This evaluation was prepared by an Independent Evaluation Group team led by Susan Caceres, under the guidance and supervision of Galina Sotirova (manager, Corporate and Human Development Unit), Oscar Calvo-Gonzalez (director, Human Development and Economic Management Department, 2019–23), and Theo David Thomas (director, Human Development and Economic Management Department, 2023–present) and under the overall direction of Alison Evans (Director-General, Evaluation, 2019–23) and Sabine Bernabè (Director-General, Evaluation, 2023–present).

The evaluation team consisted of Anthony Tyrrell, Xiaoxiao Peng, Mariana Branco, Jeffery Marshall, William B. Hurlbut, Dafni Skalidou, Sengphet Lattanavong, Disha Zaidi, Denise A. Vaillancourt, Judith Hahn Gaubatz, Sian Williams, Brian Gregory Allen, Rosen Asenov, and Julia Monteath de Franca. Yezena Yimer provided superb administrative support at all stages of the evaluation. Romina Paula Cicerello developed the graphics for the evaluation. The team was assisted in conducting the case studies by Hai Thi Thanh Pham, Irene Wangari Kinuthia, Arnaud Gotoraye, Henok Fasil Telila, Boimourod Bobodjanov, Maaheen Shah, Abijit Sharma, Naif Talal Mustafa, and Mark Vandi Bawoh. The initial stages of the evaluation benefited from foundational research, consultation with World Bank task team leaders, and methodology advice from Estelle Raimondo. The team benefited from comments by members of Independent Evaluation Group staff, especially Diana Goldemberg, Rasmus Heltberg, and Estelle Raimondo, whose feedback helped strengthen the report.

The report was peer-reviewed by Barbara Bruns (visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development and adjunct professor at Georgetown University), Paula Malan (senior education adviser for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland), and Michelle Kaffenberger (deputy director of research, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford).