Transcript DEAT LEKGOTLA

MONITORING AND
EVALUATION – OPPORTUNITIES
AND CHALLENGES
Presentation 25 July 2005
TMIG - Treasury
OUTLINE
Evaluation – means to enhance
democracy and effectiveness
 M&E in South Africa - PSC M&E
System, other systems
 Assumptions in performing M&E
 Challenges in M&E
 Questions
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(1) Evaluation – means to enhance
democracy and effectiveness
Recent global emphasis on evaluation – in particular
for government – linked to notions that government
also needs to demonstrate accountability and
efficiency.
 Government required to measure and report on its
performance – similar to bottom-line sectors such as
the private sector.
 Demystification implies that both the political
(elected) and administrative (appointed) spheres
show results, and are open to measured externally.
Similar to boards and management in private sector
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….impetus for evaluation demand
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Changing political context has created evaluation
“demand” – M&E dependent upon a conducive
context (political, civic and administrative) that is
accountable and receptive to measurement
Growth in M&E accelerated from 1999, evident in the
500 delegate conference at the 3rd African Evaluation
Association Conference in 2004, Cape Town. Theme
“Evaluation, democracy and development”.
African M&E linked to other continental initiatives
such as APRM, NEPAD and the more vigorous
engagement by the continent with international
forums.
…primacy of M&E (politicaleconomic engagement)
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M&E viewed as a means through which
engagement between the west and Africa
takes place, as it provides critical information
 Viewed as critical profession and
management tool to translate vision into
practice. Has become mandatory in most
governments.
 The AFrEA Conference looked at how M&E
could promote and measure democracy –
even in existing democracies.
….some M&E questions
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Without M&E and concrete data, philosophy and
ideal will be untested, taken for granted, unmeasured
and not realised
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Critical M&E questions being asked at international
forums are:
How can M&E promote democracy, and through this
demystify the workings of government, so that its
impact is felt?
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What are the enabling conditions for M&E? Is the
avowed intentions of transparency, accountability and
efficiency tested in real contexts of debate over
results?
(2) M & E in South Africa
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Recently adopted, flurry of M&E activity, some of which is not
well informed. The key questions relate to:
What should be the outcome of M&E?
Where should the function be located, how should it be
managed?
What should be the processes and methodologies
that assist
in the formulation of indicators?
How do we know that we are selecting the right indicators, and
that we do not cause goal displacement by measuring the wrong
things correctly, and through these correct answers arrive at
wrong conclusions?
How do we move M&E from policing (accountability) to
empowerment (learning), and thus shift organisations from
defensiveness to receptiveness on M&E findings.
….the GWM&E system….
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M&E is a government priority and a key project of the
Governance and Administration (G&A) Cluster.
 The PSC is mandated to M&E the quality of
governance
 A Government-wide M&E system is being designed,
which will draw on existing systems to answer
strategic questions at various levels
 Operational issues: funnel upwards from specialised
units
the GWM&E system…
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The system aims to provide accurate and reliable
information to a range of users
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A modular approach is being taken, with specialised
elements being added on on an incremental basis
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National Treasury will have data that allows it to
assess “value for money”, the DPSA “human
resources utilisation” the PSC”adherence to the 9
constitutional principles” the DPLG on how provinces
and local authorities are meeting their mandates etc.
the GWM&E system
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In essence the system will aim towards a dash-board
system, that will be able to provide information
around Key Performance Indicators
A compendium of indicators is being developed,
together with a methodology and protocol for
gathering, verifying and reporting on such information
The system will draw in “specialised” inputs from
those entities/departments that have responsibility for
certain functions, and generate high level reports –
both quantitative and qualitative
PSC M&E System…
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The Public Service M&E System uses the 9
constitutional principles for testing the quality
of governance.
These are:
A high standard of professional ethics
Efficient, economic and effective use of
resources
Development-oriented public administration
Provision of services in an impartial, fair,
equitable and unbiased manner
Participation in policy-making and
responsive to people`s needs
 Accountability
 Transparency
 Good human resource management
and career development practices to
maximise human potential
 Representativity
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A set of questionnaires is administered
 Draft reports are provided to
departments to comment upon
 Reports and scores are finalised
 The reports are drawn into the annual
State of the Public Service Reports and
Consolidated Reports.
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Through this system, and other
evaluations – ie. Batho Pele, the HOD
evaluation process, etc. comprehensive
evaluations are made of departments.
 Overall, the questions of service
delivery is answered.
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(3) Assumptions…
That a culture of M&E exists, that
people are receptive to being evaluated,
and evaluation findings are used
 That the independence of evaluators is
respected, there is no pressure to alter
findings
 That there is genuine engagement with
results
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(4) Challenges…
A common discourse needs to be
developed, which involves a move from
a policing to a learning mode
 That the different levels of evaluation
users engage with each other
 That findings are not used punitively
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Questions?