During project preparation, Bangladesh was one of the few countries that achieved gender parity up to secondary level. Net enrollment rates improved from 87.2% in 2005 to 93.9% in 2009. However, despite significant progress, primary education remained inadequate to ensure quality primary education for all children on a sustainable basis. Inefficiencies persisted—high student dropout and repetition rates, low completion, and high student and teacher absenteeism. National student assessments indicated low student achievements.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported primary education in Bangladesh through two consecutive primary education development projects during 1998–2003 and 2004–2011. The Second Primary Education Development Program (PEDP II), 2004–2011, designed and implemented under the leadership of ADB in partnership with the government and other development partners, introduced the first sector-wide approach (SWAp) to facilitate long-term institutionalization of primary education in Bangladesh.
The Third Primary Education Development Project, approved originally for a loan of $320 million in July 2011, supported the government’s Third Primary Education Development Program (PEDP3) that addressed the priorities of improving student learning outcomes and completion rates and reducing disparities across regions. Building on the PEDP II experience and lessons, PEDP3 (i) broadened the scope to include 1 year of preprimary education (PPE) and second chance primary education; (ii) deepened quality improvement through improved teaching and learning practices in the classroom and improved assessment; (iii) enhanced school governance, accountability, and community mobilization; and (iv) enhanced subsector management, coordination, and greater alignment with the country system.
In support of the PEDP3, the project’s envisaged impact was quality education for all children in the country; and its expected outcome was an efficient, inclusive, and equitable primary education system delivering effective and relevant child-friendly learning to all of Bangladesh’s children from preprimary through Grade 5. To achieve its intended impact and outcome, it aimed to deliver four interrelated outputs: (i) improved teaching and learning for all, (ii) reduced disparities and universal access and participation, (iii) decentralized and effective organization of the primary education system, and (iv) improved program planning and management.
Three innovative design features boosted the relevance of the project. First, it used a set of nine disbursement-linked indicators that tied the release of the loan proceeds to the attainment of results thus putting greater emphasis on rewarding results rather than inputs. Second, it channeled the ADB loan and other development partners’ funds to the government treasury. Known as the “treasury model,” the system reduced the fiduciary risks to the project. Third, a joint financing arrangement was signed by government and development partners that set forth the terms and procedures for partner support to the PEDP3, including joint fiduciary oversight of the project by ADB and the World Bank. Another $120 million loan in additional financing was approved by ADB in May 2015 to support the strengthened outputs and extended project period recommended by the project midterm review.
At completion, the project fully delivered its intended outputs, because of which, it was able to achieve its expected outcome. Specifically, due to the project: (i) almost all eligible schools received textbooks for Grades 1–5 within 1 month of the school opening day; (ii) at least 90% of assistant and head teachers have professional qualifications, compared to 83% in 2010; (iii) all need-based classrooms; water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) blocks; and major school maintenance and repairs were completed as planned; (iv) WASH blocks for girls were constructed in 13,194 schools and separate toilets for girls and boys were constructed in 18,115 schools; (v) all government primary schools and newly nationalized government primary schools prepared school level improvement plans and received funds, compared with the target of 75%; (vi) 105,404 teachers were recruited in 6 years; (vii) competency-based items were introduced in the Grade 5 primary education completion examination; and (viii) 80.07% of Grade 1 new intakes completed PPE.
The project also realized almost all its gender targets. It ensured inclusive primary education for all, including girls; the employment of at least 60% female teachers in primary education; and the development of women’s self-confidence through training. At the impact level, it also generally achieved its aim to provide quality education for all children, as evidenced by the improved performance of Grade 5 students in the competency-based National Student Assessment in 2017: against a target of 25%, 44% performed at or above Grade 5 level in Bangla; and against a target of 33%, 32% performed at or above their grade level in math. However, maybe due to the change in the 2017 National Student Assessment performance criteria, the performance results of Grade 3 students were non-comparable to the 2011 baseline. As of 2014, the project was also on track of achieving its target of narrowing by 8% the gap between the net primary enrollment rate of the top and bottom 20% of households in the country.
The Directorate of Primary Education, as the key implementing agency, carried out the project through its line departments. The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education was the project executing agency.
