Integrated Education and Development Programme (IEDP) End Term Evaluation Report 2012-2014

Background

The Pym-Aid Somaliland (PAS) project the-“Integrated Education and Development Program (IEDP) funded by PYM started in May 2003 after a feasibility study in 2002. Three phases have been carried out, the first within 2003-2007; the second from 2008 to 2010. An interim year of 2011 was given to prepare the program for the next three years 2012-2014. The third phase of the program ended at the end of 2014, The programme has applied for a bdidge year 2015 to carry out baseline surveys and impact assessments to inform the way forward for the coming 5 years

Three evaluations have been carried out on the project; in 2005, 2010 and  2014. All the evaluation teams found that the project is highly relevant to the great needs in Sahil Region in particular and in Somaliland in general and therefore recommended continuation of the project.  The last evaluation, in March 2014 recommended not only the continuation of the project activities but it also suggested an expansion of the organization’s activities into another region of Somaliland. Currently, the organization’s activities are concentrated in Sahil Region.

Purpose/objective

The purpose of the evaluation was firstly to assess the results of the program – with emphasis on outcomes and impact. Secondly, the relevance and the sustainability of the program were to be assessed. Thirdly, there was interest on the extent, manner, and effects of the program’s cooperation with other relevant actors. And fourthly, considerations on gender were to be assessed. It was considered important to also track how learning in previous phases have contributed to results of the current phase.

Methodology

The consultants adopted a participatory approach in undertaking the end term evaluation. The evaluation design was cross sectional and entailed collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. The evaluation adopted D.L. Kirkpatrick’ four level framework of evaluation criteria for training outcomes to assess PYM Teachers’ and School heads’ Training Course namely; level 1 – Reactions (Trainee satisfaction), level 2 – Learning (Acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviour), level 3 – Behaviour (Improvement of the behaviour on the job) and level 4 – Results (Trainees performances which in IEDP’s  case was to be reflected in the performance of pupils/ students in the schools that benefitted from the training). The training outcomes that were considered in this evaluation were mainly skill based outcomes especially for the school heads, affective outcomes mainly for the teachers and results for the teachers, school heads and the CECs.

Key findings

The results of the evaluation indicated that the IEDP interventions had contributed greatly to improving the access and quality of formal education at primary schools level and improved awareness of the dangers of the FGM tradition among the communities through literacy classes and training in the non formal education sector. The need still remains especially due to the adaptation of Free Primary Education in Somaliland for construction of classrooms, training of more teachers and schools managers as well as capacity enhancement for Head teachers in the regions as a measure to cushion gains made by the programme. Other needs have emerged for example the improvement of quality of education and infrastructure at the secondary school levels. This needs to be accommodated to enhance transition of the basic education graduants. The basic literacy component in the informal education has realized tremendous success in empowering men and women who lacked basic skills at the inception of the programme. The IEDP programme management approach has been participatory with stakeholders taking a lead in the decisions making processes especially the CECs who have been quite active. The levels of achievement of planned results and ownership of the programme interventions were found to be high at least in areas that have accessed the IEDP interventions. This information was based on responses of respondents, FGDs and KII the same was corroborated by CECs and community leaders in the areas visited.

Recommendations

• Continue with the Formal education interventions in primary schools in Sahil region to fill the gaps in the quality education that still exists.
• The program should further consider addressing the request of establishing a training institute for female teachers in Sheikh District to serve the whole Somaliland republic as this would be more sustainable in the long run.
• The programme should also replicate the IEDP program components in other districts in Sanaag region.
• Support constructions of additional classrooms preferably targeting girls’ schools and rural areas
• Offer training for secondary school teachers so as to mainstream high quality in education at all levels.
• Provide Audio visual teaching/learning aids
• Motivating the NFE volunteers by increasing the support through micro-credit schemes.
• Train  more CECs and facilitate them to initiate income generating schemes to enable them effectively and independently help in running the schools.
• As awareness campaigns gain momentum, there is need to incorporate where possible Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) awareness in Anti FGM campaigns. This
• Facilitate the acquisition of transport means for the Regional Education Officers’s for school monitoring purposes.