Objectives and Justification

The upper secondary program’s primary objective/outcome will be to assure equitable access to upper secondary education and ensure that proposed user charges, if adopted, are no barrier to academically promising grade 9 graduates from disadvantaged populations.

The programme aims at equitable access and quality of upper secondary education through increased and pro-poor school operating budgets nationwide. A second objective is to increase the number of grade 12 graduates from rural/remote areas to be qualified for teacher training colleges or higher education opportunities. The final objective is to improve transparency in school financial management through establishment of a governing body to regulate voluntary and legal contributions from students and families.

Targets and Indicators » Up

• Increase enrolment in grades 10-12 from 177,129 in 2004/05 to 300,000 in 2010

• Reduce gender gap in net enrolment rate (NER) at upper secondary lower than 2% in 2010

• Increase survival from grade 10-12 from 86% in 2004-05 to 95% in 2010

• Increase grade 12 completion rate from 8.92% in 2004/05 to 20% in 2010

• Decrease upper secondary drop-out in grade 10 from 13.2% in 2003-04 to 3% by 2010

Strategy and Coverage » Up

The first component of this program will be to provide pro-poor school operating budget to upper secondary schools primarily for instructional materials and school maintenance against agreed guidelines. The second component will be implementation of an Academically Gifted Students program through specific subjects teaching and instructional material procurement. The third component is the development and establishment of a model school program that will provide the most gifted students with the opportunities to achieve academic excellence. The model schools will use the grade 9 exam and other selection criteria for admission.

This programme will be complemented by the scholarships/incentives program to provide merit-driven scholarships for academically gifted children to reduce cost burdens on poor families.

Main Programmes and Activities » Up

• Nationwide provision of pro-poor school operating budgets, at increased levels based on annually agreed modifications to the block grant and per capita spending formula.

• Separate financing formulae will be devised for model upper secondary schools and the remaining upper secondary schools. The model schools will receive differential budgets in order to sustain high quality. Spending guidelines will be revised in order to respond to the circumstances of individual schools and provide more flexibility in spending³

• Improved quality initiatives, including strengthening the grade 9 and 12 examination system and introduction of minimum standards on student achievement.

• Gradually expand special programs for academically gifted students, minorities and students with disabilities through special teaching methodologies and instructional materials.

• Strengthen planning, management and monitoring capacity in response to rapid projected expansion. This includes strengthening secondary education MIS to help identify facilities and staffing priorities and to strengthen linkages with other quality assurance initiatives, especially for examinations, inspection services and teacher development.

• Provision of MoEYS peer-education Life-skills for HIV/AIDS program, in cooperation with selected NGOs⁴

Program Management and Monitoring » Up

The central BMC has been established in the Secondary Education Department for the program. Program funds will be manage through new school/community governing bodies, 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 pro-forma, and in line with the proposed disbursement of trenches. A small BMC will be set up in the Department of Secondary Education for the gifted students program.

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. A new financial planning and accountability system for school operating budgets will be introduced in 2005-06 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 (furniture, hygiene and environment), and sports/arts/agricultural activities and focus on life-skills for preventing HIV/AIDS and other health issues.

The provincial BMC also will be responsible for broader progress and output monitoring of the program technical activities and financing, troubleshooting where needed. MoEYS will review whether more delegated responsibility should be provided to district BMCs to further decentralize the program operation. The DGE will arrange sample technical monitoring and Internal Audit Department (IAD) 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 spending for quality dividends. Table below summarizes indicative costing for the program.

Table 5: Upper Secondary Education Quality And Efficiency Financing Plan

Activities	Costs in Riels millions
	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
1. US school operational budget	3,900	4,700	5,900	7,100	8,300
2. Academically gifted students program	600	700	800	900	1,000
2. Strengthening Monitoring	275	280	315	335	355
Resources: Total	4,775	5,680	7,015	8,335	9,655

Capacity building needs » Up

• Increase capacity of Provincial and District Education officials in program planning, management and monitoring capacity in order to improve services especially in currently under-served areas.

• Strengthen capacity of central and provincial staff responsible for programs aimed at: improving enrolment and participation of students in grade 10-12, reducing direct cost barriers to students, and providing support for academically gifted students.

• Strengthen provincial / district officers and school directors to plan and implement operating budget guidelines, through HQ guidelines and capacity building.

• Strengthen central HQ/ provincial / district capacity on technical and financial monitoring to improve timely an impact / progress report of program efficiency.

• Strengthen capacity of central and provincial staff responsible for improving nationwide dissemination and implementation of student scholarship program for poorest families.

³ An initial financing formula for the model schools will be developed in 2006. This will be reviewed and refined as the program is rolled out