free state SMS conference

Monitoring and Evaluation as a strategy for effective transformation: 

Monitoring and Evaluation as a strategy for effective transformation Presentation to the Senior Management Conference: Free State Province: 12 August 2005 Indran Naidoo (Office of the Public Service Commission)

Outline : 

Outline 1. M&E in the South African context 2. The PSC and M&E 3. M&E as a means for promoting learning 4. Benefits of M&E for organisations 5. Questions

1. M&E in the South African context: 

1. M&E in the South African context Democracy in 1994 resulted in the SA State entering the global arena, having to engage with new economic, political and social relations. By the SA State adopting of a “developmental state model” the government is central role to transforming the socio-political and economic landscape of the country. This is done via its policies and implementation strategies. In order to ensure that its policies are working M&E systems must be developed and used.

Slide4: 

M&E is supported by democracy (which supports political processes such as transparency, accountability and efficiency). The quality of democracy is enhanced as M&E processes lead to greater sharing of results with stakeholders, allowing for questioning of outputs and outcomes and calling to account low efficiencies.

Slide5: 

In all democracies M&E is supported by and supports a Free Media, M&E results empower civic organisations and citizens, and political ideals are aligned to actual performance. The administrative (bureaucracy) needs to ensure that it meets the mandate of the political – best done if it has M&E systems to assist.

Slide6: 

The nature of democracy compels the State to perform, and report on its performance. This is done through the limited resources at its disposal and externally imposed time-frames. The State must know what works and what does not, or else it is more likely to reward failure, by not identifying success. This can only be done through a results-based M&E system, which asks the hard questions of “so what” – if government has outputs and activities, and is busy. Has this resulted in IMPACT and OUTCOMES, which are contained within the policy and manifestos (a better life for all etc)

Slide7: 

Many departments are unable to clearly define their goals, have broad and unrelated mandates, justify their existence by many outputs and activities, and are unable to define and measure what their real impact should be. M&E is a tool that allows for a process whereby rigorous questions can be asked, thus providing clarity and improving effectiveness.

Slide8: 

Globally governments are required to justify their existence (can the private sector not perform the task better and cheaper?), are being challenged to account for their efficiencies. This means that M&E systems are needed as BOTH a management tool and means to report to its stakeholders (political and civic).

Slide9: 

The President announced the implementation of Government Wide M&E system to answer performance questions at all levels. This is being rolled-out and will compel all levels of government to have their own M&E systems. M&E in the SA context becomes a tool to facilitate transformation

2. The PSC & M&E: 

2. The PSC & M&E The PSC is constitutionally mandated to “investigate, monitor and evaluate” the public service. It implements the Public Service M&E System which: - tests adherence of departments to the 9 constitutional principles of public service and administration.

Slide11: 

These principles are: 1.A high standard of professional ethics must be promoted and maintained 2.Efficient, economic and effective use of resources must be promoted 3.Public administration must be development oriented 4.Services must be provided impartially, fairly, equitably and without bias

Slide12: 

5.Peoples needs must be responded to and the public must be encouraged to participate in policy making 6.Public administration must be accountable 7.Transparency must be fostered by providing the public with timely, accessible and accurate information

Slide13: 

8. Good human resource management and career development practices, to maximise human potential, must be cultivated 9. Public administration must be broadly representative of the South African people, with employment and personnel management practices based on ability, objectivity, fairness and the need to redress the imbalances of the past to achieve broad representation

Slide14: 

Methodology: For each of the principles an appropriate questionnaire is administered, which captures information relevant to that area of performance. Scores are awarded based on the presence and quality of the attributes, and areas for improvement identified. Departments are offered the opportunity to engage with draft reports before these are finalised and monitored.

Slide15: 

Based on an implementation cycle, departmental reports are analysed and developed into Annual Consolidated Reports This research, as well as other research relevant to the principle, both within and outside the PSC, is used to develop the Annual State of the Public Service (SOPS) Reports. The 2005 SOPS is forward looking, whilst the 2004 SOPS looked at the last 10 years of democracy.

Slide16: 

The PSC also performs programme evaluations, manages the performance of the Heads of Departments, manages the Anti-Corruption Hotline, conducts investigations etc.

Slide17: 

As part of its mandate, it also supports departments by providing guidance to them as they develop their M&E programmes and strategies. In this area it is able to assist given its role in having already implemented M&E systems, and its participation within the Government-wide M&E system.

3. M&E as a tool for promoting learning: 

3. M&E as a tool for promoting learning M&E contributes to the promotion of learning These policies and strategies make assumptions that with the right thrust (policy) there will be the right effect (result). M&E supports learning, in that results are brought to the table for discussion.

Slide19: 

Both performance leadership and performance management is needed. For performance “leadership” there must be a vision about what good performance should be This means identifying the signs of success and failure in a programme BEFORE it happens, and putting in means to measure it.

Slide20: 

Leadership within this performance model needs to: Articulate the vision of the organisation by setting clear performance indicators, within time-frames and budgets. State the reward and sanction for success and failure, and cascade this into the performance management systems of staff Ensure that all staff have a “line of sight” – knowing how their individual performance contributes to the collective

Slide21: 

Bring results to the table, good and bad, and have honest discussions and review, on an on-going (monitoring) rather than after the event (evaluation). If one only waits for the evaluation, 80% of the budget would have been spent, the failure too late to correct, and transformation slowed. In a transformation context one does not have the luxury of time.

Slide22: 

Demonstrate commitment to improving accountability and efficiencies and show this at the programme and project level: Eg: implementing and reporting of the impact of Anti-Corruption Programme, Batho Pele and Service Delivery Improvement plans, Verification the Qualifications of public servants, ensuring that Performance Management Systems are implemented and reviewed, making public external departmental reviews, etc.

Slide23: 

Efficiencies are not simply about ensuring that there is an “unqualified audit”, it also relates to the impact of budget to change on the ground – measurable improvements in the quality of life Performance management means putting in place these systems to bring the information to the fore, so that it is used as a management tool.

4. Benefits of M&E for organisations: 

4. Benefits of M&E for organisations A key benefit is that it MAKES EXPLICT WHAT ONE DOES, WITH WHAT, AND WHY. It aligns the goal and mission (thrust) with the output and outcome (effect). It promotes accountability, as all role players need to be able to in the chain of command and line of sight

Slide25: 

Through M&E reporting, problems are likely to be identified before they occur, allowing for management intervention Staff motivation is likely to be higher, as efforts are recorded in the form of results and outputs. It supports the implementation of the Performance Management Systems.

Slide26: 

Programme and project management becomes demystified, as M&E systems make lucid and simple what is expected, how it will be measured, and what will happen with the results

5. Questions: 

5. Questions