Malawi Education Sector Improvement Project (MESIP)

Abstract*

The development objective of the Education Sector Improvement Project for Malawi is to improve the equity and quality of primary education service delivery in early grade levels with an emphasis on improved accountability and functioning at the school level. The project comprises of five components. The first component, performance-based school improvement grants for improving promotion and retention objective is to pilot the feasibility of improving... Show More

Development Objective

Improve quality, equity and efficiency of primary education in selected districts and schools.

Key Details

Project Details

Project ID
P154185
Status
Closed
Team Leader
Salman Asim
Borrower 2
The Republic of Malawi, Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development

Country
Malawi
Disclosure Date
May 14, 2015
Approval Date
(as of board presentation)
August 31, 2016
Effective Date
December 13, 2016

Total Project Cost 1
US$ 44.90 million
Implementing Agency
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Region
Eastern and Southern Africa
Fiscal Year 3
2017

Commitment Amount
US$ 44.90 million
Environmental Category
B
Environmental and Social Risk
Not Applicable
Closing Date
July 30, 2021

Consultant Services required
Yes
Last Stage Reached
BANK APPROVED
Last Update Date
February 26, 2024

Notes
1. Total project cost includes funding from World Bank and non-bank sources in US$ millions. Active and Closed projects show current commitments. Proposed (pipeline) and dropped projects show the forecast amount. The commitment amount for projects in the pipeline is indicative and may be modified during the project preparation.
2. Borrower refers to the Borrower of a Loan or Recipient of a Grant.
3. ”Fiscal Year” is the fiscal year in which the project was approved (or dropped if the status is dropped). The World Bank's fiscal year is from July 1 - June 30. For example, a fiscal year of 1996 corresponds to July 1, 1995 - June 30, 1996.

Sectors

Themes

FY17 - Human Development and Gender

FY17 - Education100%
- FY17 - Access to Education33%
- FY17 - Education Facilities32%
- FY17 - Education Financing33%
- FY17 - Education Governance, School-Based Management56%
- FY17 - Teachers45%
FY17 - Gender32%

FY17 - Social Development and Protection

FY17 - Social Protection32%
- FY17 - Disability32%

FY17 - Urban and Rural Development

FY17 - Disaster Risk Management32%
- FY17 - Disaster Response and Recovery32%

Project Map

Interactive Map

Finances

Financing Plan (US$ Millions)

Financier	Commitments
Education for All - Fast Track Initiative	44.90

Total Project Financing (US$ Millions)

Product Line	IBRD/IDA
IBRD Commitment	N/A
IDA Commitment	N/A
IBRD + IDA Commitment	N/A

Lending Instrument
Grant Amount	44.90
Total Project Cost**	44.90

Summary Status of World Bank Financing (US$ Millions) as of April 30, 2025

No data available.

Detailed Financial Activity as of April 30, 2025

No data available.

Ratings

IMPLEMENTATION RATINGS

Name	Review	Date
Financial Management	Satisfactory	2021-08-06
Overall Implementation Progress (IP)	Satisfactory	2021-08-06
Progress towards achievement of PDO	Moderately Satisfactory	2021-08-06
Procurement	Satisfactory	2021-08-06
Project Management	Satisfactory	2021-08-06
Monitoring and Evaluation	Moderately Satisfactory	2021-08-06

COMPLETION RATINGS

INDICATOR	IMPLEMENTATION COMPLETION & RESULTS REPORT: 04-28-2022
Outcomes	Substantial
Risk to Development Outcome
Bank Performance	Substantial
Borrower Performance
Government Performance
Implementing Agency

INDEPENDENT EVALUATION RATINGS

INDICATOR	ICR REVIEW:	PROJECT PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT REPORT:
Outcome Rating	Satisfactory	N/a
Risk To Development Outcome		N/a
Bank Performance	Moderately Satisfactory	N/a
Borrower Performance		N/a
Government Performance	Not Rated	N/a
Implementing Agency		N/a
Icr Quality	Substantial	N/a
M&e Quality	Substantial	N/a

Results Framework

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE INDICATORS

INDICATOR		BASELINE	CURRENT	TARGET

Number of additional standard classrooms built in selected primary schools resulting from project interventions. Value 0.00 500.00 100.00
Date January 1, 2016 July 1, 2021
Comment

Pupil to Qualified Teacher Ratio (PqTR) in grades 1-2 in the 8 most disadvantaged districts	Value	166 pupils to 1 qualified primary school teacher	107.3	148 pupils to one qualified teacher
	Date	October 31, 2016	October 1, 2019	November 30, 2017
	Comment

Percent of targeted schools meeting minimum standards in National Education Standard (NES) 16 in the 8 most disadvantaged districts Value 62.70 71.10 0.00
Date January 1, 2019 July 15, 2021
Comment
Grade-wise promotion rate in lower primary grades in targeted districts Value 65.40 68.00 0.00
Date September 30, 2016 July 15, 2021
Comment

INTERMEDIATE RESULTS INDICATORS

INDICATOR		BASELINE	CURRENT	TARGET

Number of schools in the performance based funding (PBF) treatment recieving PBF grants Value 0.00 340.00 200.00
Date January 1, 2016 July 15, 2021
Comment
Number of sanitary facilities constructed in target schools Value 0.00 330.00 342.00
Date January 1, 2016 July 30, 2021 October 9, 2019
Comment
Number of headteachers and deputy headteachers trained. Value 0.00 1600.00 1600.00
Date January 1, 2016 May 8, 2020 April 1, 2019
Comment
Framework for conducting low stake zonal tests endorsed Value No Yes
Date April 30, 2019 May 8, 2020
Comment
Number of sanitary blocks for boys Value 0.00 115.00 114.00
Date October 28, 2016 July 30, 2021 October 9, 2019
Comment
Common zonal tests conducted in grades 3 and 4 in the 8 disadvantaged districts. Value No Yes
Date April 30, 2019 December 31, 2020
Comment
Percent of teachers in targeted schools observed at least once a term by their head teachers Value 57.90 83.30 0.00
Date January 1, 2016 May 8, 2020
Comment
Number of sanitary blocks for girls Value 0.00 215.00 228.00
Date October 31, 2016 April 22, 2021 October 9, 2019
Comment
Repetition Rate in Grades 1-4 in 8 most disadvantaged districts Value 23.70 20.97 0.00
Date September 30, 2016 November 30, 2020
Comment
Average teacher attendance rate in targeted schools Value 82.50 89.00 0.00
Date November 30, 2016 October 5, 2020
Comment
Repetion rate for girls in grades 1-4 in 8 most disadvantaged districts Value 23.20 20.77 0.00
Date September 30, 2016 December 1, 2020
Comment
Dropout rate for girls in grades 5-7 in the 8 most disadvantaged districts Value 27.10 15.83 0.00
Date September 30, 2016 July 30, 2021
Comment
Average teacher utilization rate in lower primary Value 56.80 55.10 0.00
Date November 30, 2016 May 8, 2020
Comment
Female to male teacher ratio on grades 6-8 in 8 most disadvantaged districts Value 0.31 0.34 0.00
Date September 30, 2016 November 30, 2020
Comment
Average learner attendance rate in targeted schools Value 62.20 69.00 0.00
Date November 30, 2016 October 5, 2020
Comment
Number of low cost learning facilities built for lower primary the 8 most disadvantaged districts Value 0.00 1345.00 0.00
Date September 30, 2016 April 22, 2021
Comment
Number of meetings schools hold with parents in a school year Value 1.80 2.52 0.00
Date November 30, 2016 July 30, 2021
Comment
Number of unique community members who sent messages through the component 3.3 Community Dialogue Platform Value 721 4824
Date March 31, 2020 June 18, 2021
Comment