Mid Term Review of School Construction Work under EFA programme.

Background

Ministry of Education (MoE)/Department of Education (DoE), and Save the Children Norway Nepal (SCNN) are closely working for improving the quality of education in different districts of Nepal. SCNN entered into a special partnership with DoE in 2006 to provide social mobilization, quality assurance and technical support on physical infrastructure development in schools under Education for All (EFA) programs in 12 districts followed by further expansion of the program to 8 additional districts from September 2007. As per the agreement SCNN through partner NGOs have been providing technical backstopping support including social mobilization for the construction of infrastructure under EFA programme in close collaboration with District Education Office in each programme district.

Objectives

o To critically review the different roles of collaborating partners (DoE, DEO, SCNN, PNGOs) and assess their performance both at the national and local levels

o To assess to what extent the project has contributed to achieve the partnership goals and objectives.

o To assess the contribution of the project in improving physical and learning environment for quality education in schools under Education for All (EFA) programs

o To identify emerging issues and lessons learnt over the past few years of partnership and draw lessons for shaping the direction of future partnership.

Methodology

Sample districts for the study was selected in such a way to cover at least one district from each of the four development regions (Central, west, mid-west and farwest) and ecological belts (mountain, hills & terai). Document review, focus group discussion with stakeholders (PTA, SMC, School Construction Committees, DEO, Child Clubs), review school profile etc. were used for collection of necessary information/data for the study.

Key findings

• Physical infrastructure of schools located in far remote and rural areas have been improved significantly with the provisions of carpeted rooms, adequate space and light required for comfortable learning of the children. After getting good and earthquake resistant school buildings with spacious rooms, the parents and students are feeling more satisfied and secured, thus, they are inspired to send their children to the schools regularly.

• The role of SCNN was quite important in monitoring the performance of PNGOs and in establishing coordination between the DEO and PNGO at the district level.

• SMCs are playing a vital role in acquiring external funds and community contributions for school construction and improvements.

• The constructions of school blocks were in accordance with the approved drawings, designs and specifications provided by the DOE except minor variations. In general, the quality of construction work is at the acceptable level.

• There was a significant increase in the frequency of supervision and monitoring of school construction by PNGO engineers. However, it was quite difficult for the PNGO technical staff to supervise and monitor the construction work on a regular basis due to the limited number of staff and difficult topographical and geographical settings, remoteness and distance of the schools to be traveled from one place to another.

• Although in most of the cases, the newly constructed rooms are intended to be used by primary level students, the tendency of keeping a spacious room for head teacher’s office or allocate to the upgraded higher level classes was also observed.

• Schools having “Cost Sharing Programs” are suffering more from the price rise especially in resource poor area. The community had to raise money to supplement the increased cost despite their poor economic condition.

• Children are very active, outspoken and happy in many schools especially in focused schools. However, it was observed that in order to promote effective student learning, a school must be equipped with sufficient and qualified teachers, as well as provisions of education learning materials.

• The participation and involvement of marginalized and disadvantaged groups of people in SMC and PTA were found to be satisfactory. However, dalits and women were underrepresented in School Construction Committees. The parents from dalits and janajati were found to be less interested in educational and social activities as they were mostly engaged in subsistence work (labor) to earn daily food and bread for their life.

• Provision of social audit system has promoted financial transparency in the program. However, there are no standard guidelines for carrying out social audit at the school level.

• The collective and combined efforts of DOE, SCNN, DEO, PNGO etc., have produced several positive effects such as quality school construction, quality technical inputs, more supervision and monitoring, more community participation and involvement, and timely completion of the construction work etc.

Recommendations

• The SCNN should engage in holistic interventions in future partnership, integrating infrastructure improvements, teaching learning improvements and social mobilization supplemented by capacity development of schools and community.

• Periodic and result based monitoring on the basis of sound monitoring plan should be carried out by the SCNN.

• DOE should ensure that the demand for block grant is based on the real need of the community and schools. Similarly, different amount of block grant scheme must be developed for diversified geographical areas such as mountain, hill, terai, accessible and inaccessible areas.

• Much priority should be given to primary schools for providing block grant support. Therefore, if needed, criteria for selection of school should be amended to include a clause emphasizing preference for primary school.

• Separate space within the DEO premises should be provided for PNGO technical team in order to facilitate effective communication, coordination, periodic reporting and to support the DEO in technical matters.

• Taking into consideration the geography, topography, ecology, remoteness and availability of local construction materials, the authority for minor adjustment in the approved drawings, designs and specification should be assigned to DEO with clear guidelines of adjustments.

• It should be ensured that the technical team recruited for the technical supervision should possess the minimum engineering and technical expertise and experience for quality technical supervision and supports. There should be the mechanism in place at SCNN to check whether qualified technical people are employed by PNGO.

• Depending upon the volume of work, accessibility and geographical remoteness, the number of positions of PNGO technical staff need to be provided.