An Assessment of the Effectiveness and Contribution of Unicef Assisted Primary Education Project to Education Development of Oromia Region
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Date
2011-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness and contribution of UNICEF assisted
primary education project to education development ofOromia Regional State from 2007108 to 2009110.
In order to attain objectives of the study a descriptive survey method was employed. The study was carried
out on UNICEF assisted primary education project 12 woredas of 9 zones in the region. These samples
were selected using stratified random sampling technique. Data were gathered through questionnaires,
unstructured interview, focus group discussion, and project and education documents. The data were
analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean values, standard deviation (SD), standard error of mean
(SEM) and T-test. The findings show that the fund contributedfrom 2007108 to 2009110 were 85,672,912
from this utilized amount within planned years were 31,487,018 whereas, utilized in the next fiscal year
were 42,065,307and unutilized were 791,367. The project was contributed through constructed and
maintained ABE Centers, CFS, and classrooms, jilYniture, uniform and basic learning materials supplies
and provision of capacity building trainings. The number of primary schools in sample lVoredas was
increased from 430 in 2007108 to 535 in 2009110. As a result the number of enrolled students shows an
increase from 243,274 in 2007108 to 291,143 in 2009110. However, these achievements were not only
UNICEF effect but also jOint effort with government. The study jilYther disclosed that inadequacy of
existing project organizational design, lack of project knowledge, technical and conceptual skill and
experience among project decision-makers and personnel, frequent project personnel turnover, lengthy of
financial process and procedures, delayed fund release and liquidation, unreleased fund, lack of
industrial materials at local level, delayed, piecemeal and incomplete set of supplies provision, short of
execution period, and lack of effective monitoring and evaluation system inhibited project contribution
and effectiveness. Thus, effectiveness of the project within planned time was found to be below desired.
Finally the study recommended that the Oromia education bureau has to organize project structure by
matrix system, build capacity of project decision-makers and personnel's through in-depth and continuous
training, reduce scope of project as per resource, develop workable schedule and manual, compromise
with donor organization to decentralize purchase of locally available supplies, maintain activities
execution as schedule and develop efficient monitoring and evaluation system.
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Keywords
Contribution of Unicef Assisted Primary Education Project