STRATEGIES FOR MONITORING & EVALUATION CAPACITY BULDING IN SOUTH AFRICA

Transcription

1 STRATEGIES FOR MONITORING & EVALUATION CAPACITY BULDING IN SOUTH AFRICA Prof SJH Hendricks Acting Director-General: The South African Management & Development Institute (SAMDI) Monitoring & Impact Assessment Seminar June 2006 Farm Inn, Pretoria

2 Contents of Presentation Introduction & Background Aim of Capacity Building for the GWM & E System Systemic & Technical Requirements Integration & Coordination of Existing M & E Capacity Building Initiatives Training Implementation Strategic Approach to M& E Training Proposal Introductory Workshops Approaches for Discussion Conclusion Questions & Discussion

3 Government Wide M&E System Capacity Building (CB) Capacity Workstream AIM: To contribute to strengthening of the capacity building for improved governance and enhance effectiveness of public sector organisations and institutions in terms of Community of Practice processes Capacity to monitor & evaluate mainly support MTSF and MTEF in departments in terms of outputs & impact Minimum CB Standards that underpin the M & E system Critical for accountability, delivery improvement and oversight Flexible on the how but prescriptive on information provision CB Support meeting needs of Presidency and Premiers offices CB Support meeting needs of co-ordinating depts. NT, DPLG, DPSA

4 Integration & Coordination of Existing M & E Capacity Building Initiatives in government Quality Assurance Unit in SAMDI will assist in developing appropriate curriculum & learning frameworks to provide coherence to the field of M & E capacity building Capacity Building Workstream will be integrally involved in the stakeholder consultation and analysis to ensure that appropriate capacity stream are identified for programmatic interventions M & E training will be built upon the principles & practices that cascaded from agreed stakeholder consultations & from the existing pilot department M & E training programmes

5 Important target groups for Capacity Building Government (3 spheres) officials, policy makers and other decision makers ( incl. funders) Programme and project managers & administrators working in govt depts, parastatals, research councils & NGOs Monitoring & Evaluation practitioners and professionals including novice evaluators to those who pursue higher degrees in evaluation studies for a career

6 Differentiate between systemic and technical requirements for M&E capacity building The system objectives are the collection and collation, analysis and dissemination and application of information on the progress and impact of programmes in order to: Ensure transparency and accountability especially at managerial level; Promote service delivery improvement especially at operational level; Ensure compliance with statutory and other requirements; and Promote the emergence for a learning & knowledge management culture in the Public Service as a priority as alluded to by the DG:DPSA

7 Technical aspects for M&E capacity building Application of goals and objectives in developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to operationalize the logic of the planning, budgeting and implementation of programmes Understanding the rationale and key elements for the development of M&E frameworks for departments and develop frameworks within the context of the GWM&E strategy Provide capacity around the development of appropriate indicators for measuring programme outputs and outcomes which operate at various levels of abstraction. Understanding of methods and tools for data collection to ensure utilisation and value of data which needs to be available in user friendly systems or reports.

8 Training Implementation forms part of Capacity Building Training is but one part of capacity development Capacity development is but one part of implementation Cannot reduce implementation to training M&E requirements; policy and brief; institutional expression (structure, people, systems, mandate) Capacity establishment, skills requirements, recruitment and training ( eg at present KZN-14, EC-28, WC-20, National-26 project & programme managers trained) Training orientation and induction to specific system and/or in-depth technical training in M&E & evaluating the evaluators process as apart of capacity building

9 Strategic Approach to M&E Training - Proposal SAMDI is establishing a portfolio of M&E training programmes targeting various levels of officials: 2 introductory workshops: basic M&E literacy for project and programme staff which includes principles, standards, transverse systems & reporting capacity very high level awareness raising workshop for DGs 2 training programmes (may introduce a further 2) Executive Certificate, for those who commission and fund M&E Post Graduate Diploma in M&E Methods, for project staff and evaluators Aimed at developing a common approach to M&E everyone speaking the same language

10 The Introductory Workshops - Draft Basic M&E literacy for project and programme staff Already running 9 Provincial Workshops and 1 National, although there have been high interest levels and we are likely to run many more. Focus on developing effective monitoring and evaluation frameworks over programmes and projects. Also issues relating to commissioning M&E research. Some theory, but mainly practical Proposed DGs Workshop Will look at key M&E concepts and terminology, the idea of evaluation as social learning ; institutional arrangements for effective M&E; and operationalising the logic of the current planning, budgeting, implementation and reporting regime. Hope to implement in mid-year (August 06)

11 The Training Programmes for discussion M&E Executive Certificate Programmes 5-day programme aligned to SAQA Unit standards Aimed at people who commission and find M&E studies, who have to read and understand M&E reports; and develop and inform national or local policies. Post Graduate Diploma in M&E Methods Total credit value of 120 probably a year long programme aligned to SAQA unit standards Aimed at people who have to design, develop, implement and monitor social intervention programmes. Focus on both theory and practice, but with a high level of customisation for the government context. Would look at public officials with experience in M&E teaching core sections of the course.

12 Approach to be followed Focus broadly on Government s M&E framework Specific focus on department/entity s real M&E requirements Work with actual M&E questions and data Focus on institutional arrangements as well Policy & brief; institutional expression (structure, people, systems, mandate) Develop and apply as well as modify existing toolkits to support institutionalisation Draw on talent within public sector as well as outside This approach requires active stewardship of primary stakeholders

13 Conclusion The integrated capacity building implementable strategy will required coordination and integration of all existing M & E initiatives to ensure that the GWM & E is executed by officials who understand the importance of this process The SAMDI capacity building processes will focus on enhancing the functionality of the GWM & E system with the aim of adding value to existing M & E capacity in government

14 Questions and Discussion