USAID BANGLADESH FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Amendment No.3

INITIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EXAM1NA TlON OR

REQUEST FO R CATEGORICAL EXCL US ION

PROGRAM/ACTIVITY DATA,

Country Code: 388

Development Objt:ctive: Ed ucati ona l outcomes improved through improved rcad ing skills and increased equitable access to ed ucation.

Program Area: 3.2 Education

Program Element: 3.2.1 Basic Ed ucation

Country/Region: Bangladesh/ANI!

Program/Acti vity Titles : USA ID/BangJadesh Education Program

Funding Begin: May 2006 Funding End : September 2016 LOP Amount : $70,000,000

CE/IEE Prepared by: Islam, Mohammad Shahidul Date: March 28, 2013 lEE Amendment (YIN): Y If "Yes," Number 3

Date of Original lEE: February 14, 2006 AN E 06-107 Bangladesh ETD 5013 SUCCEED & Sisimpuf Date of First Amendment I: July 14, 2009 Date of Second Amendment 2: May 21, 2012

:ENVTRONMENTAL ACTION RECOMMENOED: (P lace X where applicab le)

Categorica l Exclus ion : ~ Deferral : 0 Posit ive Detemlinalion : 0 Negat ive Determination : [2J With Conditions : ~ Exempt ion : 0

1.0 Background a nd Activitv Description:

1.1 PurpOse and Scope oflEE:

The purpose o f thi s third amendment of the Initial Environmental Exam ination (lEE) is to extend the Life of the Projects (LO P) from September 2015 to September 2017 (FY06 - FY 16), increase the LOP ceiling amount, and include new activities to address basic education issues in line with the Agency's Education Strategy under Education lEE and add additional activities to procure basic equ ipment.

An lEE (ANE 06-107 Bangladesh ETD SOl3 SUCCEED & Sisimpur) was approved fo r the USA ID/BangJadesh Education Program activity on February 14, 2006. It was first amended on Ju ly 14, 2009 to extend the activity through FY 2013 , and the second amendment was completed on May 21, 20 12 and extended the life of the education projects.

1.2 Back:.round :

Bangladesh faces two key development challenges to prov ide quality universal primary education. The first is low education quality, especial ly in reading, which results in low ed ucation com pletion rates. The second is access to education, which remains limited for geographicaJly distant areas, urban slum arcas, ethnic minorities, work ing ch ildren , chi ldren of sex workers, and those with disabilities. To meet country needs and support Agency and Mission objectives, USA ID proposes activities to achicve two intermediate results along w ith crosscutting activities to help catalyze greater, effcctive education programming by the GOB and other donors. The goal is 10 improve equitable participation in higher quality, better governed, and better rcsourced primary education services, including the full involvement of chi ldren from d isadvantaged populations.

Planncd and ongoing Basic Education activities will support schoo ls and teachers in improving the quality of learning through efforts to improve reading skil ls among students in early grades in the selected districts in Bang ladesh. These activ ities will be implemented in close consultation and collaboration with Government of Bangladesh (GOB) education ministries, and will set clear standards and benchmarks for reading aligned with national policies and goals. Thc activity is also envisioned to work closely with the local communitics to maximize participation of parents, caregivers and thc larger community in improving the quality o f education in schools . More specifically, the basic education activities wi ll :

train primary and pre-primary schoolteachers 10 improve teaching competencies for effective reading and math instructions;

develop and or adapt an affordable early grade reading and math assessment system;

work closely wilh the communities, civil soc ict ies, academic institutions for cnhancing and leveraging support for early grade literacy;

produce and distribute supplementary reading materials for pre-primary and primary school age children; and

provide technical assistance to GOB ministries and line directorates for early grade reading and math instructions and assessments.

provide basic IT equi pment to support implementation of the training activities

1.3 Description of Activities: The table below includes on-goi ng and planned activities.

Table I

Status Activities

00 c .~

c 0

Promot in g Talent Through Early Education­PROTEEVA Bilateral CA IP: Save the Children Inc. LO P, Feb 18,2010 to Feb 17,20 15 LO P Budget: $14,063 ,557

Early Chi ldhood Educational Mass Media Outreach Aeti vity­Sisimpur (Bangladesh version of Sesame Street) Bilateral CA IP: Sesame Workshop, New York LOP: Oct 1,2006 to Jun 30,2013 LO P Budget: $8,300,000

Scope

PROTEEV A is a fi ve-year cooperative agreement awarded by USAlD/Bangladesh to Save the Ch ildren In c. PROTEEVA improves primary schoo l completion and learning ou tcomes by focusing on the years before primary schoo l and the first years of primary school, because investment in this time period produces the greatest ga ins in terms of school retention and learning. Learning success and sc hoo l completion arc achieved by schools alone but arc reinforced by a range of complementary ac tivities insidc and outside of sc hool that address various factors for success, incl uding: - Primary Education, supporting the transition to primary sc hool and learn ing in

grades one and 1\vo through initiati ves such as Literacy Boost and School

-

-

-

Recepti on ceremonies; Parent Education and Support, equi pping parents to support their children 's learning in practical ways ;

Communi ry-based acti vities, reading to chi ldren, providing reading buddies, mentoring, and after school programs that reinforce language, reading, writi ng, numeracy and life skil ls among children in grades one and two;

Strengthening School Managcment Committecs, providing local mechanisms which have a sta ke in thc quality of education.

USA ID/Bangladesh awarded a second grant to Scsame Workshop, New York for their Bangladesh version of the Sesame Street program Bangladesh Telcvision (BTV). This half-hour televi sion program provides grealer access to informal education through media to improve the literacy, numeracy, and critical think ing skills for an cstimated nine mi llion three to six year o ld children in BangladeshSisimpur has a lready produced seven seasons and now on its way to produce repackaged cpisodes around USAID's four presidential initiatives in Bangladesh.

The Banglfldesh Shishu Academy (BSA) under the leadership of Ministry of Women and Child ren Affai rs of the GOB is another implemc11Iing pal1ncr who hasjaincd with USAID 10

implement the Sisimpur Outreac h Project. The Sis impur Outreach Project extends education into class rooms and in hard-to-reach areas across the countrY. The Sisimpur Outreach

--Proj ect is ShO\\ 11 to pre·school students by a mob ile van. A ricksha w van with a color televis ion, OVD player and portable generator goes school to school to show Sisirnpur ep isodes.

Reading Enhancement READ will support schools and teachers in improving the for Advancing quality of learning through efforts to improve reading skills for Development- READ 3.1 million students in early grades in selected low perfonning Bi latera l CA districts. The acti vity will be managed in close consultation IP:TBD and collaboration with GOB education mini stries, will set clear LOP: July 20 13 to s tandards and benchmarks for readi ng al igned with national October 201 7 policies and goal s, and will maximize the participation of local LOP Budget : communities and parents/caregive rs in improving the quality $15,400,000 of reading in schools. The activities under READ will

contribute directly to the Agency Education Strategy ' s Goal One: Improved reading skiflsJor lOa Million children in primary grades by 2015.

READ will create a toolkit for education stakeholders to use to improve early grade reading and literacy indicators and programs in Bangladesh. READ is expected to improve the reading skill s of3 .1 mi llion children in grades 1-3. By developing the capacity of teachers to teach reading in the primary grades using high q ua li ty multi-genre , cu lturally relevant, and age-appropriate instructional matcrials and resources, USAID/Bangladesh's strategy wi ll fil l an ex isting gap in teacher cducation. Taking a proactive stcp to train teachers in reading methodology will give the teachers the skills thcy need to effect ively improve read ing ski lls. In addition, under this act iviry, USAlD/Bang ladesh will provide technical assistance to the GOB PEDP III in the area of reading and will help infonn national policy in this area.

Enhancing Essential Enhancing Essentia l Lifc Skills In addit ion, Sesamc Street Life Skills (Si s impur) Bangladesh will continuc producing and broadcasting Bilateral CA television epi sodes on the issues related to the Presidential IP: Sesame Workshop, Initiatives, such as Gl obal Health Initiative, Feed the Future, New York Global C limate Change, and Democracy and Govemance. To LOP: )u l 1, 2013 to Jun help the Miss ion fu lfill its di saster managemen t and 30, 2016 preparedness program goa ls, there wi ll be a few episodes and LOP Budget: public service announcements that will address earthquake $3,100,000 preparedness related issues. To enrich reading resources for

Bangladesh students, a ll Sesame Street episodes will be transcribed into Bangia and added to supp lementary reading materials.

Integrated Communiry USAID intends to invest resou rces in specific low-perfonning

"0 l)eve lopmen t Project in districts to raise performance to nationa l leve ls. One area

" the Chittagong Hill targeted for addit ional investmen t is the Chittagong Hill Tracts c ] Tracts (CHn, one of the lowest pcrfonning d istricts in Bangladesh. "- Field SuPPOrt 10 This special focus is expected to improve the readin2 skills of

UNICEF 50,000 ethnic minority students in CHT. To achieve these IP: UNICEF results, USAID will expand on the UNICEF Integrated LOP: Oct 1,2012 to Scp Community Development Project by incorporating: a) use of 30,2015 bilingual or m ultilingual approaches in the delivery of reading LOP Budget: instruction and b) support for sate llite schools fo r grade \-2 $1,000,000 children to ensure quality reading instruction and quality in

education. The use of mother language education is based on proven research and supports UN ICEF's efforts to promote mother-longue-based bilingual or mUltilingual approaches as key to effective learning. These activities \ViII facilitate children's literacy development and successful promotion.

Reach ing Out of School USA ID also intends to target vulnerable geographic areas in Children- ROSC urban slums and rural communities through the World Bank PIO Grant to the World program to reach out-of-school primary school children grades Bank 1-3. USAID's contribution to this program would be to IP: World Bank upgrade rcading skil ls of up to 500,000 children . LOP: Jull, 2013 toJun 30,2016 LOP Budget: $3,800,000

Special Initiatives Special Initiatives arc to dcsign, procure and implement LOP Budget: programs in line with the miss ion's Development Goals and $15 ,000,000 USAID's Education Strategy.

2.0 Counlrv Environmental Information: With recent economic growth averaging over five percent, Bangladesh has succeeded in reducing the incidence of poverty to 40 percent of its population of nearly 150 million and shows promise of meeting several of its Millennium Development Goals. Nevertheless, the country faces huge challcnges in further reducing poverty, alleviating pressure on natural resources and in reversing decades of envi ronmental degradation .

Bangladesh suffers from environmental problems of every kind - pollution of air and water and deter ioration of the quantity and quality of its natural resources: soil, water, forests, biodiversity and fisheries . Inadequate management of human use of the environment is impacting human health, causi ng economic damage and irreversible biodivers ity losses. The World Bank has estimated that economic costs of environmental degradation amount to 4.3 percent of gross domestic prod uct.

Indoor a ir pollution, from stoves burning dirty fuels , has been !lagged as a major threat to huma n hea lth but air pollution from vehicles and industries is also sign ificant. While safe drinking water is now available to 80 percent of the population , adeq uate sanitation is much more limited. Solid waste collection and disposal is a widespread problem. Ambient water quality is unsatisfactory around major cities and industrial clusters .

Floodplains constitute one of the nation's most valuable natural resources. Fish supply 60 percent of Bangladesh's animal protein consumption and are of particular importance to the poor. Capture fisheries have been in decline for some time, as a result of physica l obstruct ions, overfishing, pollution and inadequate management policies and institut ions .

Bangladesh has limited remaining natural forest cover, at about 10 percent of land area, and almost all of that area is now seriously degraded, as a result of extreme population pressure for fuel wood and other forest product's, as well as inadequate management. Community forests in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and private forests (homestead lots), however, bring the forest cover up to 35 percent of land. There has been a recent expansion in the number of forest protected areas from 14 to 21, although, as a percentage of land covered, they are st ill only 1.6 percent of the nation's territory, one of the lowest rates of coverage in the world.

Given that Bangladesh is mostly below \0 m above sea level, it is espec ially vulnerable to the possible impacts of sea level rise and the other expected impacts of global climate change. A recent UNOP policy study corroborates Bangladesh 's high vulnerabil ity to adverse effects of global cl imate change and projects that extreme events (cyclones, floods, droughts) will become more frequent and/or scvere over the coming decades. Impacts will likely be severe on agriculture, moderate on the forest sector, and low ro moderale on inland fisheries. The lack of institutional capacity to address these changes is also highlighted by UNDP.

Nevertheless, over the last 35 years, the Government has invested over $1 0 billion to make the country less vulnerable to natural disasters. These investments (supported by development partners), include programs for flood management, construction of coastal polders, cyclone and flood shelters, raising roads above flood level and installing warning systems. However, addressing climate change adaptation and mitigation will require scal ing up of investments and sound environmental management, including natural ecosystems management. This is the purpose of the Bangladesh C limate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP) (GoB 2009), whieh sets out six pillars/themes and 64 projects, mainly in the adaptation area.

2.1 National Environmenlal Policies and Procedures:

In the context of the environment, the Government of Bangladesh formulated an Environment Policy in 1992. The objectives of Environment Policy are to :

• Maintain ecological balance and overall development through protection and improvement orthe environment;

• Protect the country against natural disasters; • Identify and regulate activities which pollute and degrade the environment; • Ensure environmentally sound development in all sectors; • Ensure sustainable, long term and environmentally sound use of all national resources;

and, • Actively remain associated with all international environmental initiatives to the

maximum possible extent.

The Government of Bangladesh has also adopted a number of supplementary policies where environment and development issues have been addressed. Important policy documents in this respect are the Forest Policy (1994), the Fisheries Policy (1998), the Water Policy (1998), the New Agriculture Extension Pol icy (1995), The Energy Policy (1995). Besides these seclOral policies. the National Conservation Slrategy (NCS) and especially the National Environment Management Action Plan, 1995 (NEMA P) have been formulated to provide action plans to respond to environmental issues and promote sustainable development.

The Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act (1995) established the Department of Environment (DoE) and signaled a move towards ecosystem approaches and regulation of developments harmful to those ecosystems, particularly pollution control and mitigation and requirements for Envi ronmental Impact Assessments. Under it, the Environmental Protection Regulations (1998) cover regulations, compliance and enforceme nt. The Act includes provisions for declaring Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs) to restrict potentially hannful activities in these areas. Ten such areas have since been declared .

The Forest Act of 1927 sets the frame for forest management and vests considerable power in the hands of the Chief Conservator of Forests to determine the use of forest lands and to penalize illegal use rs. Wh ile allO\\ling for designating use rights in forest for villages. the act does not give a role to neighboring communities in any decision making. including minority commun ities that often had use and settlement rights in forest areas or for civil society in general. The Bangladesh Wildlite (Preservation) Order of 1973 (later amended and gazetted as the Bangladesh Wildlife (Preservation)(Amcndment) Act of 1974) is mainly concerned with regulating hunting but also sets out the scope for declarin g protected areas as wildlife sanctuarics or national parks; notably, these are not limited to forests, nor is the Order limited to Forest Department implementation. New rules for management of Protected Areas (PAs) and for social forestry now under discussion should go a long way to institutional izing the concept of co-management (see below).

The Protection and Conservation of Fish Act, 1950, and related Protection and Conservalion of Fish Rules, 1985. which cover not only fish but also amphibians and aquatic reptiles, prohibit fishing by hannful methods. pollution and other activities detrimental to fisheries, and enable declaration of closed seasons and other rules. More recently, the Conservation, Restoration and Filling Control Act of2003 aims to address problems of siltation, encroachment and pollution of surface waters (rivers, canals, beels. floodplains) as well as aquifers .

3.0 Evaluation ofPorential Environmental Impacts :

Evaluation of potential environmental impacts from the Education Program activities is summarized in the tablc below:

Table 2

Status Activities Effect on NaturallPhysical Reg 216 Determinations and Environment Actions Required

Promoting Talent Minor effect since this activity Categorical Exclusion per 22 Through Early will require procuring IT eFR 216.2 (c)(2)(i) as Education- equipment such as multimedia "educati on, technical assistance, PROTEEVA projector, laptop and desktop or training programs," 22 eFR Bilateral CA computers, and power backup 216.2 (c)(2)(iii) as "analysis,

systems. studies, academic or research workshops or meet ings" and 22 eFR 216.2 (c)(2)(v) as "document and information

00 transfers. no actions required .

" No actions required. '13

'" c 0 Negative Determination with

cond itions: equ ipment and materia ls procured from certified retailers; environmental safety and quality certificates confonning with national and/or international standards are available, equipment and materials are used in an env ironmentally sound and safe manner, properly disposed of when appl icab le at the end of their useful life in a manner consistent with best management practices according to USG, European Union or equivalent standards .

Early Childhood M' ffi ' h' "' ''--mor e ect smce t IS actIvIty Categorical Exclusion per 22 Educational Mass wi ll require procuring IT erR 216.2 (0)(2)(i) as Media Outreach eq uipment such as multimedia "education, technical assistance, Act ivity- Sisimpur projector, laptop and desktop or training programs," 22 eFR (Bangladesh version computers, and power backup 216.2 (c)(2)(iii) as "analysis, of Sesame Street) systems. studies, academic or research Bilateral CA workshops or meetings" and 22

erR 216.2 (c)(2)(v) as "document and information transfers. No actions required .

Negative Determination with conditions: equipment and materials procured from certified retai lers; environmental safety and quality certificates confonning with national and/or international standards are available, equipment and materials are used in an environmenta lly sound and safe manner, properly disposed of when applicable at the end of their usefu l life in a manner consistent with best management pract ices according to USG, European Union or equivalent standards.

Reading Minor effect since this activiry Categorical Exclusion per 22

" Enhancement for will requ ire procu ring IT eFR 216,2 (c)(2)(i) as

0 Advancing equipment such as multimedia "educat ion, technical assistance, 0 c Devclopment- projector, laptop and desktop or training programs," 22 CFR -" "- READ COmnulerS, and power backup 216.2 (~)bXiii) as "analysis,

Bilateral CA systems. studies, academic or research workshops or mectings" and 22 CFR 216.2 (c)(2)(v) as "document and information transfers. No actions required

Negative Determination with condit ions: equipment and materials procured from certified retai lers; environmental safety and quality certificates conforming with national and/or international standards are available, equipment and materials are used in an environmentally sound and safe manner, properly disposed of when applicable al the end of their useful life in a manner consistent with best management practices according to USG, European Union or equivalent standards.

Enhancing Essential Minor effect since this activity Categorical Exclusion per 22 Life Skills will require procuring IT CFR 216.2 (c)(2)(i) as (Sisimpur) equipment such as mu ltimedia "education, technical assistance, Bilateral CA projector, laptop and desktop or training programs," 22 CFR

computers, and power backup 216.2 (cX2)( iii) as "analysis, systems. stud ies, academic or research

workshops or meetings" and 22 CFR 216.2 (c)(2)(v) as "document and information transfers. No actions required

Negative Determination with conditions: equipment and materia ls procured from certified retailers; environmental safety and quality certificates conforming with national andlor international standards are available, equipment and materials are used in an environmentally sound and safe manner, properly disposed of when applicab le at the end of their useful life in a manner consistent with best management practices accord ing to USG, European Union or equivalent

standards .

Intcgrated No effect Catcgorica l Exclusion per 22 Community CFR 216.2 (e)(2)( ;) as Dt!velopment "education, technical assistance, Project in the or training programs," 22 CFR Chittagong Hill 2 16.2 (c)(2)(iii) as "analysis, Tracts studi es, academic or research Field Support to workshops or meetings" and 22 UNICEF CrR 216.2 (e)(2)(v) as

"document and information transfers. No actions required

Reaching Out of No effect Categorical Exclusion per 22 School Children- CFR 216.2 (e)(2)0) as ROSC "education, techn ical assistance, PIO Grant to the or training programs," 22 CFR World Bank 216.2 (c)(2)(iii) as "analysis,

studies, academic or research workshops or meetings" and 22 e FR 216.2 (e)(2)(v) as "document and informat ion transfers . No actions required

Specia l In itiatives No effect and/or Insignificant Categorical Exclusion per 22 since the act ivities might erR 216.2 (e)(2)0) as involve procuring IT eq uipment "education, technical assistance, such as multimedia projector, or training programs," 22 CFR laptop and desktop computers, 216.2 (c)(2)(iii) as "analysis, and power backup systems. studies, academic or research

workshops or meetings" and 22 eFR 216.2 (e)(2)(v) as "document and information transfers. No actions requ ired

Negative determination for procurement of equipment. Conditions: equipment and material s procured from certified retailers; enviro nmental safety and quality certificates conforming with national and/or international standards are available, equipment and materials are used in an environmentally sound and safe manner, properly disposed of when applicable at the end of thei r useful life in a manner consistent with best management .

globally. The PPA will be reviewed and approved by thc Bureau Environmental Officer prior to start of activities.

• Assistance. procurement or usc of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) will require preparation of biosafety assessmeni (review) in accordance with ADS 20 1.3.12.2(b) in an amendment to the lEE approved by the Asia BEO.

• DCA or GOA programs. • Procurement or use of Asbestos Containing Matcrials (ACM) (i.e. piping, roofing, etc),

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB), lead, mercury or other toxiclhazardous materials prohibited by US EPA as provided at: http://WW\v.epa.gov/asbestosand/orunder international environmental agreements and conventions, e.g. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants as provided at: http://chm.pops.int.

Any of these actions would require an amendment to the lEE duly approved by the Asia BEO.

Revisions: Pursuant to 22CFR216.3(a)(9), if new information becomes availab le which indicates that activities to be funded by the Project might be "major" and the Program's effect "s ignificant," or if additional activities are proposed that might be considered "major" and their effects significant, this categorical exclusion and negative determination will be reviewed and rev ised by the originator of the project and submitted 10 the Bureau Environmental Officer (BEO) for approval and, if appropriate, an environmental assessment wil l be prepared. It is the responsibi li ty of the USAID Agreement/Contracting Officer' s Representative (NCOR) to keep the Mission Environmental Officer and the BEO informed of any new information or changes in the activity that might require revision of the lEE.

CLEARANCE:

PII ,.;E Olliee Director:

Mission Environ mental Officer:

Program Onicc Director:

Deputy Mission Di rector:

Regional Environmental Officer:

Mission l)ircclOr:

Approval:

Rureau Environmental Officer

Grego!,)' Adams

d 7-- -Tamar Ba rdb:uh:c

Thom:ts Kress

Andrei BlI r<tnn ik

Richard Greene

Date: :; .,.i 7 l.l

Dale: d, /~,~ ,

Date:

Approved: ~

l>isappro\"cu : 0