A Study of Monitoring and Evaluation System of Multilateral Funded Educational Projects in Ethiop
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study examines and describes the practices, problems and prospects of M&E of educational projects
funded by multilateral agencies in Ethiopia. To meet the general objective, an attempt was made to seek
possible answers to the basic questions that revolve around the existence of the M&E systems; availability of
well-stated objectives; presence of data collecting instruments and performance indicators; availability of
adequate human and material inputs; presence of earmarked budget; types of M&E that are often used;
reporting and feedback and the extent they are used for decision making. The descriptive survey method was
used as a method of research. A purposive sampling technique was employed to include the MOE, MOFED,
REEs, BOFEDs, CountlY Representatives or Offices of the WB, the ADB, the EU and the UNICEF. A stratified
random sampling technique was applied in selecting Oromia, Amhara and SNNPRfrom the relatively favoured
regions, Somalie from less emphasized in development and Addis Ababa from city administration. The subjects
of the study, 54 respondents (J 2 from MOE, 8 from MOFED, I2BOFEDs, 16REBs and 6from Donors), were
chosen by employing availability sampling. Information was solicited from sample respondents through two
different sets of survey questionnaires.
The outcome of the study indicates that M&E systems existed in both government and donor organizations.
Although there were objectives for M&E, they were found to be conji/sing when they were evaluated against the
five criteria of well-stated objectives (specificity, measurability, acceptability, realistic, and lime bound). The
indicators already set by donors and government jointly were reasonable in number, but they were hardly
including all the seven criteria of well-developed performance indicators to the desired extent. Out of more than
six tools that are available for data gathering, only questionnaire and document reviewing were the two data
gathering instruments frequently used by M&E units. The human resources in the M&E units were with limited
experiences and capacity. One and only one person at each of the WB, the ADB and the EU country offices was
assigned to cany out the M&E of education projects. With regard to non-human resources, the M&E units were
ill-equipped with sufficient office facilities. The system had a long chain of command to approve bid documents,
for financial flow, to plan and to procure. Although there were earmarked budgets for M&E activities, it was
almost below 2.5% of to tal project cost. Even the meagre allocated budget for M&E activity was under utilized
or not utilized.
With regard to types of M&E, physical progress and project costs were monitored quarterly, but monitoring of a
project's quality was almost non-existent. On-going and ex-post evaluation were reported as employed by M&E
units and less attention was paid to impact and other types of evaluations. Even if there were reports produced
after M&E, they were not timely, free from jargon, short and to the point, with a variety of visual illustrative
(photographs, charts and so on), with parts of lessons learned, clear and action-oriented, and reliable to the
desired extent. Feedbacks were almost non-existent and therefore, decisions were hardly ever made based on
the M&E reports.
It is, therefore, possible to conclude that the existing M&E systems seems less than satisfactory, and appears,
indeed, incapable of discharging their responsibilities as they ought to be due to limited implementation
capacity, shortage of budget and lack of functional organizational structure. In order to further enhance the
M&E systems of multilateral funded educational projects, there is a need to:
• Improve the system by organizing training for the employees to internalize objectives and indicators of
the M&E.
• Allocate 5% and above of total project cost for the M&E activities.
• Include other data collecting instruments such as observation, interviews and focus group discussion.
• Strengthen the M&E units with both human and non-human resources.
• Include monitoring project quality and other evaluation types (ex-ante, inter-phase, self, and more
importantly impact).
• Produce well-prepared reports and establish a system offeedback.
Description
Keywords
Evaluation System of Multilateral Funded Educational Projects