Participatory impact and organizational performance of the education programme of NRRDO

Background

The partnership between NRRDO and Strømme Foundation began in 2002 with support to implement an education programme in eight model schools in Rashad and Kadugli counties in Eastern Jebels. The effects of war and conflict in Nuba Mountains continue to be felt. However, despite the destruction, education remains the number one priority need for the people of Nuba and in response some humanitarian and development agencies including NRRDO in partnership with local communities have opened schools in Nuba Mountains. As a region, the Nuba Mountains was a marginalized area even after UNCEF was allowed to operate from Kenya to serve the Southern Sudan in 1983. NRRDO undertook a needs assessment exercise in 1999 that led to the creation of its development oriented programme mandated by the community to address the need for education in the Nuba Mountains Regions.

Purpose/objective

The evaluation looked at education initiatives implemented under the partner, e.g. quality of approaches, methods and techniques used in programme planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting, programme achievements, effects, and impact on the target groups. In addition, the report raises issues of organization's capacity, relevance and efficacy to understand, interpret and address emerging changes in the program context.

Methodology

The evaluation utilized participatory techniques in data collection, review of program documents and interviews with several stakeholders, more specifically,
?? Literature review of relevant documents among them assessment reports, progress reports, audit reports, project proposals and implementation reports as well as curricula documents
?? Focus Group Discussions with stakeholders drawn from program partners, program staff and beneficiaries of the programme.
?? Semi structured interviews consisting of open ended questions
?? In-depth interviews with key informants including programme coordinators, finance and administration personnel, county officers, etc
?? Observations for data that could not be collected verbally.

Key findings

i) Planned Objectives versus Outputs
Despite the challenges, NRRDO's education programme was found to be on track and in line with the project proposals and implementation plans. There were however, a number of issues that needed to be resolved for programme effectiveness.

ii) Strategies and Approaches in Project Implementation
The strategy of recruitment of expatriate teachers to mentor the local teachers to skill levels that would allow phasing out was working well however, there was need to work out an exit strategy for the expatriate teachers to pave the way for the mentored local teachers. Provision of teaching and learning materials was a strategy towards achievement of quality basic education for the pupils. The evaluation examined the capacities of the supervisory team and established that those concerned had limited knowledge of the programme and aspects of a quality education system.

iii) Relevance of Interventions
The needs addressed and the approaches used were relevant. Until the necessary government structures are in place to assume the responsibility of training and paying teachers as well as providing learning and teaching materials in Nuba Mountains, NRRDO will continue to play this vital role. With the advent of peace the need for quality education is expected to increase dramatically as more returnees stream into the area.

iv) Impact of the Programme
Despite the challenges, the program recorded considerable impact as reported by the beneficiaries interviewed, e.g. in the areas of internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees and residents of Nuba who reported that the program had made it possible for them to send their children to school. Awareness creation on the need for education especially in the area of girl-child education had promoted a greater desire in parents to send their children to school.

v) Sustainability of Programme
It is anticipated that as soon as the necessary government structures are in place the responsibility of education would primarily lie on the Government. But owing to the context and background of the conflict this has not yet been realized in the Nuba Mountains. The government structures are not fully set up and where they exist, the government has no resources (human, financial and material) to run the education system. On the basis of the prevailing situation sustainability of schools under this programme was doubtful as local teachers and structures were inadequate to take over in the event of a phase out.

ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY REVIEW
i. Review of Financial Management Capacity
The evaluation established the existence of the necessary systems, procedures and accounting systems in place within NRRDO. At the current growth stage the existing system of financial transactions and reporting seemed to be adequate. A recent internal capacity assessment has also raised issues that need to be addressed in all aspects of financial and management policy, systems, procedures and records.

ii. Current Human Resource Capacity and Quality Management
It was found that apart from the teachers in the model schools; NRRDO did not have adequately qualified staff to implement the education programme: many key staff have left for assignments with the government.

Recommendations

The program should formulate an exit strategy to pave the way for local teachers to assume greater roles in the education system and the strategy be linked to the government system more closely in ways that could address the challenge of workforce mobility already affecting the education system.
- The program should begin to explore modalities of increasing resources to fill the gaps and such resources would be needed to increase learning materials and more teachers in the schools. Parents should also be encouraged to raise resources towards buying exercises books for their children as a contribution to facilitate learning within the community based education concept.
- The program should put in place a functional management structure for the education programme including capacity building on roles and responsibilities of the staff for better quality work in education.
- The program should develop a resource management strategy with specific and detailed procedures on how to respond to care, repair, maintenance and replacement of resources and supplies in a timely manner.
- The program should take up the challenge of improving its organizational capacity in human resource management and organizational performance management.

Comments from the organisation

After submission of the final report, a follow up visit was made in May 2006 to discuss the evaluation findings at individual organizational level with the project stakeholders. It was also agreed that the findings be shared at a workshop among all the seven education partners of Strømme Foundation in Southern Sudan which was later moderated by PRECISE Communications, the consultant for the evaluation in order to find ways to correct the shortcomings as well as incorporate good practices into the work plans in 2007. Further training, facilitation, administration and technical support needs were identified for further action for the partners including developing new strategies to meet the challenges. This process has been very useful as it involved partners in understanding their performance levels and ways to improve.