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Lesson
Safeguard actions required for non-RBL projects are largely unsuitable for RBL programs, and this needs to be considered to improve the safeguard system assessments and categorization of future RBL programs. While safeguard concerns were satisfactorily resolved in the program, some actions in the safeguard action plan were more appropriate for a typical investment project than for an RBL program. For example, the safeguard action plan indicated the disclosure of environmental documents of senior high school classroom construction.

Project Number: 45089-002
Project Name: Senior High School Support Program
Report Date:
Lesson
Project management units and implementing agencies need to verify the Completion and functionality of all project aspects before authorizing final payments. This is to ensure that all defects and deficiencies are addressed before final payments are made. For example, a key deficiency under this program was the absence of an operation and maintenance plan with confirmed budget allocations for all projects, a deficiency that meant non compliance with a covenant.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
A simpler project and phased implementation need to be considered in future similar interventions to allow for sufficient time and attention to the design of subprojects and monitoring arrangements. The feasibility study for the Warangoi hydropower plant proposed short-term works (i.e., constructing a river training wall) and long-term works (i.e., further river retraining and diversion) which were contingent on hydraulic modeling. However, the modeling was not carried out despite water stream measurement being a loan covenant.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
Hydropower plant (HPP) projects are complex engineering projects requiring comprehensive feasibility studies, strict Implementation in line with study findings and recommendations, and continued engagement by the project management office and implementing agencies to actively assess and flag any issues after Completion and throughout the warranty period. This was brought to focus by the Waranghoi HPP experience that required prompt action to mitigate overtopping of an intake facility in November 2022.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
Delegation to resident missions needs to carefully consider project complexity and expertise in the resident mission and ensure a smooth handover from processing to Implementation by having the project officer during processing remain as project officer during Implementation, until at least the award of the first major procurement package. During Implementation, the Sector Group needs to retain ongoing quality assurance responsibility and conduct annual audits. Continuity and adequate oversight on the project management unit also needs to be ensured throughout project Implementation.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
Adequate consultations with local populations throughout the project cycle are a must especially when land ownership is ambiguous and no outstanding land compensation cases are identified.Local populations forcibly entered the two HPP project sites demanding compensation for historical events, in one of which sites, violence was used. The historical events were not identified by due diligence, which concluded that there were no land acquisition and involuntary resettlement impacts.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
Early engagement with provincial governments can contribute to identifying and avoiding delays due to land acquisition issues. Based on the experience of forcible entry by local communities into two HPP sites, new projects are emphasizing the role of social safeguards and early consultation of local populations. The positive experience of engaging with the provincial government, which contributed to the eventual delivery of the Divune HPP under tranche 1, can serve as a lesson for future projects.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
ADB and its consultants should review the historical performances and previous challenges of similar projects when preparing implementation schedules at approval. The Tranche 1 project included a highly optimistic implementation schedule. The Tranche 2 project was also overly optimistic, although to a lesser extent. Several challenges in procurement, land acquisition, and construction led to significant delays.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
ADB needs to emphasize the recruitment of staff with adequate financial qualifications for the project management unit's (PMU) finance function. Under this program, annual project financial statements (APFSs) and audited entity financial statements were submitted late to ADB for various reasons, including project staff lacking financial management skills and expertise. In several instances, disclaimers of opinion on APFSs and audit qualification reports were issued.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
ADB may need to consider greater flexibility to allow an extension of the availability period of loans under the multitranche financing facility, where deemed appropriate. Because of various delays, the investment program's availability period was extended to 10 years and ended on 24 November 2020. Government requests to extend the availability beyond 2020 were declined by ADB.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
An alternative approach for the Completion of projects halted by the closure of the availability period of MFF-financed loans needs to be explored. This is especiallly important for projects with considerable stranded investments (e.g., stranded investments in the Ramazon HPP included $3 million for transmission line and $3 million for site Preparation). To continually implement the Ramazon HPP, the PNG Power Ltd.

Project Number: 41504-013, 41504-023, 41504-025
Project Name: Town Electrification Investment Program (Multitranche Financing Facility and Tranche 2)
Report Date:
Lesson
Federal transition is a work in progress. As of 2023, Nepal continues to build and evolve its institutional structures as it operationalizes federal structures. Hence, the design and Implementation of a program supporting large sector programs such as the School Sector Development Plan (SSDP) Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) need to be flexible while maintaining a balance between ambitious and incremental results.

Project Number: 49424-001
Project Name: Supporting School Sector Development Plan
Report Date:
Lesson
There is a need for a comprehensive approach that fosters continuity of quality-enhancing interventions to address the persistent challenge of improving learning. Low learning starts in the early grades and continues in the higher grades. Efforts to improve learning need to start from the early grades and continue throughout the different levels of education.

Project Number: 49424-001
Project Name: Supporting School Sector Development Plan
Report Date:
Lesson
Teacher Preparation and professional development programs need to be revisited. Because of their low effectiveness, teacher professional development programs in the country urgently need to be revisited, including from the gender equityy and social inclusion perspective. Teacher Preparation courses at universities need to be reviewed, existing education training centers to be expanded and equipped to deliver modern pedagogy, and school-based teacher support systems to be instituted.

Project Number: 49424-001
Project Name: Supporting School Sector Development Plan
Report Date:
Lesson
Interventions to strengthen sector resilience need to be broadened to improve system readiness for future challenges to learning continuity. After the 2015 earthquake, significant effort was directed towards improving school sector resilience against disasters triggered by natural hazards and climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted new challenges that can impinge on learning continuity, with disproportionate effects on students from poor socioeconomic backgrounds and deprived communities.

Project Number: 49424-001
Project Name: Supporting School Sector Development Plan
Report Date: