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	Objectives and Justification Scope and Coverage Summary of Main Activities Program Management and Monitoring Financing Plan

Objectives and Justification » Up

The ESP policy target in basic education is to increase enrolment in grades 7-9 with a target of 1.0 million and a net enrolment rate of 50% with 45% girls. The Ministry's strategy to assure equitable access is abolition of illegal contribution in schools to reduce cost barriers for poor families. MoEYS will ensure sufficient grade 7-9 facilities for projected demand by providing an additional 800 lower secondary schools in communes currently without such provision in the next five years.

The main objectives of this program are: (i) continuing to reduce and offset cost burdens on parents of children in grades 7-9 through Government funding for school operational budgets, linked to the abolition of all illegal fees; (ii) to improve grades 7-9 promotion rates through introduction of remedial classes for under-performing students; (iii) to improve quality through increase in per-pupil expenditure on school operating budgets for school supplies and instructional materials and (iv) to strengthen MoEYS capacity for school inspection and financial monitoring and reporting at all levels, linked to the introduction of a school performance monitoring system to increase transparency and accountability in school management.

Scope and Coverage » Up

The program will provide operational budgets for all existing and new lower secondary schools, including extending incomplete primary schools to become basic cycle grades 1-9 schools. The program will improve efficiency to meet the ESP target of 85% promotion rates in grades 7-9 through introduction of remedial classes for underperforming students, especially in disadvantaged schools.

The program will also enable implementation of various quality improvement initiatives including strengthening of the grade 9 examination systems and introduction of minimum standards on student assessment to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The program will further contribute to increased transparency and accountability of schools through introduction of the school performance monitoring and report card system.

This program will be complemented by the scholarships/incentives program to provide poverty-targeted scholarships for grades 7 to 9 students to further reduce the cost burden on poor families. It will also be closely linked to the education service efficiency and teacher development programs to ensure sufficient supplies of qualified teachers are deployed for the planned facilities expansion.

Summary of Main Activities » Up

The main activities are: (i) school operational budget aim to improved equitable access and quality of secondary education, through increased and pro-poor school operating budgets nationwide, (ii) remedial/supplementary classes designed to improve promotion rates in grades 7 to 9 at 85% and improve student performance, linked to the revised curriculum linked to minimum standards and student testing and (iii) strengthened monitoring systems which aim to provide operational budgets for program planning, management and monitoring capacity in response to rapid projected expansion.

Spending guidelines will be revised in order to respond to the individual circumstances of each school. A new financial planning and accountability system for school operating budgets will be introduced in 2005 with guidelines for involvement of parents and community management. However, MoEYS sees it as critical that schools find an effective balance in spending on school supplies, teaching/library resources, improvements to school infrastructure (e.g. furniture, sanitation and environment), and sports/arts/agricultural activities and focus on life-skills for preventing HIV/AIDS and other health issues.

Program Management and Monitoring » Up

The central BMC has been established in the Secondary Education Department for the program. MoEYS also has set up BMCs in all provincial and district education offices to manage the provision of school operating budgets. Program funds will be managed by schools/communities, channelled through provincial BMCs. The HQ BMC will be responsible for overall management and monitoring of the program. Technical and financial management and monitoring will be on a quarterly basis using agreed MoEYS proformas, and in line with the proposed disbursement of tranches.

Regular progress monitoring will be the responsibility of district and provincial secondary school inspectors and supervisors against agreed work plans and school development plans. Financial expenditure progress monitoring will be the responsibility of a designated staff member within each budget management centre. The provincial BMC also will be responsible for broader progress and output monitoring of the program technical activities and financing, troubleshooting where needed. The DGE will arrange sample technical audits and IG will arrange sample internal financial audits.

Financing Plan » Up

The significant expansion of this financing plan is based on projected enrolment expansion, alongside increased per pupil spent for quality dividends. MoEYS will conduct annual reviews on the levels of school operational budgets to fit the expansion and be consistent with the overall education budget. Table below summarizes indicative costing for the program.

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	Objectives and Justification Scope and Coverage Summary of Main Activities Program Management and Monitoring Financing Plan