students in 2012/13 to be offered scholarships for Grade 6 in 2013/14.

1B3 USE baseline survey in 15 provinces 117. Training will be provided by the PMU w ith support from the Inc lusive Education Centre (IEC) and ESITC for provincial and district staff to establish/confirm baseline data of exis ting s chools with LSE Gra des M1 -M4, by g ender and home la nguage, an d approximate d istance/time to t he ne arest school with g rades M1 0-12. Some information, about out of school children aged 13-16 w ill be required. The information collected in the USE baseline will be used by provinces to identify potential sites for new USE construction, as well as a comprehensive list of Grade 7 students in 2011/12 who will form the pool of Grade 9 stude nts in 2013/1 4 for possible U SE scholarships in 2014/15.

1B4 USE scholarships in selected communities 118. Project consultants w ill assist t he IEC i n adapting S ESDP L SE scho larship procedures f or awarding USE sc holarships; tha t inc lude PPAs in t arget s chools providing c ommunity s upervision of s cholarship aw ards, a ttendance a nd c ompletion rates. 119. The school c ommunity in each p rovince, which receives USE c lassrooms, will assist ide ntification of eligible s tudents c ompleting Grade 9 in 2 013/14 for entry i nto

22 The age/grade/participation profile generated by the baseline provides a basis for monitoring changes in participation patterns in target districts.


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Grade 1 0 i n 2014/15. A n a dditional 25 USE s chools in t he s ame provinces will be allocated scholarships and will also need to establish a PPA in order for the scholarships to be managed. Each of the 40 schools will be allocated up to 30 scholarships giving a total of at least 1,200 USE scholarships, at least 50% shall be provided for girls and 80% for ethnic grou p students. Scholarships will be paid at the Government monthly rate at the beginning of ea ch s emester in G rade 10 to Grade 12.23 Und er s ub-output 3D 2, a rigorous impact evaluation of LSE scholarships will be undertaken.

Sub-output 1C School-level Support to Enhance Equitable Access

1C1 Low-cost community managed LSE dormitories 120. SESDP w ill sup port co mmunity manag ement of low -cost d ormitories fo r LSE students in 30 new LSE schools [1A1] and 3 0 existing schools giving a total of 60 LSE dormitories. In the 30 s ites where t he Project is c onstructing new LSE s chools, the construction co ntract w ill provide the concrete base, p illars and the roof. For the 30 existing LSE schools, which will r eceive Grad e 6 s cholarships in 2013/14 to imp rove access for girls and eth nic g roups to secondary s chool, c ement, pilla rs an d roofing materials will b e pr ovided for a dormitory. [If p racticable, this ma y be i ncluded in the nearest LSE con struction contract]. Appropriate arr angements will be made fo r ad ult supervision by p roviding accommodation for a male and a female tea cher w ithin the dormitory to be c onstructed with P roject s upport.24 Cooking an d feeding w ill be arranged through community management guidelines (Annex 20). 1C2 Remedial support for boarding students in 60 LSE schools 121. Students f rom small p rimary schools i n remote villages entering LSE Grade M3 may need support, particularly in mathematics, reading and writing if they are to make an effec tive tran sition to a new l earning env ironment w ith s tudents f rom different communities. Option s inc lude “homework” s upport from th e adult s upervisor or fr om teachers of particular subjects. Remedial activities are intended to make effective use of student time out-of-school and to ensure students achieve the best learning outcomes in the 60 LSE. The remedial support will be provided in both new schools and in existing schools provided with low cost dormitories. Advice and materials on remedial programs will be provided by the DSE, in a way that is flexible enough to allow each LSE school to design its own program.

1C3 Access grants for 60 LSE schools 122. In addition to scholarships, low-cost boarding facilities and remedial support in 60 LSE schools the PPAs may apply for an access grant for an approved purpose including more low-cost d ormitory s pace, expanded remedia l s upport and s upport for poor children. SE SDP w ill assist D SE in collabo ration with DNFE to revise the BE SDP Education Development Grant Program (EDGP) guidelines for “access grants”, including income-generating a ctivities such a s a school gard en or s chool canteen to generate funds for the school t o support inc reased access and equity. Access Grant guide lines would limit any income generating activity to half of the grant amount (Annex 20).

23 No completion incentive payment proposed for USE scholarships. 24 Any required internal partitions to the dormitories will be provided by the community


25

1C4 Low-cost community managed USE dormitories 123. SESDP will support community management of low-cost dormitories in 15 schools receiving U SE c lassrooms [1A2]. The Pr oject would provide ma terials for th e base/foundation; col umns/pillars and roofing ma terials for comm unity construction of dormitory acc ommodation and gender segregated t oilets and wet areas. Co oking and feeding will be arranged through community management guidelines (Annex 20).

1C5 Remedial support for boarding students in schools receiving new USE classrooms 124. Students from small LSE schools in remote villages entering Grade M5 may need support, particularly in mathematics, reading and writing if they are to make an effective transition to a new learning env ironment w ith s tudents fro m different communities. Options inc lude “homework” support fro m the a dult supervisor or fr om te achers of particular subjects. It is intended to make effective use of student time out-of-school and to ens ure s tudents ac hieve t he bes t learni ng outcomes. Adv ice and ma terials on remedial programs will be provided by the DSE, in a way that is flexible enough to allow each USE school to design its own program.

1C6 Access grants for 15 schools with USE 125. In addition to scholarships, low-cost boarding facilities and remedial support in 15 USE schools th e PP As may apply f or an access grant for an ap proved purpo se including mor e low-cost dormito ries, ex panded r emedial support and s upport for poor children. S ESDP w ill assist D SE in collaboration with DNFE to revise B ESDP EDGP guidelines for USE Access Gran ts man agement pur poses. The gr ants will also be available f or i ncome-generating activity such as a school garden or school canteen to generate funds for the school to support increased access and equity. Grant guidelines would limit any income generating activity to half of the grant amount. (Annex 20).

Output 2: Improved Delivery of New Secondary Education Curricula

Sub-output 2A. Strengthening Pre-service Teacher Training Systems and Placement of New Secondary Education Teachers 2A1 Pre-service teacher training curriculum to be aligned with M1-M7 school curriculum and develop procedures for TEI QA accreditation system 126. Two TEI p riorities are i dentified fo r fu rther strengthening of c apacity under the SESDP pr oject: (i) the pr e-service tea cher training curriculum f or lo wer and upper secondary teachers and the corresponding instructional resource capacity of TEIs needs to be developed to more closely align with the new M1 to M7 curriculum; (ii) the s ystem of quality assurance in TEIs needs to be further strengthened.

127. The c urriculum re vision i s n eeded in order to upgr ade the TEI p re-service curriculum from the 11+3 to 12+3 Higher Diploma LSE qualification and 11+5 to 12 +4 Bachelor de gree USE q ualification.25 U nder SESDP the high er diploma an d ba chelor degree courses w ill be review ed and sup plementary gui delines will be written for all secondary edu cation s ubjects. R IES and TEI/FO E subject s pecialists working with project consultants will support the revision.

25 11+3 LS LSE qualification and 11+5 US USE qualification will be upgraded to 12+3 LS LSE qualification and 12+4 US USE qualification in 2011/2012


26

128. TEI master trainers and senior staff will participate in, and lead, capacity building workshops for introduction of the revised curriculum.

129. The E SQAC and DTE will be provided with consu ltancy support to develop t he Quality As surance procedures f or accreditation of LSE and USE p re-service teacher training courses to ensure equivalency of standards between TEIs and FOEs.

2A2 Curriculum resources and instructional materials for TEIs and FOEs 130. Teaching materials will be provided to all TEIs and FOEs with a priority on supply of science a nd library resources to enabl e teac hers to learn mor e practical teaching approaches aligned to the new student-centered methodology. Physical education and arts resources will also be provided to the respective specialist TEIs. All TEIs and FOEs will be provided with 4 complete sets of M3 to M 7 textbooks and t eacher guides at the same t ime as rollout and distribution to schools. The ICT4LE learning resources being developed by RIES under 2B2 will also be applicable to the TEI curriculum delivery.

2A3 Trial graduate teacher placement scheme 131. A Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme will be piloted to encourage new science graduate teac hers t o work in poor e thnic area L SE sc hools in rur al are as by 2013/14 (Annex 8). De partment of Per sonnel (DOP ) a nd DSE will d evelop procedures f or implementation of the Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme; the procedures w ill build on the initia l feasibility and p reliminary design prepared under t he SESDP PPTA. The Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme will be piloted in 5 project districts. 25 graduate teachers will be s elected and appointed to 5 target dis tricts, giving p riority t o female teachers and teachers from ethnic groups. A cash and in-kind payment will be provided equivalent to 150 USD for each of two years. The pilot scheme will test the effectiveness of an initial location allowance and an end of year bonus payment.

132. An M&E pr ocedure will be designed for district and school level audit. The M &E procedure will b e c onducted t hrough MOE staff monitoring visits a nd district lev el monitoring m eetings. An ev aluation of t he s cheme will be procured throu gh PMU to assess the fea sibility for scale u p, cri tical sustainability fa ctors, a nd procedures for regularizing of the scheme by MOE.

2A4 Procedures and manuals for teacher recruitment and utilization, and teacher quality and performance 133. The SESDP w ill support the DOP to de velop pro cedural g uidelines for the Teacher Recruitment and Utilization Plan, to replace the teacher quota system. ESQAC, in c ollaboration with DS E a nd DTE, has be gun the des ign of a teac her qu ality and performance monitoring (TQP M) s ystem, w hich a ligns w ith the SOQ in itiative. Th e project will provide support for development of monitoring guidelines to be used by DOP, PES and DEB as a basic tool for implementation of the TQPM system by 2014. Sub-output 2B. In-service Teacher Training and Support for Delivering the New SE Curriculum 2B1 Delivery of M3-M7 curriculum in-service teacher training 134. SESDP consultants will s upport D SE in c ollaboration w ith DTE and RIES i n delivery o f the training of trainers (TOT) and in-service teacher training workshops associated with implementation of M3 to M7 curriculum starting by 2014 with completion by 2016.


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135. Training manuals w ill be prepared for eac h g rade level, providing p ractical information for use in district and school-based training sessions, including a summary of ne w c urriculum c ontent, g uidance on practical te aching m ethodology, t he l ocal curriculum, classroom management, and assessment of student learning. 136. All secondary pedagogical advisers (SPAs) and master trainers will participate in regional training of trainers (TOT) for capacity building to enable them to implement the in-service tea cher traini ng prog ram at p rovincial a nd district c enters, a nd t o prov ide follow up support in schools, totaling 16 days of prof essional development for SPA and master trainers. Table 2 Outline Plan for M3-M7 Teacher Training

2012 2012 201 3 201 4 2015 2016 Outline Plan

for M3-M7 Teacher Training

M3 M5 (pilot) M4 M5 (final) M6 M7

Workshop to prepare Training Manual

5 days 5 days 2 days 5 days 3 days 3 days

TOT 5 days - 2 days 3 days 3 days 3 days In-Service Teacher Training

5 days x 5 M3

teachers from each

school

5 days x 11 M5

teachers from 15 schools

5 days x 5 M4

teachers from each

school

5 days x 5 M5

teachers from each

school

5 days x 5 M6

teachers from each

school

5 days x 5 M7

teachers from each

school Note: Wording “from each school” refers to coverage of all LSE, USE, or complete SE schools covering t hat grade nationwide.

2B2 RIES to develop media-based materials to support SPAs 137. Capacity building of the RIES Education Media Unit will be undertaken within the SESDP to impr ove deliv ery of TV, ra dio and ICT media- based teaching and lea rning materials. A capacity needs a ssessment a nd fea sibility stud y w ill be und ertaken of RIES. TV a nd r adio p rograms will b e developed f or u se b y S PAs i n t he de livery o f school b ased in-service teac her training fo r improv ed imp lementation of the n ew secondary school curriculum. This will help to overcome the problem of de livering high cost central and provincial bas ed training which li mits the n umber of p articipants, especially te achers from rem ote ar eas. Furthermore, te acher tr aining programs delivered in or close to school sites will enable learning to be transferred more directly to the classroom and teac hers will be ab le to e stablish professional networks w ith colleagues in their schools to share their new learning.

138. ICT4LE media-based teaching and learning materials will be developed by RIES Education Media Unit, initially for one secondary education core subject and used in the SPA Pilot [2B4]. The ICT4LE materials development will be scaled up by RIES, following the analysis of the pilot phase, to provide a set of media-based materials for the 5 core secondary education subject strands and with further support from SESDP.


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2B3 Support for the professional development of pedagogical advisers 139. The SESDP will provide targeted support to DSE to strengthen the capacity of all SPAs nationwide, through the funding of annual regional conferences by 2012. DSE will ensure that all SPAs will receive a total of 16 days TOT in the program to train trainers for the M3 to M7 curriculum rollout over the period 2012 to 201 6. The one-day annual regional conferences w ill be s cheduled at the end of the M3-M7 TO T w orkshops to minimize travel time and associated costs. In the regional annual conferences the SPAs supported by DSE will o rganize a structured p rogram of information exchange and professional networking including reporting on the progress in implementation of Pilot 2 trialing of ICT4LE media-based resources [2B4].

2B4 SPA package to support the pilot ICT4LE 140. SESDP will provide a local allowance and resource package to one SPA in each of 5 t arget p roject di stricts on a t rial basis. D SE in c oordination with t he RIES a nd respective PES will take responsibility. 141. The 5 selected SPAs will participate in the piloting and evaluation of the education media resources developed by RIES. A local allowance will be funded by the project for a 3-year tri al period to c over the costs of v acation t ravel, accommodation costs in the district location and transportation allowance for the 5 selected SPAs to travel to outlying schools. 142. The r esource package w ill include a la ptop comp uter and TV/DVD pla yer to enable the 5 selected S PAs to ac cess ICT4L E media- based resources. The I CT4LE materials will be piloted by the 5 S PAs who have been allocated the resource package in the LSE and USE schools in which they work. The ICT materials will include DVDs, radio and TV progr ams. The materials will include classroom activities for teachers and students, and schoo l based in-service teacher train ing f or use by SPAs, school principals and teachers. 143. All schools will be able to access the pilot TV and radio broadcasts if they wish to do so. Lessons learned and practical ideas for implementation of ICT4LE will be shared and discussed in the annual regional conferences for SPAs. 2B5 Teacher upgrade grants 144. A grant w ill be provided w ithin the SESDP t o enable 30 LSE qua lified science teachers working in poor ethnic areas to enroll on secondary education teacher upgrade programs to upg rade fro m 11 +3 to BA q ualification. Prio rity will be given to f emale teachers and t eachers from ethn ic gr oups. Th e s election of the tea chers will be the responsibility of DSE working with DTE. The course requires attendance at a provincial centre or TEI for 6 weeks each summer for three years. The grant will cover the cost of course fe es, accommodation a nd trav el allo wance for the th ree-year upgrade p eriod with a final bonus payment on successful course completion and retention in the same school location. The program will start in target districts in 2012.


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Sub-output 2C Support for New Curriculum Materials (Textbooks and Teacher Guides)

2C1 Distribution of M3 and M4 textbooks and teacher guides to 1,200 schools and all TEIs 145. In parallel with training for M3 and M4, the PMU will directly support procurement of the printing, packaging and nationwide distribution of the final 2 years (M3-M4) of LSE curriculum materials (Annex 21). The textbooks and teacher guides will be delivered to 1200 schools and all TEIs in SY2012/13 (M3) and SY2013/14 (M4)—see also Tables 3-4 further below.

2C2 New USE textbooks and teacher guides to 500 schools with USE classes and all TEIs 146. SESDP consultants will s upport RIES in the development of MOE ’s new U SE curriculum mate rials (text books a nd tea cher guides) within the a pproved U pper Secondary C urriculum F ramework. As s hown i n Table 2, i n e ach of t he years 2 013-2015 prior to the offic ial introduction o f the new M5 -M7 c urriculum, a series of workshops will be conducted to develop curriculum materials for that USE year. 147. In each year (for each of the 3 USE grades), RIES will organize a 2-day review of existing materials f or each gr ade l evel, followed b y a 5-day c urriculum materials development workshop, bringing together curriculum writing teams, two specialists each for the 5 c ore subject strands. A furth er 5 days is allocated for school-based testing of the curriculum materials for the 14 secondary education subjects at each grade level. 148. A Committee on Approval o f Curriculum and In structional Ma terials (CACIM) workshop and curriculum materials ‘camera ready copy’ (CRC) check will be undertaken before documents are released for printing. 149. The PMU w ill directly support p rocurement o f th e pr inting, packaging and nationwide distribution of the (M5-M7) of USE curriculum materials annually as set out in Annex 21 (the Proposed Textbooks, Teachers Guides, Printing, Packaging and Delivery Plan) and Annex 19 (the Procurement Plan). 150. As noted in Sub-output 2C3 below, in 2012, SESDP will also support pilot testing of interim M5 materials, to feed into the M5-M7 curriculum development process during 2013-2015. Table 3: Outline Plan for M3-M7 Curriculum Materials development

Outline Plan for M3-M7 Curriculum Materials development

2012 2 013 2014 2015

Review of existing materials 2 days

M5 (final) M6 M7

Curriculum materials development workshop

5 days

M5 (final) M6 M7

Curriculum materials testing 5 days

M5 (final) M6 M7

Curriculum materials CACIM workshop 3 days

M5 (final) M6 M7

Curriculum Materials CRC check 2 days

M3 and M4 M5 (pilot)

M5 (final) M6 M7

Bid Evaluation Meeting 1 day M3 M5 (pilot)

M4 M5 (final)

M6 M 7


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Table 4: Outline Plan for M3-M7 Printing Assumptions

Outline Plan for M3-M7 Printing assumptions

2012

M3

2012

M5 (pilot)

2013

M4

2014

M5 (final)

2015

M6

2016

M7

Text Book Titles Student: Textbook ratio

11 titles 1:1

11 titles (core)

3 sets per school

11 titles 1:1

11 t itles (core)

4:1

11 titles (core)

4:1

12 titles4:1

8 titles (electives)3 sets per

school

8 titles (electives)

25 copies of each book per school


25 copies of each book per school

12 titles (core)

2 sets per school

12 titles (core) 25:1

12 titles (core) 25:1

Teachers Guide Titles Student: Teachers Guides ratio

14 titles 25:1

10 titles (electives)1 set per school

14 titles 25:1


25:1


25:1

13 titles25:1

Text Book Titles for MOE, TEI and private sector stock

11 titles 1810

Textbooks

1810 sets of core and

electives

11 titles 1810

Textbooks

1810 sets of core and electives


12 titles1810

Textbooks

Teachers Guide Titles Quantity for MOE, TEI and stock for private sector

14 titles 1810

Teachers Guides

1810 sets of core and

electives

14 titles 1810

Teachers Guides



13 titles1810

Teachers Guides

Distribution 120 0 LSE schools

Assume 450

schools with M5

1200 LSE schools

Assume 500 schools with

M5

Assume 500 schools with

M6

Assume 500

schools with M7

2C3 M5 curriculum materials piloted in 15 SE schools in 5 target provinces 151. In addition to the cohort rollout of M3 to M7 textbooks and teacher guides, a pilot M5 print run and distribution of textbooks and teacher guides will be undertaken in 2012 by RIES working with DSE and DTE. This interim measure will be undertaken to meet the c urrent extreme shortage of M5 textbooks and teac her guides. The M5 pilo t will provide R IES with an opportunity fo r tria ling an d s ubsequent revision to th e M5 textbooks and teacher guides prior to full roll out in 2014.

152. The project will provide: (i) limited (but nationwide) printing and distribution of an emergency supply of these interim M5 materials; (ii) a focused pilot test in 5 pr ovinces and a total of 15 schools with M5 classes, including provision of training on the interim M5 materials’ content and careful monitoring and evaluation; (iii) findings from the pil ot refinements to the M5 mat erials in time fo r th e printing an d nation wide roll-out of the revised M5 curriculum in SY2014/15.


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Sub-output 2D Teaching and Learning Equipment and Materials to Support Improved Teaching (in 30 new LSE Schools and 15 USE schools) 2D1 Provide M1 and M2 textbooks and teacher guides, basic science equipment, materials and library books to 30 LSE schools in target areas 153. A basic set of teaching and learning resources will be provided for all ne w LSE schools constructed under the SESDP by 2013. A school set of M1 and M2 textbooks and teacher guides will be p rovided. Bas ic science equipment and l aboratory fac ilities will also be pr ovided to each newly constructed LSE school, in cluding instru ctional materials for physics, bio logy and che mistry, and library resources. The priority will be on t he s upply of science a nd library res ources to impr ove s tudent u nderstanding, practical application of learning and s elf-study opportunities. Indicative lists for sc ience equipment are included in Annex 22. RIES with DSE will be responsible for review of the technical lists of equipment and learning materials. Procurement of the equipment and materials will follow the procurement plan in Annex 19; the PMU will be responsible for the procurement process and distribution. 2D2 Provide basic materials/equipment for Arts/Music/Physical Education 154. An additional set of teaching and learning resources for arts and music kits will be provided by 2013 for 30 ne w LSE schools constructed under the SESDP. Procurement of the arts/music/physical education equipment and materials will follow the procurement plan in A nnex 19; the PMU will be re sponsible for t he procu rement proce ss an d distribution. 2D3 Provide science equipment and materials for 15 existing secondary schools to support USE instruction by 2017 155. Basic science equi pment will be provided to 15 new ly constru cted SE teach ing blocks, including instructional materials for physics, biology chemistry, library resources, physical education kits, and arts and music kits. The priority will be on supply of science and library resources to improve student understanding, practical application of learning and self-study o pportunities. Procurement o f the USE equipment and materials w ill follow t he procurement plan in Annex 1 9; the PMU will be r esponsible for th e procurement process and distribution.

Sub-output 2.E. Support for Improved Student Assessment

2E1 Rules and regulations M4 and M7 national exams and HE exams 156. The SESDP project w ill assist ESQAC and DSE in s trengthening the national examinations for M4 and M7 through support in drafting of new rules and regulations by 2014. Workshops to be facilitated by ESQAC and DSE will include technical input from SESDP consultants to assist in formulating a document, which aligns with international standards and best prac tice. At USE le vel th e G12 National Infor mation R esource Centre is to be established along with procedures for improving transparency in national examinations (SEAP USE Qua lity P rogram 4.5). The SESDP will support the pro cess through w orkshops to a ssist i n formulating a do cument, w hich is compliant with th e emerging Na tional Q ualifications Framework. Th e inputs will ensure tha t the re is enhanced continuity and smooth transition from USE schools to university and technical vocational study, aligned with international standards and best practice.


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2E2 Assessment for student learning outcomes for M4 in 2014 and M7 in 2017 157. The SESDP will assist RIES and DSE with development of t he M4 (Assessment for Student Learning Outcomes) ASLO in 2014 and t he M7 ASLO in 2017. Support will build upon t he exis ting expertise a nd experience of RIES to a ssist in p lanning and design s tages an d the l ater analysis and reporting stage. RIES has the c apacity to conduct th e AS LO fo llowing t he procedures alread y es tablished in ear lier r ounds of ASLO. The critical safeguards to be put in place relate to transparency in administration and reporting of the ASLO.

158. Support and implementation responsibilities for Outpu t 2 s ub-outputs and activities are summarized in Annex 23. The proposed staff and teacher training schedule is set out in Annex 17.

Output 3. Strengthened Secondary Education Subsector Management

159. The Program’s contribution to strengthening secondary education will support SE subsector a nalysis, capacity building f or improv ed SE subsector ma nagement at a ll levels, community engagement in s chool s upport and manag ement in t arget L SE and USE schools, monitoring and evaluation, a s pecial evaluation li nked s tudy and project management. 160. Output 3 institutional and capacity building activities are summarized in Annex 17.

Sub-output 3A. Support for Enhanced Subsector Analysis

3A1 Institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSE needs assessment. 161. There will be a ne ed to update the analyses carried out under ESDF, SEAP and the SESDP PPTA to en sure that activities p lanned un der 3B1 a re sti ll a ligned, appropriately tar geted w ith no duplication; and no new opportunities have e merged since late 2 010. This will be particularly n ecessary in the E D dis tricts w here the FTI project and SESDP will both be working with the PES and DEB. The PMU w ill take the lead in coordinating DOP and other beneficiary departments identified under 3B1, and complete the update by December 2012. The update will be prepared through a central review and planning workshop organized by DOP, who will also collect data through a rapid rev iew a t th e local level;26 an d a validation me eting at c entral l evel. Project consultants will support the overall process. 3A2 Updated LSE and USE school-network mapping 162. A school network mapping exercise will be rolled out by the ESITC that includes: (i) r eviewing the re commendations made under BES DP; (ii) c ontributing to the confirmation of school locations identified as potential sites for the 30 new LSE schools; (iii) confirming the locations of the 15 new teaching blocks for USE under SESDP; (iv) map other current and future secondary school locations in the same districts in order to complete school mapping in the 30 access focused districts; (v) survey other districts in the same provinces; and map provinces where no construction is planned using SESDP funds. In all cases kumban arrangements with be taken into account. 163. The school-network mapping program will begin with a central five-day workshop to train 17 provincial staff in school-network mapping techniques. This trained group will then tra in 1 43 d istrict s taff through p rovincial le vel five -day workshops i n t he sa me

26 Three provinces and 2 districts in each of the three provinces will be visited. (North, Central and South)


33

techniques. The training will build capacity for DEB and PES staff to (i) assist VEDC and kumban members in identifying options for access to LSE and (ii) support more rigorous planning for LSE and USE expansion. National and international consultants will support design an d traini ng aspects o f the school-network ma pping pr ogram. Fo llowing th e extensive data coll ection t he data will be analyzed and a rep ort p repared for ea ch province du ring a 5- day prov incial l evel w orkshop. As tar geted in the Program po licy actions MOE s hall have (i) completed the nationwide SE school-network mapping, and (ii) issued a dec ree directing all P ES and all DEB o n th e u se o f th e s chool-network mapping p rocesses an d products to gu ide planning fo r future c apital in vestment b y 2013. 3A3 Assessment of existing secondary education related management information systems 164. Under the SESDP a review of the existing assessments of secondary related MIS by ESITC in c onsultation with other MIS data providers (including DOP, Dep artment of Finance (DOF), DTE, PES and DEB) will contribute to the continual work to improve the MIS of the education sector. The assessment will include a review to supplement recent modifications under B ESDP to improv e the LSE related MI S and t he preparation of a detailed plan for better in tegrating LSE and U SE re quired da ta i nto th e pr ocesses of information c ollection. T raining a ctivities will s trengthen the maintena nce, mo nitoring and analytic capacity of the DOP and DOF staff who maintain the PMIS and the FMIS. Workshops and field visits are provided: to carry out the reviewing and supplementing of recent a nalyses o f e xisting LSE related MIS, to prepare detailed plans fo r be tter integrating of MIS systems; and the strengthening of PMIS and FMIS staff capacities. 3A4 Detailed needs analysis USE in 15 provinces 165. PES and DE B with the suppo rt of ESITC w ill undertake a de tailed USE needs analysis in 15 provinces to a ssist in the confirmation o f USE school lo cations in bo th districts and provinces identified during the PPTA. Sub-output 3B. Capacity Building for Improved SE Subsector Management At All Levels 3B1 Phased, multi-modal capacity building for education sector staff at central, provincial/local levels and secondary school principals 166. Based on th e u pdated i nstitutional analysis [3A1], a ph ased and multimodal capacity building program for educ ation sector staff a t central level (including the PMU, and impl ementing units (IUs )), p rovincial/local le vels and tar geted s econdary lev el school principa ls will be de veloped and de livered with na tional and international consultant s upport ( Annex 24). Th e P MU w ill c oordinate the implementation of th e training pl an with th e benefitting line departments of MOE a nd provincial and district offices (Annex 17).

167. At the central to district levels the focus of the program will be on capacity building for quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, finance, secondary education system management a t c entral, p rovincial and district lev el; and SESDP man agement. Th e content will be agreed w ith the benefitting organizational units ( including ESQAC, DOF, DOP, DOI and DSE). A p articular focus is on the needs of the d istricts that will receive one of the three access packages (LSE Model 1, LSE Model 2 and the USE Model). 168. Within the capacity building program DOP supported by SESDP consultants will assist th e r evision of the m anuals of working procedures of t he c entral MOE


34

departments, centers and units and the provincial and district equivalents. Staff of each division w ill w ork o n the revision and this will assist furth er un derstanding of working procedures by departmental personnel.

169. DOP, supported by the SESDP consultants, will organize a training of trainers for PES cou nterparts, who w ill then conduct provincial level tra inings on school improvement planning with an emphasis on instructional leadership. The latter will cover a total of 1,200 secondary school directors, one from each school in 2013, followed by a phased program of annual capacity building seminars with two school leaders from each school (in total 2,400 staff phased over 4 y ears). Participants in these seminars will be the s chool di rector a nd wher e po ssible priority given to a s enior femal e te acher fr om each of the 1200 secondary schools.

3B2 Communication, dissemination and advocacy strategy developed and launched 170. A communication, dissemination and advocacy strategy that re cognizes t he importance of secondary education and in particular LSE will be developed. RIES, with support from SESD P co nsultants, will prepare t he stra tegy i n dialogue, with MOE information officers, the De partment o f No n-formal ed ucation ( DNFE), a nd other stakeholder departments. This communication, dissemination and advocacy strategy will be developed and launched by the end of 2013. The strategy will include positive media coverage and incorporate heroic stories about teachers and DEB staff working in remote poor ethnic group areas. Further consultation will take place through regional meetings and a validation meeting will be held prior to the submission of the draft communication, dissemination and advocacy strategy to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Following the signing of the decree, a national event be held by the end of 2013 to launch the strategy. Implementation of the strategy will begin with a workshop to train 10 MOE staff, 17 PES staff and 17 provincial information officers. 3B3 Support for the implementation of the Strategy for Promoting Private Education, 2010-2020 171. The P rogram will prov ide s upport t o the Dep artment of Private Edu cation Management (DPEM) f or t he im plementation of the Strategy for P romoting Private Education i ncluding (i) f ocus g roup meetings o n bu siness in vestment in private education, (ii) f ocus gr oup me etings on NGO a nd non-profit making o rganizations to contribute inv estment in p rivate education especially i n remote are as a nd (iii) t he development of a decree (targeting approval by the PMO by 201 5 that is in alignment with th e I nvestment Law and s upports implementation of the Strategy for Promotin g Private Education, 2010-2020. 3B4 Development of a strategy and policy on “ICT-for-Lao PDR Education” 172. The Progra m p rovides for technical advice to the DSE in the pre paration of a strategy and policy on a ppropriate ICT for Lao Education (ICT4LE). The s trategy and policy, to support teaching, learning and school management, will be developed by DSE in dialogue with the Department of P re-school and Primary Ed ucation (DPPE), ESITC and other institutions within and outside the MOE. The policy on appropriate ICT for Lao Education will c over s chool e ducation (grades 1-1 2) a nd be dictated by e ducational objectives and clearly prior itize equ ity and sustainability. Contributing to the po licy development a small-scale pilot stud y will be undertaken under 2B4. The task dir ectly supports ac hievement of tw o policy l oan c onditions: (i) approval of the ICT4L E Policy and issue of a c orresponding d ecree by the end of 2013 and ( ii) the approval of th e ICT4LE Strategy by 2015.


35

Sub-output 3C. Support for Community Engagement in School Support and Management in target LSE and USE schools 3C1 Establish pupil parent associations and build their capacity 173. DSE will work with DNFE and DEB’s to establish or reconstitute the PPA’s in the 75 schools supported under Output 1. The capacity of the PPAs will be built to reinforce management of s cholarships and access grants and to strengthen PPAs broader roles in ex panding local enr olment and s chool manag ement. O nly schools with functioning PPAs will be eligi ble for sch olarships a nd access gra nts [see 1 B, 1 C an d Annex 20]. DSE with DNFE will provide a workshop with consultant support for provinces, districts and s chools to review an d re vise the c urrent PPA ’s processes and BES DP manuals. Following the e stablishment of new or r econstituted co mmittees tw o-day capacity building workshops for school mana gement committee members will be held by DEBs supported by central trainers. Further capacity building will be through periodic two-day experience sharing meetings at district level every year. Additional capacity building will be undertaken through Output 1, as various manuals and guidelines are developed to ensure tha t ma nagement of sc holarships and access grants a re adminis tered transparently against clearly set out criteria.

Sub-output 3D Monitoring and Evaluation and Special Study

3D1 M&E implemented throughout the project with data feeding into the MOE Performance Assessment Framework 174. A detailed SESDP mo nitoring and eva luation plan will be finalized early in 2012, by PMU s taff supported by M&E consultants. K ey M&E mile stone activities to b e included in the M&E plan include the collection of baseline data by end 2012, an interim assessment by 2014, final data collection by 2016, and report submission by 2017. The M&E plan will include quarterly reporting of project specific activities and outputs. Output reports will include data relevant for monitoring and evaluating all aspects of the project covering all three outputs: expanded access to secondary education, improved delivery of new secondary education curriculum and strengthened secondary education. Section 5.1.4 gives more details of M&E activities throughout the Project. 175. The comprehensive SESDP ba seline s tudy t o be comp leted by end 2012 will include relevant quantitative and qualitativ e data identified by inte rnational and national M&E c onsultants with contributions from other c onsultants, in p articular, the grants/scholarships and g ender/social de velopment consultants, and a greed w ith the MOE. 3D2 Independent impact evaluation study 176. The P MU w ill be r esponsible fo r recruiting an in dependent inter national institution/firm to develop and carry out a rigorous impact study to measure the effect of the LSE and USE scholarship programs. An in dicative f ramework for the design of the impact stud y is p resented in An nex 2 5 fo llowing a matrix that s ummarizes SESDP implementation and m onitoring, as sessment an d evaluation is sues a nd places th e Scholarship Impact Study in the broader context of M&E throughout the Project.


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Sub-output 3E Support for Project Management

177. The PMU will be s upported t hroughout t he Proje ct. Th is bro ad but targ eted support w ill include p rovision o f office space, utilit ies, eq uipment, tra nsport, ad ditional staff and in-country travel. SESDP will procure the services of international and national consultants. The PMU will also locally contract professional individuals to work directly with the PMU, as well as PMU administrative and general staff. In addition the PMU will also engage from time to t ime outside entities to conduct studies and surveys. Further details are given under Section 8.1 Project Implementation Arrangements. 5.2.4 Monitoring and Evaluation of SESDP Project Design and Monitoring Framework

178. The detailed DMF is in Annex 3. Monitoring

179. Project performance monitoring. A de tailed SESDP mo nitoring a nd ev aluation plan w ill be fin alized within Year 1, includ ing quarter ly repo rting of Proj ect sp ecific activities and o utputs f or students, s chools, communities and d istricts a s appropriate, annual p erformance r eporting against SESDP ou tcomes i ncluding t he p erformance of Project districts against provincial and national performance measures us ing the latest available EMIS data.

180. A co mprehensive SE SDP baseline stud y will i nclude relevant q uantitative and qualitative d ata id entified by i nternational and national M&E, g rants/scholarships a nd gender/social development specialists, and agreed with the MOE. All student data will be disaggregated by s ex, year of b irth, ethnic group, poverty status and distance/travel time between home and school, as part of the identification of eligible students for LSE scholarships for Grade 6 in 2013/14 and for USE scholarships for Grade 10 in 2014/15. Individual s tudent da ta will be s tored in a s ecure database with access limit ed to authorized users only.

181. A comparable baseline collection will be made of potential Grade 10 scholarship students in 2014/15 when the province/districts identify proposed s ites for construction of USE classrooms from 2013/14. Teacher data in target districts/secondary schools will be aggregated by sex gender, age-group, ethnic group, teaching qualification/s, years teaching and the number of days training received in the previous year. 182. A community profile will be developed for each kumban/village/school from which LSE students are drawn. The profile will be developed with the PPA to identify the total number of c hildren aged 11- 14 by s ex, yea r o f birth, e thnic group, an d e ducational status. Each PPA will receive training in conducting a “rapid assessment”27 of childr en age 11 to 14 in the community to determine whether they (a) have ever been enrolled, (b) are currently en rolled in primary, (c ) are currently en rolled in LSE, or (d) have l eft school. 183. “Rapid assessment” forms part of a baseline against which each community can assess the impact of Project interventions.

27 Rapid assessment is an effective community mobilization activity, drawing on local knowledge to construct a community “map”, leading to discussion about reasons/causes for the observed patterns of student participation. It is most effective where the assessment process is the product rather than the “map”!


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184. The Project baseline study will later be u sed for the data collection and analysis for the midterm and final impact studies. Included here will be an independent evaluation of the imp act o f the P roject on educ ational outcomes fo r the 1740 s tudents rec eiving Grade 6 scholarships in 2013/14 SY. 185. The P roject goal of t he establishment of lo w cost, c ommunity-managed s tudent dormitories is central to improve access to secondary education, and the participation of more girls in LSE. The Project team will w ork closely with DEB staff a nd the P PA to ensure t hat dormitor ies are fully oc cupied, are s ecure a nd w ell s upervised, a nd resources for remedial support are being used effectively. 186. A steering group will be set up comprising representatives from DSE, IEC, ESITC, DOI a nd th e c onsultants. Its fun ctions will be to oversee data collection, v alidation, security, ma nagement an d procedures for tr aining a t school/community and dis trict levels. 187. Routine internal project monitoring will include the al location of a unique identity code of L SE a nd USE construction s ites. Responsibility for the internal mo nitoring of project implementation performance will lay with the PMU, in collaboration with relevant MOE, PES, DEB and kumban/VEDC officials.

188. Compliance monitoring. All pro ject covenants in the Gr ant Ag reement will be monitored regularly by the Project Director, and during ADB project review missions. 189. Safeguards monitoring. The ADB involuntary resettlement category is C , as civil works is limited to u pgrading LSE/USE fac ilities and constructing new buildings within existing boundaries on government owned land and which will not require resettlement. The i ndigenous peo ples' c ategorization is B , a s the s cholarship pr ogram and the construction o f dormitories w ill d irectly benefit ethnic g roups. The environmental categorization is C. During c onstruction of the schools and c lassrooms, t he contractor will keep noi se an d dust within l ocally a cceptable levels, a s well as manage fill, excavated mater ial, a nd solid waste i n a man ner that does not c reate a p ermanent impact. Water supply will meet national drinking water quality standards (Annex 13). 190. Gender and social dimensions monitoring. A su mmary po verty reduction an d social s trategy was prepared for th e project b ased on the social analysis c onducted during project preparation (See Annex 12). 191. A gender ac tion p lan (GAP) was a lso prepared to ensure female s tudents have equal opportunities t o access Grade 6 a nd G rade 10 scholarships, and a ccess to secure, s upervised gend er-segregated d ormitory a nd bathroom/toilet facilities ( See Annex 14) 192. The GAP is also based on a social analysis, and is developed in accordance with the ADB Policy on Gender and Development (1998). Specific actions and targets are set out in the GAP, with some of these targets included in the DMF. The Project Director will be responsible for im plementing, monitoring a nd reporting p rogress on the GAP, an d ensuring th at specific targets (a nd s ex-disaggregated indic ators) are in corporated in to the Project Performance Monitoring System. PPAs and other community stakeholders will receive gender awareness training modules as part of Project training activities.

Evaluation

193. ADB will conduct an inception mission within two months of project start-up, and a review mission every 6 months thereafter. The midterm review mission will occur early in


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Year 3 of implementation. Within 6 months after the physical completion of the project, the Pro ject D irector will s ubmit to ADB a project c ompletion report, ana lyzing pro ject implementation, p roject performance and ac hievements against the targets, an d expected project impact. 194. An independent evaluation will be undertaken of the 1,740 LSE scholarships to be awarded fr om 2013 /14, to a ssess the effec tiveness of sch olarship programs in improving participation of girls , and ethnic s tudents from the poor and r emote districts targeted by SES DP. This eva luation will support GOL policy to exte nd scholarships from b udget re sources, so t hat th e access a nd p articipation goals a re a chieved as efficiently and effectively as possible. Reporting

195. Data on selected outputs will also be collected regularly, by the Project Director, M&E consultants and ADB review missions, using data from E MIS and fiel d visits, and the midterm sur vey. The P roject D irector will pr epare quarterly r eports on pro ject implementation and s ubmit them to ADB w ithin 30 days afte r e ach quarter. Th ese reports, which will i nclude data on th e implem entation targets and th eir a chievement, problems and constraints faced, and proposed actions and s olutions, will be submitted in English, in a format acceptable to ADB.

Stakeholder Communication Strategy

196. The PMU/DS E will liais e with PES/DEB offic ials on a ll Pr oject rela ted p ublicity, outlining the purpose of the p roject. P roject ac tivity at school/community lev el will ensure that VE DC/kumban leaders are aware of all proposed activity and are invited to participate if they wish. The P MU will assist PES/DEB/communities organize opening ceremonies at each new school facilit y. In formation will be made available to prospective students and to th e lo cal commu nity. All communication messages and materials will have the logo of the project for facilitating easy identification and branding of the project. 197. Activities in the 75 Project schools in 30 districts will seek maximum involvement and engagement of community through the PPAs, VEDC and Kumban. The participatory PPA r apid assessments will combine ba se-line data c ollection w ith discussion ab out student enrolment, a ttendance and sec ondary com pletion issues. Thi s link between PMU/DSE, PES/DEB and Project schools will s trengthen c ommunications b etween a ll stakeholders. 6.0. SAFEGUARDS

198. The policy loan and project grant address ac cess an d e quity is sues related t o LSE for ethnic groups in Lao PDR. Of the 30 districts selected for LSE delivery in the project grant, 20 districts have a majority ethnic group population. 199. The ADB involuntary resettlement category is C with SESDP including small-scale construction of low er seco ndary sch ools and upp er se condary f acilities. All sites are expected to be o n government-owned land. The c riteria to i dentify the 30 d istricts in which LSE s chools will be built were s et us ing two mea sures, one s et b y MOE (educational dis advantaged) and th e other by the Gov ernment (poorest). Th e identification o f s ites for upper s econdary education w ill be determined during th e implementation of the Program.


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200. The SESDP only includes small-scale construction, and all buildings are expected to be on gov ernment-owned la nd and situated in non-sensitive a reas. Th e ADB environment category is C. 201. The ADB ethnic group categorization is B as the SESDP i s expected to have no adverse impact, while substantially benefiting ethnic groups. The Project will target poor, largely ethnic group areas for provision of s chools/classrooms, school-level grants, and scholarships to poor students (es pecially ethnic-group gi rls). An Ethnic Gro up Pla n (EGP) ha s b een p repared with t he p urpose of ou tlining t he p otential impacts of t he project on ethnic groups; specify actions to address the impacts and to help improve the distribution of project benefits to ethnic populations (Annex 13). A more detailed Ethnic Group A nalysis is inc luded as A ppendix 19 i n the SESDP PAM. EG P s upports integration of ethnic groups' needs and interes ts into each of the P roject outputs, and ensures effective participation and access to the benefits of the Project. Where impacts on e thnic gr oups are po sitive, me asures w ill be identified to e nhance and ensure equitable s haring of b enefits. Wh ere impa cts are poten tially nega tive, a ppropriate mitigation measures will be identified. 202. EGP outlines anticipated positive and negative effects, and recommendations to enhance/mitigate impacts. Ke y fea tures of t he EGP includes: (i) targets of 75 % of dormitory s paces, sc holarship, remedi al l earning opportunities, s chool development grants for poor ethnic students, to support transition from primary grade 5 to LSE grade 6 and c ompletion of L SE; (ii) p olicy triggers to e ncourage e thnic g roup students graduating fro m gr ade 12 to mo ve in to teacher training; (iii) t argets f or ethnic gr oup participation in in-service training and training of master trainers;(iv) a ta rget of at least 80% of tea cher i ncentive a nd te acher upg rade gr ants to e thnic group tea chers; (v) development o f a ll materials under the project to integrate e thnicity sensitivity and (vi) ensure that institutional analysis of SE s ubsector and in-depth LSE needs assessment and school network mapping procedures include ethnic group issues and criteria.

7.0 COST ESTIMATES AND FINANCING

203. The overall sector development program financing i s estimated at $42.3 milli on, including indicatively (i) $10.0 million equivalent under the program component; and (ii) $32.3 million equivalent under the project component. 7.1 SESDP program component 204. The government has requested a concessionary Asian Development Fund (ADF) loan not e xceeding $10 million equivalent to fin ance SESDP’ s pr ogram compon ent, which is ex pected to be imp lemented over a 4-year pe riod ( tentatively en d of 2 011 through end of 2015 ). Subject to confirmation or r efinement a t loan negotiations, th e standard terms for program loans financed from ADF resources involve a fixed-term, 24-year matu rity including a gr ace p eriod of 8 y ears, a 1.0 % in terest charge during the grace p eriod and 1.5% durin g the amortization pe riod, and e qual amortization. It is currently env isaged that the program loan w ill be re leased in two e qual tr anches, released in or around the end of 2013 upon completion of all first-tranche policy actions, with the second scheduled for release 24 months la ter, when remaining policy ac tions are expected to have been completed. 205. Draft tranche c onditions are identified in the draft policy actions in an e arlier section, s ubject to further review by th e g overnment and ADB and finaliz ation a t lo an negotiations.


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7.2 Project Investment Plan

206. The total program cost o f the P roject component is e stimated a t $32.34 million, including taxes and duties of $1.71 million and contingencies of $4.27 million (see Table 5). These constitute 5.3% a nd 13.2% r espectively, of t he tota l. The foreign exchange component of total program costs is estimated at $8.95 million, or about 27.5%.

Table 5: Project Investment Plan28

a. Physical contingencies are estimated at 4% of total base costs b. Price contingencies, for both local currency and foreign exchange are set a t: year 1 - 6.5%; year 2 - 6.0%; year 3 – 5.5%; years 4 to 7 – 5.0%

207. The total base cost of the program is estimated at $28.07 million, of which $25.41 million (90.5%) is for investment purposes (including taxes and duties), and $2.66 million (9.5%) is to cover recurrent costs.

208. Investment expenditure is made up of $5.60 million (22.1%) for civil works; $2.26 million ( 8.9%) for f urniture and equipment; $4 .28 million ( 16.8%) for teaching and learning materials; $4.69 million (18.4%) for staff development and training; $5.38 million (21.1%) for con sulting ser vices; and $ 1.51 million (5.9%) fo r sch olarships and other grants. The remainder is for government taxes and duties.

209. Support for ex panded ac cess to secondary e ducation w ill a ccount for an estimated $10.68 million (33.0%) of the total program cost of $32.34 million; improving delivery of the new secondary educa tion curricula w ill be supported b y $1 4.60 million (45.2%); and the strengthening of secondary education sub-sector management will be assisted with $7.05 million (21.8%).

28 Unit cost estimates and assumptions are contained in PAM Appendix 13


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7.3 Financing Plan

210. The SESD program, to be implemented over seven years, is supported by a grant of $30.00 million from the Asia n Deve lopment Fun d (A DF). The go vernment’s contribution of $2.34 million will be in the form of the land on which 30 new LSE schools and 15 new USE teaching blocks will be built, and accommodation and utilities for the PMU. Recurrent costs as well as taxes and duties incurred by program activities will be met f rom t he A DF gran t is still unde r ADB review. The grant will fund 92.8% of th e proposed program, with the GOL accounting for the remaining 7.2% (Table 6).

Table 6: Financing Plan

211. Detailed cost and finance tables are contained in Annex 26. 8.0. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

8.1 Project Implementation Organizations – Roles and Responsibilities

212. MOE will serve as the Executing Agency (EA) for the SESDP, in coordination with other agencies as n eeded. A s EA, MOE s hall ensure th at relev ant staff inv olved in implementation are fully aware of, and c omply with, relevant GOL and ADB procedures including, but not limited to, those for implementation, procurement, use of consultants, disbursement, reporting, monitoring, and prevention of fraud and corruption.

213. The MOE Steering Committee w ill provide overall su pervision a nd gui dance to SESDP pa rticularly o n the policy pro gram issues; and r eport to the Gov ernment and development partners as required. The MOE Minister will chair the Steering Committee, which w ill provide ov erall guidanc e to the Program and support c ross-agency policy dialogue linked to its policy reform agenda.

214. SESDP Supervisory Committee will s upport p olicy d ialogue a cross MO E departments and deal with any particular issues such as settlement of complaints during procurement.

215. The Director General of the MOE/DSE w ill serve as Program Director, and will facilitate policy dialogue across MOE units (i.e., departments, institutions, etc.) and with other a gencies as appropriate; s upervise and ov ersee proj ect implementation a t the central and s ub-national le vels; mo bilize professional s taff t o s upport pr oject implementation; rev iew and endorse any r equests an d d ocuments within h is\her jurisdiction during proj ect implementatio n (e .g. a pproval of b idding d ocuments, bid evaluation r esults a nd c ontract aw ards for c ontracts p rocured by PMU; approv al of overall and detailed implementation plans and cost estimates); and submit periodic and adhoc reports on project performance as required by ADB and concerned agencies.

216. Established within DSE and re porting to the Pr oject Direc tor, the Project Management Unit (PMU) will pr ovide o verall management of a ll as pects of implementation of the S ESDP, e nsuring c ompliance with loan a nd g rant c ovenants, relevant ADB policies, and Project Administration Manual (PAM), as well as a lignment


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with the project design (excepting agreed modifications), the GAP, and EGP, and other agreements. S pecific ar eas of responsibility wi ll include: ( i) ov erall planning; ( ii) monitoring and evaluation; (iii) s ocial s afeguards; (iv ) administration, including procurement, d isbursement, a nd ac counting; and (v ) e nsuring i ndependent auditing. The PMU will supervise a nd b e supported b y project-financed c onsultants, and will coordinate the w ork of in dividual Implementing Units (IUs), noted below. The PMU will also serve as f ocal point for pe riodic r eporting, submission of annu al or periodic work plans and other proposals, and liquidation and provision of other documentation to ADB. Detailed TOR for the PMU w ill be defined in an MOE decree before effectiveness, and included in agreed revisions of the PAM. The PMU staff will include a Head of the PMU (MOE staff member) supported by 3 MO E Technical Staff, plus 3 ADB funded staff ( a Procurement Officer, a Finance Officer and a Monitoring and Reporting Officer). A PAM has been prepared as part of the PPTA but will remain a living document and is included in the report as a separate document.

217. Implementing Units (IUs) w ill be re sponsible fo r imp lementing and su pervising certain gro ups o f p roject a ctivities, d etermined i n align ment with their r esponsibilities. Each IU will be he aded by the Direc tor Ge neral of the l ead department/institution in MOE as in dicated in the P roject Org anization Structure. I Us w ill propose work p lans annually or as needed to the PMU, and will report quarterly or as needed to the PMU. They will also be responsible for submitting to t he PMU materials to support liquidation of allowable expenditures and other required documentation. Membership and TOR of each IU will be defined in an MOE decree before effectiveness, and included in agreed revisions of the PAM.

218. A Provincial Implementation Unit (PIU) will be established in each PES headed by a PES Deputy Director and with delegated members of the technical sections (Provincial Unit for Con struction a nd Development As sistance, Financ e, Tea cher Development, Secondary Edu cation Section and others if appropriate to th e pro vince’s ta sks under SESDP). Exact me mbership and TOR to be defined i n an MOE Decree before effectiveness. 219. The DEB roles and re sponsibilities related to SESDP will include supporting the establishment of Pupil Parent Associations, liaison with kumbans and village authorities, distribution o f textb ooks to s chools, with s chools s electing te achers for i n-service teacher training and M & E.

220. In target schools supported under Output 1, Pupil Parent Associations (PPAs) will be responsible for the management of scholarships and access grants. 221. Asian Development Bank. AD B will approv e p rocurement ac tivities and withdrawal applications, dis burse fun ds f or a llowable expenditures, s upervise pr oject implementation and c ompliance with th e Loan and Grant Agreements a nd PA M, and conduct periodic re views to assess p rogress towards Program o utcome, o utputs, and expected deliverables, as well as the GAP and EGP. 222. The Project Management Organization is illustrated in Box 4.


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Box 4: Project Management Organization29

MOE Steering Committee

Chair: Minister MOE

SESDP Steering Committee

Program Director

Director General Department of

Secondary Education

Project Management Unit

Head (MOE) Technical Assistants (3)

Procurement Officer (LQ) Finance Officer (LQ)

Reporting and Monitoring Officer (LQ)

Implementing

Unit 1 DSE

Implementing

Unit 2 RIES

Implementing

Unit 3 IEC

Implementing

Unit 4 DOP

Provincial

Implementation Units

District Education

Bureau

School Pupil Parent Associations

8.2 Financial Management Assessment 223. The purpose of the Financial Management Assessment was to review and assess the MOE’s financial management including financial report, accounting, auditing internal control, d isbursement pace, and cash flow management. The assessment f ocused on adequacy management of the proj ect tra nsactions; re gular records; r eliable fina ncial

29 Number of Implementing Units to be finalized by MOE/ADB


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statements; update o f the asset inv entory and finan cial aud it mana gement. ADB’s Financial Management Assessment Questionnaire (FMQ), disbursement handbook, and the Gu idelines for the Finan cial Gov ernance an d M anagement of Proje ct were us ed. The Financial Management Assessment is in Annex 27. 224. The establishment of the PMU requires careful selection of highly competent staff experienced i n A DB-funded projects. The f ollowing recommendations a re specific for PMU financial management:

The supervisor of t he PMU s hould have knowledge, e xperience and s kill in

Project Management. Establish a n ef fective financial ma nagement team thr ough rec ruitment of

competent senior a ccountants, w ith clearly defined duties, r esponsibilities, and lines of s upervision a nd explicit au thority f or ap proval a nd p ayment o f Project money.

Funds Transfer consists of two types: (a) from ADB to imprest accounts, and (b)

directly from ADB to suppliers and contractors. Funds transfer for schools should be directly from I mprest Ac count to sc hool accounts (e stablished a t a District Bank), with each school accounting for payme nts to s tudents. Funds for project administration are fro m Imprest account to a Project Management Sub-Account. Large procurement and civil works contracts are transferred directly from Imprest Account to suppliers and contractors.

Establish a c omputerized financial mana gement re porting s ystem that is integrated with MOE system and ADB format. Each of the SESDP schools which receives scholarship or other ac cess grant p ayments should h ave a s eparate reporting identity, so that timely reporting of a ll p ayments ca n be made, an d reported at school, district, provincial and national level.

PMU, DOF, prov incial and district fin ance/accounting s taff need appropriate

training in f inancial management, preparation of bud get, financial analys is, an d reporting; and

ADB designates an external auditing firm to audit the Project.

8.3 Risk Management

225. A risk assessment and risk management plan is provided in Annex 28. Nine risks have bee n iden tified and c ategorized a s me dium w ithout mit igation. The ov erall risk level is seen as medium. Management plans or m easures are indicated to manage the risks reducing the risk categories to low with an overall risk assessment of low.

9.0 PROCUREMENT

226. A procurement plan for the project has been drawn up (Annex 19). It is based on detailed assessments of the r equirements for c ivil works, fu rniture and equipment, instructional mater ials a nd c onsulting services for the imp lementation of th e proposed project. The plan will proceed in accordance with ADB’s Procurement Guidelines (April 2010), and engagement of consulting services w ill p roceed in a ccordance with ADB’s Guidelines on the Use of Consultants by ADB and its Borrowers (April 2010). Additional references are given in Annex 19.


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227. Civil works: a p rogram of c onstruction, o f 30 n ew LSE schools, 15 ne w USE teaching blocks and 75 low-cost dormitories (30 to accompany the new LSE schools, 15 to acco mpany th e new US E tea ching blocks, an d an additional 3 0 on existing LSE school s ites) is to be imp lemented, beginning i n 2 013 and extending to 2016. Design and specification of the school buildings are based on those in BESDP, and include site preparation, toilets and wet areas. Design and specification of the low-cost dormitories including s ite preparation, to ilets a nd wet a reas, will be un dertaken duri ng 2012. Procurement for these works will commence in 2012.

228. Furniture and equipment: a pro gram of supply o f (i) classroom furniture for t he new LSE and USE classrooms, laboratory/multi-purpose rooms and teachers’ rooms (ii) science eq uipment kits, library kits and in structional material kits fo r art/music a nd physical education for the new LSE schools and USE teaching blocks and for TEI/FOE (iv) I CT and re lated eq uipment for RIES , TEI a nd SPA (v ) o ffice and managem ent support equi pment for s chools, p rovincial and district offic es a nd the PMU, a nd ( vi) project vehicles, will be undertaken over the first five years of the project. Procurement of ICT and office equipment, and of project vehicles, will begin in 2012, and procurement for the s chool furniture and equipment program will commence in 2013, to harmonize with the school construction program.

229. Textbooks, teaching guides and teacher training manuals: a coordinated program of pr inting and packaging of textbooks and teaching guides, to support the new M3 to M7 curricula, and their distribution to all LSE and USE schools, and to all TEI and FOE, will commence in 2011, and continue through to 2016. Th e procurement program will start with the M3 and M5 (first edition) textbook and teaching guide rollout in the fourth quarter of 2011. 230. Detailed lists of building construction, furnishings and equipment, and of textbook, teaching gui de and o ther i nstructional mate rial printing, packaging and d elivery, to be procured a re pr ovided in A nnex 22. Th e pro posed s chool b uilding p rogram an d schedule is contained in Annex 18 and the proposed textbook, teaching guide and other instructional material program and schedule is in Annex 21.

231. Consulting services SESDP will procure the services of international and national consultants. It w ill also locally contract professional individuals to work directly with the PMU, as well as PMU a dministrative and general s taff. In addition t he PMU w ill also engage from time to time outside entities to conduct studies and surveys. Detailed lists of consulting services to be procured are contained in Annex 29.

232. A procurement capacity assessment of the DSE/MOE for the proposed SESDP is provided in Ann ex 30. Its findings are bas ed on the PCA of the Technical and Vocational E ducation D epartment of MO E, un dertaken i n M ay 2010 i n preparation f or the ADB fun ded St rengthening T echnical a nd Voc ational E ducation and Training Project, and upon the Procurement Review for Effec tive Implementation (PREI) o f the BESDP of Feb ruary 2011. Whilst t he P REI rated the overall risk as sociated with procurement for BESDP as high, it did recommend a series of risk mitigation measures to be a dopted in the short and medium term. These are c urrently being c onsidered by DSE/MOE.

233. To support DSE/MOE in the implementation of the proposed SESDP procurement plan, the PPTA has proposed the consulting services schedule shown in Annex 29.


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10. SUMMARY

234. The purpose of SESDP is to enhance equity, quality and efficiency of secondary education i n Lao PDR th rough expanding access to secondary e ducation, impr oving delivery of the new SE curricula and s trengthening the management of th e secondary education subsector. The proposed Program is in close alignment with the government’s NESRS a nd the ES DF. Cutting ac ross a ll o f the de sign ar e the issues o f gender, language and ethnic identity, poverty and social exclusion, disability rights, safeguarding of indigenous people’s welfare, care for the environment, and geographical equity. Other areas that cut ac ross c omponents inc lude decentralization, in stitutional c apacity building, improv ing li nkages bet ween dep artments and units, a nd imp lementation of policy into practice, quality assurance and performance monitoring.


ANNEXES

ANNEX 01 PPTA Implementation

ANNEX 02 Problem Tree Analysis

ANNEX 03 Design and Monitoring Framework

ANNEX 04 Implementation Plan

ANNEX 05 Documents Accessed

ANNEX 06 Secondary Education Sub-Sector Situational Analysis

ANNEX 07 Secondary Teacher Tracer Study

ANNEX 08 Secondary Teacher Placement Scheme

ANNEX 09 LD Financial Analysis

ANNEX 10 LD Economic Analysis

ANNEX 11 LD Development Coordination

ANNEX 12 LD Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategy

ANNEX 13 LD Ethnic Group Plan

ANNEX 14 LD Gender Action Plan

ANNEX 15 Selection of Access Focus Districts (SESDP)

ANNEX 16 SESDP Access Support Delivery Models

ANNEX 17 Proposed Staff and Teacher Training Schedule

ANNEX 18 Proposed Civil Works Schedule

ANNEX 19 Procurement Plan

ANNEX 20 SESDP Scholarships, Access Grants and Dormitories

ANNEX 21 Proposed Textbooks, Teachers Guides Printing and Delivery Schedules

ANNEX 22 Indicative Lists of Civil Works Equipment and Materials

ANNEX 23 Summary Capacity Building Plan for Curriculum Delivery

ANNEX 24 Management Capacity Development Plan

ANNEX 25 Outline Design for Impact Evaluation Study of SESDP Scholarship Program

ANNEX 26 Detailed Costing and Financing Plan

ANNEX 27 Financial Management Assessment

ANNEX 28 LD Risk Assessment and Risk Management

ANNEX 29 Consultant Services Schedule

ANNEX 30 Procurement Capacity Assessment

TA-7555 LAO SESDP PPTA (Final Report)

ANNEX 01

Annex 01 Page 1 of 11


ANNEX 01


Annex 01b: Indicative Work Plan

The review and situation analysis phases set up the detailed design processes in the latterpart of the project, although in practice all three phases will run concurrently to some extent.

Process/Activity Milestone or product Delivery1.0 INCEPTION1.1 Inception: Mobilisation, introductions;

establish communications, admin andlogistical services.

Inception Report December 2010

Completed2.0 RAPID REVIEW PHASE2.2 Initial stakeholder consultations, meetings

and site visits including Governmentoffices, DPs, schools, others. Rapidassessment of subsector policyenvironment and gaps.

Inception workshop and meetingnotes; PPTA detailedimplementation plan.

December 2010

Completed

2.3 Fact finding in decentralised locations: In-depth meetings and focus groupdiscussions at Provincial and District MOE;secondary schools and TEIs; communities;other stakeholders. Documentary analysis.

Documented meetings, PPTAresources library, sources andsummaries: all contributing tosituation analysis.

October 2010 toMarch 2011Completed

2.4 Consultations with SESDP stakeholders:review and recommendations on progressand capacity building required.

Recommendations for SESDP,integrating other DPs’ findings.


2.5 Budget and expenditure review Budget and expenditure reviewreport

December 2010Completed

2.6 Plan for inclusion of disadvantagedpeople’s voices in consultation exercises.

Equity and safeguarding plan. December 2010Completed

3.0 SITUATION ANALYSIS and CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES3.1 Design and undertake data collection

exercises where essential, e.g. tracer studyof SE training graduates; facilities survey.

Survey reports.Capacity development undertakenand recorded.

November toFebruary 2011Completed

3.2 Secondary education situation analysis,incorporating policy, existing programs andinvestment frameworks, and issues relatingto access, equity, quality, relevance, sectormanagement efficiency, financing.

Situation analysis report (SAR),including recommendedincremental reforms andinvestments.


3.3 Analysis of teacher training anddeployment.

Contribution to SAR. February 2011Completed

3.4 Analysis of management and administrationpractices at national and sub-nationallevels.


3.5 Assess existing pre- and in-service trainingand support for SE teachers.


3.6 Review of SE learning and teachingmaterials.


3.7 Assess existing management informationsystems.


3.8 Assess contribution of private sector withinSE and impact on equity, quality, efficiency,and resources.


3.9 Identify priorities for incremental policy andoperational mechanism reforms, includingdecentralisation issues, to support SEsubsector improvements.

Recommendations. February 2011Completed


ANNEX 01


Process/Activity Milestone or product Delivery3.10 Mid term report and progress review:

stakeholder workshop.Interim Report February 2011

Completed3.11 Review 3-track USE policy, informed by

international practice.Policy paper. February 2011

Final Draft4.0 DRAFT PROGRAM AND POLICY DEVELOPMENT4.1 Utilise SAR to begin drafting program

framework.Initial design work. February 2011

Completed4.2 Drafting, trialling, revision and initial

consultation stages of policies, program,plans and resources

Draft framework for programreviewed at Mid-term workshop

Early March 2011Completed

4.3 Teacher Education InstitutionalDevelopment Plan

Teacher Education InstitutionalDevelopment Plan

Early March 2011Completed

4.4 Seek consensus around SESDPrecommendations and draft DMF

Approved recommendations. March 2011Completed

4.5 Assess institutional capacity for programdelivery.

Assessment of institutionalcapacity.

April 2011Completed

4.6 Monitoring and evaluation framework. M&E framework. April 2011Ongoing

4.7 Economic and financial analysis andinvestment plan

Economic, financial and investmentplans.

April 2011Completed

4.8 Review of LSE/USE revised curriculums;LSE in-service training program; USE TTframework; SE principals' HRD

SE quality and HR review February 2011Completed

4.9 Poverty, gender and social analysis; actionplan

Social development andsafeguarding draft plan.

End FebruaryCompleted

5.0 DETAILED DESIGN AND COSTING OF PROGRAM5.1 Fully costed program plan Integrated into Final Report. May/June 2011

Completed5.2 Plans for gender, disadvantaged groups,

project safeguarding integrated.Social, gender and safeguardingplans incorporated into Final Reportand appendices.

May/June 2011Completed

5.3 Procurement list; final annotated costtables, procurement capacity assessment;procurement guidelines in Lao language

Procurement documentation. May/June 2011Completed

5.4 Draft Final Report for review Draft Final Report and appendices May 2011Completed

5.5 Final Report, costs, and annexes,submitted in conformity with ADBrequirements.

Final Report and costs of proposedSESDP, including supportingdocumentation, aligned to RRPProceedings of Wrap-up Meeting.

May/June 2011Submitted8 June 2011

5.6 In-depth follow up to identify targets forprogram component, project investments,and baseline values.

Follow up report. May/June 2011Completed


ANNEX 01



ANNEX 01


Annex 01d Methodology

The design of the BESDP II will probably be marked by a continuation and enhancement ofon-going reforms of the secondary education system in Lao PDR, rather than newdepartures. Therefore the analysis needs to be retrospective, contemporary, and forward-looking.

The approach has been designed with three overlapping and mutually reinforcing phases:1 Review BESDP I initiatives and the status of intended system reforms.2 Prepare a situation analysis of the secondary education sub-sector.3 Design and cost detailed BESDP II plans to address gaps and pursue opportunities.In each of the three steps outlined above, due emphasis will be given to access fordisadvantaged groups, quality improvement, the restructuring of LSE, and awareness of thebackwards and forwards linkages to primary and upper secondary education.

Cutting across all of the work are the issues of gender, ethnic and language identity, povertyand social exclusion, disability rights, safeguarding of indigenous people’s welfare, care forthe environment, and geographical equity. Taking a dual approach these concerns aremainstreamed into the work of each and every team member with the Social Developmentand Equity Specialist, Project Safeguards Specialist, and Team Leader ensuring consistency.

Other areas that cut across components include decentralisation, institutional capacitybuilding, improving linkages between departments and units, and implementation of policyinto practice, quality assurance and performance monitoring.

The major milestones for PPTA implementation are presented in the charts in Annexes 01band 01c and 11. The review and situation analysis phases will set up the detailed designprocesses in the latter part of the project, although in practice aspects of all three phases runas strands throughout the analysis and design periods.

The methodology for the preparation of BESDP II is based around review, analysis,communication, capacity building and partnership.

Review and analysis – in conjunction with, and under the guidance of MOE counterparts theinternational and national consultants what has been accomplished and what lessons havebeen learned from past experience has been reviewed. Documents accessed and reviewedare listed in Annex A02e. This work will continue to be guided by the specific documentationoriginating from MOE, BESDP I and development partners active in the Lao PDR educationsector. Sections of this report map out and begin the review of the more influential finaliseddocuments and drafts.

Communication will be through formal and informal workshops/seminars, focus groups, andindividual meetings supplemented by practical systems of communication by which details ofrelevant planning issues will be circulated to management and counterparts for full and frankdiscussion. As appropriate such communication will be extended to the provinces andrelevant outlying institutions. One team member has particular responsibility for ensuring thatthe PPTA is an effective opportunity for national consultation. MOE staff at all levels need toknow the direction and achievements of BESDP I, plans for BESDP II, and how these relateto subsector, sector and national frameworks.

Capacity building Opportunities will be taken where possible to build capacity of counterpartsworking with the PPTA Team. Staff development and capacity building of this kind will beundertaken through normal working practices, where PPTA consultants and counterpartswork together and exchange ideas and techniques; working simultaneously with individuals,organisations, and the enabling environment, to enhance the conditions under which programpreparation objectives can be achieved.

Partnership – key recommendations and design decisions will be made only with the fullinformed consent of the host government, stakeholders and ADB.


ANNEX 01


Annex 01e Mechanisms for Working Together

1. TABLE SUMMARISING THE MECHANISM FOR WORKING TOGETHER

BESDPSTEERINGCOMMITTEE

BESDPTechnicalWorkingGroup

BE2WorkingGroup 1

BE2WorkingGroup 2

BE2WorkingGroup 3

BE2WorkingGroup 4

2. STEERING COMMITTEE: BASIC EDUCATION SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

The supervision of the BESDP II PPTA is included in the terms of reference of the establishedBESDP Steering Committee.

3. BESDP Technical Working Group

Membership

Director General, Department of Secondary Education ChairpersonDirector General, Department of Inspection,Director of ESITCDirector of IECDirector of SREACDeputy Director, Department of Planning and CooperationDeputy Director, Department of Teacher Education (TWG 2)Deputy Director, Department of primary Education and Pre-schoolDeputy Director, Department of PersonnelDeputy Director, Department of FinanceDeputy Director, Department of Non-formal EducationDeputy Director, RIESDeputy Director of ESQACDeputy Director of Physical & Art EducationDeputy Director of DTVETDeputy Director of Department of Higher EducationDeputy Director of Department of Private Education ManagementDean Faculty of Education, NUOLDirector of Teacher Development Center,

Technical Assistance to the Technical Working GroupPPTA Team LeaderPPTA Deputy Team Leader

4. BE2 WORKING GROUPS

For guidance it is suggested that membership of thematic working groups should be no lessthan 3 people and more than 5 or 6 people.


ANNEX 01


Generic TOR for BE2 Working GroupsEach BE2 working group will:

* Discuss and refine generic TORs to match the purpose of their working group* Depending on the technical area assigned the members will review and guide thePPTA team on the relevant sections of the PPTA reports and key documents listed in the

report, individual specialist’s initial reports and work plans and identify other keydocuments

* Contribute to the international and national consultants reports on their component.* Provide guidance on the scope of their component in any ensuing project.* Identify areas that need in depth discussion, organise focus group discussions and

draft preliminary reports for inclusion in component reports.* Comment and develop the draft sections of the analytic component reports, as the

sections are prepared.

5. Membership of BE2 Working Groups

BE2WorkingGroup

Technicalarea

BE2 Working Group Members formCounterpart Departments

Consultants

Group 1 Access toSecondaryEducation

DPC: Ms.Chanthavone PhandamnongIEC: Ms. Yangtsia LeeDSE: Mrs. Somphone VilaysongESITC: Mr. Khammoun SengthongDOF: Mr. ThipphamonhDOP: Ms. Viengkeo PhommavongDoNFE: Ms. Malikhone Soundala

Phoutsavong ThaonaochorSumountha YoutithamGeoff Howse

Group 2 Quality andRelevance

DTE: Ms. Varadune AmarathithadaMr. Somphou Vichitta

RIES: Dr. Onekeo NuannavongMr. Outhit Thipmany

SREAC: Dr. PhanhDSE: Mr. Xayadeth Songmeexay

Mr. Manosine MasavongdeeESQAC: Dr. Panya ChanthavongDONFE: Mr. Ben TesoFOE/TDC/NUOL: Mr. Bouseng KannavongDPEM: Viengsavanh VilasithIEC: Bouaphanh Ratthida

Littana SoumpholphakdyMarion Young

Group 3 Sub-sectorManagement

DOP: Mr. Khounmy PhommanimitDOI: Mrs. Khanthaly SiriphongphanDSE: Mr. Banchong LathavanhDPC: Mr.Sengsomephone ViravouthDOF: Vimmonh SisouvaBESDP: Ms. Keomanivanh Phimmahasay

Mr. Bounthapany BounxouayESITC: Mr. Somkhanh Didaravong

Mr. Phoukhaoka SacklokhamDPEM: Mr. Phomma KhamkikeoDTE: Mrs. Alongkot SosengIn

Khamhoung SacklokhamJohn Bailey

Group 4 Budgetingand Costing

DOF: Mr. Vimon SisouvaDSE: Mr. Mannosine MasavongdeeDPC: Mr. Sithong SikhaoDOF: Ms. Chanthone Thammathevo

Phetsouline NorasengBESDP: Mr. Bounthapany BounxouayDOP: Dr. Chan PhommavongDNFE: Mr. Visan SomphongRIES: Bounthong ThongloIEC: Ms Dara khiemthammakhoune

Lattana SyhalathLeo Maglen


ANNEX 01


Annex 01f Consultation Activity Log

Date Activity Notes

October

2010

13 ESWG briefing Consultation Senior Education Advisor14 Initial briefing Consulation DG Secondary Education19 Introductory Meeting with MOE Departments Schedules and scope of PPTA19 Unicef Consultation, Schools of Quality20 Videoconference with Manila ADB, MOE, PPTA Team20 ESITC Consultation re secondary education statistics21 BESDP I Consultation, Briefing21 DTE Consultation - update on TESAP evaluation22 DOF Consultation – MOE and PES reporting expenditure22 RIES Consultation – implementation of M1-M722 ESQAC Consultation – QA systems for Teacher Education

and teacher performance assessment25 NUOL FOE Consultation – training and recruitment of US

teachers, QA and expansion of BA courses in TEIs25 DOP Consultation - update on school principals training

and teacher recruitment/deployment policy (quota)26 TEED/DTE Consultation – TEMIS and In-Service Teacher

Training / Teacher Professional Networks26 DOP Consultation /briefing re PMIS status28 DSE and PPTA Meeting Management Meeting

November1 DPC Consultation, Senior Education Advisor1 DPC Consultation, Briefing, DG DPC3 DOI Consultation, EU Consultant3 UNESCO (UNDAF Coordination) Consultation4 AusAid Consultation5 JICA Consultation5 UNICEF Consultation5 World Bank Consultation

8-11 Savannakhet Field Visit Consultation PES, TEI, DEB, University, schools:initial Tracer Study data collection and TEIinstitutional capacity assessment

15 DOP and TEED DTE Requests for PMIS and TEMIS data16 RIES Consultation – education media centre and ASLO

student assessment22 SREAC Consultation23 BE2 WG Meeting Access23 BE2 WG Meeting Quality Consultation: review of BESDP I quality

interventions23 BE2 WG Meeting Management

23-26 Luang Namtha Field Visit Consultation PES, DEB, Schools, Community24 ADB Informal Meeting Progress report included DSE25 EU Consultation – teacher supply and demand analysis26 DOI Consultation DG DOI29 JICA Consultation – brifing on JICA project support to SE

(in-service teacher training model)30 TWG Inception Report Discussion and Workshop Agenda30 WB FTI Consultation, briefing on FTI plans

December1 BE2 WG Meeting Access Consultation – Primary completion, transition to

Grade 6 (LSE) in poorest FTI districts2 BESDP I Mid-Term Evaluation Team Consultation on draft report2 PPTA/ADB Meeting Issues discussion, Gender and Development3 DPC Consultation, Senior Education Adviser6 BESDP I Mid-term Review Meeting Progress and Evaluation7 BESDP II Inception Meeting DG DPC, DG DSE, ADB, AusAid, Unicef, Room to

Read, ADB, UNESCO, 4 TEI, BESDP I consultants,17 PES, MOE line departments and PPTA Team (65participants).

9 ADB Mission Wrap-up Meeting DSE, ADB, PPTA Team9 DOF Briefing re MTEF9 DOF Division of Budget (MOE, Provincial Payroll)14 BESDP I Consultation re MTEF and Budget Manuals16 DPC Consultation re FTI and BESDP indicators


ANNEX 01


Annex 01f Consultation Activity Log

January12 BE2WG - Quality Teacher supply and demand, and teacher incentives

16-19 Xiang Khouang Field Trip PES, TEI, DEB, schools21 ESITC Meeting Consultation School Mapping26 IEC Consultation – teacher incentives and poor ethnic

group areas – Sekong field visit briefing27 TESAP consultant (DTE/UNESCO) Consultation/Coordination TESAP and BESDP II31 Team Meeting with DSE Progress discussion and issues

February1 Meeting IEC BESDP Study 1 Review TOR1 UNICEF Consultation – SOQ, QA, ASLO and RIES Media

Centre2 BE2WG - Quality Consultation – review of DMF, SEAP and TMDP

quality actions2 Meeting BE2 Management Working Group4 TVET Meeting Consultation4 DPEM Meeting Consultation4 DOP meeting Consultation – Incentives scheme (draft), TDMP

review/prioritisation, Graduate Teacher Tracker4 NUOL FOE Consultation New curriculum for SE and TE, US teacher supply

9-12 Xekong Field Trip Consultation PES, DEB, Schools11 DSE Meeting Progress and issues15 BE2 Access Group Meeting

ManagementConsultation – DOP, DPC, DSE, DOF, DNFE, IECAccess measures, potential criteria for targetactivities and target districts

16 DSE Meeting Progress and issues16 Videoconference Manila DSE/ADB/PPTA Team17 RIES Consultation – roll out of M3-M7, ASLO, DMF review18 DOP

ESITCConsultation – TDMP review and prioritisationConsultation – re measures Access WG discussed

22 Discussion with Access Study Team Oudomxay and Saravane districts PES, DEB,Schools and Communities

23 DTE Consultation – DMF, SEAP, TESAP, TDMP reviewand prioritisation for Teacher Education

28 ESWG Meeting Progress Report by DSEMarch

4 TWG Meeting Interim Report and Workshop Briefing9 ADB Mission Kick Off Meeting Update of BESDP II

10-11 Interim Workshop Progress Report and Issues14 ICT Policy Meeting Round Table Meeting: Paper presented15 ADB Pre-wrap up meeting TWG16 ADB Wrap Up Meeting TWG18 Meeting BE2 Access Working Group Criteria for selecting school site districts22 Access Study Draft Report Discussed22 PPTA Team Meeting Progress and Next Steps

April22 PPTA Team Meeting Cost estimates29 Teleconference MOE, ADB Manila, PPTA Team – ADB Fact-finding

Mission PreparationMay

2 Informal Meeting ADB Task Manager and International PPTA Team3 ADB Mission Kick Off Meeting9 ADB Mission Fact-finding10 ADB Mission Fact-finding11 ADB Mission Fact-finding12 ADB Mission Fact-finding13 SESDP Final Workshop DG DPC, DG DSE, ADB, Development Partners,

TEI, BESDP I consultants, PES, MOE PPTA Team16 ADB Mission Fact-finding17 ADB Mission Fact-finding18 ADB Mission Fact-finding19 ADB Mission Fact-finding20 ADB Mission Pre-wrap up23 ADB Mission Fact-finding24 ADB Mission Wrap -up

June ADB Mission Fact-finding8 Final Report Submit to MOE and ADB30 June Close SESDP Office


ANNEX 01


Annex 01g People Met

Ministry of EducationMr. Lytou BOUAPAO Vice Minister of Education, Lao PDR

Mrs. Sengdeuane Lachanthaboun, Vice Minister of Education, Lao PDR

Mr. Ly Foung, Director General, Department of Secondary Education, MOE

Mr. Keomanivanh Phimmahasay, BESDP Head of PMU, MOE

Mr. Somkhanh Didaravong, Director Education Statistics & Information Technology Centre, MOE

Mr. Sisana Boupha Director General Department of Finance MOE

Ms. Viengkeo Phommavong Head of Division Department of Personnel, MOE

Ms. Varadune Amarathithada, Deputy Director Department of Teacher Education, MOE

Ms. Chanthavone Phandamnong, Deputy Director, Department of Planning and Cooperation, MOE

Mr. Sengsomephone Viravouth, Director General, Department of Planning and Cooperation, MOE

Mr. Khammoun Sengthong Deputy-Director Education Statistics & Information Technology Centre, MOE

Ms. Bouaphanh Latthida Head of Gender Equity in Education division

Ms. Phouangkham SOMSANITH, Director, Research Institute for Education Studies

Dr. Panya Chanthavong, Educational Standard Quality Assurance Centre, MOE

Mrs. Khantaly Siriphongphanh, Director General, Department of Inspection, MOE

Mrs. Kampaseuth Kitignavong, Deputy Director DPC (ESDF Coordination Unit), MOE

Dr. Phanh Champathong, Director Strategy Research and Education Analysis Centre, MOE

Mr. Ka Saleumsouk, Director Department of Private Education Management, MOE

Dr. Kongsy Sengmany, Director General Department of Technical and Vocational Education, MOE

Ms. Yangsia Lee, Director Inclusive Education Centre, MOE

Mr Onekeo Nuannavong, Deputy Director, RIES

Mr Outhit Thipmany, Head of Mathematics, RIES

PES, TEI, DEB, and schoolsStaff of Savannakhet PES, DEB, and schools

Staff of Luang Namtha PES, DEB, Schools and communities

Staff of Xiang Khouang PES, DEB, and schools

Staff of Xekong PES, DEB, Schools and communities

Staff of Saravan PES, DEB, and schools

Staff of Oudomxay PES, DEB, Schools and communities

Teacher Education Institutions and UniversitiesSavannakhet TEI

Xiang Khouang TEI

Faculty of Education National University of Lao

Savannakhet University

Consultants and AdvisersBernadette Gonzales, Team Leader, BESDP, MOE

Ouam Sengchandavong, Education Planning Specialist BESDP


ANNEX 01


Mike Lally, Senior Education Advisor, Ministry of Education

Arthur Chrisfield Socio-economic Assessment, Kobe Green Power Co

George Taylor, EU Support to Capacity Development in Education, Team Leader

Davong Vongsay, UNDAF Coordinator, UNESCO

Aya Arakawa, Education Adviser, JICA, Ministry of Education

Richard Noonan, Capacity Development for Teacher Education, UNESCO

Peter Gam, EU Support to Capacity Development in Education

Richard Gonzales, Team Leader, BESDP I Midterm Evaluation Team

Tim Denny, Consultant BESDP I Midterm Evaluation Team

Julian Watson, Curriculum Development/ICT, Specialist, Strengthening Higher Education Project

Development PartnersSuhas D. Parandekar, Senior Education Economist, World Bank

Miki Nozawa, Programme Specialist, UNESCO

Jill Zarchin Unicef

Siamphon Buakhamvongsa Unicef

Jane Davies, Education Specialist, Basic Education and Gender Equality, Unicef

Tim Napper, Secondary Secretary Development Cooperation Aus AID

Makiko Iwasaki, Education Sector Representative, JICA

Montlatda Chanthavong, Assistant Program Officer, JICA

ADB

Chris Spohr, Senior Education Economist, Social Sectors Division, SED, Manila

Ms. Khantanh Chanty, Senior Program Officer, Lao PDR Resident Mission

Ms. Theonakhet Saphadkdy, Consultant (Gender and Development Specialist) Lao Resident Mission

Ms. Uzma Hoque, Gender Specialist

Final Report SESDP TA 7555 LAO

Problem Tree Analysis ANNEX 02


Consequences

Marginalizedgroups faceconstrainedopportunitiesand persistentpoverty traps

Persistentinequities acrossregions andgroups; weakenedsocial cohesion

Depressedhuman capitalaccumulationand broadersocialdevelopment

LSE graduatesill-prepared forsubsequenteducation,training, andwork (i.e. lowexternalefficiency

Constrained, lessinclusive growth withslow and imbalancedeconomicmodernization;weakenedparticipation in globaleconomy

LSE sectortargets missedand pace ofreforms slowed

LSE systemsustainability threatened

Low educational attainment, particularlyamong disadvantaged groups (e.g., thepoor, ethnic minorities, and girls)

Uneven mastery of critical knowledge andcompetencies needed for national economicand social development

High repetition, dropout, and other internalinefficiencies further strain the ability of limitedresources to deliver on education sectorpriorities

ProblemEmergence of secondary education (SE)—in particular lowersecondary education (LSE)—as a bottleneck in balancededucational development, with persistent gaps in access bydisadvantaged groups, insufficient quality, and low system efficiency

Causes

Socioeconomicconstraintsfacingdisadvantagedgroups:Language gaps Parents' lackof and/or lowvalue placed oneducation Difficultybearing directand indirectfinancial &opportunity costs Gender normsespecially inpoor rural areas malnutrition

Gaps in physicalaccess:Incomplete schoolnetwork(concentrated inurban areas)Conditions (e.g.,unsanitary/unsafe)may deterenrolmentExpansion to 4-year LSE meansmore classroomsneeded

Weak feed-infrom primaryeducation Persistent non-completion(ceiling on LSEenrolment) Meanwhile,swellingnumbersprimarygraduates oftenill- prepared forLSE, esp. inrural areas Compoundedby lack ofremedialsupport in LSE

Gaps in SEcurricula Lags in uptake& effectiveimplementationof new LSEcurriculum Localautonomy todevelop LSEcurricularelements notwell used Upper SEcurriculum influx, with limitedupstream &downstreamlinkages

Poor facilities andlearning resourcesin LSE Classroomsincreasinglyovercrowded Shortage oftextbooks andmaterials Lack of labs,libraries, etc. Ad-hocapproach to ICTmay createinefficiency andinequity

Weaknesses inTeaching Lack ofteachers in ruralareas Broader gaps/mismatches inteacherqualifications Pre- & in-service trainingweak, especiallyin face of shift tonew LSE & USEcurricula Persistent rote-based instruction& inadequateeffective teachingtime

Gaps in SE (particularlyLSE) sectormanagement: Institutionalweaknesses, includinguneven decentralization Inadequate sectorfinancing & imbalancebetween capital &recurrent budgets Human resource andcapacity gaps,especially in poorlocalities Gaps in managementinformation systems,teacher assessment,etc. Limited internationalsupport and weakprivate sector role

Final Report TA 7555 LAO (Final Report)

ANNEX 03Design and Monitoring Framework (RRP 14.06.11 version)


DESIGN AND MONITORING FRAMEWORKDesign

Summary Performance Targets /IndicatorsData Sources/

ReportingMechanism

Assumptions andRisks

ImpactImprovededucationalattainment inLao PDR

By 2023: Share of young adults 15-24 having completed at least 9

years of schooling rises at least 20% from 2012 level by2020

Gross enrolment rate for girls in LSE at least 0.75 (baseline0.47 in 2008)

Ratio of girls to boys enrolled in secondary education atleast 1.0 (baseline 0.81 in 2009/10)

Ratio of secondary to primary enrolment at least 0.6 (frombaseline of 0.47 in 2009/10)

MultipleIndicatorClusterSurveys for2012 and 2020

MOEeducationmanagementinformationsystem (EMIS)database

Assumption GOL maintains

strong emphasison humandevelopment andpoverty reduction

No major shocksthat derail recentgrowth in GOLrevenue base andrecurrent budgetfor education

OutcomeEnhancedequity, quality,and efficiencyof secondaryeducation inLao PDR

By 2018: Share of female primary school graduates that enter lower

secondary education (LSE) in poorest districts at least 86%(baseline 81% in 2008)

At least 75% of secondary teachers qualified (baseline 68%in 2009)

LSE survival rate to grade 8 rises to 89% for girls and 87%for boys (baseline 79% for girls and 77% for boys in schoolyear 2009/10) 1

Survival rate from grade 6 through completion of grade 11rises to 66% for girls and 64% for boys (baseline 51% forgirls and 49% for boys in school year 2007/08)

MillenniumDevelopmentGoal (MDG)reporting (atleast to 2015)

MOE EMISdatabase(augmentedwith Programsupport)

NSC 2015Population andHousingCensus, andother data

Assumption Government

commitment toEducation SectorDevelopmentFramework andother sectoralstrategies andtargets remainsstrong

No major social oreconomic shocksthat derailsprogress inenrolments

Outputs1. Expandedaccess tosecondaryeducation

Program Criteria for scholarships approved by MOE by 2013 Dormitory policy developed by 2015 Additional MOE budget line for scholarships by 2015ProjectIn target areas, by end 2018: 30 LSE schools built on existing government-owned sites USE classroom blocks built at 15 existing SES school sites At least 60 dormitories constructed at LSE and 15

dormitories for USE, with at least half of spaces for girls At least 1,740 poor LSE students and 1200 poor USE

students benefit from scholarships, with at least halfprovided to girls and 80% going to ethnic students

At least 60 LSE schools and 15 USE schools receiveaccess grants to address constraints to access and quality

Average LSE enrolment in target districts increases from1174 in 2009/10 to 1300 by 2015/16.

Programprogressreports andmonitoring andevaluation(M&E) reports

EMIS andother MOEdata

Assumptions Central and local

governmentsmaintaincoordination injointly prioritizingequity fordisadvantagedgroups

Teachersresponsive toincentives forteaching in ruralareas

Scholarshipselection criteriaand school grantguidelines strictlyfollowed

2. Improveddelivery of newSES curricula

Program Pilot testing of new placement scheme for rural teacher

deployment commenced, and operational manual for SESteacher recruitment and utilization approved by 2013

MOE approves new US textbooks by late 2014 Revised LSE and USE Pre-Service Teacher Training

curriculum approved by 2013 MOE completes introduction of the new LSE curriculum,

Programprogressreports andM&E reports

Pre- and post-trainingassessments;teacherevaluations

Assumptions No major

changes incurrent strategiesof restructuringeducation to a5+4+3 system

1 Grade 9 and grade 12 completion targets to be defined when secondary education restructuring complete.




textbooks and teacher guides by 2013 MOE approves guidelines and an operational manual for

teacher performance monitoring and evaluation by 2013ProjectBy 2018, unless otherwise noted: Nationwide roll-out of revised LSE curriculum completed by

SY2013/14, with 12,000 grade 8-9 teachers trained (atleast 50% female) and 182,130* textbooks distributed

Year-by-year, starting 2013*, new grade 10-12 textbooksand teacher guides developed and approved

Nationwide roll-out of revised USE curriculum completed bySY2016/17, with 7,500 grade 10-12 teachers trained (atleast 50% female) and 52,590* textbooks distributed

Traininginstitutionenrolment data

EMIS data MOE data on

studentachievement

3.StrengthenedSESmanagement

Program Education share of national budget increases from 15.5%

in FY2011/12 to 18% by 2015 MOE budget allocation for non-salary recurrent expenditure

(excluding salaries and allowances) shall not be less than11.0% of MOE’s total budget by 2015

SES school network mapping completed to guide planningfor future capital investment, by 2013

Policy approved for introducing and a manual for managingblock grants by 2013

MOE shall have budgeted for and released LSE blockgrants in 30 selected districts by 2013

MOE approves, develops and launches a communicationstrategy by 2013

Policy (2013) and strategy (2015) for ICT as tool topromote grade 1-12 education objectives approvedRevised decree for promoting private education approved,aligned with Investment Law by 2015

Project PPAs functioning in 75 LSE and USE schools in target

areas, each with at least 40% female representation Capacity building delivered for 1,055 staff of central to

district education sector offices 1,200 (all) SES school principals complete initial 5-day

capacity building, followed by annual seminars for 1,200principals and 1,200 senior female teachers

Official MOEandgovernmentdecrees andbudgetdocuments

Pre- and post-trainingassessments

Projectmonitoring andevaluation(M&E) reports

Assumptions Government

priority onimplementingeducation reformsmaintained, withsupportivedecrees andregulationsenacted in atimely manner

Risks Government

share notsustained; ODAlevels notmaintained;

Breakdown ininter-agency anddevelopmentpartnercoordination onbetter aligningexisting MISsystems

Researchstrategy forindependentimpact evaluationcompromised

Project Activities with Milestones (Program Milestones are under Outputs Above) InputsOutput 1: Expanded access to Secondary Education1.A Classroom provision to expand physical access(i) 30 new LSE schools each with a low cost dormitory by 2016(ii) Build USE classroom blocks at 15 existing SES school sites(iii) Furniture packages: 30 new LSE schools and new USE classrooms in 15 existing

schools1.B Direct support for disadvantaged students(i) LSE baseline completed in 30 districts by end 2012(ii) Scholarship criteria finalized by end 2012, and scheme launched by 2013(iii) USE Baseline completed for 15 existing USE schools by end 2013(iv) Scholarship criteria finalized by 2012, and scheme launched by 20141.C School-level support to enhance equitable access(i) Low cost community managed LSE dormitories(ii) Remedial support for boarding students in 30 new LSE schools(iii) Access grants for 60 LSE schools with guidelines for USE finalized by 2012, PPA

orientation completed by 2014, and grants launched by 2015(iv) Low-cost community managed USE dormitories completed(v) Remedial support for boarding students in schools receiving new USE classrooms

ADB: ADF grant of $30million, of which:Civil works $5.38 million;Furniture and equipment$3.14 million;Teaching and Learningmaterials $5.70 million;Training and ProfessionalDevelopment $5.46 million;Consultants $6.53 million;Scholarships and grants$1.76 millionRecurrent costs 2.02

Government: principallyin-kind contribution of $2.34million, of which:Civil Works $1.43 million;




(vi) Access grants for 15 schools (new USE classrooms) with guidelines for USE finalized by2012, school management committee orientation completed by 2014, and grantslaunched by 2015

Recurrent costs $0.91million

Output 2: Improved delivery of new SES curricula2.A Pre-service training and placement of new SES teachers(i) Develop pre-service teacher training curriculum to align with M1-M7 school curriculum by 2013 and develop procedures

for TEI QA accreditation system(ii) Procure curriculum resources and instructional materials for TEIs and FOEs by 2013(iii) Pilot 1: trial Graduate Teacher Placement scheme in 5 districts (25 teachers) by 2013/14, assessed in 2015/2016(iv) New procedures and manuals for Teacher Recruitment and Utilization, and Teacher Quality and Performance by 20142.B In-service teacher training and support(i) Delivery of M3-M7 curriculum In-service Teacher Training initiated by 2012, completed by 2016(ii) RIES to develop media-based materials to support teaching (TV, Radio, DVD etc)(iii) Launch annual regional meetings of Pedagogical Advisers by 2012, and trial SPA Incentive Package to support Pilot 2(iv) Pilot 2: ICT4LE in target rural LSE schools in 5 districts completed by end 2013(v) Provide Teacher Upgrade Grants (11+3 to BA) for 30 LS teachers in target districts starting in 20122.C New curriculum materials (textbooks and teacher guides)(i) Textbooks and teacher guides distributed to 1,200 schools and all TEIs for grades 8 and 9 by August* 2012 and 2013(ii) New USE textbooks and teacher guides approved and distributed for grades 10-12 by August* 2014, 2015, and 2016(iii) Pilot 3: M5 curriculum materials piloted in 15 SES schools in 5 target provinces by 2012/13, and evaluated by 20132.D Teaching and learning equipment and materials(i) Provide M1 and M2 textbooks and teacher guides, basic science equipment, materials and library books to at least 30

LSE schools in target areas by 2013(ii) Provide additional materials/basic equipment for Arts/Music/Physical Education by 2013(iii) Provide science equipment and materials for 15 new USE classroom blocks by 20172.E Support for improved student assessment(i) Assist in review of Rules and Regulations for M4 and M7 national exams and HE exams by 2014(ii) Support MOE/RIES to conduct ASLO for M4 in 2014 and M7 in 2017Output 3: Strengthened secondary education subsector management3.A Support for enhanced subsector analysis(i) Institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSE needs assessment completed by 2012(ii) Updated LSE and USE school network mapping completed nationwide by end 2012(iii) Assessment of existing SES-related MIS completed by end 2012; improvement plan implemented by 2015(iv) Detailed needs analysis of (i) LSE in 30 districts, and (ii) in USE in target areas Completed by end 20123.B Capacity Building for SES staff at all levels(i) Based on institutional and needs assessments, phased and multi-mode capacity building program for education sector

staff at central level (including project management unit and implementing units) and provincial/local levels andtargeted LSE school principals developed by Sept 2012 and completed by June 2016

(ii) Communication/dissemination advocacy strategy developed and launched by end 2013(iii) Support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Private Sector Promotion in Education Development(iv) Develop strategy (by 2013) and policy (by 2015) on low-cost, pro-equity ICT to serve grade 1-12 education3.C Community Engagement in School Support and Management(i) PPAs established or reconstituted and initial capacity building completed in 75 SES schools by Q3, 20123.D Monitoring and Evaluation(i) Baseline by 2012, and M&E throughout Program duration, feeding into MOE Performance Assessment Framework(ii) Interim assessment by 2014, final data collection by 2016, and report submission by 2017.(iii) Independent rigorous impact evaluation study launched by end 2012, completed by 2018*3.E Project Management(i) Formally establish PMU by October 2011

EMIS = education management information system; FY = fiscal year; ICT = information andcommunication technology; ICT4LE = ICT-for-Lao PDR education; LSE lower secondary education; M&E =monitoring and evaluation; MDG = Millennium Development Goal; MIS = management information system;MOE = Ministry of Education; PPA = pupil-parent association; SES = secondary education subsector; USE= upper secondary education;


ANNEX 04Implementation Plan


{Indicative} Activities 2011Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

A. DMFOutput 1: Expanded access to LSE and USE1.A. Classroom Provision to Address Physical Access1.A.1. 30 new LSE schools (4 classrooms + 1 multi-use room + teacher room + sex-segregatedsanitation facilities) each with and low cost dormitory by 20161.A.2. Facilities for USE classes and 1 low cost dormitory at 15 existing SE schools (3 classrooms+ 2 lab + 1 multi-use room + teacher room + sex-segregated sanitation facilities provided by 2017)

1.A.3 Furniture packages for 30 + 141.B Direct Support for Disadvantaged Students1.B.1 Scholarship criteria finalized by 2012, and scheme launched by 20131.C School Level Support to Enhance Equitable Access1.C.1 Low cost community managed dormitories in 30 new LSE schools1.C.2 Remedial support focused on boarding students in same 30 new LSE schools1.C.3 School Access Grant guidelines finalized by 2012, school management committeeorientation completed by 2013, and grants launched by 20131.C.4 Low cost community managed dormitories in 15 new LSE schools1.C.5 Remedial support focused on boarding students in same 15 new LSE schools1.C.6 School Access Grant guidelines for USE finalized by 2012, school management committeeorientation completed by 2014, and grants launched by 2015Output 2: Improved delivery of new SE curricula2.1 Strengthening pre-service teacher training systems and placement of new SE teachers

2.A.1 Develop pre-service teacher training curriculum to align with M1-M7 school curriculum by2013 and develop procedures for TEI QA accreditation system2.A.2 Procure curriculum resources and instructional materials for TEIs and FOEs by 2013

2.A.3. Pilot 1: trial Graduate Teacher Placement scheme in 5 districts (25 teachers by 2 years)by 2013/14, assessed in 2015/162.A.4. Develop procedures and manuals for Teacher Recruitment and Utilization, and TeacherQuality and Performance by 20142.B. In-service Teacher Training and support for delivering the new SE curriculum2.B.1 Delivery of M3-M7 curriculum In-service Teacher Training initiated by 2012, completed by20162.B.2. RIES to develop media-based materials to support teaching (TV, Radio, DVD etc)2.B.3. Establish an Annual Regional Meeting of Pedagogical Advisers by 2012; and trial SPAIncentive Package to support Pilot 22.B.4. Pilot 2: ICT4LE in target rural LSE schools in 5 districts completed by end 20132.B.5 Provide Teacher Upgrade Grants (11+3 to BA) for 10 LS teachers in target districts startingin 20122.C. Support for New Curriculum Materials (Textbooks and Teacher Guides)2.C.1 Distribution of textbooks and teacher guides to 1200 schools and all TEIs in SY2012/13 (M3)and SY2013/14 (M4)2.C.2 New USE textbooks, teacher guides approved for use by end 2015 aligned with NationalExamination regulations; distribution of textbooks and teacher guides to 500 US schools and allTEIs in 2014 (M5), 2015 (M6), 2016 (M7);2.C.3 Pilot 3: M5 curriculum materials piloted in 15 SE schools in 5 target provinces by 2012/13,and evaluated by 20132.D. Teaching and learning equipment and materials to support improved teaching (in 30new LSE schools and 15 existing SE schools)2.D.1 Provide M1 and M2 textbooks and teacher guides, basic science equipment, materials andlibrary books to at least 30 LSE schools in target areas by 20132.D.2. Provide additional materials/basic equipment for Arts/Music/Physical Education by 2013

20182012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017


ANNEX 04Implementation Plan


{Indicative} Activities 2011Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4

2.D.3. Provide science equipment and materials for 15 existing SE schools to support USEinstruction by 20172.E Support for improved student assessment2.E.1 Assist in review of Rules and Regulations for M4 and M7 national exams and HE exams by20142.E.2 Support MOE/RIES to conduct ASLO for M4 in 2014 and M7 in 2017Output 3: Strengthened SE subsector management3.A. Support for enhanced subsector analysis to guide decision-making3.A.1. Update institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSE needs assessmentcompleted by 20123.A.2. Updated LSE and USE school network mapping completed nationwide by end 20123.A.3. Assessment of existing SE-related management information systems (MIS) completed byend 2012, and plan for improving and better integrating MIS implemented by 2015.

3.A.4 Detailed needs analysis of (i) LSE in 30 districts, & (ii) USE in target areas completed byend 20123.B. Capacity Building for improved SE subsector management at all levels3.B.1. Based on institutional and needs assessments, phased and multi-mode capacity buildingprogram for education sector staff at central level (including PMU and IU) , provincial/local levels3.B.2. Communication/dissemination advocacy strategy developed and launched by end 2013

3.B.3. Support for the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Private Sector Involvement inEducation Development3.B.4. Develop strategy and policy on ICT4LE by end 2013, including a focus on ICT to supportSE teaching, learning, and school management 3.C. Support for Community Engagement in School Support and Management in 92Target Schools (45 LSE and 16 USE schools)3.C.1. School management committees established or reconstituted and initial capacity buildingcompleted in LSE schools by 2015 and USE schools by September 2017;3.D. Monitoring and Evaluation and Special Study3.D.1. M&E implemented throughout Program, with data feeding into MOE PerformanceAssessment Framework with baseline by 2012, interim assessment by 2014, final data collectionby 2016, and report submission by 20173.D.2. Special study: Independent impact evaluation study focused on scholarships conducted,review baseline by end 2012, interim assessment by 2014, final data collection by 2016, and reportsubmission by 20173.E. Project Management3.E.1 Establish PMU by October 2011B. Management ActivitiesProcurement plan key activities to procure contract packagesConsultant selection proceduresEnvironment management plan key activitiesGender action plan key activitiesCommunication strategy key activitiesAnnual/Mid-term reviewProject completion report

20182012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017


ANNEX 05Documents Accessed


ADB. 1995. Involuntary Resettlement Policy. Manila

ADB. 1998. Policy on Indigenous Peoples. Manila

ADB. 2002. Environment Policy. Manila

ADB. 2006. Country Strategy and Program: Lao People’s Democratic Republic 2007-2011.Manila

ADB. 2006. Poverty Handbook. Manila

ADB. 2007. Handbook and Social Analysis. Manila

ADB. 2008. Gender and Development Plan of Action (2008 – 2010). Manila

ADB. 2009. Safeguard Policy Statement. Manila

ADB. 2010. Concept Paper: Lao People’s Democratic Republic: Basic Education SectorDevelopment Program II. Manila

ADB. 2010. Procurement Guidelines (as amended from time to time). Manila

ADB. 2010. Second Education Quality Improvement Project, Project Completion Report.Vientiane

BESDP II. 2010. BESDPII Inception Report Vientiane

BESDP II. 2010. BESDPII Interim Report Vientiane

GOL. 2004. National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy. Vientiane

GOL. 2006. Vientiane Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Vientiane

GOL. 2007. Education Law. Vientiane

GOL. 2008. National Education Sector Reform Strategy 2006-2015. Vientiane

GOL. 2010. Draft National Socio-economic Plan 7. Vientiane

GOL. 2010. National Policy on Inclusive Education. Vientiane

GOL and UN. 2009. Millennium Development Goals 2008 Progress Report Lao. Vientiane

Lepain, Jean-Marc. 2010. Concept Note for the Introduction of expenditure norms in theeducation sector, Vientiane

Lepain, Jean-Marc. 2010. End of Mission Report. Vientiane

MOE. 2006. Operational Study 4: Teacher Education Institution Capacity. Vientiane

MOE. 2006. Operational Study 6: Professional Development Networks including IsolatedSchools. Vientiane

MOE. 2006. Teacher Education Strategy and Action Plan 2006-2010. Vientiane

MOE. 2008. TVET Master Plan 2008-2020. Vientiane




MOE. 2008. Education for All Mid-Decade Assessment. Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Education Sector Development Framework. Vientiane

MOE. 2009. ESDF Financing Model. Vientiane

MOE. 2009. BESDP Annual Progress Report and 4th Quarter Progress Report March toDecember 2009 ADB Grant 0069 Loan 2306-LAO. Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Information and Communication Technology for Upper Secondary Education(RIES). Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Mathematics Curriculum for Upper Secondary Education (RIES). Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Education Sector Development Framework, Performance AssessmentFramework and Preparation-for-Implementation Plan. Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Human Resource Management Sector Study (ESDF). Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Decree 1572 DEB responsibilities at the LSE level (administration andpedagogy) and the USE level (administration only) are set out. Vientiane

MOE. 2009. Decree 1584 retains responsibility for pedagogic advice at upper secondary atthe PES through Pedagogic Advisers. Vientiane

MOE. 2010. BESDP August Progress Report ADB Grant 0069 Loan 2306-LAO.Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Pre-test Report - Lower Secondary Education Textbooks and Teachers Guides(RIES). Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Draft Secondary Education Action Plan 2010 – 2015. Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Teacher Development and Management Policy Framework and Action Plan(2010-2015) draft. Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Tracer Study on MA Graduates in Education (DTE). Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Training Manual on the Use of The New Lower Secondary Education Textbooksand Teachers’ Guide (BESDP). Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Validation Study on the Draft Upper Secondary Education Curriculum (RIESBESDP). Vientiane

MOE. 2010. National Inclusive Education Strategy and Plan of Action 2011-2015. Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Strategy Plan for Private Education Promotion 2010 – 2020. Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Monitoring Survey of Teachers for School year 2009-2010 (DOP). Department ofPersonnel, Ministry of Education Vientiane

MOE. 2010. Midterm Evaluation Study of the Basic Education Sector Development ProgramADB Grant 0069/Loan No. 2306 LAO. Vientiane

MOE. 2011. Assessment and Analysis of 2010 TESAP Review: Implementation Gaps andCapacity Development Needs (DTE). Vientiane

MOE/Sida. 2010. Final Evaluation Report: Teacher Training Enhancement and Status ofTeachers Project (2002-2010). Vientiane




MOE/Unesco. 2010. Education Quality Assurance Strategic Plan for 2010-2015. Vientiane

MPI. 2009. Report on Round Table Implementation Meeting. Vientiane

NSC. 2005. Population Census National Statistics Centre Vientiane, NSC

UNDP. 2009. Human Development Report 2009 Overcoming barriers: Human mobility anddevelopment. New York

Unesco. 2008. Secondary Teachers in Lao PDR: Priorities and Prospects. Bangkok

World Bank. 2007. Lao PDR Economic Monitor. Vientiane

World Bank. 2008. Teaching in Lao PDR, Vientiane

World Bank. 2009. Lao PDR Economic Monitor. Vientiane

World Bank. 2009. Project Appraisal Document on a Proposed Grant in the amount ofUSD30M to the Lao People's Democratic Republic for A Catalytic Fund EFA/FTI PROGRAM.Vientiane

World Bank. 2009. Conditional Cash Transfers: Reducing Present and Future Poverty.Washington

TA-7555 LAO BESDP II PPTA (Final Report)

ANNEX 06Secondary Education Situational Analysis


SECONDARY EDUCATION

SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

March 2011




CONTENTS

List of acronyms

Table of contents

Page

1.0 INTRODUCTION 4

2.0 NATIONAL AND SECTOR CONTEXT 42.1 Economic and Social Development 42.2 Implications for the Education Sector 5

3.0 THE EDUCATION SYSTEM 53.1 National Policies and Planning 53.2 Secondary Education Policy Context 53.3 Re-structured Education System 63.4 Secondary Schools Basic Data from 2009-2010 EMIS statistics 83.6 Current and Past Interventions in Secondary Education 9

4.0 ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION 94.1 Access to quality Primary Education 104.2 Demand for Secondary Education 104.3 Access to a Network of Secondary Schools 154.4 Supply Issues 16

5.0 QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION 175.1 Teacher Recruitment and Deployment 185.2 Institutional Capacity Development 215.3 Lower & Upper Secondary School Curriculum and Instructional Materials Delivery 25

6.0 SECONDARY EDUCATION AND SECTOR MANAGEMENT 286.1 Policies, Planning and Management 286.2 Management of Secondary Education 296.3 Summary of Stakeholder Analysis 306.4 Development Partners 356.5 Recent Management Developments through BESDP I 356.6 Consultation Outcomes 366.7 Possibilities for BESDP II 40

7.0 ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS 427.1 Education Share of Lao PDR Budget 437.2 Funding Secondary Education 457.3 Project Budget Expenditure 467.4 Education Sector Efficiency 46

8.0 CHALLENGES 49

9.0 SUMMARY 50




APPENDICES

Appendix 01 ESDF Targets Related to Secondary Education

Appendix 02 BESDP I Impact, Outcome and Outputs

Appendix 03 Summary of Provincial Secondary Education Data

FIGURES

Figure 01 Diagram illustrating the Lao PDR Education System (2011

Figure 02 Number of Secondary School Teachers and Schools by School Type, 2009-2010

Figure 03 Number of Secondary School Students by Grade, 2009-2010

Figure 04 Number of Secondary School Teachers by Ethnic Group and Sex, 2009-2010

Figure 05 Planning Framework and BESDP II Outputs

Figure 06 Primary Schools by Incomplete/Complete Grades, Poverty, FTI and Enrolment

Figure 07 Distribution of 2009/10 Enrolments by Grade and Target Districts

Figure 08 Primary and Secondary Grade Enrolments 2009/10 by Districts grouped by EducationalDisadvantage and Poverty.

Figure 09 Grade Enrolment Profile 2009/10 by Districts as a Proportion of Grade 1

Figure 10 Grade 2 (2005/06) Students Enrolled in Grade 6 (2009/10) by Province and Gender

Figure 11 Cohort Survival from Grade 5 in 2005/06 to Grade 9 in 2009/10 by Gender

Figure 12 Female and Male Cohort Survival from Grade 5 to Grade 9 (2005/06-2009/10)

Figure 13 Cohort Survival by Gender: Grade 5 in 2005/06 to Grade 9 in 2009/10

Figure 14 Distribution of Secondary Schools in 2009/10 by Incomplete/Complete Grades, Poverty,Educational Disadvantage (FTI=1), and School Enrolment

Figure 15 Distribution of Secondary Schools by Enrolment Band and School Type, 2009/10

Figure 16 Indicative Data of Supply/Demand and Exit Numbers

Figure 17 Status from TESAP Evaluation Report

Figure 18 Proposed M3-M7 timeframes for cohort rollout and M5-M6 trial

Figure 19 ESDF Pillars, BESDP I and Preliminary BESDP II Management Outputs

Figure 20 Government Revenue and Expenditure 2009/2010

Figure 21 Education Sector Share of LAO PDR State Budget 2005/06-2009/10Figure 22 Education Sector Spending per Capita 2005/06-2009/10Figure 23 Consolidation of Ministry and Provincial Budget Allocations 2009/10Figure 24 Enrolment and Recurrent Expenditure by Secondary Student by ProvinceFigure 25 Monthly Payroll Expenditure Reported by MOE, 2009-2010Figure 26 FY 2009-2010 Budget Allocations by Subsector and Chapter (Salary, Allowances etc)Figure 27 Comparison of Salaries and Payroll Data by Province




1.0 INTRODUCTION

1. Lao PDR has a population estimated at 5.62 million (NSC 2005) that is growing at arate of 2.1 percent per annum. Urbanisation remains comparatively low with 73 percent of thepopulation living in rural areas. There is a relatively young population, with 39 percent of thepopulation being under the age of 15. Life expectancy is estimated at 59 years for males and63 years for females (NSC 2005). In the urban areas, the fertility rate has stabilised at 2.04. Inthe rural areas which have easy access to main roads, the fertility rate is 3.70 and in rural ‘offroad’ areas (that is in remote and often non Lao Tai ethnic communities) the fertility rate is4.74 (MOE 2008). The Lao ethnically diverse population has 49 officially recognised ethnicgroups categorised in terms of four major ethno-linguistic families: Lao-Tai (65%), Austro-Asiatic (22 percent), Hmong-Yu Mien (9 percent) and Sino-Tibetan (3 percent). The literacyrate for the population aged 15 and over was 49 percent for the non Lao-Tai group comparedto 84% among the Lao-Tai groups (NSC 2005).

2.0 NATIONAL AND EDUCATION SECTOR CONTEXT1

2.1 Economic and social development

Economic development

2. Economic progress has resulted in a substantial reduction in poverty over the past 15years and Lao PDR is on course to meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) target ofhalving poverty by 2015 and on track to meet MDG targets such as those on primaryenrolment and child mortality rates2. Challenges remain with other targets. There is potentialfor growth: as the impact of the economic corridors increase so will the need for new skills,new technologies and industries, and economic opportunity (employment and private sectorexpansion) as investment grows (GOL and UN 2009). Lao PDR now faces the challenge ofintegrating its workers into the modern mainstream economy. The SE subsector must play anincreasingly central role to address the issue of human capacity, a binding constraint fordevelopment in Lao PDR. This will support three interlinked transformations: (i) from aplanned to a market economy; (ii) from a largely inward-focused, subsistence-based economyto a commercially oriented and regionally integrated economy; and (iii) from an agrarian tomore urbanized society.3

Social development

3. To continue to achieve significant reductions in poverty Lao PDR needs to diversify itseconomy and give further attention to strengthening its agriculture and manufacturing sectors.GOL will also need to improve existing rural jobs and create additional jobs, with actions thatinclude: (i) increasing growth in agriculture, (ii) investing in people living in rural areas, (iii)improved access to basic education, (iv) improved access to health services and earlynutrition, and (v) encouraging migration through the provision of information, improvedtransport, making rights to public services and protection portable and facilitating remittances(GOL and UN 2009).

1 This chapter draws on the introductory chapter of the draft Secondary Education 5-Year Action Plan (2010)2 The poverty incidence fell from 46 percent in 1992 to 26 percent in 2007 (MPI, 2009), and Lao PDR is on course tomeet the MDG target of halving poverty from 48 percent in 1990 to 24 percent in 2015.3 See ADB. 2010. Country Assistance Program Evaluation (CAPE) for Lao PDR. Manila.




2.2 Implications for the secondary education subsector

4. Geographical conditions create difficulties in the supply of school buildings andfacilities, teaching and learning materials, and a need for qualified teachers with multi-grade/multi-subject skills in sparsely populated, remote areas. Ethnic diversity also hasimplications for educational provision in terms of language of instruction, recruitment ofteachers from the same ethnic group as the children, and flexibility of the curriculum to allowlocal authorities to include relevant vocational and cultural content and pedagogy intoinstruction. Higher fertility rates in rural areas require greater educational opportunities formore children in the places where the current education system struggles to provide coverageof education services. Economic development will increase the opportunity for employment,especially in industrial and service sectors. Further development in the agriculture sector willalso require those who have not only basic knowledge but also more innovative ideas andapproaches. They imply demand for a labour force that has a moderate level of literacy andcommunication and other specialised skills, which are linked, to secondary and higher levelsof education and technical and vocational education and training (TVET). Economicdevelopment will increase the opportunity for employment, especially in industrial and servicesectors.

3.0 THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

3.1 National policies and planning

5. The GOL aims to improve the living conditions of its poor, meet the MDG by 2015 andgraduate from its status as a least-developed country (LDC) by 2020. The MDG developmentstrategy was articulated in the National Growth and Poverty Eradication Strategy (NGPES)2004 and the sixth National Socio-Economic Plan (NSEDP) 2006-2010. The sixth NSEDPemphasized the importance of education as one of its four pillars. Improvement of educationquality and human resource development has been identified as a key directive in the draftseventh NSEDP 2011-2015 (MPI 2010). The Poverty Reduction Strategy Operation (PRSO2004) has actions supporting school block grants and the strengthening of expenditureassignment from the central to the provincial level of administration. Education planning willneed to take account of PRSO planning so that outputs can be aligned with PRSO outcomes.All national development plans highlight the importance of literacy and numeracy throughuniversal primary education.

3.2 Secondary education policy context

6. Policies and plans reaffirm the national human resource agenda for improving socialwelfare, enhanced workforce productivity and greater access to further education. A strongerrelation between formal education and employment is a key feature of these policies andplans.

7. The Education Law (2007) has number of provisions that relate specifically tosecondary and vocational education while others are important for the whole sector or otherspecified subsectors of the education sector. The education sector is defined and there areparticular references to secondary education and vocational education within a frameworkthat emphasises citizenship, life skills and the labour market. The legal framework set out byEducation Law underpins the directions set out in the National Education System ReformStrategy (NESRS) 2006-2015.

8. The overall goals of the NESRS focus on moving towards regional and international




standards that are relevant4. The objectives of the NESRS cover: early childhood education,primary and secondary education, technical education and vocational training, highereducation and universities, teacher training, non-formal education and inclusive education.Government priorities are identified as: (i) increasing the length of general education to 12years (5+4+3)5; (ii) further improving quality and expanding access; (iii) implementing theTeacher Education Strategy and Action Plan (TESAP) 2006-2010; and (iv) expandingtechnical schools and vocational training.

9. Specific reference to technical education and vocational training in the NESRS againrepeats the need to “improve the quality of education and training and see that it is closelyrelated to the world of work”. It continues by stating that the training received by secondaryschool graduates, technical personnel and technicians should be relevant to the needs of theeconomy and the labour market. An additional point is made that there is a need to“encourage lower and upper secondary education graduates to enter technical schools atdifferent levels”.

10. The NESRS has an additional focus in the development of the Education SectorDevelopment Framework (ESDF), the national education sector action plan for Lao PDR,which informs education sector development. The ESDF was prepared to identify, define andarticulate priority government policies and strategies the national education system needs topursue in order to meet education goals, targets and outputs set out in key Government policystatements. The ESDF is designed to support the phasing of numerous education plansproduced since 2005 and key new education development programs and projects. The ESDFproposes policy targets and strategies for accelerating implementation of the NSEDP, NGPESand NESRS. The National Policy on Inclusive Education (NPIE) (GOL 2010) complementsand reinforces the implementation of the National Plan of Action on Education for All 2003-2015, the NESRS, the ESDF and the Education Development Plan 2011-2015.

11. Included in the ESDF are targets for the expansion of secondary education inquantitative terms, while the new organizational structure of 5+4+3 is introduced. At the sametime it sets a number of targets to improve equity and quality, and measures to strengthenmanagement of the education system generally and the secondary subsector specifically.ESDF Access targets for secondary education are clustered in four groups: enrolment rates;student flow rates; equitable access for all groups; and infrastructure. Quality targets in theESDF relating to secondary education are clustered in five groups: curriculum andinstructional materials; student performance monitoring; teacher training, teacher deploymentand private education and model schools. Management targets in the ESDF related tosecondary education are grouped in four clusters: strengthening management, managementrelated to teacher issues; planning, monitoring and evaluation; and school fees. More detailsof the ESDF Access, Quality and Management targets are given in Appendix 1.

3.3 The re-structured education system

12. The Education Law (2007) formally recognises the restructuring of the lower secondaryeducation system from three years to four years and in Article 18 states that as part of basiceducation, lower secondary education shall be four years in duration and provide basicknowledge in areas of Lao Language, mathematics, natural and social sciences, regulationsand laws, information and communication technology, foreign languages, and technology andvocational knowledge.

4 The NESRS and its implementation has recently been reviewed (2010) and a report drafted (early 2011).5 Achieved in 2009-2010




13. The structure of the education system is illustrated in Figure 1. Pre-primary educationconsists of crèches and kindergarten schools and all aim to support the development ofchildren and allow for a smooth transition into primary education. Primary education consistsof five years and is compulsory. Lower secondary education consists of four years and uppersecondary three years. Basic education ends at Grade 9. Post-basic education includesupper secondary education. Post-secondary education covers technical schools with one ortwo-year programs, and three to seven years of tertiary education programs offered bytechnical institutions, teacher training institutions and universities. The private sector iscontributing to the rapid growth of private post-secondary fee paying colleges mainly offeringprograms in business, computing, tourism, or English Language. In addition to the formaleducation programs there are non-formal education (NFE) programs being offered to out-of-school youth and adults. The NFE programs include basic literacy and numeracy training, anda wide range of other vocational and skills-based programs.

Figure 1 Diagram illustrating the Lao PDR education system (2011)

ISCED Code 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

0 Pre-Primary1 2 3

1 Primary1 2 3 4 5

2A, 2B, 2C, 2D Lower Secondary6 7 8 9

3A, 3B, 3C Upper Secondary (general and vocational)10 11 12

3C Primary Teacher Training (9+3)1 2 3

4B Vocational Training (Certificate level)1 2

4B Technical Training (University Degree level eg engineering)1 2 3 4

4A, 4B Technical College (Diploma level)1 2 3

4A, 4B Higher Technical College (Degree/Higher Diploma level)1 2 3

5B Primary Teacher Training (12+1) Year1

5B Lower Secondary Teacher Training (12+3 Higher Diploma)1 2 3

5B Upper Secondary Teacher Training (12+4 Bachelor Degree)1 2 3 4

5A, 5B University Degree Program1 2 3 4

6 Medical Training1 2 3 4 5

Year

Year

Year

Working Life and Continuing Education

Grade

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Year

Grade

Nominal Age Cohort

Grade

14. The Department of Secondary Education has a clear national mandate to supportsecondary education. Other departments with clear responsibilities for secondary educationinclude the Department of Inspection (DOI), Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC),Department of Primary and Pre-school Education (DPPE), Department of Teacher Education(DTE), Department of Personnel and Organisation (DOP), Department of Finance (DOF),Department of Non-formal Education (DNFE), Department of Physical Education and Art(DPEA), Department of Private Education Management (DPEM), the Department of Technicaland Vocational Education and Training (DTVET) and the Department of Higher Education(DHE). In the recent re-organisation of MOE6 a number of key centres, institutions andagencies were established or strengthened within the MOE structure and all haveresponsibilities related to secondary education and mirror the communicating, coordinating,and cooperating role of the DSE. These centres and institutions include the EducationStatistics and Information Technology Centre (ESITC), the Inclusive Education Centre (IEC),the Strategic Research and Education Analysis Centre (SREAC), the Education Standards

6 2008




and Quality Assurance Centre (ESQAC) and the Research Institute for Educational Studies(RIES). Agencies involved include the UNESCO National Commission, the EducationalPrinting House and the Educational Material Production Factory.

15. The Provincial Education Service (PES) of each province has roles of supervision,direction, management, implementation, inspection, and expansion of education within itsprovince. District Education Bureaux (DEB) have responsibilities at the lower secondary level(administration and pedagogy) and upper secondary level (administration only). Variousinstitutions have specified responsibilities at the school, village and community level includingVillage Education Development Committees (VEDC).7

3.4 Secondary schools basic data from 2009-2010 EMIS statistics

16. Secondary schools are categorized as lower secondary (grades M1 to M4), uppersecondary (grades M5 and M6 and from 2010 grade M7), complete secondary (grades M1 toM6 and from 2010 grade M7) and incomplete lower secondary, which do not have all lowersecondary grades.

17. In 2009-2010 there were 594 lower secondary schools with 7,883 teachers, 17 uppersecondary schools with 612 teachers, 354 complete secondary schools with 12,409 teachersand 209 incomplete lower secondary schools with 1,130 teachers (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Number of secondary school teachers and schools by school type, 2009-2010Lower Secondary

SchoolUpper Secondary

SchoolComplete Secondary

School M1-M6Incomplete

Secondary SchoolTeachers 7883 612 12409 1130Schools 594 17 354 209

Source: MOE EMIS 2010

18. In 2009-2010 there were 421,269 secondary school students 105,769 in M1, 88,220 inM2, 75,221 in M3, 66,178 in M4, 52,202 in M5 and 45,837 in M6 (Figure 3). Following2010/2011 M7 data will be collected by ESITC and included in the annual bulletin.

Figure 3. Number of secondary school students by grade, 2009-2010M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7

Students 105769 88220 75221 66178 52202 45837 (From 2010-2011)Source: MOE EMIS, 2010

19. In 2009-2010 there were a total of 19,299 secondary teachers of whom 50.3% werefemale. 17,289 of the teachers were Lao-Tai (52.8% female), 993 were Mon-Khmer (31.3%female), 247 Sino-Tibetan (69.6% female), 746 Hmong-Yu Mien (12.3% female) (SEAP2010)8. There are a further 2684 teachers reported by qualifications in EMIS who either didnot report ethnicity or are in DEB and PES positions rather than in schools, bringing the totalnumber of secondary teachers to 22,034 in 2009/10.

7 VEDCs are in some ways more directly aligned to primary schools (since it’s typically 1 school per village) than tosecondary schools (where even the government target would be 1 secondary school per 4 primary schools (orvillages). For example, BESDP helped to set up student-parent associations to coordinate with VEDCs in all villagesin a secondary school’s catchment area. If BESDP II continues this SPA model, it may be important to furtherinstitutionalize their role.8 Data from EMIS indicates that 2684 teachers either did not report ethnicity or are not teaching in schools.




Figure 4. Number of secondary school teachers by ethnic group and gender, 2009-2010Total Female Percent Female

Lao-Tai 17,289 9,123 52.8%Mon-Khmer 993 311 31.3%Chinese-Tibetan 247 172 69.6%Hmong-Yu Mien 746 92 12.3%Foreign 7 3 42.9%Others 17 6 35.3%

Total 19,299 9,707 50.3%Source: MOE EMIS, 2010

3.5 Current and past interventions in secondary education

20. Several key projects implemented over the past decade have begun to provide supportto the secondary education sector. The Teacher Training Enhancement and Status ofTeachers Project (TTEST) project under the Second Education Quality Improvement Project(EQIP II) has strengthened the capacity of Teacher Education Institutions (TEI) and improvedthe quality of pre-service and in-service teacher training programs. EQIP II, the secondEducation Development Project (EDP II), the Basic Education (Girls) Project (BEGP) andKOICA have provided various levels of support.

21. The Basic Education Sector Development Program (BESDP I) became effective inOctober 2007 and will physically close 31 March 2012 and complete at the end of September2012. The estimated project cost consists of: (i) a program loan of US$ 8.9 million equivalent;and (ii) a project grant of US$ 12.66 million equivalent. The total project cost of US$ 15.83million is financed by the ADB grant with net amount of US$12.66 million and governmentcounterpart funding of US$ 3.17 million. Main features of BESDP I are indicated in Figure 5.The status of program conditionalities and activities are summarized in a matrix in the BESDPII Interim Report Annex 04. The current status gives the opportunity for a smooth continuationto be designed that allows BESDP II to build on BESDP I achievements in the secondaryeducation subsector and the broader education sector management areas (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Planning framework and BESDP II outputsComponent ESDF pillar BESDP I output Draft SEAP BESDP IIACCESS Assuring equitable

accessExpanded and equitableaccess to LSE provided infast-growing, high-demandurban areas and inpoorest rural and remoteareas

Nationwide andequitable access to 4years of quality lowersecondary to meet thedemand of thecommunities of allregions

Expandedaccess to LSE

QUALITY Improving qualityand relevance

Improved relevance andquality of LSE

To improve the qualityand relevance of lowersecondary educationand learning outcomes

Improveddelivery of newSE curricula

MANAGEMENT Strengtheningsector governanceand performancemanagement

Improved capacity forplanning, budgeting,management, and deliveryof education

Effective management,governance andfinancing of LSE andUSE

StrengthenedSE subsectormanagement

4.0 ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION

22. Improving access to secondary education, learning outcomes and progression tofurther education and employment requires specific attention to three aspects of the Lao PDReducation system:

Access to quality primary education, competencies developed by Grade 5(Primary completion) and community “demand” for secondary education.




Access to a network of secondary schools (“supply”) which meets standards forphysical facilities, textbooks and learning materials and qualified teachers able toassist their students to perform well and progress to higher grades, and

Management of Schools, Districts, Provinces and nationally which gives priority toquality learning outcomes for all students

23. Lao PDR progress on each dimension requires successful implementation of otherpolicies and adequate funding for the education system as a whole. In most educationsystems, where available budget funding limits implementation, dependence on theavailability of project-funding can distort the sequence in which the MOE can implementreforms. Integration of development assistance within the Education Sector DevelopmentFramework has been an important step.

24. Improving secondary education access depends in part on Fast Track Initiative (FTI)activities, which support improved primary completion rates and learning outcomes. Thisprocess creates demand for “access” to lower secondary grades, as well as an increaseddemand for training and appointment of LSE teachers.

4.1 Access to quality primary education

25. Limited access to primary schools offering all 5 grades is the major constraint onimproving demand for secondary education. Of 8399 Primary schools reported in EMIS2009/10, 2380 had fewer than 50 students and another 2598 have 50-99 students. Thesmallest incomplete schools occur in both Poorest (P2), educationally disadvantaged (FTI=1)districts and in non-poor, non-FTI districts. Complete Primary schools are concentrated in the50-149 bands.

Figure 06: Primary schools by incomplete/complete grades, poverty, MOE/FTI and enrolment

26. The dispersed rural population, terrain, distance to the nearest Primary school anddistance from the nearest main road contribute to this pattern of small, incomplete Primaryschools, which are difficult to staff with trained/qualified teachers.

4.2 Demand for secondary education

27. The distribution of 2009/10 enrolments by grade in Figure 07 identifies “educationally-disadvantaged” Districts by their reported poverty status. All potential target districts are non-urban, outside Vientiane Capital and exclude most Provincial centers.




Figure 07: Distribution of 2009/10 enrolments by grade and target districts

28. Districts are grouped in Figure 8 as the 29 poorest educationally disadvantaged ruraldistricts (FTI P2R), 26 other FTI rural districts poor and non-poor (FTI PXR), 29 non-FTI ruraldistricts which are poorest or poor (OTH P21R), 37 non-FTI non-poor “rural” districts outsideVientiane City and not Provincial Centers (OTH PXR) and the 22 Districts in Vientiane Cityand non-poor Provincial Centers (OTH PXU).

Figure 08: Primary/secondary grade enrolments 2009/10 by districts grouped by educationaldisadvantage and poverty.

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11

FTI P2R FTI PXR OTH P21R OTH PXR OTH PXU

Source: EMIS data (2009/10) BESDP II analysis

29. The higher outcome for non-poor “urban” districts (black line red circles) is inflated bystudents moving from remote rural districts to the Provincial Center or to Vientiane City toaccess better quality secondary education.

30. The BESDP II analysis confirms FTI identification of educationally disadvantageddistricts. High grade repetition in lower primary grades and poor primary completion ratescontribute to the profile below, especially the poor educational outcomes in FTI districts. Eachof these groups had between 44,000 and 60,000 students in Grade 1, only 12,100-32,800 inGrade 6 and 3,300 to 20,800 in Grade 11.




31. The FTI Project and other development partners are assisting the MOE implement theESDF that will contribute to improved primary completion rates. One target should be liftingthe FTI districts profile (the two lowest lines in the graph) to the Lao average, which is close tothe green line (with triangles).

32. The ADB BESDP I and the BESDP II being planned are working to strengthentransition from primary to lower secondary and Grade 9 completion. Improving access forchildren in small, remote communities attending small, incomplete primary schools becomeseven more difficult if they are to complete Grade 5 and have access to a viable LSE school.

33. Figure 09 expresses 2009/10 enrolments by grade as a percentage of Grade 1 to showthe relative positions of the educationally-disadvantaged and other poorest/poor districtsrelative to the Lao PDR average (black line yellow circles) and the non-poor urban districts(orange line blue circles). On this measure, three out of four students in non-poor urbandistricts reach Grade 6 and almost one-in-two reach Grade 11. The poorest MOE/FTIdistricts, by contrast, average less than one-in-four to Grade 6 and only 1-in-20 studentsreach Grade 11. This analysis in Figure 09 is based on single year data for each district, noton progression by cohort (which requires tracking the same cohort over several years, anddiscussed further below).

Figure 09: Grade enrolment profile 2009/10 by districts as a proportion of Grade 1

21.8%

6.0%

74.7%

47.3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

110%

Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11

FTI P2R FTI PXR OTH P21R OTH PXR OTH PXU Lao PDR

Source: EMIS 2009/10 (BESDP II analysis)

34. The unanswered question remains whether poor primary school outcomes combinewith family expectations and distance to the nearest secondary school to reduce “demand” forsecondary schooling. (BESDP II Interim Report Annex 10, BESDP II Access Study 2011)Does distance to the nearest LSE school discourage enrolment beyond Grade 5 and/or doesfamily/community place less value on further schooling are “demand” issue questions. Wouldconstruction of a more accessible LSE school encourage continuing to LSE and/or would




scholarships (such as BESDP 1) or student dormitories in district/ provincial centersencourage continuation are “supply” issue questions.

35. If lack of community demand for continuing to secondary school is the issue,construction of new secondary schools may not be sufficient to produce appreciable changein the above patterns.

36. Gender differences in primary completion rates and progression to lower secondaryrequire further examination, preferably with district level data. Figure 10 presents provincialdata on Grade 6 (2009/10) proportion of Grade 2 (2005/06) to reduce distortion due to Grade1 repetition, as well as the apparent attrition between Grade 5 Females (in 2008/09) andGrade 6 the following year. The ten provinces to the right of the Lao PDR average confirm theneed to improve Grade 5/Grade 6 transition rates for both female and male students,especially for females if the gender parity line (dashes) is to rise above 90% and approach100%.

Figure 10: Grade 2 (2005/06) students enrolled in Grade 6 (2009/10) by province and gender

37. Increasing transition to Grade 6 and reducing attrition before Grade 9 are importantstrategies if Lao PDR is to improve secondary educational outcomes. Figure 11 shows 55,569female students in Grade 5 in 2005/06 and their transition to Grade 6 in 2006/07 and 29,202or 52.6% from Grade 5 still enrolled in Grade 9 in 2009/10. There were almost 12,000 moremale students in Grade 5 in 2004/05 (67,344), of whom 54.9% (36,976) were still present inGrade 9 in 2009/10.




Figure 11: Cohort survival from Grade 5 in 2005/06 to Grade 9 in 2009/10 by gender

38. The arrows in Figure 12 show the cohort data in Figure 11 graphically. Numbersenrolled in each grade have increased each year since 2005/06 but the arrows show netlosses each year. Understanding reasons for drop-out is the first step towards a strategy toreduce this attrition.

Figure 12 Female and male cohort survival from Grade 5 to Grade 9 (2005/06-2009/10)

55,569

67,344

29,20236,976

-

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

F F F F F M M M M M

200506 200607 200708 200809 200910 200506 200607 200708 200809 200910

FEMALE (left block) MALE (right block)

Grade05 Grade06 Grade07 Grade08 Grade09 Grade10 Grade11

39. Figure 13 provides an analysis of aggregate Lao PDR data by gender and by province,with provinces ordered by the proportion of Grade 5 females in 2005/06 who were enrolled inGrade 9 in 2009/10. Ten provinces with 33,531 (60%) of Grade 5 enrolments in 2005/06 haveless than half their cohort remaining until Grade 9 in 2009/10. Only 6 provinces had less than50% of Grade 5 males enrolling in Grade 9, but note that 7 provinces had more than thenational 79 females per 100 males in Grade 9. Male attrition before Grade 9 requires furtherexamination by the MOE - if reasons for male and female attrition differ, different gender-specific strategies may be required to improve both female and male completion of secondaryeducation.




Figure 13: Cohort survival by gender: Grade 5 in 2005/06 to Grade 9 in 2009/10

40. Assuming 10% attrition from grade to grade for reasons beyond the influence ofsecondary schools, a “successful” outcome would be Grade 6 with 90% of Grade 5, Grade 7with 81% of Grade 5, Grade 8 with 73% and Grade 9 with 66%. Only Vientiane City andLuang Namtha reach or exceed this level for both female and male students, and VientianeProvince achieves it for male students (while female students remain at least 10% below themale rate).

41. There is another effect which could be followed up – students leaving school beforeGrade 5 are not included in this analysis – and this would be an FTI Project issue. FTIsuccess would create greater demand for additional secondary school classrooms andteachers and reinforces rationale for BESDP II concentrating in the poorest educationallydisadvantaged districts.

42. Provincial data analysis masks movement of students from remote Districts tosecondary schools located in the provincial center, so targeting the poorest under-performingdistricts is necessary strategy if Lao PDR is to improve its overall performance from 53%females and 55% males reaching Grade 9.

43. BESDP II district selection could include ESITC reporting comparable “district” datafrom 2005/06 to 2009/10. This activity could be undertaken as a half-day or full-day workshopwith ESITC and provinces with three or more poorest, educationally disadvantaged districts.Such a workshop could contribute to MOE and PES understanding of BESDP II target criteria,and methods would contribute to better use of existing EMIS data to monitor districtperformance. Mid-term review and more rigorous evaluation of Project outcomes shouldexamine whether total enrollments increase because retention in each grade improves orwhether a greater proportion of each cohort complete Grade 9 and progress to uppersecondary grades.

4.3 Access to a network of secondary schools

44. If access to a complete primary school is the first barrier to improving educationaloutcomes for many children in Lao PDR, access to a complete secondary school (to at leastLSE Grade 9) may be an even greater problem in Poorest FTI districts, where mostincomplete LSE schools have fewer than 100 students. Grade 6-9 LSE schools are mostly100+ students while most Complete Secondary Schools have 300+ students. Some studentshave to spend more time travelling to a larger secondary school with qualified teachers. Many




small, remote districts cannot guarantee access to Grades 6-9, with viable class groups, andteachers qualified in at least the core LSE subjects.

Figure 14 Distribution of secondary schools in 2009/10 by incomplete/complete grades, poverty,educational disadvantage (FTI=1), and school enrolment

Source: EMIS 2009/10 data (Lao2D_19Feb003Size.sql)

Figure 15 Distribution of secondary schools by enrolment band and school type, 2009/10

45. Secondary schools with fewer than 150 students are mostly incomplete LSE schools,offering limited opportunity for students to access the full secondary curriculum schools.Larger secondary schools are mostly in urban/provincial centers even more remote from thepoorest rural communities. Poor outcomes for many ethnic groups are because they are over-represented in smaller villages in remote areas.

4.4 Supply issues

46. Without appreciation of the access issues above, provinces and districts may buildschools in places where “demand” is high but not in areas where demand “appears” low whenthe lack of an accessible school may be the major barrier to educational access. Note thatsome “new” construction replaces existing (unsatisfactory) facilities without necessarily




expanding the total secondary enrolment. BESDP II construction could seek some balancebetween high growth areas and “access” provision for small remote communities.

47. Difficulty of staffing existing secondary schools in more remote, rural districts may be afurther supply constraint – especially the lack of specialist teachers in Mathematics, Physics,or Chemistry. Teacher qualifications are being explored, as well as incentives to attract (andretain) qualified teachers. This issue is examined further in Section 5 and BESDP II InterimReport Annex 05.

48. Provision of textbooks should be subsidized for upper secondary grades inremote/poorest districts (the 29 Poorest FTI districts had 3300 Grade 11 students in 2009/10compared with 31900 in the 59 non-FTI non-poor districts). The delivery of textbooks to thoseremote districts may cost more than the printing cost of many of the books. An alternativestrategy could be a block grant, which meets the textbook and delivery, costs for “target”schools – so Provinces could monitor lack of textbooks, especially where any Schools/Districtfail to utilize their block grant. The Ministry is finalizing a Decree on Budget Norms withprovision for block grants.

5.0 QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION

49. Three current MOE policy action documents guide the analysis of quality improvementin the secondary education sector, each one reflecting the Education Reform goals.

50. The quality component of the SEAP 2010–2015 (describes the targets for curriculumand instructional materials, student performance monitoring, teacher training and teacherdeployment. The activities are described under programs relating to implementation of thenew LS curriculum reform, new teaching methods and approaches for learning assessment;activities to address the problem of teacher shortage in certain subjects and geographicalareas at LS level; monitoring and assessment of teachers’ and school directors’ performance;provision of a sufficient number of quality US teachers; provision of quality teaching andlearning materials for US schools; and piloting of secondary technical vocational education atUS level.

51. The Teacher Development and Management Policy Framework and Action Plan 2010-2015 (TDMP) provides the structure for DTE and DOP to improve the quality of teachertraining, to improve the teacher recruitment and utilization systems and procedures,upgrading of teacher benefits and incentives, teacher testing and certification, andstrengthening of teacher career development and promotion. The BESDP I program hasprovided support to MOE in development of the TDMP which will require further support fromBESDP II in future to ensure the effective implementation of revised procedures for teacherrecruitment and deployment and non-salary incentives.

52. A review of TESAP 2006-2010 is currently being undertaken by DTE, which will leadinto the development of TESAP Phase 2 2011-2015. A status report9 on TESAP progress isreferenced in this situation analysis and is used to inform the BESDP II program design.

53. BESDP I is currently providing support to RIES and DSE in the development andimplementation of M1 and M2 curriculum reforms, and development of the curriculumframework for M3-M7 secondary school grades. Planned BESDP I activities to supportnational assessment of student learning outcomes and training of secondary pedagogicaladvisers (SPAs) has been minimally addressed in the M1-M2 training to date. The BESDP IIproject will continue to support and strengthen each of these areas of secondary schoolimprovement.

9 Report 3 of the 2010 TESAP Review DTE/MOE (draft) 2011)




5.1 Teacher recruitment and deployment

54. A major policy change is being introduced in Lao PDR to improve the efficiency ofteacher recruitment and deployment. Teachers will soon be de-linked from the Civil Serviceand the quota system will be replaced by direct recruitment through PES and DEB offices.When the quota system is removed teachers will be deployed to schools based on realdemand, including the awarding of all new recruited teachers to permanent staff posts underthe teachers’ payroll. The TDMP provides the policy foundation for the procedural changes toteacher recruitment and a decree is now being prepared for Ministerial approval. The MOE,provincial offices and schools will follow the TDMP guidelines and annual teacher projectionswill be incorporated in the annual provincial plans.

55. The quota system has not been able to resolve the problems of teacher recruitment tounderserved areas and for subject shortages. The quota system of providing scholarships forstudents from remote areas to train as teachers and return to their home district to teach ongraduation has been difficult to enforce. Graduates may not be clear on their contractualobligations. PES and TEI/FOEs do not have a systematic method of tracking the progress ofnew teachers after they graduate from TEI or FOE, and quota places are not always correctlytargeted to meet teacher demand in the most underserved areas10.

56. The DOP completed a Monitoring Survey of Teachers for School Year 2009-2010. Thesurvey was designed to validate the number of teachers for purposes of monitoring teacherrecruitment at provincial level, especially in poor districts. It covered 8 provinces (Phongsaly,Hoauphanh, Oudomxay, Vientiane Capital, Bolikhamxay. Khammouane, Xekong andAttapeu). The survey covered a total of 20,518 teachers, 9,602 were female. The key findingsof the survey were the lack of teachers compared to actual need, especially in more remoteand poorest areas; the continuing number of volunteer teachers who have not been awardedwith permanent teacher status; the shortage of qualified upper secondary teachers in somesubjects and lack of applicants in some areas; lack of accuracy in data collection; lack oftextbooks and teaching facilities in remote areas; teacher retention is difficult in poorer, moreremote areas; services and travel are more difficult in poor remote areas. Therecommendations from the survey address each of these key findings for improvement inrecruitment and deployment of teachers and improvements in the provision of school andliving facilities for teachers in poor and remote areas.

Process of recruitment of new graduates into teaching

57. “After TEI students graduate they have to take an examination to be recruited asteachers according to the hiring quota approved by the Government. The MOE allocates thequota for teachers and staff to PESs and TEIs throughout the country. Overall, the recruitmentprinciple based on the quota system limits the availability of teachers to schools and TEIs.”(TDMP 2010)

58. The TDMP identifies weaknesses in the process of teacher recruitment and utilization.Teacher recruitment processes are slow - students who graduate from TEI/FOEs in thecurrent year are appointed to schools after the start of the next school year. Vacancyannouncements are not widely spread – graduates have to travel to districts to place theirapplications. Graduate supply from TEI/FOEs does not match with the demand for teachers inshortage subjects and in willingness to take up postings in remote locations. Even in

10 Teaching in Lao PDR, World Bank / MOE 2009; Secondary Teachers in Lao PDR: Priorities and Perspectives,UNESCO 2010




underserved areas where selection exams are waived and teachers have been offeredimmediate permanent teacher status vacancies remain unfilled or are filled with teachersqualified to teach at another level. Benefits and incentives that are received by teachers arenot adequate to compensate for remote postings.

Graduate teacher supply

59. Although the total number of teaching graduates being produced by TEIs and FOE issufficient there is a continuing shortage in supply of teachers to remote areas, shortage offemale and ethnic group teachers in some areas and shortage of science teachers particularlyfor US schools. Wastage at graduate level is due to a number of reasons including teachersrefusing deployment to remote areas, and more attractive employment opportunities forEnglish, maths, science and IT graduates.

60. A comparison of the verified data from DOP, ESDF and TEMIS sources provides anestimation of the number of graduate teachers who do not enter teaching. Calculations arenot possible using one data source. The data that is available is a combination of actualstatistics eg number of teachers requested and quota allocation, and projected figures eg.ESDF data calculated using student enrolments in 2007/2008 as the baseline and projectedfigures using Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) and estimated student growth rates and teacherattrition rates. The analysis shows that the minimum percentage of graduate teachers who donot enter teaching is 49.2 percent for lower secondary qualified teachers and 65.6 percent forupper secondary qualified teachers.

Figure 16 Indicative data of supply/demand and exit numbersComparison of Data - indicative data of supply/demand and exiter numbers

LS USTeachers Requested in 2010 2440 1539 Source: DOP data (sample verified - data from three provinces missing)

Teacher Quota allocated in 2010 1608 584 Source: DOP data (sample verified - data from three provinces missing)

Teachers Recruited in 2010 1860 276 Source: DOP data (sample verified - data from three provinces missing)

Projected demand in 2010 1047 670 Source: Calculated from ESDF finance model projections based on 2007/2008 enrolments,MOE PTR targets, enrolment growth, teacher attrition

Total graduates in 2010 3660 803 Source: TEMIS website (verif ied)

Estimated magnitude of exiters 49.2% 65.6% Teachers recruited / Total graduates in 2010

Teacher shortage - under-supply byteacher recruitment

580 1263 Teachers requested - teachers recruited

Teacher graduate wastage asgraduates not employed as teachers

1800 527 Graduates not recruited, assuming 100% recruited were graduates

Teacher over-supply by number ofgraduates not recruited

1220 -736 Graduates who would not be absorbed if all graduates were recruited and 100% of vacancieswere for graduates

Clarifiers / Assumptions:Teachers recruited in 2010 includes new graduates and volunteer teachers assigned to permanent teacher positions but the disaggregated data on this is not availableTeachers recruited in 2010 does not give any disaggregated data to show differences by location, or by subject, or by recruitment from TEITotal graduates in 2010 can be disaggregated by TEI and by subject studied

61. Neither the TEI/FOEs nor the PES have a system for tracking graduates. The PESindicated that most scholarship teachers return to their home district to teach though therewere no comprehensive records to verify this and no systematic monitoring system is inplace. Informal observations from PES staff suggested that some TEI/FOE graduates followfriends to another district or province and some return to their home location but take up jobsin other government offices. It was reported that many government offices have somegraduate teachers working in administration positions.

62. A small tracer study undertaken during the BESDP II PPTA provides analysis of studentflow from US graduation to TEI/FOE and then into teaching, while also raising awareness ofthe need to improve the monitoring of graduates from TEI/FOE to improve system efficiencies(see detailed report in Interim Report, Annex 05). The PPTA team collected data in field visitsto Savannakhet, Xiang Khouang, Luang Namtha and Sekong Province. The main findings




from the study sample show that 69 percent of the tracer study sample who entered teachingsince 2005 were initially appointed as volunteer teachers. Of the 72 graduates in the tracerstudy sample, 25 percent were awarded permanent teacher status in their first year ofteaching. A further 22 percent were awarded permanent teacher status in their second year ofteaching, 11 percent in their third year of teaching and 3 percent in their fourth year ofteaching. The remaining 39 percent are on volunteer teacher status and have been teachingbetween one to three years. Evidence from the field visits indicates that the problem ofgraduate teachers being unable to secure a permanent teaching position under the quotasystem is easing, following the increased number of quota places allocated by MOE in 2010.In Sekong province for example the PPTA Team were informed that of the 126 LS teachersrecruited in 2010, 16 volunteer teachers were upgraded to permanent teacher status and 110new teaching positions were awarded to graduate teachers. No new recruits in 2010 had toenter teaching as volunteer teachers. For bachelor degree teachers the quota is higher thanthe number of applicants.

63. The tracer study data also provides evidence of the number of teachers who return totheir home district after completion of teacher training. 42 percent of graduate teachers in thetracer study sample returned to teach in their home district where they had also attendedsecondary school. 24 percent of graduate teachers moved away from their home district toattend secondary school and they returned to teach in the district where they went to school.25 percent of graduate teachers teach in a district, which is not their home district and is notwhere they attended secondary school. 10 percent of graduate teachers moved away fromtheir home district to attend school and moved to another district to teach.

64. The tracer study sample of teachers was asked to explain where their TEI colleagueswho did not go into teaching are now working. The alternatives listed included: police force,government administration officer, private sector employment, farmer, army, tourism, bankingand private schools. The reasons given for not going into teaching included lack of quota, lowsalary, better salary in private schools / private sector, preference for other job, the wait is toolong to become a certified teacher, deployment to a remote area is not attractive, poor gradesin teaching qualification, no vacancies close to family, some graduates only want thequalification and don’t want to teach.

65. Further analysis of the Tracer Study data (BESDP II Interim Report Annex 05) willexplore patterns, trends and disparities revealed through disaggregation by poorest districtstatus, gender, teaching subject and qualification, and TEI/FOE attended.

Teacher incentives

66. A key barrier to achieving the goal of providing quality secondary school education inLao PDR is the difficulty of recruiting teachers to under-served areas of the country. Teachersare least attracted to areas where living and working conditions are more challenging andsupplementary allowances have not provided sufficient incentive. The quota system has notproved effective as a mechanism for deployment of teachers to areas of need and neitherhave the existing scholarship and contract schemes solved the problems of undersupply ofteachers to poor ethnic areas. The MOE recognizes that the living and working conditions andsalaries of teachers are crucial factors that need to be addressed; in particular to attractsecondary school teachers to underserved areas of the country.

67. The UNESCO Secondary Teacher Study (2009) draws attention to the complexities ofproviding quality education to poor ethnic communities including recognition that marginalcosts of educating children in these areas at primary school and even more so at secondarylevel will be higher than the national average.




68. The draft SEAP 2010-2015 highlights the key issues to be addressed in equitabledeployment of teachers to secondary schools including the need for incentives for remotepostings.

69. One of the goals stated in the TDMP is “to ensure that the current teaching force isretained through the setting up of proper systems for incentives, promotion and careerdevelopment. Teachers who are assigned to work in rural and remote areas should beprovided with reasonable incentives and training opportunities for continuous upgrading”.Component 3 of the TDMP focuses on upgrading of compensation, benefits and incentives.The TESAP review 11 reports that “Output 5.3 Remote areas special fund for teachersestablished” has not been completed apart from the drafting of a set of procedures for theestablishment, investment and use of the special funds. No funding sources have beenidentified.

70. Remote teaching incentives are 15% additional salary for moderately remote schools,20% for more remote schools and 25% additional salary for most remote schools. Eachdistrict categorizes schools by remoteness. Scholarships provided to secondary schoolgraduates from some rural areas have been effective and teachers have returned to thevillage but others do not fulfill the commitment. Village communities provide rice andaccommodation for teachers. PES’ have proposed to the MOE that salaries and allowancesfor teachers working in remote schools should be increased.

71. During the field visits to Savannakhet and Sekong provinces teachers and districtofficials were asked for their views on the kind of incentives that might attract teachers to workin poor underserved areas. Discussion and observation of the localities prompted thefollowing suggestions and options for targeted incentives.

72. Cash-based incentives - end of year bonus; pay three months salary advance at thebeginning of the school year for new graduate teachers to relocate, establish themselves andset up home; raise the percentage allowance for remote teacher posts; provide allowance forinstallation of new teachers and cost for accompanying to the post when the teacher needs aguide to show them the way; transportation at start and end of vacation from the district to theprovincial centre for teachers to be able to visit their family.

73. In-kind incentives - satellite dish, TV and VCD for setting up a district resource centreplus water powered generator (Chinese); phone / sim access for teachers in remote locationsdonated by telecom provider as an example of PPP and corporate social responsibility;provide teacher accommodation to meet a basic minimum standard with facilities (water,electricity, etc); provide transport to take new teachers and their belongings to their school

5.2 Institutional capacity development

74. An Institutional Capacity Development Plan is being developed under the BESDP IIPPTA to include priority areas for capacity strengthening of pre-school and in-service teachertraining targeting TEI and FOE staff, SPAs and secondary school principals.

Strengthening the Capacity of TEI and FOE Staff and Facilities Development

75. The SIDA funded TTEST project (2002-2008) under EQIP II supported thedevelopment of a comprehensive Teacher Education Strategy (2006-2015) and Action Plan(2006-2010) which has built capacity at all levels of pre-service and in-service teachertraining. TESAP is currently being reviewed and TESAP Phase 2 will be developed from that




review. A TTEST evaluation (MOE 2010) reported that the capacity development ofadministrators and senior staff has led to improvements in the learning environment andfacilities management. The research capacity of TEIs and FOEs and the quality of teachinghas also improved. The report identifies a continuing need for strengthening of the network ofkey trainers including master trainers and pedagogical advisers (PAs). The report alsoidentifies the need for capacity development plans, which build on existing skills within eachinstitution. This indicates a need for each institution to develop its own institutional capacitywithin the national framework.

76. The current review of TESAP identifies the status of each subcomponent of the plan.Of relevance to possible institutional capacity development interventions under BESDP II arethe following subcomponents of TESAP with their current reported status (DTE/MOE Report3a (draft) 2011)11

77. The BESDP II interventions will need to be compatible with the future DTE TESAPpriorities and timelines focusing particularly on implementation of the new curriculum in pre-service and in-service teacher training. The infrastructure needs of TEIs and FOEs can beassessed from each Institutional Implementation Plan. Quality Assurance systems will need tobe further strengthened in TEIs/FOEs and in schools. Professional development needs ofTEI/FOE staff and secondary school teachers may be prioritized for project support, includingTEI/FOE staff and SE teacher upgrade programs. Strengthening of the SPA system at districtlevel may enable the expansion of professional development networks.

Figure 17 Status from TESAP Evaluation Report

TESAP Outputs and Activities Status from TESAP Evaluation Report 3a 2011Output 1.4 Infrastructureneeds at TEIs

Identified and an implementation plan produced: Implementation Planscompleted and submitted to donors for discussion

Output 2.4 QA system Introduced into DTE and TEI/FOEs: QA Handbook, database andorientation of DTE and TEI staff completed. Definition of minimumstandards, design of legal framework and implementation guidelinesunder preparation by TEED. Credit transfer and Lao TeacherEducation Certification Framework completed. QA system for schoolsto be introduced in TESAP Phase 2.

Output 2.6 Capacity buildingof TEI teaching staff

Key trainers have been trained. Status of professional developmentactivities of TEI staff unknown.

Output 3.1 Clear guidelinesfor recruitment of TEI staffincluding upgrade of staff forteaching practice

Minimum standards under development. All other activities assigned toTESAP Phase 2

Output 4.1 Professionaldevelopment networksestablished and used forteacher support

All activities have been piloted in 3 provinces and may require fundingfor further roll-out

Output 4.2 ProfessionalDevelopment Plans

Not completed. The DEBs and TEIs need support to implement anannual assessment of teacher in-service training needs

Output 5.3 Remote areasspecial fund for teachersestablished

A set of procedures for the establishment, investment and use of thespecial funds completed. Regional training and identification of fundingsource not completed.

78. The BESDP II interventions will also need to be compatible with and support theimplementation of some activities outlined in the TDMP under Component 1.3 “Quality of

11 Report 3 Assessment and Analysis of the 2010 TESAP Review, Implementation Gaps and Capacity DevelopmentNeeds, R Noonan, DTE/MOE (draft) 2011)




teachers at Teacher Education Institutes is improved”. The main activities to be implementedunder this output and which may require external support are (i) revision of the TEI and FOEcurriculum to ensure quality and relevance, (ii) improve facilities of TEI/FOEs, and (iii)evaluate performance of TEI/FOE teachers. Curriculum revision is currently being undertakenby TEIs led by FOE, but targeted capacity strengthening may be needed for example in ICTor to support development of the vocational education strand. Facilities improvement relatesto the above mentioned infrastructure needs and implementation of Institutional DevelopmentPlans. Performance evaluation of TEI/FOE staff falls under the remit of ESQAC and DOPworking with DTE, and this may require further strengthening of capacity to implement thequality assurance systems.

Strengthening of secondary pedagogical adviser support

79. The present system of pedagogical support to LS and US schools is provided throughthe work of the Secondary Pedagogical Advisers (SPA). The TESAP project strengthened thecapacity of primary school PAs who are managed by each DEB. SPAs are managed by thePES and each PES has now established an SPA Center under the PES administrativestructure. There are 22 SPAs in each province, located in complete secondary schools. Theyare contracted to teach for 6 hrs per week and the remaining time is allocated to SPA dutiesincluding support to other secondary schools within their catchment area. In one province itwas reported that the SPAs make at least one scheduled visit per year to the remotesecondary schools where they may plan to stay for up to one week. They check lesson plans,participate in classroom teaching and check curriculum implementation. Additionally the SPAsprovide ongoing support to all teachers by providing their contact details and responding byletter to address teachers’ concerns. The challenges identified by the SPAs during field visitsincluded: budget constraints mainly resulting in lack of mobilization allowance, limited or noteaching resources resulting in lack of practical lessons in schools.

80. SPA trainers have been trained in the past 2-3 years in student centered learning(DGE-EQIP II) and life skills learning (UNICEF) including guidelines for working with personsliving with HIV/AIDS. In August 2009, the DSE held a workshop to revise the training manualsfor training secondary pedagogical advisers in 9 subjects, included Mathematics, Physics,Chemistry, Biology, Geography, History, Civics, Arts and Music. Its main purpose was toamend the training manual to expand the quality of SPAs to conduct the in-service training forsecondary teachers in Project provinces. (ADB EQIP II Project Completion Report12).

81. BESDP I includes an activity to provide 25 days of training for 44 replacementsecondary pedagogical advisers and two annual review workshops for 222 secondarypedagogical advisers. This activity has not yet been implemented. All SPAs have been trainedas trainers under the BESDP I Training of Trainers program for delivery of M1 training atprovincial level.

Professional development of school principals

82. Secondary School Principals have had very little opportunity for professionaldevelopment training. DOP have provided one administrative training course for secondaryschool principals in 15 of the 17 provinces, delivered by a central MOE team of trainers. EQIP2 provided funding for delivery of the same training course in 9 provinces and BESDP Ifunded the delivery of the same training in 6 other provinces. Sekong and Attapeu are the 2remaining provinces in which secondary school principals are yet to be receive thisadministrative training course. Training has been conducted at Vang Vieng in the Center for

12 ADB EQIP II Project Completion Report, MOE/DTE 2010




Development of Education Managers (CDEM). It is planned for the CDEM to be upgraded toInstitute for Development of Education Managers.

83. ESITC is currently undertaking a round of provincial based training for all secondaryschool principals to develop their capacity in data handling and statistics.

84. Based on feedback from PPTA Team field visits, future capacity developmentinterventions for secondary school principals might include a focus on inclusion of the seniormanagement team including school based and cluster based.

85. One module of the pre-service teacher training course includes a focus on schoolmanagement as a result of which all new TEI graduates are trained in the basics of schoolmanagement.

86. Discussion during the PPTA field visits resulted in identification by school principals andPES staff of the following training needs for school principals:

- In depth understanding of the new reforms in academic work and in schoolmanagement, budgeting and planning skills, and understanding of new concepts.

- Refresher and upgrade training in leadership and school management.- Motivation through refresher courses- Roles and responsibilities of each unit and implementation of official instructions and

guidelines

87. The PES suggested that deputy directors need to be trained as well as the schoolprincipals but school principals reported that there is no budget and no norm or directiveestablished for school principals to disseminate information from training when they return toschool. The present expectation is that an incentive payment would be needed for schoolbased in-service and workshop dissemination. If MOE were to issue a directive for schoolbased dissemination of training to become part of professional practice of school managersand curriculum leaders this would provide a cost effective avenue for expanding in-serviceprofessional development. Some guidance and support materials in the form of handoutswould be required and could be provided at minimal cost.

Upgrade program for secondary teachers

88. Analysis of teacher in-service training under the BESDP II PPTA has focused on thenumber and distribution of secondary school teachers by level of qualification. Approximately68 percent of all secondary teachers have 11+3 qualification or above13 meaning thatapproximately 32 percent of all secondary teachers do not meet this minimum standard.There is an on-going secondary teacher upgrade program conducted in TEIs and FOEs withenrollment based on a quota system and attendance is self-financed by teachers. Theprogram is popular because upgrade potentially qualifies the teacher for a salary increasewhere they are able to apply for a higher level teaching post. The initial analysis of secondaryteacher upgrade data is included in the BESDP II Interim Report, Annex 06.

89. There is a continuing, unmet demand for upper secondary teachers in subjectshortages and for secondary school teachers from ethnic groups. Targeted support could begiven for teachers who meet clearly defined criteria to enroll in the teacher upgrade programs.The DTE recommends that a flexible approach to delivery of teacher upgrade programsshould be encouraged, such as the district based upgrade programs being delivered bySavannakhet TEI. This may be linked to an incentives scheme and to the review of

13 MOE EMIS data 2009/2010




recruitment procedures to ensure that preferential treatment and special conditions areapplied to teachers in high demand subject specialisms.

5.3 Lower and upper secondary school curriculum and instructional materialsdelivery

90. The secondary school curriculum has been revised to align with the expansion of thesecondary school system from 5+3+3 to 5+4+3 grades. Lower secondary education wasexpanded in 2009-2010 to include four grades M1-M4, and upper secondary education wasexpanded in 2010-2011 academic year to cover grades M5-M7.

91. Development of the M1-M7 curriculum framework is being supported through theBESDP I project, with development and delivery of M1 and M2 textbooks and teachersguides, provision of instructional materials, and teacher training for implementation of the newM1 curriculum in 2010/2011 and implementation of the new M2 curriculum scheduled for2011/2012.

92. The BESDP II project will provide support for continued development andimplementation of the new curriculum for grades M3 to M7 following a cohort model as shownin the proposed schedule below.

Figure 18 Proposed M3-M7 timeframes for cohort rollout and M5-M6 trialCurriculum Development Cycle 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Lower SecondaryTB/TG development M1+M2+M3+M4TB/TG printing M1+M2 M3 M4In-Service Teacher Training M1 M2 M3 M4Implementation in schools M1 M2 M3 M4

Upper SecondaryTB/TG development M5 M6 M5 (final) M6 (final) M7TB/TG printing M5 (trial) M6 (trial) M5 (final) M6 (final) M7In-Service Teacher Training M5 (trial) M6 (trial) M5 (final) M6 (final) M7Implementation in schools M5 (trial) M6 (trial) M5 (final) M6 (final) M7

Summary of BESDP I progress to Q1 2011: M1-M7 curriculum development

93. A detailed presentation and discussion of progress to date of the M1-M7 curriculumdevelopment process is given in the BESDP II PPTA Interim Report, Annex 07.

Aug 2010 Teacher training provided for 4033 M1 teachers for implementation in schoolsin the academic year 2010/2011.

Oct 2010 M1 textbooks and teachers guides distributed to schools - 656,876 copies oftextbooks covering 12 subjects of Year 1 (M1) and 66,077 copies of theteachers’ guides for 12 subjects. Distribution of textbooks was based on aratio of 1:2 in targeted BESDP I districts and provinces outside VientianeCity, and a ratio of 1:3 for schools in Vientiane City.

Nov 2010 CACIM workshop to finalise and approve the US curriculum frameworkJan 2011 M2 textbooks and teachers guides distributed to provinces for introduction in

the academic year 2011/2012.Feb 2011 New US curriculum framework approved by MOEMid-2011 M2 teacher training will be provided to approximately 4000 M2 teachers.

94. The M5 US curriculum materials are being developed with MOE funding in the firstquarter 2011.




95. The BESDP I Annual Report 2010 recommends the following future priorities forcontinuation of the quality component:

Establish a resource pool of professional content-developers (writers, editors, graphicdesigners) within RIES, DSE, DPE, DTE and core technologies maintained.

Develop alternative modes of training and learning delivery including contextualisation andadaptation for all Lao learners and use of a range of information technologies for learning.

Social marketing advocacy and communication strategy targeted to various stakeholders(eg. perceptions of US students, teachers and parents, promotion of vocational strand, andpublic-private partnerships).

Performance tracking including quality assurance, national achievement tests andinterventions of under-performing schools, districts and provinces.

96. In addition several key recommendations to improve curriculum delivery are describedin the BESDP I Mid-Term Evaluation and these may be considered in the design of theBESDP II project. It is recommended that: (i) a National School Assessment PolicyFramework be formulated; (ii) innovative book sharing programs developed by schools toovercome problems of TB shortage; (iii) instructional materials provision aligned with the newcurriculum and teachers trained in their use.

Text books (TB), teaching guides (TG) and instructional materials (IM)

97. A Textbook and Teachers Guide Production Strategy has been developed underBESDP I to assist RIES in implementing the writing and printing of textbooks. The guidelinesprovided a basis for rigorous quality assurance of the new LSE curriculum developmentprocess. The textbook contents and features were determined through a series of workshopsthat were geared towards enhancing the subject matter content and on technical aspects ofwriting, lay-outing, editing, and printing textbooks and teachers guide.

98. Information gathered during PPTA team field visits indicated that some problems wereencountered with distribution of TB to schools. Some schools reported receiving the wrongassignment of text books and there is a lack of instructional materials in schools and inTEI/FOEs and FOE to support the implementation of the new curriculum. It may be beneficialto undertake a review of TB/TG and IM procurement and delivery systems in Lao to identifyways in which to build capacity and improve the efficiency of the system. This may also be ofwider relevance in streamlining procurement procedures under the aid effectiveness agenda.

Review of M1 Teacher Training Model

99. During the PPTA field visits to Savannakhet, Xiang Khouang, Luang Namtha andSekong trainers and teachers who attended the M1 training were interviewed in focus groupdiscussions. The arrangements for provincial based training varied from place to placeindicating that PES’ used different strategies for delivery of M1 training. In one province theoutlying schools were invited to attend and more centrally located schools were not prioritizedfor the M1 training as they are more easily accessed by SPAs for regular follow up. In anotherprovince schools were grouped in clusters so that within the cluster the full range of subjectspecialist were trained. There were reports of some mismatch of teachers to the correctsubject group. Some provinces supplemented the budget allocation to train more teachers.Teachers from private schools were invited to participate in the M1 training. One school thatwas not included in the M1 training organized its own review of the new textbooks as aninnovative school-based training exercise.

100. The PPTA curriculum specialists are tasked with reviewing the training model in order




to assist the MOE in improving the M3 and M4 training. Feedback from teachers and M1trainers strongly supports an increase in practical activities in the training and less theoreticalcontent including use of instructional materials and student centered learning methods.Teachers need continuous/ongoing training, as their subject knowledge is still low. For somelonger serving teachers this was the first in-service training they had received. Teachersrequested follow up support in schools and the need for more than one teacher per school tobe trained. Teachers reported that they could only provide follow up school based support intheir own subject. Future curriculum training programs should include a component in whichparticipants prepare some generic activities at the end of the training to deliver school-basedpedagogical advice for teachers of all subjects.

101. Teachers working in poor ethnic areas may not speak the same language as theirstudents. Teachers reported that some primary school graduates from remote area ethnicgroup areas do not understand simple instructions in Lao language when they transfer to LSin the district centre. This situation is perpetuated due to the under-representation of teachersfrom ethnic groups. A catch up or secondary school preparedness program in the summervacation could be provided to PS students from remote areas as special measures when theytransfer to LS to support them during the transition, to enable them to cope with the newlearning environment.

102. Several strands of the secondary education curriculum may be brought together in apilot intervention to strengthen the quality of curriculum deliver in secondary schools:o School or district based development of the local curriculumo Integration of science in the LS curriculumo M1 secondary school preparedness or catch-up classes in literacy and numeracy skills.

103. The proposed intervention could be targeted specifically to curriculum delivery in smallsecondary schools where each teacher is required to teach more than one subject. Piloting offlexible curriculum could be undertaken in a small sample of BESDP II project schoolssupported by trained SPAs. Implementation of a local curriculum would be particularlyrelevant to students studying in poor ethnic group areas in remote environments where topicsrelating to forestry, health awareness, agriculture and rural development can improve the livesof the local community. Local construction techniques, rural livelihoods, parenting skills,careers opportunities, civic education, environmental education, sustainable development,new (appropriate) technologies, energy/water resources, and local crafts and culture could allbe included in the local curriculum.

Enhancing the use of education media for in-service teacher training

104. Aligned to the current discussions on appropriate and relevant use of informationtechnology for learning, the BESDP II program may consider ways in which to strengthen theRIES Media Centre to provide more focused and targeted educational programs (TV, Radioand digital media – CD and tape recordings). Feedback from school principals, teachers andteacher trainers during field visits indicated an interest in improving education media for use instaff meetings, recorded language lessons, short demonstration lessons on specific aspectsof the new curriculum and updates on news relating to the education reforms.

Student learning outcomes

105. The BESDP I MTE14 notes “although there is an attempt to have assessment activitiesas part of instructional process, the MTE noted that there is no clear inclusion of any

14 Mid-Term Evaluation Study of the Basic Education Sector Development Program, ADB 2011




assessment system in the curriculum, especially if the new LSE and USE curricula will beused as qualifications for employment and further studies in higher education”. The BESDP IMTE recommends the formulation of a National School Assessment Policy Framework.

106. It is too soon to evaluate teacher performance and effectiveness of the new M1curriculum through measurement of teaching and learning outcomes. However it may betimely to undertake an assessment of student learning outcomes during the BESDP II projectperiod. There are three options:(i) Teacher competencies in school-based assessment of student learning should be a

focus of the M3-M7 teacher training. It could also be used as a tool for strengtheningand improving annual measurement of student learning outcomes.

(ii) Review and strengthening of high stakes national examinations at M4 (Grade 9 LScompletion) and M7 (Grade 12 US completion).

(iii) Initial support to drafting of a National School Assessment Framework.

107. An assessment of student learning outcomes (ASLO) may be administered in 2014 toassess M4 students who would be the first cohort to have completed the new M1-M4curriculum. Assessment of the first cohort of M7 students to have studied the complete newcurriculum could be conducted in 2017. This is outside the present scope of the BESDP IIproject design.

TEI and FOE curriculum development

108. Pre-service teacher training curriculum development is ongoing at present to adjust tothe M1-M7 school curriculum. In-service teacher training needs to be strengthened as morethan 30 percent of secondary school teachers are not qualified to teach at that level. There isgood enrolment in the secondary school teacher upgrade programs offered by TEI/FOEs. Themaster trainers and SPAs have been trained as trainers under the BESDP I program but thereis very limited opportunity for district, school and classroom based follow up. Lessons learnedare being identified by the PPTA team from discussion with M1 teachers and trainers and thiswill be built into the proposed development of M3 and M4 teacher training under the BESDP IIproject. Analysis of the secondary school teacher upgrade program and data on teachernumbers by level of qualification in the SE sector is presented in a supplementary paper inBESDP II PPTA Interim Report, Annex 05.

6.0 SECONDARY EDUCATION AND SECTOR MANAGEMENT

6.1 Policies, planning and management

109. The Education Law (2007), the NESRS, and the ESDF, within the broader contexts ofthe NSEDP, NPES and the PRSO, indicate that the Government regards strengtheningmanagement in the education sector as a priority. Certain targets in the ESDF (strengtheningmanagement; management related to teacher issues; planning, and monitoring andevaluation; and school fees) focusing on secondary education were identified as targets andactivities for BESDP I. Figure 19 indicates the close alignment of ESDF, BESDP I, SEAP andBESDP II at the output level.

110. Consultation, document review and further analysis clearly indicate that secondaryeducation (and in particular lower secondary education) remain a bottleneck to balancededucational development including persistent gaps leading to low system efficiency. Thereviewed Problem Tree Analysis (presented in BESDP II Interim Report Annex 09) gives themanagement causes of the bottleneck as: (i) institutional weaknesses and unevendecentralization; (ii) inadequate sector financing and imbalance between capital and recurrent




budgets; (iii) human resource and capacity gaps, especially in poor localities; (iv) gaps inmanagement information systems and teacher assessment; and (v) limited internationalsupport and a weak private sector.

111. While the focus of BESDP I has been on secondary education the Program has alsocontributed to broader education system developments. Both broader developments andthose more specific to secondary education are summarised in Annex A04 Matrix ReviewingBESDP 1 Initiatives and Indicating Current Status.

112. The draft SEAP puts effective management, governance and financing of lower andupper secondary education as a goal. The overall objectives are given as (i) strengthenmanagement and governance at central, provincial, district and school levels to improveeducation delivery; (ii) ensure demand-driven and equitable teacher deployment anddistribution; and (iii) ensure coordinated, evidence based sector planning, financing andmonitoring. The bottom row of Figure 5 illustrates the relationship between the ESDF Pillars,BESDP I, SEAP, as well as the preliminary BESDP II management output.

6.2 Management of secondary education

113. The Ministry of Education (MOE) is responsible for formal and non-formal education atall levels, for both public and private education. The MOE is government’s centralmanagement organisation in educational matters; determining policy, planning, supervising,leading, implementing and controlling educational tasks nationwide. Under the Government’sde-concentration policy the MOE shares responsibilities with the PES and DEB. Thedepartments, centres and agencies of the MOE with roles and responsibilities related to themanagement of the secondary education subsector are concisely described in Annex 08 ofthe BESDP II Interim Report.

114. It is important to put on record the gains that have been made in determining policy,planning, supervising, leading, implementing and controlling educational tasks nationwideover the past few years following the changes in organisation since 2008.

115. The Department of Secondary Education has a clear mandate to administer andmanage secondary education throughout the country and a specified role in communicating,coordinating, and cooperating with other MOE departments and centres, developmentpartners, international organisations, non-government organisations, other governmentsectors, in the development of secondary education. Other departments with clearresponsibilities for secondary education include the Department of Inspection (DOI),Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC), Department of Primary and Pre-schoolEducation (DPPE), Department of Teacher Education (DTE), Department of Personnel andOrganisation (DOP), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Non-formal Education(DNFE), Department of Physical Education and Art (DPEA), Department of Private EducationManagement (DPEM), the Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training(DTVET) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE). In the recent re-organisation ofMOE15 a number of key centres, institutions and agencies were established or strengthenedwithin the MOE structure and all have responsibilities related to secondary education andmirror the communicating, coordinating, and cooperating role of the DSE. These centres andinstitutions include the Education Statistics and Information Technology Centre (ESITC), theInclusive Education Centre (IEC), the Strategic Research and Education Analysis Centre(SREAC), the Education Standards and Quality Assurance Centre (ESQAC) and theResearch Institute for Educational Studies (RIES). Agencies involved include the UNESCO

15 2008




National Commission, the Educational Printing House and the Educational MaterialProduction Factory.

116. The Provincial Education Service (PES) of each province has roles of supervision,direction, management, implementation, inspection, and expansion of education within itsprovince. It is accountable for enhancing and implementing policies, resolutions, directives,provisions and regulation of the MOE. The MOE Decree 1572 (July 2009) outlines the DistrictEducation Bureaux (DEB) responsibilities at the lower secondary level (administration andpedagogy) and upper secondary level (administration only). Decree 1584 (July 2009) retainsresponsibility for pedagogic advice at upper secondary at the PES through PedagogicAdvisers.

117. Various institutions have specified responsibilities at the school, village and communitylevel including Village Education Development Committees (VEDC).16

6.3 Summary of stakeholder analysis

MOE Stakeholders

118. Annex 08 of the BESDP II Interim Report presents a matrix containing the mandate ofeach stakeholder institution, the stakeholders’ responsibilities in the secondary sector and ananalysis summary. The summary for each stakeholder focuses on the capacity of eachstakeholder organisation to achieve their current mandate and indicates briefly areas wheresupport may be focused in order to strengthen secondary education management.

119. Department of Secondary Education (DSE) DSE has a mandate that requires sharedtasks with another departments, centres and institutions. Professional areas covered includequality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, examinations, teachers’ recruitment quotas,curriculum implementation, provision and distribution of textbooks and teacher guides, in-service training and professional development. Not surprisingly with such a range of roles inthe administration, management and leadership of secondary education there is a need toensure that the number of qualified and competent staff is adequate to promote and lead thedevelopment of secondary education throughout the reform process. There is a need to moreclearly define the terms of reference of each staff position and improve the allocation of tasks.

120. Department of Inspection (DOI) The mandate of DOI covers inspection monitoring andevaluation of the overall system. However, the boundaries of the mandate are not clear toother departments. In particular there is a need for DOI to establish what is required of DSE(and other departments) to do in regards to monitoring, inspection and evaluation of LowerSecondary Schools and Upper Secondary Schools. This is realized by the MOE and the issueof coordination has been assigned to a newly established Monitoring and Evaluation Networkand tasks around the issue delegated.

121. Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC) The overall number of projects andprograms in the DPC portfolio reduces the time staff can spend on their monitoring andsupervision of programs and projects. In part this may be due to DPC appearing in somecases to have taken an implementation role beyond its coordination mandate.

16 VEDCs are in some ways more directly aligned to primary schools (since it’s typically 1 school per village) than tosecondary schools (where even the government target would be 1 secondary school per 4 primary schools (orvillages). For example, BESDP helped to set up the student-parent associations to coordinate with VEDCs in allvillages in a secondary school’s catchment area. If BESDP II will continue this SPA model, it may be important tofurther institutionalize their role. As with some other spheres, part of the issue is that virtually all of the developmentpartners are focusing on primary schools, so sometimes primary-level seems to dominate all of the thinkingsurrounding institutional setup & planning.




122. Department of Primary and Pre-school Education (DPPE) The core mandate of DPPErelates to pre-school and primary. However, the mandate naturally includes the flow ofstudents into lower secondary education. Important areas of cooperation between DPP andDSE that need to be clearly institutionalised are; (i) the delineation of catchment areas andschool networks of LSS and primary schools; (ii) ensuring primary graduates have thecompetencies to benefit from lower secondary education; and (iii) working arrangements forthe management of any future grade 1-9 Basic Education Cycle School (IEC Strategy 2010).

123. Department of Teacher Education (DTE) While the mandate of DTE is clear there issome confusion in overlapping stakeholder responsibilities. The quality and quantity ofprograms of in-service training for secondary teachers need strengthened coordinationbetween DTE and other stakeholder departments, especially with RIES and DSE/PA, toensure resources are fully and efficiently utilised. The interface of responsibilities betweenDTE, DSE, RIES, PES /PA, PES Teachers Development Section, and TEIs needs to befurther mapped out and understood. There are perceived methodological differences betweentraining provided by TEI Master trainers and secondary PAs. There is a need to further alignthe TEI curriculum with the new general school curriculum. Monitoring of teacher quality andaccess to professional development remains a problem. Coordination and collaboration withESQAC, SREAC and RIES around quality assurance needs to be further clarified. Thespecialised Teacher Educator Management Information System (TEMIS) is located in theDTE Teacher Education Evaluation Division (TEED) and like other other information systemsin MOE needs more links developed with other system.

124. Department of Personnel & Organisation (DOP) The DOP is responsible for teacherrecruitment and management. Secondary schools still suffer teacher shortages in somesubject areas, this is more pronounced in upper secondary. Incentives for teacher are still noteffective in attracting teachers trained to teach at the lower secondary and upper secondarylevels. This is especially so for rural and remote schools. Selection of best teachers to awardteachers titles is still limited in number. Instructions for the implementation of TDMP are underpreparation and implementation of the plan will need support. Programs to train schoolsmanagers are limited. The Personnel Management Information System (PMIS) is not fullyfunctional, has a weak report generation capacity and cannot link with other education sectorinformation systems. DOP has a low capacity in number of personnel and professionalcompetencies need to be further strengthened.

125. Department of Finance (DOF) The implementation of school block grants for lowersecondary schools is delayed. Schools still collect fees from families. There are problems withthe distribution of textbooks, teacher guides and other instructional materials. The FinancialManagement Information System needs to be aligned with PMIS and EMIS. The recurrentbudget for schools is low.

126. Department of Non-formal Education (DNFE) Lower secondary and upper secondaryequivalency programs with NFE programs are not yet established including studentstransferring between the two systems. The provision of DNFE mobile teachers for secondaryschool level education in remote areas is difficult. DNFE has some responsibilities inpromoting secondary education through student-parent associations and communitymobilization for secondary schools.

127. Department of Physical Education & Art (DPEA) Providing sufficient physical educationand arts teachers for secondary schools is a big challenge in part due to budget constraintsas no external programs/projects support physical education and arts education. This makesit difficult for DPEA to achieve its mandate.




128. Department of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (DTVET) Incentivesare needed to attract secondary students to enter technical and vocational schools to reducethe overload of general upper secondary schools. The NSERS sets targets for secondarylevel students in future TVET innovations.

129. Department of Higher Education (DHE) Faculties of education need to produce/trainsufficient qualified secondary teachers to match subject needs. Curriculum at the faculties ofeducation needs to change to align with upper secondary curriculum change. The provision ofscience, mathematics and ICT teachers is a priority.

130. Department of Private Education Management (DPEM) There are some overlaps inresponsibilities between different departments. Shortfalls in monitoring of secondary privateschools occur due to shortage of qualified staff and there is a budget constraint.

131. Research Institute for Educational Sciences (RIES) Mechanisms to coordinateoperational participation of RIES/DSE/DTE in completing tasks and responsibilities related tothe implementation of curriculum innovations need made explicit. Capacity for assessingstudent learning outcomes at the secondary level needs to be built. Further capacity needs tobe developed in order to prepare upper secondary textbooks and teacher guides of a goodeducational quality on schedule.

132. Education Standards and Quality Assurance Centre (ESQAC) ESQAC lack of staff bothin terms of qualifications and staff numbers at present resulting in DSE waiting for newstandards, norms, rules and regulation for secondary schools examinations. Final examscurrently administered and conducted by the DSE. Quality assurance for secondary schoolsbeing developed. There is a need to firmly link qualifications with regional standards andinternational standards

133. Education Statistics and Information Technology Centre (ESITC) There are data gapsneeded for planning purposes related to secondary education including distance betweensecondary schools and feeder schools, school mapping and the number of qualified teachersand teachers not qualified for the level they are teaching by subject; in order to project futurenumbers. The final version of the annual statistics is needed to inform secondary educationdecision-makers. Skills need to be developed that help managers use the information-basedreports in their planning and management. A mechanism is needed for cooperation andcoordination between ESITC and DSE regarding ICT Education in lower and upperssecondary schools (conceptualization, policy, and implementation). Secondary schoolmapping is planned but not yet initiated. There is still a need to align and further developEMIS with PMIS, FMIS and TEMIS.

134. Inclusive Education Centre (IEC) A constraint that is repeated in the mandates andresponsibilities of a number of MOE stakeholders is the question of mandate boundaries.Initially established as responsible for policies and promotional works the IEC is also involvedin implementation activities such as the scholarship programs of projects and programs.

135. Strategy Research and Education Analysis Centre (SREAC) The Centre’s capacity tocarry out or review all research and analysis that DSE needs for planning and improvementagain raises the question of how to share tasks and responsibilities. There is a shortage ofqualified staff and funds. The establishment of a MOE Research and Analysis Board (whosemembers are the DG of all Departments) to screen research topics each year has beensuggested.




Sub-national stakeholders

136. The summary for each stakeholder focuses on the capacity of each stakeholderorganisation to achieve their current mandate and indicates briefly areas where support maybe focused in order to strengthen secondary education management (Annex 08).

137. Provincial Education Service (PES) There are staffing issues in terms of number ofestablished posts, staff appointments and competencies. Allocation of budgets to ensurebasic delivery of services is inadequate so that tasks that should be routine cannot becompleted. A frequently quoted example is that funds are inadequate for regular SPA visits toschools including teachers’ pedagogical support – arranging visits to remote lower secondaryschools is especially difficult. A further, often mentioned, area is the difficulty in supporting thedevelopment of local secondary school curriculum. The divide of responsibilities betweenPES and DEB at the secondary level needs further clarification and operationalisation. Theroles and responsibilities of PES, are clearly defined but manuals of work procedure needupdating.

138. Pedagogical Support Centres Professional development and upgrading of pedagogicaladvisers is limited. There is limited in-service delivery and pedagogic support for schools, andteachers, due to limited resources (capacities, budget, funds and vehicles).

139. Provincial Vocational Schools Limitation of in-service and support for schools andteachers due to limited resources (capacities, budget, funds and vehicles).

140. District Education Bureaux (DEB) Qualified staff are needed to monitor and supportsecondary schools and teachers at the district level needed. The Secondary Unit recentlyestablished at DEB needs to be strengthened to be able to manage lower secondary schoolswithin the district. Capacity of staff needs to be built to match new mandate. The reliance onPES PA creates delays in the delivery of pedagogic support to secondary schools.Clarification of the PES and DEB divide of responsibilities at the secondary level needsfurther clarification.

141. Complete Lower Secondary Schools Secondary schools express concern about: theshortage of textbooks and teacher guides especially the new M1 textbooks and teacherguides; and many teachers have still to been trained how to use new curriculum andmaterials. There is a need to review, revise and redefine the organizational structure andstaffing of schools. There is no secondary school networks established; a network would behelpful for internal in-service training of teachers and encourage schools to share professionalexperiences.

142. Complete Secondary Schools and Upper Secondary Schools There are difficulties inrecruiting sufficient teachers at upper secondary level (IT, Sciences, Maths and Physics).Other concerns include: no recurrent budget for management; principals not trained in schoolmanagement; insufficient textbooks and teacher guides. As with lower secondary schoolsthere is a need to review, revise and redefine the structure and staffing of schools; and asecondary school network established.

143. Village Education Development Committee (VEDC) The VEDC is chaired by the Headof the Village. The School Director is the Secretary. If the VECD is active and keen toencourage primary school graduates to continue to secondary school, there are mechanismsto do so. A promotion campaign tool would help and the LS school director could coordinate.Communication and coordination between the LSS and VECD needs further developmentespecially in rural districts where the VECD of feeder primary schools are often far from the




lower secondary school. District Education Development Committees have been successfullypiloted in some districts and could be used to promote the establishment of primary-secondary school networks. The District Governor would chair the Committee withrepresentatives from education stakeholders.

144. PPA (Pupils Parents Association) At the secondary level in rural and remotecommunities the PPA is the main supporter of education including school construction,maintenance and innovation. PPA mobilizes children to go to school and supports teachers intheir daily life. If a PPA is active and the community support is healthy, the PPA can add to theresources available to the school. But in some poor communities the contributions are difficultand slow.

145. Teacher Education Institutions Planning and managing TEI program outputs so theymatch demand requirements particularly those to disadvantaged poor and remote areasneeds support; this includes increasing the recruitment of secondary school graduates intoteacher shortage areas. Re-alignment is also needed in the subject and pedagogic area witha need to review and revise the TE Curriculum due to the recent changes in the generaleducation curriculum. Pedagogic methodology in TEI is conceptually and practically differentfrom PA in-service training methodology. These and other concerns have been reported andanalysed in an earlier section and in BESDP II Interim Report Annex 06.

146. Faculties of Education (FOE) at the National University of Laos (NUOL),Suphanouvong University and Champassak University Need to review and revise the TEICurriculum due to the recent changes in the general education curriculum. The methods ofrecruitment, enrolment into the FOE does not support the supply of teachers to rural/remoteUS schools.

Mass organisations mandates

147. Lao Women's Union (LWU) The ratio of girl students enrolled to boys still needs to beimproved so more promotion, encouragement and mobilizations of girls into school needed.Youth Union The LPRYU mobilizes youth going to schools with groups in lower and uppersecondary schools. Concerns. Extra curricular activities in schools need to be diversified.Trade Unions Incentives for teachers like vacations for good performance teachers could beinitiated by Trade Union. Link manufacturers to schools to enrich curriculum or orientationpurpose for students.

Private education stakeholders

148. The summary for each stakeholder focuses on the capacity of each stakeholderorganisation to achieve their current mandate and indicates briefly areas where support maybe focused in order to strengthen secondary education management (Annex 08).Consultative Council for Private Education Sector (PECC) PECC has potential formobilization of PPP and mobilization of investment in secondary Education than is currentlybeing achieved. National Association for Private Schools (NAPS) The Association could playa greater role in the quality assurance systems of private secondary schools through closermonitoring and it has been suggested that a schools fees review mechanism id needed.




6.4 Development partners

149. Education Sector Working Group (ESWG) The Group was established to coordinateand implement three education programs of access, quality and management in alignmentwith the GOL NSEDP and the HR Development Plan. The ESWG has a role in supporting thedevelopment and monitoring of legislation for the implementation of priority policies andstrategies for the Education Sector. The ESWG supports dialogue to assist theimplementation of the 1, 3 and 5-year subsector plans in alignment with the NESRS, ESDF,and the Education Sector Development Plan through coordinating the reviewing, monitoring,evaluating and reporting of the plans achievements. Basic, post-basic, management andresearch sub-committees (focus groups) have been formed to increase deeper technicaldialogue between development partners and government stakeholders. The MOE and GOLmembers of ESWG are senior staff from different departments. Each sub-committee (focusgroup) has 13 -19 members with task distribution still to be defined. There is some confusionabout how to avoid an overlap of assigned tasks with those of MOE departments in thecoordination, planning, monitoring and implementation of tasks. Lower Secondary Educationis represented in the Basic Education Focal Group and Upper Secondary Education in thePost-Basic Focal Group.

150. Mandates and responsibilities of other stakeholders in the education sector that havean interest in secondary education are briefly described in Annex A08. Key stakeholdersinclude ADB, UNICEF, JICA, KOICA and ILO.

6.5 Recent management developments through BESDP I

151. Certain targets in the ESDF focusing on secondary education were supported byBESDP I (strengthening management; management related to teacher issues; planning, andmonitoring and evaluation; and school fees).

152. In BESDP I policy targets were set for increased budgetary allocations for educationmeasured by (i) an increased education share of national budget from 15.5% in 2009 and16% in 2010; (ii) an increased share of recurrent expenditures for education from 45% in2009 and 50% in 2010 and (iii) an increased disbursement rate for education budget from80% for 2009 to 85% for 2010. In addition to the policy targets for increased budgetaryallocations for education the BESDP I Design and Monitoring Framework (DMF) for the grantproject set out actions to improve capacity for planning, budgeting, management, and deliveryof education through: (i) School management committees being established in 96 schools; (ii)annual and medium-term LSE planning and budgeting/expenditure formats piloted in at least3 provinces; (iii) planning and budgeting process in PES aligned with school mappingapproach, teacher allocation and deployment process, and official development assistanceplanned interventions; (iv) improved accounting, reporting, and monitoring of expenditure; (v)improved outcome-oriented budget format and process; (vi) a more informed decision-makingprocess regarding MOE budget negotiations with the MOF ( (MTEF); (vii) an improvedassessment and monitoring of MOE physical assets; and (viii) staff training to support all ofthe above. Policy actions were designed to trigger funds in three tranches, two of which havebeen released (December 2007 and March 2010) and progress is being made on fulfilment ofconditions to release the third tranche, scheduled for March 2011. An indication of their statusbased on BESDP I Reports is given in the matrix in Annex 04. Progress against BESDP IOutput 4 Indicators is indicated in the same Annex.




6.6 Consultation outcomes

Joint national, sub-national and Institutional consultation

153. At the BESDP II Inception Meeting the Joint National and Sub-national ManagementGroup was asked to identify areas of management that remain problematic at national andsub-national levels. Responses related to planning and financing, human resourcemanagement, MTEF and EMIS.

Planning and financing (including budgeting) at all levels (central, provincial, district andschool) still have difficulties. A common opinion is that the difficulties are caused by a lackor an insufficiency of funds to implement the plans. A view that raises the question ofwhether too much attention is given to planning action assuming funds will be availablerather than planning better use of available funding. The capacities of staff, especially atthe district and school levels, for planning and budgeting are still regarded as inadequatefor the tasks assigned..

The discussion around human resource management focused on managing teacherrecruitment and deployment, which does not yet work properly. Critical barriers to improvethe situation were identified as the employment of teachers not matching subjectrequirements and level of qualification, inadequate incentives and allowances, shortage oftraining slots for untrained and unqualified teachers, the low awareness of the people andcommunities about the importance of education, the need for quality qualified teachersraise awareness or mobilization of people/communities to more support for education.

Representatives from the provincial education services were confident in using MTEF buthighlighted the need for MOF and MPI to give clear guidelines for preparation and use ofthe MTEF approach. For the MTEF to be implemented smoothly further support is neededto mobilize adequate capacity building in the institutions responsible for preparing MTEF.For the MTEF to be really useful there needs to be a whole-of-government MTEF. Lookingthrough the Education MTEF prepared in the 3 pilot provinces, it is clear that what DEB andPES want to do is good and very relevant but needs a higher non-wage recurrent budgetwhich is what the ESDF concept of Block Grants is meant to provide.17 There is still a needfor EMIS to be further strengthened and improved to meet the various information needs ofthe planners. The different databases (TMIS, FMIS, PMIS and TEMIS) used by themanagers and decision-makes in the education sector have still to be linked together.

Cross-departmental consultations

154. Meetings of the BE2 Management Working Group have given the opportunity forfocused discussions concerning management. An overlapping range of issues was identifiedfor the education sector and the participants identified secondary subsector and more specificshortcomings.

155. When considering information systems, identified needs included further institutionalcapacity building for secondary education school directors of public and private schools(including targeted training for master trainers). Additional areas for attention include EMIS

17Perhaps a more suitable trigger for the future program loan might be a target of non-wage recurrent increasesrather than a vague "education share of total".




data collection sheets and database assessment in terms of efficiency and quality, completethe full establishment of PMIS and FMIS, set up a link between EMIS, PMIS and FMIS, buildthe capacity of the central, PES, DEB on PMIS and FMIS, and to build the PES, DEB andsecondary school management team to be capable of analyzing data and using theinformation for planning. There is an expressed view that EMIS has been a priority in the pastand that the next priority is PMIS followed by FMIS.

156. For Department of Inspection identified needs included capacity building of PES andDEB on monitoring and evaluation, establish a monitoring and evaluation database, revisethe terms of reference of the monitoring and evaluation division, improve monitoring andevaluation tools and strengthen provincial and district level monitoring and evaluation and anyimplementation units established at sub-national and national level.

157. DOF/MOE needs to develop the education MTEF in line with the national MTEF beingprepared by MOF, and MOF needs to issue guidelines on MTEF preparation. There is a needfor further capacity building on preparation and use of MTEF as a planning tool.

158. Manuals of working procedures need to be revised for all entities with secondaryeducation responsibilities linked to ESDF planned activities. Some need for cautionexpressed as MOE is considering further re-organization although opinions were given thatthe changes would not be major.

BESDP II Strengthening Management Output and the draft SEAP

159. BE2 Management Working Group focused on the commonalities of the preliminaryBESDP II Design and Monitoring Framework (DMF) in Annex 08 BESDP II Inception Report,by looking at each of the activities related to Output 3, A Strengthened Secondary EducationSubsector, and the management sections of the draft Secondary Education 5-year ActionPlan (2010).

160. The draft Secondary Education 5-year Action Plan (2010-2015) puts effectivemanagement, governance and financing of lower and upper secondary education as a goal.The overall objectives are given as (i) strengthen management and governance at central,provincial, district and school levels to improve education delivery; (ii) ensure demand-drivenand equitable teacher deployment and distribution; and (iii) ensure coordinated, evidencebased sector planning, financing and monitoring.

161. Five programmes are planned, each with a number of identified activities to reachthese objectives: capacity building. Programme 3 Reform of budget allocation, financialplanning and management to enhance capacity in USE. Programme 4 Improvement of theteacher management system. Programme 5 Awareness raising on the importance of LSE.After review the following activities were endorsed.

162. Programme 1 covers capacity building for planning, financing and management atcentral, provincial, district and school level. Provide training for managers in planning,financing; Provide training for management of secondary schools; and Equip secondaryschools with computers and printers for management and training

163. Programme 2 Reform of budget allocation, financial planning and management toenhance capacity in USE. Develop new budget lines interface to transfer budget directly toschools; Introduce block grant through piloting allocation of budget based on the set unitcosts and formulae according to the new budget lines interface; Introduce scholarships fordisadvantaged students in parallel with the introduction of affordable fees in accordance with




the cost recovery policy (30% scholarships, 70% fee paying by 2015.); Monitor and assessthe impact of the block grant and cost recovery initiatives.

164. Programme 3: Enhance provision of quality USE service through restructuring andimproving legal framework. Develop secondary education management and regulations;Improve mechanisms for monitoring progress promotion and grade completion; Establishprocedures and regulations for quality standard schools; Review management regulatoryframeworks; Develop Manuals of Working Procedures; Revision of the Decree1500/ED.Orgon Deconcentration (2010-2011) according to the ESDF post-basic education policy.

165. Program 4 Improvement of the teacher management system. provide training oninformation and statistics for school managers. Provide equipment and means (vehicles) toschool managers; Improve teacher recruitment and teacher deployment procedures.

166. Programme 5 Awareness raising on the importance of LSE. Enhance Students’Parents Association, NGOs, Parent Associations and Non-Parent Associations, privatesector, Education Promotion Associations, Village Education Development Committees(VEDCs) in planning and fund raising for the renovation and refurbishment of school facilitiesin their respective localities; Promote parents and the community to participate in teachinglearning of local curriculum, local knowledge, local culture and traditions; Promote privatesector to increase investment in secondary education; Mobilize support from internationalagencies, donors and development partners.

167. DMF activities related to management were reviewed and endorsed, by the Group, withfew changes and the addition of two further activities for consideration. Further review will benecessary to ensure there is no mismatch between the targets and activities.

168. In order to strengthen secondary education subsector management more specificactivities being considered include: (i) an update of institutional analysis of SE subsector andin-depth LSE needs assessment; (ii) updated LSE and USE school mapping completednationwide; (iii) school management committees’ established or membership reconstitutedand initial capacity building; (iv) based on institutional and needs assessments, phased andmulti-mode capacity building for education sector staff at central level (including projectmanagement unit and implementing units) and provincial/local levels and targeted LSE schoolmanagement teams; (v) assessment of existing LSE-related management informationsystems (MIS) and approved plans for improving and better integrating MIS implemented; (v)analysis on strategic options for appropriate information and communication technology (ICT)for teaching learning, and school management in SE; small scale pilot in target rural LSEschools completed and lessons distilled in final policy report;

169. The possible new activities to be developed are (i) social marketing and communicationstrategy on the importance of LSE Including positive media coverage and heroic stories fromremote poor ethnic group areas where there are some very hard working teachers and DEBstaff; (ii) improvement of Teacher Management System; (iii) support for the implementation ofthe Strategic Plan for Private Sector Involvement in Education Development.

Private Education Consultation

170. Background Following the Governments new socio-economic development policy in1986, decree in 1990 authorised the establishment of private schools (Decree No. 58/PM)and in 1995 a Private Education Office was established in 1995 (Decree No. 58/PM). ThisOffice became the Department of Private Education Management in 2008. Government policyis for private education to contribute to national socio-economic development and help reduce




cost of investment of the party and government in national education. There has been growthin quantity and quality over 15 years.

171. Data The contribution of private education at the secondary level is still limited. In theacademic year 2008-2009 there was 56 private schools, five more than 2007-2008. Therewere 296 classrooms accommodating 9,319 students (4,320 female) and 563 teachers (293female). There is no school offering a complete secondary vocational curriculum. There were5 upper secondary vocational schools, which was 3 lower than 2007-08. There were 357students (108 female) and 67 teachers 8 female.

172. Positives There is interest from national and international entrepreneurs and legal andregulatory frameworks exist. MOE has set roles and responsibilities from central to local level,and Private Education Advisory Council (PEAC) and Private Education Association activated

173. Shortcomings Urban, shortage of administrators and teachers, under qualified orunqualified teachers, no framework for salary levels, facilities do not meet standards,untrained managers and administrators, weakly regulated.

174. Possible directions for further support, some of which would support the overalldevelopment of secondary education: (i) Improvement of the guidelines and regulations onthe selection of students entering in private schools; (Ii) Formulation of managementregulations for pre-primary, vocational / technical and higher education in private schools; (iii)Improvement on the organizational structure and mandate of private education from central tolocal levels; (iii) Increasing the role of the Consultative Council for Private Education Sector.(iv) Increasing the role of the Association of Private Schools; (v) improving the defining ofroles, and responsibilities; (vi) Improving legislation / guidelines and other incentive policiesfor private education sector (vii) Cooperating with public and private sectors to strengthenlabor force in accordance with the demand of socio-economic development; (viii) Governmentsupport on staffing, training, and upgrading private education employees; (ix) Encourageprivate school owners to invest in the development of infrastructure and basic technicalequipment; (x) strengthen monitoring, inspection and assessment of education servicesdelivery; (xi) Increase cooperation between private and public institutions, especially invocational and higher education; cooperating with companies, enterprises both public andprivate sectors; (xii) Encourage and support individuals, groups and local and internationalprivate organizations to participate in education service delivery; (xiii) Provide incentives forlocal and international private sectors to participate in the development of education servicedelivery in the country; (xiv) Build up the cooperation and relations network between Laohigher education and foreign higher education institution for academic exchange.

175. Strategic Plan for Private Education Promotion 2010 – 202018 The Strategic Planclearly states that private education is part of the national education system. The clear visionlinks the national definitions of education, the labour market, and the scope of privateeducation. In addition links to NSEDP and NESRS, partnerships, and increased access toprivate education enrolment in private vocational schools are made explicit. A summary of theStrategic Plan for Private Education Promotion 2010 – 2020 Action Plan is presented in theBESDP II Interim Report Annex Seven identified strategies set the framework for furtherdevelopment of the Private Education subsector. The seven strategies cover access, qualityand management. Seven projects have been planned to implement the strategies andimplementation will be over two phases: Phase 2010 – 201 and Phase 2015 -2020. TheProjects are (i) Promote establishment and expansion of private education premises

18 The Strategic Plan for Private Education Promotion 2010 – 2020 is waiting for Government Approval and isexpected to be planned mid-2011.




nationwide; (ii) Promote businesspersons locally and internationally to invest in privateeducation; (iii) Promote NGOs and non-profit organizations locally and internationally tocontribute investment in private education; (iv) Promote the improvement of education quality;(v) Promote educating and upgrading teachers and personnel; (vi) Improve management-administration policy and mechanism; (vii) Determine orientation and policy on promotingprivate education development counterpart.

6.6 Possibilities for BESDP II

176. As is clear from the combined terms of reference the purpose of the PPTA is to assistthe Government of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) to improve “access, quality,and efficiency of secondary education, through the detailed design of the BESDP II based ona detailed situational analysis of the secondary education sub-sector within the nationalcontext. BESDP II will build on progress achieved under BESDP I and aim to contribute to theattainment of ESDF targets with a particular emphasis on LSE and educational outcomes fordisadvantaged groups such as girls, children from poor families and ethnic groups anddisabled children (BESDP II Interim Report Annexes 10). Whilst principally focused on LSE,BESDP II will also address identified key challenges of the USE Subsector. The ultimateimpact of the program, BESDP II, will be improved educational attainment in Lao PDR. Arevised preliminary design and monitoring framework is presented in the BESDP II InterimReport Appendix 11. BESDP II will be implemented from October 2011 until 201619. Thepreliminary design and monitoring framework shows how the three core outputs of BESDP IIwill embody the three pillars of the ESDF.

177. The MOE is continuing to examine HRD for teachers and administrators in the contextof ESDF implementation (ADB 2009).

178. The TDMP has been mentioned in the previous section on quality and relevance. Alongwith updated TESAP and the revised action plan key areas are identified for strengtheningteacher management and administration. The management of teacher recruitment anddeployment does not yet work properly. Critical barriers to improve the situation are identifiedas the employment of teachers not matching subject requirements and levels of qualification,inadequate incentives and allowances, shortage of training slots for untrained and unqualifiedteachers, the low awareness of the people and communities about the importance ofeducation, the low level of awareness amongst the people of the need for quality qualifiedteachers, and a need to mobilize of people/communities to give more support for education.

179. The Strategic Plan for Private Education Promotion 2010-2020 includes an analysis ofthe sub-sector. Constraints include an urban focus, a shortage of qualified administrators,teachers whose qualifications do not match their post, no framework for salary levels, facilitiessometimes do not meet standards, and weak subsector regulation. In addition the rules andregulations related to premises management systems are not implemented and needrevision. Both awareness of the role of private education and collaboration betweenstakeholders is low in the subsector. At the post secondary level courses are focused towardsbusiness, English and ICT rather than subjects relevant to national socio-economicdevelopment. Private education needs more access to capital investment. Incentives forprivate education development have been identified but implementation is slow.

180. Lao PDR is moving towards a multi-track upper secondary education system: generalor academic related, vocational-related, and mixed academic and vocational-related. TheGOL has made the strategic choice to provide technical and vocational education and training

19 2011 to 2017 is under discussion




(TVET) as part of the secondary education system. What is still being debated is the detailedform it will take. Internationally it has taken several forms: separate vocational or technicalsecondary schools, separate vocational or technical streams within secondary schools orvocational and technical subjects offered as part of a general secondary education. A policypaper is under preparation (Annex 10).

181. Planning and financing (including budgeting) at all levels (central, provincial, district andschool) still have difficulties. Where funding is insufficient to implement sector plans, greaterpriority should be given to structural reforms than to spreading investment too thinly acrosstoo many initiatives. Sustainable and equitable benefits for all future students should betargeted ahead of small, temporary gains for many students.

182. There is confidence in using the education MTEF but for the MTEF to be implementedsmoothly further capacity building is needed in the institutions responsible for preparingMTEF. For the MTEF to be really useful and effective there needs to be a government-wideMTEF and MOF to issue appropriate guidelines.

183. There is still a need for EMIS to be further strengthened and improved to meet thevarious information needs of the planners. The different databases (TMIS, FMIS, PMIS andTEMIS) used by the managers and decision-makes in the education sector have still to belinked together. Ministry databases would use common codes for provinces, districts andschools and a common teacher ID - and this could be the focus of any proposed "tracking"initiative. There is an expressed view that EMIS has been a priority in the past and that thenext priority is PMIS followed by FMIS.

184. Department of Inspection identified needs include capacity building of PES and DEB onmonitoring and evaluation, establish a monitoring and evaluation database, revise the termsof reference of the monitoring and evaluation division, improve monitoring and evaluationtools and strengthen provincial and district level monitoring and any implementation unitsestablished at sub-national and national level.

185. Manuals of working procedures need to be revised for all entities with secondaryeducation responsibilities linked. Some need for caution has been expressed as MOE isconsidering further re-organization although opinions were given that the changes would notbe major enough to affect the development of manuals. This would help clarify the way inwhich DOI, ESQAC, ETITC, SREAC and RIES work together.

186. Capacity of districts to support instructional leadership in secondary schools needsstrengthening. A Secondary Education Unit has been established staffed by one person.Consideration should be given to developing the Unit in each district so that it has thecapacity to provide support to school management teams.

187. VEDCs are in some ways more directly aligned to primary schools (since its typically 1school per village) than to secondary schools (where even the government target would be 1secondary school per 4 primary schools (or villages). BESDP I helped to set up the PPA intargeted districts linked to the Project in order to coordinate the VEDCs of all villages in asecondary school’s catchment area. If BESDP II continues this PPA model, it may beimportant to further institutionalize their role.

188. District Education Development Committees have been successfully piloted in somedistricts and could be used to promote the establishment of primary-secondary schoolnetworks. Expanding the number of committees could be considered. The District Governorwould chair the Committee with representatives from education stakeholders.




189. A Performance Assessment Framework (PAF) describes the components of ESDFprogress assessment. These components relate to principles, focus, responsibilities,organization, timing, indicators of progress, monitoring and reporting instruments, costcategories, and capacity building requirements for ESDF performance assessment (MOE2009). Any work that BESDP II proposes to do should build on this work.

190. Figure 5 given earlier summarizes the relationship between the ESDF, BESDP I andBESDP II which will build on achievements of BESDP I interventions taking into accountlessons learned from BESDP I and other recent education and non-education sectorinterventions in Lao PDR.

7.0 ECONOMIC GROWTH AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS

191. The macro-economic outlook for Lao PDR is optimistic, driven by commercial activityand revenues from hydro-electricity, minerals and other resources. Investment in majorinfrastructure such as dams, east-west road corridors (linking Thailand and Viet Nam) and thenorth-south express rail-link with China bring immediate benefits during construction butgovernment revenue benefits lag behind investment. Economic pressure to reduce externaldebt requires higher debt repayment, which could delay projected hydro-electricity revenuebenefits for education and poverty reduction. Regional free-trade arrangements offerpotential benefits from volume of electricity/resource exports and flow on activity in serviceindustries. Demand for labor force skills should drive growth in specific service sectors if thesecondary and post-secondary education sectors are able to respond.

192. The investment driven growth strategy has several potential risks

delay in projected revenue growth could reduce short-term funds for budgetdependent sectors such as education and health;

lack of skills in growth sectors could encourage inflow of skilled labor fromneighboring countries and delay development of those skills within the localpopulation;

re-distributive effects of urban growth opportunities while agricultural areas may facehigher costs for fuel, fertilizers and machinery. Prices for agricultural products soldlocally and into neighboring countries are likely to grow less than these input prices;

salaries for teachers relative to those in growth sectors could be a further impedimentto attracting new teachers, and make remote rural schools even more difficult to staff.

Other consequences such as outflow of agricultural labor into low paid employment inThailand may increase dependence of rural communities on foreign remittances.

193. Travel costs are a major issue for education services in Laos, both as a barrier toaccess for rural students and for Ministry, Provincial and District education officers in efficientsector planning and management. Greater economic integration with Thailand, China andViet Nam may expose Laos to higher fuel prices. Revenue from commercial traffic on theexpress rail link to China could be required to subsidize the cost of passenger travel if poorercommunities from the northern provinces are to have access to the railway service.

194. The State Budget Plan 2009-2010 (July 2009) assumed 8,115,761 Million Kip revenue(Taxes 47%, Customs 32%, Other 21%), and 12,470,433 Million Kip expenditure. ForeignCapital (31%) filled most of the shortfall between projected revenue and expenditure.




7.1 Education share of Lao PDR budget

195. The Government allocated 1,366,330 Million Kip for Education in the 2009/10 Budget,11% of the State Budget and 2.53% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Figure 21 showsdecline from approximately 14.5% and 2.5% respectively from the levels in 2005/06 and2006/07. This pattern masks two separate processes – recurrent expenditure, mostly teacher

196. salaries and allowances, has increased from 37% to 57% of the Sector Budget whileDonor funded projects have declined from 60% to 37% of the Sector Budget. Governmentfunded investment has increased from 3% to 6% of Sector Budget (85,000 M Kip or someUSD 10M in 2009/10).

197. The categorization of donor funding as “Investment” may be misleading, as a largeproportion of donor projects support recurrent operating costs in the Education Sector. In2009/10, for example, the BESDP I Project contributed USD 1.672 million on textbooks andrelated teacher training. Both are “investment” in curriculum and teaching but they areindicative of sector dependence on donor funding. The decline in 2008/09 donor funding hasbeen presented as an explanation for Laos falling short of its sector share target.

Figure 20 Government Revenue and Expenditure 2009/2010

Tax 3,842,000 47.3% Salaries+Allowances 3,425,405 27.5%Customs 2,600,000 32.0% Other Recurrent 3,919,756 31.4%Other 1,673,761 20.6% Total Recurrent 7,345,161 58.9%Total Reveue 8,115,761 100% Local Capital 1,265,000 10.1%

Foreign Capital 3,860,272 31.0%4,354,672- Total Expenditure 12,470,433 100.0%

Revenue-Expenditure

REVENUE 2009/10 (M Kip) EXPENDITURE 2009/10 (M Kip)

Figure 21 Education sector share of LAO PDR state budget 2005/06-2009/10

000 Million Kip 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

(a) GDP 33222 38409 43287 50326 54100

(b) State Budget 6943 7913 8884 7877 12470

(b/a) Budget/GDP 20.9% 20.6% 20.5% 15.7% 23.1%

(c ) Education Budget (Central+Local) 1026 1156 1141 1235 1366

(c/a) Education Budget/GDP 3.1% 3.0% 2.6% 2.5% 2.5%

(c/b) Education/State Budget 14.8% 14.6% 12.8% 15.7% 11.0%

(d) Education Recurrent Budget 378 422 552 750 773

(d/c) Recurrent share Sector Budget 36.8% 36.5% 48.4% 60.7% 56.6%

(e) Education Investment Budget 649 734 588 485 594

(e/c) Investment share Sector Budget 63.2% 63.5% 51.6% 39.3% 43.4%

(f) Donor funded Investment 615 694 473 427 508

(f/c) Donor share of Sector Budget 59.9% 60.0% 41.5% 34.6% 37.2%

Source: Jean-Marc Lepain, Intergovernmental Fiscal Advisor (April 2010b) 2008/09 Actual added

198. BESDP I tranche conditions requiring an allocation of 16% of State Budget toEducation cannot be met if the 2009/10 allocation was 11% and only 6.9% excluding donor




projects. Given that some project funding is “budget support”, the latter measure may beunfair. The underlying issue is that share of budget may not be an appropriate trancheconditionality. Expenditure per person (per capita) is another measure (Figure 22).

Figure 22: Education sector spending per capita 2005/06-2009/102005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

Population (millions) 5.595 5.733 5.874 6.000 6.144Education Sector spendingper capita 183,447 201,617 194,179 205,766 222,370Recurrent Education spendingper capita 67,542 73,579 94,054 124,922 125,765Source: Jean-Marc Lepain, Intergovernmental Fiscal Advisor (April 2010b) 2008/09 Actual added

199. Real expenditure per capita is limited by measures of inflation as well as matchingenrolment data to expenditure, with reliability of both population estimates and inflation aspotential limitations. Student enrolments may be more appropriate than population estimates,partly because annual data collections make student data more reliable. Such measures areuseful when expenditure and enrolment data are disaggregated by level of schooling and byProvince.

200. Table 23 consolidates planned Ministry of Education and 17 Provincial allocations toprovide the Education Sector allocation and its share of the State Budget allocation (seeparagraph 4 above). Note the discrepancy between 10.5% Recurrent allocation in Table 23and 11.0% reported in Table 21. Errors in disaggregation, reporting and aggregation can becompounded by different reporting channels from provinces, analysis by different departmentswithin MOE, and the purpose of specific analyses (reporting to donors etc).

Figure 23: Consolidation of Ministry and provincial budget allocations 2009/10

Salaries+Allowances 95,270 15.4% Salaries+Allowances 578,909 77.6%Ministry Other Rec 38,781 6.3% Other Recurrent 59,792 8.0%Ministry Recurrent 134,051 21.6% Total Recurrent 638,701 85.6%Local Capital 45,500 7.3% Local Capital 39,748 5.3%Foreign Capital 440,685 71.1% Foreign Capital 67,649 9.1%MINISTRY ONLY 620,236 100% TOTAL PROVINCES 746,098 100%

EDUCATION SECTOR 2009/10 (M Kip)Salaries+Allowances 674,179 49.3% Salaries+Allowances 19.7%Other Recurrent 98,573 7.2% Other Recurrent 2.5%Total Recurrent 772,752 56.6% Total Recurrent 10.5%Local Capital 85,248 6.2% Local Capital 6.7%Foreign Capital 508,334 37.2% Foreign Capital 13.2%TOTAL EDUCATION 1,366,334 100% TOTAL EDUCATION 11.0%

ED MINISTRY 2009/10 (M Kip) ED PROVINCES 2009/10 (M Kip)

EDUCATION SHARE 2009/10

Source: State Budget Plan 2009-2010 (July 2009) Outcome differs from planned allocations

201. Teacher salaries and allowances account for 87% of the Recurrent Budget Allocationfor the sector in 2009/10, including almost 91% of Provincial Recurrent Allocations. Lack ofnon-salary funds restricts the operational capacity of the sector, especially for travel costs,and increases sector dependence on “Projects” to fund training costs. The ratio of primaryschools per secondary school (approximately 7:1 in 2009/10 EMIS data) offers a proxymeasure of operational challenges facing many Provinces and Districts.




202. A draft Decree on per capita funding for schools is a step towards eliminating informalfee payments and creating capacity for maintenance of facilities, procurement of textbooksand other materials for schools. If the allocation formula is appropriate, and schools receivethe amounts allocated, this should be a step towards improved school operations.

7.2 Funding secondary education

203. Complete Secondary schools (offering Grades 6-11 and Grade 12 in 2010/11) tend tobe concentrated in District centers and larger village clusters (kumban), with students insmaller, more remote villages having access to small Lower Secondary schools offeringGrades 6-9 from 2009/10. There were more than 200 LSE with fewer than 100 students, andthree-quarters were “incomplete” (having fewer than four LSE grades). Upgrading access toquality education is one of the BESDP II planning objectives.

204. Staffing levels (incomplete LSE averaged fewer than 6 teachers in 2009/10),qualifications of teachers, quality of learning outcomes and non-salary (operational) fundingrequires special attention. Staffing and funding formulae may work well for secondary schoolsin District centers and larger urban areas.

205. The following analysis draws on 2009/10 budget material prepared in the Ministry fromProvincial reports as part of annual planning and MOE dialogue with the donor community. InAppendix 3, the budget material for Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary schools hasbeen supplemented with EMIS data on student enrolment by level, numbers of teachers andnumbers of schools. For some calculations, LSE and USE have to be aggregated. There aremore than 350 Complete Secondary Schools (offering both LSE Grades 6-9 and USE Grades10-12) where teachers may be teaching LSE and USE classes.

206. Secondary students: Provinces ranged from 46,409 LSE students in Vientiane City(VTE) and 38,409 in Savannakhet (SVK) to five Provinces with fewer than 10,000 LSEstudents (Luang Namtha, Bokeo, Phongsaly, Attapeu and Sekong). Upper Secondaryfollowed a similar pattern – 181,131 in Vientiane City, 10,213 in Savannakhet, and the samefive Provinces had fewer than 3,000 USE students.

207. Secondary teachers: USE and LSE numbers are combined for the reasons outlinedabove. Vientiane City had 3,215 secondary teachers at 20.1 students per teacher;Savannakhet had 2,572 teachers at 18.9 students per teacher. The same five smallestProvinces had the least teachers, three less than the 19.7 Lao average, and three others(Savannakhet 18.9, Champassak 18.4 and Sayaboury 16.4) were below the national average.

208. School size may be an important measure of secondary school capacity to offersubjects with teachers trained in each subject, where “small” secondary schools have limitedsubjects or subjects are taught by teachers without a qualification in that subject.

209. The BESDP II Project could assist selected Provinces/Districts undertake a baselinestudy of subject offering in small schools, monitor enrolment growth over the Project and theextent to which increased enrolments improved the range of subjects taught bytrained/qualified teachers. Student learning outcomes may also be measurable.

210. Four Provinces averaged fewer than 300 secondary students per school – Hauphanh98 schools at 259 students; Sekong 23 schools at 265 students, Phongsaly 30 schools at 282students and Khammouane 85 schools at 285 students per school.




211. Figure 24 plots LSE students (blue line yellow diamond markers) and USE students(red line red square markers) on the right-hand scale, with Provinces ranked on their LSEenrolment. On the left-hand scale, most provinces averaged around 350,000 Kip Recurrentper LSE student (orange triangles on light green line; no data for Khammouane) and between700,000 and 1,000,000 Kip Recurrent per USE student (green diamond on purple line). Therewere four Provinces averaging 1,500,000 Kip per student (most had fewer than 5,000 USEstudents).

212. Salary and Allowance expenditure per Secondary teacher is also plotted on Figure 24.Provinces with 20,000+ LSE students and 5,000+ USE students are the seven blue circles tothe left of the graph, and another seven provinces with fewer LSE+USE students spent lessthan 700,000 Kip per teacher. The three Provinces (Huaphanh, Luang Namtha and Attapue)with outlying values are the same outliers in terms of recurrent expenditure per student.Examining why these Provinces differ from the others may provide the Ministry and thoseProvinces with insights about how secondary education functions.

Figure 24: Enrolment and recurrent expenditure by secondary student by province

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

-

350,000

700,000

1,050,000

1,400,000

1,750,000

2,100,000

2,450,000

2,800,000

3,150,000

3,500,000

1VTE 13SVK 10VIN 16CPK 6LPB 8SBY 9XKG 7HPN 12KHM 11BLK 4ODM 14SRV 3LMT 5BOK 2PNG 17ATP 15SEK

Expenditure per LSE/USE Student 2009/10 (left scale)

and numbers of Students enrolled (right scale)

LSE RECKip perStudent

USE RECKip perStudent

Salary+AllowancesKip per SecTeacher

LowerSecondaryStudents

UpperSecondaryStudents

7.3 Projected budget expenditure

213. Budget data 2010/11 to be added, together with estimates for 2011/12 and 2012/13.

214. Notes on expenditure estimates (to be added in April Input)

7.4 Education sector efficiency

215. The Education Sector is the largest expenditure area in the Lao PDR Budget, andteacher salaries and related allowances are the largest items in the Sector Budget.Demonstrating efficient use of funds is a pre-requisite for bids for additional staffing to matchprojected enrolment growth, improvements in salaries and conditions of teaching (especiallyin difficult to staff Provinces/Districts), and improving the ratio of non-salary expenditure to




salaries.

216. Examination of the apparent anomalies (such as in Figure 24 above) improvesunderstanding of possible expenditure distortions in Provinces/Districts with low enrolmentrates and many small schools.

217. Data analysis can also identify errors in reporting as records as forwarded from schoolsto districts to Provinces and to the Ministry. Each quarter, Provincial Education Services faxpayroll data to the Budget Division of the MOE Department of Finance; the data areconsolidated and reported to the Minister who in turn reports payments to the NationalAssembly. Figure 25 consolidated quarterly reports from July 2009 through June 2010, initiallyto compare the July-September 2009 quarter with the same quarter in 2010, but apparenterrors in the July-September 2010 data prevented the comparison. Examining those errors isa step towards improving procedures, data quality and understanding.

Figure 25 Monthly payroll expenditure reported by MOE, 2009-2010

Province07

200908

200909

200910

200911

200912

200901

201002

201003

201004

201005

201006

2010July-June2009/10

1 VTE VIENTIANE (City) 4,017 4,017 4,017 3,963 3,963 3,963 3,963 3,963 3,963 3,963 3,963 3,963 47,7212 PNG PHONGSALY 1,661 1,661 1,661 1,618 1,618 1,618 1,418 1,418 1,418 1,418 1,418 1,418 18,3463 LMT LUANG NAMTHA 1,647 1,647 1,647 1,614 1,614 1,614 1,681 1,681 1,681 1,681 1,681 1,681 19,8704 ODM OUDAMXAI 1,666 1,666 1,666 1,765 1,765 1,765 1,788 1,788 1,788 1,788 1,788 1,788 21,0205 BOK BOKEO 1,054 1,054 1,054 370 370 370 1,054 1,054 1,054 1,054 1,054 1,054 10,5946 LPB LUANG PRABANG 2,930 2,930 2,930 2,921 2,921 2,921 2,921 2,921 2,921 2,921 2,921 2,921 35,0827 HPN HUA PHANH 2,745 2,745 2,745 3,172 3,172 3,172 3,142 3,142 3,142 3,169 3,169 3,169 36,6888 SBY SAYABOURY 2,834 2,709 2,609 2,945 2,945 2,945 2,912 2,912 2,912 2,912 2,912 2,912 34,4609 XKG XIANG KHUANG 2,416 2,416 2,416 2,494 2,494 2,494 2,481 2,481 2,481 2,481 2,481 2,481 29,61510 VIN VIENTIANE (Prov) 4,259 4,259 4,259 4,293 4,293 4,293 4,214 4,214 4,214 4,214 4,214 4,214 50,93811 BLK BOLIKHAMXAY 1,687 1,687 1,687 1,758 1,758 1,758 1,764 1,764 1,764 1,764 1,764 1,764 20,91812 KHM KHAMMOUANE 2,637 2,637 2,637 2,753 2,753 2,753 2,717 2,717 2,717 2,717 2,717 2,717 32,47113 SVK SAVANNAKHET 6,273 6,273 6,273 6,337 6,337 6,337 5,800 5,800 5,800 5,797 5,797 5,797 72,61814 SRN SARAVAN 1,969 1,969 1,969 1,828 1,828 1,828 1,845 1,845 1,845 1,845 1,845 1,845 22,46215 SEK SEKONG 929 929 929 958 958 958 982 982 982 982 982 982 11,55116 CPK CHAMPASSAK 4,044 4,044 4,044 4,084 4,084 4,084 4,009 4,009 4,009 4,009 4,009 4,009 48,44217 ATP ATTAPEU 1,368 1,368 1,368 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 1,078 13,8049999 LAO PDR 44,137 44,012 43,912 43,952 43,952 43,952 43,769 43,769 43,769 43,793 43,793 43,793 526,603Source: MOE Payroll Data (Quarterly Reports) July-September 2010 not included (data discrepancies) (PAYROLL0910 7MARCHZ.sql Bokeo anomaly)

218. The Lao PDR fiscal year is September through August, so the twelve months in Figure25 of 526,603 Million Kip is only an estimate of fiscal year payroll expenditure. Comparison ofProvincial totals in Figures 25 and 26 are presented in the chart (Figure 27).




Figure 26: FY 2009-2010 budget allocations by subsector & chapter (salary, allowances etc)

Ch 10 Ch 11 Other Recurrent Ch 10 Ch 11 Other Recurrent Ch 10 Ch 11 Other Recurrent Ch 10 Ch 11 Other Recurrent Investment09/10 1 8,902 600 651 10,153 11,654 1,355 1,050 14,060 20,004 1,006 1,330 22,340 46,000 3,500 5,275 54,775 42,68909/10 2 2,180 353 201 2,734 1,967 146 156 2,269 11,264 1,370 767 13,401 18,794 1,515 1,798 22,107 1,84409/10 3 2,598 1,362 254 4,214 2,264 844 281 3,389 8,942 361 727 10,030 17,240 3,550 2,377 23,167 10009/10 4 2,292 547 263 3,102 2,528 534 265 3,327 11,344 1,347 1,055 13,746 19,145 3,835 3,046 26,026 1,65209/10 5 3,000 50 138 3,188 1,500 62 209 1,771 4,500 100 217 4,817 12,424 1,442 2,240 16,106 1,23809/10 6 5,259 203 439 5,901 6,159 182 561 6,902 19,659 925 1,030 21,614 39,462 7,351 4,481 51,294 2,13609/10 7 5,650 2,230 640 8,520 5,160 2,150 410 7,720 17,600 3,760 1,146 22,506 29,179 8,920 2,717 40,816 1,97409/10 8 6,594 874 491 7,959 4,901 416 410 5,727 16,684 1,026 1,158 18,868 35,421 5,073 3,975 44,469 9,26909/10 9 7,475 549 1,017 9,041 3,834 260 870 4,964 15,031 1,208 852 17,091 28,718 2,296 3,590 34,604 5,97909/10 10 9,019 266 716 10,001 6,222 567 528 7,317 27,977 1,190 2,046 31,213 48,150 4,000 5,035 57,185 17,00409/10 11 4,764 341 283 5,388 4,047 358 566 4,971 15,629 1,126 939 17,694 19,000 1,950 430 21,380 4,94909/10 12 - - - - 9,059 736 1,225 11,020 - - - - 29,800 2,420 4,700 36,920 2,22509/10 13 13,084 1,060 982 15,126 9,145 1,002 795 10,942 29,398 1,778 2,011 33,187 67,773 6,019 7,775 81,567 8,08009/10 14 3,396 470 260 4,126 2,695 284 207 3,186 13,463 1,252 898 15,613 23,845 4,196 2,550 30,591 1,45409/10 15 945 102 165 1,212 1,403 168 91 1,662 3,548 1,481 549 5,578 10,730 1,730 1,589 14,049 33609/10 16 12,518 396 550 13,464 6,526 382 200 7,108 19,786 2,166 2,636 24,588 54,866 5,366 6,764 66,996 2,51509/10 17 1,235 44 86 1,365 2,735 1,262 225 4,222 5,980 353 511 6,844 12,700 2,500 1,450 16,650 3,95409/10 99 88,911 9,447 7,136 105,494 81,799 10,708 8,050 100,557 240,810 20,449 17,872 279,131 513,247 65,663 59,792 638,701 107,397Source: MOE 2009/10 (Year to September 2010) Tables D.2, D.3, D.4 (Data for Khammouane incomplete) (Prov0910 Salary.sql 7March)

LOWER SECONDARY UPPER SECONDARY PRIMARY SECTOR (SCHOOLS ONLY)YEAR PROV

Figure 27: Comparison of salaries and payroll data by province

109.0%

125.7%

85.3%

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

100.0%

120.0%

140.0%

-

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

13SVK

16CPK

10VIN

1VTE

6LPB

8SBY

12KHM

7HPN

9XKG

14SRN

4ODM

11BLK

2PNG

3LMT

17ATP

5BOK

15SEK

Comparison of 2009-10 Salaries (Chapter 10)with July-June Payroll Data by Province

Chapter 10 Salaries Payroll July-June2009/10

Payroll/ Chapter 10

219. Data problems in Khammouane (109%) and Bokeo (85%) may explain differences in




their measures, but an examination of the Huaphanh discrepancy could be a usefulmanagement task. The most likely explanation could be an error in data entry, especiallywhere data are entered in different Provincial and Ministry systems. Improvements in datamanagement across Ministry Departments and with PES are discussed elsewhere, butbecome of even greater importance as more responsibility is devolved to Provinces andDistricts.

220. Much of the analysis as part of the BESDP II PPTA has focused on enrolment, staffingand curriculum issues facing small Lower Secondary schools in rural or remote areas.Another access issue could include the very large Ethnic and Complete Secondary schools inProvincial centers, especially if staffing for schools with boarding/dormitory facilities mayexplain the discrepancies in data reported to the Ministry.

221. Further examination of effective ways of providing students in small villages or sparselysettled areas with access to quality secondary education should be encouraged by BESDP II.Such examination should include the following:

1. Access to the NationalCurriculum

Explore variations which allow local curriculum, subjectintegration and/or use of media (radio, television, internet)See Interim Report Annex 07

2. Taught by qualifiedteachers

Retaining teachers and attracting new teachersSee Interim Report Annex 05

3. Encouraging mixedmodels

(a) More LSE and Complete schools in strategic locations;(b) Boarding/Dormitory models similar to Ethnic Schools;(c) Alternative models (radio, television, internet etc);(d) Access Grants to allow greater choice.

4. Economic assessment Evaluation of capital and recurrent costs of preferredmodels, including hidden private costs which may remain abarrier to completion of secondary education.

8.0 CHALLENGES

222. As already mentioned the main issues to be tackled through the PPTA when designingBESDP II relate to the bottleneck of LSE. Therefore the new program must address:

The challenge of the rising overall transition from primary years to secondary, combinedwith the demand-side challenge of GER for girls, ethnic groups, disabled children and poorrural areas, which link directly to significant disparities in provision and inequalities inoutcomes

The efficiency challenges of restructuring the cycles of primary education (5 years), LSE (4years) and USE (3 years), and of low throughput to USE; and

The quality challenge of improving learning outcomes for children, while access isincreasing (including children from disadvantaged backgrounds with lower averageeducational achievements to date), while new curricula and learning and teaching materialsare being developed and introduced, while the supply of qualified and skilled secondaryteachers is constrained, and while management of the subsector is reorganised.

223. Rapid expansion in demand for secondary education in some locations (e.g., Vientiane76% LSE GER 2008/9), coupled with under-enrolment in some rural, ethnic group and poorerdistricts (31%), has led to disparities and inadequacy in service provision.

224. The lack of adequate curriculum materials in schools affects the quality of educationand student achievement. Increased enrolment (despite reduced repetition rates) has led to a




shortage of teachers, with the upgrading of primary teachers creating an oversupply of lowersecondary teachers in some areas. In some provinces this may be re-formulating itself intounallocated LSE qualified teachers being deployed as volunteer teachers to remote ruralprimary schools and LSE teachers studying the 11+3+2 upgrade course to qualify as USEteachers. These are stopgap policies at best.

225. Physical access is a barrier to secondary school attendance for many children in rural,underdeveloped districts.

226. These are the drivers for BESDP II to be designed around the three elements ofequitable access, quality improvement and management strengthening. Progress inaddressing these problems will alleviate some of the ills associated with the LSE bottleneck,such as imbalanced educational provision, low educational attainment, persistentmarginalisation of ethnic groups, continued poverty, regional inequalities within the country,depressed human capital development, constrained and non-inclusive inequitable economicopportunities, and weakened participation in the global economy.

227. Some of these well documented in a number of documents will need to be addressedin some measure by the new program. It is anticipated that the detailed situational analysisprovides for greater depth of understanding of the main the challenges summarised belowand other challenges as may yet be identified.

Ensuring that more students have access to the complete cycle of secondaryeducation

Creating a stable supply of quality secondary teachers Improving the quality of teaching-learning environments, the relevance of curriculum

and the measurement of achievement at secondary level Ensuring the number of available classrooms keeps pace with demand Ensuring secondary education is sufficiently funded and affordable Ensuring quality education management systems support all levels of education

9.0 SUMMARY

228. Consultation, document review and further analysis clearly indicate that secondaryeducation (and in particular lower secondary education) remain a bottleneck to balancededucational development with persistent gaps in the sub-sector embracing (i) the level ofaccess by disadvantaged groups; (ii) insufficient quality in teacher education, curriculum andteaching; and (iii) low system efficiency.

229. The reviewed Problem Tree Analysis presented in Appendix 06 of the BESDP II InterimReport gives the causes of the bottleneck as: (i) institutional weaknesses and unevendecentralisation; (ii) inadequate sector financing and imbalance between capital and recurrentbudgets; (iii) human resource and capacity gaps, especially in poor localities; (iv) gaps inmanagement information systems and teacher assessment; and (v) limited internationalsupport and a weak private sector.

230. The bottleneck has resulted in: (i) low educational attainment particularly amongdisadvantaged groups (e.g. the poor, ethnic groups and girls); (ii) uneven mastery of criticalknowledge and competencies needed for national economic and social development; and (iii)high repetition, dropout, and other internal efficiencies that further strain the ability of limitedresources to deliver on education sector priorities.

231. Low educational attainment particularly amongst disadvantaged groups has had theeffect of constraining opportunities for marginalised groups, weakened social cohesion and




depressing human capital accumulation and broader social development. Uneven mastery ofcritical knowledge and competencies has left LSE graduates ill-prepared for subsequenteducation, training and work and led to constrained, less inclusive growth with slow andimbalanced economic modernisation. The strain on utilisation of the limited resources todeliver on education sector priorities lead to missed LSE sector targets and LSE systemsustainability is threatened and give a focus for management interventions to improve

232. Areas for further discussion are listed under: Access, Quality and Relevance,Management), Design and Monitoring Framework, and Policy Actions.

ACCESS ISSUES for further discussion

233. The locations for building and/or upgrading of LSE classrooms will need to be identifiedusing an agreed and clearly defined set of criteria: (i) location in 1 of 29 districts that aresimultaneously classified as educationally disadvantaged and poorest districts; (ii) at anacceptable site that is government-owned but without any existing or already plannedpermanent LSE structure; and (iii) agreeable to the kumban (village cluster). A fourth criteriawill support ranking among potential sites. This will indicatively be based on a compoundmeasure incorporating measures for (a) district-level measures for primary-to-LSE transitionrate, LSE completion rate, and/or ethnic group populations; (b) site-level measure(s) forremoteness (e.g., distance from the kumban to the district seat); (c) the situation of potentialfeeder primary schools; and (d) complementarity with potential investments by other DPs.

234. A review of the BESDP I scholarships program and alternative models for accessgrants to students who meet approved criteria provides the basis for options that may bepiloted in BESDP II.

235. School development grants which may be utilized following approved guidelines andsupervised by school management committees have been reviewed and possible alternativeoptions considered, including conditional cash transfer schemes linked to the scholarshipsprogram.

QUALITY ISSUES for discussion

236. Priority areas have been identified by DOP and DTE where future support may betargeted in the process of implementation of TDMP. Technical support may be required fordevelopment of manuals and guidelines and provincial level training to assist in theintroduction of changes to the procedures for recruitment and deployment of teachers (TDMP2.1). The strengthening of quality assurance systems for performance assessment ofsecondary teachers may require further support including development of action plans.Teacher performance assessment should be based upon teacher standards andcompetencies identified by DTE and ESQAC, and aligned to the introduction of SOQ in thesecondary sub-sector. A Teacher Promotion and Career Development Plan (TDMP 5.2) isalso to be developed to provide a structure of responsibilities followed by categorization of allteachers onto the career structure.

237. The teacher selection and recruitment process should be strengthened through theimplementation of an improved system for TEI student selection and a Teacher Trackingsystem (TDMP 4.1 and 4.3). A graduate teacher tracking mechanism could be designed andpiloted to monitor the flow of students from school to TEI/FOE and to monitor the TEI/FOEgraduates who take up teaching positions and those not entering the teaching profession.

238. The feasibility and initial design for a focused pilot of targeted incentive mechanisms for




rural LS and US teacher deployment has been outlined in the BESDP II Interim Report. Thismay be implemented in the BESDP II program (TDMP 3.1 and 3.2).

239. Institutional strengthening of capacity of TEIs, FOEs, SPAs and secondary schoolteachers should focus on (i) implementation of TEI and FOE Institutional CapacityDevelopment Plans including shared utilization of physical facilities with demonstrationschools for example; (ii) piloting of incentives for district-based SPAs to provide instructionalleadership; and (iii) school based training to support implementation of the new curriculum.The strengthening of the RIES Media Centre would enable educational resources to beprovided for dissemination through radio, TV and DVD to all secondary schools to supportschool-based teacher training for more effective implementation of the new curriculum.Targeted support for enrollment on provincial based US Teacher Upgrade Programs may bean effective strategy to increase teacher supply in subject shortages and in remote locations.

240. In-service training will need to be provided for M3 and M4 teachers in 2012 and 2013based on lessons learned from the M1/M2 training model training. Support will need to beprovided for procurement and distribution of M3 and M4 TB/TG and instructional materials.

241. Roll out of the new curriculum for M5-M7 teachers will follow a cohort model with in-service training to be provided in 2014-2016. Support for implementation of overall frameworkfor USE teacher training program may be provided through summer schools for SPAs andTEI/FOE master trainers. Printing and distribution of M5 to M7 TB/TG and instructionalmaterials for US grades would follow the same timeframe 2014-2016.

242. In parallel to the curriculum rollout, the assessment of student learning outcomesshould be strengthened in LS and US schools. A National School Assessment Frameworkmay be developed and teacher’s skills may be enhanced through teacher training forimplementation of the new curriculum. Capacity development may be targeted to the keyMOE offices of ESQAC, DSE and RIES, as well as TEIs, FOEs and secondary schoolteachers, to improve student assessment standards, techniques and procedures..

MANAGEMENT ISSUES for discussion

243. Details of an update of institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSE needsassessment, LSE and USE school mapping completed nationwide and school managementcommittees’ established or membership reconstituted and initial capacity building.

244. Based on institutional and needs assessments, phased and multi-mode capacitybuilding for education sector staff at central level (including project management unit andimplementing units) and provincial /local levels and targeted LSE school principals.

245. Assessment of existing LSE-related management information systems (MIS) and plansfor improving and better integrating MIS implemented;

246. Strategic options for appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) forteaching learning, and school management in SE; small scale pilot in target rural LSE schoolscompleted and lessons distilled in final policy report;

247. Social marketing and communication strategy on the importance of LSE Includingpositive media coverage and heroic stories from remote poor ethnic group areas where thereare some very hard working teachers and DEB staff.




Appendix 1: ESDF Targets Related to Secondary Education

Included in the ESDF are precise targets for expansion of secondary education in quantitativeterms, while the new organizational structure of 5+4+3 is introduced. At the same time it setsa number of targets to improve equity and quality, and measures to strengthen managementof the education system generally and the secondary subsector specifically.

Box 1 ESDF Access Targets Related to Secondary EducationAccess targets are clustered in four groups: enrolment rates, student flow rates, equitable access for allgroups and infrastructure.Enrolment rate: (i) 75% gross enrolment rate in lower secondary school from 2015; (ii) 75% gross enrolmentrate in upper secondary school by 2020 (40% GER by 2015 – NSEDP); and 25% of total upper secondaryenrolment in upper secondary vocational schools by 2015.Student flow rates: (i) 98% progressive promotion rates for lower secondary education from 2015 onwards and(ii) drop-out rate being significantly reduced in line with EFA NPA projections.Equitable participation by all groups: (i) 20% of all lower and upper secondary students to receive pro-poorscholarships against agreed eligibility criteria commencing by 10% from 2011; (ii) to Incorporate 30% ofchildren with light disabilities into inclusive education schools (Grades 1-9) by 2015; and (ii) re-entry programsfor Grades 3-9 students who have been out of school for up to 3 years.Infrastructure: (i) Introduce basic education cycle schools of Grades 1-9 through the provision of additionalclassrooms in selected locations without a Grade 6-9 school facility (with 85% coverage by 2015) andadditional Grade 6-9 facilities based on 1 lower secondary school for every 4 primary schools; and (ii)provision of additional classrooms and facilities for upper secondary education, and Integrated VocationalEducation and Training centres by 2015.

Box 2 ESDF Quality Targets Related to Secondary EducationQuality targets in the ESDF related to secondary education are grouped in five clusters: curriculum andinstructional materials, student performance monitoring, teacher training, teacher deployment and others.Curriculum and instructional materials: (i) reforming the general education curriculum by increasing thenumber of years of schooling from 11 years (5+3+3) to 12 years (5+4+3); (ii) introducing a curriculum policyand strategy with increased instructional hours and equitable access to essential textbooks; (iii) improving theGrade 1-9 curriculum framework finalized with 4 textbooks for each student in Grades 6-9 by 2015; (iv)improving the Grade 1-9 curriculum framework based on an inclusive curriculum with 20% of content set asidefor local context curriculum; (v) providing equitable access to textbooks and selected complementaryinstructional materials for Grades 1-9 through one-off central procurement and replacement costs in blockgrant schemes; (vi) one textbook per student per subject for Grades 1-9 by 2015; (vii) nationwide procurementprocess commencing in 2010 with replacement costs included in school block grants from 2010 (viii) K-12curriculum framework finalized by 2012 with emphasis on a revised and strengthened Grade 11 and Grade 12curriculum.Student performance monitoring: (i) defining minimum standards of student achievement for Grades 3, 5 and9 and assuring a shared understanding of minimum standards amongst teachers, parents and otherstakeholders; (ii) defining learning outcomes and introduce from 2011 with sample surveys over 2011-2012;(iii) school and community agreements and standard report cards in place by 2012; (iv) develop newinstitutional arrangements for nationwide student performance monitoring requirements to improve learningoutcomes and employment opportunities; (v) 15,000 teachers and 2,500 school heads trained to developschool-community plans and whole school development plans by 2015.Teacher training: (i) decrees issued during 2010 in support of strengthening teacher training and enablingteacher education institutions to offer 12+3 degree programs from 2012 onwards with a total enrolment ofaround 15,000; (ii) new teacher training curriculum developed over 2010-2012 reflecting the 5+4+3 schoolorganizational structure and (iii) 20% of teachers receive in-service training annually.20

Teacher deployment is summarised by two targets: (i) demand-led approach to teacher recruitment andredeployment ensuring adequate teacher supply to underserved districts by 2012 and (ii) issue a decree for ateacher quota system and budgeting based on a pupil teacher ratio (PTR) of 30 for lower secondary, 25 forupper secondary, 20 for TVET and higher education during 2010 with targets reached by 2015.21

Private education and model schools: (i) expanded private provision of upper secondary schooling withthe required new regulations and involvement of the ESQAC and (ii) 20 model upper secondary schoolsthroughout the country by 2015.

20 No mention of USE Teacher Training Targets. However tentative targets are given in MOE (2010)21 Decree issued 2010 and quota system withdrawn from 2011




Box 3 ESDF Management Targets Related to Secondary Education

Management targets in the ESDF related to secondary education are grouped in four clusters: strengtheningmanagement; management related to teacher issues; planning, monitoring and evaluation; and school fees.Strengthening management: (i) Revised legislation and regulations consistent with revisions to staff functions,responsibilities and mandates at the central, provincial and district levels including primary and secondaryschool education responsibilities for Village Education Development Committees22; (ii) Realigned functionsand operational guidelines for the implementation of revised responsibilities at all levels to strengtheneducation management; (iii) Revised policy and regulations for delegating authority to provincial educationauthorities for teacher supply planning.Teacher management issues: (i) equitable deployment and distribution of better qualified teachers acrossurban, rural and remote schools; (ii) introduce new conditionalities related to remote and difficult postingsincluding 100% housing allowances and newly posted teachers receiving a payment in advance of taking uptheir post; (iii) identify specific school postings for trainee teachers at the beginning of training linked to asigned agreement to take up the post within the identified school; (iv) introduce accelerated promotion forschool head teachers based on leadership programs, planned performance appraisal, induction programsand new head teacher allowance.Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation: (i) improved efficiency in school performance monitoring, planning andmanagement through redefined role of inspection services at the central, provincial and district levels andintroduction of performance measures for all education staff at all levels; (ii) strengthened central andprovincial technical, personnel and financial management information systems against agreed performanceindicators; (iii) strengthened district level personnel planning and management systems against agreedstaffing norms.School Fees: (i) abolition of registration and instructional fees for students in early childhood playgroups,primary, lower secondary, NFE and teacher education; and (ii) elimination of fees for primary and lowersecondary education offset by a phased and incremental scheme of school block grants, school operationalbudgets and school development plans.

22 The role of Village Education Development Committees in the governance of Secondary Schools needs furtherinvestigation.




Appendix 2. BESDP I Impact, Outcome and Outputs

The program loan was provided to promote expanded access, equity, and quality ofeducation, while also strengthening the capacity of MOE and the provincial and district bodiesresponsible for education administration to provide more effective decentralized planning,management, financial reporting, and budgeting for school education. The design allowed theloan to be released in three tranches based on completion of three sets of policy actions. TheFirst Tranche (T1) US$3 million was released in December 2007; the Second Tranche (T2)US$3 million was released March 2010, and the Third Tranche (T3) US$ is scheduled to bereleased March 2011.

The loan’s more specific objective is to support a series of policy actions that collectivelycontribute to:

Ensuring increased resource mobilization to the education sector including rationalizingbudgetary allocations for education Designing and implementing an outcome-oriented budgeting and financial management

system that will also lead to preparation of a medium-term expenditure framework (MTEF)for education Providing a more relevant and integrated curriculum for school education Strengthening teacher management through preparation of a recruitment and deployment

plan and development of a teacher management information system Strengthening capacity for decentralized planning (and budgeting).

The anticipated impact of the grant project is an increased and more equitable educationalattainment among the adult population measured by (i) improved tested adult literacy rates,from 44.8% (2005) to 50% (2010), and declared adult literacy rates from 75% (2005) to 87%(2010) and (ii) improved tested adult literacy rates among 20% of the poorest population from30% (2005) to 40% (2010).

The expected outcome of the project is expanded and equitable access to improved qualityand more efficient lower secondary education (LSE) measured by: (i) an increased grossenrolment rate in LSE from 54% in 2005 to 64.5% in 2010; (ii) increased female share inadmissions to LSE from 44% in 2005 to 46% (2005) to 81,700 (2010); (iv) an increase intransition rate from grades 5 to 6 from 78.0% in 2005 to 85.0% in 2010 (75% for females and80% for males); (v) an increased completion rate of LSE from 40% in 2005 to 52% in 2010and (vi) an average LSE dropout rate reduced from 12% in 2005 to 6% in 2010.

Output 1 Increased budgetary allocations for education measured by (i) an increasededucation share of national budget from 15.5% in 2009 and 16% in 2010; (ii) an increasedshare of recurrent expenditures for education from 45% in 2009 and 50% in 2010 and (iii) anincreased disbursement rate for education budget from 80% for 2009 to 85% for 2010.

Output 2 Expanded and equitable access to LSE provided in fast-growing, high-demandurban areas and in poorest rural and remote areas measured by: (i) the provision of 28 newLSE schools, 144 LSE classrooms in existing LSE schools, in the 20 targeted districts ofBESDP I provinces and (ii) 1,638 scholarships for ethnic and poorest pupils, including at least50% girls, received and completed.

Output 3 Improved relevance and quality of LSE through: (i) a revised integrated curriculumframework for grades 1–12 (primary education completed by 2008 and upper secondarycurriculum drafted by end of Project); (ii) revised curriculum and student learning outcomesdeveloped for LSE by 2009; (ii) a teacher recruitment and deployment framework and action




plan; (iii) the in-service training of 5,373 lower secondary teachers completed in 50 projectdistricts and post-tests showing adequate teaching skills; (iv) 10 teacher training colleges, 28new lower secondary schools, and 109 other lower secondary schools receive a package ofequipment, teaching material, and learning resources by 2011

Output 4 Improved capacity for planning, budgeting, management, and delivery of educationthrough: (i) School management committees being established in 96 schools; (ii) annual andmedium-term LSE planning and budgeting/expenditure formats piloted in at least 3 provinces;(iii) planning and budgeting process in PES aligned with school mapping approach, teacherallocation and deployment process, and official development assistance plannedinterventions; (iv) improved accounting, reporting, and monitoring of expenditure; (v) improvedoutcome-oriented budget format and process; (vi) a more informed decision-making processregarding MOE budget negotiations with the MOF (MTEF); (vii) an improved assessment andmonitoring of MOE physical assets; and (viii) staff training to support all of the above

TA-7555 LAO BESDP II PPTA (Interim Report)

SECONDARY EDUCATION SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS ANNEX 03

Page 1 of 57

Appendix 3 Summary of Provincial Secondary Education Data (sorted by Lower Secondary enrolment)[A] [B] [C] [(A+B)/C] [D] [(A+B)/D] [E] [E/A] [F] [F/B] [note]

PROVLower

SecondaryStudents

UpperSecondaryStudents

SecondaryTeachers

LSE+USEStudents/Teacher

SecondarySchools

SecondaryStudents/School

LSERecurrent

M Kip

LSE RECKip perStudent

USERecurrent

M Kip

USE RECKip perStudent

Secondarypercent

EducationBudget

EducationSalarypercent

Recurrent

Educationpercent

Recurrent

Salary+AllowancesKip per Sec

Teacher1VTE 46,409 18,131 3,215 20.1 115 561 10153 218,772 14060 775,467 24.8% 84.0% 56.2% 421,46813SVK 38,409 10,213 2,572 18.9 152 320 15126 393,814 10942 1,071,380 29.1% 83.1% 91.0% 389,58910VIN 32,559 9,892 2,201 19.3 95 447 10001 307,165 7317 739,689 23.3% 84.2% 77.1% 257,61716CPK 30,821 9,364 2,187 18.4 124 324 13464 436,845 7108 759,077 29.6% 81.9% 96.4% 174,6776LPB 24,991 6,917 1,390 23.0 60 532 5901 236,125 6902 997,831 24.0% 76.9% 96.0% 130,9448SBY 21,992 6,698 1,753 16.4 81 354 7959 361,904 5727 855,031 25.5% 79.7% 82.8% 237,3159XKG 21,761 6,194 1,465 19.1 72 388 9041 415,468 4964 801,421 34.5% 83.0% 85.3% 177,4827HPN 20,646 4,696 1,261 20.1 98 259 8520 412,671 7720 1,643,952 38.0% 71.5% 95.4% 1,705,006

12KHM 18,622 5,569 1,182 20.5 85 285 missing - 11020 1,978,811 28.2% 80.7% 94.3% 622,68111BLK 16,823 4,617 770 27.8 49 438 5388 320,276 4971 1,076,673 39.3% 88.9% 81.2% 464,9474ODM 16,396 3,865 890 22.8 58 349 3102 189,192 3327 860,802 23.2% 73.6% 94.0% 600,00614SRV 11,712 3,165 780 19.1 45 331 4126 352,288 3186 1,006,635 22.8% 78.0% 95.5% 364,1113LMT 9,288 2,131 576 19.8 37 309 4214 453,704 3389 1,590,333 32.7% 74.4% 99.6% 1,465,2895BOK 8,074 2,076 508 20.0 29 350 3188 394,848 1771 853,083 28.6% 77.1% 92.9% 122,0562PNG 6,710 1,745 479 17.7 30 282 2734 407,452 2269 1,300,287 20.9% 85.0% 92.3% 304,811

17ATP 5,495 1,352 474 14.5 21 326 1365 248,408 4222 3,122,781 27.1% 76.3% 80.8% 2,662,45615SEK 4,680 1,414 331 18.4 23 265 1212 258,974 1662 1,175,389 20.0% 76.4% 97.7% 507,56099LAO 335,388 98,039 22,034 19.7 1,174 369 105494 314,543 100557 1,025,684 27.6% 80.4% 85.6% 485,984

Source: MOE Tables D.2, D.3, D.4 (no date), EMIS 2009/10 data on schools, enrolment, teachers. Note: check 56.2% Recurrent share for Vientiane City (1VTE).


ANNEX 07Teacher Tracer Study


Supplementary Paper [1] to Annex 05: Lao LS and US Graduate Teacher Tracer Study

Introduction A small scale tracer study was designed under BESDP II PPTA, to identify andanalyse the underlying issues behind system inefficiencies in recruitment and deployment ofgraduate teachers to secondary schools in Lao PDR.

The purpose of the Graduate Teacher Tracer Study was to profile the flow through ofgraduate teachers from upper secondary school graduation into pre-service teacher trainingand from pre-service teacher training into schools as class teachers or into other employment

The Tracer Study was designed to track:(i) the flow of school graduates into teaching, and(ii) the flow of new graduates from teacher training into schools as well as those exiting

teaching and taking up other employment opportunities.

Methodology. Information was gathered from four main sources:(i) Analysis of existing data (quantitative) accessed from EMIS, TEMIS and PMIS databases

and from direct information sources (TEIs, FOEs, PES, DEB and schools);(ii) Analysis of information from reports and sector studies (qualitative);(iii) Individual profiles (quantitative/qualitative) from questionnaires administered during

school visits to a total of 72 teachers who graduated from TEI/FOE since 20061;(iv) Information (quantitative/qualitative) gathered from focus group discussions with

management, teaching and administrative staff in TEI, PES, LS and US schools andethnic boarding schools during field visits to four provinces: Savannakhet representing alarge province with urban and remote area schools, economic growth potential and a TEI;Luang Namtha, a northern province with poor ethnic group areas and a TEI; XiangKhoaung a geographically large province with a TEI and a dispersed rural population; andSekong, a small poor province with remote ethnic group areas and no TEI.

In addition to gathering information for the tracer study, the field visits included fact findingand focus group discussions on issues of: Teacher deployment (supply and demand); Initial cycle of M1 teacher training for introduction of the new curriculum; In-service support for the implementation of the new LS/US curriculum; and An institutional capacity assessment of TEI/FOEs.

Why is a Tracer Study needed? As described in Annex 05, there is currently no shortage ineither supply of or demand for secondary school teachers. However there are concerns aboutsystem inefficiency, which may need to be addressed when a comparison is made betweenthe proportion of graduate teachers who take up teaching posts and those who exit theteaching profession on graduation from TEI/FOE. The exact scale of the problem is difficult tocalculate with any measure of accuracy. The annual total number of LS and US qualifiedgraduate teachers is known. The number of teachers needed and recruited in each district isknown as is the number of quota places allocated each year for each school level. The totalnumber of volunteer teachers currently in the system and the number of quota positions takenup either by volunteer teachers or new graduates each year is not clear. Also, data on theactual supply and demand for secondary teachers by subject specialism is not easilyavailable. Anecdotal evidence suggests, for example, that some teachers teach anothersubject to the one they studied in TEI/FOE, some teachers teach more than one subject andin some schools there are no teachers for some subjects, specifically science subjects, ICTand mathematics. At the present time many secondary school teachers are pursuing teacher

1 Some teachers had graduated from pre-service teacher training since 2006 and some teachers in the samplegraduated before 2006 and had more recently completed a teacher upgrade training 8+3 to 11+3 and 11+3 to BA.




upgrade programs of study at their own expense since the increased opportunity forpromotion and salary increment from upgrading provides teachers with a strong incentive.

Overall, the picture of secondary teacher supply and demand is changing quite rapidly.Maintaining comprehensive and up to date records, which accurately reflect the situation, isconsequently quite challenging. As LS and US enrolments expand in the coming years withhigher primary school completion and transition rates and government policy commitments toexpand secondary education access the critical shortages in remote areas and in subjectshortages will become more acute unless some action is taken to meet the future teacherdemand in secondary schools.

Analysis of available data presented in Annex 05 shows an oversupply of LS graduateteachers. One reason that US graduates opt for teacher training is because this provides astepping stone to wider job opportunities compared to other post-secondary qualifications.The findings of the tracer study indicate that the surplus of LS teachers is absorbed intoprivate sector employment and other government departments with some subjects such asEnglish and ICT offering more attractive prospects for employability than teaching. Thesituation is similar for employment options for US graduate teachers with opportunities for BAgraduates to be offered employment in universities and the private sector. However thenumber of US graduate teachers exiting the profession adds to the problem of under supplyshown by a simple comparison between the annual number of US qualified graduates insubject shortage areas and the number of unfilled teaching positions in US schools.

Who is responsible for tracking graduate teachers?Information on students who graduate from school to TEI should be held by each TEI. AGraduate Teacher Record Card could form the basis of a simple tracking system that couldbe used to compare the profile of teachers in training and new graduates in the first andsubsequent years of teaching. A preliminary design for a Graduate Tracker mechanism ispresented at the end of this section. The Graduate Tracker mechanism could provide amanageable means of improving efficiency in recruitment of graduate teachers.

Tracer Study Findings The main finding from the tracer study undertaken as part of theBESDP II PPTA is that there is no system in place either in schools, TEI/FOEs, PES or DEBto trace students after graduation from TEI/FOE. There is no systematic monitoring ofstudents from underserved districts who are given scholarships through special dispensationto train as teachers. Provinces have a rural posting policy and TEIs give priority toprospective trainees from villages experiencing difficulty in recruiting teachers. On completingteacher training the pre-condition is that those teachers selected and fast tracked2 fromremote areas will return to teach in their home district to teach. PES tracks entry to ensurethat entry level criteria are met and the correct subject is taken up but there is no monitoringor follow up of graduates. The PES and DEB staff indicated that most scholarship teachersreturn to their home district to teach. Some teachers contracted under the remote postingscholarship scheme may not have been made fully aware of the contractual obligations.Some graduates follow friends to another district or province and some return to their homelocation but take up jobs in other government offices. Many government offices have somegraduate teachers working in administration positions.

Graduate Teachers returning to their home district The tracer study data providesevidence of the number of teachers who return to their home district after completion ofteacher training.

2 TEI Entrance requirements may be waived and VEDCs provided with the mandate and criteria for selection ofstudents to enrol in teacher training courses on bonded contracts. The bond is difficult to enforce and there is somesuggestion from field visit discussions that trainee teachers on such contracts may not be fully aware of the pre-conditions.




o 42 percent of graduate teachers in the tracer study sample returned to teach in theirhome district where they had also attended secondary school.

o 24 percent of graduate teachers moved away from their home district to attendsecondary school and they returned to teach in the district where they went to school.

o 25 percent of graduate teachers attended secondary school in their home district andmoved away from that district to teach.

o 10 percent of graduate teachers moved away from their home district to attend schooland moved to another district to teach.

The data suggests that the tendency is for graduates to return to their home or district wherethey attended secondary school to teach. However it is not possible to determine from thetracer study data whether teachers who returned to their home district did so in fulfilment ofthe remote ethnic group quota allocation for enrolment to TEI. Of the teachers sent on BAscholarships from one tracer study province the PES reported that none had returned toteach in the province but 11 NOUL FOE BA graduates had joined the PES in 2010. SomeHigher Diploma LS qualified graduates had returned from regional TEIs but the actual numbercould not be confirmed. Most BA graduates came from the regional and national FOE butagain numbers could not be confirmed.

Volunteer Teacher status Of the 72 graduates in the tracer study sample, 78 percent (56) ofwho entered teaching since 2005 were initially appointed as volunteer teachers. 33 percent ofthe sample was awarded permanent teacher status in their second teaching appointment. 25percent of teachers were awarded permanent teacher status within their first year of teaching.A further 22 percent achieved permanent teacher status in their second year of teaching and11 percent in their third year of teaching. 39 percent of the sample were on volunteer teacherstatus at the time of the survey and had been teaching between one to three years. Evidencefrom the field visits indicates that the problem of graduate teachers being unable to secure apermanent teaching position under the quota system is easing following the increasednumber of quota places allocated by MOE in 2010. In one province for example the TA teamwere informed that of the 126 LS teachers recruited in 2010, 16 volunteer teachers wereupgraded to permanent teacher status and 110 new teaching positions were awarded tograduate teachers. No new recruits in 2010 had to enter teaching as volunteer teachers. ForBA degree teachers the quota is higher than the number of applicants.

Reasons for graduate teachers exiting the system The tracer study sample of teacherswas asked to explain where their TEI colleagues who did not go into teaching are nowworking. The alternatives listed included: police force, government administration officer,private sector employment, farmer, army, tourism, banking and private schools. The reasonsgiven for not going into teaching included lack of quota, low salary, better salary in privateschools / private sector, preference for other job, the wait is too long to become a certifiedteacher, deployment to a remote area is not attractive, poor grades in teaching qualification,no vacancies close to family, some graduates only want the qualification and don’t want toteach. Some BA graduates prefer to work in private schools or private sector employmentwhere salaries are higher. Graduates hope for an urban posting and they take another job ifgiven a rural posting. Incentives are not attractive and teachers stay only for a few years. Thebest graduates stay on in TEI/FOE as staff.

Proposed Actions arising from the Tracer Study PES and TEI/FOEs held the view that agraduate teacher tracker system would be useful and would contribute to improved efficiency.The recommended actions included:o Priority process for students from underserved areas to gain entrance to TEI.o Selection of TEI quota students should be done by DEB at village and district levelo Students sign a contract with MOE before entering TEI and on graduation they are

contracted to teach in the home district




Preliminary Design for a Graduate Tracker Mechanism

A simple tracking system that could be easily applied in all TEIs, FOE, PES and DEBs with theaim to reduce wastage and thereby improve efficiency in recruitment of teachers.

Rationale A key justification for design and implementation of a Graduate Teacher Tracker inTEIs and PES is to improve the efficiency of teacher recruitment and deployment as one steptowards solving the problems of teacher supply and demand. The current quota allocation andscholarship scheme is designed to encourage US graduates from poor ethnic group areas toenrol in TEI and to then return to their home district to teach. The efficiency of this scheme isbeing questioned based on analysis of education statistics showing disparities betweenteacher supply and teacher recruitment. Analysis of the rate of return and fulfilment ofcontracts to take up a teaching post on graduation from the TEI/FOE may be possible if asystem is designed to trace new graduate teachers3. Analysis of teacher recruitment andprojection data from DOP, ESDF Finance Model and TEMIS is detailed in the BESDP II PPTAInterim Report, Annex 05.

The small scale Graduate Teacher Tracer Study implemented under the BESDP II PPTA hasidentified that there is no system in place at present to monitor the flow of graduates fromupper secondary school into post secondary education including TEI and FOE, nor to monitorthe flow of TEI and FOE graduates into teaching or non-teaching appointments. All institutionsinterviewed in the tracer study who are involved in this teacher recruitment cycle agreed that agraduate tracking system would be useful. It would provide information from which to improvethe recruitment process and would lead to more efficient returns on investment.

Currently those graduate teachers who have exited the system can only be traced in an ad hocway through (i) information from new graduates about their classmates from TEI, (ii)information in DEB and PES offices of new graduates who have been employed in othergovernment offices often because of proficiency in English, mathematics and ICT and (iii)direct follow up with a random sample of graduates within the first year of completing teachertraining traced through home contact details from the TEI.

Purpose of the Proposed Teacher Graduate Tracker To identify the number of graduates from TEIs and NUOL FOE who enter teaching and the

number who do not enter the teaching profession on graduation. To understand the reasons and alternative careers chosen by graduates who do not enter

teaching To monitor the deployment and retention of new recruits into teaching in the first 3 years by

location of first posting, home district, etc. focusing on differences between urban and ruralappointments and subject shortages.

Proposed DesignThe system would register trainee teachers on enrolment in TEI and FOE including individualprofiles and information on quota, scholarship and contract conditionalities of each individual.On graduation from the TEI/FOE each student could be issued with a Completion Certificatein the form of a Graduate Teacher Record Card which shows their individual profile and thiscard is presented to any future employer. Whether the graduates become teachers or becomeemployed outside the education system, they may be required to inform TEI/FOE of theiremployment situation in order for the DTE to be able to track graduate teachers and ultimatelyto improve efficiency. Graduate teachers who received quota scholarships from underservedareas should also be required to inform the PES or DEB of their employment situation. At thesimplest level each TEI should keep records of the contact details of all graduates and requestgraduates to keep them informed and updated of any change of address. Each institution orstudent group could establish an alumni.

3 Contract conditionality options may include conditional cash bonus scheme. Conditional cash bonuses may bemade to individual graduates and TEIs/FOE, DEBs and VEDC who fulfil the commitment to ensure that trainedteachers are deployed to and retained in underserved schools for a period of two years or more, for example.




Considerations The tracker should be linked to the existing TEMIS, PMIS or PES databasesystem currently operating but it will be necessary to ensure that the system is manageable interms of consistency of data entry, data quality, maintenance of the system and functionality. Aparallel MIS system should not be developed. This record may then also be linked to incentivepayments such as bonus for completion of the first year of teaching in designated underservedschools.

Data Collection Information on students who graduate from school to TEI should be held byeach TEI. The basic information should include the following information recorded in a simplequestionnaire format: Student ID / male-female / age / home village / last secondary school attended / year of

graduation / subject grades / ethnic group / contact details

Information on students who graduate from each TEI should be held on a Graduate TeacherRecord Card. The basic information should include the following information recorded in asimple questionnaire format: Student ID / male-female / age / home village / last secondary school attended / year of

graduation / TEI attended / year of graduation / subject grades / ethnic group / contactdetails / employment record (school of first and subsequent appointments, teachingresponsibilities, subject / grades taught)

Each graduate teacher would be required to submit to the TEI on an annual basis an updatedrecord of employment covering the first three years after graduation. If the basic data wereavailable, as above, a tracking system would be possible by comparing the profile of teachersin training and new graduates in the first year of teaching. While TEI and PES should hold datathat is relevant to them overall responsibility should be assigned to DTE TEED or DOP.

Some questions to be raised in Graduate Teacher Tracker design and pilot stage What information is needed, by whom? Where does the information come from? How will the information be used? How will the information help decision making and improved efficiency in teacher

recruitment and deployment? Identify advantages and disadvantages of linking the proposed incentive schemes to

the Graduate Teacher Tracker (See Teacher Incentives Pilot Design)


ANNEX 08Teacher Placement Scheme


Supplementary Paper: Incentives for Recruitment, Deployment and Retention of QualifiedMale and Female Teachers to Underserved Areas

The ADB BESDP II concept note includes reference to a program intervention developed toexplore the feasibility of a focused pilot test of incentive mechanisms for rural teacherdeployment linked to policy reforms. This paper presents an initial design for a pilot teacherplacement scheme, which may be trialed in target districts with BESDP II support forimplementation and evaluation.

Background A key barrier to achieving the goal of providing quality secondary schooleducation in Lao is the difficulty of recruiting teachers to under-served areas of the country.Teachers are least attracted to areas where living and working conditions are morechallenging and supplementary allowances have not provided sufficient incentive. The quotasystem has not proved effective as a mechanism tor deployment of teachers to areas of needand neither have the existing scholarship and contract schemes solved the problems ofundersupply of teachers to poor ethnic areas. The MOE recognizes that the living andworking conditions and salaries of teachers are crucial factors that need to be addressed; inparticular to attract secondary school teachers to underserved areas of the country.

The UNESCO Secondary Teacher study (2009) draws attention to the complexities ofproviding quality education to poor ethnic communities: “ensuring educational provision forthese disadvantaged populations is not a simple question of extending existing policies andextrapolating existing costs”. In addition to geographical barriers for students to accessschool, small school size and language issues, marginal costs of educating children in theseareas at primary school and even more so at secondary level will be higher than the nationalaverage.

One challenge which the MOE faces in improving teacher recruitment and deployment tounderserved areas is to balance additional costs of staffing rural schools with incentives thatare sufficiently attractive enough to persuade teachers to take up appointments. Anotherchallenge that will need to be carefully considered is how to ensure that teachers who arealready working in under-served areas are not de-motivated if additional placement relatedincentives, working conditions and allowances are applied only to new graduates

It cannot necessarily be assumed that the same placement related incentives should applyacross the country and from district to district. Therefore any review may need to consideralternative options for teacher incentives. Also, the situation will change over time andtherefore it is essential that the graduate teacher placement scheme should be regularlyreviewed within a broader teacher pay review process1. Clear guidelines and selection criteriawill be needed to ensure that the placement related incentives are correctly targeted. Amonitoring system will be needed to ensure that the system is both efficient and performancerelated.

During field visits to Savannakhet and Sekong provinces teachers and district officials wereasked for their views on the kind of incentives that might attract secondary teachers to work inpoor underserved areas. Discussion and observation of the localities prompted the followingsuggestions for targeted incentives:

Cash-based incentives - end of year bonus; pay three months salary advance at thebeginning of the school year for new graduate teachers to relocate, establish themselves andset up home; raise the percentage allowance for remote teacher posts; provide allowance forinstallation of new teachers and cost for accompanying to the post when the teacher needs a

1 Reference to relevant TESAP activities relating to teacher salaries and career structure and progress status




guide to show them the way; transportation at start and end of vacation from the district to theprovincial centre for teachers to be able to visit their familyIn-kind incentives - satellite dish, TV and VCD for setting up a district resource centre pluswater powered generator (Chinese); phone / sim access for teachers in remote locationsdonated by telecom provider as an example of PPP and corporate social responsibility;provide teacher accommodation to meet a basic minimum standard with facilities (water,electricity, etc); provide transport to take new teachers and their belongings to their school

INITIAL DESIGN FOR A PILOT GRADUATE TEACHER PLACEMENT SCHEME:Placement related incentives for recruitment, deployment and retention of qualifiedfemale and male secondary school teachers in poor ethnic group areas

The pilot graduate teacher placement scheme for enhancement of teacher incentives in poorethnic areas is designed to address the challenge of encouraging qualified graduate teachersto work in rural and hard-to-reach areas, to encourage US school graduates fromunderserved areas to train as teachers and return to their home district to teach, and to retainexperienced teachers in the underserved areas.

Aim of the Pilot Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme: to trial and evaluate the effect ofincentives on recruitment, deployment and retention of teachers to poor ethnic group areas.

Expected Outcomes:- increase in recruitment of graduates from US schools in underserved poor ethnic group

areas to enrol in TEI;- increase in the number of graduate teachers who take up teaching posts in poor ethnic

group areas, including those on rural quota scholarships who return to their home districtto teach; and

- improve the retention period of experienced teachers working in rural poor ethnic areas

BackgroundRemote teaching incentives are 15% additional salary for moderately remote schools, 20%for more remote schools and 25% additional salary for most remote schools. Each districtcategorises schools by remoteness. Scholarships provided to secondary school graduatesfrom some rural areas have been effective and teachers have returned to the village butothers do not fulfil the commitment. Village communities provide rice and accommodation forteachers. PES’ have proposed to the MoE that salaries and allowances for teachers workingin remote schools should be increased.

The SEAP 2010 (draft) and the TDMP (2010) include specific reference to incentivesarrangements for secondary school teachers working in underserved areas of the country.SE Action Plan (SEAP draft 2010) TDMP (2010)

Lower Secondary Programme 2:Adequately address the problem of teachershortages in certain subjects and geographicareas.2.5 Provide incentives for teachers to upgrade theirqualifications.2.6 Increase the quota for graduates from ethnicminority groups to enrol in teacher trainingcolleges.2.7 Provide incentives for teachers to be deployedto rural and remote areas such as accommodationallowances, travel allowances, and other socialwelfare benefits.

Output 3.1 Increase in Teacher Compensation

(i) Raise salaries of teachers by preparinglegislation on new salary structure for teachers,which will consider: teachers receiving moreallowances when they teach more grades orlevels, improve payment system especially forteachers who work in remote areas to ensure ontime payment of salaries.

Output 3.2 Convenience facilities are provided toteachers for them to perform their jobs

(i)Set-up regulation to provide facilities for teachersto make their living and working conditionsconvenient.




The SEAP (draft) outlines three key management issues:- Equitable deployment and distribution of better qualified teachers across urban, rural and

remote schools.- Introduce new conditionalities related to remote and difficult postings including 100%

housing allowances and newly posted teachers receiving a payment in advance of takingup their post.

- Identify specific school postings for trainee teachers at the beginning of training linked to asigned agreement to take up the post within the identified school.

Implementation of a procedure for contracting of teachers to specific school postings early intheir teacher training course will be problematic because (i) the administration would not beable to reasonably determine vacancies further than one year in advance, and (ii) it is difficultto make a signed agreement binding.

Increasing the quota of graduates from ethnic group areas is dependent on US studentcompletion rates from those under-served areas, and of students reaching the required entrystandard and being motivated to enter the teaching profession.

The TDMP describes the situation in Lao PDR where teachers’ salaries are very lowcompared to neighboring countries in the region; teacher allowances for remote, isolated ormountainous area posts are not attractive enough compared to comforts of urban living; and,there is a wide gap in the living conditions and facilities for teachers in rural and remote areascompared to those of teachers in urban areas.

One of the goals stated in the TDMP is “to ensure that the current teaching force is retainedthrough the setting up of proper systems for incentives, promotion and career development.Teachers who are assigned to work in rural and remote areas should be provided withreasonable incentives and training opportunities for continuous upgrading”. Component 3 ofthe TDMP focuses on upgrading of compensation, benefits and incentives. The TESAPreview (MOE, 2011)reports that “Output 5.3 Remote areas special fund for teachersestablished” has not been completed apart from the drafting of a set of procedures for theestablishment, investment and use of the special funds. No funding sources have beenidentified.

Locality Allowances may be proposed which define alternative arrangements and optionsappropriate to different areas and individual circumstances. For newly posted teachers a one-off basic payment may be made in advance, before taking up their post, to pay for re-locationcosts. The provision would have to be secured by a commitment from the teacher either byarranging payment on signing of a permanent staff contract or by arranging payment onarrival at the school. The 100% housing allowance proposed in the SEAP (draft 2010) may beappropriate for a teacher who is far from their home village but another incentive may beapplicable to a teacher who returns to her home village to teach. The housing allowance mayspecify the expected minimum standard of accommodation to be provided by the localcommunity. Where a community is requested to provide housing for teachers the PES andDEBs explained that there is some concern among communities about how an in-kindcontribution can be equitably distributed. All communities in a school catchment area shouldcontribute to the construction so that the community where the school is located does nothave to carry the whole burden.

Future Policy Actions that may be supported by BESDP IIThe design and viability of the pilot Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme, undertaken duringthe project preparation, identifies options which may be considered by DOP for approval byMOE and subsequent trialling during the BESDP II project period. Further detailed design andpreparation would have to be undertaken including all legal and regulatory requirements.




Consideration would need to be given to the sustainability of the scheme beyond the lifetimeof BESDP and potential for scaling up and embedding within a broader Career DevelopmentPlan. Monitoring and evaluation procedures would need to be established as well as clearselection criteria and safeguards to ensure that the placement related incentives reach themost deserving teachers.

BESDP II could assist with:- piloting of the Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme for teachers working in underserved

and poor ethnic group areas2

- implementation of the TDMP including review and revision of existing decrees/regulationsand operational guidelines

- system performance monitoring including a tracking system for recruitment, deploymentand retention of teachers, career progression

- advice on teacher pay reforms including financial and in-kind incentive allowances andsupport for development of procedures and capacity development for roll-out of a teachercareer structure including pay reform.

Scale and ScopeThe target districts would be the starting point for selection of trial schools.

Guidelines would be drafted to define the procedures, incentives options, selection criteria forselection of incentives to trial and beneficiaries, and implementation process includingmonitoring of impact and overall effectiveness.

The target group for trialing of the Graduate Teacher Placement Scheme would be identifiedbased on a clear set of criteria which address the root cause of teacher shortages in poorethnic areas.

Thorough monitoring and rigorous evaluation implementation of the Remote TeacherIncentive Scheme could be a BESDP II conditionality.

STRATEGIES AND PLACEMENT RELATED INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE TEACERSTO TEACH IN UNDERSERVED AREAS INCLUDING RURAL AND POOR ETHNIC GROUPAREAS

Recruitment of graduates from Upper Secondary School to TEI/FOEIssue 1: TEI selection / recruitment of graduates from rural LSE and USE schoolsUS graduates from rural areas are unaware of the TEI application processUS graduates do not have the opportunity to take the TEI entrance examShortage of US graduates who are able to meet the TEI/FOE entry requirementsUS graduates from rural areas have less success in TEI entrance exam

Proposed Strategies and Placement Related Incentives that may be considered for TEIselection/recruitment of graduates from rural LSE and USE schools Village leaders and DEB should be involved in selection and recruitment of US graduates

from underserved areas into TEI Ensure that graduates from rural USE schools are provided with careers advice about

teaching as an option

2 DMF Target: New policy adopted on incentives for rural teacher deployment, and selected mechanisms successfullypiloted in the deployment of at least NN teachers. NOTE: an activity needs to be included in the DMF to match this target.




Make it easier for graduates from rural USE schools to sit the TEI entrance exams Make special allowance for graduates from rural USE schools who do not meet the

selection criteria for entrance to TEI – preparation classes in summer school Provide additional quota targeted to meet specific shortage criteria eg subject shortages

and ethnic group shortages Review effectiveness and efficiency of scholarships and bonded contract schemes for

graduates from rural USE schools to gain admission to TEI and pilot alternative schemesfor contracting and incentivising against the targeted shortage criteria, includingconsideration of performance/results based conditional cash grants to students and toTEIs.

Recruitment of new graduates from TEI/FOE into schools in poor ethnic areasIssue 2: Deployment of TEI graduates to rural, poor LSE and USE schoolsLack of quota places for new graduates as quota places are used to absorb volunteerteachers3

Delay in recruitment and appointments processMore attractive employment opportunities in private sector and private schoolsContractual conditions disregarded and not enforceablePlacement Related Incentives are inadequate to attract teachers to underserved areas andUS subject shortage teachers

Proposed Strategies and Placement Related Incentives that may be considered for PES andDEB4 selection/recruitment of graduates from TEI and FOE to underserved LSE and USEschools in rural and poor ethnic group areasMOE through the PES and DEB should provide a guarantee of provisional Civil Serviceappointment to new graduate teachers, confirmed on permanent status after satisfactorycompletion of the first year of teaching.TEI should provide orientation as part of TEI graduate exit workshop – new graduates postedto remote areas given basic skills orientation for survival in work /daily life in remote areasDEB and TEI should provide orientation program to the communities on how to providesupport to new graduate teachers (BEGP model).DEB to assist with selection and deployment of new graduates to underserved areasEnsure salaries and remote teacher allowances are paid on timeProvide a conditional cash bonus after “x” years of teaching in an underserved area.For teachers willing to re-locate to remote and under-served areas:- Prioritize and fast track teacher appointments- Waive the requirement to take post graduate selection test- Payment of a one-off mobilization and re-location allowance for transport to the remote area

and basic household provisions.- Provide adequate housing for teachers in underserved areas- Provide solar / mini-hydro power unit- Prioritize provision of teaching resources to underserved schools- Give publicity to teachers working in remote areas and promote their stories in the media to

give recognition- Invite teachers from remote areas to a one week provincial training/meeting annually to

enable them to network and to update on developments in education and other currentaffairs to reduce their isolation.

3 The quota system will be removed in the near future, pending preparation of the guidelines and directives forimplementation of an alternative recruitment and deployment process. (DOP TDMP 2010)4 Reference to roles and responsibilities mandated to PES and DEB will be described by DOP in the Guidelines forTDMP implementation in management and pedagogical support to secondary schools




Placement Related Incentives to retain experienced teachers working in schools inpoor ethnic areasIssue 3: Retention of teachers for +2 years teaching experience in rural, poor LS /US schools

Proposed Strategies and Placement Related Incentives that may be considered as bonuspayment for teachers who teach for more than 2 years in LS and US schools in rural poorethnic group areasRetain existing qualified teachers through bonus scheme incentives including localityallowances, teaching support materials and annual mobilization provision at the beginningand end of the school year.Incentives for upgrade of under-qualified teachers including locality allowance, access toupgrade training scholarships, upgrade programs delivered in targeted district centers,access to multi-media education programs (TV, radio, DVD and mobile phone)Provide orientation / preparedness programs for teaching in remote areas in TEI/FOEprograms and provide parallel community-based orientation to support teachers in targetdistricts and schoolsAppoint a school based mentor/pedagogical adviser in remote schools with access toadditional teaching /media resources. Support the development of the school as a communitylearning centre to raise the status of teachers in the community and to raise the value ofeducation in the community.Teachers appointed to schools in remote areas should receive salary 3 months in advanceincluding a Mobilisation allowance and subsequent quarterly payments in advance to limitneed to travel to the district or provincial centre to receive pay each month.Housing allowances where applicable should be paid in advance with salary.TEI/FOE with high success rate in trainee course completion and appointments to specifiedunderserved districts / schools and in subject shortages should receive an annual allowancefor travel to undertake supervision-monitoring visits to schools in remote areas and forprocurement of additional instructional materials.

Case Study – Provincial Field Visit (February 2011)

Theses are the difficulties reported by teachers and district officials in one remote mountainous districtof Lao PDR Communication between district and province, and district and village is not effective. Village locations are scattered and distances between villages are long. Enrolment rates are still low including low female enrolment and recruitment of teachers to school is

difficult. Capacity and qualification of staff does not match their level of responsibilities Population in some parts are not aware of the value and importance of education so they do not

encourage children to attend school. Morale of staff is not strong, salary is low compared to business and general economy. There are

few employment opportunities in the area. Some teachers do not report to their assigned school to take up their post. Teachers prefer an easier location for living and working When the teachers’ children are sick they may be absent from school for 1-2 months Deployment of teachers cannot meet the PTR Schools in some areas have no trained teachers. Some villages have no road access and communications and transport are difficult There is telephone connectivity, TV signal and electricity in the district centre. Internet access is

slow. There are 5 village health centres in the district and one hospital. Some villages have a waterpowered generator from China

School Construction is easy but teacher supply is difficult.The construction plans are developed on the basis of village clusters. The number of students iscalculated and a site selected for access to facilities, communication and road access.




Supply of teachers is the real challenge.

Proposed Options for Remote Teacher Incentives: end of year bonus satellite dish, TV and VCD for setting up a district resource centre plus water powered

generator (Chinese) phone /sim access (subsidy/promotion for teachers in remote locations by telecom) provider as

an example of PPP and corporate social responsibility) Provide three months salary advance at the beginning of the school year for new graduate

teachers to relocate, establish themselves and set up home. Rationale: poor teachers have tobe self sufficient for food and accommodation with no support. They receive a phone call withinstructions to report to the school provided by district or school. They may wait for 3 monthsor up to 8 months before receiving their first salary payment

Raise the percentage allowance for remote teacher posts. Provide allowance for installation of new teachers and cost for accompanying to the post when

the teacher needs a guide to show them the way transportation allowance at start and end of vacation from the district to the provincial centre for

teachers to be able to visit their family. Teachers can make their own transport arrangementsonce they reach the provincial centre.Costs in Kileum District, Sekong Province:500,000 kip per boat in the rainy season60,000 kip per person by road in the dry season

Provide teacher accommodation to meet a basic minimum standard with facilities (water,electricity, etc)

Provide transport to take new teachers and their belongings to their school


ANNEX 09Financial Analysis


A. Macroeconomic Context

1. Sustained growth and rising government revenues. Following economicreforms and increased external orientation, the economy of the Lao People'sDemocratic Republic (Lao PDR) has sustained rapid growth in recent years. Despitethe global economic downturn, growth of real gross domestic product (GDP) percapita remained in the 3.6% to 6.2% range during 2006-2010 (averaging 5.3% perannum). Industry (representing one-quarter of GDP) grew by 18.0% in 2010, whileoutput of electricity more than doubled, with Nam Theun 2 hydropower plant reachingfull capacity. Table 1 shows projected growth of real GDP per capita at 5.7% in 2011and 5.8% in 2012, and continued strong prospects thereafter, with continuedexpansion of power generation, industry, and services.

Table 1: Key Economic Indicators, 2005-2012Year 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011a 2012a

GDP growth rate 6.8 8.1 7.9 7.2 7.3 7.5 7.7 7.8GDP per capita growthrate

… 6.0 3.6 5.5 5.2 6.2 5.7 5.8

Inflation 7.2 6.8 4.5 7.6 0.0 6.0 6.5 6.0… = not available, GDP = gross domestic product a projectionsSource: Asian Development Bank. 2011. Asian Development Outlook 2011. Manila (South-SouthEconomic Links, Statistical Appendix Tables A1, A2 and A8).

2. The proceeds of projected growth, especially hydropower revenue, willsustain government revenue and allocations to the education sector. The educationsector response to labor market demand to support economic growth will determinehow the benefits of investment-driven growth benefit all Lao PDR citizens1, especiallyensuring access to better educational outcomes for female and ethnic groups in ruralareas. Improved access to secondary education provides the basis for a skilled laborforce to meet emerging labor market demand. Improved educational qualificationsleading to higher individual earnings should contribute to increased Governmentrevenue and reduced outlays on poverty reduction programs. These effects shouldbe greater in poorer districts which have low educational outcomes.

B. Education Sector Finance

3. Government priority for Education. GOL has continued to prioritizeeducation, with nominal value of Government Recurrent funding increasing 2.4 timesbetween 2005/06 and 2009/10 (Table 2). Official Direct Assistance (ODA) hassupported sector growth, more than tripled in from 2004/05 to 2006/07, but declinedsharply in 2007/08. As government financing of the education sector has risen, theshare of ODA in total education financing declined from 60% mid-decade to 31% in2009/10. Figure 1 shows the annual increase in Government recurrent funding andthe effect of declining ODA on total sector budget.

Table 2: Education Budget, 2005/06-2009/102005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

358.1 467.3 562.8 774.9 874.5

51.1 41.5 50.0 74.2 258.2

598.9 739.6 473.0 453.5 512.4

1008.1 1248.4 1085.7 1302.6 1645.2Source: MOE (Department of Finance data)

Recurrent BudgetDomestic InvestmentODA

Education Budget

1000 Million LAK

4. The Government has demonstrated a commitment to increase its investmentin education, and the Program directly supports this agenda in terms of bothincreasing and more efficiently utilizing resources, with a focus on the SE subsector.

1 Refer LD10 Economic Analysis.




5. The Education Sector averaged 16% of State Budget (less debt repayment)over the five years 2005/06 to 2009/10, with Education Sector share of GDPaveraging 2.9% (Table 3). Education Sector share was 15.5% of State Budget in2009/10. Figure 1 shows a 2007/08 decline in Education Sector funding when theODA contribution declined.

Figure 1: Education Budget, 2005/06-2009/10

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10

1000 M

illion K

ip (LA

K)

ODA

Domestic Investment

Recurrent Budget

6. Projected Government Finance and Education Expenditure. Withprojected GDP growth at 7.7% in 2011 and 7.8% in 2012, and assuming annual GDPgrowth averaging 6% per annum through the following five years, Table 3 presents aforecast in which Lao PDR achieves an education sector share of at least 3.3% ofGDP and meets the Government undertaking to allocate at least 18% of StateBudget to Education by 20152.

Table 3: Education Budget and Sector Share, 2005/06-2009/10, and Projectionto 2016/17

2005/06 2006/07 2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2014/16 2016/1733,222 39,492 43,287 50,573 54,100 58,266 62,810 66,893 71,241 75,872 80,803 86,0566,325 6,550 7,367 8,472 10,648 11,653 11,934 12,710 13,037 13,885 14,787 15,7481,008 1,248 1,086 1,303 1,645 1,865 1,969 2,161 2,281 2,499 2,662 2,83515.9% 19.1% 14.7% 15.4% 15.5% 16.0% 16.5% 17.0% 17.5% 18.0% 18.0% 18.0%3.0% 3.2% 2.5% 2.6% 3.0% 3.2% 3.1% 3.2% 3.2% 3.3% 3.3% 3.3%

Source: MOE (Department of Finance data) to 2009/10. SESDP projections to 2016/17.

Education BudgetEducation Share of Budget

Education Share of GDP

Projected Growth to 2016/17Reported Outcomes

1000 Million LAKGross Domestic Product (GDP)

State Budget

7. Increased numbers of students completing primary school and enrolling inlower secondary schools suggest annual growth in secondary enrolment by at least5%. Grade 12 in 2010/11 is expected to increase total secondary enrolment by 15%before stabilizing between 5% and 10% per annum. Teacher salaries (includingallowances) accounted for 84.4% of total MOE and Provincial recurrent budgetallocations in 2009/10. Enrolment growth nearer 10% annum could require theeducation share of State Budget to exceed the 18% target after 2015.

2 Budget share calculations in Tables 3 and 4 use the accepted definition in Lao PDR which expressestotal Budget allocation to education sector as a proportion of GOL Budget, inclusive of ODA and net ofdebt servicing. Achieving 18% allocation to education by 2015 is a policy condition for the SESDPProgram Loan.




8. The strong economic outlook should ensure that Lao PDR has the financialresources to meet immediate growth in enrolments and Education Budgetallocations. Figure 2 shows projected Education expenditure, share of GDP andshare of State Budgets to 2017/18.

Figure 2: Projected GOL Budget and Education Expenditure 2010/11-2017/18

9211,059

1,3311,457

1,4921,630

1,848 2,096

14.7%

15.4%16.0%

17.0%18.0%

2.5%3.1% 3.2% 3.1% 3.3% 3.4% 3.4%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

20%

-

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

Dolla

rs M

illion

s

State Budget Education Budget

Education as % of Budget Education as % of GDP

Table 4: Education Budget and Sector Share, 2007/08-2009/10, and Projectionto 2017/18

2007/08 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) 5,411 6,322 6,763 7,283 7,851 8,322 8,821 9,350 9,911 10,506 11,136State Budget 921 1,059 1,331 1,457 1,492 1,589 1,630 1,736 1,848 1,969 2,096Education Budget 135 163 212 233 246 270 285 312 333 354 377Education as % of Budget 14.7% 15.4% 15.9% 16.0% 16.5% 17.0% 17.5% 18.0% 18.0% 18.0% 18.0%

Education as % of GDP 2.5% 2.6% 3.1% 3.2% 3.1% 3.2% 3.2% 3.3% 3.4% 3.4% 3.4%

6.347 7.341 6.861 5.885 3.481 1.462 0.962SESDP as % of Education Budget 2.6% 2.7% 2.4% 1.9% 1.0% 0.4% 0.3%

SESDP as % of GDP 0.08% 0.09% 0.08% 0.06% 0.04% 0.01% 0.01%

Source: MOE (Department of Finance data) to 2009/10. SESDP estimates to 2011/12. Projection 2012/13-2017/18 assumes 6% p.a. GDP growth.

Costs associated with SESDP interventions

Projection$ millions

Reported Outcomes Estimated

9. Table 4 presents the Table 3 data in dollars3. SESDP expenditure isconcentrated in the first four years, 2011/12-2014/15, supporting nationwideprovision of Grade 8 (M3), Grade 9 (M4) and Grade 10 (M5) textbooks and teachertraining, as well as commencement of LSE construction and low-cost dormitories in30 target districts, and scholarships for Grade 6 in 2013/14 and Grade 10 in 2014/15.In addition to employment of additional teachers to support enrolment growth whereSESDP has constructed LSE and USE classrooms, there is a recurrent cost forreplacement of textbooks. SESDP interventions represent between 2 and 3% of theEducation Budget in 2011/12 t0 2013/14, but following project completionincremental recurrent costs are expected to remain less than 0.1% of GDP from 2019onwards.

10. Provincial Education Funding. National aggregate data in Tables 1-4obscure regional imbalances, especially where enrolments expand at a faster rate inrural districts which require increased school infrastructure and have difficulty

3 Dollar to Lao PDR Kip assumed constant at LAK 8,000 to one US dollar.




attracting qualified LSE and USE teachers. Table 5 summarizes 2009/10 ProvincialBudget allocations, and contrasts seven Provinces with most enrolments and theseven with least aggregate enrolments4. The first group has 58% of Lao PDRPrimary and 65% of Secondary enrolments, compared with the third group having26% and 18% respectively. The first group allocates one-third of their Provincialrecurrent budget to education (91% for salaries) while the third group allocates aquarter of their local Budget to education (89% for salaries).

Table 5: Education Share of Provincial Recurrent Budgets 2009/10, Grade 5to Grade 6 transition rates, and 2009/10 ratio of Secondary to Primary

enrolmentRecurrent

Budget2009/10

EducationRecurrent

EducationShare

Recurrent

Non-SalaryRecurrentShare (d)

Grade 6/Grade5

(e)

Secondary/Primary

2009/10 (f)

SESDP(g)

1,148,494 387,234 33.7% 8.7% 85.7% 53.2% 9376,925 102,769 27.3% 10.6% 76.9% 50.8% 4606,475 148,696 24.5% 11.1% 78.3% 32.4% 17

2,131,894 638,699 30.0% 9.6% 82.6% 47.4% 30

3 Provinces (b)7 Provinces (c')

Total ProvincesSource: National Assembly 2009/10 Budget Allocations. (a) Savannakhet, Vientiane Province, Champassak, VientianeCity, Huaphanh, Luang Prabang, Xieng Kuang; (b) Sayabouly, Khammouan, Bolikhamxai, (c') Phongsaly, LuangNamtha, Oudomxai, Bokeo, Saravan, Sekong. Attapeu). (d) MOE DOF Report. (e) EMIS Grade 6 2009/10 divided byGrade 5 2008/09. (f) EMIS 2009/10 Total Secondary, Total Primary. (g) SESDP Districts. [PROV BUDGET 0910.xls]

Million LAK

Provinces7 Provinces (a)

11. With 17 of the 30 SESDP districts in the third group of Provinces, success inprograms to improve Grade 5 to Grade 6 transition rates5 and retention to Grade 9will place greater demands on these Provinces to increase their annual budgetallocation for education. Achieving ESDF targets will require improvements in theseaccess and participation measures, and will require increased Provincial educationexpenditure to employ additional teachers.

12. SESDP extends the nation-wide achievements of the Basic Education SectorDevelopment Program (BESDP) by enabling the Ministry to provide new Grade 8-12textbooks and teachers guides, and support Grade 8-12 in-service teacher training.Pre-service teacher education institutes and faculties of education will be engaged intraining so the next generation of teacher graduates is familiar with the newcurriculum.

13. In a sector where teacher salaries and allowances account for almost 90% ofrecurrent expenditure, other recurrent costs (textbook replacement, teacher in-service/upgrading, school maintenance, improving information and managementsystems) tend to be under-resourced. The Ministry has sought Budget provision forthe introduction of block grant payments to schools to maintain buildings, replacetextbooks, meet travel costs for teacher training and other school operationalexpenses. This initiative has been encouraged by the EFA/FTI Project in primaryschools6 and SESDP supports its extension for secondary schools, as well asensuring that Ministry, Provincial and District education personnel have adequatefunds for essential travel. EFA/FTI and BESDP have each introduced school grantpayments in project schools. SESDP will extend these as “Access Grants” to focuson the expected outcomes. These offer the Ministry models and procedures formanaging block grant payments to schools7.

4 The remaining 3 Provinces could be combined with either the first 7 or the last 7 Provinces.5 The third group average 78% Grade 5 to Grade 6 transition compared with 86% in the first group.6 Funding from Nam Theun 2 revenues to be allocated in 2011/12 for replacement primary textbooks.7 See Financial Management Capacity Assessment.




14. SESDP supports increasing the non-salary recurrent proportion of MOEBudget from a 2009/10 measure of 6.5% to 11.0% over the next five years8. As wellas ensuring adequate provision for delivery of textbooks and learning materials toschools, there is an allocation which enables ministry, provincial and district officialsto travel to schools and participate in training activities. This allocation would alsoprovide funds to support the introduction of Block Grant payments to schools, andsteps to expand current and proposed scholarships to maximize enrolment andcompletion of secondary education.

15. Education sector efficiency should be improved as average school enrolmentincreases and drop-out is reduced across all grades, especially at transition fromPrimary Grade 5 to LSE Grade 6. These problems are more acute in the poorestrural areas being targeted by SESDP, and girls generally have lower outcomes thanboys on many indicators. In the 30 target districts, 37% of Primary schools had fewerthan 50 students and 52% were incomplete; 17% of Secondary schools had fewerthan 50 students and 35% were incomplete. Small incomplete schools are difficult tostaff with trained teachers, increase probability of drop-out and reduce likelihood ofstudents completing secondary school.

16. To improve access and educational outcomes, SESDP will assist MOEextend the Grade 6 scholarship program implemented under BESDP to attract moreGrade 5 students in 2012/13 to enter Grade 6 in 2013/14, construct 30 LSE schoolsin under-served areas, support low-cost, community-managed, adult-supervised,gender-segregated dormitories and provide remedial support in math, reading andwriting. As well as maximizing opportunity for students in target districts to completeGrade 9, an existing secondary school in each of the 15 target Provinces will receiveUSE classrooms and laboratories, low-cost, community-managed, gender-segregated dormitories and scholarships for students entering Grade 10 in 2014/15.

17. SESDP initiatives support MOE policy on student scholarships and dormitoryprovision, while also seeking to demonstrate viable school size as a requirement foran efficient and effective school. SESDP will also work with the MOE EducationStatistics and Information Technology Center (ESITC) and Provincial/DistrictDepartments to review the existing network of primary, incomplete secondary andsmall LSE schools, so that new school construction can be targeted to maximizeaccess for students in remote, underserved areas to a viable secondary school. Aseparate SESDP activity will work with MOE on incentives to attract qualifiedteachers to work in difficult-to-staff areas.

18. Financial planning risks and sustainability. Within the integrated ESDFacross MOE Departments and Provincial Education Services, as well as for dialoguewith development partners, SESDP supports strengthening of the Medium TermExpenditure Framework process so that Provinces have greater certainty in planningand staffing schools to maximize secondary enrolments. MTEF offers a frameworkwhich will encourage Provinces to increase funding to meet increased enrolment andto employ additional qualified teachers.

19. Together the EFA/FTI program, SESDP and external assistance supports theGOL in meeting projected enrolment growth. LSE construction under the BESDP and30 new LSE schools and USE classrooms in 15 secondary schools under SESDPcontribute to improved access and quality education in districts requiring better

8 Non-salary excludes Chapter 10 (Salary) and Chapter 11 (Allowances) and is calculated on totalbudget because planning, implementing, managing and monitoring capital works also incur non-salaryexpenses.




access to secondary education. Ongoing operating and replacement costs ofSecondary textbook provision under BESDP (Grades 6 and 7) and SESDP (Grades8-12) will require provision in future recurrent budget allocations to replace thesetextbooks.

20. Public education has an important role in improving the efficiency andeffectiveness of rural schools to meet national social and economic developmentgoals. SESDP supports this public investment to reduce disparities between ruraland urban areas and should ensure that ethnic communities benefit from economicgrowth driven by mining and hydropower investment. Improved educational outcomesshould increase employment and government revenue. To the extent that theGovernment is able to increase the share of revenues from hydropower and otherlarge-scale revenue-generating projects going to the education sector, the aboveanalysis represents a favorable assessment of prospects for sustaining investmentsforeseen under the Program.


ANNEX 10Economic Analysis for LD


I. ECONOMIC JUSTIFICATION

1. Role of Secondary Education in Lao PDR. The Government gives a highpriority to education, as the basis for sustained economic growth and povertyreduction. It is central to the Lao PDR goal of graduating from least-developedcountry status by 2020. Completion of a quality secondary education offers access topost secondary skills training and further education to be competitive in a moreintegrated regional labor market1. The secondary education and post-secondarysubsectors have a central role in ensuring human capacity supports economicgrowth, through three interlinked transformations: (i) from a planned to a marketeconomy; (ii) from a largely inward-focused, subsistence economy to a commercially-oriented and regionally integrated economy; and (iii) from an agrarian to a moreurbanized society.2 Expanding access to secondary education in the poorest ruralregions redistributes the benefits of economic growth so these districts are part ofthese economic transformations.

2. The Lao PDR education system contribution to modernization, equity andinclusive growth, poverty reduction and broader socioeconomic development is builton policy and program initiatives, with the ADB as the major development partner inthe secondary education sub-sector. Program initiatives to support physical access,quality and subsector management are reinforced by action to offset gender andpoverty constraints on demand for secondary education, especially 75.1% femaletransition from Grade 5 to Grade 6 in target districts.

3. Nation-wide activities under SESDP support access, curriculum andmanagement, and are complemented by more targeted activities in the poorest,educationally disadvantaged districts. With improvements in Primary completionrates, from a net enrolment rate (NER) of 86.0% in 2006/07 school year to 92.7% in2009/10 (91.7% girls; 93.7% boys), lack of LSE capacity, low enrolment andcompletion rates become a key bottleneck. Distance to the nearest completesecondary school is a widely reported factor in low demand for secondary education,combined with poor primary school outcomes, language and other cultural factors.Gender compounds issues such as cost of education, with female participationdeclining from 47.2% in Primary to 44.8% at Lower Secondary and to 44.3% in UpperSecondary (Table 1).

Table 1: Female Participation: Level of Schooling, LAO PDR, Poorest Districts, SESDP TargetDistricts

Females percent F/100M Females percent F/100M Females percent F/100MLAO PDR (143) 432,349 47.2% 89 150,855 44.8% 81 43,544 44.3% 80POOREST (48) 131,399 46.4% 87 31,873 41.9% 72 6,398 39.5% 65TARGET (30) 69,519 45.5% 83 13,726 40.8% 69 2,617 39.4% 65

PRIMARY LOWER SECONDARY UPPER SECONDARY*

Source: EMIS 2009/10 (SESDP LD ECON Table 1 10June.sql) *Grades 10 and 11 (Grade 12 from 2010/11)

4. Improving female participation and completion rates is essential if Lao PDR isto maximize its economic opportunities, to improve the efficiency of its educationsector, and for longer term social and health outcomes. Gaps vis-à-vis urban andmore affluent areas are even more marked – only 30% of Grade 5 females reachedGrade 9 in districts targeted under Output 1 of SESDP, some 26 percentage points

1 Refer LD09 Financial Analysis re projected economic growth driven by hydropower generation forexport and related industrial/service sector growth requiring a better educated and better skilled labormarket.2 See ADB. 2010. Country Assistance Program Evaluation (CAPE) for Lao PDR.




below districts classified as both “non-educationally disadvantaged” and “non-poor”.Comparable rates for Grade 5 males were 36% and 28%.5. Figure 1 compares the 48 poorest districts (and the subset of 30 districtstargeted by SESDP Output 1 Access) with the Lao PDR profile using 2009/10enrolment data. Lower Grade 5 to Grade 6 transition in the poorest districts iscompounded by higher attrition during each LSE grade.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

G5 G6 G7 G8 G9 G10 G11

Approximated Profiles of Transition into and Within LSE and USE Grades(Share of grade 5 students expected to reach grades 6-11)

Lao PDR

48 poorest districts

30 target districts

Grade 5(primary)

Grades 6-9 (LSE) Grades 10-11(USE in SY2009/10)

6. Male secondary teachers outnumber female teachers by almost 2-to-1 in theeducationally disadvantaged poorest (Target) districts and the other Poorest districts,compared with 115 males per 100 females nationally3 (Table 2). This genderimbalance may reinforce cultural factors if some rural communities place less valueon girls completing secondary education. Female teachers as role models wouldencourage more girls to complete secondary school4. Educating girls increases theiremployment options, especially if they are trained as teachers, with long termbenefits for succeeding generations.

Table 2: Secondary Enrolment by Grade, Mean School Enrolment 2009/10

Female Male M1G06

M2G07

M3G08

M4G09

M5G10

M6G11

M7*G12 Students Mean

Enrol STR

LAO PDR (143) 1,174 10,222 11,812 105,769 88,220 75,221 66,178 52,202 45,837 - 433,427 369 19.7POOREST (48) 302 1,489 2,729 26,668 20,435 15,816 13,087 8,847 7,416 - 92,269 306 21.9TARGET (30) 159 741 1,276 11,967 9,101 6,890 5,698 3,493 3,147 - 40,296 253 20.0Source: EMIS 2009/10 (Lao2011D_Grade5June.xlsx) *No Grade 12 (M7) students until 2010/11.

Upper Secondary SecondaryDistricts Schools

Teachers Lower Secondary

7. Supply side factors are evident where students living in rural/remotecommunities, students travel long distances to attend small, incomplete secondaryschools with fewer qualified teachers for all subjects, and have limited post-schooltraining and employment opportunities. Urban and provincial centers have largersecondary schools with better qualified teaching staff in core subjects and are more

3 Non-Poorest (95 districts) average 104 Male teachers per 100 Females, schools average 391students, STR=19.2.4 Of secondary teachers in target districts, 80% of teachers are Lao Tai – but 88% of female secondaryteachers are Lao Tai. Females are a positive gender role model but the cultural message may be lesspositive.




likely to be direct beneficiaries of the new economic opportunities. The gap betweenthe 30 poorest educationally disadvantaged districts and the 57 districts, which areneither disadvantaged nor poor, is evident in declining enrolment in lower secondaryand upper secondary grades in SESDP target districts in Table 2.

8. The 302 secondary schools in 48 poorest districts would need to enroll anadditional 19,000 students (+21%) to reach the Lao PDR mean enrolment of 369.The 159 schools in target districts require 18,400 students (+46%) to reach the2009/10 Lao PDR mean. Improving LSE transition and grade progression rateswould have the dual effect of improving mean class size and reducing wastagebefore students complete Grade 9.

II. COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS

9. Strengthening the secondary education system. SESDP supports theGovernment’s ESDF with system level initiatives: Strengthening Access: Improvedaccess is a major objective, especially where cost effective investments achievebetter learning outcomes for all secondary school graduates. To implement aneffective 20% scholarships policy, the scholarships should target poorestcommunities and students at greater risk of dropping out. SESDP will build on MOEcapacity developed under BESDP so that procedures are in place to expand thescholarship program when Budget funds are allocated. Improved outcomemonitoring, including a comprehensive evaluation of SESDP lower secondaryscholarships, will support MOE in both targeted scholarships and justifying anidentified Budget allocation for scholarships. Community-managed dormitories willsupport MOE development of a national dormitories policy, especially where low-costmodels enable more students in rural and remote communities to completesecondary education.

10. Lao PDR loses half its students from Grade 5 to Grade 9, with long termimplications for future employment prospects and poverty reduction. One-in-fiveGrade 5 students in 2005/06 did not make transition to Grade 6. Of 122,913 studentsenrolled in Primary Grade 5, only 54% reached Grade 9 in 2009/10.5 Investment inthese students completing secondary school brings individual and collective benefitsin future household earnings, reduced poverty, future government revenues andmaximizing Lao PDR capacity to benefit from regional economic growth. Failure toinvest in education has greater long term economic and social costs.

11. The economic benefits of increased secondary school completion are evengreater for the poorest districts, with secondary graduates having access to post-secondary education, to government employment and potential private sectoremployment. GOL revenues benefit and each Province should have greaterresources to expand education, health and other services.

12. Strengthening Quality: Secondary education depends on five elements: (i)learning skills developed in primary grades, (ii) a relevant curriculum, (iii) availabilityof skilled and trained teachers, (iv) access to necessary teaching and learningmaterials, and (v) improved and equipped school facilities. SESDP supports the MOEin completing revision of the secondary curriculum, including the extension to Grade12 (M7), and provision of textbooks, teachers’ guides and in-service teacher trainingfor M3-M7.

5 In the 7 “poorest” Provinces (with 16 out of 30 target districts) one-in-four did not make transition toGrade 6 and 49% reached Grade 9. Females in those Provinces had 72% transition to Grade 6 and50% reached Grade 9.




13. Two-thirds of Secondary teachers have at least “11+3” qualification6, with noapparent qualification difference between the 48 Poorest and 95 non-Poorest districts– but the Poorest districts had 60 Female teachers per 100 Male teachers while non-Poorest averages 106 Females per 100 Male teachers. Teacher Education Institutesand Faculties of Education increasing their female intake from Poorest districts wouldsupport parallel changes in pre-service training curriculum so that each newgeneration of teacher graduates is better prepared. MOE and Provincial practices inrecruiting new graduates, with incentives so that teachers accept appointments inrural schools, will reinforce the access policy reforms described above.14. Provision of textbooks, teachers’ guides and training support for the newcurriculum, are cost effective when teachers have training and skill to utilize them.Secondary pedagogical advisors (SPAs), radio, video, ICT4E and other distancemedia offer potential learning support for teachers in small rural schools which shouldlead to better student outcomes.

15. In the longer term, secondary education completion (as an “access” strategy)provides opportunities for post-secondary education and training, especially entry toteacher education courses. Each student returning to their home district after post-secondary education generates a three-fold benefit – (i) access to governmentemployment, especially teaching, (ii) provides a positive role model for currentstudents, and (iii) improves the proportion of qualified teachers in local schools. Girlscompleting post-secondary education double those impacts, with a generationalimpact on the education and health of future children.

16. Strengthening Subsector Management: Access and quality outcomes requireincreased sector financial resources and better management of those funds toimplement policy reforms. The link between improving secondary completion, better-qualified graduates entering teaching and effective appointment procedures atProvincial and District levels are core sector functions, which SESDP will assist,strengthen. Increased budget allocations for non-salary recurrent spending, includingblock grants to schools to meet recurrent teacher training and textbook replacementcosts, are part of the process. Implementation of scholarships and dormitory policiesrequire extensive training for provincial and district level staff.7

17. These strategies support increasing secondary enrolment and completionrates, with more Lower Secondary Schools and Complete Secondary Schoolsdeveloped outside District Centers8. School network mapping by Provinces andDistricts will be supported by ESITC and the Project, so that each District develops astrategy which maximizes transition from Primary Grade 5 students to larger LSEschools and to complete secondary schools which enroll sufficient students to offer aviable secondary curriculum. Other efficiency outcomes will include a reduction innumbers of incomplete secondary schools9, an increase in average enrolment inexisting LSE schools, and upgrading them to complete secondary schools. Areduction in the number of small incomplete schools will simplify management ofBlock Grant payments to schools as well as scholarships when the Government 20%policy is introduced.

6 Eleven years schooling plus 3 years teacher training. Few teachers have a graduate qualification.7 Community-management of SESDP scholarships and low-cost dormitories will includeProvincial/District staff in training, so that Pupil Parent Associations support Provincial and Districteducational plans.8 Of the 30 districts targeted by SESDP, there are only 37 complete secondary schools. Two of thenewer districts (Phonthong and Xaysathan) have no complete secondary school.9 In 2009/10, 35% of the incomplete lower secondary schools were in SESDP target districts.




18. Network mapping does not eliminate the impact of distance on access toschooling. There are further limits to quality secondary education in the targetdistricts: Half the primary schools are incomplete and average only 45 students; thereare fewer secondary schools but only 1-in-4 are “complete”. By targeting thesedistricts, improved “supply” of better equipped secondary schools, combined withaccess scholarships and dormitory accommodation, will increase the viability of theseschools, attract better qualified teachers and create greater demand for secondaryschooling. SESDP provision of USE classrooms and laboratories should createmore “complete” secondary schools, closer to where the students live, and increasethe educational outcomes for all students in the district.

19. New LSE classroom construction at 30 sites in target districts, together withscholarships and dormitory provision, will lift total LSE enrolments above the 33,656in 159 secondary schools. In target districts, improved retention, SESDPscholarships, provision of low-cost, community-managed dormitories andconstruction of up to 4,500 LSE student places should increase LSE enrolment fromunder 34,000 to more than 42,000.10 Scholarships and dormitory provision at 30other LSE or complete school sites will increase total enrolment and the viability ofthose schools. Scholarships, which target at least 50% girls and 80% ethnic students,will improve the existing LSE gender imbalance (69 Females per 100 Males in2009/10) and provide access to USE opportunities.

20. Each school-based SESDP initiative – LSE construction, low cost dormitories,scholarships and access grants – may be small in scale, but the combined impact ofthese activities should generate community interest and ownership of their schooland demonstrate the benefits of parents sending their children to secondary school.The overall impact should be better learning outcomes for more students, andpotentially extend Grade 6-9 LSE schools into complete secondary schools.Successful schools should have improved student teacher ratios, and be able toattract and retain teachers with better qualifications.

21. SESDP supports more accessible, lower-cost, community-manageddormitories to reduce the costs of “access” and reduce distance from home villages.Remedial teaching in math, reading and writing for students living in the dormitories,with male and female teachers living on site to provide remedial support and adultsupervision should encourage more families to allow their daughters to completesecondary education. Pupil Parent Associations which include representatives fromall villages served by LSE schools constructed under the SESDP Project will ensurethat the poorest children in the community receive scholarships, that scholarshippayments each semester reach the designated students, monitor attendance,minimize drop out and report regularly to the school community, DEB, PES andMOE.

III. BENEFICIARY ANALYSIS

22. Direct beneficiaries: SESDP will provide sector-wide support for secondaryeducation, through reforms supported by the program loan and capacity building forsector managers at national, provincial and district level during the project.Curriculum reform depends on both better trained graduates from TEI and FOE

10 Assumes 30 new LSE new schools plus increased enrolments from 1,740 LSE scholarships and3,000 LSE dormitory places in these new schools and 30 other schools. The demonstration effect ofSESDP investment in LSE is assumed to offset students who are direct beneficiaries of newclassrooms, scholarships and dormitory places.




entering teaching, especially in rural districts, and strengthening the capacity ofcurrent teachers.

23. Provision of Grade 10 (M5) textbooks in 2012/13 should benefit up to 60,000USE students and 78,000 in 2014/15.11 The program should provide Grade 11 (M6)and Grade 12 (M7) textbooks to 70,000 and 63,000 students respectively, withsubsequent cohorts direct beneficiaries if budget allocations to MOE and Provincesprovide for textbook replacement.12

24. Over 500,000 secondary students13 will be direct beneficiaries of SESDPprogram support. SESDP will extend the provision of textbooks to an estimated96,000 students in Grade 8 (M3) in 2012/13 and 86,000 students in Grade 9 (M4) in2013/14, based on substantial growth from 2009/10 LSE enrolments of 75,221 inGrade 8 and 67,698 in Grade 9. Projected growth in enrolments depends onadditional classroom capacity, appointment of qualified and trained teachers andincreased demand for secondary education from girls and ethnic communities.25. More than 22,000 Secondary teachers are direct beneficiaries, receivingteaching guides plus in-service teacher training for five teachers from eachsecondary school when new textbooks are introduced.14 Teacher EducationInstitutes will also receive new textbooks and teachers guides so that prospectivegraduates are better prepared for teaching the new curriculum. TEI/FOE staff areactively involved in training trainers for in-service courses.

26. Aggregating future student beneficiary numbers is more complex – many aremultiple beneficiaries of classroom construction, dormitory provision, scholarships,access grants, new textbooks, new curriculum and better trained teachers. They areindirect beneficiaries when taught by trained teachers and using textbooks insubsequent years.

27. In the 30 target districts, improving LSE completion rates for girls, ethnicgroups and poor students bring direct benefits to their communities. More than 1700families will benefit as their children receive Grade 6 scholarships from 2013/14,reducing the cost burden of students completing secondary education. Thecommunities will be indirect beneficiaries.

11 M5 core curriculum and elective textbooks will be provided as three sets per school in the 2012/13pilot and on a 1:4 student ratio in 2014/15. M6 and M7 provision planned on 1:4 student ratio in 2015/16and 2016/17 respectively.12 MOE has proposed introduction of block grants to schools in 2011/12 Budget to cover textbookreplacement and other school operating expenses.13 EMIS reported 433,427 secondary students in 2009/10, Grade 12 has been added in 2010/11 andimproved Primary completion rates will feed more students into Grade 6. SESDP costing assumes the335,388 LSE students in 2009/10 would increase to approximately 400,000 in 2012/13 and 2013/14.14 In larger LSE schools, other teachers would be indirect beneficiaries.


ANNEX 11Development Coordination


A. Major Development Partners: Strategic Foci and Key Activities

1. Major international development partners (IDPs) now working in the educationsector include Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, Australian Agency forInternational Development (AusAID), Japan International Cooperation Agency(JICA), Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), United Nations Children’sFund (UNICEF), United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization(UNESCO) and a number of international nongovernment organizations (NGOs).

2. Cooperation between the Government of Lao PDR and IDPs in education(particularly primary education) has included the large recent projects tabulatedbelow. IDP support to the secondary education subsector (SES) has been morelimited, but has included parallel financing by ADB and the Swedish InternationalDevelopment Cooperation Agency (SIDA) of the Second Education QualityImprovement Project and Teacher Training Enhancement and Status of TeachersProject, which helped improve the capacity of teacher education institutions andquality of primary and SES pre-service and in-service teacher training programs. TheSecond Education Quality Improvement Project, Second Education DevelopmentProject, Basic Education Girls Project, Lao-Australia Basic Education Project, andKOICA support have assisted curriculum delivery through funding of curriculumreform and textbook development.

Major Development Partners

DevelopmentPartner Project Name Duration

Amount($ million)

Education SectorAusAid Development of the Education Sector Development

Framework2008-2009 0.5

Basic EducationIDA/AusAid Second Education Development Project (EDP II) 2005-2010 16.28

IDA Second Education Development Project AdditionalFinancing (EDP II AF)

2010-2013 15.5

AusAid Access to Basic Education in Laos (ABEL) 2005-2010 11.0ADB/AusAid Basic Education (Girls) Project (BEGP)/LABEP 1999-2008 34.60

ADB Basic Education Sector Development Project(BESDP)

2007-2012 15.83

JICA School Environment Improvement in SouthernProvinces

2009-2011 7.60

ADB/SIDA Second Education Quality Improvement Project(EQIP II)/TTEST

2002-2011 SEK123.0

EC Basic education in Northern Communities (BENC) 2004-2010 €6.0UNESCO Support for the preparation of the Secondary

Education Action Plan 20102010-2011 Unknown

FTI/AusAid/IDA Catalytic Fund EFA/FTI Program 2010-2013 65.50Secondary Education

ADB Secondary Education Sector Development Program 2011-2018 40.0PRC Use of ICT for Educational Access and Quality

Improvement2011-2012 50.00

Technical and Vocational EducationADB Strengthening Technical and Vocational Education

and Training (TVET)2011- 2015 23.00

Higher EducationStrengthening Higher Education Program 2010- 2015 24.80

Source: Asian Development Bank, Catalytic Fund EFA/FTI Program Administration Document (2010)




3. As a whole, IDP and NGO assistance has focused on expansion of primaryeducation, although some programs and projects as noted above have included atleast limited support to areas such as LSE teacher training. Primary educationsupport in the last decade (tabulated above) and prior to that has included: (i) WorldBank projects in 1993 and 2004 (EDP I and EDP II); (ii) ADB’s EQIP I and EQIP II in1991 and 2001; (iii) Government of Sweden support through TTEST (2002-2010); (iii)Government of Japan grant assistance for teacher training and primary schoolconstruction; (iv) the Government of Australia grant support for in-service and pre-service training of ethnic teachers and the development of supplementary learningmaterials; and (v) UNICEF grant support for teacher upgrading. UNESCO assistedMOE in producing the Education for All National Plan of Action for 2003-2015 toprovide a common framework for future assistance.

4. Other education subsectors, such as TVET, have received significant loanand/or grant support through bilateral assistance from countries that includeAustralia, France, Germany, Japan, People’s Republic of China, and Republic ofKorea.

5. From 1989 to 2008, ADB technical assistance (TA) to the education sectortotalled $9.21 million. This included 18 TA projects with most based on basiceducation; three focused on higher education with the most recent preparing thecurrent Strengthening Higher Education Program. Since 2008 two key TA projectshave prepared projects to strengthen Technical and Vocational Education andTraining and to support Secondary Education.

6. From 1991 to 2006 ADB provided five project and program loans to theeducation to the education sector, for a total of $82.2 million and in 2006 for $12.66million financed the Basic Education Sector Development (Investment) Project. TheStrengthening Higher Education Program started in 2010 and Strengthening TVETProgram starts in June 2011. The Secondary Education Development Program isscheduled to start in late 2011.

B. Institutional Arrangements and Processes for DevelopmentCoordination

7. The Vientiane Declaration signed by Government of Lao PDR (GOL) and 24Development Partners including ADB in 2006 seeks to take appropriate actions thatcan be monitored to make aid more effective and assist the country in achieving theMillennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 and the long-term development goalof exiting the status of Least Developed Country by 2020. An Education SectorWorking Group (ESWG), chaired by MOE1 and co-chaired by AusAID and UNICEF,supports sector coordination and policy dialogue for the sector and more broadly theGOL National Socio-economic Development Plan and Human ResourceDevelopment Plan. The ESWG plays a role in formulation, development andmonitoring of legislation for the implementation of Education Sector priority policiesand strategies. ESWG also supports multi-year sector plan in alignment with theNational Education Sector Reform Strategy (NESRS) and related Education SectorDevelopment Plan (ESDP), including reviewing, reporting, and M&E under aPerformance Assessment Framework. Four focal groups—for (i) basic education(including LSE), (ii) post-basic education (including USE), (iii) sector management,

1 MOE Department of Planning and Cooperation plays a lead role, with MOE representation from senior staff fromdifferent departments and agencies.




and (iv) research—have been established to deepen technical dialogue betweengovernment and IDP stakeholders. As noted in para.10, ESDF provides a unifiedframework to guide all government and IDP efforts. It includes three pillars: (i)assuring equitable access, (ii) improving quality and relevance, and (iii) strengtheningsector governance and performance management.

8. The Secondary Education Sector Development Program (SESDP) wasdesigned in close dialogue with various IDPs (and other stakeholders at variouslevels), including through dialogue in various ESWG meetings. In view of capacityconstraints and other factors, it does not involve a program-based approach (PBA).However, the SESDP provides comprehensive policy and investment support to thegovernment’s ongoing reforms in SES, and is directly aligned with ESDF’s 3 pillarsrelated to access, quality, and governance.2 SESDP directly supports keygovernment thrusts and targets in these areas, including (i) prioritized support forexpanding equitable access in a subset of 30 of MOE-defined “educationallydisadvantaged districts” and support for introducing new LSE and USE scholarshipprograms; (ii) continued roll-out of the new LSE and USE curriculum, includingdirectly supporting achievement of the government’s target of 1 copy of eachtextbook per LSE student, and providing teacher training for grades 8-12 coveringvirtually all teachers at these grade levels nationwide; and (iii) policy support to reachthe 18% education share in the total government budget (as stipulated in the Law onEducation) and introduction of block grants in LSE and USE.

9. At the macro-level, SESDP’s comprehensive, subsector-wide support forreforms and strengthening of SES directly complements other IDPs effortsconcentrated on primary education. In addition to assisting MOE implement ESDFand SEAP (see footnote 2), implementation of SESDP will maintain close dialoguewith IDPs (and other stakeholders) and build partnership in certain strategic areas.Among the latter, selection of a subset of 30 of the MOE-prioritized 56 educationallydisadvantaged districts promotes complementarity with efforts to expand primaryeducation access under the newly approved Catalytic Fund Education for All Fast-track Initiative Program (FTI-CF), supported by the World Bank and AusAID, as wellas the World Food Program. Subject to more detailed planning early in the project,other foreseen coordination and cooperation will include aligning district-levelcapacity building on SES management in the 30 districts will that provided by FTI forlocal primary subsector management (including block grant introduction), as well ascooperation with UNICEF in promotion of child-centered learning and child-friendlyschool environments.

C. Achievements and Issues

10. Reflecting strong dialogue linking the government and IDPs, the ESDF wasapproved by the Prime Minister in 2009.3 It marks a major milestone, promotingcloser government and IPC coordination under an overarching framework to guide allgovernment and DP efforts, including aligned planning and operationalizing thegovernment’s sector reform agenda. At the same time, 1 important issue is that

2 ESDF directions and targets for SES are also reflected in the draft Secondary EducationAction Plan, 2011-2015 (SEAP) being drafted with UNESCO support. SESDP’s programand project support will thus play a key role in helping the MOE Department of SecondaryEducation to operationalize the SEAP.

3 ESDF’s development was directly supported by ADB technical assistance. ADB. 2007.Technical Assistance to Lao PDR for Sector-wide Approach in Education SectorDevelopment. Manila. (TA 4907-LAO)




ESDF foresees a very ambitious scale and scope of sector improvements, whichmay exceed financial and human resource capacities.

D. Summary and Recommendations

11. In view of the above, SESDP’s design supports operationalization of theexisting reform agenda, strategically focusing on SES and reforms seen as mosturgent and where SESDP can have the most value-added impact. Close alignmentwith ESDF and dialogue with and cooperation with the ESWG and variousstakeholders will be maintained throughout implementation.


ANNEX 12

Summary Poverty Reduction and Social Strategy


Country: Lao People’sDemocratic Republic(Lao PDR)

ProjectTitle:

Loan / Grant -LAO: Secondary EducationSector Development Program (SESDP;formerly “Basic Education SectorDevelopment Program II”)

Lending/Financing Modality:

Sector DevelopmentProgram (SDP)

Department/ Division:

Southeast Asia Regional Department (SERD)Human and Social Development Division(SEHS)

I. POVERTY ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

A. Links to the National Poverty Reduction Strategy and Country Partnership Strategy

The Sixth National Socio-Economic Development Plan (NSEDP) stressed the importance of education asone of its four pillars and improvement of education quality and human resource development has beenidentified as a key directive in the draft 7th NSEDP (2011-2015). All national plans highlight theimportance of literacy and numeracy through universal primary education. Policies reaffirm the nationalhuman resource agenda for improving social welfare, enhancing workforce productivity and greateraccess to further education. The Education Law (2007) defines the overall education sector and there areparticular references to secondary education within a framework that outlines citizenship, life skills andthe labor market.

The proposed Program is consistent with ADB’s long-term strategic framework in Lao PDR, contributingto the promotion of pro-poor, sustainable growth. It would contribute to poverty reduction by promotingequitable access and improved education outcomes for disadvantaged groups, enhancing their eventualeconomic opportunities, while also contributing to inclusive growth nationally, by expanding the humancapital base. The detailed design incorporates planning directions emerging from the preparation of the7th National Socio-economic Plan 2011-2015 and 7th Five-year Education Development Plan (2011-2015), which is expected to be approved in Mid 2011.

The Secondary Education Sector Development Program (SESDP) contributes to poverty reduction, isaligned with the ADB country strategy and program, and supports the implementation of the secondphase of the 20-year Strategic Vision (Education Sector Development Plan, 2006–2010). SESDPsupports implementation of the National Plan of Action for Education For All (EFA Plan, 2003–2015),which highlights for LSE (i) increasing access to basic education for all people, especially thedisadvantaged; (ii) strengthening formal and non-formal education; (iii) providing vocational and skillstraining; (iv) improving teachers’ status and qualifications; (v) improving the relevance and quality ofschool curriculum; and (vi) improving management of the education sector.

B. Poverty Analysis Targeting Classification: Targeted Intervention-MDGs

There remain considerable differences in development levels and poverty—as well as genderimbalances—across the country’s different geographic areas and ethnic groups.1 Economic growth andpoverty reduction has been concentrated in urban areas and in districts along the Thai border, and thenorthern part of the country remains poorer where the average poverty rate is 37% of the population livein rural areas, (significantly higher than the national average 30%)2 and about 65 % are non-Lao Thaiethnic groups. In general, upland areas are significantly poorer than lowland districts, and have worsesocial indicators. And in both urban and rural areas, female-headed households (FHH) are generallypoorer than male-headed households (MHH) even after controlling for education, household composition,and other factors.3 Social and poverty differences based on gender are substantially higher among ethniccommunities. For example, the progress made in the school enrollment rates of Lao-Tai girls has notbeen shared by either boys or girls from other ethnic groups, and the least progress of any groups is

1 Department of Statistics and World Bank, “Poverty in Lao PDR,” 2010.2 -Grant:0235 RRP (2010): Lao PDR, Northern Rural Infrastructure Development Sector Project.3 The Geography of Poverty and Inequality in the Lao PDR, 2008.


ANNEX 12



among the non-Lao-Tai girls. Education indicators for non-Lao-Tai rural women remain among the lowestin East Asia.4

Design features.

The SESDP program seeks to support the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LaoPDR) in enhancing access, quality, and efficiency of secondary education (SE). In close alignment withthe government's Education Sector Development Framework (ESDF), the policy loan supports reforms toenhance SE access and equity, quality and relevance, and subsector governance, with a focus on lowersecondary education (LSE). A linked investment grant will focus on LSE delivery in 30 target districts andon improving educational outcomes of disadvantaged groups: in particular, girls, children from poorfamilies and ethnic groups. The 30 target districts are selected from the poorest and most educationallydisadvantaged districts under the Fast Track Initiative supported WB, AUSAID and UNICEF. The FTItargets districts according to educational disadvantage, socio-economic disadvantage, low transition ratefrom primary to secondary and grade 9 completion, remoteness and ethnicity. Most of the SESDP 30districts are clustered in the north and the south in the upland areas along the border with Vietnam.

Key design features include: targets for dormitory spaces, scholarship, remedial learning opportunities,school development grants for poor ethnic and female students to support transition from primary grade 5to LSE grade 6 and completion of LSE; targets for ethnic group participation in in-service training andtraining of master trainers; targets for teacher incentive and teacher upgrade grants to poor, ethnic groupteachers; (v) development of all materials under the project to integrate gender and ethnicity sensitivityand (vi) ensure that institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSE needs assessment andschool network mapping procedures include gender and ethnic group issues and criteria.

C. Poverty Impact Analysis for Policy-Based Lending

Given progress in recent years towards universalization of primary schooling, LSE becomes the thresholdat which poor and otherwise disadvantaged poor children are dropping out of the education system.National level reforms being e promoted and/or better operationalized under the Program are pro-poor, witha particular focus on increasing inclusiveness of LSE for girls, ethnic groups, and the disabled and onnarrowing rural-urban and inter-regional disparities. Poverty was a leading criterion for the selection oftarget areas for construction and upgrading of classrooms, scholarships to poor students, and teachertraining. Together, these address many of the constraints to education facing the poor, which in turn lead tolow human capital generation, limited economic opportunities, and intergenerational poverty traps.

Program interventions will directly or indirectly address several constraints identified by the poor in theADB-supported Participatory Poverty Assessment (2006), including (i) addressing direct and opportunitycosts associated with education by providing needs-targeted scholarships; (ii) enhancing curricularrelevance, including by assisting local education offices and schools to better utilize autonomy over certainelements of the LSE curriculum; (iii) increasing the supply of qualified teachers in poor rural areas andpromoting participation by all students via more student-centered learning approaches and strengthenedremedial support for children with weaker educational backgrounds (e.g., poor children from non-Laospeaking households and graduates from weaker village primary schools); (iv) providing more textbooksand other reading materials, which are very scarce in poor rural areas; and (v) expanding LSE schoolnetworks to narrow the distance between villages to the nearest LSE school (while also addressingovercrowding), and exploring more pro-poor provision of dormitories, particularly for girls from remotevillages. Such interventions will be mainstreamed into the Program's gender and ethnic group developmentplan.

The Program will also pilot test the use of ICT to improve rural education, with a strong focus on "softcomponents" to ensure that minimalist ICT equipment supports improved quality and relevance ofeducation in poor and remote rural areas.

II. SOCIAL ANALYSIS AND STRATEGY

A. Findings of Social Analysis

Key issues: There are about 240 ethnic groups classified into four language groups: Lao-Tai, Mon-Khmer, Chinese-Tibetan and Hmong-Mien. The Lao-Tai are in the majority with strong participation in

4 Poverty and Social Impact Assessment, World Bank. 2008.


ANNEX 12



political and economic life. The Lai-Tai are mainly in the lowlands while the other groups are in the moregeographically upland areas. Inequalities exist across and within ethnic groups. The Mon-Khmer, havethe highest rate of poverty at 57%, the Hmong-Mien at 46%, the Tibeto-Burman at 40%, and the Lao-Taiat 25%. Although poverty is strongly linked to geography, natural resources, and access, ethnicity alsoplays a role. Education achievements also differ across ethnic groups with the Lao-Tai showing thehighest rates of enrollment and the lowest gender gap. Affirmative action to create more positive attitudesto schooling and increase affordability for disadvantaged ethnic groups is needed to redress inequality.

Project preparation consultations confirmed statistical evidence: poverty is one of the main reasons forlow enrollment. Project preparation village consultations found that parents and secondary school agechildren believe education is important, but for many it is unaffordable. Low enrolment and completionrates reflect complex supply- and demand-related factors, ranging from physical access (e.g., lack ofnearby schools and of teachers), to financial constraints and opportunity costs affecting poorer families.In addition to effective access, these children need education to be learner-centered, relevant, and ofgood quality, to equip them to take advantage of continued opportunities for study and for gainfulemployment.The principal beneficiaries will be children of lower secondary school age, and Program interventions willexplicitly prioritize girls and other disadvantaged children, as well as poor rural areas of Lao PDR,including via needs-targeted scholarships and school-level grants aimed at enhancing equity and quality.Additional beneficiaries include teachers and education sector staff.Potential constraints, include (i) poverty, parents' lack of education, gender-related norms and othersocioeconomic constraints; (ii) weak levels of preparedness from primary schooling; (iii) perceptions ofhigh costs and low quality and relevance of public education; and (iv) remoteness and low levels ofdevelopment in many parts of Lao PDR, and difficulty in targeting interventions to disperseddisadvantaged groups; and (iv) the overall capacity of education systems to ensure equity and qualitywhile also facing the need to respond to rapidly rising total enrolments.Program interventions such as construction/upgrading of schools and classrooms, provision of school-level grants and needs-targeted scholarships, strengthening of remedial support to LSE entrants fromdisadvantaged backgrounds, and support for school network mapping and strengthened sectormanagement will all be designed to address or minimize these factors. Stakeholder consultations, fromthe central level down to school management committees, will also play an advocacy role.B. Consultation and Participation

1. Provide a summary of the consultation and participation (C&P) process during project preparation.

MOE and provincial education service (PES) offices, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Planning andInvestment, Center for Inclusive Education, Research Institute for Education Sciences, internationalorganizations, NGOs and other private sector actors involved in education, other Education SectorWorking Group members, Lao Youth Union, ethnic group representatives, school teachers and principals,school management committees and other villagers, students.

2. What level of C&P is envisaged during the project implementation and monitoring?

Workshops/roundtables with agencies/departments, DPs, and private sector/nongovernmental actors;compilation of existing data and conduct of focused studies; informal focused group discussions at boththe institution and village/community levels; and direct consultations with school staff and students intarget areas.

Information sharing Consultation Collaborative decision makingEmpowerment

3. Was a C&P plan prepared for project implementation? Yes No

Consultation with stakeholders will take place regularly throughout SESDP and will build on consultationduring BESDP.


ANNEX 12



C. Gender and Development Gender Mainstreaming Category:_______________________

1. Key issues.

Lao PDR is still far from achieving the MDG3 target. Data from school year SY2009-2010 depict thatprimary, secondary and upper secondary education enrolment rates for girls and boys at 91.7% and93.7%; 55.5% and 64.4% and 30.4% and 37.3%, respectively. Although gender gaps in enrolment rateshave been narrowing in Lao PDR, there are still fewer girls than boys enrolled at all levels and the gapincreases at higher education levels. Furthermore, girls are a higher proportion of those who have neverattended school. Sector challenges include not only increasing access, but improving quality of teaching,language of instruction for non-Lao speaking groups, ensuring safe school environments and qualityschool infrastructure, challenging traditional values regarding girls’ education, early marriage, etc.

2. Key actions.

The project gender specific design features include : (i) institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depthLSE needs assessment includes gender and equity dimensions (ii) site selection with areas with lowfemale enrolment and all construction and upgrading of schools include separate latrines for girls inseparate locations; (iii) 50% of dormitory spaces, scholarships, remedial learning opportunities,materials, school development grants are allocated for poor female students from remote areas; (iv)targeting of 50% female participants in all pre-service and in-service teacher training for LS and USteachers; (v) quota of at least 50% of incentive and teacher upgrade grants to female teachers, femalesecondary pedagogical advisors (SPAs), especially from ethnic groups; (vi) prioritizing femalerepresentation in all management training programs and support strategies: recruitment, training andmentoring programs for increasing women in school management positions; (vi) developing socialmarketing campaign for parents and community leaders to increase understanding of the positivebenefits of SE for female students and promote female education in science as well as a strategy toprovide recognition awards for districts with good practices in gender awareness raising and increasingaccess of female, especially from ethnic areas.

Gender action plan Other actions or measures No action or measure

III. SOCIAL SAFEGUARD ISSUES AND OTHER SOCIAL RISKS

ISSUE Significant/Limited/No Impact Strategy to Address Issue

Plan or OtherMeasuresIncluded inDesign

InvoluntaryResettlement

No impact Construction will be undertakengovernment-owned sites.

No action

Indigenous Peoples The Program designprioritizes increasedaccess to quality LSEfrom students fromremote areas and fromdisadvantaged ethnicgroups.

Specific interventions andmeasures are integrated in the IPPlan and DMF.

Indigenouspeoples plan

Labor

Employmentopportunities

The Program focuseson interventions withinthe education sector(in particular SE),including better linkingof LSE and USEcurriculum to students'training andemployment.

Encourage LSE and USEcompletion and more studentsfrom poor, remote, ethnic districtsenrolling in Teacher Educationcourses.

No action


ANNEX 12



Affordability Targeted financialsupport mechanismsincluded (e.g., needstargeted scholarshipsfor LSE) anddormitories.

Reduce cost barriers to accessand participation in LSE and USE.

No action

Other Risks and/orVulnerabilities

Human trafficking

Dormitories mayinvolve possible risk oftrafficking.

Impact eliminated by communitysupervision of dormitories, trainingon Code of Conduct and safety toall education sector staff,dormitory management andcommunities, supported bySESDP.

Other action

IV. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Are social indicators included in the design and monitoring framework to facilitate monitoring of genderand social development activities and/or social impacts during project implementation? Yes NoThese are included in the Gender Action Plan and The Ethnic Group Plan

Source: Asian Development Bank analysis and TA 7555-LAO: Basic Education Sector DevelopmentProgram II


ANNEX 13

Ethnic Group Plan


The Secondary Education Sector Development Program II seeks to support the Government of theLao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in enhancing access, quality, and efficiency ofsecondary education (SE). The program includes a (i) policy loan that will support reforms to enhanceSE access and equity, quality and relevance, and subsector governance, with a focus on lowersecondary education (LSE); and (ii) an investment grant that will focus on LSE delivery in 30* poorestand educationally disadvantaged target districts to improve the educational outcomes ofdisadvantaged groups. Both the policy loan and project grant focus on addressing access and equityissues related to children from poor ethnic groups and girls students.

2. Twenty of the 30 target districts have a majority of ethnic group (EG) population (16 districts; Mon-Khmer, 1 district Hmong Mien, 3 districts: Sino Tibetan, 4 districts: Lao-Tai and the rest have acombination of Lao-Tai and ethnic group populations). The purpose of the ethnic group assessmentand measures is to outline the potential impacts of the project on ethnic groups; specify actions toaddress the impacts and help improve the distribution of project benefits to the ethnic groups.

Project Output AnticipatedPositiveEffect

AnticipatedNegativeEffect

Proposed measures to mitigate impact (by output andsub-output)

Output 1:Expandedaccess tosecondaryeducation

Better accessof ethnicgroups toSESDP

Ethnic groupsexcluded dueto lack ofknowledge onSESDP andscholarship /grant fundingopportunities,and a lack oftargeting.

1A. Ensure that site location for all LSE constructionprioritizes areas with low EG enrolment.1B. Ensure that a rigorous baseline study is conducted inall target districts, including analysis of EG issues.1B. Publicise scholarship schemes, remedial learning,accommodation support, etc., provided by the project topromote enrolment of children from EG; disseminateinformation in ethnic language and through local media andchannels accessed by EGs1B and 1C. Ensure that ethnic students are givenpreferential access for SESDP-constructed dormitoryspaces, with at least 80% of dormitory spaces are reservedfor poor ethnic students in areas where EG are a majority.1C. Ensure that 80% of each of LSE and USE scholarshipsand remedial learning opportunities are allocated for poorethnic students.1C. Under the access grant program, ensure that theguidelines, capacity building for pupil-parent associations(PPAs), proposal submission and review procedures, andmonitoring provide for clear prioritization of support foraccess and learning outcomes for poor and ethnic students.

Output 2

Improveddelivery of newsecondaryeducationcurricula

Ethnic groupsbenefited byincreasedquality ofSESDPtraining andcurriculumdevelopment

Ethnic groupexcluded fromSESDP due tolack ofknowledge andinterest; lack ofsensitivity ofcurriculum andfrom teachertraining anddevelopment

initiatives

2A. Ensure that (i) annual TEI reports include EG analysesof staff enrolment and student achievement; and (ii) allinstitutional review plans include strategies to increase EGgrade 12 graduates entering teacher training.1

2A. Ensure EG teachers receive preferential access to in-service teacher training, with at least 50% of ethnic LSEand USE teachers nationwide receiving at least 1 round oftraining during the Project period.2A. Target at least 80% of graduate teacher incentives (25)and teacher upgrade grants (10) to EG teachers.2B. Ensure that all M3-M7 textbooks, teachers’ guides,student assessment techniques, and ICT multi-mediaresources (e.g., radio, TV, and DVDs) are sensitive to

1 Presently, of 1,654 teachers in the 30 districts, fully 81% is Lao-Tai, with 14% in the Mon-Khmer grouping, 4% Hmong-Mien, and 1% Sino-Tibetan.


ANNEX 13

Ethnic Group Plan


ethnicity (and disability), including positive images.2B. Include module to build awareness on EG issues ineducation in capacity building workshops for curriculumdevelopers, including ICT4E2E. Ensure ethnic group analysis of national examinationand ASLO results is conducted

Output 3:Strengthenedsecondaryeducationsubsectormanagement

Ethnic groupsbenefited byincreasedsocialmarketinganddecentralizedtraining ofeducationmanagers,and schoolprincipals

Increasedcommunityrepresentation andparticipation

Ethnic groupsexcluded fromtheseopportunities

3A. Ensure institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSE needs assessment and school network mappingprocedures include EG issues and criteria.3B. Prioritize EG participation in all management trainingprograms (to be measured as share of EG participation vis-à-vis EG in those positions). Capacity building programs for Education sector staff at all

levels, principals, teachers, and PPAs to build awarenessand include strategies to promote EG access to andcompletion of SE.

Development of ICT4LE policy and strategy toincorporate gender, ethnicity and disability issues.

3B. Within the multi-modal capacity building program foreducation sector staff, include advocacy andinterventions to increase ethnic group representation inschool management positions.

Include within the social marketing strategy a campaignfor parents and community leaders from ethnic groups toincrease understanding of the positive benefits of SE.

3C. Prioritize EG participation in all PPAs, with, at least50% EG representation in communities with EG majority.3D. The project M&E framework will incorporate M&E forEG Plan.3D. All M&E and impact evaluation study on scholarships toreport on sex and ethnicity disaggregated data related toaccess, learning outcomes and other SE indicators.

3E. Train all PMU staff on ethnicity issues.

3. Implementation Arrangements. The Project Director and PMU will be responsible forensuring EGP implementation, in close cooperation with MOE’s Inclusive Education Centre (IEC) andother relevant units. As part of its broader role of promoting equitable access in education, IEC willserve as implementing unit (IU) to oversee the implementation of the LSE and USE scholarshipprograms, and will also ensure close coordination with the Lao National Commission for theAdvancement of Women, Lao Women’s Union, and Lao Front for National Construction. The MOEDepartment of Non-formal Education (DNFE) will serve as IU for the access grant program and willwork closely with IEC and other units to promote community level advocacy and equity promotionactivities. International and national consultants will help integrate ethnic group concerns into SESDPactivities, working closely with IEC, DNFE, and other IUs. Progress reports will provide data andanalysis on the ethnicity-related aspects. The midterm review mission will consider review and identifyany needed adjustments in this EGP.


ANNEX 14

Gender Group Action Plan (GAP)


Project Outputs Actions (by output and sub-output) OrganizationResponsible1

Output 1Expandedaccess to LSE

1A. Ensure that all civil works (i) is based on site selection prioritizingareas with low female enrolment; (ii) includes separate toilets for girlsin separate locations and ensures accessibility for disabled girls andboys (e.g., ramps); (iii) uses labor-based technology, with 40% femalerepresentation among unskilled laborers and men and womenreceiving equal pay for equal work; and (iv) child labor will not be used.1B. Publicise scholarship schemes, remedial learning, accommodationsupport, etc., provided by the project to promote female enrolment in30 target districts.1C. Ensure that 50% of the scholarships and remedial learningopportunities are allocated for poor female students.1C. Under the access grant program, ensure that the guidelines,capacity building for pupil-parent associations (PPAs), proposalsubmission and review procedures, and monitoring provide for clearprioritization of support for access and learning outcomes for girls andother disadvantaged.1C. Ensure that at least 50% of dormitory spaces are reserved for poorfemale students and dormitories have separate toilets and facilities formales/females. Provide briefing on safety and protection and reporting mechanisms

to all students in project supported schools. Develop Code of Conduct training and integrate in training programs

for PES/DEB officials, school managers, teachers, pupil/parentassociation, dormitory management/ staff, and surroundingcommunities.

PES, PUCDA,DEB, VEDC

IEC,DOE InfoDiv, Prov. Info &Culture ServiceIEC, PPAs

DNFE, PPAs

PUCDA,DEB,PPAIEC, DNFE,PPAsSchool DirectorsDSE, DoP, IEC,TEI/FOE

Output 2Improveddelivery of newSE curricula

2A. Ensure that the annual TEI reports include analyses of female andethnic group staff and student achievement. Ensure TEI pre-service SE curriculum addresses issues of Codes of

Conduct including health and safety, counseling, reporting andmonitoring procedures related to gender issues.

Ensure that all institutional plans include strategies for increasing thenumber of female and ethnic group students and teaching staff,including female teachers for science subjects.

2A. Ensure 50% female participants in all pre-service and in-serviceteacher training for LSE and USE teachers. Ensure that all female master trainers and SPAs are trained. Ensure that all TEI pre-service and in-service teacher training

programs and guidelines for quality/performance assessment aregender sensitive.

Ensure school and teacher training curricula integrate strategies toreduce gender gaps in student attendance and achievement.

2A. Target at least 50% of graduate incentive and teacher upgradegrants to female teachers, female SPAs, especially from ethnic groups.2B. Ensure that all M3-M7 textbooks, teachers guides, studentassessment techniques and ICT4LE multi-media resources are genderand disability sensitive and include positive images and role models offemales (as well as those with disability) from various ethnic groups.2B. Include gender briefing in capacity building workshops forcurriculum developers, including ICT4E.2E. Ensure that rules and regulations for national examinations andpreparation of ASLO for M4 and M7 incorporate gender issues,

DTE, TEED

DTE, TEI

TEI, DSE,PMUDTE/DSE/TEI

RIESTEI

DoP, DSE, DTE,PMU

RIES

RIES

ESQAC, DSE,

1 For brevity, excludes oversight and coordination by the PMU, as well as support from any SESDP consultants.


ANNEX 14

Gender Group Action Plan (GAP)


including safety of female students, transport/ accommodationassistance.2E. Ensure gender and ethnic group analysis is undertaken as part ofassessment of national examinations and ASLO.

RIESESQAC

Output 3StrengthenedSE subsectormanagement

3A. Ensure institutional analysis of SE subsector and in-depth LSEneeds assessment includes gender and equity dimensions3A. Include gender and ethnic group criteria in school network mappingprocedures and data analysis and presentation strategies3B. Prioritize female representation in all management trainingprograms (to be measured as share of female participation vis-à-visfemales in those positions). Capacity building programs for Education sector staff at all levels,

including principals, teachers and pupil parent associations toinclude training on gender issues in education, including strategiesto promote access to and completion of SE

Development of ICT4E policy and pilot to incorporate gender andethnicity issues, including content of materials, access, relevance tousers, etc.

Within the manual of recruitment and utilization of teachers, includestrategies: recruitment, training and mentoring programs forincreasing women in school management positions.

Include within the social marketing strategy a campaign for parentsand community leaders to i) increase understanding of the positivebenefits of SE for female students, especially from ethnic areas; ii)promote female education in science; and, iii) a strategy to providerecognition awards for districts with good practices in genderawareness raising and increasing access of female, especially fromethnic areas.

3C. Ensure 50% female representation in pupil parent associationsand provide appropriate transport/ accommodation assistance, wherenecessary, to support participation.3D. The project M&E framework will incorporate M&E for GAP. Train all PMU staff on gender/ethnicity issues, including gender

analysis.3D. All M&E and impact evaluation study on scholarships to report onsex and ethnicity disaggregated data related to access, learningoutcomes and other SE indicators.

DoP

ESITC

DSE,PMU

DSE,PMU

DoP

IEC,DOE InfoDiv, Prov. Info &Culture Service,Consultant

DEB, IEC, Deptof NFE

PMUIEC

PMU

Implementation Arrangements and Reporting: Director General, Department of SecondaryEducation and the PMU will be responsible for the overall implementation of the genderaction plan (GAP). One international and 1 national consultant on gender and socialdevelopment (both principally focused on gender) will provide expert advice and overallguidance in GAP implementation, with the national consultant working closely with the PMUthroughout the project duration, on an intermittent basis. Under the guidance of the DirectorGeneral, the consultants will coordinate with units responsible for the activity areas anddeliverables noted above. All PMU reports submitted to the ADB will report progress againstGAP.


ANNEX 15Access Focus Districts (SESDP)


Selection of Districts for access focused activities

1. Preparation of the SESDP (formerly BESDP II preparation) commenced with analysisin 2010 focused on the outcomes of primary education, transition to lower secondary, theimpact of BESDP activity on improving LSE access and quality outcomes to be achievednationwide by Grade 8-12 curriculum, textbooks and teacher training. In 2011, theGovernment and the ADB agreed in principle to an expanded upper secondary educationcomponent.

2. A central issue in the design was the interaction between community “demand” forsecondary education, especially primary completion rates by gender and ethnicity in ruralversus urban areas, and the adequacy of existing “supply” of lower secondary school places.Project preparation in 2010 included review of six measures extracted from the 2009/10 EMISdata collection1 to assess whether a possible focus on the poorest EFA/FTI districts wassupported by the data, to guide design of potential project activities to improve transition fromprimary to lower secondary and to increase LSE Grade 9 completion. The analysis couldserve as a baseline for Districts/Schools to monitor their performance under the Project.

3. During project preparation, the MOE requested that SESDP focus on districts, whichare both educationally disadvantaged and acknowledged by the Government as “poorest”.2

Of the 56 educationally disadvantaged districts, the 30, which were also “poorest”, becamepotential “target” districts for access-focused activities. One-fifth of all Lao PDR districts,these 30 districts had 28% of incomplete primary schools with fewer than 100 students3, 24%of complete primary schools with fewer than 100 students and 31% of Incomplete LSEschools with fewer than 100 students. By contrast, target districts had only 11% of LSEschools with grades 6-9, 10% of complete secondary schools, but only 8% of female studentsin complete secondary schools.

4. With only 37 complete secondary schools in the 30 districts4, most students have totravel to the district center to access complete secondary education. Even where the EFA/FTIproject is successful in raising primary school completion rates, many students have accessto a small incomplete LSE school, a small LSE school with Grades 6-9 or have to travel to themore remote district center. LSE construction under SESDP should be located in an areawhere several small incomplete LSE could be consolidated into a LSE with 200+ students.

Table 15.1: Summary 2009/10 Performance Measures for Target and Other Districts

1 2009/10 was the latest data set available. Data for the 2010/11 school year is scheduled to be released in June-July 2011.2 Educational Disadvantaged is one of the 56 priority districts identified by the EFA/FTI Project strengthening primaryschool outcomes. Poorest Districts are the 47 identified by Government in 2003, updated to include more recentlycreated districts, which the Government has certified as “poorest”. The latter include Phonthong (0612) in LuangPrabang, Xaysathan (0811) in Sayabouli, Muen (1013) in Vientiane Province and Xaichampone (1107) inBolikhamxai.3 Target districts accounted for 36% of schools with fewer than 50 students.4 Two of the newer districts, Phonthong and Xaysathan, have no complete secondary school.




5. Low primary completion rates (52%) and improving Grade 5 to Grade 6 transition ratesare a focus of EFA/FTI activity. SESDP aims to increase community “demand” for secondaryeducation, with dormitory provision and 1740 Grade 6 LSE scholarships in 2013/14 givingpriority to girls and ethnic groups, as well as expanding “supply” of accessible lowersecondary school places to Grade 9. SESDP construction of 30 LSE schools, scholarshipsand supporting low cost community-managed, adult-supervised and gender-segregateddormitories should enable poor students, especially girls, to complete Grade 9 and make thetransition to USE Grade 10.

Table 15.2 30 Districts are classified as Poorest and Educationally Disadvantaged5

PROVINCE DISTRICT

2 Phongsaly SamphanhNhot Ou

3 Luang Namtha LongViengphoukhaNalae

4 Oudomxai NamoNgaBeng

5 Bokeo MeungPha-Oudom

6 Huaphanh ViengxaiHuamuangXamtai

7 Xaignbouli Xaisathane8 Louang Phabang Phontong9 Xiengkhouang Khoun10 Vientiane Province Mun11 Bolikhamxai Xaychamphon12 Khammouane Boualapha

Nakai13 Savannakhet Phin

XeponNongVilabouly

14 Salavan Ta-OySamouai

15 Sekong KalumDakchung

17 Attapu SanxaiPhouvong

5 No districts in Vientiane City (1) or Champassak (16) met the criteria for SESDP selection




Table 15.3 SESDP Covers all Provinces and Districts in Lao PDR (Shaded DistrictsIndicate Districts with an Additional Access Focus)














ANNEX 16Access Support Models (SESDP)



ANNEX 17

Proposed Staff and Teacher Training Schedule


Location (if known) Program Description

Person days

Total

Project/Calender Year

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

OUTPUT I: EXPANDED ACCESS TO SECONDARY EDUCATION

Sub-output 1A: Classroom provision to address physical accessVientiane Workshop on LSE/USE Construction 40 40Savannakhet Workshop on School Construction 20 20Oudomxai Workshop on School Construction 20 20Sub-output 1B: Direct support for disadvantaged studentsVientiane SESDP Launch/Briefing for MOE/Provinces 80 80Savannakhet SESDP Briefing for Participating Districts 40 40Oudomxai SESDP Briefing for Participating Districts 40 40Sub-output 1C: School-level support to enhance equitable accessDistrict/Schools SESDP Scholarship/Dormitory/ 580 400 180(in up to 30 locations) Access Grants issues

OUTPUT 2: IMPROVED DELIVERY OF NEW SECONDARY EDUCATION CURRICULA

Sub-output 2.A: Strengthening pre-service teacher training systems and placement of new secondary education teachersM7 Pre-Service Curriculum Preparation workshopsFOEs - NUOL (3 subjects),Champasak (1 subject), LuangPrabang (1 subject) (i) Curriculum review and drafting of Curriculum Frameworkfor M7 Pre-Service teacher training(3 days for each of 5 subjects) 300 300


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

FOEs - NUOL (3 subjects),Champasak (1 subject), LuangPrabang (1 subject)(ii) drafting / writers workshop(5 writers workshops one for each of 5 subject strands x 10subject specialists x 5 days) to draft and assign curriculumwriting tasks to TEI subject teams 250 250

10 TEIs and 3 FOEs(iii) TEI staff training / capacity developmentOne workshop in each of 10 TEIs and 3 FOEs (13) forprofessional staff to review the new curriculum.Note: assume 5 staff and 14 subject in each TEI ie 70professional staff + facilitators and MOE/RIES staff/observers(10)

2,080 2,080

Vang Vieng managementtraining centreQA training workshop for Senior Managers in TEIs and FOEs(accreditation of BA course) - 2 days per year for three years(i) development of procedures and professional consultation(ii) preparation for the pilot / trial(iii) monitoring / feedback 240 80 80 80

Vang Vieng managementtraining centreWorkshop for development of (i) Teacher PerformanceMonitoring and (ii) Teacher Recruitment and Utilisation Planfor DOP and Senior Managers in TEIs / FOEs and PES - 2 daysper year for three years(i) development of procedures and professional consultation(ii) preparation for the trial(iii) monitoring / feedback

360 120 120 120Workshops to suport implementation of Teacher GraduateIncentives SchemeMOE (i) Initial consultation on modality 25 25MOE (ii) launch of the implementation guidelines includingselection criteria and procedures 120 120


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018target districts (tbd) (iii) District meetings for final selection 100 100target districts (tbd) (iv) annual monitoring / audit meeting x 2 years (Y3 and Y4) 200 100 100central level Curriculum Development specialists for M3-M7 teachertraining pre-service course (10 ) 600 300 300

Sub-output 2B: In-service teacher training and support for delivering the new secondary education curricularegional training centres(north, central, south) Annual Regional Meeting for Secondary Pedagogical Advisers(SPAs) and Secondary Master Trainers 2,856 408 408 408 408 408 408 408provincial training centres Teacher Upgrade grants (11+3 to BA) for 10 LS qualifiedscience/maths and/or female teachers from poor ethnic groupareas 1,260 420 420 420central Workshop to prepare M3 Teacher Training Manual 225 225regional training centres(north, central, south) M3 TOT workshopTraining of all SPAs and TEI Master Trainers 2,430 2,430provincial or districts trainingcentres M3 In-Service Teacher Training5 days for 5 teachers from each LS school (one teacher foreach subject strand)Assuming 1200 Secondary Schools 30,500 30,500central Workshop to prepare M4 Teacher Training Manual 90 90regional training centres(north, central, south) M4 TOT workshopTraining of all SPAs and TEI Master Trainers 972 972


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

provincial or districts trainingcentres M4 In-Service Teacher Training5 days for 5 teachers from each LS school (one teacher foreach subject strand)Assuming 1200 Secondary Schools 30,500 30,500central Workshop to revise M5 Teacher Training Manual (final)Revise based on review pilot training evaluation and M5teacher feedback 225 225regional training centres(north, central, south) M5 TOT workshop (final)Training of all SPAs and TEI Master Trainers 1,458 1,458FOEs and TEIs

M5 In-Service Teacher Training (final)5 days summer school for 5 teachers from each US school (oneteacher for each subject strand)Summer Schools run in the 7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver BAprogramAssuming 500 schools with US classes12,750 12,750

central Workshop to prepare M6 Teacher Training Manual 135 135regional training centres(north, central, south) M6 TOT workshopTraining of all SPAs and TEI Master Trainers 1,458 1,458FOEs and TEIs

M6 In-Service Teacher Training5 days summer school for 5 teachers from each US school (oneteacher for each subject strand)Summer Schools run in the 7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver BAprogramAssuming 500 schools with US classes12,750 12,750

central Workshop to prepare M7 Teacher Training Manual 135 135


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018regional training centres(north, central, south) M7 TOT workshopTraining of all SPAs and TEI Master Trainers 1,458 1,458FOEs and TEIs

M7 In-Service Teacher Training5 days summer school for 5 teachers from each US school (oneteacher for each subject strand)Summer Schools run in the 7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver BAprogramAssuming 500 schools with US classes12,750 12,750

RIES Findings from the ICT4LE capacity needs assessment andfeasibility study 50 50RIES workshop for design of pilot ICT4LE implementation 30 30RIES workshop for development of multi-media materials for pilotICT4LE implementation 100 1005 districts where pilot projectschools are located (remote, poorethnic areas)

Implementation of ICT4LE pilot project activities including (i)school focused planning and orientation (ii) capacity buildingof SPAs and teachers (iii) work plans developed by SPAs andteachers with activities and monitoring processes described 375 3755 districts where pilot projectschools are located (remote, poorethnic areas) ICT4LE review workshops to monitor progress withimplementation and to further build capacity 200 100 100RIES Workshop on ICT4LE Lessons Learned including planningprocess of scaling up 50 50

Sub-output 2C: Support for new curricula materials (textbooks and teacher guides)


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018MOE M3 and M4 curriculum materials CRC readiness check 40 40MOE M5 (1st edition) curriculum materials CRC readiness check 72 72MOE M5 (2nd edition) curriculum materials review 80 80MOE M5 (2nd edition) curriculum materials revision workshop 1 200 200MOE M5 (2nd edition) curriculum materials testing 70 70MOE M5 (2nd edition) curriculum materials CACIM workshop 120 120MOE M5 (2nd edition) curriculum materials CRC readiness check 72 72MOE M6 curriculum materials review 80 80MOE M6 curriculum materials development workshop 200 200MOE M6 curriculum materials testing 70 70MOE M6 curriculum materials CACIM workshop 120 120MOE M6 curriculum materials CRC readiness check 72 72MOE M7 curriculum materials review 80 80MOE M7 curriculum materials development workshop 200 200MOE M7 curriculum materials testing 70 70


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018MOE M7 curriculum materials CACIM workshop 120 120MOE M7 curriculum materials CRC readiness check 72 72central Workshop to prepare M5 Teacher Training Manual (pilot)Provide generic pedagogical training and review of changes inthe M5 curriculum for all subjects 250 250FOEs and TEIs M5 In-Service Teacher Training (pilot)5 days summer school for 11 teachers (one for each subject)from 15 schools with M5Summer Schools run in a TEI or FOE that delivers BA program 975 975

DSE M5 In-Service Teacher Training (pilot) monitoring andevaluation visits7 days per province x 3 provinces / 15 schools with M514 member monitoring team 294 294Sub-output 2.D: Teaching and learning equipment and materials to support improved teachingno training associated with this sub-outputSub-output 2.E: Support for improved student assessment

MOE / ESQAC Development of M4 Assessment of Student Learning Outcomesin 2014 125 125MOE / ESQAC Strengthening of national examinations for M4 and M7Review and approval of Rules and Regulations for M4 and M7exams and entrance exams to Higher Education 180 90 90


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

MOE / ESQAC Development of M7 Assessment of Student Learning Outcomesin 2017 125 125OUTPUT 3: STRENGTHENED SECONDARY EDUCATION SUB-SECTOR MANAGEMENT

Sub-output 3.A: Support for enhanced sub-sector analysisCentral Workshop to review documents and design institutionalanalysis and needs assessment update 100 100 - - - - - -Province Data collection 2-day workshop in 3 provinces 60 60 - - - - - -District Data collection 1-day workshop in 6 districts 60 60 - - - - - -Central Update report validation meeting 20 20 - - - - - -Central 5-day workshop to train 17 provincial staff for schoolnetwork mapping nationwide 185 185 - - - - - -Province 5-day training of 143 district staff supported by nationaltrainers as required in 3 regions 715 715 - - - - - -Distict School mapping exercises at district level (Field activity) 1,430 1,430 - - - - - -Province 5-day work shops to aggregate provincial mapping data in 17provinces 800 800 - - - - - -Central 3-day workshop to review and supplement recent analyses ofexisting LSE related MIS 60 60 - - - - - -Province, District Prepare detailed plan for better integrating of EMIS systems 180 90 90 - - - - -Strengthen PMIS staff capacities 180 90 90 - - - - -District Detailed needs analysis of LSE in 30 Districts and USE in targetareas


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Sub-output 3B: Capacity building for improved secondary education sub-sector management at all levelsCentral 2 x 5-day workshops to build planning capacity at thesecondary education level 1,920 960 - 960 - - -Central, Province, District Quality assurance workshops 1,920 960 960Central, Province, District Finance workshops 1,920 960 960Central, Province Secondary Education Workshops 2,310 2,310Central, Province PMU and PMI Project Management 480 240 - 240 - - -Monitoring and Evaluation (DOI) 1,740 870 - 870 - - -5-day workshops (5 days each) to revise Manuals for WorkingProcedures 750 750 - - - - -Province, District Initial 5-day workshops on school improvement planning witheducational leadership emphasis 6,000 6,000 - - - - -District Rotating annual capacity building seminars for school leaders 4,800 - 1,200 1,200 1,200 1,200Central 5-day workshop to develop draft communication/dissemination/ advocacy strategy with participation ofnational and provincial stakeholders 110 110 - - - -Province 2-day consultation on draft strategy in 3 regions 90 90 - - - - -Central 2-day validation meeting with representation from 3 regions 80 - 80 - - - -Central Workshop to train MOE and 17 PES and 17 informationofficers 220 - 220 - - - -Central National event to launch strategy 40 40Central Development of decree Private sector 750 500 250 - -


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018Central, regional Facilitate 4 focus group meetings on business investment inprivate education 30 30 - - - - -Central, regional Facilitate 4 focus group meetings on NGO and non-profitmaking organisations to contribute investment in privateeducation especially in remote areas 30

Central 5 workshop days to develop draft policy 110 110 - - - -Province 2-day consultation on draft policy in 3 regions 90 90 - - - - -Central 2-day validation meeting with representation from 3 regions 80 - 80 - - - -Central National event to launch strategy 40 40Sub-output 3C: Support for community engagement in school support and management in target LSE and USE schools

Central A workshop with representation from provinces, districts andschool, to review and revise, if necessary, the current schoolmanagement committees processes 240 240 - - - - -District, school Establish new committees or reconstitute where necessary 812 812 - - - - -School 2-day capacity building workshops for school managementcommittee members 1,624 1,624 - - - - -District Annual 2-day experience sharing meetings for schoolmanagement committee members at district level x 5 8,120 - 1,624 1,624 1,624 1,624 1,624Savannakhet Support for Community Engagement (TOT) 40 40Oudomxai Support for Community Engagement (TOT) 40 40Vientiane Support for Community Engagement (TOT) 40 40District/Schools Community training, briefing, monitoring issues(Multiple locations) (Assume 5*30 meetings over Project life) 3,000 600 600 600 600 600


ANNEX 17




Person days

Total


1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Sub-output 3D: Monitoring and evaluation and special studyno training associated with this sub-outputSub-output 3E: Support for project managementno training associated with this sub-output


ANNEX 18

Civil works, Building, Furnishing and Equipment Program


The proposed civil works, building, furnishing and equipment program will follow a carefullydesigned sequential schedule, that began during project design (2011) and will run through tothe fifth year of the project (2016). Over that period 30 new LSE schools and 15 new USEteaching blocks on existing school campuses will be designed, built, furnished and equipped.In addition 75 low cost dormitories will be designed and built over this period – 45 toaccompany the new LSE schools and USE teaching blocks, and a further 30 on otheridentified LSE school sites.

The process of selecting the locations in which the new LSE schools will be built commencedin 2011. The initial identification within those locations of possible school building sites - thatmeet the criteria of being on government land, free of dwellings and UXO, have all weatheraccess especially during the construction period, are well-drained and have availability ofaccess to reliable supplies of potable water and electricity – will start in 2011 and continue oninto 2012. The same process with respect to the USE sites and the additional 30 LSE sitesfor low cost dormitories will commence in 2012, and carry over into 2013. Verification that thesites have met the criteria, and assessments of what is required to prepare the sites forconstruction will then be carried out through field visits by project officers.

Detailed designs and drawings for the 30 new LSE schools have already been preparedunder the auspices of BESDP. In the first year of the project, 2012, architect designed USEschool buildings and low cost dormitories will also be drawn up and specified.

The first of the construction contracts – beginning with LSE schools and dormitories – will belet in the second half of 2012, for commencement in 2013. Similarly some furniture andequipment procurement can commence in 2013.

The building program is illustrated in Figure 17.1, and an indicative rollout schedule is inTable 17.1. Project personnel available to support MOE in the program and its rollout areshown in Table 17.2

Figure 17.1. The school and dormitory building program

LandLocation selectionSite identificationSite verification

Site preparation assessment

BuildingDesigns, drawings, specifications

Furniture and equipmentpackage specification

Constructiontendering process

Construction of schools anddormitories

Furniture andequipmenttenderingprocesses

Furniture andequipment supplyOperational schools and dormitories


ANNEX 18



Table 17.1. Proposed rollout schedule of the building program

InputYear 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

School site identification, validation and preparation

For new LSEconstruction 20 10

For LSE dormitoryconstruction 20 10

For new USEconstruction 5 10

Total number ofsites 40 25 10

Construction

School buildings

LSE 10 15 5

USE 5 6 4

Subtotal 10 20 11 4

Dormitories

LSE 20 30 10

USE 5 6 4

Subtotal 20 35 16 4

Furniture

Classrooms

LSE 40 60 20

USE 15 18 12

Subtotal 40 75 38 12

Laboratories

LSE 10 15 5

USE 15 18 12


Teachers’ rooms

LSE 10 15 5

USE 5 6 4

Subtotal 10 20 11 4


ANNEX 18



InputYear 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Equipment

Science kits

LSE basic 10 15 5

USE physics 5 6 4

USE chemistry 5 6 4

USE biology 5 6 4


Other curricula support materials

Physical educationmaterials kits 10 20 11 4

Arts/musicmaterials kits 10 20 11 4

Library materialskits* 10 20 11 4


Other equipment packages

School managementequipment 5 6 4

School ICT4LE 10 15 5

*Library package for the 30 new LSE schools will include M1 and M2 textbook sets for all Grade 6 and 7 students.

The following project personnel will support the building program and its rollout.

Table 17.2 Project personnel directly supporting the building program

Specialist position(person months)

1 2 3 4 5 6 72012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

International consultantExpert on School Architectural Design 2- - - - - - -

National consultantsCivil Works Coordinators (2 individuals forNorth & South) 16 16 16 16 8 - -

Specialist on School Design (Architect) 3 3 - - - - -

Project contracted professionalsProject Procurement Officer 12 12 12 12 12

Project Monitoring and Reporting Officer 12 12 12 12 12 12 12

Commissioned surveysSchool construction assessment surveys 10 20 11 4


ANNEX 19Procurement Plan


A. Advance Contracting

All advance contracting would be undertaken in conformity with ADB’s ProcurementGuidelines (April 2010, as amended from time to time) and ADB’s Guidelines on the Use ofConsultants by ADB and its Borrowers (April 2010, as amended from time to time). 1 Theissuance of invitations to bid under advance contracting would be subject to ADB approval.

Advance contracting. To expedite project implementation, the Lao PDR government mayrequest ADB to approve advance contracting, which include the recruitment of consultantsand procurement of goods and works. Advance contracting would include (i) prequalificationof contractors, tendering, and bid evaluation for civil works contract packages; (ii) preparationof tender documents for the procurement of materials and equipment; (iii) award of contracts;(iv) recruitment of consultants; and (v) finalization of requests for proposal based on finaldesign and detailed measurement survey to be submitted to ADB for review and approvalprior to award of civil works contracts. The issuance of invitations to bid under advanceprocurement action would be subject to ADB approval.

The Government would be advised that approval of advance contracting does not commitADB to finance the project.

B. Procurement of Goods, Works and Consulting Services

All procurement of goods and works to be financed under the grant will be undertaken inaccordance with ADB’s Procurement Guidelines 2(2010, as amended from time to time) andthe procurement plan prepared and agreed between the Government and ADB.

Under the project, international competitive bidding (ICB) procedures will be used for civilworks contracts estimated to cost $1,500,000 or more, and supply contracts valued at$500,000. Contracts for works of more than $100,000 but less than $1,500,000 will follownational competitive bidding (NCB) procedures. Supply contracts for goods estimated below$500,000 but above $100,000 will be awarded on the basis of NCB. Items costing $100,000or less will be procured through shopping.

Before the start of any procurement, ADB and the Government will review the publicprocurement laws of the central and state governments to ensure consistency with ADB’sProcurement Guidelines.

An 18-month procurement plan, indicating threshold and review procedures, goods, works,and consulting service contract packages and national competitive bidding guidelines is inSection C.

All consultants will be recruited according to ADB’s Guidelines on the Use of Consultants.3

The terms of reference for all consulting services are detailed in PAM Appendix 154 and theirscheduling is outlined in Annex 27.

1 Available at: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Consulting/Guidelines-Consultants.pdf2 Available at: http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Procurement/Guidelines-Procurement.pdf

3 Checklists for actions required to contract consultants by method available in e-Handbook on Projectimplementation at: http://www.adb.org/documents/handbooks/project-implementation/4 The Fact-Finding Mission MOU notes that members of the PPTA consultant team mobilized by CEC and LCG (seefootnote 2) were not involved in drafting TORs or other preparations for SESDP implementation consultants, and thuswould be eligible for consultancy under SESDP.




Specialist positionperson months

International NationalExpert on Secondary Education Management / Team Leader and Deputy Team

Leader 48 84

Expert on Upper Secondary School Architectural Design 2

Specialist on Upper Secondary School Design (Architect) 6

Civil Works Coordinators (2 individuals for North & South) 72

Expert on Access-Enhancing Scholarships and School Grant Schemes 4

Scholarship and Access Grant Coordinator 24

Expert on Gender and Social Development 6 30

Expert on Teacher Education and Training Systems 23 27

Expert on Quality Assurance in Teacher Education 3 3

Expert on Teacher Recruitment, Deployment, and Performance Monitoring 8 9

Expert on ICT-based Materials Development for Educators 10 12

Expert on Textbook Policy Development 4 6

Specialist on Textbook and Teacher Guide Procurement 6

Expert on Upper Secondary Curriculum Materials Development - Foreign Language 4 8

Specialist on Upper Secondary Curriculum Materials Development - Mathematics 6

Expert on Upper Secondary Curriculum Materials Development - Science 4 10

Expert on Upper Secondary Curriculum Materials Development - Social Sciences 4 6

Expert on Instructional Materials Procurement 2 3

Expert on Secondary School Student Assessment 9 11

Expert on School Network Mapping 6 4

Expert on Social Marketing and Communication 4 12

Expert on Private Sector Mobilization in Education 4 4

Expert on ICT-for Education Policy and Strategy 4 12

Expert on Education M&E 6 24

Total 155 379

Local Contract Staff

10 Curriculum Development specialists for M7 teacher training pre-service course 20

Project Finance Officer 84

Project Procurement Officer 60

Project Monitoring and Reporting Officer 84

Total 248

To support project implementation, a firm will be engaged to provide 155 person-months ofinternational consultant inputs and 379 person-months of national consultant inputs. Theconsulting firm will be engaged using the quality- and cost-based selection (QCBS) methodwith a standard quality cost ratio of 80:20. Full technical proposals (FTPs) will be required forsubmission; shortlisted consultants allowed 45 days to prepare FTPs. The 248 person-months of contract professional services will be recruited directly by the PMU, with priorreview and approval of ADB.

An indicative list of civil works, furniture, equipment and instructional materials to be procuredis in Annex 28. The proposed civil works schedule is in Annex 17, and the proposed textbookand teaching guide printing, packaging and delivery schedule is in Annex 20.




A procurement capacity assessment is in Annex 30.

C. Procurement Plan

The procurement plan is prepared in accordance with COSO generic or country specifictemplates as appropriate

Project Name: Secondary Education Sector Development Program (SESDP,formerly BESDPII)Country: Lao PDR Executing Agency: Department of

Secondary Education, Ministry ofEducation

Grant Amount: USD 30 million Grant Number: tbd

Date of First Procurement Plan:wwwww

Date of this Procurement Plan:yyyyy

A. Process Thresholds, Review and 18-Month Procurement Plan

1. Project Procurement ThresholdsExcept as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) may otherwise agree, the following processthresholds shall apply to procurement of goods and works.

Procurement of Goods and WorksMethod ThresholdInternational Competitive Bidding (ICB) forWorks Above $1,5000,000

International Competitive Bidding for Goods Above $500,000National Competitive Bidding (NCB) forWorks Below $1,500,000 and above $100,000

National Competitive Bidding for Goods Below $500,000 and above $100,000Shopping for Works Below $100,000Shopping for Goods Below $100,000

2. ADB Prior or Post Review

Except as ADB may otherwise agree, the following prior to post review requirements apply tothe various procurement and consultant recruitment methods used for the project.5

ProcurementMethod Prior or Post Comments

Procurement of Goods and WorksICB Works PriorICB Goods Prior Prior review of all bidding documents

5 Available at http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Procurement/Guidelines-Procurement.pdf (Appendix 1) andat http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Consulting/Guidelines-Consultants.pdf. (para. 1.16)




NCB Works Prior/Post

NCB Goods Prior/Post

Shopping for Works Prior/Post

Shopping for Goods Prior/Post

The first two contracts in English languageversion for each NCB/Shopping goods andworks will be reviewed using prior reviewprocedure. Following that, post review willbe used.ADB-approved procurement documents willbe used as a model for subsequentprocurement.

Recruitment of Consulting Firms

Consultants’ Qualifications Selection (CQS) Prior review for first two packages

Quality- and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) Prior review for all contracts

Recruitment of Local Contractual Staff

Local contractual Staff PriorDSE/MOE selects, negotiates and managesthe contract with prior review and approval ofADB.

ADB=Asian Development Bank, ICB=international competitive bidding, MOE=Ministry of Education,NCB=national competitive bidding, Q=quarter, DSE=Department of Secondary Education

3. Goods and Works Contracts Estimated to Cost More Than $1 Million

The following table lists goods and works contracts for which procurement activity is eitherongoing or expected to commence within the next 18 months.

GeneralDescription

ContractValue ($)

NumberOfContracts

PrequalificationOf Bidders

ProcurementMethod

AdvertisementDate

Instructional materials

Printing oftextbooks andteachingguides inYear 1(2012), tosupportintroduction ofM3 and M5(first edition)curricula

1,558,2006 1 Y ICB Q1, 2012

Printing oftextbooks andteachingguides inYear 2(2013), tosupportintroduction ofM4 curriculum

1,330,5987 1 Y ICB Q1, 2013

ICB = international competitive bidding, NCB = national competitive bidding, Q = quarter, Y = yes, N =no, tbd to be decided

6 Includes $11,100 for M3-M7 instructional materials for TEI and FOE7 Includes $21,534 for miscellaneous instructional materials




The procurement plan is prepared in accordance with COSO generic or country specifictemplates as appropriate

Project Name: Secondary Education Sector Development Program (SESDP,formerly BESDPII)Country: Lao PDR Executing Agency: Department of

Secondary Education, Ministry ofEducation

Grant Amount: USD 30 million Grant Number: tbd

Date of First Procurement Plan:wwwww

Date of this Procurement Plan:yyyyy

A. Process Thresholds, Review and 18-Month Procurement Plan

1. Project Procurement Thresholds

Except as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) may otherwise agree, thefollowing process thresholds shall apply to procurement of goods and works.

Procurement of Goods and WorksMethod Threshold

International Competitive Bidding (ICB) forWorks Above $1,5000,000

International Competitive Bidding for Goods Above $500,000National Competitive Bidding (NCB) forWorks Below $1,500,000 and above $100,000

National Competitive Bidding for Goods Below $500,000 and above $100,000Shopping for Works Below $100,000Shopping for Goods Below $100,000

2. ADB Prior or Post Review

Except as ADB may otherwise agree, the following prior to post reviewrequirements apply to the various procurement and consultant recruitmentmethods used for the project.8

ProcurementMethod Prior or Post Comments

Procurement of Goods and WorksICB Works PriorICB Goods Prior Prior review of all bidding documents

8 Available at http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Procurement/Guidelines-Procurement.pdf(Appendix 1) and at http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Consulting/Guidelines-Consultants.pdf.(para. 1.16)




NCB WorksPrior/PostNCB GoodsPrior/Post

Shopping for WorksPrior/PostShopping for GoodsPrior/Post

The first two contracts in English languageversion for each NCB/Shopping goods andworks will be reviewed using prior reviewprocedure. Following that, post review will beused.ADB-approved procurement documents willbe used as a model for subsequentprocurement.

Recruitment of Consulting Firms

Consultants’ Qualifications Selection (CQS) Prior review for first two packages

Quality- and Cost-Based Selection (QCBS) Prior review for all contracts

Recruitment of Local Contractual Staff

Local contractual Staff PriorDSE/MOE selects, negotiates and managesthe contract with prior review and approval ofADB.

ADB=Asian Development Bank, ICB=international competitive bidding, MOE=Ministry of Education,NCB=national competitive bidding, Q=quarter, DSE=Department of Secondary Education

3. Goods and Works Contracts Estimated to Cost More Than $1Million

The following table lists goods and works contracts for which procurement activity is eitherongoing or expected to commence within the next 18 months.

GeneralDescription

ContractValue ($)

NumberOf

Contracts

PrequalificationOf Bidders

ProcurementMethod

AdvertisementDate

Instructional materials

Printing oftextbooks andteachingguides inYear 1(2012), tosupportintroduction ofM3 and M5(first edition)curricula

1,706,669a 1 N ICB Q1, 2012

Printing oftextbooks andteachingguides inYear 2(2013), tosupportintroduction ofM4 curriculum

1,455,812b 1 N ICB Q1, 2013

a Includes $11,100 for M3-M7 instructional materials for TEI and FOEb Includes $21,534 for miscellaneous instructional materialsICB = international competitive bidding, NCB = national competitive bidding, Q = quarter, N = no.

4. Consulting Services




The following tables list consulting services contracts for which procurement activity isexpected to commence within the next 18 months.

4A Contracts Estimated to Cost More Than $100,000

GeneralDescription

1) Contract2) Value ($)

3) RecruitmentMethod

AdvertisementDate

Internationalor

NationalAssignment

Comments

Consultingservices forSESDPimplementation

4,697,653 QCBS 80:20 Q4, 2011 International/national

(a) 155person-months ofinternationalconsultants,includinginternationalair fares and(b) 379person-months ofnationalconsultants

ImpactAssessmentStudya

117,500 CQS tbd International/national

QCBS = quality- and cost-based selection, CQS = consultants’ selection qualification, tbd = to bedecideda It is foreseen that there will be 1 consulting services contract and 1 contract to undertake the impact assessmentstudy.

4B Contracts Estimated to Cost Less Than $100,000

GeneralDescription

CumulativeContractValue ($)

RecruitmentMethod

AdvertisementDate

Internationalor

NationalAssignment

Comments

Outsourcedstudies andsurveysa

120,000 CQS tbd National

(a) Pilot studyfor graduateteacherincentivescheme, 5,000(b) schoolconstructionassessmentsurveys, 45,000and (c) annualaudits, 70,000

Locallycontractedprofessionals forSESDPimplementation

669,600 ICS Q4, 2011 National

248 person-months oflocallycontractedpersonnel atprofessionalgrade.

Locallycontractedadministrativeand general stafffor SESDPimplementation

283,080 ICS Q4, 2011 National

84 person-months ofadministrativestaff and 252person-monthsof general staff

ICS = individual consultant selection, CQS = consultants’ selection qualification, tbd = to be decided




a It is foreseen that there will be 3 contracts for outsourced studies and surveys (as indicated in thetable); 13 contracts for locally contracted professionals (10 curriculum development specialists, 1project finance officer, 1 project procurement officer and 1 project monitoring and reporting officer); 1project administrative support officer contract and 3 project general staff contracts.

5. Goods and Works Contracts Estimated to Cost Less than $1 Million

The following table groups smaller-value goods, works and consulting services contracts forwhich procurement activity is either ongoing or expected to commence within the next 18months.

General DescriptionValue of

Contracts(Cumulative)

$

Number ofcontracts

Procurement/recruitment

methodComments

WorksConstruction of thirty(30) new LSEschools, and fifteen(15) new USEteaching blocks,complete with sitepreparation, waterand electricityconnections, fixturesand fittings, butwithout furnishings.In addition seventyfive (75) basicdormitoryconstructions, fortyfive (45) on the samesites (30+15) plus anadditional thirty (30)LSE sites to bedecided

4,617,311a 15bNCB

Furniture and Equipment (Goods)Classroom,laboratory andteachers’ roomfurniture for the thirty(30) newlyconstructed LSEschools and thefifteen (15) newlyconstructed USEteaching blocks

587,045 3cNCB

Science equipmentkits for use in fortyfive (45) new schoolsTEI and FOE tosupport teachertraining in the newM3 M7 curricula

489,240 1 NCB

Physical educationkits for use in fortyfive (45) new schools

40,352 1d NCB

Arts/music kits foruse in forty five(45)new schools

66,240 1e NCB

Library materials for 302,332 1 NCB




use in forty five(45)new schools and 13TEI and FOEOffice equipmentpackages 262,577 1 NCB

ICT equipment andmaterials 701,122 3 NCB

Project vehicles 180,675 1 UNOPS orNCB

Motor cycles for DEB 63,934 1 Shopping

a In total the number of contracts and their value to be decided when the location and siting of theschools have been determined, and the most economical and logistical groupings of schools can beassessed.

b Once the sites have been located, the preference is for contracts to be awarded on a local basis, withthe actual number and disposition of contracts to be determined by the project officers, based on theirassessment of the optimum strategic grouping of sites according to their access from main roads,proximity to one another, etc. Preliminary information indicates that around 15 contracts will be awarded,none of which would exceed $ 1 million nor fall below $100,000.c Depending on the location and siting of schools, and their most cost-effective grouping, but with the

view to achieving some economies of scale, preliminary indications are that regional (north, centraland south) contracting would be appropriate, where no one contract would exceed $500,000, nor fallbelow $100,000

d, e `Even though the value of this contract is below the NCB threshold, because it is a specializedpackage, it is recommended that the most effective method of procurement is through 1 contract,awarded through NCB.

Printing and packaging of textbooks, teaching guides and instructional materialsPrinting andpackaging oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 3 (2014), tosupport introductionof M5 (secondedition) curriculum*

571,046a 1 N NCB

Printing andpackaging oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 4 (2015), tosupport introductionof M6 curriculum*

536,488a 1 N NCB

Printing and packingof textbooks andteaching guides inYear 5 (2016), tosupport introductionof M7 curriculum*

379,337a 1 N NCB

Distribution of textbooks and teaching guides to PESDistribution oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 1 (2012), tosupport introductionof M3 and M5 (firstedition) curricula

90,050 1 N Shopping or directcontracting*

Distribution oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 2 (2013), tosupport introduction

66,000 1 N Shopping or directcontracting




of M4 curriculum

Distribution oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 3 (2014), tosupport introductionof M5 (secondedition) curriculum*


Distribution oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 4 (2015), tosupport introductionof M6 curriculum*


Distribution oftextbooks andteaching guides inYear 5 (2016), tosupport introductionof M7 curriculum*


ICB=International Competitive Bidding, NCB=National Competitive Bidding, Y=yes, N=no, tbd=to bedecidedNote: Indicative procurements to commence at later stages in the project, and subject to furtherdiscussion and revision.";a Includes $11,100 for M3-M7 instructional materials for TEI and FOE.

C. National Competitive Bidding

1. General

1.The procedures to be followed for National Competitive Bidding (NCB) shall be those setforth for “Public Bidding” in Prime Minister’s Decree No. 03/PM of the Lao PDR, effective 09January 2004, and Implementing Rules and Regulations effective 12 March 2004, with theclarifications and modifications described in the following paragraphs required for compliancewith the provisions of the Procurement Guidelines.

2. Application

2.Contract packages subject to NCB procedures will be those identified as such in the projectProcurement Plan. Any changes to the mode of procurement from those provided in theProcurement Plan shall be made through updating of the Procurement Plan, and only withprior approval of ADB.

3. Eligibility

3.Bidders shall not be declared ineligible or prohibited from bidding on the basis of barringprocedures or sanction lists, except individuals and firms sanctioned by ADB, without priorapproval of ADB.

4. Advertising

4.Bidding of NCB contracts estimated at $500,000 or more for goods and related services of$1,000,000 or more for civil works shall be advertised on ADB’s website via the posting of theProcurement Plan.

5. Procurement Documents




5.The standard procurement documents provided with Ministry of Finance, ProcurementMonitoring Office shall be used to the extent possible. The first draft English language versionof the procurement documents shall be submitted for ADB review and approval, regardless ofthe estimated contract amount, in accordance with agreed review procedures (post and priorreview). The ADB-approved procurement documents will then be used as a model for allprocurement financed by ADB for the project, and need not be subjected to further reviewunless specified in the procurement plan.

6. Preferences

(i) No preference of any kind shall be given to domestic bidders or for domesticallymanufactured goods.

(ii) Suppliers and contractors shall not be required to purchase local goods orsupplies or materials.

7. Rejection of all Bids and Rebidding

6.Bids shall not be rejected and new bids solicited without ADB’s prior concurrence.

8. National Sanctions List

7.National sanctions lists may be applied only with prior approval of ADB.

9. Corruption Policy

8.A bidder declared ineligible by ADB, based on a determination by ADB that the bidder hasengaged in corrupt, fraudulent, collusive, or coercive practices in competing for or inexecuting and ADB-financed contract shall be ineligible to be awarded ADB-financed contractduring the period determined by ADB.

10. Disclosure of Decisions on Contract Awards

9.At the same time that notification on award of contract is given to the successful bidder, theresults of the bid evaluation shall be published in a local newspaper or well-known freelyaccessible website identifying the bid and lot numbers and providing information on (i) nameof each Bidder who submitted a Bid, (ii) bid prices as read out at bid opening, (iii) name ofbidders whose bids were rejected and the reasons for their rejection, (iv) name of the winningBidder, and the price it offered, as well as the duration and summary scope of the contractawarded;. The executing agency/implementing agency shall respond in writing tounsuccessful bidders who seek explanation on the grounds on which their bids are notselected.

11. Member Country Restrictions

10. Bidders must be nationals of member countries of ADB, and offered goods, works andservices must be produced in and supplied from member countries of ADB.




Consolidated References

A. Project documents

SESDP Project Administration Manual (PAM), June 2011, Appendix 18‘Procurement Capacity Assessment’

B. Downloaded ADB Documents9

ADB Procurement Guidelines (April 2010)http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Procurement/Guidelines-Procurement.pdf

ADB Guidelines on the Use of Consultants by ADB and its Borrowers (April 2010,http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Consulting/Guidelines-Consultants.pdf

ADB Project Administration Instructions

PAI 3.03 International Competitive Bidding (revised June 2006)PAI 3.04 Local Competitive Bidding (revised April 2008) (PAI 3.04 Local procurement (revised January 2005)

ADB Ministry of Education, Procurement Review for Effective Implementation(PREI) (February 2011)

C. Additional Web-based Sources

Procurement Guidelines:http://www.adb.org/Documents/Guidelines/Procurement/default.asp

Guidelines on Use of Consultants by ADB and Its Borrowershttp://www.adb.org/Documents/Guideliines/Consulting/default.asp

Consulting Services Recruitment Notice:http://csrn.adb.orghttp://csrn.adb.org:8080/csrn/login.jsp

Templates for engagement of consultants: (including submission templates)http://www.adb.org/Consulting/loan-rfp.asp

Harmonized RFP (Loans)http://www.adb.org/Consulting/all-methods-loan.asp

Sample Individual consultant contracthttp://www.adb.org/Consulting/ICS-Contract-Loan.pdf

9 Available from the SESDP PMU




Consulting Services Operations Manualhttp://www.adb.org/Documents/Manuals/Consulting-Services-Operations-Manual/CSOM.pdf

Toolkits and Templates for Consultantshttp://www.adb.org/Consulting/toolkit-template.asp

Project Administration Instructions PAI 3.03 International Competitive Bidding

http://www.scribd.com/doc/55969983/pai-3-03-jun06

Procurement Documents:http://www.adb.org/Procurement/prequalification-bid-documents.asp

User’s Guide (Procurement of Goods)http://www.adb.org/Documents/Manuals/Bidding_Documents/Goods/SBD-Goods-Users-Guide.pdf

User’s Guide (Small Civil Works – below 10 Min USD)http://www.adb.org/Documents/Manuals/bidding_documents/prequalification/SBDWorks-sml-UserGuide.pdf

Guide on Bid Evaluationhttp://www/adb.org/Procurement/guide-bid-apr06.pdf

Procurement Planshttp://www.adb.org/Procurement/reports.asp?key=reps&val=PP

Electronic Procurementhttp://www.mdbegp.org/www/eGPInteractiveus/tabid/69/language/en-US/Default.aspx

E-GP (Electronic Government Procurement) Toolkithttp://www.mdbegp.org/www/eGPToolkitus/tabid/67/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Project Administration Instructionshttp://www.adb.org/Documents/Manuals/PAI/default.asp

E-Handbook on Project Implementationhttp://www.adb.org/Documents/handbooks/project-implementation/default.asp?p=proj

Anticorruption and Integrityhttp://www.adb.org/Integrity/default.asp

How to report fraud and corruptionhttp://www.adb.org/Integrity/howto.asp


ANNEX 20

SESDP Scholarships, Access Grants and Dormitories


1.0 Scholarships

1.The purpose of the scholarship is for all scholars to complete Grade 9, and each student(and a parent) will sign an undertaking or agreement to this effect.

2.SESDP will enable the Inclusive Education Center in MOE to make up to 1740 LSEscholarships available to eligible students to enroll in Grade 6 classes in 2013/14 in 60schools in SESDP target districts. Scholarships will be awarded on criteria similar toBESDP, with specific revisions to be outlined in a revised Scholarships Manual.

3.Major changes in SESDP scholarship procedures for discussion with MOE include:

(a) Collection of comprehensive baseline data on all 2012/13 Grade 5 students inprimary schools that will supply students to the 30 new LSE schools (to beconstructed by SESDP) and in 30 additional LSE schools to be identified in eachSESDP district.

(b) For the two LSE schools in each district, each feeder primary school will prepare alist of potential students, with details about name, year of birth, gender, homelanguage/s, family financial status, Grade 5 school performance, Grade 5 attendance,distance from home to the LSE school, and primary school recommendation to thePPA for priority.

(c) Each participating LSE school will have a functioning Pupil Parents Association (orwill create one), with provision for participation of representatives from feeder primaryschools.

(d) Changes to payment procedures, where scholarship payments would be transferredto a school account (opened at a district branch of an approved bank), and managedby the Pupil Parents Association and head of the school. PPA would certify the list ofeligible students, attendance over the previous semester, satisfactory performanceand behavior.

(e) Students would sign for receipt of scholarship funds at a public meeting of the PPA.Where practicable, one of the student’s parents should countersign the scholarshipreceipt.1

(f) The Pupil Parents Association will take necessary steps to encourage scholarshipholders to complete Grade 9, including recommendation for a “completion payment”in the final semester of Grade 9.

(g) Except in exceptional circumstances, there will be no “replacement” scholars afterGrade 6. Students who leave the schools during Grade 6 for an acceptable reasonmay be replaced by a student on an eligibility list created at the time when the initialscholarships were awarded.

(h) Scholarships will be paid at the official Government rate (LAK 410,000 per semesteras at May 2011), as amended during the life of the Project.

4.Special procedures for Grade 10 scholarships from 2014/15 to be developed.

1 Any funds withheld for dormitory meals etc will be clearly identified and accounted for in PPA accounts.


ANNEX 20



2.0 SESDP Access Grants

1. The purpose of SESDP Access Grants is to improve educational outcomes forstudents, improving Grade 9 completion rates, progression to Grade 10 and Grade 12completion. At least half of beneficiaries should be female, and students from poor familiesand from ethnic groups should have priority.

2. Access Grants should enable Pupils Parents Associations (PPA) in participating LSEschools in 30 SESDP Districts (and participating schools with USE classes) to apply forAccess Grants for approved purposes. Schools without a PPA will be required to establishone based on guidelines set out in the SESDP Access Grants and Scholarships Manuals.

3. The Project will assist participating schools establish PPAs and provide necessarytraining. Training could include each community/Khumban undertaking a rapid assessment ofnumbers of children in their community, particularly 11-14 year olds, and whether they havenever been enrolled, currently enrolled in Primary, currently enrolled in LSE grades, orwhether they have dropped out. Such an assessment would help the community identifyaction required to get all school age children enrolled and attending school. This could lead toPPA proposals for an Access Grant.

4. SESDP will assist the MOE to develop a Grants Manual and submit the revisedSESDP Grants Manual for ADB review and approval.

5. Access Grants will assist PPA undertake activities which improve access and learningoutcomes for students in participating schools. Low cost, community-managed dormitories(see below), remedial classes in math, reading and writing, and income-generating activities(IGA) are examples of purposes for which Access Grants could be used. IGA such as schoolgardens could subsidize feeding students in dormitories or to generate income which PPAuses to support student learning outcomes.

6. Any funds for Access Grants will be paid into either a School Account or a separatePPA Account in an approved District Bank. All funds must be reported to the PPA, theSchool, the District Education Bureau and to the SESDP. Grants, which include a semesteror annual payment, can only be made if all funds from any previous payment are fullyaccounted for and reported in an approved manner.

3.0 Low-cost Community Managed Dormitories

1. Distance from home to school and lack of suitable accommodation for studentsattending secondary school were identified by communities as barriers to students in small,remote communities entering and completing secondary education. Scholarships at theofficial government rates were not sufficient to meet the costs of travel, accommodation,meals and other necessary expenses.

2. Lao PDR has a long history of Ethnic Boarding Schools, usually at the provincialcenter, for lower and upper secondary students from primary and LSE schools in districts.SESDP target districts tend to be remote from the provincial center, and the challenge isensuring that students completing primary have reasonable access to at least a LSE school.


ANNEX 20



3. SESDP has identified low-cost, community-managed dormitories as an appropriateway of meeting community need for safe/secure facilities, which enable students to benefitfrom completing secondary school. PPAs and the community (VEDC/kumban) ownershipand management of dormitories should ensure that dormitories continue after the projectends.

4. Where practicable, the dormitory (dormitories) should be on the school site or adjacentto the site. This would enable after-hours access to classrooms for remedial classes.

5. SESDP will provide cement, pillars and roofing materials, and the community willprovide labor and other materials. In the 30 sites where the Project is constructing new LSEschools, the construction contract will provide the concrete base, pillars and the roof. For the30 existing LSE schools, which will receive Grade 6 scholarships in 2013/14 to improveaccess for girls and ethnic groups to secondary school, cement, pillars and roofing materialswill be provided for a dormitory. [If practicable, this may be included in the nearest LSEconstruction contract].

6. Dormitory accommodation will be secure, gender-segregated, with gender-segregatedwashing and toilet facilities (wet area). For the 30 existing LSE schools, the Access Grantfunds could be used to ensure that that toilets are built if needed.

7. The PPA/school/community will ensure that there is adult supervision of all dormitories.This could include providing accommodation for a male and female teacher as supervisors ofthe male and female dormitories.

8. Remedial classes in math, reading and writing should be provided so that learningoutcomes improve for students. The PPA could use an Access Grant to meet any additionalcosts of these classes, or the male/female teacher dormitory supervisors could provideclasses in lieu of the cost of their accommodation.

9. The PPA will manage the dormitories, including arrangements for feeding residentstudents. School gardens may be one way in which food costs could be subsidized. Studentwork in garden, cleaning and cooking will meet GOL requirements for safety and restrictionson use of child labor. [Dormitory costs could be reported in the PPA Account or PPA couldoperate a special Dormitory account].

10. Most students receiving scholarships should live in the school dormitory. [There wouldbe exceptions where a scholarship student comes from the village where the school islocated, where a non-scholarship student from a distant village requires accommodation, orwhere families prefer their child living with relatives rather than in the dormitory].

11. There are further matters for discussion with MOE at SESDP implementation, includingfinalizing Scholarship, Access Grant, Dormitory and PPA Manuals. These discussionsshould clarify issues about who pays for what, how funds received are reported, and thatthere is appropriate public accountability for all Project/Grant payments.

12. There are other potential issues relating to extending or enlarging dormitory capacity inexisting LSE or complete secondary schools, especially where additional USE classroomsare provided at 15 schools. Some of these issues will depend on which schools are identifiedfor USE classroom construction, and additional schools identified for Grade 10 USEscholarships.


ANNEX 21M3-M7 Textbook and Teaching Guide Printing, Packaging and Distribution Program


SESDP supports the rollout of the new M3 to M7. In particular it is providing textbooks and teaching guides to all government secondary schools and a selection of privateschools. Table VI.4.1 summarizes the assumptions upon which the program is based, and indicates the magnitude of the process. Over the first five years of the program,from 2012 to 2016, a total of 2,884,326 textbooks will be printed, packaged into 267,804 sets and delivered to all government secondary schools and a selection of privateschools, TEIs, FOEs and the MOE. Over the same period an additional 284,156 teaching guides will be printed, packaged into 24,478 sets and distributed to the samedestinations. Table 1 details the printing packaging and distribution program with respect to each of the M3 to M7 curricula, and Table 2 traces the rollout schedule that thisprogram will entail.

Table 20.1 M3-M7 textbook and teaching guide printing, packaging and delivery program

Curriculum no. of titlesper set allocation est. no. of

students

est. no. ofsets

required

est. no. ofschools printing packaging distribution

M3

Textbooks 11 1:1* 95,833 95,833 1,200 1,054,163 95,833 1,200

Teaching guides 14 1:25** 95,833 3,833 1,200 53,666 3,833 1,200

Texts for MOE, TEI/FOE and private schools 11 1,810 19,910 1,810

Guides for MOE, TEI/FOE and private schools 14 1,810 25,340 1,810

Subtotal M3 1,153,079 103,286 1,200

M4

Textbooks 11 1:1* 86,250 86,250 1,200 948,750 86,250 1,200

Teaching guides 14 1:25** 86,250 3,450 1,200 48,300 3,450 1,200



Subtotal M4 1,042,300 93,320 1,200

M5 (first edition)

Textbooks - core curriculum 11 3 per school 1,350 450 14,850 1,350 450

Teaching guides - core curriculum 12 2 per school 900 450 10,800 900 450

Textbooks - electives 8 3 per school 1,350 450 10,800 1,350 450

Teaching guides - electives 10 1 per school 450 450 4,500 450 450






students

est. no. ofsets

required



Subtotal M5 (first edition) 78,960 7,670 450

M5 (second edition)

Textbooks - core curriculum 11 1:4* 77,625 19,406 500 213,469 19,406 500

Teaching guides - core curriculum 12 1:25** 77,625 3,105 500 37,260 3,105 500


Teaching guides - electives 10 2 per school 1,000 500 10,000 1,000 500



Subtotal M5 (second edition) 398,739 39,631 500

M6

Textbooks - core curriculum 11 1:4* 69,863 17,466 500 192,123 17,466 500

Teaching guides - core curriculum 12 1:25** 69,863 2,795 500 33,534 2,795 500


Teaching guides - electives 10 2 per school 1,000 500 10,000 1,000 500



Subtotal M5 (second edition) 373,667 37,380 500

M7

Textbooks 12 1:4* 62,877 15,719 500 188,631 15,719 500

Teaching guides 13 1:25** 62,877 2,515 500 1,885 2,515 500







students

est. no. ofsets

required


Subtotal M7 235,766 21,854 500

TOTAL PRINTING AND PACKAGING

Textbooks 2,611,986 236,024

Teaching guides 185,446 16,598

Texts for MOE, TEI/FOE and private schools 272,340 31,780

Guides for MOE, TEI/FOE and private schools 98,710 7,880

Total textbooks 2,884,326 267,804

Total teaching guides 284,156 24,478

TOTAL PRINTING AND PACKAGING 3,168,482 292,282

* textbook:student ratio

** teaching guide:student ratio




Table 21.2 Proposed schedule for the printing, packaging and distribution of M3 to M7 textbooks and teaching guides

Curriculum Activity

Project/Calendar Year

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

M3

printing

packaging

distribution

M4

printing

packaging

distribution

M5first edition

printing

packaging

distribution

M5second edition

printing

packaging

distribution

M6

printing

packaging

distribution

M7

printing

packaging

distribution

TA-7555 LAO BESDP II PPTA (Draft Final Report)

ANNEX 22Indicative Lists of Civil Works, Furniture and Equipment and Teaching Materials


Item Assumptions Unit TotalQuantity

Unit Cost (USD) Estimated Total Cost (USD)

Base CostTaxes andCharges

Total UnitCost

Base Cost EstimateTaxes andCharges

Total CostEstimateLocal Forex Total Local Forex Total

CIVIL WORKS

Land Acquisition m2

30 LSE and 14USE schools,average 1 hectareapiece.

300,000 3.2 3.2 3.2 952,559 - 952,559 - 952,559

150,000 3.2 3.2 3.2 476,279 - 476,279 - 476,279

Total landacquisition 450,000 1,428,838 - 1,428,838 - 1,428,838

1. Building - 30new LSE schools m2

basic schoolbuilding, withseparate toilet block- northern region

assume 10schools per region,each new building401m2, comprising4 classrooms, 1laboratory/multi-use room and 1teachers' roomand a separatetoilet/ wet area

4,010198.3 10.4 208.7 21.9 230.7

795,195 41,852 837,047 87,890 924,937

basic schoolbuilding, withseparate toilet block- central region

4,010151.1 8.0 159.1 16.7 175.8

606,091 31,900 637,991 66,989 704,980

basic schoolbuilding, withseparate toilet block- southern region

4,010167.1 8.8 175.9 18.5 194.3

670,015 35,264 705,279 74,054 779,333

Sub-total 12,030 2,071,301 109,016 2,180,317 228,933 2,409,251site preparation,

electricity andpotable waterconnection

10 percent ofnew constructioncosts 207,130 10,902 218,032 22,893 240,925

fixtures andfittings

3 percent of newconstruction costs 62,139 3,270 65,410 6,868 72,278







Total UnitCost



Total new LSEschoolconstruction 12,030 2,340,571 123,188 2,463,758 258,695 2,722,453

2. Building - 15new USE teachingblocks

m2

basic schoolbuilding, withseparate toilet block- northern region

assume 5schools in each ofthe northern,central andsouthern regions,each new building470m2, comprising3 classrooms, 2laboratory/multi-use room and 1teachers' roomand a separatetoilet/ wet area

2,350 198.3 10.4 208.7 21.9 230.7 466,012 24,527 490,539 51,507 542,046

basic schoolbuilding, withseparate toilet block- central region

1,880 151.1 8.0 159.1 16.7 175.8 355,191 18,694 373,885 39,258 413,143

basic schoolbuilding, withseparate toilet block- southern region

2,350167.1 8.8 175.9 18.5 194.3

392,652 20,666 413,318 43,398 456,716

Sub-total 6,580 1,213,855 63,887 1,277,742 134,163 1,411,905site preparation,

electricity andpotable waterconnection

assume 5percent of newconstruction costs 60,693 3,194 63,887 6,708 70,595

fixtures andfittings

assume 2percent of newconstruction costs 24,277 1,278 25,555 2,683 28,238

Total new USEschoolconstruction 6,580 1,298,825 68,359 1,367,184 143,554 1,510,738

3. Building - 75dormitories m2

one each on thesite of the 30 newLSE schools beingconstructed

assume eachschool will have 50boarders -25female and 25male.

4,500 39.1 4.3 43.4 4.8 48.2 198,620 22,069 220,689 24,276 244,965







Total UnitCost



one each on thesite of the 15 newLSE teaching blocksbeing constructed

assumeseperate dormitoryfor each sex, andallowing eachboarder 3m2, areais estimated at75m2 each, for atotal of 150m2 perschool

2,250 39.1 4.3 43.4 4.8 48.2 94,037 10,449 104,486 11,493 115,979

one each on anadditional 30 LSEschool sites

assume eachdormitory will besupplied withconcrete floor, roofsupports androofing. Anadditional amount(13% for LSEschools and 7%for USE schools)is included to allowfor site clearing,utility connectionsand fixtures andfittings.

4,500 39.1 4.3 43.4 4.8 48.2 198,620 22,069 220,689 24,276 244,965

Total dormitoryconstruction 11,250 491,277 54,586 545,864 60,045 605,908

Total building and construction 29,860 4,130,672 246,133 4,376,806 462,294 4,839,100

TOTAL CIVIL WORKS 5,559,511 246,133 5,805,644 462,294 6,267,938

FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT ( each category of furniture and equipment is a standardised package of items, the contents of which are included in annex z)

Classroom package

LSEassume 4 per

new LSE schoolbuilding 120 2,030.6 106.9 2,137.5 224.4 2,361.9 243,675 12,825 256,500 26,933 283,433

USEassume 3 per

new USE building 45 2,030.6 106.9 2,137.5 224.4 2,361.9 91,378 4,809 96,188 10,100 106,287

Sub-total 165 335,053 17,634 352,688 37,032 389,720







Total UnitCost



Laboratory package

LSEscience/multi-purpose

assume 1 pernew LSE schoolbuilding 30 2,025.4 106.6 2,132.0 223.9 2,355.9 60,762 3,198 63,960 6,716 70,676

USE scienceassume 3 per

new USE teachingblock 45 2,227.9 117.3 2,345.2 246.2 2,591.4 100,257 5,277 105,534 11,081 116,615

Sub-total 75 161,019 8,475 169,494 17,797 187,291

Teachers' room package

LSEassume I per

new LSE school 30 853.1 44.9 898.0 94.3 992.3 25,593 1,347 26,940 2,829 29,769

USEassume I per

new USE teachingblock 15 853.0 170.2 1,023.2 119.3 1,142.5 12,795 2,553 15,348 1,790 17,138

Sub-total 45 38,388 3,900 42,288 4,619 46,906

Science kits package

LSE sciencedistribution to 30

new LSE schools 30 1,190.0 1,190.0 238.0 1,428.0 - 35,700 35,700 7,140 42,840

physicsdistributed to 15

new USE schoolsand 9 TEI

2,500.0 2,500.0 500.0 3,000.0 - 60,000 60,000 12,000 72,000

chemistry24 6,000.0 6,000.0 1,200.0 7,200.0 - 144,000 144,000 28,800 172,800

biology 7,000.0 7,000.0 1,400.0 8,400.0 - 168,000 168,000 33,600 201,600

Sub-total 54 - 407,700 407,700 81,540 489,240Instructional

materials package

physicaleducation distributed to new

LSE and USEschools and TEI

45 731.0 731.0 146.2 877.2 - 33,626 33,626 6,725 40,352

music/arts45 1,200.0 1,200.0 240.0 1,440.0 - 55,200 55,200 11,040 66,240

library books,DVDs etc 54 909.7 3,510.0 4,419.7 793.0 5,212.6 52,760 203,580 256,340 45,992 302,332

Sub-total 144 52,760 292,406 345,167 63,757 408,924







Total UnitCost



ICT equipmentand materials package

RIES6 2,793.0 2,793.0 558.6 3,351.6 - 16,758 16,758 3,352 20,110

SPA5 1,110.0 1,110.0 222.0 1,332.0 - 5,550 5,550 1,110 6,660

ICT4LEmaterialsdevelopment

1,201 98.0 350.4 448.4 79.9 528.2 117,698 420,770 538,468 95,924 634,392

school ICT4LE(pilot) 30 1,110.0 1,110.0 222.0 1,332.0 - 33,300 33,300 6,660 39,960

Sub-total 1,212 117,698 476,378 594,076 107,045 701,122

Office equipment package

provincial offices 143,370.0 3,370.0 706.0 4,076.0 - 47,180 47,180 9,884 57,064

districteducation bureaux 29 3,370.0 3,370.0 706.0 4,076.0 - 97,730 97,730 20,474 118,204

schoolmanagement

152,425.0 2,425.0 474.0 2,899.0 - 36,375 36,375 7,110 43,485

PMU 115,400.0 15,400.0 3,461.0 18,861.0 - 15,400 15,400 3,461 18,861

other (laptops) 15939.7 939.7 181.0 1,120.7 - 14,096 14,096 2,715 16,811

Sub-total 74 - 210,781 210,781 43,644 254,425

Vehicle item

medium-sizeSUV 3 40,150.0 40,150.0 20,075.0 60,225.0 - 120,450 120,450 60,225 180,675

motor cycle29 1,420.8 1,420.8 710.4 2,131.1 - 41,202 41,202 20,601 61,803

Sub-total 32 - 161,652 161,652 80,826 242,478

TOTAL FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT 704,919 1,578,926 2,283,845 436,260 2,720,105

TEXTBOOKS, TEACHING GUIDES AND TEACHER TRAINING MANUALS

Textbooks

M3 set







Total UnitCost



printing -compulsory subjects

assume 11textbooks per setand one set perstudent

97,643 6.0 6.0 12.0 1.8 13.8 585,370 585,370 1,170,740 175,611 1,346,351

sub-totalprinting 97,643 585,370 585,370 1,170,740 175,611 1,346,351

packaging/warehousing etc 97,643 1.2 - 1.2 0.1 1.3 117,074 - 117,074 11,707 128,781

distributionassume

distribution to1,200 schools 1,200 25.0 - 25.0 2.5 27.5 30,000 - 30,000 3,000 33,000

Sub-total 732,444 585,370 1,317,814 190,318 1,508,132

M4 set


assume 11textbooks per setand one set perstudent

88,060 6.0 6.0 12.0 1.8 13.8 527,920 527,920 1,055,839 158,376 1,214,215

sub-totalprinting 88,060 527,920 527,920 1,055,839 158,376 1,214,215


distributionassume


Sub-total 663,504 527,920 1,191,423 171,934 1,363,358

M5 set


assume 11textbooks per setand one set perfour students

24,376 6.0 6.0 12.0 1.8 13.8 146,134 146,134 292,268 43,840 336,108

printing - electivesubjects

assume 8textbooks per setand one set perfour studentsdoing electives

13,850 4.4 4.4 8.7 1.3 10.0 60,386 60,386 120,772 18,116 138,888

sub-total printing 38,226 206,520 206,520 413,040 61,956 474,996







Total UnitCost




distributionassume

distribution to 950schools 950 25.0 - 25.0 2.5 27.5 23,750 - 23,750 2,375 26,125

Sub-total 276,103 206,520 482,623 68,914 551,538

M6 set



19,276 6.0 6.0 12.0 1.8 13.8 115,560 115,560 231,119 34,668 265,787

printing - electivesubjects

assume 8textbooks per setand one set perfour studentsdoing electives

12,500 4.4 4.4 8.7 1.3 10.0 54,500 54,500 109,000 16,350 125,350

sub-total printing 31,776 170,060 170,060 340,119 51,018 391,137packaging/wareho

using etc 31,776 1.2 - 1.2 0.1 1.3 38,099 - 38,099 3,810 41,909

distributionassume


Sub-total 220,659 170,060 390,719 56,078 446,796

M7 set



17,529 6.5 6.5 13.1 2.0 15.0 114,640 114,640 229,279 34,392 263,671

sub-totalprinting 17,529 114,640 114,640 229,279 34,392 263,671


distributionassume


Sub-total 150,068 114,640 264,707 37,935 302,642







Total UnitCost



Total texbooks sets

printing273,234 1,604,509 1,604,509 3,209,018 481,353 3,690,370

packagingwarehousing 273,234 329,518 - 329,518 32,952 362,470

distribution4,350 108,750 - 108,750 10,875 119,625

Total texbooks 2,042,777 1,604,509 3,647,286 525,179 4,172,465

Teaching guides

M3 set


assume 11textbooks per set,student:teacherratio of 1:25 andone set perteacher

5,643 7.8 7.8 15.7 2.4 18.0 44,241 44,241 88,482 13,272 101,755


packaging/warehousing etc 5,643 1.6 - 1.6 0.2 1.7 8,848 - 8,848 885 9,733

distributionassume


Sub-total 83,089 44,241 127,330 17,157 144,488

M4 set



5,260 7.8 7.8 15.7 2.4 18.0 41,238 41,238 82,477 12,372 94,848



distributionassume








Total UnitCost



Sub-total 79,486 41,238 120,724 16,196 136,921

M5 set



7,625 6.7 6.7 13.4 2.0 15.5 51,240 51,240 102,480 15,372 117,852

printing - electivesubjects 1,000 5.6 5.6 11.2 1.7 12.9 5,600 5,600 11,200 1,680 12,880


using etc 8,625 1.3 - 1.3 0.1 1.5 11,592 - 11,592 1,159 12,751

distributionassume


Sub-total 92,182 56,840 149,022 20,586 169,608

M6 set



4,605 6.7 6.7 13.4 2.0 15.5 30,946 30,946 61,891 9,284 71,175

printing - electivesubjects 1,000 5.6 5.6 11.2 1.7 12.9 5,600 5,600 11,200 1,680 12,880


using etc 5,605 1.3 - 1.3 0.1 1.5 7,533 - 7,533 753 8,286

distributionassume


Sub-total 56,579 36,546 93,124 12,967 106,091

M7 set







Total UnitCost





4,325 7.3 7.3 14.6 2.2 16.7 31,486 31,486 62,972 9,446 72,418



distributionassume


Sub-total 50,283 31,486 81,769 11,326 93,095Total teaching

guides sets

printing 29,458 210,351 210,351 420,702 63,105 483,808packaging

warehousing 29,458 42,518 - 42,518 4,252 46,770

distribution4,350 108,750 - 108,750 10,875 119,625

Total teachingguides 361,619 210,351 571,970 78,232 650,203

Miscellaneous instructional materials

M3-M7instructionalmaterials (TEI/FOE) package

printing2,500 10.0 10.0 20.0 2.2 22.2 25,000 25,000 50,000 5,500 55,500

Supplementaryguidelines for M1-M7 pre-teachertraining package

printing140 10.0 10.0 20.0 2.2 22.2 1,400 1,400 2,800 308 3,108

QA guidelinespackage

printing300 10.0 10.0 20.0 2.2 22.2 3,000 3,000 6,000 660 6,660

TEI manuals package







Total UnitCost



printing10.0 10.0 20.0 2.2 22.2

TeacherIncentive Schememanuals package

printing30 10.0 10.0 20.0 2.2 22.2 300 300 600 66 666

Total miscellaneous instructionalmaterials

packages 2,970 29,700 29,700 59,400 6,534 65,934

TOTAL TEXTBOOKS, GUIDES AND MATERIALS 2,434,096 1,844,560 4,278,656 609,946 4,888,602


ANNEX 23Summary Capacity Building Plan for Curriculum Delivery


Summary Capacity Building Plan for Improved Delivery of New SE Curriculum

Training Program Target Group Program Length &timing

Means of implementation Number ofParticipants

Unit TotalDays

ProjectCost

Outcome: Enhanced equity, quality and efficiency of secondary education (SE) in Lao PDR

Output 2. Improved delivery of new SE curriculum2A1 QA training workshopfor Senior Managers inTEIs / FOEs Senior managersin TEIs and FOEs (i) development of proceduresand professional consultation(ii) preparation for pilot / trial(iii) monitoring / feedback2 days peryear for 3years Project consultants workingwith ESQAC and DTE 40 2 dayworkshop x3 years 240

2A1 Workshops for preparation of Supplementary Guidelines for M1-M7 Pre-Service Curriculum2A1 (i) Curriculum reviewand drafting of CurriculumFramework for M1-M7Pre-Service teachertrainingDTE, RIES, DSE,TEIs and FOEs Review and drafting ofCurriculum Framework for M1-M7 Pre-Service teacher training 3 days foreach of 5subjects Project consultants workingwith RIES and TEI/FOEsubject specialists 100 3 days persubject 300

2A1(ii) drafting / writersworkshop RIES, SPA andsubject specialists 5 writers workshops, one foreach subject strand 5 days foreachsubject Project consultants workingwith RIES and TEI/FOEsubject specialists 10 subjectspecialists ineach workshop x5 subjectworkshops = 505 dayworkshops 250

2A1 (iii) TEI staff training/ capacity development TEIs and FOEs Professional staff review of thenew curriculum10 subject specialists x 5 +subject observers1day persubject Internal institutionalarrangement in each TEI/FOE 60 x 13 = 480 1 day persubject x 5subjects 3900

2A3 Workshops to support implementation of Graduate Teacher Incentives Scheme2A3 (i) Initial consultationon modality DOP, PES, DSE Procedures for administeringthe scheme 1 day Project consultants workingwith MOE staff 25 One daymeeting 25x12A3 (ii) launch of theimplementation guidelinesincluding selection criteriaand proceduresPES, DEB, schoolsand DOP Briefing and instruction onselection and administration 2 days Project consultants asfacilitators 12 x 5 = 60Assuming 5participatingdistricts

Onemeeting 1202A3 (iii) District meetingsfor final selection LS schools, DEB,LS teachers Selection of graduates in 5districts 1 day District level meeting tofinalize selection 20 participants x5 districts = 100 1 day ineach district 1002A3 (iv) monitoring / DOP, PES, LS Check of records and impact 1 day x 2 DOP to instruct school and 20 participants x 1 meeting 200




audit meeting schools, LSteachers assessment years PES to audit the scheme 5 districts = 100 per year for2 years2B1(i) Workshop toprepare M3 TeacherTraining Manual RIES and TOTsubject specialistwriters Preparation of M3 TrainingManual 5 days Project consultants workingwith RIES 45 One 5 dayworkshop 2252B1 (ii) M3 TOT workshop All SPAs andMaster Trainersto familiariseparticipants oncontent andmethodology

Training of SPAs and MasterTrainers 5 days Project consultants and RIES (22x7) + (8x11)+ 24 = 486 One 5 dayworkshopfor TOT ineach region2430

2B1 (iii) M3 In-ServiceTeacher Training M3 teachers 5 days for 5 teachers from eachLS, one teacher for each subjectstrand 5 days SPAs and Master trainers todeliver training at provincialor district levels 6100 = 1200 LSschools x 5teachers plus100 facilitatorsSchoolclusters tobe arrangedby each PES

6100 x5 =305002B1 (iv) Workshop toprepare M4 TeacherTraining Manual RIES and TOTwriters Preparation of M3 TrainingManual 2 days Project consultants workingwith RIES 45 One 2 dayworkshop 902B1 (v) M4 TOT workshop All SPAs andMaster Trainersto familiariseparticipants oncontent andmethodology

Training of SPAs and MasterTrainers 2 days Project consultants and RIES (22x7) + (8x11)+ 24 = 486 One 2 dayworkshopfor TOT ineach region972

2B1 (vi) M4 In-ServiceTeacher Training M4 teachers 5 days for 5 teachers from eachLS, one teacher for each subjectstrand 5 days SPAs and Master trainers todeliver training at provincialor district levels 6100 = 1200 LSschools x 5teachers plus100 facilitatorsSchoolclusters tbdby each PES 6100 x5 =305002B1 (vii) Workshop torevise M5 TeacherTraining Manual (final) RIES and TOTwriters Revise based on review pilottraining evaluation and M5teacher feedback 5 days Project consultants workingwith RIES 45 One 5 dayworkshop 225

2B1 (viii) M5 TOTworkshop (final) All SPAs andMaster Trainers Training of SPAs and MasterTrainers 3 days Project consultants and RIES (22x7) + (8x11)+ 24 = 486 One 3 dayworkshopfor TOT ineach region1458

2B1 (ix) M5 In-Service M5 teachers (5 Summer school to be run in the 3 days SPAs and master trainers to 2500 = 5 3 day 7500




Teacher Training (final) teachers fromeach school withM5) 7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver USBA teacher trainingAssumes 500 schools with M5and 5 subject strandsdeliver training at subjectbased summer schools inselected TEIs and FOEs. teachers x 500schools workshopper subjectin selectedTIE/FOE2B1 (x) Workshop toprepare M6 TeacherTraining Manual RIES and TOTwriters Revise based on review and M6teacher feedback 3 days Project consultants workingwith RIES 45 One 3 dayworkshop 135

2B1 (xi) M6 TOT workshop All SPAs andMaster Trainers Training of SPAs and MasterTrainers 3 days Project consultants and RIES (22x7) + (8x11)+ 24 = 486 One 3 dayworkshopfor TOT ineach region1458

2B1 (xii) M6 In-ServiceTeacher Training M6 teachers (5teachers fromeach school withM6)Summer school to be run in the7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver USBA teacher training Assumes500 schools with M6 and 5subject strands

3 days SPAs and master trainers todeliver training at subjectbased summer schools inselected TEIs and FOEs.2500 = 5teachers x 500schools 3 dayworkshopper subjectin selectedTIE/FOE

7500

2B1 (xiii) Workshop toprepare M7 TeacherTraining Manual RIES and TOTwriters Revise based on review and M7teacher feedback 3 days Project consultants workingwith RIES 45 One 3 dayworkshop 1352B1 (xiv) M7 TOTworkshop All SPAs andMaster Trainers Training of SPAs and MasterTrainers 3 days Project consultants and RIES (22x7) + (8x11)+ 24 = 486 One 3 dayworkshopfor TOT ineach region

14582B1 (xv) M7 In-ServiceTeacher Training M7 teachers (5teachers fromeach school withM7)

Summer school to be run in the7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver USBA teacher training Assumes500 schools with M7 and 5subject strands3 days SPAs and master trainers todeliver training at subjectbased summer schools inselected TEIs and FOEs.

2500 = 5teachers x 500schools 3 dayworkshopper subjectin selectedTIE/FOE7500

2B3 Annual RegionalMeeting for SecondaryPedagogical Advisers(SPAs)All SPAs Annual one day meetingattached to M3-M7 TOTworkshops 1 day SPAs to coordinate, withlogistical support from DTEand PES 22 SPAs x 17districts = 408 One day peryear for 6years 2448

2B4 (i) Review findings RIES, DSE, DEOs, Findings reviewed and taken 1 day RIES to coordinate with 50 50




from the ICT4LE capacityneeds assessment andfeasibility study SPAs, TEIs forward into planning project consultants2B4 (ii) workshop fordesign of ICT4LE RIES, IC and NC,SPAs and 2teachers from 3pilot districts

Implementation plan andICT4LE curriculum materialsdevelopment framework designbased on needs assessment andfeasibility study2 days RIES to coordinate withproject consultants 15 Oneplanningworkshopof 2 days

302B4 (iii) workshop fordevelopment of multi-media materials forICT4LE implementation

RIES, IC, NC, 3SPAs and subjectspecialists Design of pilot materials for onesubject – DVD, TV and radioprograms 5 days RIES and project consultantsto coordinate the program 20 One 5 dayworkshop 1002B4 (iv) Implementation ofICT4LE curriculumactivities SPA, DEO, TA (ICand NC) and 5teachers + schoolprincipals

(i) school focused planning andorientation (ii) capacity buildingof SPAs and teachers (iii)Workplans developed by SPAsand teachers - activities andmonitoring processes5 days SPAs and project consultantsto coordinate the program 10 participants x3 districts = 30 Three 5 dayworkshops,one in eachpilot district

150

2B4 (v) ICT4LE reviewworkshops RIES, SPA, DEO,TA (IC and NC)and 5 teachers +school principalsMonitoring of progress withimplementation and to furtherbuild capacity 2 days in20142 days in2015

District level review facilitatedby SPA/RIES and projectconsultants 25 participants x3 districts One reviewworkshopfor eachdistrict eachyr for 2 yrs300

2B4 (vi) Workshop onICT4LE Lessons Learned RIES, SPA, DEO,TA (IC and NC) ICT4LE Lessons Learnedincluding planning process forscaling up 1 day Central level reviewcoordinated by MOE/RIES andDSE 50 Onemeeting 502B5 Teacher Upgradegrants (11+3 to BA) for 10LS qualified science/mathsand/or female teachersfrom poor ethnic groupareas

10 LS qualifiedscience/mathsand/or femaleteachers frompoor ethnic groupareasAttendance on a district orprovincial TUPGrant to cover fees (400,000kip), accommodation and travelallowance

6 weeksper yearfor 3 years Teachers invited to apply orselected by DEO Grantsprovided to selected teachers 10 (50% female)6 weeks x 3years x 10participantsIndividualenrolment 1360

2C1 (ii) M3 Bid Evaluationmeeting MOE ad RIES Bid opening and evaluation 1 day MOE to manage andcoordinate 10 One day 102C1 (iii) M4 Bid Evaluation MOE ad RIES Bid opening and evaluation 1 day MOE to manage and 10 One day 10




meeting coordinate2C1 (iv) M5 (pilot) BidEvaluation meeting MOE ad RIES Bid opening and evaluation 1 day MOE to manage andcoordinate 10 One day 102C1 (v) M5 (final) BidEvaluation meeting MOE ad RIES Bid opening and evaluation 1 day MOE to manage andcoordinate 10 One day 102C1 (vi) M6 Bid Evaluationmeeting MOE ad RIES Bid opening and evaluation 1 day MOE to manage andcoordinate 10 One day 102C1 (vii) M7 BidEvaluation meeting MOE ad RIES Bid opening and evaluation 1 day MOE to manage andcoordinate 10 One day 102C2 (i) M5 (1st edition)curriculum materials CRCreadiness check RIES andcurriculumwriters Review and final check of M5 TBand TG 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES instructions.Support from projectconsultants36 oneworkshopin RIES 72

2C2 (ii) M5 (2nd edition)curriculum materialsreview RIES andcurriculumwriters Review pilot evaluation and M5teacher feedback 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES guidelinesSupport from projectconsultants40 oneworkshopin RIES 80

2C2 (iii) M5 (2nd edition)curriculum materialsrevision workshop RIES andcurriculumwriters Review drafts and curriculumframework in five subject strandteams 5 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 8 participants x5 subjects =40 oneworkshopper subjectx 5 in RIES200

2C2 (iv) M5 (2nd edition)curriculum materialstesting RIES and USteachers Test and revision of revisedTB/TG sections 5 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 14 5 days persubject inschools andRIES70

2C2 (v) M5 (2nd edition)curriculum materialsCACIM workshop RIES and subjectspecialist teams Finalise all M5 curriculummaterials 3 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 8 participants x5 subjects =40 oneworkshopper subjectx 5 in RIES120

2C2 (vi) M5 (2nd edition)curriculum materials CRCreadiness check RIES andcurriculumwriters Review and final check of M5 TBand TG 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES instructions.Support from projectconsultants36 oneworkshopin RIES 72

2C2 (vii) M6 curriculummaterials review RIES andcurriculum Review old M6 TB/TG, newcurriculum framework and M6 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES guidelines 40 oneworkshop 80




writers teacher feedback Support from projectconsultants in RIES2C2 (viii) M6 curriculummaterials developmentworkshop RIES andcurriculumwriters Review drafts and curriculumframework in five subject strandteams 5 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 8 participants x5 subjects =40 oneworkshopper subjectx 5 in RIES200

2C2 (ix) M6 curriculummaterials testing RIES and USteachers Test and revision of revisedTB/TG sections 5 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 14 5 days persubject inschools andRIES70

2C2 (x) M6 curriculummaterials CACIMworkshop RIES and subjectspecialist teams Finalise all M6 curriculummaterials 3 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 8 participants x5 subjects =40 oneworkshopper subjectx 5 in RIES120

2C2 (xi) M6 curriculummaterials CRC readinesscheck RIES andcurriculumwriters Review and final check of M6 TBand TG 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES instructions.Support from projectconsultants36 oneworkshopin RIES 72

2C2 (xii) M7 curriculummaterials review RIES andcurriculumwriters Review old M7 TB/TG, newcurriculum framework and M7teacher feedback 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES guidelinesSupport from projectconsultants40 oneworkshopin RIES 80

2C2 (xiii) M7 curriculummaterials developmentworkshop RIES andcurriculumwriters Review drafts and curriculumframework in five subject strandteams 5 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 8 participants x5 subjects =40 oneworkshopper subjectx 5 in RIES200

2C2 (xiv) M7 curriculummaterials testing RIES and USteachers Test and revision of revisedTB/TG sections 5 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 14 5 days persubject inschools andRIES70

2C2 (xv) M7 curriculummaterials CACIMworkshop RIES and subjectspecialist teams Finalise all M7 curriculummaterials 3 days Coordination by RIESSupport from projectconsultants 8 participants x5 subjects =40 oneworkshopper subjectx 5 in RIES120

2C2 (xvi) M7 curriculummaterials CRC readiness RIES andcurriculum Review and final check of M7 TBand TG 2 days Curriculum teams reviewfollowing RIES instructions. 36 oneworkshop 72




check writers Support from projectconsultants in RIES2C3 (i) Workshop toprepare M5 TeacherTraining Manual (pilot) RIES and TOTwriters Provide generic pedagogicaltraining and review of changesin the M5 curriculum for allsubjects5 days Project consultants workingwith RIES 45 One 5 dayworkshop 225

2C3 (ii) M5 In-ServiceTeacher Training (pilot) M5 teachers (oneteacher from eachschool with M5) Summer school to be run in the7 TEIs and FOEs that deliver USBA teacher training Assumes 15schools with M5 and 11 subjectstrands5 days SPAs and master trainers todeliver training at subjectbased summer schools inselected TEIs and FOEs.

15= 1 teacher x15 schools + 30additional 5 dayworkshopper subjectin selectedTIE/FOE855

2E1 Strengthening ofnational examinations forM4 and M7 ESQAC, DSE Review and approval of Rulesand Regulations for M4 and M7exams and entrance exams toHigher Education6 days DSE and ESQAC to coordinate 30 3 daysworkshopeach yr fortwo yrs

1802E2 Development ofAssessment of StudentLearning Outcomes in2014 and 2017

RIES, DSE andESQAC Support for implementation ofASLO for M4 (2014) and M7(2017) 5 days RIES and ESQAC to coordinate 25 Oneworkshop 125


ANNEX 24

Training and Institutional Capacity Building Plan


Institutional Capacity Development Plan at Central, provincial and district levels

Introduction

The ESDF PAF identifies the requirement for capacity development within the MOE andthroughout the system for effective implementation of education reforms and the new policies,which have been drafted and approved in the past several years.

The initial stage of ESDF capacity development has been undertaken through EU supportfollowing the structure described in Stage 1 activities: ESDF Basics, ESDF Enabling Skillsand Capacity Building Skills Development. The BESDP II institutional capacity developmentactivities will need to align with the programs and progress made in ESDF capacitydevelopment in specific areas of common interest. This annex needs to be bread in parallelwith Annex A06, which lays out the Institutional Teacher Education Capacity DevelopmentPlan.

This Plan focuses on Program activities planned to achieve the targets displayed in Output 3Strengthened Secondary Education Subsector Management (BESDP II Interim Report Annex11). While the ultimate beneficiaries are anticipated to be the students in secondary schools,the immediate beneficiaries are the male and female staff of Ministry of Education’sdepartments, centres and institutions at the national, provincial, district and school level; andin particular those that have roles and responsibilities related to secondary education.

The Department of Secondary Education has a clear mandate to administer and managesecondary education throughout the country and a specified role in communicating,coordinating, and cooperating with other MOE departments and centres, developmentpartners, international organisations, non-government organisations, other governmentsectors, in the development of secondary education.

Other departments with clear responsibilities for secondary education include the Departmentof Inspection (DOI), Department of Planning and Cooperation (DPC), Department of Primaryand Pre-school Education (DPPE), Department of Teacher Education (DTE), Department ofPersonnel and Organisation (DOP), Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Non-formalEducation (DNFE), Department of Physical Education and Art (DPEA), Department of PrivateEducation Management (DPEM), the Department of Technical and Vocational Education andTraining (DTVET) and the Department of Higher Education (DHE).

In the recent re-organisation of MOE1 a number of key centres, institutions and agencies wereestablished or strengthened within the MOE structure and all have responsibilities related tosecondary education and mirror the communicating, coordinating, and cooperating role of theDSE. These centres and institutions include the Education Statistics and InformationTechnology Centre (ESITC), the Inclusive Education Centre (IEC), the Strategic Researchand Education Analysis Centre (SREAC), the Education Standards and Quality AssuranceCentre (ESQAC) and the Research Institute for Educational Studies (RIES). Agenciesinvolved include the UNESCO National Commission, the Educational Printing House and theEducational Material Production Factory.

The Provincial Education Service (PES) of each province has roles of supervision, direction,management, implementation, inspection, and expansion of education within its province. It isaccountable for enhancing and implementing policies, resolutions, directives, provisions and

1 2008


ANNEX 24



regulation of the MOE. The District Education Bureaux (DEB) has a mandate foradministration at the lower and upper secondary levels. The PES retains responsibility forpedagogic advice at the upper secondary level through Pedagogic Advisers.

Various institutions have specified responsibilities at the school, village and community levelincluding Village Education Development Committees (VEDC).2 In rural and remotecommunities the Pupils Parents Association is the main supporter of education includingschool construction, maintenance and innovation. PPA mobilizes children to go to school andsupports teachers in their daily life. If a PPA is active and the community support is healthy,the PPA can add to the resources available to a school. But in some poor communities thecontributions are difficult and slow.

Secondary Schools Basic Data from 2009-2010 EMIS statistics

Number of Secondary School Teachers and Schools by School Type, 2009-2010Lower Secondary

SchoolUpper Secondary

SchoolComplete SecondarySchool Grades M1-M6

IncompleteSecondary School

Teachers 7883 612 12409 1130

Schools 594 17 354 209Source: MOE EMIS 2010

Number of Secondary School Students by Grade, 2009-2010

M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7

Students 105769 88220 75221 66178 52202 45837 (From 2010-2011)

Source: MOE EMIS, 2010

Number of Secondary School Teachers by Ethnic Group and Sex, 2009-2010

Total Female Percent FemaleLao-Tai 17,289 9,123 52.8%

Mon-Khmer 993 311 31.3%

Chinese-Tibetan 247 172 69.6%

Hmong-Yu Mien 746 92 12.3%

Foreign 7 3 42.9%

Others 17 6 35.3%

Total 19,299 9,707 50.3%

Source: MOE EMIS, 2010

Processes

A number of processes are well recognized as ways of approaching organizational andinstitutional capacity building. Some of these processes are briefly described in this section.

On-the-job instruction. On-the-job (day-to-day) instruction is often considered as the best wayfor people to learn how to do the job and to develop their skills related to their technical


ANNEX 24



responsibilities. The process is considered cost-effective as well as the best way to supportlearning, as it is timely, directly relevant to the job, and ensures work continues while theperson is learning.

Counterparts. Many projects identify individuals, or specified positions, to be counterparts tointernational and/or national specialists. On many projects the international specialist and anational specialist are teamed with one or more counterparts to develop relevant skills,knowledge and attitudes, as well as personal systems and processes to enhance workperformance. At the same time the national specialist and the counterpart have aresponsibility to teach the adviser about local conditions and environment and assist withproject implementation by provision of advice and support.

Learning agreements. To overcome the mindset that on-the-job learning is of low value andto set targets learning agreements can be used. These agreements based on joint workplans of the specialists and the counterparts (or manager and managed); identify the learningto occur and the means by which the learning would be achieved.

In-house training courses. These courses designed for education managers supported by theparticipants’ current knowledge and experience and well structured to follow adult learningprinciples can be valuable. The courses provide opportunities for application and interaction.Successful in-house courses must be timed to coincide with implementation or consolidationneeds. The skill or information gained is then used and a mentor or other system providesfollow-up support to the participants.

Seminars have a role in capacity building when information needs to be shared with a broadrange of people. They can be very useful when policy development and research reports arepresented.

External short courses can be used, but need to be carefully targeted and the externalsuppliers selected carefully. They need to be targeted at organizational needs and learningand reinforced with follow-up from advisers or managers to ensure lessons learned are beingimplemented.

Manuals are designed for several purposes: as a record of newly designed policies andprocesses, as a source of information for new staff and as a source of information for thedevelopment of individual capacity. One has to be careful that consultants do not producethem just because they are named as milestone requirements. Participation of counterpartsand other colleagues is essential in their development. A manual is of the most value when itis developed specifically, with or by government staff, for the local environment. It is importantthat the manual is used actively as a tool over a period of time and updated regularly.

Working groups and task forces can be used to build individual capacity in problem solvingand participative decision-making. In these cases individuals also develop a betterunderstanding of policies and processes. Regular meetings in the work place offer a forum forcapacity building.

Executive and team meetings can be used as forums to communicate on progress ofactivities, to gather ideas and suggestions and to develop solutions to issues as they arise.This process can provide a role model for good communication and management practice.

Coaching is a term usually applied to the development of non-technical skills such as staffsupervision and management, through one-to-one advice. Coaching is only successful whenthere is mutual trust and respect. The interpersonal skills of the coach are critical to success.

Mentoring assists managers and staff to develop their own personal strengths and to pursuetheir own goals. Mentoring provides guidance on how to work within the political environmentof an organization as well as supporting in the pursuit of professional excellence.


ANNEX 24



Overseas scholarships at all academic levels in developing professional skills, conceptualability and self-learning skills can be considered critical to the long term creation andsustainability of new ideas and processes. Participation in the programmes and the timing ofthem needs to be carefully controlled if the country is to benefit from them.

Study tours should be used with care, balancing motivation with capacity building. They areuseful in exposing managers and teacher educators to new ideas in relatively short periods oftime. Selection of the right candidates is critical and should be aligned to the information andexposure needs of the organization. Participants must have the personal capacity to learnfrom the experience and the willingness to share the learning with their follow officers on theirreturn.

Conferences carefully selected can be appropriate if clearly connected with institutional andindividual performance goals.

The important thing is that appropriate processes are selected to achieve specific outcomes.It is also important to ensure that the building of capacity in individuals is clearly aligned toorganizational outcomes and priorities. Attendance on courses and participation in overseasprogrammes should be on an organizational needs basis and on-the-job instruction should bedirectly relevant to a person’s role.

Required competencies by level

Ministry of Education: Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies) related tofunctions in: Macro planning/ strategic planning in education; Educational policy analysis/sector analysis in education; Educational policy formulation; Education planning,programming and budgeting; School, enrolment and teacher projections; Educational costing,expenditure and financing; Resource analysis; Efficiency and cost benefit analysis; Humanresource planning; Financial management; Program monitoring and evaluation; Personnelevaluation/measurement; EMIS development for monitoring; Understanding of access, equity,quality and relevance for policy and program planning; Education policy research andanalysis; Statistical analysis.

Provincial Education Services: Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies) relatedto functions in: Strategic planning in education; Educational policy analysis; Educationplanning, programming and budgeting; School, enrolment and teacher projections;Educational costing, expenditure and financing; Resource analysis; Efficiency and costbenefit analysis; Human resource planning; Financial management; Program monitoring andevaluation; Personnel evaluation/measurement; EMIS development for monitoring;Understanding of access, equity, quality and relevance for policy and program planning;Statistical analysis; Working with the community and NGO’s, CBO’s; Administration andmanagement of examinations; General and financial administration.

District Education Bureaux: Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies) related tofunctions in: School administration; Decentralized planning; School improvement planning;Teacher personnel management; Preparation and costing of educational plans, programsand projects; Teacher evaluation; Implementation management; School evaluation andmonitoring; Working with the community and NGO’s, CBO’s; Administration and managementof examinations; General and financial administration.

Schools: Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies) related to functions in: Schoolimprovement planning; Institutional planning; Teacher evaluation; Community relations;


ANNEX 24



Collaboration with local bodies, parents and communities; Community surveys; Communitymobilization; Preparation and use of instructional materials; School-based staff developmentSchool-based curriculum development and management.

Generic Management skills: Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies) related tofunctions in: Principles and practices of management; Strategic planning and thinking;Management of change; Public accountability and awareness; Time and stress management;Office management; Conducting and participating in meetings; Conflict management andnegotiation; Communication and inter-personal relationships; Decision-making and problem-solving; Delegation; Development policies, plans and programs of the government;Programming and budgeting; Management information systems; Team building; Leadership.

Generic workplace skills required by all staff independent of one’s organizational role:Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies) related to functions in: Work-planning/scheduling; Office memo writing; Report writing; Working in multi-culturalsettings/group dynamics; Assertiveness skills; Gender sensitization; Organizing meetingsand/or attending meetings; Presentation skills; Appropriate level of computer skills; Publicrelations skills; English language skills

Professional and pedagogical skills: Expansion and consolidation of skills (competencies)related to functions in: Theories of educational reform and change; Early childhood education;Primary education; Secondary education; Girls’ education; Women’s education; Adulteducation; Non-formal education; Teacher education and training; Test and measurement;Evaluation and assessment; Curriculum development; Continuing education.

Outline Capacity Building Plan

All figures are purely illustrative until targets are set.

Focus TargetGroups

Responsible NOTES

Provide rotated annualtraining for school-basedmanagers in all aspects ofschool improvementplanning includinginstructional leadership.(Schools of Quality)

SchoolDirectors

DeputyDirectors

DOPDSE

National coverage through a 5 yearcycle

594 lower secondary schools (priority) 354 complete secondary schools 17 upper secondary schools 965 schools Locate at provincial level to

strengthen networks. 5 days x 965 schools x 2 persons (Consider 10 TEI)

Provide training oninformation and statisticsincluding use of data inmaking decisions

School Staff ESITCPESDEBSchool

zz day x 965 schools x 1 person

Planning and financing(including budgeting)

CentralProvincialDistrictSchool

DOFDOP

2 person per province( 1 planning and1 for budgeting)

4-5 persons at central level

Management ofscholarships and accessgrants

DSEDOF

To be decided Review and revise lower secondaryaccess grants and educationdevelopment grant manuals to matchrevised models


ANNEX 24



Focus TargetGroups

Responsible NOTES

Community involvement inmanaging schoolsincluding fund raising forthe renovation andrefurbishment of schoolfacilities

SchoolDirectorsPPA’sVEDCsDEB

DOPDNFEDSE

BESDP II school construction, accessgrant and educational developmentgrant areas

Annual capacity development forproject period

100 lower secondary schools 2 days x 100 x 10 persons x 5 years

PMIS training forimproved teacherrecruitment, deploymentand retention – Quotasystem replacement

DEB staff

PES staff

DOP Capacity development forImplementation of TDMP guidelinesfor teacher recruitment, deploymentand retention – DOP drafting of TDMPguidelines is planned for 2011

National school mapping Central staffProvince

ESITC Training required to initiate

EMIS Central staffProvinceDistrictSchool

ESITC Capacity for data analysis

Multi-mode capacitybuilding for educationsector staff

Central staffPMUPIUProvinceDistrictSchool

DOPDSEDPPDTE

Required competencies based oninstitutional and needs assessments

Further capacity buildingin preparing educationsector MTEF.

Central staffProvince

DOF Secondary Education Action PlanThere is confidence in using theeducation MTEF but for the MTEF to beimplemented smoothly further capacitybuilding is needed in the institutionsresponsible for preparing MTEF.

Capacity building ofinspection functions atPES and DEB

Departmentof Inspection

DOI Monitoring and evaluation, establish amonitoring and evaluation database,revise TOR of the monitoring andevaluation division, improve monitoringand evaluation tools and strengthenprovincial and district level monitoringand any implementation unitsestablished at sub-national and nationallevel.

Secondary Education Unit DOPDEB

DSEDOP

Management and Pedagogical Advisoryfor Secondary Education at the DistrictLevel. Knowledge of SecondaryEducation Curriculum, Textbook andTeacher Guide. Local CurriculumDevelopment.

Build understanding ofmandates, roles,responsibilities andworking together withother departments,centres and institutions

Central staffPMUPIUProvinceDistrict

DOPDSE

Manuals of Work Procedures

Education Development inthe District

DistrictEducation

DOP Educational Supervisory andCommunity Mobilization at the District


ANNEX 24



Focus TargetGroups

Responsible NOTES

DevelopmentCommittees(DEDC)

level.

MOE Support for policyimplementation (SEPolicy, TDMP policy, IEPolicy)

DSE, DTE,DOP

DSE Capacity development support forimplementation of new policies relatingto improvements in secondary educationsector.

Activities to supportincreased private sectorinvestment in LSE.

Central staffPEACPEA

DoPEM Strategic Plan for Private EducationPromotion 2010-2020


ANNEX 25Outline Design for Impact Evaluation Study of SESDP Scholarship Program


SUMMARY OF SESDP IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING, ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION CONTEXTProject design2011

Project implementation(baseline) 2012

Monitoring2012-2016

Assessment(mid term review)2014

Final Project Review2016

LSE ScholarshipImpact Evaluation2016-2017

DistrictSelection

2009/10 EMIS data;FTI/Poverty data

Update with 2010/11EMIS data

Update with 2011/12EMIS data

EMIS 2012/13: 30 TargetDistricts versus other FTI

EMIS 2014/15:Target Districts vs OtherFTI vs Other

n.a.

SchoolSelection

Rapid assessment (focuson sites)

Review/confirm new siteselection

Update Assess appropriateselection?

n.a.

Pupil ParentsAssociations (PPA)

Develop Manual;Training PPA; rapidassessment 11-14 year-olds (2011-12)

PPA management/ reportGrant funds; andScholarships supervision

PPA review 11-14 yearold children’sparticipation(2013-14)

Assess PPAeffectiveness onobserved outcomes

LSE Construction LSE design similar toBESDP

Review/confirm new siteselection

PPA/District reportstatus/progress

District report onvalue/quality

Impact of supply oncompletion rates

Assess effect ofconstruction

USE Construction Develop detailed designfor SESDP

DEB/PES reportstatus/progress

PES report onvalue/quality

Impact of supply on USEenrolment

n.a.

LSE Scholarships Revise/modify MOE(BESDP) ScholarshipManual

PPA manage selectionfrom Grade 5 2012/13students

MTR assessment ofeffective selection(gender, ethnicity,minimal attrition)

Assess contribution ofscholarships on LSEcompletion; USEtransition

See separate schedule

USE Scholarships Develop USEScholarships Manual

PPA/District monitorGrade 8 (2012/13) aspotential USE

MTR examines USEselection process

Assess selection(gender, ethnicity)

n.a.

LSE (and USE)Dormitory provision

Develop MOE (SESDP)Dormitory Manual

PPA training andmanagement

MTR examines PPAmanagement andoutcomes/impact

Assess dormitory impacton gender, ethnicity,outcome

Assess effect ofdormitories oncompletion rates

School Access Grants Revise/modify MOE(BESDP) Grants Manual

PPA training andmanagement

MTR examines PPAmanagement andoutcomes/impact

Assess Grants impact ongender, ethnicity,outcome

Assess any effect ofgrants on outcomes

Teacher staffing,qualifications, training

2009/10 EMIS data;BESDP outcomes

SESDP obtains teacherfeedback on trainingactivity

DEB/PES assessSESDP training impact

MTR examines impact oftraining onteaching/learning

Assess value of trainingon student learningoutcomes

Any difference in effect oftraining on outcomes?

Textbook delivery anduse

BESDP outcomes Review BESDP M2delivery outcome

PPA/DEB assesstextbook provision

MTR examines textbookimpact onteaching/learning

Assess value oftextbooks on learningoutcomes

Any difference in effect oftextbooks on outcomes?

District, Province, MOEplanning

School network mappingimpact

DEB/PES assess schoolmapping

MTR assessescontribution

Lessons applied?Lessons learned?

n.a.


ANNEX 25

Page 2 of 4

Framework for LSE Scholarship Impact AnalysisThe primary purpose of the Scholarship Impact Analysis is to enable theMinistry to assess the benefits of the SESDP Scholarship program. This willenable the Ministry to justify a more comprehensive scholarship program inline with Government policy.

For the planned analysis, attention has been given to capturing pre-Projectdata on students in the 30 Districts targeted for specific SESDP interventions.This data will enable the consultant/company or institution contracted by theMinistry to undertake the Impact Analysis without having to reconstruct datafor the 2013/14 LSE scholarship cohort. The pre-Project data set could alsobe used to identify sample groups of continuing and discontinuing students forinterview if it would yield more information about the cultural and economicfactors affecting family decisions about continuing schooling.

In 2009/10, there were 16,959 students in Grade 5 in 30 target Districts, and11,967 in Grade 6 (G6/G5=70.6%). The students for the Scholarship cohort(Grade 6 in 2013/14) and the preceding cohort (2012/13) and following cohort(2014/15) would be distributed in the following 3 x 3 matrix – 3 cohorts bythree levels of direct SESDP provision of targeted activity – in addition to allgroups benefiting from textbook provision and teacher training:

Effect group 1 are the 30 new LSE schools, where students benefit from newclassroom construction, may receive scholarships, provision of dormitoryaccommodation, remedial learning support, and other PPA use of AccessGrants. It is assumed that most schools would be some distance from theDistrict center. [In 2009/10, two districts Phonthong and Xaysathan had nocomplete secondary school, and the centre may be the logical location].

Effect group 2 are students in an additional 30 schools (LSE or completesecondary schools) which receive no classroom construction, but may receivescholarships, dormitory accommodation, and PPA use of Access Grants forincome generating activity, remedial learning support or other purposes. It isassumed that most of the schools would be some distance from the Districtcenter.

Table 23.2 LSE Scholarship: Impact Assessment

Grade5

Grade6

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

Outcomes in30 new LSE

schools

Outcomes in 30existing

schools (noconstruction)

Outcomes inother LSE

/Secondaryschools in

DistrictCohort prior to SESDPLSE Scholarships 2011/12 2012/13

SESDP LSE ScholarshipCohort 2012/13 2013/14

Cohort following SESDPLSE Scholarships 2013/14 2014/15


ANNEX 25

Page 3 of 4

Effect group 3 could be the District center school - 25 districts have only 1complete secondary school, or more remote incomplete schools, which haveinsufficient students to justify LSE construction, and would not be a viableLSE school. It is assumed that many of these students would have priority fora LSE scholarship to the complete secondary school in the District center.One outcome could be a reduction in the number of incomplete secondaryschools.

Each province may nominate one school to receive USE classrooms andlaboratories, either expanding USE capacity at a complete secondary schoolin a district center or upgrading an existing LSE school to a completesecondary school. It could also be a combination of LSE and USEconstruction to create an additional “complete” secondary school (which mayaffect outcome in Effect group 1). Most of these issues will become clearerwhen nominations for LSE construction are developed and thedistrict/province/MOE confirm the proposed location.

Assessing Project Impact

The latest available EMIS data is for 2009/10 (with 2010/11 data expected tobecome available late June/early July 2011) and the EMIS data for 2009/10 isused to show the amount of information collected if data was captured for allGrade 5 students in 2011/12 to 2013/14 in the 30 target districts. A nominalestimate would be between 60,000 and 70,000 for the three-year period.

If SESDP captures data for up to 20,000 Grade 5 students each year -2011/12, 2012/13 (the scholarship cohort) and 2013/14 - including studentname1, gender, age (year of birth), home language(s) and some measure offamily economic status2, these students can be matched with Grade 9completion in 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18 respectively. This would enableevaluation of the impact of the scholarships, especially whether there was amarked increase in Grade 5 to Grade 6 transition (maximum effect would be ifscholarships encouraged students who would have dropped out to continueand complete Grade 9; the minimum effect would be if students awardedscholarships would have continued to Grade 9 without scholarships), andwhether the transition rate was maintained in the post-scholarship cohort.

The comparison between the three “effect” groups provides anotherdimension for impact evaluation – construction of the new school, especially if

1 Student name is required so that Grade 9 completion can be assessed against the entrycharacteristics. Name would be stored in a secure database, with limited access, and reporting wouldbe aggregated where necessary to avoid identification of individual students.2 Family size, number of children (and birth order of the scholarship student) should be captured, asthese factors as well as gender could affect family decision about a student continuing education


ANNEX 25

Page 4 of 4

the location maximizes access for communities not currently served by a LSEor a complete secondary school, could increase retention and completion.This effect would be expected to be sustained for the post-scholarship cohort.

Summary

The final decision about the Impact Evaluation rests with the Ministry and theADB, with advice from monitoring and evaluation consultants, the feasibilityand cost of the proposed study. Subject to ADB procurement procedures, theMinistry (PMU) would invite prospective institutions or companies to outlinetheir proposed approach to the evaluation, methodology, timeframe and asealed financial proposal.


ANNEX 26Cost and Finance Plan

Taxes and duties as part of grant dependent on ADB review


Table 24.1 Draft Program Cost Estimates in LAK and USD





Table 24.2 Draft Program Cost Estimates by Component





Table 24.3 Draft Program Cost Estimates by Year of Program





Table 24.4 Draft Program Finance Plan


ANNEX 27Financial Management Assessment


FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

1.The purpose of the Financial Management Assessment (FMA) was to review and assessthe EA’s financial management including financial report, accounting, auditing internal control,disbursement pace, and cash flow management. The assessments focused on adequacymanagement of the project transactions, regular record keeping, the reliable financialstatements, update the asset inventory and financial audit management. ADB’s FinancialManagement Assessment Questionnaire (FMQ), disbursement handbook, and the Guidelinesfor the Financial Governance and Management of Project were used.

A. Review of Previous Reports

2.Project documents examined prior to the financial management assessment were: ADB,Institutional Strengthening of the National Audit Office (TRA: Lao32310), Basic EducationDevelopment Project (Project Number: 32312); Strengthening Higher Education Project(Project Number: 42134), Improved Public Financial Management Systems (Project Number40300). Department of Finance (DOF) of the Ministry of Education's (MOE) OperationManual. The Second Education Development Project (EDP2), World Bank, completed acomprehensive financial management assessment for EFA/FTI Catalytic Funding inNovember 2010, including central, provincial, and district and school level assessments. Anassessment was also completed for the Strengthening Technical Vocational Education andTraining (STVET) Project (Project 42278). Both reports assessed the MOE financialmanagement capacity as adequate.

B. Key Findings

(a)Issues for MOE

3.Executing Agency (MOE/DSE). Any project financed by external sources, particularly ADBprojects, MOE has assigned the department concerned to implement the project activities.Project Coordination Committee (DSE, Department of Planning, DOF of MOE). Within theMOE, project financial proposal needs approval from DSE, DOF, Minister of MOE, and MOF.MOE establishes a Project Management Unit (PMU), whose role is to manage the planningand implementation of the project. PMU is responsible for carrying out all the projectactivities. Decree No. 008 is the governing decree for financial calculation for governmentemployees. DOF has taken full responsibility in processing and endorsing all the projectactivities and it has coordinated with MOF related all work activities.

4.Funds Flow Arrangement. MOF designates MOE to open an imprest account at BOL. TheMinistry receiving the assistance administers the project, including financial management andreports. The project has to deal with three departments at MOF (Tax Department, ExternalRelation Department (for direct payment and replenishment), and Treasury Department (forimprest account).

5.Project financial flow consists of direct payment and payment through Imprest Account. Fordirect payment, PMU collects invoices from suppliers or contractors; prepares paymentdocument; and submits withdrawal application to DOF, MOE for approval. Approval fromMOF (External Finance Department) before submission to ADB is required. ADB transferspayment directly to supplier/contractor’s account. (Direct payment consists of largeprocurement and civil work). For Imprest Account, PMU prepares and submits withdrawalapplication to DOF, MOE for approval; the request is then forwarded for approval of MOF(Treasury Department) before submission to ADB. Funds flow from ADB to BOL (Imprest




Account). Funds flow through imprest account consists of expenses, such as workshops,personnel development, training, and project management.

6.For document processing, PIU prepares a proposal and submits to the project director (PD).PD checks the proposal in consultation with the concerned Department and submits theproposal to DOF, MOE. Depending on the delegation of authority, Director of DOF or Ministerapproves before submitting it to MOF and then to ADB. At DOF, Financial Control Divisionand Accounting Division check the financial document.

7.DOF document processing rules for financial management, particularly where a projectextends to the provinces need to be adhered to. . Provincial education officials do not havefull understanding on the nature of supporting documents; on procedure of financial flow;proposals for disbursement, project plan and execution, and other financial-related matter.

8.Fund transfer to students has experienced difficulties. Under the Basic Education SectorDevelopment Program (BESDP), students in receipt of scholarships were required to obtainparental consent to open a bank account, and accounts were opened for each student toreceive scholarship payments each semester. Given difficulty in students travelling to thenearest bank, it was reported that many head teachers took signed authorities from students,withdrew funds from student accounts and paid money to the students upon return to school.This process negated the purpose in opening individual student accounts.

9.Under STVET, the PMU transfers the budget to province and the school pays the allowanceto students, not directly transfer to students. The more transfer points the financialarrangement has to go through, the slower it is. Transaction fees raise the cost ofadministration.

10. Scholarship payments to students in Ethnic Boarding Schools (on the Provincial Budget)already use a direct payment from PES to the school and the school makes payments tostudents.

11. For the introduction of GOL Block Grant payments to schools, each school will berequired to open an account at a District Bank. There is a strong argument that the sameprocess applies for payment of SESDP scholarship funds and Access Grant funds (whereapproved) to the school accounts. This will require someone from the school to travel to theDistrict Center to withdraw funds. Guidelines for pupil-parent associations will establishprocedures for community oversight of payments to eligible students.

12. Other than the BESDP scholarship payments due to remoteness of schools from thenearest Bank, there only problems for direct payment were the pace of document processingbetween PMU and DOF at MOE. The problems of financial flow through imprest account arewith the slow pace of document processing between PMU and DOF due to few staff handlingmany projects and document checking. In principle, project expense requires approval andaccount clearance approval requires signatures by: PIU, PMU, and DOF (MOE).

13. Staffing. Both the EFA/FTI and STVET FMA identified level of MOE DOF staffing asproblems. There are 8 staff allocated for accounting division and 4 staff for Financial ControlDivision. No staff at the Accounting Division has accounting major (three staff majored inBusiness Management, and two in Finance). Although the DOF/MOE is staffed withexperienced staff, technical qualifications and the number of staff are limited, with only two forsupervising ADB funded projects. While MOE runs many externally funded projects, it needsmore qualified accountants, with delegated authority to approve financial matters. Educationfor All (EFA), Fast Track Initiative Catalytic Fund (FTI/CF) project, co-financed by World Bank,




AusAID, and Lao Government, sent a World Bank Mission to observe financial managementof MOE, and also identified that accounting staff at DOF is insufficient. It was proposed byDOF that 13 accountants are needed for Accounting Division and 7 financial controllers forFinancial Control Division.

14. In April 2010, new personnel quota (7 staff) was allocated to DOE. DOE has recruitedthree staff (one for Accounting Division; one for Financial Control Division; and one forConstruction Design and Maintenance Division, and is planning to recruit four more staff(three for Accounting Division, and one for Construction Design and Maintenance Division).During 2011, DOF has recruited an additional 6 staff, all graduates – five in Business and thesixth has a Master in Finance including Budget Accounting. See chart below.

15. Accounting Policies and Procedures. The chart of account is adequate to properlyaccount for and report on project activities and disbursement categories. Cost allocations tothe various funding sources are made accurately and in accordance with establishedagreements, and the General Ledger and subsidiary ledgers are reconciled and balanced. Allaccounting and supporting documents are retained on a permanent basis in a defined systemthat allows authorized users easy access. DOF has requested short, in-country coursestailored to meet the specific needs of its staff and to share experiences with internationalexperts.

16. Segregation of Duties. According to roles and tasks responsibilities are divided amongthe Minister, Director General of DSE, Director of DOF, Chief Accountant, Accountants andCashier to manage cash flow. The recording of transactions is carried out by accountantofficers at PMU level and the cashier is the custodian of assets obtained through thetransactions. Ordering, receiving, accounting and paying functions are segregated. Hence,there is proper accounting control between the recording and cash disbursement functions.

17. Budgeting System. The MOE follows the Government fiscal year – October toSeptember. The current budgeting system of MOE follows financial Management Regulationspecified by MOF. There is a system of variance analysis which is done on a quarterly andyearly basis.

18. Asset Inventory. All assets belonging to the Project are tagged and recorded by PMU inasset accounts. The assets assigned to project beneficiary are recorded in the organization’sasset account. Therefore, there are adequate safeguards to prevent from fraud, waste andmisuse of the project fund. However, asset values are not updated at the end of each year,and physical verification of assets and reconciliation with records is not done on a regularbasis by PMU, but by an auditing agency. All assets, except for vehicles, are not insured.

19. Financial Reporting and Monitoring. Financial statements are prepared quarterly forMOE and MOF. The reporting system is already fully adapted to report on the project outputs.The financial management reporting responsibilities, required content of the financial report,and procedures are specified in the operation manual of the DOF in MOE. Computerization ofthe accounting record has just started, utilizing different software identified in a differentproject. Streamlining the software and system is needed to improve the current financialinformation management to incorporate the project accounts and ensure that these arereflected accurately in the financial reporting system of MOE. Likewise, the project’s financialreporting needs to be strengthened to conform to both ADB and MOF requirements.

20. Management of accounting information is mostly manual system. MOE and externallyfunded projects use different software to maintain financial information (e.g. Microsoft Excel,Quicken, and ACCPAC). Therefore, financial information are not capable of digitally




reconciliation. The primary control over expenditure is the budget allocation. Another point ofinternal control is the Treasury Department that ensures that payment is genuine and withinbudgetary limits. Management of accounting information is handled by DOF, MOE.

21. Audits. For ADB, State Audit Office audits project account. The Financial Control Divisionwithin DOF, MOE carries out internal financial control. The Government requires mandatoryexternal audits. In the previous audits, no major problem has been identified.

22. In conclusion, MOE’s capacity to undertake the financial management report is adequate.The financial department of MOE has the required capacity and experience in financialmanagement for the annual operation and maintenance of the system, with additionalqualified accounting staff, training and software improvement. Among the major issues are (i)MOE has inadequate qualified and experienced accountants to manage the payment andcontractors’ disbursement of numerous projects; (ii) need to streamline project expenseapproval and account clearance approval processes: required signatures from PIU, PMU,DOF (MOE), MOF; and double checking layers at DOF (by Accounting Division and FinancialControl Division) which may not be necessary since the procedure of application itselfrequires several inspections; (iii) lack of integrated financial information management systems(different software used in different levels), and (iv) financial management operationprocedure manual does not fully describe all the needed procedures and is not widelydisseminated. In general the financial management is based on the Principles andRegulations issued by the MOF. It is required that the MOF should disseminate theseprinciples and regulations for smooth implementation.

23. Recommendations. (i) Since procedures cannot be altered, MOE needs more technicallycompetent accounting staff, with delegated authority. (ii) Financial information managementneeds improvement. The process of document processing can be streamlined through asynchronizing software for financial information from PMU, DOF, MOE, and MOF to enhancethe quality, accuracy, and speed of financial management. (iii) MOE shall adapt software tohandle financial information management system and train a specialist to administer thesystem. (iv) Improving financial and accounting operation manual and disseminating it to allfinancial staffs at different levels will increase an understanding of financial flow andrequirements. For Funds Flow, see Proposed Funds Flow section.

Summary of Issues

24. PMU is formed with the approval from the Ministry of Education and steering committee.PMU recruits accountants and prepares annual contracts, which are subject forextension/renewal depending on staff performance. In the first six months, the accountantusually requires close supervision from project director as he/she learns the requiredprocedures.

25. Proposal for expense is time consuming due to PIU's insufficient understanding of budgetallocation and eligible expenses; thus the proposal is sent back and forth between PMU andPIU (particularly at provincial level). The same matter sometimes occurs between PMU andNational Treasury, MOF, as the latter controls the expenses according to the actual cost inthe market, e.g. accommodation, conference venue, etc.

26. SESDP follows the current BESDP Project and the existing procedures and standards forthe PMU and Ministry DOF should continue. The requirement for students receiving BESDPscholarships to open personal bank accounts required an unnecessary diversion of time, andaccounting. Students required parental consent to open accounts, the Banks were too remotefrom the schools and procedures were adopted where the school head or a designated




teacher went to the bank, withdrew funds from student accounts, and students signed forreceipt of the money. These procedures negated the purpose of operating individual studentbank accounts.

27. Scholarship Payments. SESDP should assist the MOE revise guidelines for scholarshippayments to students, submit these for ADB concurrence, and provide training for pupil-parent associations to (i) ensure that the poorest students receive scholarships, (ii) maintainan accurate record of payments made to each student, (iii) monitor attendance and minimizedrop-out, and (iv) the Pupil Parent Associations ensure that the scholarship moneys are usedappropriately.

28. Access Grant payments under SESDP for low-cost community managed dormitoriesshould be based on MOE approval of proposals from Pupil Parent Associations in the 30newly constructed LSE schools, up to 30 additional LSE schools, and 15 schools receivingnew USE classrooms and laboratories. Timely reporting of all payments made and anyunspent funds should enable the PMU to account for all Project funds.

29. As SESDP will operate in at least 30 districts in 15 Provinces, the PMU and DOF shouldprovide training for District and Provincial staff so that financial reporting meets MOF andADB requirements.

C. Recommendations:

28. The establishment of the PMU requires careful selection of highly competent staffexperienced in ADB-funded projects. The following recommendations are specific for PMUfinancial management:

(i) The Head of the PMU should have knowledge, experiences and skill in ProjectManagement

(ii) Establish an effective financial management team through recruitment of competentsenior accountants, with clearly defined duties, responsibilities, lines ofsupervision and explicit authority for approval and payment of Project money.

(iii) Funds Transfer consist of three types: (a) from ADB to schools; (b) from ADB toimprest accounts, and (c) directly from ADB to suppliers and contractors. Fundstransfer for schools should be directly from Imprest Account to school accounts(established at a District Bank), with each school accounting for payments tostudents. Funds for project administration are from Imprest account to a ProjectManagement Sub-Account. Large procurement and civil works contracts aretransferred directly from Imprest Account to suppliers and contractors.

(iv) Establish a computerized financial management reporting system that is integratedwith MOE system and ADB format. Each of the SESDP schools which receivesscholarship or other access grant payments should have a separate reportingidentity, so that timely reporting of all payments can be made, and reported atschool, district, provincial and national level.

(v) PMU, DOF, Provincial and District finance/accounting staff need appropriate trainingin financial management, preparation of budget, financial analysis, and reportingbefore the beginning of the project; and

(vi) ADB designates an external auditing firm to audit the Project.




Education Background of Accounting Division, DOF, MOE

Name Position Major Degree1 Ms.Seunchit Selinokham Head of Division English Bachelor2 Mr.Bounphent Phommanivong Deputy Head Finance Bachelor3 Ms.Phetsaline Norlasong Deputy head Maths/Physics Bachelor4 Ms.Soutchay Souvannavong Technical staff Business Management Bachelor5 Mr.Chack Phommahane Technical staff Business Management Diploma6 Mr.Souphab Saenglath Technical staff Finance Diploma7 Mr.Yeyang Naoyiyang Technical staff Economic Planning Master8 Ms.Viengsouk Namlammoun Technical staff Business Management Bachelor9 Ms.Phonesavanh Hommanyphet Technical staff BA Bachelor10 Ms.Phonethepha Vongsithi Technical staff BA Bachelor11 Ms.Nouansy Southichack Technical staff Maths Bachelor12 Mr.Sengthong Daovong Technical staff BA Bachelor13 Mr.Ninxay Vongphaxay Technical staff BA Bachelor14 Mr.Sisouphanh Savanglienkham Technical staff Finance MasterUpdated May 2011. Positions 9-14 new appointments.


ANNEX 28LD Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan


Risks

Assessmentwithout

Mitigation Management Plan or Measures

Assessmentwith

MitigationOverall Medium Low

Financialmanagement Medium

MOE is to address financial staff capacitythrough careful selection of PMU and IU staff,which will have high degree of continuity withBESDP. PMU head will have knowledge andexperience in project management includingfinancial management. The Project will fundcontractual accounting staff for the PMU andtrain staff in implementing units in financialplanning, accounting, auditing and control.

Low

Procurement Medium

Initial training and capacity building under PPTAto be followed by training on the procurementrequirements of the Project, lessons learnedfrom BESDP and the PREI. To support the civilworks and textbook/teaching guide procurementprograms the Project will engage two civil workscoordinators and a project procurement officerfor the PMU. Ongoing procurement training of IUstaff will be part of their TOR.

Low

Corruption Medium

Large procurement and civil works contractstransferred directly from Imprest Account tosuppliers and contractors. Scholarship andAccess Grant Funds for schools transferreddirectly from Imprest Account to school accounts(established at a District Bank) with guidelines toincorporate clear mechanisms for monitoring,accounting, reporting, etc. PPAs will witnessscholarship payments, with proof of studentreceipt (e.g., signatures) required as part ofliquidation. Annual external audits and spot-checks planned.

Low

Outcome-level

Commitment toESDF and othersectoral strategiesand targets does notremain strong

Medium

The program is designed to support thegovernment’s ongoing reforms in the secondaryeducation subsector and in close alignment withESDF’s three pillars and targets. Thecomplementary policy program and investmentgrant contributes to the delivery of the threeoutputs expanded access to secondaryeducation, improved delivery of new secondaryeducation curricula and strengthened secondaryeducation subsector management.

Low

Output-levelScholarshipselection criteria,access grant

Scholarship and access manuals to be preparedby the PMU and training/orientations for DEB,PPA, VEDC conducted in order to ensure

Low


ANNEX 28LD Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan


guidelines anddormitory placeallocations notstrictly followed

Medium supervision of the process of scholar selectionand awarding of scholarships and access grants.Communication/dissemination advocacy strategyplanned to reinforce scholarship, access grantand dormitory initiatives. Core content ofguidelines, scholar names, access grant fundutilization, etc. to be transparently posted onschool billboards (as confirmed by DEB andspot-checks) with DEBs responding to anyinquiries or grievances.

Growth of totalbudget for educationand/or for recurrentexpenditures notmaintained

Medium

Tranche conditions for Program Loan includegovernment commitment to allocate a share oftotal government budget (excluding debtrepayment) not less than 18% (which is fullyaligned with the same target specified in therevised Law on Education); targets for MOE non-staff recurrent budget and introduction of blockgrants for secondary education in target districtsare fully consistent with ESDF and other nationaltargets, and project will support policy dialogue.

Low

Breakdown in inter-agency anddevelopment partnercoordination onbetter aligningexisting MISsystems

Medium

DSE (and as appropriate PMU) will take the leadin coordinating the involvement of ESITC, DOPand DOF in working together and better aligningexisting MIS system. Full participation by DSE inESWG focus groups will ensure againstbreakdown of coordination.

Low

M&E includingindependent impactevaluationcompromised

Medium

Project will recruit (i) M&E consultants to supportobjective M&E, including tracking of data forGAP and EGP; and (ii) independent firm orinstitution to conduct Impact Evaluation.Baseline and Impact Evaluation guidelinesincluded in PAM, and support robust impactevaluation: ADB to be consulted closely on TOR,final detailed design of baseline and impactevaluation, etc.

Low

BESDP = Basic Education Development Sector Program, DEB = District Education Bureau(s), DOF = Department ofFinance, DOP = Department of Personnel, DSE = Department of Secondary Education, EGP = Ethnic Group Plan,ESDF = Education Sector Development Plan, ESITC = Education Statistics and Information Technology Centre, GAP= Gender Action Plan, IU = Implementing Unit, ESWG = Education Sector Working Group, M&E = monitoring andevaluation, MIS = Management Information System, MOE = Ministry of Education, PMU = Project Management Unit,PPA = pupil-parent association(s), PREI = Procurement Review for Effective Implementation, IU = Implementing Unit,SESDP = Secondary Education Sector Development Program, TOR = Terms of Reference, VEDC = VillageEducation Development Committee(s).Source: Asian Development Bank


ANNEX 29Consultant Services Schedule


order Specialist position1 Total

(person months)Project/Calender Year

1 2 3 4 5 6 72012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

International consultants1 Expert on Secondary Education Management / TeamLeader 48 10 10 6 6 6 5 5return air fares 14 2 2 2 2 2 2 22 Expert on School Architectural Design 2 2 - - - - - -return air fares 1 1 - - - - - -3 Expert on Access-Enhancing Scholarships andSchool Grant Schemes 4 2 2 - - - - -return air fares 2 1 1 - - - - -4 Expert on Gender and Social Development 6 3 2 1 - - - -return air fares 3 1 1 1 - - - -5 Expert on Teacher Education and Training Systems 23 7 8 3 3 2 - -return air fares 12 3 4 2 2 1 - -6 Expert on Quality Assurance in Teacher Education 3 - 1 1 1 - - -return air fares 3 - 1 1 1 - - -7 Expert on Teacher Recruitment, Deployment, andPerformance Monitoring 8 2 2 2 2 - - -return air fares 7 1 2 2 2 - - -8 Expert on ICT-based Materials Development forEducators 10 2 2 2 2 2 - -return air fares 5 1 1 1 1 1 - -9 Expert on Textbook Policy Development 4 - 2 2 - - - -return air fares 2 - 1 1 - - - -11 Expert on Upper Secondary Curriculum MaterialsDevelopment - Foreign Language 4 - 2 1 1 - - -return air fares 3 - 1 1 1 - - -10 Expert on Upper Secondary Curriculum MaterialsDevelopment - Science 4 - 2 1 1 - - -return air fares 3 - 1 1 1 - - -12 Expert on Upper Secondary Curriculum MaterialsDevelopment - Social Sciences 4 - 2 1 1 - - -return air fares 3 - 1 1 1 - - -13 Expert on Instructional Materials Procurement 2 - 2 - - - - -return air fares 1 - 1 - - - - -14 Expert on Secondary School Student Assessment 9 - 4 2 2 - 1 -return air fares 7 - 2 2 2 - 1 -15 Expert on School Network Mapping 6 4 2 - - - - -return air fares 2 1 1 - - - - -16 Expert on Social Marketing and Communication 4 2 2 - - - - -return air fares 2 1 1 - - - - -17 Expert on Private Sector Mobilization in Education 4 2 2 - - - - -return air fares 2 1 1 - - - - -18 Expert on ICT-for-Education Policy and Strategy 4 3 1 - - - - -return air fares 2 1 1 - - - - -19 Expert on Education M&E 6 2 - 2 - 2 - -

1 The Mission noted that members of the PPTA consultant team mobilized by CEC and LCG (see footnote 2) werenot involved in drafting TORs or other preparations for SESDP implementation consultants, and thuswould be eligible for consultancy under SESDP.






1 2 3 4 5 6 72012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

return air fares 3 1 - 1 - 1 - -

TOTAL person months 155 41 48 24 19 12 6 5

return air fares 77 15 23 16 13 5 3 2

National consultants1 Specialist on Secondary Education Management /Deputy Team Leader 84 12 12 12 12 12 12 122 Civil Works Coordinators (2 individuals for North &South) 72 16 16 16 16 8 - -3 Specialist on School Design (Architect) 6 3 3 - - - - -4 Scholarship and Access Grant Coordinator 24 4 8 6 6 - - -5 Specialist on Gender and Social Development 30 8 6 5 3 3 2 36 Specialist on Pre- and In-service Teacher Training 27 9 9 4 4 2 - -7 Specialist on Quality Assurance in TeacherEducation 3 - 1 1 1 - - -8 Specialist on Teacher Recruitment and TeacherPerformance Monitoring 9 3 2 2 2 - - -9 Specialist on ICT-based Materials Development forEducators 12 2 4 2 2 2 - -10 Specialist on Textbook and Teacher GuideProcurement 6 2 1 1 1 1 - -11 Specialist on Secondary Curriculum Development -Foreign Languages 8 2 3 2 2 - - -12 Specialist on Upper Secondary Curriculum MaterialsDevelopment - Mathematics 6 - 3 2 2 - - -13 Specialist on Upper Secondary Curriculum MaterialsDevelopment - Science 10 2 5 2 2 - - -14 Specialist on Upper Secondary Curriculum MaterialsDevelopment - Social Sciences 6 - 3 2 2 - - -15 Specialist on Textbook Policy Development 6 - 3 3 - - - -16 Specialist on Instructional Materials Procurement 3 - 3 - - - - -17 Specialist on Secondary School Student Assessment 11 - 5 3 3 - 1 -18 Specialist on School Network Mapping 4 2 2 - - - - -19 Specialist on Social Marketing and Communication 12 6 6 - - - - -20 Specialist in Private Sector Mobilisation in Education 4 2 2 - - - - -21 Specialist on ICT-for-Education Policy and Strategy 12 6 6 - - - - -22 M&E Coordinator 24 5 4 5 4 3 - 3Total person months 379 84 10

7 65 59 31 15 18

Locally contracted professional grade staff10 Curriculum Development specialists for M7teacher training pre-service course 20 10 10 20 months deleted fromPAM versionProject Finance Officer 84 12 12 12 12 12 12 12Project Procurement Officer 60 12 12 12 12 12Project Monitoring and Reporting Officer 84 12 12 12 12 12 12 12Total person months 248 46 46 36 36 36 24 24

Surveys involving outside contracted personnel$1,000 School construction assessment surveys 45 10 20 11 4$100 Pilot study/surveys - graduate teacher incentivescheme 50 25 25$500 Scholarship impact evaluation surveys 75 20 35 16 4Total surveys 170 - - 55 80 27 8 -






1 2 3 4 5 6 72012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Estimated cost of surveys$1,000 School construction assessment surveys 45,000

- - 10,000 20,000 11,000 4,000 -$100 Pilot study/surveys - graduate teacher incentivescheme 5,000

- - 2,500 2,500 - - -$500 Scholarship impact evaluation surveys* 117,500

- - 90,000 17,500 8,000 2,000 -Total cost 167,

500- -

102,500

40,000

19,000

6,000

-*plus a lump-sum of $80,000 in year 3


ANNEX 30

Procurement Capacity Assessment


Proposed Project Name:

Secondary Education Sector Development Program (SESDP, formally BESDPII) inLao PDR

Proposed Amount:

US $30 million

Executing Agency (EA):

Department of Secondary Education (DSE), Ministry of Education (MOE)

Source of Funding:

ADF

Date:

June 2011

Expected Procurement:

1. Procurement of goods, works and services, financed under the grant, will be inaccordance with “Public Bidding” in Prime Minister’s Decree No. 03/PM of the LaoPDR, effective 9 January 2004, and Implementing Rules and Regulation on Decreeof Government of Goods, Work, Maintenance and Service (IRRs) No. 063/MOFdated 12 March 2004, and No. 0861/MOF dated 5 May 2009, issued by the Ministryof Finance, with the clarifications and modifications described in the followingparagraphs, required for compliance with the provisions of the ADB’s ProcurementGuidelines (2007, as amended from time to time) shall be followed.

2. A procurement plan for SESDP is contained in Section VI of the PAM.

3. for the construction of new LSE schools and dormitories, and for additional USEteaching blocks and dormitories under the project are estimated to cost less thanUSD1,500,000, but more than USD100,000, and shall be awarded through nationalcompetitive bidding (NCB). Minor items costing less than USD100,000, but morethan USD10,000, may be procured through shopping with advertising, and itemscosting less than USD10,000 may be procured through shopping without advertising.Equipment for all institutions being supported under the project will be procuredcentrally by the EA through the PIU.

4. Contracts for the printing of textbooks and teaching guides are estimated to costmore than USD1,000,000 shall be awarded on the basis of ICB. Goods, civil worksand services shall be procured centrally by PIU working under the BiddingCommittees (BC), with representatives DSE, other MOE departments and otherministries, organized for each procurement threshold. The PIU shall use ICB for atextbook, teaching guide and manual printing contract estimated to cost theequivalent or more than USD1,500,000; NCB bidding for civil works, furniture andequipment contracts and for the warehousing and delivery to schools of textbooks


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and teaching guides, estimated at USD1,500,000 or less but more thanUSD100,000, and shopping with advertisement for civil works, furniture andequipment contracts of USD100,000 or less but more than USD10,000. Civil works,furniture and equipment contracts below USD10,000 may be procured throughshopping without advertising. The procedures to be followed for procuring goods,works and services shall be those set forth in “Public Bidding” in Prime Minister’sDecree No. 03/PM of the Lao PDR, effective 09 January 2004, and Ministry ofFinance Implementing Rules and Regulation on Decree of Government Procurementof Goods, Work Maintenance and Service (IRRs) No. 063/MOF dated 12 March2004, and No. 0861/MOF dated 5 May 2009, with the clarifications and modificationsdescribed in Schedule 3 of the Grant Agreement.

Assessment of the National Environment

5. “Public Bidding” in Prime Minister’s Decree NO. 03/PM of the Lao PDR, effective09 January 2004, and Implementing Rules and Regulation on Decree of GovernmentProcurement of Goods, Work, Maintenance and Service (IRRs) No. 063/MOF dated12 March 2004, and No. 0861/MOF dated 5 May 2009 issued by the Ministry ofFinance, currently provides the policies and procedures governing the procurementof goods, works and consulting services. As per paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 of theBESDP Grant Agreement of March 2007, ADB-funded procurement has to besupported by an annual budgetary appropriation. Clarifications and modificationsdescribed in the National Competitive Bidding Annex to the Financing Agreement areneeded for compliance with the provisions of the Procurement Guidelines.

These include:

(i) Bidding shall not be restricted to pre-registered firms and suchregistration shall not be a condition for participation in the biddingprocess.

(ii) Eligible bidders (both national and foreign) shall be allowed toparticipate.

(iii) A bidder declared the lowest evaluated responsive bidder shall not berequired to form a joint venture or to sub-contract part of the supply ofgoods as a condition of award of the contract.

(iv) Bidding of ICB contracts estimated at USD500,000 or more for goodsand related services of USD1,500,000 or more for civil works shall beadvertised concurrently with the general procurement notices onADB’s website.

(v) Where required, bid security shall be in the form of a bank guaranteefrom a reputable bank.

(vi) Bids shall be opened in public, immediately after the deadline forsubmission of bids.

(vii) The contract shall be awarded to the technically responsive bid thatoffers the lowest evaluated price.

(viii) Bids shall not be rejected and new bids solicited without the ADB’sprior concurrence.

(ix) When the number of responsive bids is less than three (3), re-biddingshall not be carried out without the ADB’s prior concurrence.

(x) Bidders must be nationals of member countries of ADB, and offeredgoods and services must be produced in and supplied from membercountries of ADB.


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(xi) Firms bidding for a contract must be incorporated in an ADB membercountry.

General Agency Resource Assessment

6. As recently as February 2011, a major assessment was made by the ADB of theprocurement capacity of MOE and in particular the BESDP.1 The ProcurementReview for Effective Implementation (PREI) in the main focused on the overallinstitutional procurement practices and procedures of MOE, as opposed to a projectbased assessment, to arrive at a holistic appreciation of the procurement capacity,performance and maturity of the EA, and provide for mechanisms for furtherdevelopment or mitigating measures in the event of risk findings. The PREI appraisalmethodology is hinged on five (5) major criteria, and supplemented by twenty-four(24) Indicators, to arrive at a clear picture of the EA’s procurement performance andcapacity.

7. The five (5) major criteria are as follows:

(i) Organizational and Staff Capacity;(ii) Information Management;(iii) Procurement Practices (Competition, Transparency and Efficiency);(iv) Effectiveness; and,(v) Accountability Measures.

8. The five major criteria and the twenty four indicators are designed to complementeach other, to present an overarching result on how procurement is implemented atthe level of the EA, and how the results are achieved or failures experienced. Indetermining milestones and setbacks, the PREI methodology provides for aqualitative rating that measures risks as – a) Low; b) Average; c) High; and, d)Extremely High. Since this methodology is not based on a point system, the riskrating is anchored on “satisfactory thresholds” for each indicator, in order to measureresults, and they serve as guides for the Assessor in determining the EA’sprocurement capacity and operating environment, to identify the appropriate risklevel.

9. Overall the FREI gave MOE’s procurement capacity a risk rating of HIGH, and foreach of the five criteria, the following ratings

(i) Organizational and Staff Capacity - High(ii) Information Management - Average(iii) Procurement Practices (Competition, Transparency and Efficiency) -

High(iv) Effectiveness - High(v) Accountability Measures - High

10. The findings of the PREI have been summarised as follows:2

1 Ministry of Education, Procurement Review for Effective Implementation (PREI), ADB February2011.2 ‘Executive Summary’, PREI pages 4 to 9


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Organizational and Staff Capacity. Risk rating for this major criterion is HIGH.

11. Procurement of goods, works, services and maintenance in Lao PDR is governedby Prime Minister Decree No. 03/PM (the Procurement Decree) and its ImplementingRules and Regulations (IRR), Minister of Finance Decree No. 063/MoF, as amendedby Ministry of Finance Decree No. 0861/MoF. There are established BiddingCommittees (BC) in the MoE, such as those in the BESDP and SHEP, which werecreated pursuant to the Procurement Decree and its IRR, as amended. These BCs,however, are created on an Ad Hoc basis; in that, the membership changes fromtime to time depending on the availability of representatives from each identifiedOffice; this setup, however, affects the institutional memory, procurement knowledge,experience and expertise of procurement officials. Procurement related officials andpersonnel have little or no training or formal education on the rudiments of publicprocurement, local or foreign, thus, procurement capacity and performance areimpaired affecting the efficiency, effectiveness and economy of the procurementexercise. Despite the identification of members to be designated to the BC, there areno requirements for additional competencies relating to educational attainment,expertise, knowledge, experience or even procurement training to qualify as amember of the BC, thereby affecting the capacity of the BC and the eventualefficiency of the procurement process. In addition, there are no policies in place toundertake the monitoring and evaluation of the performance of the BC or theSecretariat that would determine their capacity, efficiency and effectiveness in theconduct of their procurement functions.

12. The Minister of Education or the Provincial Governor does not serve as memberor Chairman of the BC. However, there is no actual prohibition in the ProcurementDecree or in the associated IRR, as amended, preventing the Minister or Governor tobe a member or from appointing himself as the Chairman of the BC; as such, there isample possibility that the Minister or Governor may serve as Chairman of the BCthereby giving rise to a Conflict of Interest situation. Another Conflict of Interestscenario is the eligibility of Heads of Department in the Ministry and Provincial Headsof Division in the Provinces to become members of the BC, in these situations thefunction of the bid evaluator and the approving authority are lodged in the hands ofone and the same person.

13. As with the BC, the Secretariat, likewise serves on an Ad Hoc basis. Apart fromthe MoE’s PMU/PIU for ADB funded projects, such as in BESDP and SHEP, theSecretariat is not a permanent Unit within MoE whose duties, functions andresponsibilities are dedicated only to provide support service to the BC. TheSecretariat members primarily perform tasks for their respective offices therebyaffecting the efficiency and expediency of the procurement process. Excluding ADBapproval through a No Objection Letter (NOL), there are at least two (2) levels ofapproval from the request to procure until actual contract approval that does notshow a sufficient balance between specialization and centralization of authority withinMoE. Standard Bidding Documents (SBDs) and a Procurement Manual are availablefor the use of PMU/PIU, EAs and procuring entities in Lao PDR, such as theProvincial Education Service in Savannaket Province. For ADB financed projects, theBESDP-PMU and the SHEP-PIU utilized the SBDs for National Competitive Bidding(NCB) subject to the approval of ADB.


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Information Management. Risk rating for this major criterion is AVERAGE.

14. Procurement records for the last two (2) years are available for review. However,it is evident in the course of the assessment that no procurement contract, file orrecord contains a complete compilation of the necessary procurement andaccountable documents for future audit, assessment and review. Procurement filesand records are found in various folders or even in different offices. There are noexisting policies and guidelines concerning the creation, classification, filing,recording, storage and protection of procurement documents. Record keeping andcustody of procurement documents where made relying mainly on customarypractice of the procuring entity. Moreover, record keeping facilities and infrastructureare inadequate to accommodate procurement records over the years. For thesereasons, the transparency and openness of the procurement process becomecontentious. Review of procurement contracts, however, revealed that there isbudget approval or appropriation prior to the commencement of every procurementactivity. In other words, budget allocations are earmarked to finance the procurementactivity and these facilitate a more efficient, effective and expedient procurementprocess. These conditions are applicable to both ADB and Lao PDR financedprojects.

Procurement Practices (Competitiveness, Transparency and Efficiency). Riskrating for this major criterion is HIGH.

15. The contracts that were procured through public bidding; the number of biddersparticipating in publicly bid contracts; and, the number of days within which a biddermay prepare a responsive bid, which must be at least thirty (30) calendar days fromadvertisement of bid to bid opening date, show that the procurement process in MoEis less competitive. However, advertisement of bid notices provides a positive light onthe aspect of transparency because all the contracts procured through public biddingwere duly advertised in at least one (1) newspaper of nationwide circulation. Thisnotwithstanding, the advantage of advertising the Invitation for Bids (IFB) isundermined by the failure of MoE to advertise or post contract awards in anewspaper of nationwide circulation or a dedicated website thereby affecting thetransparency of the procurement process. On the other hand, the efficiency of theprocurement process shows positive indications because all contracts reviewed areincluded in the Procurement Plan; contract execution and signing take place withinninety (90) calendar days or an average of sixty-six (66) calendar days from bidopening to contract signing; and, it did not necessitate the BC to declare a failure ofbidding in all publicly bid contracts. But these efficiency aspects were quicklycounterbalanced by the fact that the bid evaluation for fifty percent (50%) of contractsprocured through public bidding were performed beyond ten (10) calendar days; and,payments made beyond thirty (30) calendar days from the submission of the Invoiceand Acceptance Certificate.

Effectiveness. Risk rating for this major criterion is HIGH.

16. BESDP contracts were awarded over and above the cost estimate, despite therepresentation made by MoE that the cost estimates are being confirmed andvalidated prior to the conduct of the procurement activity. Review of publicly bidcontracts shows that the difference between the total cost estimates and totalcontract amounts as awarded representing would be savings is not remarkable. Ifthere is any consolation, it is good to stress that there is no occasion that contract


ANNEX 30



prices were increased due to Change Orders or Variation Orders. Although it couldbe viewed positively that no formal complaint or protest was received by the MoEarising from the conduct of procurement, this could be attributed to the lack ofestablished policies, processes and procedures for the handling of observations,complaints and protest during and after the conduct of the bidding process.

Accountability Measures. Risk rating for this major criterion is HIGH.

17. There is no existing internal auditing body that provides for separate standards tobe observed in the course of the performance of procurement functions and activitieswithin MoE. In the same vein, there is no internal auditing system that would overseethe conduct of actual procurement from inception and planning, solicitation, selectionof sources, award of contract, contract financing and contract administration. Auditreview jointly conducted by the State Auditing Organization (SAO) together with theDepartment of Finance (DoF), MoE, is external in nature and focuses mainly onexpenditures, disbursement of funds, accounts reconciliation and public financialmanagement, leaving procurement process audit at bay. The Procurement Decreeand its associated IRR, as amended, have mentioned situations were a bidder maybe barred from participating in public bidding opportunities. However, the actual rulesand procedures for the debarment of bidders have not yet been formulated, as such;since there is no debarment mechanism in place, erring and recalcitrant bidders havenot been called for investigation for debarment purposes. The present separation oftransactional responsibilities at MoE is supportive of accountability measures thatoperate to detach and decentralize authority and power to certain individuals that willprevent commission of corruption, theft, concealment and fraud.

18. All told, the strengths and weaknesses of MoE’s procurement capacity,performance and practices vis-à-vis the five (5) PREI major criteria are summarizedas follows:

Strengths

(i) There is an established procurement legal and policy framework inMoE and Lao PDR. In 2004, the Prime Minister’s Office issued thePrime Minister Decree No. 03/PM dated January 9, 2004, otherwiseknown as the Decree on Government Procurement of Goods, Works,Maintenance and Services. The Implementing Rules and Regulationswas issued through Ministry of Finance Decree No. 063/MoF, datedMarch 12, 2004, and was subsequently amended by Ministry ofFinance Decree No. 0861/MoF, dated May 5, 2009. To supplement itsapplication and full implementation, the Procurement Decree and itsIRR, as amended, are supported by corresponding Standard BiddingDocuments (SBDs) for Goods and Works and a Procurement Manualissued by the Ministry of Finance, Procurement Monitoring Office(PrMO) for use by all government procuring entities in theprocurement of Goods, Works, Maintenance and Services pursuant toMinistry of Finance Notification Letter No. 0423/MoF, dated February25, 2010;

(ii) Procuring entities within MoE, including the BESDP-PMU, embark onprocurement of good, works, maintenance and services with actualbudget approval contained in the approved Annual Procurement Plan;


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(iii) Goods, Works, Maintenance and Services are procured only if theyare contained in the Annual Procurement Plan (APP), proposedprojects that are not in the Procurement Plan are not procured untilthe Plan has been revised and updated;

(iv) For publicly bid projects, bidding opportunities reflected in theInvitations to Bid are published in at least one newspaper of generalnationwide circulation for transparency and competition purposes;

(v) Publicly bid contracts in MoE BESDP-PMU are normally executedwithin ninety (90) calendar days from the date of bid opening untilcontract signing; and, declaration of failure of bidding or nullity of thebidding process does not occur for all the publicly bid BESDPcontracts signifying efficiency in the procurement process;

(vi) No increase in contract prices by way of Price Adjustment, VariationOrder or Change Order had been experienced for all BESDP projectsprocured through public bidding; and,

(vii) Transactional responsibilities in MoE are separated to avoidcentralization of authority or power in one individual and in order toavoid, corruption, fraud, concealment or theft.

Weaknesses

(i) Although BCs within MoE have already conducted procurementactivities in the past, they have not undergone a formal procurementstudy or training apart from those procurement orientation conductedby the PrMO-MoF, which did not provide a step-by-step processwalkthrough that will sufficiently guide the BC members in the properinterpretation, construction, application and implementation of theProcurement Decree and its IRR, including the use of the StandardBidding Documents and Procurement Manual. Procurement relatedofficials interviewed attested to the fact that if they have undergoneprocurement training at all, this was held in the late part of the 90s andthe early part of the decade and training was focused on the projectimplementation process for foreign funded projects such as thosefinanced by ADB and the World Bank (WB). Procurement relatedofficials also claimed that there is no procurement training involvingADB Procurement Guidelines;

(ii) The BC and Secretariat are Ad Hoc bodies and members weredesignated thereto without regard to education, rank, experience,knowledge, expertise, training and technical know-how in the conductof the procurement process.

(iii) There is no direct prohibition for the Minister of Health or theProvincial Governor to become a member of the BC. Heads ofDepartment in the Ministry and Provincial Heads of Division areeligible to be members of the BC when these officials are the onesapproving and signing the contract within their respective offices,thereby giving rise to a conflict of interest situation.

(iv) There are only two (2) levels involved in decision making and approvalof contract awards showing an imbalance between specialization andcentralization of authority and organizational efficiency.

(v) There is no existing mechanism for the reporting, monitoring andevaluation of the performance and capacity of procurement related


ANNEX 30



officials and personnel, or support service that provides for sustainedprocurement training, capacity building and knowledge enhancement;

(vi) Cost estimates have been prepared and apparently validated by theMoE BESDP-PMU prior to the conduct of procurement; however, thecontract review revealed that very few of the contracts procuredthrough public bidding were awarded 10% lower than the budgetestimate signifying inaccuracy in cost estimation;

(vii) Procurement documents and papers are available for review, butthere is no BESDP contract file containing a complete record of theprocurement activity and processes for a particular project. There areno fixed guidelines and policies for record keeping and managementthereby allowing MoE procuring entities to adhere to and adoptcustomary record keeping practices that are often lacking in order andsystem;

(viii) The Competitiveness of the procurement process is slackened andweakened by the number of bidders participating in publicly bidcontracts and the time upon which they are allowed to prepare andsubmit a responsive bid;

(ix) Transparency and openness of the procurement process is affectedby the failure of MoE, including the BESDP-PMU, to advertise andpost contract awards in a newspaper of general nationwide circulationor a designated website;

(x) The length of time to conduct the bid evaluation process, that shouldnormally be performed within ten (10) calendar days from bid openingdate; and, the delay in payment and settlement of Invoice/Billings,normally set at thirty (30) days upon submission of Invoice, dilutes theefficiency of the procurement exercise;

(xi) Although the Procurement Decree and its associated IRR, asamended, provide for the complaint and dispute procedures, there isno internal observation, complaint and protest system setup withinMoE to facilitate and assist would be observers and complainants tolodge and institute their observations and complaints against the BCor erring bidders;

(xii) There is no policy, rule or procedure on the invitation of Observerscoming from the State Auditing Organization (SAO) or from CivilSociety Organizations or Non-Government Organizations to observeall relevant stages of the bidding process and to support a moretransparent procurement activity.

(xiii) Sound procurement exercise permits the establishment of an internalaudit system to monitor, assess and evaluate the procurementactivities of the procuring entity, apart from an external audit source.The MoE, however, has no established internal audit system to policeand oversee its procurement activities. External audits are performedpost-contract implementation that would normally capture after-procurement activity issues. Similarly, there is no existing system andprocedure for the debarment or blacklisting of erring bidders,suppliers, manufacturers and contractors.

Risk mitigation measures recommended by the PREI

19. The PREI recommended a series of measures and actions, that need to beperformed or achieved within the short and medium terms, if the overall MoE


ANNEX 30



procurement capacity and performance is to be improved. The recommended riskmitigating measures are to be applied and implemented in accordance with the riskrating received by each major criterion, as they are defined and qualified by specificPREI indicators. Priority of action should be afforded to those criteria that obtained a“High” risk rating, such as, Organizational and Staff Capacity, ProcurementPractices, Effectiveness and Accountability Measures that need to be addressedurgently due to the threat(s) each risk pose to the procurement activities of the MoE.Additionally, the implementation of risk mitigating measures should likewise beconsidered in the light of its practicality, viability and do-ability. Thus, a shortterm/high priority and a medium term risk mitigating recommendations are providedto be implemented within a period of one (1) year and three (3) years, respectively.

20. Risk management principles dictate that known risks should be assigned orallocated to persons, entities or institutions most suitable to handle and address theunderlying threats brought by such risks. Accordingly, the proposed Action Plan shallidentify the appropriate person, entity or institution best fit to handle and managespecific risks and the corresponding mitigating measures to address them.

Risk Mitigating Measures to be Achieved in the Short Term

21. The recommendations provided hereunder are to be achieved by MoE in theshort-term and considered as high priority for having obtained “High” risk ratings. Thegoal is to execute the proposed recommendations in the short-term to achieve thedesired result of immediately improving the procurement system of MoE.

22. Creation of a Standby Pool of Procurement Officials. Although not specificallymentioned, it can be readily seen from the provisions of the Procurement Decree andits IRR, as amended, that the creation of a permanent BC is not the intention of theframers of the Decree and the rules. The more desirable scenario, however, is thecreation of a permanent BC with tenure of at least one (1) year to build and broadenthe knowledge, experience and expertise of BC members. Nevertheless, the MoE isnot prohibited from creating a standby pool of procurement officials, preferably frommid to senior levels with knowledge, experience and expertise in public procurement,to be chosen from the offices identified to compose the BC. BC members shouldthen be selected from this standby pool for subsequent public bidding activities.

23. Creation of a Permanent BC Secretariat. Considering that the ProcurementDecree and the IRR, as amended, are silent on the creation, membership,qualification and tenure of office of the members of the BC Secretariat, the MoE mayimmediately create a permanent Secretariat that will serve as the main support unitof all the BCs within the MoE. Initially, the Secretariat may compose at least five (5)permanent members due to the number of MoE BCs it will support. The Secretariatmembership may be increased periodically as demand arises. The duties, functions,responsibilities, qualifications, rank and tenure of office of the Secretariat membersmust be clearly defined and delineated.


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24. Establishment of a Pool of Technical Personnel/Experts. The MoE should createa pool of technical experts with knowledge, experience and expertise on the goods,works and services often procured by MoE. The pool of technical experts shallcomprise such number as would be necessary to assist the BCs and the Secretariatin the preparation of the technical specification, cost estimates and the conduct of bidevaluation, inspection and testing.

25. Issuance of Guidelines on Job Description and Responsibilities. The creation of astandby pool of procurement officials to become members of the BC, the BCSecretariat and the pool of technical experts, must be supported by the issuance ofappropriate Ministerial Decree or Guidelines that provides for: 1) job description,outlining with specificity their educational qualifications, duties, responsibilities andfunctions; 2) rank, position, term of office, re-appointment and succession; and, 3)basic rules of order relative to quorum, voting and voting rights.

26. Establishment of an In-Depth Procurement Training Program. With the creation ofa standby pool of procurement officials who will serve as BC members, including thecreation of the BC Secretariat and the pool of technical experts; a detailed andencompassing procurement training program should then be implemented by MoE.The training should include the step-by-step procurement procedures from biddingdocument preparation; bid opening; bid evaluation; post-qualification and award ofcontract. An in-depth study of the interpretation, construction, application andimplementation of the provisions of the Procurement Decree and its IRR, asamended, including the provisions of the Standard Bidding Documents must likewisebe included in the training curriculum.

27. Mandatory Invitation of Observers. To enhance transparency and competition,the MoE through the BCs shall immediately implement the invitation of observersfrom Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) or Civil Society Organizations (CSOs),including representatives from the State Auditing Organization (SAO), to observe allthe relevant stages of the public bidding process, from pre-bid conference to contractaward. The MoE shall likewise identify and provide for the rights, duties,responsibilities and obligations of the observers prior to, during and after theprocurement activities.

28. Mandatory Posting of Procurement Opportunities in Designated Website. Toenhance transparency, efficiency and competition in the procurement process, theMoE, through its BCs must utilize all necessary means to publicly disseminateprocurement opportunities, in that, advertisement of the IFB should be made not onlyin a newspaper of national and local circulation, but it must also be posted in thedesignated website of the MoE or the website created by the PrMO-MoF, including apublicly accessible Bulletin Board within the office of the procuring entity, for thepurpose of circulating the widest information to the public and securing the largestpossible participation from prospective bidders. Contract awards must also beadvertised or posted in the above-mentioned designated websites.


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29. Monitoring and Evaluation of Procurement Performance and Capacity. The MoEshould set up a system that would periodically monitor and evaluate the performanceof BCs and the Secretariat in order to support and achieve an effective and efficientprocurement process; and, to identify areas of improvement that have to beaddressed.30. Maintenance of a Good Information and Record Management System. MoE andits PMU/PIU should establish and maintain a good record keeping and informationmanagement system that must consider a uniform and systematic manner by whichto create, identify, classify, retrieve, receive, transmit, store, protect, dispose,preserve and share procurement information and record. A single file for everyprocurement project must be the foundational concept in record keeping andmaintenance, in that, the BC and its Secretariat must be well-informed of thenecessary procurement documents and records to be maintained in a single file,which are as follows: 1) cost estimates; 2) certificates of budget appropriation; 3)public notices of bid opportunities/copies of bid advertisements/postings innewspapers and a website; 4) bidding documents and addenda; 5) bid openinginformation/minutes of bid opening; 6) bid evaluation/ appraisal reports; 7)recommendations and approvals of awards; 8) procurement committee resolutions;9) duly received notice of award; 10) signed contracts and amendments; 11)invoices, disbursement vouchers with inspection and acceptance reports; 12)receipts of payments; 13) formal appeals by bidders and outcomes; 14) records onclaims and dispute resolutions; 15) records of time taken to complete key steps in theprocurement process. With assistance from ADB and other development partners(DPs), MoE should upgrade the physical facilities and infrastructure whereprocurement files and records are kept, stored and maintained. The MoE shouldlikewise engage or appoint dedicated personnel to take custody, secure, maintain,manage and preserve procurement documents, files and records.

31. Strict and Mandatory Compliance with Procurement Decree and IRR. The MoEand its PMU/PIU, including its BCs and Secretariat members both from the nationaland local governments must immediately and strictly comply with the provisions ofthe Procurement Decree and its IRR, as amended, and implement the following:

(i) Use competitive bidding as the primary mode of procurement beforeadopting any of the alternative methods of procurement.

(ii) The BCs shall allow prospective bidders the full forty-five (45) days orat least a period of thirty (30) days from bid advertisement to bidopening within which to prepare a responsive bid.

(iii) The BCs shall post contract awards in the designated MoE or PrMOwebsite or in a Bulletin Board constructed for the purpose.

(iv) The BC must carefully and conscientiously conduct the bid evaluationprocess within a period of 10 calendar days, or 15 days as providedfor under the Procurement Decree and its IRR, as amended. Althoughexpediency is a factor to consider, the quality of the bid evaluationprocess must not be sacrificed at the expense of competition,fairness, efficiency and economy.

(v) The BC, with assistance from the Secretariat, must ensure timelypayments, in that, Invoices must be paid within thirty (30) days fromreceipt thereof


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Risk Mitigating Measures to be Achieved in the Medium Term

32. The recommendations enumerated hereunder are to be achieved in the medium-term. These recommendations recognize administrative, operational andcoordinative difficulties within MoE and other related agencies, specifically the PrMO-MoF, hence, the suggested timeframe. In general, the risk mitigatingrecommendations shall uplift the procurement condition and environment in MoEand, in particular, these shall remarkably improve the procurement capacity,performance and practices of procurement related officials and personnel therebyaddressing compliance requirements that have been flagged or to be identified infuture procurement capacity assessments or country procurement assessments.

Tasks Specific to PrMO-MoF

33. Revision and Amendment of the IRR. The PrMO should revisit the ProcurementDecree and its IRR, as amended, and consider the following:

Permanent Bidding Committee. Revise the composition of the BC andconstitute the same as a permanent committee within procuringentities allowing for the creation of at least one (1) permanent BC inthe procuring entity or one (1) BC for every kind of procurement, thatis, one (1) BC for goods, works and services. The creation of thepermanent BC must consider the position or ranking of the official tobe appointed, preferably within mid to senior levels; educationalqualifications; experience and training; tenure of office; manner ofsuccession; conduct of business; voting rights; functions; duties,obligations and responsibilities.

Direct Prohibition for Head of the Procuring Entity as member of the BC.Revise the composition of the BC to directly prevent the Minister,Provincial Governor, Head of Departments in Ministries and DivisionHeads in Provinces from being members of the BC to avoid conflict ofinterest situations where a member of the BC is also the same personwho approves the contract.

Permanent Secretariat. Creation of a permanent Secretariat within procuringentities that shall serve as the main support unit of the BC. Thecreation of the permanent Secretariat must consider the position orranking of the official to be appointed; educational qualifications;experience and training; tenure of office; manner of succession;conduct of business; functions; duties, obligations and responsibilities.

Harmonization of IRR and SBDs. Harmonization of the provisions of theProcurement Decree, IRR and the Lao PDR SBDs, such as, but notlimited to, the following: 1) Bid Security and Performance Security,both with respect to form and amount, including the right of the bidderto choose the form and amount of security; 2) posting of contractaward information; and, 3) debriefing.

Harmonization of Lao PDR and DPs’ SBDs. Harmonization with ADB andother DP SBDs, such as the WB, is recommended in order for LaoPDR to have a uniform set of SBDs to be used by procuring entitiesboth for local and foreign financed projects.

Inclusion of Procurement Timelines. Inclusion of procurement timelines inevery step of the procurement process. There are no prescribed


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timeframe or period for the following procurement activities under theProcurement Decree and its IRR, as amended, to wit:

i. Period to advertise and post IFB, their intervals and the number ofdays within which the IFB must be advertised;

ii. Time to hold a pre-bid conference;iii. Period of time within which to conduct post-qualification;iv. Time frame within which to approve the recommendation of the BC

to award the contract; and,v. Time frame within which to sign and execute the procurement

contract.

Training of Trainers; Professionalization of Procurement Officials andPersonnel; and, Private Sector Procurement Training. In order toestablish a sustainable procurement training program, the PrMO-MoFmust identify and train a Cadre of Procurement Trainers to perpetuatethe procurement training and capacity building of BCs and Secretariatmembers, including the pool of technical experts and otherprocurement related officials from the national and local governments.The procurement capacity building and training implemented by PrMOshould eventually set the stage for the professionalization ofprocurement related officials and personnel in Lao PDR. The PrMO,with assistance from ADB and other development partners (DP), mayengage the services of a University or a Training Institution that willdevelop and formulate a curriculum that will eventually grantparticipants a Procurement Certificate or a Procurement Degreeenabling and qualifying them to serve as BC, Secretariat or TechnicalWorking Group (TWG) members. To further enhance the efficiencyand effectiveness of the procurement process, suppliers,manufacturers, distributors and contractors must likewise be trainedon the rudiments of the Procurement Decree and its IRR, asamended, including the use of SBDs and its interpretation andconstruction.

Establishment and Maintenance of Price Reference List. The PrMO-MoFshould coordinate with various Ministries and agencies of thegovernment, such as, Education, Health, Trade and Commerce, theNational Statistics Center of Lao PDR, or its equivalent Office, andsuch other appropriate agencies, to come up with a Price ReferenceList or Price Index for goods, materials, equipment and services forthe development of an accurate project cost estimates.

Establishment of a Single Procurement Information Portal. Developmentof a Procurement Website, preferably maintained by the PrMo-MoF toserve as the central repository and posting site of all procurement andbidding opportunities in Lao PDR, including bidding outcomes. TheProcurement Website shall serve as an eBulletin Board foradvertisement of bids and posting of contract awards, with a platformthat could be upgraded to a facility that is capable of hosting aneBidding, eCatalogue and a Virtual/Online Store for procurement ofcommon-use office supplies and equipment by the Government.

Debarment/Blacklisting Rules and Procedures. In accordance with theprovisions of the Procurement Decree, its IRR, as amended, andother allied laws, rules and regulations, the PrMO-MoF must develop


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the appropriate rules and procedures for the debarment/blacklisting ofsuppliers, manufacturers, contractors and consultants, providing forthe grounds therefore and the appropriate procedural and remedialmeasures to be undertaken by the procuring entity and the bidder-respondent involved in the debarment/blacklisting proceedings.

Complaint, Protest and Observation Mechanisms. Alongside the rules forthe debarment/blacklisting of bidders, the PrMO-MoF should likewisedevice a system for the receipt, processing, hearing and managementof observations, complaints and protests from prejudiced andaggrieved bidders or parties. In that regard, the PrMO-MoF shouldprepare the appropriate guidelines and procedures for the receipt,processing, hearing and management of observations, complaints andprotests to afford the parties their right to due process and fairhearing. The imposition of the proper administrative and civilsanctions should be included and the procedures and processes forthe institution of criminal proceedings should likewise be defined inaccordance with existing laws.

Enactment of a Procurement Law. Due to its social and economic impact,the magnitude of its effect on the market; and, in order to obtain amore stringent and stricter compliance from government agencies andprocuring entities, the Procurement Decree must be elevated to thelevel of a law enacted by the National Assembly. The PrMO-MoF maytake the initiative of revising the Procurement Decree into adraft/proposed bill and secure support and sponsorship frominterested legislators to commence the procurement reform measuresin the legislature. This effort may find support from ADB and otherDPs, such as the WB for its realization.

Institutionalization of the PrMO as an MoF Department. The Ministry ofFinance should seriously consider the institutionalization of the PrMOinto a policy-making body and not maintain and limit its functions toplain procurement monitoring activities. Accordingly, the PrMO shouldbe transformed and converted to the level of a Department within theMoF to be denominated as the Procurement Policy Department(PPD). This is also to afford the PrMO that power and authority toimpose and demand compliance from other government agencies andprocuring entities. The newly created PPD shall be complemented byknowledgeable and experienced procurement personnel whosefunctions, duties, obligations and responsibilities must be outlined anddefined accordingly.

Creation of the Lao PDR Procurement Policy Board (LPPB) and itsTechnical Support Group (TSG). On the other hand, should theProcurement Decree be elevated into a law enacted by the NationalAssembly, a provision in the new procurement law may provide for theabsorption of the functions, obligations, duties and responsibilities ofthe PrMO/PPD into a newly created office denominated as the “LaoPDR Procurement Policy Board (LPPB),” a policy making body thatdirects and oversees the implementation and enforcement of theprocurement law and provides for periodic guidelines, circulars,resolutions and opinions on the proper interpretation, construction andapplication of the procurement law. The composition of the LPPBmust be representative in nature, in that; the Ministry of Finance,Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Public Works,


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Ministry of Trade and Commerce, and such other Ministries with big-ticket procurement must be represented therein. The LPPB must besupported by a Technical Support Group (TSG) that will provide thenecessary administrative, research and technical work for the LPPB.

Tasks Specific to MoE

(a)Additional Level of Approval. Essentially, there are only two (2) levels ofauthority involved in the approval and award of contracts in the MoE,at least an additional authority or level should be involved to preventconcentration of functions that affects the balance betweenspecialization and centralization of authority and organizationalefficiency. In this regard, MoE may consider a revision or arestructuring of its procurement and contract approval set up toinclude an additional level of authority to prevent over concentration ofpower in one office or official.

(i) Strengthening of Contract Implementation and Administration. TheMoE should strengthen the contract implementation andadministration aspects of its procurement activities throughappropriate monitoring and evaluation of both the performance andeconomic aspects of contract execution that should consider thefollowing:i. Preparation of a Contract Administration Plan. The preparation

of the Contract Administration Plan commences even prior tothe start of the procurement activities, where the procuringentity should clearly layout how the contract should bemanaged; how risks are controlled; and, how opportunities aremaximized, apart from identifying and carefully selecting theappropriate manpower, capital and resources to be tapped toimplement and manage the contract administration schemerespecting aspects of “time,” “quality” and “cost” controls.Accordingly, the Contract Administration Plan should involvetedious monitoring and supervision that shall include thefollowing:

ii. Appropriation and budget availability. To achieve timelypayments, the procuring entity must ensure that there isavailable budget to support the project before commencementof the actual procurement activity, or there must at least be anappropriation specifically earmarked to support the project.

iii.Supplier’s or contractor’s compliance with the terms andconditions of the contract. Being the law between theparties, the supplier/contractor must strictly comply with all theprovisions of the contract, specifically those which arenecessary and vital to the fulfillment and completion of thesubject matter of the contract, mainly, the satisfactory deliveryof the goods and the completion of the works.

iv.Quality control through random inspection and testing ofgoods at production site and/or while it is in transit.Quality control and assurance is best achieved through timelyanticipation of probable or would be defects of the goods orworks, which can be determined by random or thorough


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inspection of the goods at production site or while it is ontransit vis-à-vis the Technical Specifications, or the carefulinspection of the works based on the Design and Scope ofWork.

v. Inspection and testing of goods and equipment at the time ofdelivery. Apart from ”site” and/or “in transit” inspections, theprocuring entity must prepare an Inspection Team in everydelivery site, or work site, to see to it that the goods/worksdelivered are in accordance with the Technical Specificationsand/or Scope of Work.

vi.Timely deliveries. Goods and works must not only comply with theTechnical Specifications, Design and Scope of Work, but alsowith the delivery period or time frame as specified in theContract, lest liquidated damages may set in, or worse,contract termination may be enforced. Claims settlement.Contract variations may set in during project implementationbrought about by Change Orders, Variation Orders, PriceAdjustment or Compensation Events, the corresponding costsfor these and the Project Engineer’s contest or disallowanceshall ultimately comprise compensable claim.

vii. Enforcement of contractual warranties and execution ofrepairs. Suppliers and contractors warrant that the goods andworks they deliver are free from hidden defects, such that, incase of operation or performance less than what is required inthe contract, the procuring entity may always call on thewarranty and effect the appropriate replacement or repair.

viii. Extension of time for delivery of goods or works;Identification of construction delays; and, Imposition ofliquidated damages. Construction timelines and progressmust be met on the dot, lest it will translate to added operationtime and cost to the procuring entity. As such, constructionprogress must be religiously monitored and delivery extensionsmust be effectively managed and, in case of delay, liquidateddamages must be imposed to compensate the procuring entityfor the economic lost it has incurred. The imposition ofliquidated damages must also be required in the event of latedelivery of the procured goods.

ix.Variation order, through Change Order or Change Work, andcontract amendments. The cost for increase or decrease inquantities of original work items in the contract, or the cost foradditional or new work, which are not included in the originalcontract, but are necessary for the completion of the works,must be progressively monitored as variation orders may onlybe allowed to a certain threshold.

x. Payments. As part of the bargained for exchange, thesupplier/contractor expects to be paid on time to compensatefor its investment. On the part of the procuring entity, its end ofthe bargain is to pay the supplier/contractor on time upontimely submission of Billing Invoices and appropriatesupporting documentations.

xi.Contract Termination by way of Default or Convenience. Thesupplier/contractor may incur acceptable and reasonable


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delays brought by factors normally considered beyond itscontrol, e.g. force majeure, however, delays that areattributable to the supplier’s/contractor’s default may beimposed the corresponding liquidated damages or itscumulative default may give rise to a Notice of Termination byDefault. In certain occasions, when the project is no longernecessary, or the purpose/reason for which a project wasconceptualized is no longer available, or the funds thereforehave been cancelled or withdrawn, the procuring entity mustnotify the supplier/contractor in writing of a contract terminationfor convenience.

xii. Performance Evaluation and Assessment. Upon completedelivery or completion of work, the procuring entity must beable to come up with an evaluation and assessment scheme torate the overall performance of the supplier/contractor.

xiii. Dispute Settlement. Contractual disputes may be settled throughArbitration and the payment of the arbitral award; throughMediation; or any other methods of Alternative DisputeResolution (ADR).

xiv. Establishment of an Internal Procurement Audit Service inMoE. To enhance transparency, efficiency and economy in thePublic Procurement System, an Internal Procurement AuditService (IPAS) must be created within the MoE to periodicallymonitor and evaluate the progress of procurement projects andto see to it that a procurement process and implementationaudit are undertaken to determine compliance with theProcurement Decree and its IRR, as amended, including theprovisions of the SBDs for goods and works.

Tasks Specific to PrMO-MoF, MoE and other Concerned Agencies

(i) Creation and Maintenance of a Supplier/Contractor Registry. Creationand maintenance of a Supplier/Contractor Registry to facilitate anefficient and expedient procurement process. The Supplier/ContractorRegistry may be maintained in the Ministries or National level tofacilitate the identification of eligible and qualified suppliers/contractorsfor the procurement of goods and works.

(ii) Strengthening of the External Audit System. Strengthen and enhancethe scope of the external auditing processes in the MoE, and, in thatregard, should include a procurement process audit apart from thepublic financial management and expenditure audit that is normallyconducted by the State Auditing Organization (SAO).

34. The proposed Procurement Capacity Development and Risk Mitigation ActionPlan derived from the foregoing short-term to medium term risk mitigating measuresis contained in PREI Appendix 6.