Archives - Records of the Education Sector

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Records of the Education Sector

Reference code(s)
Title
Date(s)
Level
Extent and medium

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WB IBRD/IDA 88 WB_IBRD/IDA_88
Records of the Education Sector
1960, 1970-2007
Fonds

170 linear feet of textual records (approximate)

2.2 Administrative history.

The World Bank first began lending for education projects in fiscal year 1963. In October of 1963, a
memorandum from the President on Proposed Bank/IDA Policies in the Field of Education was issued
in which the basic policy on education projects was set forth. Initially, the objectives were to promote
educational planning, build infrastructure, and attract additional capital investment from other donor
agencies.
Functional responsibility for education-related activities was first articulated in the organizational
structure of the World Bank after the January 18, 1965, creation of the Projects Department (PRJ). The
Projects Department, which had roots in the Technical Operations Department (September 1952 to 18
January 1965) and in the Economic Department (19 April 1948 to September 1952), was responsible
for: the identification, appraisal and supervision of projects; policy formulation and research; and advice
in support of the operational activities of the area departments. The Projects Department initially had five
subordinate divisions: Agriculture Division (PRJAG); Public Utilities Division (PRJPU); Industry Division
(PRJIN); Transportation Division (PRJTP); and Education Division (PRJED).
On November 1, 1968, the Projects Department was terminated and the subordinate divisions were
upgraded to the department level. The Education Department (EDP) was one of the newly created
departments along with the Departments of Agriculture (AGP), Transportation (TRP), and Public Utilities
(PBP). Duncan S. Ballantine was the Departments first director and served until 1977. Initially, EDP had
two divisions: Education Division 1 (EDP1) and Education Division 2 (EDP2). In 1970, Education Division
3 (EDP3) was created.
From 1968 until a Bank-wide reorganization in 1972, the individual Projects Departments reported to the
Director of Projects (DRP), and were the primary Bank units responsible for the appraisal, negotiations,
and supervision of operational project work in their respective sectors. The Departments were
specifically responsible for:

providing advice, conducting research, and monitoring developments in sector issues;

carrying out sector studies with the objective of identifying projects and determining priorities
within sectors;
preparing policy papers outlining the basic principles and approaches of the Bank relating to
project and sector work;
preparing guidelines and standards;
appraising proposed projects and supervising projects in execution;
assisting in the identification and preparation of projects;
providing operational support in the negotiation and administration of loans and credits; and
cooperating with other international agencies on programs of common interest.

In 1971, the Bank issued the first formal statement on the priority for education lending in an Education
Sector Working Paper. This was updated in 1974 with the 1974 Sector Working Paper. The latter
emphasized the urgency of improving access of the rural and urban poor to education, making curricula
relevant to rural needs, and promoting functional adult literacy.
The Banks massive reorganization in October 1972 attempted to more effectively fuse country
knowledge with sector skills. Sectors with a sufficient number of experts and an established lending
program, such as the Education Department, were largely decentralized. While maintaining a centralized
core staff of Department advisors, the majority of Department staff were dispersed to regional project
departments in newly established Regional Vice Presidencies. The remaining centralized staff made up
the sector operating departments and performed advisory services for the Regions. They were
responsible for improving and maintaining the quality of Bank lending and related operations through:
formulating policies, methodology and guidelines; providing operational support and advice; and
managing related programs of recruitment assistance, staff development and education.

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The Education Department, as well as other sector operating departments, reported to the newly
created Vice President, Central Projects (CPSVP). The Vice President, Central Projects, replaced the
previous Director, Projects (DRP), and reported to the Senior Vice President, Operations (SVPOP).
On July 1, 1977, the Department was assigned a new acronym (EDC) and a Training Unit (EDCTR) was
established. On July 1, 1983, three other units were created: Education Research Program (EDCRS);
Education Operational Policy Program (EDCOP); and Education Project Related Training Program
(EDCPT).
In 1980, the 1980 Education Sector Policy Paper was released. It emphasized primary education as
the foundation of educational development and called for: improved access of girls and rural children to
basic education; a limitation of additional investments in secondary and higher education; enhanced
instructional quality by providing cost-effective school inputs and teacher training; improving internal
efficiency; mobilizing community resources and the mass media; and building local institutions.
In July 1984, EDC was renamed the Education and Training Department (EDT). In February 1985, the
subordinate units of EDT were given the status of divisions. This resulted in: Research Division
(EDTRS); Education Policy Division (EDTEP); and Project Related Training Division (EDTPT). EDTPT
was subsequently terminated on July 1, 1986, and EDTEP received a new acronym (EDTPD) on July
30, 1986.
On July 1, 1987, a Bank-wide reorganization resulted in the termination of almost all organizational units.
The Vice Presidency, Sector Policy and Research (PRE), was established in May 1987, and reported to
the Senior Vice President, Policy, Planning and Research (PPR). The PRE shed all responsibility for
managing operational activities and focused completely on operational support, the formulation of
Bank-wide sector policies, and overseeing the ex-post evaluation of Bank-wide sector work and lending.
The PRE changed its acronym to PRS on January 1, 1990.
At the time of its creation, the PRE had five departments reporting to it including the new Population and
Human Resources Department (PHR). This Department integrated the functions of EDT and the
Population, Health and Nutrition Department (PHN); it also assumed responsibility for activities related to
strengthening the role of women in development. The Department had four divisions: Education and
Employment Division (PHREE); Population, Health and Nutrition Division (PHRHN); Women in
Development (PHRWD); and Welfare and Human Resources Division (PHRWH). On July 1, 1992, a
Population Policy and Advisory Service Group (PPAS) was established in the Front Office of the
Department to increase attention to population work. The PHR was responsible for:
formulating policies and strategies for human resource development and women in development,
and developing new initiatives and Bank products;
conducting supporting research, including the improvement of research capabilities in developing
countries, and management of external research funded through the Research Support
Budget;
improving methodology and identifying best practices;
performing ex-post evaluation of the Banks human resources sector work;
providing operational support;
liaising with non-Bank organizations and professionals in the field;
developing household data on living standards; and
assisting in the recruitment and training of staff.
In 1991, the priority areas of education sector lending were:
improving the effectiveness and efficiency of primary education;
increasing the access of women and girls to education;
strengthening science and technology education;
improving the efficiency and flexibility of training systems;
strengthening the contributions of higher education and sciences and technology institutions to
development; and
continuing support for project-related training and the development of sectoral training capacity.
On December 1, 1991, President Lewis Preston's first reorganization abolished all Senior
Vice-Presidencies. The new Sector and Operations Policy Vice Presidency (OSP) was created and
adopted functions previously supervised by Senior Vice Presidents, including the PHR. On January 1,

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1993, as part of a larger initiative to align the Bank's organization with the priority areas of its poverty
reduction effort, the Sector and Operations Policy Vice Presidency was terminated. It was replaced by
three new thematic vice presidencies: Human Resources Development and Operations Policy (HRO),
Finance and Private Sector Development (FPD), and Environmentally Sustainable Development (ESD).
During the 1993 reorganization, the PHR was terminated and its functions were split between a new
Education and Social Policy Department (ESP) and a Population, Health and Nutrition Department
(PHN). Both of these departments were placed in the HRO vice presidency along with an Operations
Policy Department (OPR). The OPR absorbed the functions of: the former Central Operations
Department (COD); the International Economic Relations Division (OPRIE); and the UN Office in New
York (OPRNY) transferred from the External Relations Department (EXT).
On July 1, 1995, HRO became Human Capital Development and Operations Policy (HCO). At this time
ESP was terminated; the education functions were moved into the new Human Development Department
(HDD) which consisted of education as well as the previous Population, Health and Nutrition functions of
PHN. The Social Policy function of ESP was moved into the new Poverty and Social Policy Department
(PSP).
In 1997, the thematic Vice Presidencies were reorganized to strike a better balance between country
focus and sectoral excellence. To facilitate sharing of expertise and knowledge, the Bank established
networks that linked Bank-wide communities of staff working in the same field across organizational
boundaries and with external partners. The networks formed a virtual overlay on the existing Bank
organization, and were intended to link staff working in the same sectors throughout the Bank, whether
the staff was located in the Regions, in the Central Vice-Presidencies Sector Departments, or other
Vice-Presidencies.
Each of the three thematic Central Vice-Presidencies was transformed into the central units, or anchors,
of each network and consisted of the existing sector departments. On a Bank-wide basis, sector
specialists were grouped into regional sector units or into central sector departments that worked with
country departments in a matrix relationship. Staff from the central sector departments could become
part of the Regional operational teams when their sectoral expertise was required.
The work programs of Network staff focused on the following items.

Global knowledge putting the best development knowledge in the hands of Bank task teams;
ensuring that the knowledge base was accessible to external clients; and contributing to the
growth of the knowledge base.
Enhanced skills developing and providing content to training courses; establishing
professional and technical standards for professional development.
Shared strategies assisting regional and central units to develop a common sector agenda,
and ensuring that skills are effectively deployed across the entire network. Network leadership
assumed responsibility for global programs, sector strategy development and evaluation,
strategic partnerships, and learning and dissemination.
Best teams and best practices improving the Banks flexibility and mobility by building
stronger task teams and delivering higher quality products.
Institutional initiatives providing substantial support for new Bank-wide initiatives, such as
Social Development, Rural Development, Financial Sector, Anti-corruption, Human Resources,
and Knowledge Partnerships.

The result of the 1997 restructuring was four networks: the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable
Development Network (ESSD); the Finance, Private Sector Development, and Infrastructure Network
(FPD); the Human Development Network (HDN); and the Poverty Reduction and Economic Management
Network (PRM).
As part of this reorganization, the HDD was broken into three teams and placed in HDN. The teams
included: Education Team (HDNED); Health, Nutrition, and Population Team (HDNHE); and the Social
Protection Team (HDNSP). In 2003 an HIV/AIDS Global Program Team (HDNGA) was created and
added to the HDN.
2.4 Immediate source of acquisition or transfer. Records were transferred directly from sector units
to the Archives using approved records retention and disposition schedules.
3.1 Scope and content.
The fonds consists of records that reflect the various activities of the education sector in the World

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Bank. Included in the fonds are records related to research activities. These include: proposals;
Research Project Outputs (RPOs); exploratory studies; and other research undertaken by education
sector departments. Record formats may include, but are not limited to: research proposals; terms of
reference; contracts; agreements with consultants, universities and other third parties who are doing
research for or with the division; back-to-office reports; statistical and other data; published and
unpublished reports; working papers; related correspondence; information on surveys; and supporting
documentation. Topics may include but are not limited to: economic impact of education; women in
education; structural adjustment and education; education and public expenditures; education strategy
and employment policies; assessments of testing capacities; effects of school conditions and
atmosphere on students performances.
Research records related to policy and best practice development are also included. Topics may
include, but are not limited to: building research capacity; economics of education; primary, secondary
and higher education; education and adjustment; employment and labor market; vocational training; and
higher education in the sciences. The majority of these records is correspondence, but may also include:
sector policy reviews; Operations Annual Review; Sector and Operations Vice Presidency (OSP) Annual
Sector Review; Operations Evaluation Department (OED) Annual Reviews; and documents relating to
special studies. Also included is a final version of the education sector strategy paper (1999) as well as
records related to an External Advisory Panels Advisory Group on Education, which contains
correspondence, Group reports, meeting materials, and presentation slides.
Records that document the sectors operational support to the Banks lending and project activities are
included in this fonds. These records primarily include regional strategy papers and supporting
correspondence, country summaries, and education status data. Also included are the final review
reports of the quality enhancement review panels work on a number of education projects between
2001 and 2007.
A small amount of correspondence, policy, guidelines, proposals, and organization files related to the
Special Grant Program as well as trust funds administered by the education sector are also included.
The fonds also consist of records of liaison between Bank education sector departments and national
and international organizations, academic institutions and other external education and employment
sectors. These records consist exclusively of correspondence.
Records related to communications, training, and outreach activities of the education sector are
contained in this fonds. Records relating to a variety of conferences, workshops, seminars, and study
tours are included. These records include correspondence, agendas, presentation slides, and training
materials. A considerable amount of records related to the World Conference on Education for All
(WCEFA) in 1989 are contained in this fonds. The Conference was jointly sponsored by the Bank and
the United Nations (UN). While the records were originally created by the Secretariat in New York City,
the Bank took responsibility for follow-up matters and thus the records were transferred to the Banks
offices in Washington. A small amount of education sector publications are included; these consist of
discussion papers of the Education and Training Series from the mid-1980s. A variety of knowledge and
information products produced or received by education sector departments are included. These take
the form of: Bank reports; project lesson reports; newsletters; presentations; correspondence; and
supporting documentation.
The fonds also contains chronological files of the Education and Social Policy Department (ESP) from
February, 1994, to December, 1995. Records from July to December, 1995, were created or received
by the Poverty and Social Policy Department (PSP). Records generally consist of correspondence and
attachments. The majority of correspondence is to and from ESP staff and other Bank departments.
Records relate to: policy development; Departmental contributions to external projects, reviews, and
policy development; conference and seminar attendance and participation (including the Gender
Symposium [November 10-11, 1994] organized, in part, by ESP); and assistance to and collaboration
with the Regions. Records include: meeting briefing notes, agendas and minutes; comments on research
and policy papers and Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) papers; Terms of Reference; back-to-office
reports; a manuscript submitted for publication to the External Affairs Department (EXT); and progress
reports.
The fonds also contains small amounts of: Education Sector Board meeting records; chronological files
of the Education Sector Board (ESB); and subject files. Also included are HDNED budget and financial
review records from 1997 to 2000. These include: business plans; mid-term reviews; retrospective
reviews; and budgets.
3.3 Accruals. Accruals are expected.
3.4 Arrangement. The following arrangement is provisional. Records are arranged into thirteen series:

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Chronological file of Elizabeth King

Research files
Policy and best practice development
Liaison files
Accountability reports and related records

Operational support
Conferences, workshops, seminars, and study tours
Publications and knowledge and information products
Accounts and budgets
Education Sector Board meeting records
Education Sector Board chronological files
Chronological files
Subject files
4.1 Conditions of access. Records are subject to the World Bank Policy on Access to Information.
4.2 Conditions of reproduction. Records are subject to the Copyright Policy of the World Bank Group.
4.3 Language/scripts. English.
4.5 Finding aids.
While a finding aid specific for the records of this fonds does not exist, researchers who are interested
in operational projects (loans, credits, grants, and trust funds) within the Education Sector are
encouraged to reference the Projects and Operations Database on-line. The Projects and Operations
Database search can be narrowed to include only those projects within the education sector, and
contains some final reports specific to each project. Should researchers wish to access the archival
records related to these projects, cite the Project ID number when making a request.
5.4 Related units of description. See: Records of the Records of the Human Resources Development
and Operations Policy Vice Presidency, WB IBRD/IDA 91 WB_IBRD/IDA_91; and Records of the
Human Development Network, WB IBRD/IDA 32 HDN.
7.2 Rules or conventions. Internal World Bank Group Archives rules based on ISAD(G).
7.3 Date(s) of descriptions. 10 July 2012.
2013 The World Bank Group, All Rights Reserved. Legal.

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