Ethiopia: COVID-19 Education Response Project

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The COVID-19 pandemic threatens education progress worldwide through two major shocks: (1) the near-universal closing of schools at all levels, and (2) the economic recession sparked by the pandemic-control measures. Without major effort to counter their effects, the school closings shock will lead to learning loss, increased dropouts, and higher inequality; the economic shock will exacerbate the damage, by depressing education demand and supply as it harms households; and together, they will inflict long-run costs on human capital and welfare. But if countries do move quickly to support continued learning, they can mitigate the damage and even turn recovery into new opportunity.The first case of COVID-19 was recorded in Ethiopia on March 13, 2020 and as of May 1, 2020 there were 135 confirmed cases and three confirmed deaths from the disease, although the actual toll is likely to be significantly higher. A state of emergency was declared on April 8th and parliamentary and presidential elections planned for August have been postponed indefinitely. The disruption and loss of livelihood resulting from the pandemic has exacerbated existing strains resulting from the refugee and IDP crises and severe loss of agricultural output as a result of locust swarms in early 2020. The World Bank Group is supporting the Government’s overall COVID-19 response through the Ethiopia COVID-19 Emergency Response (P173750, US$82.6 million), which aims to prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by COVID-19 and strengthen national systems for public health preparedness in Ethiopia; the International Monetary Fund has also agreed to provide US$411 million in emergency assistance to help the country meet the urgent balance of payment needs stemming from the pandemic, as well as debt service relief.The Government of Ethiopia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic included the indefinite closure of all schools on March 15, 2020, impacting more than 26 million students. Provision of alternative teaching, through remote means, is essential to minimize loss of learning and maintain student engagement during the period of school closure. Low levels of access to digital media among the population (an estimated 38 percent of households in Ethiopia lack access to radio, TV or cellphone service) pose challenges to the provision of remote learning. Furthermore, low standards of connectivity between woreda, regional and national levels poses challenges for rapid and effective coordination between officials, necessary for a robust emergency response. In addition, low levels of availability of adequate handwashing and hygiene infrastructure and materials at schools pose a risk of resurgence of COVID-19 infections when schools reopen; additional capacity is also required among teachers for accelerated learning following the reopening of schools to support students to catch up lost learning time.The Ethiopia GPE COVID-19 Education Response is being prepared as a new project, with an objective to maintain continued learning during school closures an after school re-openings and education system recovery and resilience.. The proposed grant financing is in the amount of US$20 million, including supervision fees of US$200,000, expected to be financed from an allocation from the Global Partnership for Education COVID-19 Accelerated Funding Window over an 18 months implementation period.The proposed project activities are intended to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the education system and help recovery when schools reopen. The project will have three components (with subcomponents). Below is a brief explanation:a) Component 1: Maintaining learning trajectories and safety during school closure. The closure of schools is expected to pose severe negative impacts on student learning trajectories. This component supports activities to maintain learning during the closure of schools through provision of distance learning, as well as communication regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and the reopening of schools. The component has two subcomponents:Sub-Component 1A: Remote Learning. The MoE’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Plan includes extensive support to distance learning to maintain student learning trajectories during school closures. The project will support preparation and delivery of distance learning materials, employing existing Government radio and TV infrastructure, to support continuity of learning during school closure, with a focus on reaching the most vulnerable, in particular girls and children with special needs. Sub-Component 1B: Communication. Distance learning activities are unlikely to reach all students without concerted effort to communicate their availability and support access. This subcomponent supports communication around the availability of, and how to access distance learning resources, as well as additional messaging on safety and awareness of COVID-19, gender-based violence, sexual explotation and abuse, and disabilities, and psychosocial support for students. The subcomponent also supports improved communication between teachers and students during school closures.b) Component 2: Supporting readiness for school reopening and mitigating learning loss. This component supports accelerated learning activities to enable ‘catching-up’ of lost learning in the months immediately following the reopening of schools, including targeted remedial support to low-performing and vulnerable students; in addition to support to sanitation and facilities in schools. The component has two subcomponents:Sub-Component 2A: Support to catch-up learning. No matter the effectiveness of distance learning strategies, learning loss during school closures is inevitable and likely to disproportionately impact the poorest. This component supports accelerated learning and remedial support for catch-up learning through preparation of guidelines and support to teachers.Sub-Component 2B: Enhancing hygiene and prevention of disease in schools. The reopening of schools is unlikely to be successfully conducted, and would be imprudent, without efforts to enhance standards of cleanliness and hygiene in schools. Only 35 percent of schools in SNNP region, and 15 percent in Somali region, have a functioning clean water supply, and only 83 percent of schools have toilets. This component will support investments and guidance to schools to ensure safe environments for students and teachers, likely to including, water transportation, disinfectants and sanitizing materials, and face masks, as well as support to community monitoring of hygiene in schools.c) Component 3. System-level resilience and project coordination. This component supports system-level capacity to respond to emergencies and monitor the functioning of schools through provision of support to supervision capacity at regional and local levels. The component will also support overall project management, coordination and communication, including preparation and execution of the 18 months’ work plan and budget (AWP&B), and procurement plan; monitoring of the results framework and quarterly reporting; facilitate project communication and ensure compliance with fiduciary and safeguards requirements.

FY17 - Education

World Bank Group

Project

Water Supply and Storage, Raw Materials, Forest Products and Packaging, Government, Education