According to the Bank’s website, the objective of this project is to increase the completion rate and improve learning outcomes in primary education.

This operation aims to improve education outcomes for all children in Madagascar’s primary education with targeted interventions and addressing several systemic shortcomings in three areas: (a) teaching quality and teacher management, (b) school infrastructure and learning environments, and (c) education sector governance.

The environmental risk rating is Moderate, with adverse risks and impacts expected to be site-specific and manageable with appropriate measures. The proposed operation focuses on training, capacity building, and institutional reform, which are expected to have minor environmental impacts. Supporting school canteens in areas with high food insecurity may increase organic waste production. If not managed properly, this waste can attract pests and become a breeding ground for bacteria, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses. Improper wastewater disposal can contaminate drinking water, posing health risks to students and staff. Poor sanitation can spread waterborne diseases like cholera and dysentery. Pathogens can also be transmitted through food, affecting both plant and animal products. Ensuring the safety of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is crucial in school canteens. Subcomponent 2.1 involves constructing and upgrading primary classrooms, including cyclone-resistant facilities and gender-segregated sanitation facilities. These activities may generate occupational health and safety (OHS) risks for workers, community health and safety (CHS) risks and impacts, construction waste, noise, and air pollution, affecting nearby communities and students. Managing life and fire safety risks, structural safety, emergency preparedness, health and hygiene, accessibility, and security is essential for schools as public access buildings. E-waste from tablets for teachers and principals as well as from solar panel pumps require proper measures to prevent environmental harm. Overall, these environmental risks and impacts are manageable with generic mitigation measures.

The social risk rating is Moderate. The social risk rating (SRR) has been classified as Moderate. Project activities will have positive social impacts by improving education in the country. However, some risks and impacts proportionate to the noncomplex design of the project may occur but are not likely to be significant and are site specific. The expected social risks and impacts of the Project are mainly the following: (a) potential violation of workers’ rights and rules including mainly exclusion, sexual harassment (SH) and OHS risks, sexual exploitation abuse (SEA) and forced labor; (b) potential data breaches leading to a violation of personal data protection rules associated with national wide digitalization, mainly under subcomponents 1.1, 2.1, 3.1; (c) community health and safety risks associated with small to medium scale civil works associated with rehabilitating preprimary and/or upgrading classrooms in at least 1,000 under 27,000 existing public schools (subcomponent 2.1) and/or field missions; (d) life and fire safety risks and impacts may occur in relation to the building codes of Madagascar for school and the expected school canteen; (e) moderate-level disruption to livelihoods and/or economic displacement can be generated from constructing preprimary and/or upgrading classrooms on existing school grounds no physical displacement is expected; (f) some FRAM teachers who will fail the testing may also loose revenues; and (g) risk of elite capture of project benefits.

IDA Credit: US$ 150.00 million

Grant Amount (Global Partnership for Education Fund): US$ 35.39 million

World Bank

Almedina Music
Senior Economist

Borrower/Client/Recipient

Madagascar

Implementing Agencies

Ministry of National Education
Marie Michelle Sahondrarimalala
Minister
ministreeducation2020@gmail.com

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

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ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF THE WORLD BANK

The World Bank Inspection Panel is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who believe they are likely to be, or have been, adversely affected by a World Bank-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the Inspection Panel, they may investigate to assess whether the World Bank is following its own policies and procedures for preventing harm to people or the environment. You can contact the Inspection Panel or submit a complaint by emailing ipanel@worldbank.org. Information on how to file a complaint and a complaint request form are available at: https://www.inspectionpanel.org/how-to-file-complaint