AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND

PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT (ONSD) November 2004

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS, WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ABBREVIATIONS, BASIC PROJECT DATA i - x

MPDE MATRIX i - ii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i - ii

1. INTRODUCTION 1 2. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND FORMULATION 2 2.1 Project Objectives 2 2.2 Project Description and Formulation 2 2.3 Project Origin 5 2.4 Project Preparation and Appraisal 5 2.5 Negotiations and Approval 6 3. PROJECT EXECUTION 6 3.1 Effectiveness and Start-up 6 3.2 Modifications 7 3.3 Implementation Schedule 8 3.4 Reporting 9 3.5 Procurement 9 3.6 Financial Sources and Disbursement 9 4. PROJECT PERFORMANCE 11 4.1 Overall Assessment 11 4.2 Operating Results 11 4.3 Institutional Performance 12 4.4 Management and Organisational Effectiveness 12 4.5 Staff Recruitment, Training and Development 13 4.6 Performance of Consultants, Contractors, Suppliers and Borrower 14 4.7 Conditions and Covenants 15 5. SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE PROJECT 16 5.1 Social Impact 16 5.2 Environmental Impact 16 6. PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY 17

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7. PERFORMANCE OF THE BANK AND THE BORROWER 17 7.1 Project Objectives and Justification 17 7.2 Project Implementation and Operating Outcomes 17 8. OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND RATING 18 9. CONCLUSIONS, LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS 19 9.1 Conclusions 19 9.2 Lessons Learned 19 9.3 Recommendations 22

LIST OF TABLES 3.1 Comparative Project Implementation Schedule (Estimated and Actual) 3.2 Planned Financing by Source 3.3 Actual Financing by Source 3.4 Planned Financing by Category and Source 3.5 Actual Financing by Category and Source LIST OF ANNEXES I. Map of Namibia and Location of Project Sites II. Planned and Actual Expenditures by Year, Source and Category of Expenditure III Total disbursements at PCR in UA (Actual Expenditure) IV Performance Evaluation and Rating V Matrix of Recommendations and Follow-up Actions VI The Concept of the ILRC as Envisaged and Actual VII List of Documents Consulted VIII Borrower’s and Executing Agency’s Comments on the Bank’s PCR This report was prepared by Mr. Felix N. Bongjoh, Chief Education Analyst, ONSD 1 and two consultants (one Architect and one Education Specialist) following their mission to Namibia from 23 October to 08 November, 2004. For further information on the report, please contact Mr. André Komenan, Division Manager, ONSD 1 (Ext 2150) or Ms. Alice Hamer, Director, ONSD (Ext.2046).

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CURRENCY EQUIVALENTS Currency Unit : NAMIBIAN DOLLAR (NAD)*/ 1 UA : NAD 5.28872 (3rd Quarter, 1994) 1 USD : NAD 3.65150 (3rd Quarter, 1994) 1 UA : NAD 9.47499 (October, 2004) 1 USD : NAD 5.9595 (October, 2004)*/ * The currency unit at appraisal was South African Rand **/ Commercial rate at PCR mission WEIGHTS AND MEASURES

Metric System

ABBREVIATIONS ADB African Development Bank ADF African Development Fund AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome BADEA Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa BETD Basic Education Teacher Diploma BTEC Basic Teacher Education College DANIDA Danish International Development Agency DFID Department for International Development (U.K.) DPD Directorate for Planning and Development ECD Early Childhood Development EMIS Education management Information System EPCP Economic Prospects and Country Programming ESSP Education Sector Strategic Plan EU European Union FE Foreign Exchange GDP Gross Domestic Product GER Gross Enrolment Rate GNP Gross National Product GRN Government of the Republic of Namibia GTZ German Agency of Technical Co-operation HA Hectare (10,000 m2) HIGCSE Higher International general Certificate of Secondary Education HIPC Heavily Indebted Poor Countries HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome HPI-N Human Poverty Index - Namibia ICB International Competitive Bidding IEC Information, Education and Communication IGCSE International General Certificate of Higher Education IIEP International Institute for Educational Planning IMR Infant Mortality Rate KAPB Knowledge, Attitude, Practice and Behaviour LC Local Costs LFPR Labour Force Participation Rate MBESC Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture MHETEC Ministry of Higher Education, Training and Employment

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Creation MOEC Ministry of Education and Culture MOF Ministry of Finance MOL Ministry of Labour MPDE Method for Project Design and Evaluation MTEF Medium-Term Economic Framework MWACW Ministry for Women’s Affairs and Child Welfare MWTC Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications NACEC National Council of Employment Creation NACOP National AIDS Coordination Programme NAD Namibian Dollar NANGOF Namibia Non-Governmental Organizations Forum NCB National Competitive Bidding NCIET National Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology NDP National Development Plan NER Net Enrolment Ratio NFC National Foundations Certificate NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NIED National Institute for Educational Development NPC National Planning Commission NS National Shopping NTF Nigeria Trust Fund NTO National Training Organisation NQA National Qualifications Authority OPEC Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries PCECT Presidential Commission on Education, Culture and Training PCR Project Completion Report PID Project Implementation Document PMU Project Management Unit PN Polytechnic of Namibia PU Pedagogical University QPPR Quarterly Project Progress Report R&D Research and Development RFP Request for Proposals SACU Southern Africa Customs Union SIDA Swedish International Development Agency SL Shortlist sq km Square Kilometre sq m Square metre S&T Science and Technology SWAp Sector Wide Approach TA Technical Assistance TAC Trade Advisory Committees TOR Terms of Reference TUCSIN The University Centre for Studies in Namibia TVE Technical and Vocational Education UA Unit(s) of Account UN United Nations UNAM University of Namibia UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund USAID United States Agency for International Development USD United States Dollars VET Vocational Education and Training VTC Vocational Training Center

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WCE Windhoek College of Education WB World Bank

GOV FISCAL YEAR

1 April - 31 March

ACADEMIC YEAR

1 January – 31 December

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REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT BASIC PROJECT DATA 1. Loan Numbers : N/NAM/HUR-DEV/95/1 2. Borrower : The Government of the Republic of Namibia 3. Beneficiary : Ministry of Higher Education, Training and

Employment Creation 4. Executing Agency : UNIVERSITY OF NAMIBIA A. LOAN 1. Loan Amount : UA 3.86 million 2. Service Charge : 0.75 % on undisbursed portion of the Loan 3. Interest Rate : 4 % 4. Repayment Period : 20 years 5. Grace Period : 5 years 6. Loan Negotiation Date : n/a 7. Loan Approval Date : 19 January, 1995 8. Loan Signature Date : 23 May, 1995 9. Date of Entry into Force : 05 September, 1997 B. PROJECT DATA Appraisal Estimate Actual Cost at PCR FE LC Total FE LC Total 1. Total Cost (UA mill.) 3.74 2.69 6.43 2.84 1.69 4.53 2. Financing Plan (UA mill.) Appraisal Estimate Actual Financing at PCR FE LC Total FE LC Total ADF 2.24 1.62 3.86 2.08 0.97 3.05 BADEA 1.50 0.00 1.50 0.75 0.00 0.75

Government 0.00 1.07 1.07 0.00 0.72 0.72 Total 3.74 2.69 6.43 2.84 1.69 4.53

3. Effective Date of First Disbursement : 05 September, 1997 4. Actual Date of First Disbursement : 05 September, 1997 5. Effective Date of Last Disbursement : 31 December, 1999 6. Revised Date for Final Disbursement : 1) 31 December 2001 : 2) 31 December, 2003

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7. Commencement of Project Implementation Activities : September, 1997*/ 8. Date of Completion of Project Implementation Activities : 31 December, 2003 */ Architectural designs and preparation of tender documents commenced earlier (financed by the Government) C. PERFORMANCE INDICATORS 1. Cost Under-run (Loan only) : UA 0.81 million (20.94 %) 2. Time Over-run: - Slippage of Effectiveness : 2 years and 4 months - Slippage of Completion Date : 4 years (220 %) - Slippage of Last Disbursement : 4 years (220 %) - Number of Extensions to Last Disbursement : 2 3. Project Implementation Status : Completed 4. Verifiable Indicators: (A) Professional Services : 100% complete (B) Civil Works : 100% complete (C) Furniture : 100% complete (D) Equipment : 100% complete

(E) Training : More participants than envisaged completed short-term in-country training; less candidates than anticipated available for training abroad.

(F) Technical Assistance : Not fully made available. (G) Operating Costs : 100% complete 5. Institutional Performance (Unsatisfactory/Fair/Satisfactory): - The Bank Group: Fair - The Government: Fair - Contractors: Satisfactory - Suppliers: Satisfactory - Consultants: Fair

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D. MISSIONS Nos. of Persons Composition*/ Pers./Days Dates Appraisal 4 EE/AR/C(2) 56 September, 1994 Techn. Superv. 2 EE/AR 20 04/07-14/07-96 Techn. Superv. 2 EE/AR 28 29/06-12/07-97 Techn. Superv. 2 EE/AR 28 25/01-08/02-98 Techn. Superv. 2 EE/AR 28 20/01-04/02-99 Techn. Superv. 2 EE/AR 26 22/09-05/10-99 Techn. Superv. 2 EE/AR 28 13/02-29/02-00 Audit 2 IA (2) 22 05/02-16/02-01 Techn. Superv. 1 EE 11 26/02-09/03-01 Financial Superv. 1 DD 7 01/04-08/04-01 Techn. Superv. 1 EE 16 13/09-29/09-02 Techn. Superv. 1 EE 7 10/04-17/04-03 PCR 4 M/EE/AR(c)/EE(c) 49 24/10-07/11-04 */ Education Expert (EE); Architect (AR); Consultant (C); Country Programmes Department (CP); Management (M); Disbursement Department (DD); Internal Auditors (IA) E. DISBURSEMENT (UA Million) Appraisal Percentage Year Estimate Actual Disbursed 1995 0.121 - - 1996 1.648 - - 1997 1.974 0.237 6.1 1998 0.115 - - 1999 1.016 26.3 2000 0.664 17.2 2001 0.290 7.5 2002 0.730 18.9 2003 0.114 2.9 - Total Disbursement 3.858 3.050 79.1 - Undisbursed Balance 0.810 20.9 - Amount Cancelled 0.810

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F. CONTRACTORS 01 Nature of Contract : Construction of the IIRC Date of Tender : 14 July, 1998 Date of Contract Award : 29 October, 1998 Contract Amount : NAD 20,700,000 (NAD 18,000,000 + NAD 2,700,000

addendum) ADB’s Share : 77.9% Name of Company and Address : China Jiangsu International (PTY) LTD P.O. Box 9592, Windhoek, Namibia Nationality : Chinese Headquarters : China Approved Mode of Procurement : ICB Actual Mode of Procurement : ICB Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Date of Commencement : 10 November, 1998 Programmed Completion Date : Actual Completion Date : 15 May, 2000 for the original contract 03 April, 2001 for the addendum Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 20,698,583.88 G. SUPPLIERS 01 Nature of Contract : Supply of office furniture Date of Tender : 10 February, 2000 Date of Contract Award : 11 may, 2000 Contract Amount : NAD 4,355.00 ADB’s Share : 100% Name of Company and Address : Schoemans Office Systems (PTY) LTD P.O. Box 2600, Windhoek, Namibia Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : National Shopping Actual Mode of Procurement : National Shopping Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Completion Date : 30 June, 2000 Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 4,355.00 02 Nature of Contract : Supply of office equipment Date of Tender : 14 February, 2000 Date of Contract Award : 14 June, 2000 Contract Amount : NAD 43,732.97 ADB’s Share : 100% Name of Company and Address : Creative Computers Connections P.O. Box 9062, Windhoek, Namibia Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : National Shopping Actual Mode of Procurement : National Shopping Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Completion Date : 31 July, 2000

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Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 43,732.97 03 Nature of Contract : Supply of furniture Date of Tender : 16 August, 2000 Date of Contract Award : 05 October, 2000 Contract Amount : NAD 1,768,123.20 ADB’s Share : 100% Name of Company and Address : Executive Office Collections (PTY) LTD P.O. Box 11507, Windhoek, Namibia Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : LCB Actual Mode of Procurement : LCB Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Completion Date : 20 July, 2001 Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 1,647,299.43 04 Nature of Contract : Supply of furniture Date of Tender : 16 August, 2000 Date of Contract Award : 05 October, 2000 Contract Amount : NAD 38,316.00 ADB’s Share : 100% Name of Company and Address : Schoemans Office Systems (PTY) LTD P.O. Box 2600, Windhoek, Namibia Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : LCB Actual Mode of Procurement : LCB Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Completion Date : 29 June, 2001 Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 33,318.26 05 Nature of Contract : Supply of training equipment Date of Tender : 21 October, 2000 Date of Contract Award : 07 February, 2001 Contract Amount : NAD 368,476.83 ADB’s Share : 100% Name of Company and Address : GENMED CC P.O. Box 2513, Windhoek Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : ICB Actual Mode of Procurement : ICB Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Completion Date : 05 September, 2001 Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 333,543.36 06 Nature of Contract : Supply of Audio Visual ICT, Presentation And general equipment Date of Tender : 06 June, 2001 Date of Contract Award : 30 August, 2001

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Contract Amount : NAD 214,712.68 (NAD 205,905.65 + addendum of NAD 8,807.03) ADB’s Share : 100% Name of Company and Address : GENMED CC P.O. Box 2513, Windhoek, Namibia Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : ICB Actual Mode of Procurement : ICB Reasons for Change (if any) : N/A Completion Date : 15 April, 2002 Actual Cost of Contract : NAD 214,712.68 H. CONSULTANTS 01 Nature of Contract : Professional Services (Architetects) Date of Tender : n/a (Government appointed) Date of Contract Award : 1994 Contract Amount : n/a (percentage-based fees) ADB’s Share : 0 % Name of Company and Address : Rynard Mudge Architects Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : Government procedure Actual Mode of Procurement : n/a Reasons for Change (if any) : n/a Date of Commencement : 1994 Programmed Completion Date : As the construction programme Actual Completion Date : 2002 Actual Cost of Contract : n/a (percentage-based fees) 02 Nature of Contract : Professional Services (Quantity Surveying) Date of Tender : n/a (Government appointed) Date of Contract Award : 1994 Contract Amount : n/a (percentage-based fees) ADB’s Share : 0 % Name of Company and Address : Hendrik Herselman Quantity Surveyors and Project Managers Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : Government procedure Actual Mode of Procurement : n/a Reasons for Change (if any) : n/a Date of Commencement : 1994 Programmed Completion Date : As the construction programme Actual Completion Date : 2002 Actual Cost of Contract : n/a (percentage-based fees) 03 Nature of Contract : Professional Services Civil/Structural, Mechanical and Electrical)

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Date of Tender : n/a (Government appointed) Date of Contract Award : 1994 Contract Amount : n/a (percentage-based fees) ADB’s Share : 0 % Name of Company and Address : Bicon Namibia Nationality : Namibian Headquarters : Windhoek Approved Mode of Procurement : Government procedure Actual Mode of Procurement : n/a Reasons for Change (if any) : n/a Date of Commencement : 1994 Programmed Completion Date : As the construction programme Actual Completion Date : 2002 Actual Cost of Contract : n/a (percentage-based fees)

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PROJECT MATRIX

HIERARCHY OF OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVELY VERIFIABLE INDICATORS (OVI)

MEANS OF VERIFICATION

IMPORTANT ASSUMPTIONS AND RISKS

Development Objective

Improved quality and increased capacity of employable human resources in Namibia

An average of at least 60% of workers in all occupational categories have received appropriate training by the year 2000.

Statistical data from the Ministry of Labour and HRD, Ministry of Education and Culture (MEC), Central Statistics Office

Project Objective

Strengthened human resources development framework.

1. UNAM Information and Instructional Resource Centre (IIRC) resources are accessed by 90% of persons in the labour force with “less than grade 12 education” and 70% of persons with no formal schooling at all.

2. UNAM IIRC services on a regular basis six outreach programmes nationwide.

Statistical data from Ministry of Labour and HRD, MEC, Central Statistics Office, University and National Planning Commission

ADB post evaluation

- proper IIRC management systems established and maintained

- increased recurrent costs met by the Government

- Management will be able to cope with technological advances, thereby meeting various costs including the cost of replacing obsolete equipment

Outputs

1. One Information and Instructional Resource Centre (IIRC) constructed, equipped, furnished and staffed on the Windhoek Campus.

2. 157 persons trained within the framework of a user training capacity (local training: 145; training abroad; 12)

1. Quantitative and qualitative description of architectural structure in appraisal report.

2. Qualitative and quantitative description of type of training and staff to be trained in appraisal report.

- QPPRs

- Periodic Bank supervision reports

- PCR

- Project Performance audit memorandum

- Appropriate IIRC site made available

- All appropriate multidisciplinary requirements identified and met by the IIRC

- Conditions precedent fulfilled on schedule

- Loan approved by may 1995

- Government funds included in budget for FY 1995/96

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Activities

1. Establishment of a Project Co-ordination Unit within the Strategic Planning Unit of the Vice Chancellor’s Office by

Inputs

- NTF loan of UA 3.86 million

Disbursement h d l b d

ii January/February 1995, and a Project Co-ordinator recruited.

2. Physical planning of IIRC and production of tender documents for construction works, furniture end equipment from January to May, 1995.

3. Tendering, evaluation of tenders, award of contracts from June to October, 1995

4. Construction of IIRC completed by October, 1997.

5. Procurement of equipment and furniture completed by September, 1997.

6. Supervision of construction from October 1995 to October 1997.

7. Installation of furniture and equipment completed by October 1997.

8. Various training activities from January 1996 to October 1997.

- BADEA loan of 1.50 million

- Government counterpart funds in the amount of UA 1.07 million

- Professional services up to tender documents financed by Government

schedule by year and source of finance as per appraisal report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Estimated at a total cost of UA 6.4 million, including UA 3.86 million from NTF, the Human Resources Project is part of a co-financing package with BADEA whose contribution to the financing of the project stood at UA 0.75 million. The project originated from the idea of establishing a self-contained learning centre with more instructional resources than those of a conventional library and to be made accessible to all levels of the education system. It was the Government’s view that a facility of this nature capable of making available instructional modules, well structured educative information derived from a stock of textbooks, applied research publications and other forms of print material would be one of the most effective ways of meeting the education and training needs of various target groups, including pre-service teacher training centres, non-formal education training centres, training services of various ministries and productive sectors of the economy including agriculture and industry. 2. The project took off in 1995 and was scheduled to be implemented over a period of 3.5 years. It was practically completed and inaugurated in 1999, but became fully operational in 2002 when its equipment was completely supplied. Part of the training plan requiring trainees to study abroad, could not be implemented on account of a lack of candidates willing to go abroad for the training. Another phase of training through study tours was to take place within the sub-region at an institution with a facility similar to that of the ILRC, but it turned out that the unique and innovative features of the ILRC instead attracted more institutions to visit and learn about its operation. It therefore turned out that the study tours planned at appraisal were no longer relevant to project. 3 In all, 23 Quarterly Project Progress Reports were submitted to the Bank during the 7 years of implementation. Because of the relocation of the Bank in 2003, only the latest report is available on the Bank files in Tunis, for the PCR exercise. It also proved impossible to locate copies of the reports in the project management files at UNAM. A comprehensive qualitative analysis of the reports could, therefore, not be done at PCR stage. A draft Borrower’s Project Completion Report was also submitted to the Bank. This proved to be inadequate on disbursement data. For instance, it took the PCR mission at least a week of methodical research to determine basic data such as the actual cost of the project, in total and by category of expenditure and source of finance. 4. The ILRC through its decentralized electronic framework is expected to have a significant impact on the quality of the inputs and outputs of the education and training efforts throughout all levels of the education system. Beneficiaries, including teachers and trainers at all levels in all parts of Namibia will be able to update, on a regular basis, the content of their educational training programmes and improve the quality of their instructional materials. Training programmes in the non-formal education sub-system will be more effective on account of the ability to prepare crash training programmes based on the most recent applications in the area of instructional technology.

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5. By providing access to information, the ILRC will play a significant role in the development of information literacy in Namibia. In particular, the ability to

inform, educate and communicate with various target groups (including women and the vulnerable in deprived rural areas) via ILRC resources, will enhance the role played by certain marginalized groups, as well as their productivity in agriculture, industry, trade and services. As the ultimate objective of the project is to make available employable human resources, the ILRC is expected to be linked to data banks with job openings and profiles established by other technology systems, including the Directorate of Data Systems and Services in the Office of the Prime Minister, which is currently playing a major role in public service training in Namibia 6. Some of the main lessons to be learnt from the implementation of the project are as follows: (i) A study on the optimal conditions for the delivery of training is an important element of a project of this type, since such a study would have made it possible to avoid allocating resources for up to 12 scholarships for training abroad. Instead provision would have been made upfront for in-country training with the introduction of new courses to be offered at UNAM; (ii) Clear considerations of the skills required for implementation should be given at the design stage of a project of this nature. If implementation had been more carefully thought out, the mistake of initially appointing a project manager without any skills in the management of civil works would have been avoided. In addition, provision would have been made upfront for the recruitment a full-time procurement specialist and an accountant; (iii) In designing projects, critical items to be financed with government counterpart funds - for instance, the recruitment of a consultant for design and supervision - should be procured in accordance with the Bank’s rules of procedure rather than government procedures. Under the project, the consulting firm for design and supervision recruited through government procedures tried to influence the size of the project and consequently delayed the commencement of works and caused the government to pay more than it should have for drawings assessed by the Bank to be oversized; (iv) Familiarization of project staff with the rules of procedure of the Bank can contribute significantly to effective project management and avoid delays; (v) Regular and quality project supervision is key to the successful implementation of a project. (vi) Supervision missions with a multi-disciplinary team (including an ICT expert) would have enhanced the quality of the project in operation. 7. Key recommendations based on the project experience include: (i) considering the Government’s request for grant resources to build capacity to sustain the HRD Project, but in turn request that the Government demonstrate its ability to utilize the resources requested (by putting in place a competent management team) in view of the Executing Agency’s inability to utilize the balance of the loan that was subsequently cancelled; and assisting the Government in carrying out post-project completion activities, including resource mobilization, with a view to enhancing the viability and sustainability of the project.

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 In the context of its two education sector operations in Namibia, the Bank Group has so far utilized the amount of UA 12.07 million out of a total of UA 13.07 million allocated to finance two projects in Namibia. Of the total amount allocated, UA 3.86 million came from NTF resources and UA 9.21 million from ADF. The total costs of the two projects were respectively estimated at UA 12 million and UA 6.4 million including Government contributions of UA 2 million and UA1.07 million. It is worth recalling that the amount of UA 3.86 million from NTF was allocated to the Human Resources Project as part of a co-financing package with BADEA whose contribution to the financing of the project stood at UA 0.75 million. 1.2 The HRD project, the second financed by the Bank Group in the education sector, was approved in 1994. The project emanated from the lack of employable human resources and the need to emphasize appropriate curricula with adequate teaching aids, instructional materials as the most effective tools for training. It was perceived at appraisal that the availability and optimal utilization of instructional materials designed to take into account the socio-cultural context of learners would not only widen access to education but also significantly improve the quality of instruction and learner outcomes. In this regard, it was the Government’s view that a central facility capable of making available instructional modules, well structured educative information derived from a stock of textbooks, applied research publications and other forms of print material would be one of the most effective ways of meeting the education and training needs of various target groups, including pre-service teacher training centres, non-formal education training centres, training services of various ministries and productive sectors of the economy including agriculture and industry. 1.3 The project was practically completed and inaugurated in 1999 when the ILRC became operational. Part of the training requiring trainees to study abroad, could not be implemented on account of a lack of candidates willing to go abroad for the training. Another phase of training through study tours was to take place within the sub-region at an institution with a facility similar to that of the ILRC, but it turned out that the unique and innovative features of the ILRC instead attracted more institutions to visit and learn about its operation. 1.4 The outstanding loan balance of the project at completion is partly due to this turn of events – which, in fact, delayed the closure of the project, as the Government expressed interest in developing programmes in UNAM to deliver the courses (ICT, Instruction design and development, knowledge management), which candidates would have taken had they opted to study in institutions abroad. The Bank gave a no-objection to the recruitment of a qualified consultant, but due to delays partly attributable to the termination of the contract of the project manager in December 2002 and the departure of the UNAM Vice Chancellor (responsible for overseeing the implementation process), no action was taken until the final disbursement deadline in 2003 expired. The project was closed by the third quarter of 2004 in accordance with the Bank’s rules of procedure and the PCR mission that prepared the present report took place some 5 years after the practical completion of the project and 3 years following the departure of the project manager. Under these circumstances the PCR

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mission faced the tremendous task of examining the project files of the defunct PIU reconciling accounting data, where there were discrepancies and interviewing former

PIU staff or stakeholders who had long left the project. 2. PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND FORMULATION

2.1 Objectives 2.1.1 In sectoral terms, the project was to ultimately result in an improved quality and an increased capacity of employable human resources in Namibia. The immediate result of the project following its implementation would be a strengthened human resources development support system through the project outputs.

2.2 Project Description and Formulation 2.2.1 At appraisal, the project contained three main components, described as follows: I. Information and Instructional Resource Centre (IIRC)

This included the construction of a self-contained IIRC (later on modified to Information and Learning Resource Centre [ILRC]) to accommodate existing and new instructional materials with the emphasis on textbooks, instructional manuals and modules and applied research publications (especially in the areas of science and technology and instructional techniques for enhanced literacy and productivity in rural Namibia). The centre would be furnished and equipped with information technology which would make it possible for all geographic locations in Namibia to access the resources of the ILRC. The same technology would enable the ILRC to link up with other information resource centres worldwide.

The concept of the ILRC as developed during the design of the project (see Annex V) refers to a facility that offers much more to learners and users than a traditional library. Whereas a traditional library is where learners or information-seekers go to explore knowledge and information by having access to books and publications of all types (including in electronic form), the ILRC places emphasis on the human resources, the equipment and the technological know-how used to attend to learners as well as the learning process itself.

In an ILRC the subject librarian works together with the instructional designer, the instructional psychologist, the media specialist, the communications expert, etc to break down available materials (textbooks, encyclopedia, scientific publications, etc) into manageable instructional units/modules for easy assimilation by readers and constitute the most important factor in the dynamic process of learning. Emphasis is placed on how to bring about learning in the most effective manner rather than simply make available volumes of learning resources to learners who are not competent enough to select the most appropriate for their own use.

The ILRC places more emphasis on : (i) bringing appropriate learning

resources to learners of various backgrounds; (ii) making learning resources available

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to learners far and near; and (iii) optimizing learning through the use of appropriate instructional and communication technology with a variety of delivery modes.

Typically, therefore the ILRC is a dynamic learning facility stock with ICT equipment, including computers, and consisting of instructional design and multimedia units, video-conference facilities, etc. It is manned primarily by instructional and communication specialists constantly interacting with learners as necessary. The role of the traditional librarian concerned with cataloguing and indexing is therefore secondary and is only important to the extent that it ensures the storage and retrieval of physical print materials and various forms of publication or electronic storage units. Instead, the relevance to learning in the medium and long terms of stored materials is more important and subject specialists responsible for assessing the materials play a critical role in the learning process.

In a typical ILRC setting the librarian has only a minor role to play vis-à-vis

the learner. The learner seeks counseling from learning psychologists and subject specialists as to what the best resources for a specific purpose or subject may be. To the extent possible, the learner avoids blindly approaching labeled bookshelves to help himself/herself. Learning materials may not necessary be in print form alone, although that sometimes may be the case. Learning materials may refer to multi-media implements. In an ILRC, the learner is also more likely to find instructional materials tailored to his/her needs or is able to place an order for such highly learner-specific materials by directly interacting with an instructional designer, learning psychologist and instructional designer working as a team. The optimal use of an ILRC occurs when learners/ users have been trained in the use of its resources, both human and material. II. User Training Capacity This component addressed the strategy of management and utilisation of ILRC resources and the instructional and information system it was to provide, through the training of trainers and users. A core management team to run the ILRC was to be established and trained. Training would also be provided for resource persons in existing outreach centres in the regions. A selected group of users of the system, who would be able to train further users, would be trained. The trainers would be selected in such a way that they evenly represented the following areas of priority: - basic education teacher training - vocational and technical training - non-formal education - public service training - training in industry, agriculture and fisheries - science and technology education III. Project Management This component included staffing and provision of equipment and supplies to manage all aspects of the project. The project management was to be set up in such a way that it would become integrated into the management structure of the ILRC after completion of the project.

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The inputs for these components were provided under the following categories:

Professional Services 2.2.2 This included architectural and engineering designs, quantity surveying services, preparation of tender documents, post-contract services and supervision of works until final accounts. This activity, which was to be fully financed by the Government, had already started when the project was appraised. However, the preliminary designs were to be reviewed by the Bank prior to tendering. Civil Works 2.2.3 The civil works comprised the construction of the ILRC. A total floor area of approximately 6,000 square metres was to be provided. The building was to be flexible so as to accommodate later expansion in storage and reading areas and be fully wired for information technology. Furniture 2.2.4 The types of furniture to be provided would be standard library storage shelves, display units, desks, tables and chairs, as well as special items for specialised areas. Equipment 2.2.5 The type of equipment for the ILRC would be book security equipment, computer terminals, servers, copying machines, printers, audiovisual equipment, audio conferencing equipment, general office equipment and 2 vehicles for local transport and for commuting to outreach centres. Essential office equipment would also be provided for project management including one vehicle. Training 2.2.6 Great emphasis was put on the training and operating aspects of the project. To coordinate the programmes and activities of the ILRC with the needs of potential users, a Coordination Committee was to be established composed of representatives of UNAM, MOEC, Ministry of Labour and Human Resources Development, Office of the Prime Minister (HRD Division), Ministry of Finance, National Planning Commission, National Library and Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (representing the private sector). An awareness seminar was to be organised at the beginning of the project. 2.2.7 The IIRC was to be linked up with six outreach centres. A Core Management Team, consisting of the heads of the ILRC and the outreach centres would undergo a training programme of five weeks and undertake study tours to neighbouring countries where university information technology systems were in operation. 2.2.8 A six-week training course for 20 trainers of future users of the ILRC was to be conducted. They would be exposed to essential principles of information technology systems and related software preparation, the management and effective

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use of such systems and the preparation of training programmes for users of information and instructional technology systems. The above trainers would then run

3-week user training programmes for an initial 100 users of the ILRC coming from a wide sector of potential users. 2.2.9 Finally, to strengthen the capacity for instructional design and development of educational materials, 12 fellowships of one year duration for post-graduate studies would be made available.

Technical Assistance 2.2.10 One consultant was to be recruited internationally to provide services for six months to assist in the establishment of the instructional and information technology system of the ILRC and to advise on the type of equipment needed. The consultant would work directly with the Core Management Team. The consultant was to be assisted by two national counterparts. Operating Costs 2.2.11 This category covered the costs of project management, including the salaries for the project manager and a secretary/assistant, office supplies, transport running costs, telecommunications, auditing and miscellaneous expenses.

2.3 Origin 2.3.1 While the then Ministry of Education and Culture [MEC] (which is now split into two separate ministries) and the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources Development (HRD) both played a role in implementing HRD policies, the University of Namibia was specifically mandated to promote the indigenous development of science and technology and to serve both rural and urban communities, by providing outreach programmes throughout the country with a view to the improved functioning of the education system and increased productivity in all sectors of the economy. 2.3.2 A high-level commission in 1991 particularly pointed to the need for close cooperation between UNAM’s Faculty of Education and MEC’s National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) in the provision of in-service courses for serving teachers at the basic education level. On the basis of UNAM’s emerging role at the national level, the need for adequate library resources adapted to learners at all levels of the education system was identified.

2.4 Preparation and Appraisal 2.4.1 Following an official request submitted by the government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) in 1993 for the Bank’s assistance in the construction and equipment of a library for the University of Namibia, the Bank and the Government engaged in a policy dialogue which ultimately led to the refinement of the design of the proposed project to take into account more adequately of Namibia’s policy priorities and the Bank’s lending strategy for the social sector in the country. Subsequent to an ADB preparation mission that visited Namibia in February 1994, the project was redefined

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to place emphasis on the establishment of central resource centre that would make available information and other knowledge resources to the entire country.

2.4.2 On the basis of a field appraisal exercise in September 1994, it became clear that the optimal utilization of an information and learning resource centre (ILRC) at UNAM (rather than a traditional library) was a high-prioritied requirement. As an appropriate and cost-effective network of computer technology would enable the resources of the ILRC to be accessed throughout Namibia, the proposed ILRC was considered to be in line with the overall education and training strategy that emphasized human resources development throughout the country. The ILRC was thus construed as a timely response to the need for increased investment in Namibia’s human resources as highlighted in the Bank’s Economic Prospects and Country Programming (EPCP) for Namibia in 1993.

2.5 Negotiations and Approval

2.5.1 Loan negotiations were held at the Bank’s headquarters in October 1994. There were no major issues nor objections to the project design and scope raised by the Government. The project was subsequently approved in December 1994. 3. PROJECT EXECUTION

3.1 Effectiveness and Start-up

3.1.1 In addition to the general conditions, the granting of the loan was subject to the following particular conditions : Prior to the entry into force of the Loan Agreement, the Borrower shall have: i) provided evidence of the appointment within the University of Namibia of a full-time Project Manager having qualifications and experience acceptable to the Bank; ii) provided evidence satisfactory to the Bank that the site identified for the project has been legally secured; iii) provided evidence satisfactory to the Bank that a financing agreement with the Arab bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA) has been signed or that BADEA has given an irrevocable undertaking to participate in the financing of the project. 3.1.2 Conditions i) and ii) were fulfilled in June 1996. Condition iii) was fulfilled in October 1996 when the loan agreement with BADEA was signed. After also fulfilling the general conditions, the loan was declared effective on 05 September 1997. In hindsight, these conditions were all necessary, as their fulfillment made for the timely implementation of the project. Condition (i) was however inadequate, as it failed to take into account the positions of a procurement specialist and an accountant. The lack of an accountant in particular, adversely affected the PIU’s accounting reporting obligations and created a gap, as the PIU Managers could hardly cope with

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disbursement matters – a factor that slowed down implementation, especially when the Bank’s disbursement unit had to return payment documents because they were

either incomplete or incorrectly filled out. The problem was subsequently resolved only when a competent accountant assigned to the project, was able to reconstitute the project accounts many years back through a painstaking critical analysis of the old accounting records (ledgers) of the Bank and the sketchy payment data of the Borrower. 3.1.3 Furthermore, a condition on the appointment of a national counterpart to understudy the activities of the project manager, who was a technical assistant, was necessary. In due course, however, a national with the position of Dean of Students was appointed the Project Coordinator. He helped to jump-start the project, especially by giving it the national perspective, which the project needed, and by steering the project towards its “user capacity training” – a vital component that would remain the pillar of the project’s successful operation.

3.2 Modifications

3.2.1 The civil works aspects of the project were implemented as appraised. However, there were a number of modifications to the other aspects of the project, which may have, in some cases, affected the outcome of the project. 3.2.2 In addition to the actual ILRC building, a parking area was constructed and the main entrance to the University was upgraded and funded by the project. Nine outreach centres have been supplied with equipment as compared with 6 envisaged at appraisal. The final change in the implementation of this component was the source of financing of the equipment needed for the ILRC and UNAM outreach centres. BADEA, in its loan, did not cover the cost of equipment as was appraised. Only parts of the civil works were included in a reduced loan amount. Instead the NTF loan was modified, within the same overall amount, to include a category of equipment. However, the scope of the project remained the same since the additional funds required came out of some savings from the other categories funded by NTF and an increased contribution by the Government (UNAM). In addition, the depreciation of the local currency resulted in major savings. 3.2.3 Major changes to the Component of User Training Capacity occurred. On account of a lack of adequately qualified and experienced human resources, a Core Management Team envisaged at appraisal was not established and the related training and study tours of its members did not take place. Regarding the long-term training (fellowships), only two out of twelve were successfully completed, since it was very difficult to find candidates to go for this specialised training. However, more training than envisaged was implemented through short-term consultants, workshops and seminars. Moreover, a programme for postgraduate diploma or master’s courses at UNAM in a relevant area to serve the ILRC is envisaged. 3.2.4 The University recruited a full-time Project Manager in 1996. However, the person recruited was not performing satisfactorily and caused a long delay in the implementation of the project. The Bank therefore requested that the Ministry of Works should take over the responsibility for the management of the project. This was done in November 1997 when the Department of Works assigned a Project Manager.

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Thereafter, the Bank also requested that a qualified accountant be recruited for the project. With these modifications made, the project eventually took off.

3.3 Implementation Schedule

3.3.1 The project was to be implemented over a period of 3.5 years, from May, 1995 to November 1998. A comparison between the appraisal estimate and the actual implementation of key events is shown below.

Table 3.1 Comparative Implementation Schedule (Estimated and Actual)

Activity Appraisal Estimate Actual Administration Loan Approval 12/1994 01/1995 Loan Signature 02/1995 05/1995 Appointment of Project Manager 04/1995 06/1996 Loan Effectiveness 05/1995 09/1997 Project Management 05/1995 - 12/1998 06/1996 – 12/2003 PCR 12/1998 11/2004 Component 1 – IIRC Architectural Designs 10/1994 - 03/1995 07/1997 Preparation of Tender Documents 04/1995 – 05/1995 07/1997 – 05/1998 Approval of Tender Documents 06/1995 06/1998 Tendering 07/1995 – 09/1995 07/1998 - 08/1998 Approval of Tenders 10/1995 09/1998 Award of Contract 11/1995 10/1998 Construction Period 12/1995 – 11/1997 11/1998 – 04/2001 Guarantee Period 11/1997 – 11/1998 04/2001 – 04/2002 Prep. of Tender Docs. for Furniture and Equipment 10/1996 – 12/1996 During 1999 Approval of Tender Documents 01/1997 During 1999 Tendering 02/1997 – 04/1997 During 2000 Approval of Tenders 05/1997 During 2000 Award of Contracts 06/1997 During 2000-2001 Delivery and Installation Period 07/1997 – 12/1997 During 2001 Guarantee Period 12/1997 – 06/1998 Until end 2002 Component 2 – User Training Capacity Prep of Tender Docs. for Training Equipment 05/1995 – 07/1995 Not implemented Approval of Tender Documents 08/1995 Not implemented Tendering 09/1995 – 11/1995 Not implemented Approval of Tenders 12/1995 Not implemented Award of Contracts 01/1996 Not implemented Delivery Period 02/1996 – 03/1996 Not implemented List of Candidates and Training Institutions 05/1995 – 11/1995 3rd Quarter 1999 Approval of List 12/1995 3rd Quarter 1999 Fellowships 09/1996 – 09/1997 2000-2001 Local Training 04/1996 – 12/1997 During 2000-2001 Prep. of Shortlist for Technical Assistance 05/1995 – 08/1995 Not Implemented Approval 09/1995 Not Implemented Tendering 10/1995 – 11/1995 Not Implemented Approval of tenders 12/1995 Not Implemented Award of Contracts 01/1996 Not Implemented Contract Periods 04/1996 – 12/1997 Not Implemented

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3.4 Reporting

3.4.1 In all, 23 Quarterly Project Progress Reports were submitted to the Bank during the 7 years of implementation. These reports were initially barely acceptable, but in due course became generally of good quality following feedback from the Bank to the Executing Agency on how to improve them. A draft Borrower’s Project Completion Report was also submitted to the Bank. This proved to be inadequate on disbursement data. For instance, it took the PCR mission at least a week of methodical research to determine basic data such as the actual cost of the project, in total and by category of expenditure and source of finance. 3.4.2 Seven annual audit reports were issued, covering the financial years from 1997 to 2003. In addition the Bank carried out an internal audit in February 2001 and a Project Financial Management Review in April 2001. No major accountability issues were brought out in connection with the audits.

3.5 Procurement 3.5.1 As stipulated in the appraisal report, the procurement of goods and services to be financed by NTF was to be carried out as specified in the appraisal report:

i) International Competitive Bidding for civil works; ii) Local Competitive Bidding for furniture;

iii) National Shopping for office supplies, running costs and local services; iv) Shortlist for technical assistance, individual consultants and external auditors 3.5.2 Procurement of professional services and parts of project management, which were entirely financed by the Government, followed Government procedures. Equipment, which was to be financed by BADEA would follow BADEA’s procurement rules. However, since the eventual contribution from BADEA did not include equipment, it was procured from NTF funds, using ICB. In general, there were no problems with the application of the Bank’s rules.

3.6 Financial Sources and Disbursement 3.6.1 The four tables below illustrate the differences between the planned financing of the project and what actually took place up to the PCR stage.

Table 3.2 Planned Financing by Source

(UA millions) FE %FE LC %LC TOTAL % of TOTAL

NTF 2.24 59.9% 1.62 60.2% 3.86 60.0% BADEA 1.50 40.1% 0.00 0.0% 1.50 23.3% Government 0.00 0.0% 1.07 39.8% 1.07 16.6% Total 3.74 2.69 6.43 % 58.2% 41.8%

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Table 3.3 Actual Financing by Source

(UA millions) FE %FE LC %LC TOTAL % of TOTAL

NTF 2.08 73.4% 0.97 57.3% 3.05 67.4% BADEA 0.75 26.6% 0.00 0.0% 0.75 16.6% Government 0.00 0.0% 0.72 42.7% 0.72 16.0% Total 2.84 1.69 4.53

62.7% 37.3%

Table 3.4 Planned Financing by Category and Source

(UA millions) Categories NTF BADEA GOV Total A. Prof. Services - - 0.44 0.44 B. Civil Works 2.62 0.79 - 3.42 C. Furniture 0.17 - - 0.17 D. Equipment - 0.71 - 0.71 E. Training 0.61 - 0.41 1.03 F. T/A 0.33 - - 0.33 G. Op. Costs 0.12 - 0.21 0.33 Total 3.86 1.50 1.07 6.43

Table 3.5

Actual Financing by Category and Source (UA millions)

Categories NTF BADEA GOV TOTAL A. Prof. Services - - 0.42 0.42 B. Civil Works 2.08 0.68 0.01 2.76 C. Furniture 0.11 0.01 0.01 0.13 D. Equipment 0.56 0.07 0.01 0.65 E. Training 0.06 - 0.06 0.12 F. T/A 0.12 - - 0.13 G. Op. Costs 0.11 - 0.20 0.31 Total 3.05 0.75 0.72 4.53

Note: The government’s contribution in Namibian Dollars has been converted into UA using historical exchange rates. The same applies to BADEA’s contribution in USD. 3.6.2 As can be deduced from the above tables, the total cost of the project was substantially less (UA 1.9 million – or 29.5 %) than anticipated at appraisal. The main reason for this was that the training and related technical assistance were not implemented as planned. There was also some saving in the category of civil works due to the sharp decline in the local currency during the construction period. The implication for the project because of this is described elsewhere in the report. Regarding the NTF loan, there was an unspent balance of UA 0.81 million (20.9 %) at the close of the project. This balance has been cancelled. One of the reasons for the unspent balance is that the Government actually spent upfront but could not get reimbursed by the Bank.

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3.6.3 Because of the delayed implementation period of the project and the underutilisation of funds, there are substantial differences between the planned

disbursement schedules and what actually took place. The comparative tables are shown in Annex 2. 4. PROJECT PERFORMANCE

4.1 Overall Assessment 4.1.1 Of the project outputs envisaged at appraisal, those related to the sustainable operation of the ILRC through the establishment of a Core Management Team and arrangements to put in place a mechanism to cope with recurrent costs have not been achieved. On account of implementation shortcomings, including the lack of candidates for long-term training abroad, the total cost of the project has turned out to be substantially lower than that estimated at appraisal. The establishment of a core Management Team has not materialized as yet and training through study tours in the sub-region of key resource persons has turned out not be necessary, since the ILRC is one of its kind in the sub-region. 4.1.2 Furthermore, the cancellation of the loan balance underscores a major weakness of the project. As can be interpreted from these inadequacies, there has clearly been a lack of institutional capacity to implement the project in its entirety. However, it is worth noting that as from mid-2002, noticeable improvements were recorded, and although the project is not operating under the best of circumstances, the facilities provided are being used without any technical difficulties. The facilities are equipped and in good physical condition. If well maintained present and future cohorts of various target groups of learners from within and outside the university could continue to benefit from them for quite some time to come. 4.1.3 Although the Coordination Committee - responsible for the smooth day-to-day operation of the ILRC - was established as early as 1997, it convened few meetings as envisaged at appraisal. 4.2 Operating Results 4.2.1 The problems experienced at the outset of project implementation regarding management and training fellowships have clearly adversely affected the performance of the project on an account of a shortage of human resources required for the operation of the ILRC. Although the Coordination Committee - responsible for the follow-up and implementation of the project - was established as early as 1997, it convened few meetings as envisaged at appraisal to operate the ILRC. The physical quality of the ILRC itself and the space allocated to various instructional/learning functions are commendable. The outreach centres linked to the ILRC are operational as envisaged at appraisal and are providing invaluable training services to learners in remote areas. 4.2.2 The rise in the number of outreach centres represents one of the most significant quantitative benefits of the project. The ILRC is linked to 43 centres, including 9 outreach centres as compared with the 6 envisaged at appraisal. Moreover, the project has succeeded in building an appreciable capacity of trainers and

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supported a variety of training courses and workshops. The cumulative effect of this training is expected to strengthen the human resources development framework of

Namibia. On the basis of the initial training of a select group of users of the ILRC information technology system, further users are in a position to benefit from the experience of the select group. 4.2.3 Regarding the quality of education actually delivered as a result of the establishment of the ILRC, it is difficult at this stage to quantify related gains using scores by subject of students at various levels. This is because gains in scores may be attributable to other treatments being administered to students than to the use of ILRC resources alone. In terms of providing the optimal conditions for the effective delivery of instruction, the quality of the ILRC is reflected in its functionality and the arrangements put in place to attend to learner needs in a congenial environment as illustrated by Annex IV.

4.3 Institutional Performance 4.3.1 The single most significant institutional problem diagnosed at appraisal was the lack of a central coherent human resources development framework. As a result, it was recommended that a Coordination Committee - composed of representatives of UNAM, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Minister of Labour and Human Resources Development, the Office of the Prime Minister (HRD Division), the Ministry of Finance, the National Planning Commission, the National Library and the Namibia National Chamber of Commerce and Industry – be established to monitor implementation and enhance participation and ownership. In retrospect this strategy was appropriate, but following the implementation of the project, no real sense of ownership has been built by members of the Committee – with the exception, of course of UNAM. 4.3.2 As analysed at appraisal, UNAM with its training and research capacity and its experience in the management of information materials and resources was the most appropriate locus for the establishment of the ILRC. This implies that the ILRC should be operated with budgetary resources from institutions benefiting from its facilities and not solely with UNAM resources alone. 4.3.3 The human resources development framework in Namibia is managed by various public and private organizations and institutions, including the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Basic Education and the Namibia National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. With its enhanced information technology system, the ILRC will contribute to the planning and management of HRD resources available in the said organizations and institutions and will in particular help to avoid the unnecessary duplication of resources.

4.4 Management and Organisational Effectiveness 4.4.1 The University of Namibia (UNAM), which has been the Executing Agency of the project, was created by an act of parliament. The status of UNAM is that of an autonomous self-financing institution responsible for its own academic programme and administration. However, 70 to 80 % of UNAM’s annual funding was provided by the Government as a lump sum allocated via the budget of the then Ministry of

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Education and Culture and now replaced by the Ministry of Higher Education, Vocational Training, Science and Technology.

4.4.2 The Vice Chancellor is responsible for the day-to-day management of UNAM, a task in which he is assisted by the Pro-Vice Chancellor and the Registrar. The Strategic Planning Unit under he Office of the Vice Chancellor is responsible for the planning of various structural student and staffing patterns and investments. In view of its present training and research capacity and its experience in the management of information and Learning Resource Centre (ILRC), UNAM was at appraisal considered the best location for the Information and Learning Resource Centre recognized as not serving exclusively the academic community of UNAM but the Namibian civil society as well. 4.4.3 At appraisal, it was envisaged that a Coordination Committee be established to see to it that the project was implemented in accordance with its design and follow-up actions and advise on the implementation of the various activities. In principle, the Committee was to ensure that the outputs of the project matches the needs of its potential users. The Committee is expected to provide up-to-date information on the status of activities that would contribute to the impact of the project after it has been completed. As designed at appraisal, the Committee should be composed of representatives from UNAM, the respective Ministries of Education (Basic and Higher), the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources Development, the Office of the Prime Minister (HRD Division), the Ministry of Finance, the National Planning Commission, the National Library and the National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (representing the private sector). Each institution would have one representative would have one representative and an alternate on the Committee. 4.4.4 As a nucleus from which instructional and information materials is disseminated to target groups of users in various areas, the ILRC is linked to 9 outreach centres situated in four existing colleges of education (Caprivi, Rundu, Ongwediva and Windhoek), the Namibia Institute of Educational Development (NIED) at Okahandja and the Library and Information Centre of Non-Formal Education in Windhoek. 4.4.5 A Core Management Team (CMT) was expected to be trained under the project. This has not yet happened, as a result of a lack of institutional capacity and the premature termination of the contract of the UNAM-based Project Manager seconded from the Ministry of Works, Transport and Communications. The Project Manager would have spear-headed the establishment of the CMT. The CMT was to consist of the Director of the ILRC in operation and two assistants (technical programmes and administration) and the heads of each of the 9 outreach centres. The Team was expected to meet at the ILRC every two months and stay in permanent contact with each other through the electronic linkage system set up under the project.

4.5 Staff Recruitment, Training and Development

4.5.1 The staff of the Core Management System was to be provided by UNAM and the various institutions involved, and their salaries or incentive pay, as well as other operating expenses was to be covered by the respective budgets. Actually, the International Consultant recruited to assist in the establishment of the ILRC and to

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advise on the type of equipment needed, was to direct and conduct an induction seminar for the Coordination Committee and to oversee the training of the Core

Management Team and organize its study tour. The Consultant was also expected to work with the Core Management Team on the functioning of ILRC and the cope with the problems encountered by the Centre.

4.5.2 Training and development of ILRC resource persons has only taken place in part. That is, only in-country training was completed. Training broad was not completed on account of a lack of candidates. It is implied in the project that beyond the training and development for which provision was made at appraisal, the Government is expected to assume responsibility for the career development of ILRC resource persons through the regular organization of professional development sessions or the use of opportunities made available by other training providers. The Government is therefore expected to play the role of filling the training gap through efforts of its won and resources mobilized with the assistance of development partners, including the Bank.

4.6 Performance of Consultants, Contractors, Suppliers

and Borrower

Consultants 4.6.1 The initial performance of the civil works consultant (architects, engineers, quantity surveyors) was unsatisfactory. The preliminary design of the ILRC, which had already started before the project was appraised, was to be reviewed by the Bank prior to proceeding with detailed design and tender documents. A total floor area of approximately 6,000 square metres was to be provided for the ILRC. The preliminary design exceeded this with 2,500 square metres, resulting in cost estimates of some NAD 10 million above the budget figure. In addition, the design had a number of shortcomings, which were pointed out in detail by a Bank supervision team, which visited Namibia in June/July 1997. To make matters worse, the consultant had been paid for this oversized preliminary design, the full amount of fees stipulated for complete professional services (which should have included final architectural and engineering designs, quantity surveying, tender documents and post-contract services and building contract supervision). The cost of providing these services was to be fully financed by the Government, who was now faced with a substantial cost over-run since a complete revision had to be made to the design before it was acceptable to the Bank. This process also delayed the implementation of the project. Somehow the additional fees were absorbed by the government and are not included in the actual cost of the project. 4.6.2 However, judged at PCR stage, the completed ILRC is a well designed building. Although there was not enough time during the PCR mission to conduct a user study, the building seems to function reasonably well. There is quite some flexibility in the overall floor areas provided to allow for internal changes, which will inevitably come as technology develops. Some of these changes are already taking place, such as moving all the computers onto the ground floor and installing cabling along the external walls to replace the under-floor supply of electricity and communications, which did not work. Some concerns could be raised over the choice of materials, especially the suspended ceiling panels that are already breaking up in

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certain places. Unless regular maintenance is started soon, building defects as a result of daily use will start to accumulate and make the building look shabby. An

obvious shortcoming is the lack of physical connection with the main building complex on the campus. As it stands now, the ILRC is somewhat isolated. A covered walkway would rectify this problem. Contractors 4.6.3 The quality of work performed by the contractor was satisfactory. There were some delays, which were mostly beyond the responsibility of the contractor. Despite substantial delays in some payments, the contractor was able to absorb these late payments without slowing down the works. Suppliers 4.6.4 There were six major supply contracts in all. No substantial problems were encountered. The quality of furniture and equipment supplied is satisfactory.

The Borrower 4.6.5 The project was to be implemented by UNAM. The project management capacity required was to be established within the existing Strategic Planning Unit by employing a full-time Project Manager and one secretary/assistant. Initially, the assumption was that a library and information science expert or an educational planner could manage the project. The first project manager, with this background, did not perform satisfactory and his contract was terminated. A succession of two project managers followed until the Bank requested that the Department of Buildings within the Ministry of Works be involved by seconding to the project a fully qualified project manager with expert knowledge of construction works. After this, the project management improved, especially concerning the implementation of the building contract and the supply of furniture and equipment. However, the training component was not implemented as planned.

4.7 Conditions and Covenants

4.7.1 Three covenants, or “other conditions” were attached to the project, formulated as follows: The Borrower shall: i) submit to the Bank for review the preliminary design for the Information and Instructional Resources Centre (IIRC) prior to proceeding with the preparation of the tender documents; ii) submit to the Bank not later than six months after the entry into force of the loan agreement a comprehensive programme of all training activities as well as the respective lists of trainees and their qualifications and selected training institutions; iii) submit to the Bank not later than three months prior to the completion of the project evidence of the appointment of the IIRC Director having qualifications and experience acceptable to the Bank.

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4.7.2 The conditions were fulfilled in March 1998 during the third Quarter of 1999

and during first Quarter of 2001 respectively. In retrospect, the conditions were both necessary and relevant to the implementation of the project. 5. SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

5.1 Social Impact 5.1.1 The ILRC through its decentralized electronic framework is expected to have a significant impact on the quality of the inputs and outputs of the education and training efforts throughout all levels of the education system. Beneficiaries, including teachers and trainers at all levels in all parts of Namibia will be able to update, on a regular basis, the content of their educational training programmes and improve the quality of their instructional materials. Training programmes in the non-formal education sub-system will be more effective on account of the ability to prepare crash training programmes based on the most recent applications in the area of instructional technology. 5.1.2 By providing access to information, the ILRC will play a significant role in the development of information literacy in Namibia. In particular, the ability to inform, educate and communicate with various target groups (including women and the vulnerable in deprived rural areas) via ILRC resources, will enhance the role played by certain marginalized groups, as well as their productivity in agriculture, industry, trade and services. As the ultimate objective of the project is to make available employable human resources, the ILRC is expected to be linked to data banks with job openings and profiles established by other technology systems, including the Directorate of Data Systems and Services in the Office of the Prime Minister, which is currently playing a major role in public service training in Namibia 5.1.3. As far as the community at large is concerned, small and medium enterprises, especially in the rural areas, will ultimately benefit from ILRC, through an increase in productivity and diminishing employment. Through increased extension services new knowledge and appropriate technology will become available in the form of information and instructional packages. 5.1.4 In terms of improving the quality of education though learner gain scores, it is difficult to demonstrate the contribution of the ICT resources of the ILRC at this stage. To do so, it would be necessary to come up with a multiple regression model that can clearly isolate ICT variables from aptitude variables. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the ILRC is definitely making a contribution to the quality of the learning process itself as is observable throughout the 9 outreach centers. 5.2 Environmental Impact 5.2.1 At appraisal, the project was classified as Category 3 according to the Bank’s environmental policy guidelines and assumed to have no negative impact on the environment. Since it involved construction, the classification should have been Category 2. However, no significant negative impact on the environment, apart from the use of electric energy, has been observed. Although the ILRC building is a 3-

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storey structure of some 6,000 square metres, it fits well into the environment of the university campus.

5.2.2 With regard to the “software” to be produced at the ILRC, and disseminated throughout Namibia, users at all levels (agriculture, industry, commerce, services etc) will be sensitised to the need to preserve and enhance the environment. 6. PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY 6.1 Facilities are in a good state of repair, but the major issue regarding sustainability revolves around the self-financing capability of the ILRC, which is expected to reduce the strain on the recurrent budget. It is clear that the capacity of the project to raise funds will crucial to maintaining facilities in a desirable state. Other issues of sustainability concern the training of resource persons who can serve as trainers. The need to keep pace with state-of- the-art technology, including equipment which might easily become obsolete, is another important dimension of equipment. 6.2 On the whole, budgetary provisions made not only by UNAM but all other main actors, the Core Management Team responsible for the operation of the ILRC, groups of ILRC users identified on the basis of their ability to pay, resources from the University Foundation, cost recovery strategies including the sale of products (information and instructional modules and packages are some of the key variables in the enhancement of sustainability. 7. PERFORMANCE OF THE BANK AND THE BORROWER 7.1 Project Objectives and Justification Increased investment in human resources development, as espoused in Namibia’s Transitional National Development Plan for the period 1991-1993/94, remains a topmost priority in Namibia today. The Bank’s interpretation of development priorities in the education in the context of the project is justified. 7.2 Project Implementation and Operating Outcomes 7.2.1 In spite of a long delay of at least two years from 1995 to 1997, the project in its initial scope was practically completed in 1999, when the ILRC was inaugurated. Although the Core Management Team has not been fully established and fully integrated into the management structure of the ILRC, the project has begun to make an impact, especially in terms of the open and distance learning opportunities it offers to Namibians in the outreach centres. 7.2.2 The long delay in the commencement of project implementation was essentially due to the fact that a candidate with the wrong profile had been initially recruited to manage the project. Although a very qualified and experienced librarian, the candidate lacked the requisite skills for the management of infrastructure aspect of the project.

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7.2.3 Awareness seminars (two in number) attended by the Coordination Committee and representatives of other organizations were held. The first took place

in may 1997 and the second in 1999. After completing the construction of the ILRC and the installation of most of its furniture, a workshop to report on the progress of the project and to examine facilities on the site took place in November 2000. 7.2.4 Following the establishment of the Namibian Open Learning Trust, the ILRC is linked to 43 centres, including the 9 outreach centres of the university of Namibia instead of the 6 determined at appraisal. 7.2.5 In 1997 an Australian consultant began training sessions, but this was halted after 4 weeks of activity, in view of the fact the Bank was not consulted prior to the recruitment of the consultant and that Australia was not a member of the Bank. The training conducted by the consultant covered 20 trainers and the proposed management team. Although an individual consultant was recommended at appraisal to provide training, the Executing Agency was of the view that a multi-disciplinary firm (with competencies in Instructional Design and Institutional Management, Information and Communications Technology, Institutional Management) was in a better position to undertake the training assignment. 7.2.6 A delay in the identification and hiring of the consulting firm resulted in the hiring of two individual consultants to advise on the space allocation at the ILRC and prepare the technical specifications for the furniture and equipment required for the project. 7.2.8 Short-term training courses were classified into two types of courses focusing on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Instructional Design (ID). The ICT workshop took place in October 2001 for a period of 3 days and involved 25 participants. The ID workshop involved 16 participants and lasted 3 weeks. 7.2.9 Two participants out of 12 were nominated for long-term training and successfully completed their studies. The project experienced difficulties in coming up with other candidates. The Bank accepted in principle a Government request to use the loan balance to set up postgraduate/Masters programmes to meet the capacity requirements of the project. 7.2.10 UNAM recruited a full-time Project Manager who served from June 1996 to November 1997 and the Ministry of works was requested to take over the management of the project. A Manager from this Ministry was seconded to the project and an overall project coordinator was appointed by UNAM. In view of the critical situation of project accounts, which were not well kept, the Bank advised that the Executing Agency recruit an Accountant. The Accountant contributed significantly to the effective management of the project. 8. OVERALL PERFORMANCE AND RATING In spite of the incomplete status of its user training capacity component, the project is operating as virtually as envisaged at appraisal. The ILRC is servicing some 43 outreach centres, as compared with 9 envisaged at appraisal. Thus even in the absence of a Core Management Team, the project is achieving its objectives. The

19

project is therefore rated “satisfactory”, especially in view of its potential to serve an even wider audience when the sustainability criteria for the ILRC’s operation have

been fulfilled. 9. CONCLUSIONS, LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS 9.1 Conclusions 9.1 A networked information system allows a paradigm shift to occur in the way in which information and knowledge resource centres are viewed. Instead of them being considered as static, archival repositories to which users have to come to make use of their contents, they can be viewed as gateways to information held in many centres elsewhere. As determined at appraisal, the primary role of the ILRC is to facilitate access to information and knowledge. With the assistance of trained trainers in the development of instructional materials and dissemination of well-structured and educative information, the ILRC is being fully utilized by various target groups in Namibia. In addition to its potential to enhance functional literacy skills, the project provides a comprehensive approach to human resources development and enhances productivity in various areas of socio-economic productivity. 9.2 The relative success of the HRD project is reflected in the follow-up actions taken by the Government since the completion of the project. Given the tremendous potential uses of the ILRC, the Government has submitted a request to the Bank for grant resources to build capacity to meet the human resource needs of the HRD project.

9.2 Lessons Learned Lessons to be drawn from this project are as follows:

Formulation and Project Rationale (i) A study on the optimal conditions for the delivery of training is an important element of a project of this type, since such a study would have made it possible to avoid allocating resources for up to 12 scholarships for training abroad. Instead provision would have been made upfront for in-country training with the introduction of new courses to be offered at UNAM. (ii) A sub-component of the study referred to above would have provided for the conditions for optimising sustainability. Such a sub-component would have clearly spelled out the conditions for establishing a strong Core Management Team and a strategy for mobilizing resources from the private sector to run the ILRC efficiently. (iii) Clear considerations of the skills required for implementation should be given at the design stage of a project of this nature. If implementation had been more carefully thought out, the mistake of initially appointing a project manager without any skills in the management of civil works would have been avoided. In addition, provision would have been made upfront for the recruitment a full-time procurement specialist and an accountant.

20

(iv) In designing projects, critical items to be financed with government

counterpart funds - for instance, the recruitment of a consultant for design and supervision - should be procured in accordance with the Bank’s rules of procedure rather than government procedures. Under the project, the consulting firm for design and supervision recruited through government procedures tried to influence the size of the project and consequently delayed the commencement of works and caused the government to pay more than it should have for drawings assessed by the Bank to be oversized.

(v) The design of innovative projects of this character should make provision for post-project completion activities to be financed on a complementary basis following the completion of the project. Such activities would typically include capacity building aimed at updating skills for the operation of the ILRC whose technology will continue to evolve. (vi) The formulation of a project with sizeable civil works should always make provision for maintenance. The current internal state of the ILRC with suspended ceiling panels which are already breaking up and defects that are soon likely to appear as a result of the daily use of the ILRC calls for regular maintenance with a budget line of its own which should have been built into the project design at the outset. (vii) More resources than initially estimated should be made on a contingency basis for large-scale training of the type provided under the project. The number of participants in workshops and other short-term training sessions by far outnumbered that estimated at appraisal.

Implementation (i) The recruitment of a Project Manager with skills essential to the physical implementation of a project is critical to the success of the project. Although the HRD Project deals primarily with the effective use of information and knowledge resources, its effective management did not require skills in ICT, library science, or other related areas, as incorrectly recommended at appraisal. The main consideration in the recruitment of an effective project manager to implement the project was its major infrastructure component. The Civil/Structural Engineers who succeeded to jump-start the project after a considerable delay, were the most appropriate persons to have been recruited in the first place. (ii) Familiarization of project staff with the rules of procedure of the Bank can contribute significantly to effective project management and avoid delays. (iii) Regular and quality project supervision is key to the successful implementation of a project. Supervision missions with a multi-disciplinary team (including an ICT expert) would have enhanced the quality of the project in operation. (iv) It is necessary to maintain a Project Manager in the PIU until a project is fully completed. In the absence of the Project Manager, whose contract was prematurely terminated, certain aspects of the project, including the establishment of a functional

21

Core Management Team and the supply of additional equipment, were either only loosely attended to or considerably delayed.

(v) Implementation of projects of this nature continue beyond project completion in the sense that new technology has to be continuously updated on the basis of regular studies on user needs. (vi) The Bank should adapt its rules of procurement to projects of this nature, where it is frequently necessary to procure small quantities of diverse equipment and use direct purchases instead of local shopping would save time and money: a straightforward solution would be to explicitly indicate in the appraisal report direct purchase as prescribed mode of procurement; (vii) More training in the Bank’s disbursement procedures needs to be provided for project staff. Because project staff were not quite conversant with the Bank’s disbursement rules of procedure, a good number of disbursement applications submitted to the Bank were not honoured. Similar training in procurement is essential for sound project management. (viii) Bank staff should intensify their efforts to ensure that disbursement issues arising from inadequate submissions by Borrowers are promptly dealt with through effective communication. Where there is a communication breakdown between the Borrower and the Bank, samples of what is required should be sent to the Executing Agency and more combined technical/financial supervision missions are likely to be useful in resolving such issues.

Compliance with Loan Conditions and covenants

(i) Compliance by the Borrower with a loan condition does not necessary imply that the condition has been satisfactorily fulfilled and the Bank should bear the responsibility of ensuring that a condition is satisfactorily fulfilled. For instance, a more critical review by Bank staff of the profile of the initial manager appointed to run the project would have led to the candidate’s disqualification and avoided the protracted delays attributable to the manager’s incompetence.

(ii) Compliance with a condition relevant to project implementation may not necessarily resolve shortcomings during implementation, since the condition in and of itself may not be adequate. Compliance by the Borrower with one of the “other” conditions to the effect that a comprehensive programme of all training activities be submitted six months after the entry into force of the loan was relevant to implementation but not adequate, as the condition did not also make provision for a strategy to cope with a lack of candidates for training abroad.

Performance Evaluation and Project Outcomes

(i) The Borrower must demonstrate the will to implement key project recommendations required for the proper operation of a project and the Bank should step in to actively assist the Borrower in doing so. The absence of a Core Management Team, which should have been established a long time ago, is likely to

22

adversely affect the project and the Bank should have conditioned this aspect of the project to disbursements.

(ii) An innovative project with a technology-based facility like the ILRC is likely to continue to expand during operation in view of the growing number of target groups using its resources and the role the facility is playing in knowledge management for development purposes. This means that even long before completion, the Government should have embarked on mobilizing resources for the project’s enhanced operation. The resource mobilization function should even be intensified during the operation of a project as specific priority requirements emerge over time.

Sustainability

(i) Innovative projects of the type under consideration should devote enough resources to strategies – including extensive IEC techniques - to enhance sustainability following project completion. In the long run, Government budgetary resources will not be enough to meet the growing requirements of the ILRC. (ii) In view of the increasing number of development partners willing to invest in ICT, it may be said in hindsight that more consultations with other development partners during project design and implementation phases is likely to have enhanced sustainability in terms of the additional resources that other partners would have made available for the operation of the ILRC. 9.3 Recommendations For the Fund (i) Consider the Government’s request for grant resources to build capacity to sustain the HRD Project, but request that Government demonstrate its ability to utilize the resources required (by putting in place a competent management team) in view of the Executing Agency’s inability to utilize the balance of the loan that was subsequently cancelled. (ii) Assist the Government in carrying out post-project completion activities, including resource mobilization, with a view to enhancing the viability and sustainability of the project. For the Executing Agency (i) To ensure sustainability, the EA should establish the Core Management Team at its earliest convenience. (ii) Continue to conduct short-term training activities in order to meet the needs of an expanding user capacity in the outreach and other centers. For the Borrower (i) Provide for budgetary resources to cope with priority requirements of the ILRC.

23

(ii) Introduce user charges for the private sector in order to increase the ILRC’s

financial resource base and ensure its sustainability.

i

ANNEX I MAP OF NAMIBIA

This map is provided by the African Development Bank exclusively for the use of the readers of the report to which it is attached. The names used and the borders shown do not imply on the part of the Bank and its members any judgment concerning the legal status of a territory nor any approval or acceptance of these borders.

ii

ANNEX II Planned and Actual Expenditure by Year, Category and Sources of Finance

AS PER APPRAISAL REPORT

NTF

Categories 1995 1996 1997 1998 Total A. Pro. Serv. B. Civil Works 0.11 1.28 1.17 0.07 2.62 C. Furniture 0.14 0.03 0.17 D. Equipment E. Training 0.26 0.35 0.61 F. T/A 0.07 0.27 0.33 G. Op. Costs 0.02 0.04 0.05 0.02 0.12

Total 0.12 1.65 1.97 0.12 3.86

BADEA

Categories 1995 1996 1997 1998 Total A. Pro. Serv. B. Civil Works 0.03 0.39 0.35 0.02 0.79 C. Furniture D. Equipment 0.02 0.18 0.41 0.10 0.71 E. Training F. T/A G. Op. Costs

Total 0.05 0.57 0.76 0.12 1.50

GOVERNMENT

Categories 1995 1996 1997 1998 Total A. Pro. Serv. 0.31 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.44 B. Civil Works 0.00 C. Furniture 0.00 D. Equipment 0.00 E. Training 0.18 0.24 0.41 F. T/A 0.00 G. Op. Costs 0.03 0.07 0.09 0.03 0.21

Total 0.34 0.29 0.37 0.07 1.07

TOTAL PROJECT

Categories 1995 1996 1997 1998 Total A. Pro. Serv. 0.31 0.04 0.04 0.04 0.44 B. Civil Works 0.14 1.67 1.53 0.09 3.42 C. Furniture 0.14 0.03 0.17 D. Equipment 0.02 0.18 0.41 0.10 0.71 E. Training 0.44 0.59 1.03 F. T/A 0.07 0.27 0.33 G. Op. Costs 0.04 0.11 0.14 0.04 0.33

Total 0.51 2.51 3.11 0.31 6.43

iii

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS AT PCR IN UA (= ACTUAL EXPENDITURE)

ANNEX III

NTF

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 TOTAL A. Pro. Serv.

B. Civil Works 1,015,567.30 663,656.40 171,750.41 119,021.65 113,846.07 2,083,841.83

C. Furniture 114,674.94 114,674.94

D. Equipment 9,248.50 118,407.35 433,811.16 561,467.01 E. Training 62,761.78 62,761.78 F. T/A 120,976.06 120,976.06 G. Op. Costs 106,572.00 106,572.00

TOTAL 236,796.56 0.00 1,015,567.30 663,656.40 290,157.76 730,269.53 113,846.07 3,050,293.62

BADEA (UA AT HISTORICAL EXCHANGE RATES)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 TOTAL A. Pro. Serv. 0.00 B. Civil Works 249,707.92 315,733.07 66,231.68 41,891.57 2,103.25 675,667.49 C. Furniture 6,293.45 6,293.45 D. Equipment 71,479.53 71,479.53 E. Training 0.00 F. T/A 0.00 G. Op. Costs 0.00

TOTAL 0.00 0.00 249,707.92 315,733.07 66,231.68 41,891.57 79,876.23 753,440.47

iv

GOVERMENT (UA AT HISTORICAL EXCHANGE RATES)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 TOTAL A. Pro. Serv. 149,151.14 12,874.29 164,338.76 73,523.32 13,205.43 7,044.73 420,137.67 B. Civil Works 52,848.17 -42,554.71 -6,815.21 1,909.22 5,387.47 C. Furniture 11,936.42 11,936.42 D. Equipment 11,112.30 2,832.50 13,944.80 E. Training 45,287.33 7,548.09 7,427.23 1,333.44 61,596.09 F. T/A 32.14 3,116.98 24,236.32 -23,110.02 4,275.42 G. Op. Costs 80,587.80 20,153.35 37,188.41 19,976.78 18,657.46 14,057.78 14,195.69 204,817.27

TOTAL 298,107.13 33,027.64 265,040.41 50,945.39 63,526.44 -4,656.78 16,104.91 722,095.14

TOTAL PROJECT

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 TOTAL A. Pro. Serv. 149,151.14 12,874.29 164,338.76 73,523.32 13,205.43 7,044.73 0.00 420,137.67 B. Civil Works 0.00 0.00 1,318,123.39 936,834.76 237,982.09 154,098.01 117,858.54 2,764,896.79 C. Furniture 11,936.42 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 114,674.94 6,293.45 132,904.81 D. Equipment 20,360.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 118,407.35 436,643.66 71,479.53 646,891.34 E. Training 45,287.33 0.00 7,548.09 0.00 7,427.23 64,095.22 0.00 124,357.87 F. T/A 121,008.20 0.00 3,116.98 0.00 24,236.32 -23,110.02 0.00 125,251.48 G. Op. Costs 187,159.80 20,153.35 37,188.41 19,976.78 18,657.46 14,057.78 14,195.69 311,389.27

TOTAL 534,903.69 33,027.64 1,530,315.63 1,030,334.86 419,915.88 767,504.32 209,827.21 4,525,829.23

v

ANNEX IV

NAMIBIA - HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

Performance Evaluation and Rating

IMPLEMENTATION PERFORMANCE Component Indicators Score Remarks 1. Adherence to Time Schedule 2 Training was not completed as

envisaged on account of a lack of candidates

2. Adherence to Cost Schedule 3 It took time for BADEA to channel additional resources to the project and this caused some delay

3. Compliance with Covenants 3 Conditions were fulfilled, although a few behind schedule

4. Adequacy of Monitoring & Evaluation and Reporting 3 Virtually all QPPRs submitted. 5. Satisfactory Operations (if applicable) 3 ILRC in operation and more

regional centres covered, including 9 outreach centres instead of 6 as envisaged at appraisal

TOTAL 14 Overall Assessment of Implementation Performance 2.8 Satisfactory

BANK PERFORMANCE

Component Indicators Score Remarks 1. At Identification 2 A two-man team (Education

Analyst & Architect) identified the project

2. At Preparation 3 A multidisciplinary team prepared the project

3. At Appraisal 3 A multidisciplinary team appraised the project

4. At Supervision 2 Initially supervision was not closely followed up

TOTAL 10 Overall Assessment of Bank Performance 2.5 Satisfactory

PROJECT OUTCOME

Component Indicators Score Remarks 1. Relevance and Achievement of Objectives i) Macro-economic Policy 3 Falls within the priorities of the

then Economic Prospects and Country Programming (EPCP)

ii) Sector Policy 3 The project is based on the education sector objectives and priorities at the time

iii) Physical (incl. Production) 4 The ILRC exceed its envisaged size

iv) Financial 4 No cost overrun v) Poverty Alleviation; Social; Gender 3 User groups appropriately

targeted vi) Environment 3 No damage done to the

environment and knowledge on environmental management disseminated by ILRC

vii) Private Sector Development 3 Growing participation of private user groups

viii) Other (gender) 3 The target beneficiary human resources and the human running the ILRC are almost entirely evenly split between

vi

males and females

2. Institutional Development i) Institutional Framework incl. Restructuring 3 Role of coordination to be

played by the ILRC ii) Financial and Management Information Systems including Audit Systems 3 Sound system in place iii) Transfer of Technology 4 A classical example of an ICT

project with emphasis on technology transfer

iv) Staffing by qualified persons; training and counter-part staff 3 Some qualified staff yet to be recruited

3. Sustainability i) Continued Borrower Commitment 3 As assessed during PCR ii) Environmental Policy 3 As assessed during PCR iii) Institutional Framework 3 As assessed during PCR iv) Technical Viability and Staffing 3 As assessed during PCR v) Financial viability including cost recovery systems 3 As assessed during PCR vi) Economic Viability 3 As assessed during PCR vii) Environmental Viability 3 As assessed during PCR viii) O&M facilitation (availability of recurrent funding, foreign exchange, spare parts, workshop facilities etc.)

2 Efforts still being made in this direction

4. Economic Internal Rate of return N/A TOTAL 36 Overall Assessment of Outcome 3 Likely to last

Explanatory Notes for Markings

Relevance and Achievement of Objectives: 4 marks : if the relevance of objectives is fully confirmed, the project has achieved or exceeded all its major objectives, and the project has achieved, or is likely to achieve, substantial development results, without major shortcomings. 3 marks : provided the relevance of objectives is generally confirmed, the project has achieved most of its major relevant objectives, and has achieved, or is expected to achieve, satisfactory development results, with only a few shortcomings. 2 marks : the project failed to achieve most of it major objectives, has not yielded, and is not expected to yield, substantial development results, and has significant shortcomings. 1 mark : the project failed to achieve any of its major objectives and has not yielded, and is not expected to yield, worthwhile development results. Achievement of Institutional Development (ID) Objectives 4 marks : the achievement of ID objectives is in full accordance with the project objective or has exceeded, or is likely to exceed it, without major shortcomings. 3 marks : the achievement of ID objectives is likely to be substantial 2 marks : the achievement of ID objectives is likely to be of only intermediate relevance and modest efficacy or impact. 1 mark : the achievement of ID objectives is of minimal and negligible efficacy or impact. Sustainability 4 marks : sustainability of most project achievements and benefits is highly likely to last. 3 marks : sustainability of most project achievements and benefits is likely to last. 2 marks : sustainability of most project achievements and benefits is uncertain. 1 mark : sustainability of most project achievements and benefits is unlikely

vii

ANNEX V

RECOMMENDATIONS AND FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS MATRIX MAIN FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

LESSONS LEARNED FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS RESPONSIBILITY

Formulation & Project Rationale

(i) A study on the optimal conditions for the delivery of training is an important element of a project of this type, since such a study would have made it possible to avoid allocating resources for up to 12 scholarships for training abroad. Instead provision would have been made upfront for in-country training with the introduction of new courses to be offered at UNAM. (ii) A sub-component of the study referred to above would have provided for the conditions for optimising sustainability. Such a sub-component would have clearly spelled out the conditions for establishing a strong Core Management Team and a strategy for mobilizing resources from the private sector to run the ILRC efficiently. (iii) Clear considerations of the skills required for implementation should be given to the design of a project of this nature. If implementation had been more carefully thought out, the mistake of initially appointing a project manager without any skills in the management of civil works would have been avoided. In addition, provision would have been made upfront for the recruitment a full-time procurement specialist and an accountant. (iv) In designing projects, critical items to be financed with government counterpart funds - for instance, the recruitment of a consultant for design and supervision - should be procured in accordance with the Bank’s rules of procedure rather than government procedures. Under the project, the consulting firm for design and supervision recruited through government procedures tried to influence the size of the project and consequently delayed the commencement of the project and caused the government to pay more than it should have for oversized drawings.

(v) The design of innovative projects of this character should make provision for tentative post-project activities in the form of an annex to be financed on a complementary basis following the completion of the project. Such activities would typically include capacity building aimed at updating skills for the operation of the ILRC whose technology will continue to evolve. (vi) The formulation of a project with sizeable civil works should always make provision for maintenance. The current internal state of the ILRC with suspended ceiling panels which are already breaking up and defects that are soon likely to appear as a result of the daily use of the ILRC calls for regular maintenance with a budget line of its own which should have been built into the project design at the outset.

The Bank should to the extent possible assist the Government in designing and conducting the study. The Government should conduct such a sustainability study at this stage and the Bank should be more involved in sector work aimed at handling sustainability issues. More rigour should be applied by the Bank in clearing candidates for project management with no record of previous related experience. In future projects the Bank should apply its own rules to ensure transparency in the procurement of critical services even where such services are financed by the Government. The Bank should make provision for such activities which could be further modified with changing circumstances over time. As part of its policy and operations-related dialogue with the Government, the Bank should ensure that the Government puts in place and makes adequate budgetary provisions for a mechanism to handle maintenance.

ONSD, POPR ONSD, POPR, Gov’t ONSD, POPR PPRU, ONSD, GECL, Gov’t ONSD, OPEV, Gov’t ONSD, Gov’t

viii

(vii) More resources than initially estimated should be made on a contingency basis for large-scale training of the type provided under the project. The number of participants in workshops and other short-term training sessions by far outnumbered that estimated at appraisal.

Under future capacity-building initiatives, the Bank should make proision for such extensive training.

ONSD

Project Implementation

The recruitment of a Project Manager with skills essential to the physical implementation of a project is critical to the success of the project. Although the HRD Project deals primarily with the effective use of information and knowledge resources, its effective management did not require skills in ICT, library science, or other related areas, as incorrectly recommended at appraisal. The main consideration in the recruitment of an effective project manager to implement the project was its major infrastructure component. The Civil/Structural Engineers who succeeded to jump-start the project after a considerable delay, were the most appropriate persons to have been recruited in the first place. (ii) Familiarization of project staff with the rules of procedure of the Bank is likely to contribute significantly to effective project management and avoid delays. (iii) Regular and quality project supervision is key to the successful implementation of a project. Supervision missions with a multi-disciplinary team (including an ICT expert) would have enhanced the quality of the project in operation. (iv) It is necessary to maintain a Project Manager in the PIU until a project is fully completed. In the absence of the Project Manager, whose contract was prematurely terminated, certain aspects of the project, including the establishment of a functional Core Management Team and the supply of additional equipment, were either only loosely attended to or considerably delayed. (v) Implementation of projects of this nature continue beyond project completion in the sense that new technology has to be continuously updated on the basis of regular studies on user needs. (vi) The Bank should adapt its rules of procurement to projects of this nature, where it is frequently necessary to procure small quantities of diverse equipment and direct purchases instead of national/international shopping would save time and money.

In future projects, the Bank should make a point of recruiting project managers on a probationary basis and only retaining them if their performance so justifies. Bank supervision missions should consistently make provision for training sessions to improve the performance of PIUs on the basis of weaknesses identified. The Bank should assign specific roles to supervision team members with proven communication skills in problematic areas. The Bank should ensure that a Project Manager’s duration on a given project is determined strictly by the implementation duration of a project. Where necessary this requirement should be made a conditionality in future projects As part of its policy dialogue on the sector, the Bank should ensure that the Government is committed to allocating resources for the acquisition of new technology. Given Namibia’s small commercial base, this provision should be specifically made in the appraisal report to accommodate specific procurement modes where neither national nor

ONSD, Gov’t ONSD, PDRE.3, Gov’t ONSD, FFCO, PPRU ONSD, POPR ONSD,ONCB, GECL ONSD, PPRU

ix

(vii) More training in the Bank’s disbursement procedures needs to be provided for project staff. Because project staff were not quite conversant with the Bank’s disbursement rules of procedure, a good number of disbursement applications submitted to the Bank were not honoured. Similar training in procurement is essential for sound project management. (viii) Bank staff should intensify their efforts to ensure that disbursement issues arising from inadequate submissions by Borrowers are promptly dealt with through effective communication. Where there is a communication breakdown between the Borrower and the Bank, samples of what is required should be sent to the Executing Agency.

international shopping is appropriate. The Bank should combine technical and financial supervision missions to be more effective in providing such training. The Bank should work out ways to communicate more effectively with project staff. Repetitive written messages followed by telephone calls

ONSD, POPR, FFCO, PRDE.3

Compliance with Loan Conditions and Covenants

i) Fulfillment by the Borrower of a loan condition should be scrutinized even after the fact. For instance, a more critical review by Bank staff of the profile of the initial manager appointed to run the project would have led to the candidate’s disqualification and avoided the protracted delays attributable to the manager’s incompetence.

(ii) Compliance with a condition relevant to project implementation may not necessarily resolve shortcomings during implementation, since the condition in and of itself may not be adequate. Compliance by the Borrower with one of the “other” conditions to the effect that a comprehensive programme of all training activities be submitted six months after the entry into force of the loan was relevant to implementation but not adequate, as the condition did not also make provision for a strategy to cope with a lack of candidates for training abroad.

The Bank should take into account in designing future projects. The Bank should more scrupulously review loan conditions, especially during working group meetings.

ONSD, GECL, AUDT ONSD, GECL, AUDT

Performance Evaluation & Project Outcome

The Borrower must demonstrate the will to implement key project recommendations required for the proper operation of a project and the Bank should step in to actively assist the Borrower in doing so. The absence of a Core Management Team, which should have been established a long time ago, is likely to adversely affect the project and the Bank should have conditioned this aspect of the project to disbursements. An innovative project with a technology-based facility like the ILRC is likely to continue to expand during operation in view of the growing number of target groups using its resources and the role the facility is playing in knowledge management for development purposes. This means that even long before completion, the Government should have embarked on mobilizing resources for the project’s enhanced

The Bank should insist to the Government on the need to establish and allocate resources to the Core Management Team and should follow up actions taken in this direction. The Bank should step in whenever it is necessary to assess the role of the ILRC and determine the level of assistance required by the Government to meet the challenges of the ILRC.

ONSD, OPEV, the Gov’t ONSD, OPEV, the Gov’t

x

operation. The resource mobilization function should even be intensified during the operation of a project as specific priority requirements emerge over time.

xi

MAIN FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

RECOMMENDATIONS FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS RESPONSIBILITY

Formulation and Project Rationale

None None -

Project implementation None None - Compliance with loan conditions and covenants

None None -

Performance Evaluation and Project Outcome

(i) Consider the Government’s request for grant resources to build capacity to sustain the HRD Project, but in turn request that Government demonstrate its ability to utilize the resources required (by putting in place a competent management team) in view of the Executing Agency’s inability to utilize the balance of the loan that was subsequently cancelled. (ii) Assist the Government in carrying out post-project completion activities, including resource mobilization, with a view to enhancing the viability and sustainability of the project. (iii) To ensure sustainability, the EA should establish the Core Management Team at its earliest convenience. (iv) Continue to conduct short-term training activities in order to meet the needs of an expanding user capacity in the outreach and other centers. (vi) Provide for budgetary resources to cope with priority requirements of the ILRC.

The Bank should source resources for the purpose, especially through its traditional bilateral partners in order to accommodate the request Include strategies in this connection in future dialogue and sector identification missions. Assist in training key national staff in resource mobilization. The Bank should subsequently request from the government evidence of a properly functioning Core Management Team. The Bank should contribute to such training by helping to source appropriate bilateral assistance and through the use of its own training capacity The Bank should assist the Government in conducting public expenditure review exercises to ensure that resources are accordingly allocated.

ONSD, PPLB.3, Gov’t ONSD, Gov’t ONSD, the Government ONSD, PPLB.3, PDRE.3, the Government ONCB, ONSD

Sustainability Introduce user charges for the private sector in order to increase the ILRC’s financial resource base and ensure its sustainability

The Bank should advise and guide strategic measures in this connection.

ONSD, the Government, NGOs, private sector entities

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ANNEX VI

THE CONCEPT OF THE ILRC AS ENVISAGED AND ACTUAL 1. Libraries versus other Learning Resource Centres 1.1 Whereas a library is typically a static repository of learning materials in various forms of publication, information packages and documentaries, a learning resource centre of the type established under the project is a source of similar materials, but seen to be more dynamic in nature in the sense that materials and stocks of knowledge in other forms can be transformed in various ways to match learners’ needs. Learning resource centres, such as the ILRC, are therefore concerned with disseminating their resources in appropriate forms to learners of all levels. Libraries, on the other hand, are concerned with stocking materials as extensively as possible to cover topics perceived to be relevant to a community or communities of users irrespective of the heterogeneous characteristics of users in terms their ability to assimilate such information or bodies of knowledge contained in such materials. Thus the fact that most libraries lend books and materials to its users does not necessarily make such books and materials accessible to them in terms of all the users actually assimilating them. 1.2 Textbooks and other publications on the shelves of libraries and other resource centres in Namibia contain invaluable information and new or updated bodies of knowledge. However, such information and knowledge are not always readily accessible to all - not only in terms of making them physically available to users, but in fact, having all target groups of users with various levels of prerequisite knowledge or schemata readily assimilate their contents. In fact, prerequisite knowledge and skills are essential to effective learning in the sense that related new knowledge and skills are easily comprehended, ultimately stored in long-term memory and readily retrieved whenever necessary. It is thus wasteful to stock facilities with print material - or any other forms of material for that matter - that are not consistently modified, broken down, as necessary, into modular units, logically sequenced instructional events or other forms of manageable learning packages appropriate to the schemata and the prior acquired knowledge of learners at various levels. On the basis of information they already know or experiences they have already acquired, learners are able to acquire new knowledge and skills without difficulty. A learning resource centre is therefore one that fulfils the foregoing dynamic set of criteria and is primarily concerned with the dissemination of a variety of packages of information or learning materials adapted to the needs of learners than the accumulation of a broad spectrum of items to be consulted at a specific place. 1.2 Accordingly, to optimise the utilization of stock in a learning resource centre, instructional systems specialists or instructional designers, who should be part of the team operating the centre, should develop instructional modules, manuals, packages and other forms of user-compatible materials out of the said stock. The effort involved

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in developing sound instructional materials out of existing publications ranges from the mere re-arrangements of bodies of facts into logical sequences to rewriting and

enriching texts with simplified examples of concepts, rules, higher-order rules and problem-solving algorithmic steps. 2. The psychological basis for the optimal use of ILRC resources. 2.1 The design of effective instructional materials is based on the following psychological principles listed in a logical sequence:

- assessing the learners’ entry requirements through a pre-test; - drawing the selective attention of learners by presenting the stimulus (the

subject-matter) in the most appropriate form (usually advance organizers); - eliciting learners’ responses through practice and feedback (embedded

tests); - providing enrichment exercises so that learners are able to transfer their

newly acquired knowledge and skills to novel situations; - assessing learning outcomes (post-test); and - providing remedial instruction.

2.2 Taking into account the foregoing principles, instructional materials developed should be formatively evaluated by having a stratified sample of learners with various learning characteristics use them. As learners study the materials, an instructional systems specialist or the instructional designer should interview them on a one-to-one basis to find out if they encounter any difficulty in learning from the materials. Imperfections in the materials (flaws, typographical and errors, poor use of language leading to ambiguity) that may give rise to learning difficulties must be eliminated. Materials should be properly validated through learner performance data (criterion-referenced post-test results with high reliability). Developed instructional materials should become a necessary part of the stock in a learning resource centre and should be disseminated as widely as possible either as supplements to existing standard texts or independent packages which may be used along with other media (overhead projectors, slides, etc) to achieve effective instruction. 2.3 Notwithstanding the foregoing, there are excellent textbooks, manuals and other forms of publication ready for use by various target groups of learners and to which nothing needs to be done. In such cases, they may simply be disseminated as they are. Or, if necessary, they may be disseminated along with supplementary materials that may enhance learning. 3. Information Technology 3.1 The development and use of information technology is encouraging the view that the information and bodies of knowledge based in learning resource centres should flow out to its users – the concept of the resource centre without walls. In practice, this means that the role of the resource centre is being extended and that it is being complemented by external sources of information, such as commercial databases utilised over data communications networks. The design of a modern information and learning resource centre (ILRC) and the range of facilities it should have must take this into account.

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3.2 The dissemination function of the Information and Learning Resource Centre

in particular calls for the use of multi-media equipment, including computers, radio broadcasts, film scripts, slides, graphic displays as part of the instructional packages which can be accessed by target groups of learners or other users wherever they may be. In particular, videoconference facilities in an ILRC may be effectively used to enable learners to access tailor-made courses offered by lecturers or subject specialists. 4 Staffing of the Information and Learning Resource Centre Under the administrative authority of a Director responsible for its overall administrative and financial management, the ILRC shall be staffed with the following: - Assistant Director: responsible for the day-to-day management of the ILRC in terms of the proper interaction of all its components (library, multi-media centre, instructional design facility); - Librarian: responsible for overseeing the traditional library functions of cataloguing, indexing, etc;

- Assistant librarians: they work closely with the public, and, according to the size of the library stock, they assist and report to the librarian on the status of affairs regarding library resources;

- Subject librarians: they work closely with instructional systems specialists or instructional designers to break down library resources into manageable modules and instructional packages;

- Instructional Systems Specialists and other Learning Psychologists: They are be primarily responsible for ensuring that resources are adapted to the entry level of learners/users and will thus produce supplements to existing materials or will break down poorly designed materials into manageable instructional units for specific target groups of users. To this end, the Instructional Designer/Learning Psychologists shall work with subject librarians and media specialists.

- Media Specialists are responsible for the use and operation of the various information and instructional media available in the ILRC as modes of instructional delivery in their own right and shall advise the instructional designer on the best strategies to mediate instructional packages under preparation.

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ANNEX VII

LIST OF DOCUMENTS CONSULTED

1. African Development Bank Appraisal Report – Human Resources Development Project, 1994

2. Annual Report 2003/2004 – Ministry of Basic Education Sport and Culture Reform Forum Journal for Educational Reform in Namibia, No. 8, October 1998

3. Bank’s Project Files from 2001 4. Borrower’s Project Completion Report, Draft 2, Basic Teacher Education

Project, December 2000 5. Cluster Annual Report 2003 – UNESCO Windhoek Office 6. GRN/UNICEF programme of Cooperation (2002-2005) 7. Memorandum of Understanding for the Education Sector Programme in

Namibia, July 2003

8. Namibia Vision 2030 9. PIU Project File, Ministry of Basic Education, Sport and Culture 10. Questionnaire data from the three colleges – Rundu, Caprivi and Ongwediva

(based on a 30-item questionnaire designed by the ADF PCR mission)

11. Summary Report on the Donor Round Table Conference on Namibia’s Second National Development Plan (NDP2) - 2003

12. Third Joint Annual Review Report, September 2003

13. UNDP Human Development Report, 2003 – Millennium Development Goals: A Compact Among Nations to End Poverty

14. UNICEF Girls’ Education and Development in Namibia – A Supplement to the

State of the World’s Children Report 2004 15 United Nations Namibia Common Country Assessment 2004 – Government of

the Republic of Namibia and the United Nations Systems in Namibia, 2004

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ANNEX VIII

BORROWER’S AND THE EXECUTING AGENCY’S COMMENTS ON BANK’S PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT

The comments of the Executing Agency, the University of Namibia, consisted of: one general observation; editorial and specific comments that were subsequently taken into account in revising the completion report; and an information note on developments after the ADB PCR mission to Namibia. No comments on the PCR were submitted by the Borrower, the Ministry of Finance. 1. General Observation The completion report on the innovative revolutionary Human Resources Development Project (HRDP) - the aim of which was to make intellectual resources and other resources at institutions of higher learning available to all Namibians throughout Namibia through the Information and Learning Resource Centre (ILRC) built on the premises of the University of Namibia (UNAM), using IC technologies, print designed instruction and digitalized materials to improve the productivity of employed people and help unemployable people to become employable by imparting them the requisite skills for performance at desired standards – is a success story that represents a paradigm shift in teaching and learning. 2. Highlights, Editorial and specific comments Highlights of important aspects of the PCR analysis have been noted. Editorial and specific comments have been used to revise some data in the report. 3. Developments after the ADB PCR mission 3.The Executing Agency of the HRDP, the University of Namibia, through its senate, approved an organization structure to run the ILRC, as prescribed in the appraisal report. However, due to financial constraints, the positions in the units are not yet occupied. Even the Director is not yet appointed. There is only an Acting Director seconded from the Centre for External Studies.