Sector Assistance Program Evaluation on Education in Uzbekistan

 
72. Technical 
assistance. 
ADB’s TAs played an important role in identifying reforms for the 
joint consideration of the government and ADB. The issues addressed relate to the broad policy 
reforms under the TA for Monitoring the Implementation of Education Reform, or specific issues 
of financial stability under the TA for Capacity Building in Education Finance. Both were 
assessed to be highly relevant. The TA for Capacity Building in Education Finance was credited 
with devising the most successful component under BETDP, i.e., the TRS. The TPAR termed 
this TA as highly successful. Some TAs, e.g., Interim Review of Senior Secondary Education 
System, succeeded in starting an internal debate and modification of the government policies in 
relation to NPPT, while others contributed to building capacity in the educational system, viz., 
TA for Capacity Building of the Center for Senior Secondary Education, which established the 
Center for Senior Secondary Education (CSSE). In this sense, the early TAs are deemed 
relevant
. It should be noted, however, that most TAs were implemented in an overlapping time 
frame, so their contributions tend to spill over and be claimed or acknowledged in more than 
one project and document. All TAs are rated relevant. 
73. 
Summing up, the completed loan projects were rated relevant to the modernization of 
education in Uzbekistan. They were also consistent with ADB’s country operation strategy and 
education sector strategy. However, there were certain deficiencies in their design, as identified 
in their respective PCRs and mentioned in paras. 68–70.
2. 
Effectiveness in Achieving Outputs and Outcomes 
74. 
BETDP reached and even surpassed most of the expected outputs anticipated at 
appraisal. It (i) achieved an average ratio of 10.4 textbooks per pupil for basic education (9 
grades); (ii) improved the quality, durability, and availability of textbooks and other instruction 
materials; and (iii) enhanced the efficiency of the textbook production system. BETDP also 
provided Latin-script, Uzbek-language reading materials for the school library, kits of 
supplementary teaching aids, and selected textbooks for schools in non-Uzbek languages. 
75. 
By improving the teams of authors, supervisors and trainers, and related curriculum, 
BETDP succeeded in effecting widespread pedagogic improvements in basic education, 
including the introduction of student-centered learning. At the end of BETDP, MOPE had a 
cadre of 62 authors and 122 specialists trained in manuscript evaluation, editing (including 
addressing gender issues in the curriculum and teaching materials), and desktop publishing. 
Staff development training exceeded targets by wide margins. The PCR notes that “In 
retrospect, project design could have included a more rigorous monitoring and evaluation 
framework” (BETDP PCR, para. 4). The BETDP is rated highly effective. 
76. 
An associated development finance institution loan enabled improvements in the quality 
of textbook production materials (paper and hardboard), and printing equipment, by releasing 
the constraint of foreign exchange on necessary imports.

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77. 
SSEP was rated less effective in achieving intended objectives, i.e., impacting on the 
SSE subsector or improving education–employment links, due to several reasons including 
implementation problems, resource constraints, and the absence of a monitoring and evaluation 
(M&E) mechanism. These are detailed in paras 78–80. As for training, the project 
underperformed: (i) only 8,424 personnel (16.3% of the total) were actually trained, whereas 
SSEP had envisaged the local training of 51,563 teachers, model senior high school directors, 
curriculum designers, authors, school librarians, and CSSE staff; and (ii) the overseas training 
program included 34 personnel (27% of the total) who “had not been previously employed in 
SSE nor had a direct relationship with the system.” The PCR notes that the CSSE had not 
introduced any regulation or efforts to retain specialists trained abroad under the project. The 
PCR validation report indicates that the project’s outcomes were only partially achieved (teacher 
development, students’ retention rates and completion rates, and employability of graduates) 
and were limited to the 45 model secondary schools. The education management information 
system and M&E components “were not completed and were vital in addressing policy 
decisions based on reliable data
.”
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78. 
The CSSE had no prior experience working with ADB and was unfamiliar with ADB’s 
expectations, procedures, and monitoring mechanism. It took some time for ADB to realize that 
leaving the management of such a complex project in the hands of an uninitiated implementing 
agency slowed the progress. During the latter portions of project implementation, the CSSE had 
begun to learn and the remedial efforts on the part of ADB began to improve project 
performance. The PCR notes: “CSSE’s capacity in managing development agency-funded 
projects was fully utilized and enjoyed by other development partners, such as Japan Bank for 
International Cooperation and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ)” 
that came on stream subsequently.
79. 
Most importantly, the education management information system and the project M&E 
mechanisms were not functional. To begin with, there was scant hard, quantitative evidence on 
the education system of Uzbekistan, and whatever was accomplished under the project was not 
utilized. In 2004, the government wound up the entire department responsible for M&E under 
the CSSE, thereby removing any basis for the proper monitoring of SSEP and for reporting 
progress. This continues to be a major concern even now. 
80. 
In addition, the government was having difficulty committing counterpart funds to the 
project activities. Due to this, in-service teacher training could not be carried out in the scale 
envisaged during appraisal. The PCR notes that the “current education financing system cannot 
provide adequate long-term support.” It undercuts the endorsement that the PCR provides 
elsewhere in the project: “… supported implementation of compulsory SSE and promoted 
equitable provision of SSE for boys and girls from low-income families, remote rural areas, and 
various language groups.” (Less effective, rating is 3.) 
81.