Transcript CAPACITY STRENGHTENING FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN

CAPACITY STRENGHTENING FOR
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN
EDUCATION IN GHANA
JOPHUS ANAMUAH-MENSAH
VICE CHANCELLOR, UEW & DIRECTOR OF
SACOST CENTRE
Email: [email protected]
Focus
Introduction
Importance of capacity strengthening to
government
Examples of successful and unsuccessful
capacity strengthening
Factors affecting capacity strengthening
Key issues for successful stregthening for
gov’t, schools, NGOS
Role of research in helping to understand CS
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ABILITY OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
HELPING STUDENTS TO MEET CHALLENGING GOALS
Introduction
Over the last decade, the Government
has received considerable funding from
development partners to support the
education sector. In spite of this, overall
achievements have not been
impressive. One serious constraint has
been the inadequate provision for
capacity building.
Introduction
In 1996, a national capacity building assessment
identified the following capacity constraints:
Inadequate human and institutional capacity
Inefficient utilization of existing national capacity
Underperforming of education service de-motivated
by low pay, inadequate incentives, corruption and
lack of transparency in promotion;
Over reliance on long-term expatriate technical
assistance
Weak in policy analysis and research capacity as well
as translating policy into practice
Introduction
In this presentation, Capacity will be defined as the ability
of the education system to help all students to meet more
challenging outcomes. Three Dimensions of capacity building
can be identified:
• HUMAN CAPACITY - knowledge, skill, attitude, views of
their roles and themselves;
• ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY - identifiable groups of
people governed by goals,and procedures be it department,
school, or district; areas include vision and leadership,
commitment to students, organizational structure and
resources
• INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY - i.e. policies, procedures legal
instruments and incentives
Dimensions and effect of cs
Organizational capacity
Capacity
Strengthening
Human capacity
Student Outcomes
Institutional capacity
Why capacity strengthening is
important for Government
Poor education indicators such as CRT,
BECE, PMT, schools without
teachers,and de-motivated teachers
suggest poor service delivery;
Flight of skilled workers from Ghana;
Poor pay for teachers and other
education workers;
Why capacity strengthening is
important for Government?
Human resource development
is one of the three pillars the
Government is relying on for
moving the country into a
middle income status
Recognition that knowledge is
power
Importance of capacity
strengthening
Builds confidence
Improves performance
Provides skills and competencies
Builds knowledge base (increase
knowledge)
Encourages/promotes
effectiveness and efficiency
Leads to effective and efficient
planning and implementation
Importance of capacity strengthening
(cont’d)
Addresses waste and
mismanagement
Promotes management
efficiency
Increases work output
Examples of un/successful capacity strengthening (World bank, 2005)
EDUC ATIO N
PRO JEC TS
Primary
S chool
Development
Programme
(2004)
Basic
Ed ucation
S ector
Impr ovement
(1996)
C apaci ty
bu ildi ng
cate gory
Human
De velopme n t
Organ izati on
In s ti tu ti on
Human
de velopme n t
C apaci ty
bu ildi ng
obje cti ve
Results from reviews
Train Primary
school head
teachers to
improve upon
their supervisory
roles
Strengthen
MinistryÕ
s
capacity to
m onitor,
implement, and
plan school
construction
Develop the
Education
Management
Inf orm ation
System
The training was completed and m anuals
produced However the objective of training was
not achieved. i.e. to reduce teacher absenteeism.
TeacherÕsperform ance has been negligible
despite training.
Trai n te ach ers
4288 te achrs
e trai n e d, 1996 &21253 in
1999
The m inistryÕ
s capacity has increased. B ut
agenda of the m inistries such as school m apping
was never carried out. Although orientation
took place, there are mixed results. The
comm unity was not actively involved in the
selection of head teachers.
A system that generates reports is in place.
However:

It has not been able to meet requireme nts
of variousdivisions/units to supporttheir
functions.

Some traininghas taken place but the
distr icts donÕ
t have the fu ll complement of
staff.

The data/information not providedon time
due to delays in data collection and
processing.

EMIS staff i s not able to develop the
application independently and is still
dependent on TA.
ExamplesHuman
of un/successful
Tertiary
Train
Education
Development University and
Polyte chnic
teachers
Institution Enhance
management
capacity-establish
National Board for
Accreditation,
National Board for
P rofessional and
Technical
Examination,
National Council
for Tertiary
Education.
Establish MIS
Vocational
Human
Skills and
Development
Informal Se ctor
Support Proje ct
Increase
governmentÕs
capacity to
develop, manage,
and access various
data-train staff to
implement tracer
studies
capacity
strengthening
Some training occurre
d. However there
is the issue of whethe
r the staff was
retain ed.
T ertiary system is slowly increasing
management efficiency. Improvements in
management are not sufficient to achieve
both expansion and quality in the tertiary
system. MIS established. Universities
involved have core capabilities to manage
the system but management needs training
in its use. Research Fund and an
Accreditation Board established. The
National Board for T echnical Examination
is handicappedin performing its functions.
National Council for T ertiary Education
more involved in tertiary financing.
Capacity created to implement tracer studies. Staff
retention is an issue and there is concern whether
studies will be conducted on a regular basis.
Capacity was not retained. The units involved are
weaker now than before these activities took place.
Development of capacity of technical and
vocational institutions to deliver shortfocused,
practical and competency based courses.
Examples of un/successful capacity strengthening
Education
project
UNESCO
Capaci ty
building
category
Objective
Results from reviews
S u pport for
TTC s
Human
Trai n tu tors in No fol low u p
de velopme n t pre-vocati on al
an d prete ch n i ca
l skil ls
Organ izati on S tre n gth e n
No fol low u p
mi n i stryÕ s
capaci ty ni
man ageme nt of
program me s
Human
Trai n h e adsof No fol low u p
De partme n t of
TTC s i n
man ageme nt
an d
su pervi si on
Examples of un/successful capacity strengthening
Ed ucation
project
UNICE F
Capaci ty
building
category
Multi grade
te ach i n g
Organ izati on S tre n gth e n
No fol low u p
Di stri ct
Te ach er
S u pport Te ams
i n de pri ve d
di stri cts i n
multi grade
te ach i n g
Organ izati on S tre n gth e nth e No fol low u p
capaci ty of
Re gi on al
trai n i n gte ams
i n u se of EC D
curri culum
Human
Trai n tu tors to No fol low u p
provi de acce ss
course s for
female s i n to
TTC s
S u pport for
e arly ch ildh ood
de velopme n t
S u pport for
TTC s
Objective
Results from reviews
Examples of un/successful capacity strengthening
Ed ucation
project
GTZ
Capaci ty
building
category
Gh an ai an
Lan gu age i n
primary sch ools
Human
Objective
Trai n primary
te ach ers i n
effe cti veu se of
Gh an ai an
lan gu age
textbooks
Organ izati on S e n si ti
ze
DC Es, Di stri ct
Dire ctors of
Edu cation ni
u se of
Gh an ai an
lan gu age si n
te ach i n g
Human
Trai n circu i t
su pervi sors on
effe cti veu se of
th e textbooks
Results from reviews
745 primary te ach ers trai n e din u se of
texts i n Dagban i, Twi , an d Gon ja i n
2005; no su pport from Governme n t;
h owe ver i nformation indi cate s
improveme nt of pu pils in performan ce .
No fol low u p
No fol low u p,
Examples of un/successful capacity strengthening
Ed ucation
project
(European
Union 19882001)
Capaci ty
building
category
Primary sch ool
improveme nt
proje ct
Human
Objective
Train untrained
primary tea chers in
rural schools
Organ izati on Provide physical
infrastructure for
rural schools
Organ izati on Provide school
resources such as
books
In sti tu ti on Set up a unit at HQ
and the regions to
manage the training
Results from reviews
(KPMG)
Most of th e Ū10.5m Fun ds
n ot u se d
.
Not don e
Not don e
O nly the u nit at th e HQ was
se t u p
Factors affecting capacity strengthening
 Identification of needs/needs assessment
 Identifying solutions
 Developing effective and efficient
training strategies
 Selection of competent participants
 Identifying participants capable of benefiting
from training
 Identifying those capable of sharing/utilising
knowledge
Factors affecting capacity strengthening
cont’d
Selection of motivated participants
Identifying willing participants
Selection of competent resource
persons
Competent trainers
Motivated trainers/trainers with passion
Selection of appropriate training
venue
Venue with less attraction to
participants
Factors affecting capacity strengthening
cont’d
Addressing participants’ expectations
Provision of training packs/handout/etc
Delivery should provide opportunity for
sharing knowledge, group work, handson, minds-on activity
Proper definition of roles and functions of
consultants/participants/ administrators
Factors affecting capacity strengthening
cont’d
Definition of implementations
hierarchical structure
Minimizing obstruction to
implementation programmes
Ensure adequate funding for
the training programme
Factors affecting capacity strengthening
cont’d
Ensure that goals of the project were in
line with national strategic goals;
Effective and efficient use of scarce
resources
Avoiding wastage
Maximum use of resources
Maintain reasonable number of
participants, i.e. avoid large numbers
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening
Government
Government must ensure that capacity
strengthening interventions are based on
systematic needs assessment;
Government must avoid over optimism
about her level of commitment to projects.
Their commitment must be based on
critical assessment of the political economy
and peoples’ commitment to change;
Ensure adequacy of funding.
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening (cont’d)
Support results-based approach to project
design so that implementation will be
based on explicit targets and indicators;
Support interventions that are piloted
beforehand;
Select appropriate/competent consultants
- local and foreign- use more local ones;
Avoid projects with over-ambitious designs
and which are largely consultant-led
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening (cont’d)
Ensure proper planning and management of
programmes
Effective monitoring and evaluation of
progress as part of every project;
Non-politicization of issues- minimize
interference (political);
Ensure effective and efficient collaboration
and coordination between partners/agents
and implementing units;
Address issues of sustainability of project.
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening (cont’d)
Project goals should align with
national priorities/objectives;
Project design should show
clarity, feasibility and impact.
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening (cont’d)
Schools:
Participate in the provision of data for
needs assessment; use personal
starting points of teachers;
 Schools’ strategic plans should
support results-based interventions;
Ensure ownership of project;
Engage in open and frank discussion
of problems;
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening (cont’d)
 Ensure talented educationalists in the
institutions and communities are
involved in all stages of capacity
strengthening- planning,
implementation and evaluation.
 Ensure clarity of objectives
Key issues for successful capacity
strengthening (cont’d)
Donors/NGOs:
Ensure projects follow a client-driven
agenda and not a donor-driven one;
Play a supporting and facilitating role;
Ensure projects have in-built monitoring
and evaluation component;
Move progressively to a sector-wide
approach
Involve all major stakeholders in entire
project cycle
Role of research in understanding
capacity strengthening issues
Provides evidence of nature of problem (reality
under ground)
Provides facts and figures for effective planning;
Makes recommendations for solution of problems;
Throws light on the impact of capacity
strengthening interventions on service delivery
and outcomes;
Provides information on how available resources
are used to improve efficiency and effectiveness
Challenge/Conclusion
Pursue a holistic approach to capacity
strengthening;
Place learning for students and the
educational system as a whole at centre of all
capacity building;
Educate the public on teacher and
organizational capacity strengthening efforts
Change the sporadic INSET to a regular
comprehensive INSET
Ensure accountability and continuity in projects
CAPACITY STRENGTHENING CAN MAKE A
DIFFERENCE
THANK YOU