Environment and Social Management Framework- Universal Post Primary Education and Training Program (UPPET)

Abstract

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (a) Universal Post-Primary Education and Training (UPPET) is a bold initiative by the Government of Uganda to increase equitable access to secondary education, making it more affordable to various disadvantaged groups and rural communities. It is intended to assure achievement of the Millennium Development Goals of gender parity by 2015: Enhancing sustainability of Universal Primary Education; Reducing the High costs of Secondary Education, making it more affordable; and ensuring economic growth and poverty reduction. (b) Currently there are 4,531 Secondary Schools in the country (government, private and community owned). Up to 36 sub counties do not have any form of secondary school. Introduction of UPPET has led to a huge surge in enrolment, particularly in poor and rural areas where schools fees has in the past prohibited entrance to post primary education. Since the launch of Universal Post-Primary Education and Training (UPPET) in February 2007, enrolment at S1 has grown rapidly. Enrolment (S1-S6) rose by 17.2% (from 814,087 to 954,328) between 2006 and 2007. In 2007, up to 356,829 candidates passed PLE and this number will rise to 1,556,131 by 2018. (c) Considering a transition rate of 68.6% from P7 to S1, this has serious implications in terms of space requirements, infrastructure, teacher requirements, sanitation, the private secondary schools, and to the biological, physical and social, and economic environment. Over the Plan period of 2008-2018, there is a gap of up to 35,338 classrooms, 126,459 5-stance pit latrines, 533 libraries, 400 multi-purpose science rooms, and 799 4-unit teachers' houses. In additional, 1,864 existing incomplete classrooms need to be completed plus rehabilitating 318,388 Square meters of existing facilities. Investment of up to Uganda Shillings 4,650.9 billion shillings will be required to sustain growth in the secondary education sector over this period, out of which provision of facilities will require Ug. Shs. 1,116.8bn. For classroom, provision, a total of 3,992 will be constructed annually as determined by the existing absorptive capacity of the domestic economy. Construction will be decentralized at the school-level. (d) Typical classroom will be constructed on existing school grounds as an addition to existing school building. or, in some cases, as a self-standing new building. The classrooms will be typically constructed from locally sourced materials, with concrete slab foundations, concrete floors, clay brick walls, and corrugated metal roofing on wood frames. Walls and window frames are painted with oil paints. In most cases, Classrooms are typically not connected to the power grid and water supply. Water supply is provided from stand pipes and sanitation is provided by pit latrines. Libraries, multi-purpose science rooms and teacher houses are constructed similarly. The new infrastructure typically does not require access roads because it is an expansion along the old school site. Most of the construction materials described above are available in Uganda and are provided by the communities at a reasonable cost. (e) This Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) is meant to ensure the provision of infrastructure under the UPPET program complies with the Ugandan Environmental Legislation and World Bank Safeguard Policies. This report outlines the mechanisms to determine and assess environmental and social impacts arising from UPPET implementation, and sets out appropriate mitigation measures, and institutional arrangements for monitoring. (f) This framework is needed since the specific locations of schools that will receive physical facilities (classrooms, teachers' houses, libraries, multi-purpose science rooms and pit latrines) under the proposed World Bank Operation are yet to be determined program. However, the coverage of the UPPET program is countrywide benefiting about 90% of Government owned secondary schools, which are 911 in number. The targeted schools are evenly spread throughout the districts. This is guaranteed by the existing Government policy, which requires that every sub-county should have at least one Government-aided secondary school. Even the non-UPPET participating Government schools (about 110 in number) are evenly spread in regions and districts. This framework will guide in program screening and in determining the extent of required EIA once program locations and specifications are known. The report has a detailed program background. reviews the environmental legislative framework, and identifies potential social and environmental impacts and their mitigation, and an environmental and social management plan for UPPET programs. (g) The draft ESMF report is structured as follows: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Description of UPPET/USE program Chapter 3: The Ugandan Biophysical and Social-Economic Environment Chapter 4: The Objectives of the Environmental and Social Management Framework Chapter 5: The policy, Legal and Institutional Framework for Environmental Management Chapter 6: The World Bank's Safeguard Policies Chapter 7: Environmental and Social Impacts of the UPPET program Chapter 8: The Environmental and Social Screening process Chapter 9: The Environmental and Social Management Plan for UPPET implementation Chapter 10: (h) Recommendations This ESMF is considered a living document that may be revised from time to time to improve its effectiveness and efficiency based on the UPPET implementation experience and feedback from stakeholders.