Transcript Slide 1

The Presidency
Department of Performance Monitoring and Evaluation
Reflections on the capacity
development process supporting
the South African National
Evaluation System
SAMEA conference
Ms Christel Jacob, Mr Stanley Ntakumba & Mr Stephen Porter
20 September 2013
Objective & Background
Objective
 The National Evaluation Policy Framework (NEPF) approved in 2011
resulted in creation of the National Evaluation System (NES) and the
annual National Evaluation Plan (NEP)
 This paper reflects on the variety of capacity development initiatives
that have been developed to support and strengthen the NES
Background
 1 of the 7 key elements of the NEPF (2011) is that appropriate training
courses will be provided by PALAMA, universities and the private sector
to build evaluation capacity in the country
 Purpose of the NES – improve policy or programme performance,
improve accountability, improve decision-making, generate knowledge
for learning
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Methodology
 Diagnostic assessment of M&E capacity & audit of M&E
training provision in the public service
 MPAT assessment of the use of M&E in the public service
 Study Tours – July 2011 Columbia & Mexico
 DPME sitting on Evaluation Steering Committees
 DPME partnership with CLEAR
 Developing Standards & Competencies for Evaluation
 Development of a suite of short training courses for
programme managers & M&E staff (potentially for service
providers)
 Development of Guidelines for the NES
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Reflections
 Diagnostic assessment of M&E capacity & audit of M&E
training provision in the public service – M&E
practitioners consider themselves competent, national
more so than provincial,
 MPAT assessment of the use of M&E in the public service
– 2011/12 – performance weak on M&E standards, not
carrying out evaluations or using them for learning and
improvement; 2012/13  Study Tours – July 2011 Columbia & Mexico – need
dedicate staff & budget to support capacity development;
guidelines; annual plan
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Reflections
 DPME sitting on Evaluation Steering Committees
–
support needed for service providers serving government;
improving guidelines (testing); inter & intra departmental
interaction & across individuals, organisations & systems Developing Standards & Competencies for Evaluation –
standards assist in acquiring good quality evaluations that
are user friendly; competencies assists in recruiting, career
pathing, contracting & reflective programme management
– still to be tested more widely
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Reflections
 There is improved learning through application -
The need for a combination of traditional and
non-traditional training type capacity
development activities and processes to support
the NEP in real time (NEP cycle) – CLEAR/DPME
 There is improved application when decisionmakers are involved - The need to develop the
capacity of decision-makers who often don’t
attend training
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Reflections
 There is a need for a common language of
practice - in relation to Evaluation and the
distinction between Monitoring & Evaluation –
new draft green paper: Policy Framework on
Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (work in
progress)
 There is improved learning when there is peer
interaction across and within the system
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