Mr Filipe Bole - Conference on improving harmonization and monitoring and evaluation for better education results
Jul 2, 2008, 12:32

Filipe Bole, CBE,Interim Minister for Education, National Heritage, Culture & Arts, Youth & Sports

Shangri-La Fijian Resort, Nadroga
Wednesday, 2nd July 2008



A ADDRESS

- REPRESENTATIVES OF AUSAID AND OF THE WORLD BANK;
- REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS FROM UNESCO, ADB, SPBEA, FORUM SECRETARIAT, JICA, USP/IOE/PRIDE, NZAID, PREL, UNICEF ;
- FELLOW MINISTERS;
- DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,


B OPENING REMARKS

I AM INDEED HONOURED TO HAVE BEEN INVITED HERE TODAY TO DELIVER THE OPENING ADDRESS FOR THIS CONFERENCE. AT THE OUTSET, I MUST SAY THAT FIJI IS INDEED PRIVILEGED TO HAVE BEEN CHOSEN AS THE HOST TO THIS HIGHLY IMPORTANT MEETING. THE CONFERENCE BRINGS TOGETHER MINISTERS OF EDUCATION OF THE REGION, EDUCATORS, BILATERAL AND MULTI-LATERAL DONOR AGENCIES AND REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS TO DISCUSS AND ASSESS HOW THE REGION IS PROGRESSING IN ITS CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS GLOBAL EFFORTS IN EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

AS THE HOST MINISTER, I EXTEND TO YOU ALL WHO HAVE TRAVELLED FROM WITHIN THE REGION AND ABROAD, A WARM WELCOME TO THE FIJI ISLANDS. I HOPE THAT YOU WILL GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THE CONFERENCE AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT YOU ALL ENJOY YOUR STAY HERE IN FIJI.

C THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE

THE THEME OF THIS CONFERENCE, AS WE ARE ALL AWARE, IS IMPROVING HARMONIZATION AND MONITORING & EVALUATION [BETTER KNOWN AS M&E] FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS.

I BELIEVE CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED BY REGIONAL PARTNERS ON HOW OUR GOVERNMENTS ARE MONITORING EFFORTS TOWARDS THE EDUCATION FOR ALL TARGETS AND WHETHER THE RESULTS GAINED ARE BENEFICIAL TO THEIR SYSTEMS. COUNTRIES IN THE REGION HAVE EMBARKED ON DEVELOPING THEIR OWN SYSTEMS OF M&E AND THIS CONFERENCE WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO REFLECT ON WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION.

THE THEME OF THIS FORUM IS INDEED APT AND IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WHILE THE ROLE OF THE STATE WORLD-WIDE, HAS CHANGED AND EVOLVED, DURING RECENT HISTORY, IT IS NOW READILY APPARENT THAT GOOD GOVERNANCE IS A KEY TO ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT WOULD BE TRUE THAT FOR SMALL ISLAND STATES LIKE OURS, WE ARE BEING CHALLENGED, AS NEVER BEFORE, BY THE DEMANDS OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, NEW INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY, AND CALLS FOR GREATER PARTICIPATION AND DEMOCRACY.

WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD ARE GRAPPLING WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DEMANDS AND PRESSURES FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND REFORMS IN PUBLIC MANAGEMENT. WHETHER IT CALLS FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY, ENHANCED EFFECTIVENESS OF DEVELOP-MENT PROGRAMMES OR EXCHANGE FOR FOREIGN AID, OR REAL RESULTS OF POLITICAL PROMISES MADE, GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANISATIONS MUST BE INCREASINGLY RESPONSIVE TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS TO DEMONSTRATE TANGIBLE RESULTS.

ACCORDING TO A WORLD BANK REPORT OF 1997, “THE CLAMOUR FOR GREATER GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVENESS HAS REACHED CRISIS PROPORTIONS IN MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WHERE THE STATE HAS FAILED TO DELIVER EVEN SUCH FUNDAMENTAL PUBLIC GOODS AS PROPERTY RIGHTS, ROADS, AND BASIC HEALTH AND EDUCATION”. THIS STATEMENT INDICATES THAT THE ASSESSMENT OF GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE HAS NOW BECOME A GLOBAL PHENOMENON.

D HARMONIZING DONOR ASSISTANCE

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THERE HAVE BEEN INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS AMONGST DONOR COMMUNITIES TO HARMONIZE THE OPERATIONAL POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES OF THEIR INSTITUTIONS WITH THOSE OF PARTNER COUNTRY SYSTEMS. THIS IS A NECESSARY REQUIREMENT IN ORDER TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, AND THEREBY CONTRIBUTE TO MEETING INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS SUCH AS THE MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS) AND EDUCATION FOR ALL (EFA).

IT IS GENERAL KNOWLEDGE THAT IN SOME INSTANCES, THE DONOR COMMUNITY COMES TO PARTNER-COUNTRIES WITH THEIR OWN SET OF REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES WHICH SOMETIMES GENERATE UNPRODUCTIVE TRANSACTION COSTS, AND DRAW DOWN THE LIMITED CAPACITY OF PARTNER-COUNTRIES.

I AM OF THE OPINION, THAT THE DONOR COMMUNITY SHOULD ALSO BE AWARE OF PARTNER-COUNTRY CONCERNS. SOMETIMES DONOR PRACTICES DO NOT ALWAYS FIT WELL WITH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES AND SYSTEMS, INCLUDING THEIR BUDGET, PROGRAMME, AND PROJECT PLANNING CYCLES AND PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AND FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.

FURTHERMORE, DONORS SHOULD ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ISSUES REQUIRE URGENT, CO-ORDINATED, AND SUSTAINED ACTION TO IMPROVE OUR EFFECTIVENESS ON THE GROUND.

COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ARE, AT TIMES, FACED WITH MULTIPLE DONOR AGENCIES OFFERING TO FUND VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF OUR EDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES. IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, I BELIEVE EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO HARMONIZE SUCH ASSISTANCE THROUGH MEETINGS OF DONOR AGENCIES TO ENSURE THAT DONOR FUNDING IS UTILISED TO THEIR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS AND THAT THEY WILL HAVE MAXIMUM IMPACT ON THE SYSTEM. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, THAT WITHOUT GOOD DONOR HARMONIZATION, DONOR FUNDING CAN EASILY TARGET THE SAME DEVELOPMENT AREAS RESULTING IN DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS.

THERE IS GROWING INTEREST AMONGST THE PACIFIC COUNTRIES IN THE SYSTEM-WIDE APPROACH (BETTER KNOWN AS SWAp) TO DONOR ASSISTANCE. I ACKNOWLEDGE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS SUCH AS THE PARIS DECLARATION (2005) WHICH LAYS DOWN A PRACTICAL, ACTION-ORIENTATED ROADMAP TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF AID AND ITS IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT. THE 56 PARTNERSHIP COMMITMENTS UNDER THE DECLARATION ARE ORGANISED AROUND THE FIVE KEY PRINCIPLES OF: OWNERSHIP, ALIGNMENT, HARMONISATION, MANAGING FOR RESULTS, AND MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY.

WITHIN THE DONOR–COUNTRY PARTNERSHIP ENVIRONMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THE COUNTRIES HAVE A DEEP SENSE OF OWNERSHIP IN THE DONOR-FUNDED PROJECTS AND WHICH SHOULD BE ALIGNED AND HARMONISED TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM RESULTS.

THE PARIS DECLARATION PROMOTES A MODEL OF PARTNERSHIP THAT IMPROVES TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ON THE USE OF DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES. IT RECOGNISES THAT FOR AID TO BECOME TRULY EFFECTIVE, STRONGER AND MORE BALANCED, ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS ARE REQUIRED AT DIFFERENT LEVELS. AT THE INTERNATIONAL LEVEL, THE PARIS DECLARATION CONSTITUTES A MECHANISM WHICH DONORS AND RECIPIENTS OF AID ARE HELD MUTUALLY ACCOUNTABLE TO EACH OTHER AND THAT THERE IS DUAL COMPLIANCE IN MEETING THE COMMITMENTS, WHICH WILL BE PUBLICLY MONITORED.

AT THE COUNTRY LEVEL, DONORS AND PARTNERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO JOINTLY ASSESS MUTUAL PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING AGREED COMMITMENTS ON AID EFFECTIVENESS BY MAKING BEST USE OF LOCAL MECHANISMS.

GIVEN THIS SCENARIO, IT WOULD BE IN THE INTEREST OF DONOR COMMUNITIES TO PLAN TOGETHER WITH THE RECIPIENT COUNTRIES IF THEY ARE TO ENSURE THAT MAXIMUM BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROM THEIR ASSISTANCE. AGREED ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS NEED TO BE REALISTIC AND ACHIEVEABLE WITHIN THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES AT THE COUNTRY LEVELS.

A STRONG MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORK WILL HAVE TO BE DEVELOPED TO ENSURE THAT PROJECTS CONTINUE TO BE ALIGNED TO THEIR GOALS AND TARGETS.

E MONITORING AND EVALUATION

ONCE THE EVALUATION FRAMEWORK IS IN PLACE, AND THE IMPLEMENTATION BEGINS, THE PROCESS OF ASSESSMENT MUST ALSO BE IMPLEMENTED.

IN TODAY’S MODERN MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT, WHERE EMPHASIS IS BEING PLACED ON OUTCOMES AND RESULTS, THERE IS IMMENSE PRESSURE ON RESULTS-BASED MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEMS. THE PUBLIC AND DONOR COMMUNITIES ARE ASKING MORE AND MORE QUESTIONS ON WHAT OUTCOMES AND RESULTS GOVERNMENTS HAVE PRODUCED OUT OF THE INVESTMENT BEING MADE THROUGH PUBLIC AND DONOR FUNDS.

WE ARE NOW MID-WAY THROUGH THE TIMELINE FOR THE WORK ON EFA AND ACHIEVING THE DAKAR GOALS, AND A MID-DECADE REVIEW IS BEING UNDERTAKEN WHICH REQUIRES COUNTRIES TO REPORT ON THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE 6 DAKAR GOALS.

I BELIEVE ONE OF THE OBJECTIVES OF OUR BEING HERE IS TO DELIBERATE ON THE WAY FORWARD WITH REGARD TO SETTING UP A FRAMEWORK FOR M&E IN THE REGION IN REGARDS TO MEASURING THE PROGRESS OF EFA.

WE SHOULD BE REMINDED THAT RESULTS-BASED MONITORING AND EVALUATION IS A POWERFUL PUBLIC MANAGEMENT TOOL THAT CAN BE USED TO HELP POLICY- MAKERS AND DECISION-MAKERS TRACK PROGRESS AND DEMONSTRATE THE IMPACT OF A GIVEN PROJECT, PROGRAMME, OR POLICY. RESULTS–BASED M&E DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION–FOCUSED M&E, IN THAT IT MOVES BEYOND AN EMPHASIS ON INPUTS AND OUTPUTS TO A GREATER FOCUS ON OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS.

I WISH TO CAUTION US HERE TODAY THAT BUILDING AND SUSTAINING RESULTS-BASED M&E SYSTEMS IS NO EASY TASK. IT REQUIRES CONTINUOUS COMMITMENT, TIME, EFFORT AND RESOURCES, AND CHAMPIONS, OF COURSE. BUT ON A POSITIVE NOTE, IT IS DOABLE. ONCE THE SYSTEM IS BUILT, THE CHALLENGE IS TO SUSTAIN IT.

THERE ARE MANY POLITICAL, ORGANISATIONAL, AND TECHNICAL CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME IN BUILDING THESE SYSTEMS – BOTH FOR DEVELOPED AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. BUILDING AND SUSTAINING SUCH SYSTEMS PRIMARILY IS A POLITICAL PROCESS, AND LESS SO A TECHNICAL ONE.

THERE IS NO ONE CORRECT WAY TO BUILD SUCH SYSTEMS, AND MANY COUNTRIES AND ORGANISATIONS WILL BE AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF DEVELOPING THEM WITH RESPECT TO GOOD PUBLIC MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN GENERAL, AND M&E IN PARTICULAR. IT IS HOWEVER IMPORTANT TO RECOGNISE THAT RESULTS–BASED M&E SYSTEMS ARE CONTINUOUS AND NEED TO BE WORKED AT PROGRESSIVELY.

WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THERE IS TREMENDOUS POWER IN MEASURING PERFORMANCE. RECORDS HAVE SHOWN THAT ANCIENT EGYPTIANS REGULARLY MONITORED THEIR COUNTRY’S OUTPUTS IN GRAIN AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION MORE THAN 3,000 YEARS AGO. WE NEED TO REALISE THAT MONITORING AND EVALUATION IS CERTAINLY NOT A NEW PHENOMENON. THE CONCEPT AND PRACTICE HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES. MODERN GOVERNMENTS TOO HAVE ENGAGED IN SOME FORM OF TRADITIONAL M&E OVER THE DECADES. THEY HAVE SOUGHT TO TRACK OVER TIME THEIR EXPENDITURES, REVENUES, STAFFING LEVELS, RESOURCES, PROGRAMME AND PROJECT ACTIVITIES, GOODS AND SERVICES PRODUCED, AND SO FORTH.

GOVERNMENTS HAVE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF TRACKING SYSTEMS AS PART OF THEIR MANAGEMENT TOOL-KITS. WHILE EVERY GOVERNMENT NEEDS THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL OF GOOD HUMAN RESOURCE SYSTEMS, FINANCIAL SYSTEMS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEMS, THEY ALSO NEED GOOD FEEDBACK SYSTEMS. A RESULTS-BASED M&E SYSTEM IS ESSENTIALLY A SPECIAL PUBLIC MANAGEMENT TOOL GOVERNMENTS CAN USE TO MEASURE AND EVALUATE OUTCOMES, AND THEN FEED THIS INFORMATION BACK INTO THE ONGOING PROCESSES OF GOVERNING AND DECISION-MAKING.

WE HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TOGETHER TO THIS CONFERENCE BY THE DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS TO DISCUSS AND COME UP WITH AN M&E FRAMEWORK THAT WILL HELP EACH COUNTRY ACHIEVE BETTER RESULTS IN EFA. CREDIBLE ANSWERS TO THE “SO WHAT” QUESTION ADDRESS THE ACCOUNTABILITY CONCERNS OF STAKEHOLDERS. THEY ALSO GIVE PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGERS INFORMATION ON PROGRESS TOWARDS ACHIEVING STATED TARGETS AND GOALS, AND THEY ALSO PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE AS THE BASIS FOR ANY NECESSARY MID-COURSE CORRECTIONS IN POLICIES, PROGRAMMES OR PROJECTS.

WE IN THE REGION MUST FIRST HAVE, OR ESTABLISH, A BASIC FOUNDATION – A TRADITIONAL IMPLEMENTATION-FOCUSED M&E SYSTEM AND I AM SURE THIS CONFERENCE WILL ADDRESS THIS. SOME DEVELOPING COUNTRIES ARE ALREADY MOVING IN THIS DIRECTION.

ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION REQUIRES BASIC STATISTICAL SYSTEMS AND DATA, AS WELL AS KEY BUDGETARY SYSTEMS. DATA AND INFORMATION MUST BE OF APPROPRIATE QUALITY AND QUANTITY. DEVELOPIMG COUNTRIES – LIKE DEVELOPED ONES – NEED TO KNOW THEIR BASELINE CONDITIONS, THAT IS, WHERE THEY CURRENTLY STAND IN RELATION TO A GIVEN PROGRAMME OR POLICY. BASICALLY, I BELIEVE, THIS IS WHY WE ARE HERE.

WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE WE ARE AS A REGION AND INDIVIDUALLY IN RELATION TO EFA GOALS. IN ORDER TO DO THIS WE NEED TO HAVE OUR BASELINE CONDITIONS KNOWN. IN THIS REGARD, OUR STATISTICIANS HAVE PROVIDED US WITH THIS BASELINE INFORMATION. WE MAY NEED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING FOR CAPACITY AND INSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND I AM SURE THE DONOR PARTNERS HERE WILL TAKE NOTE OF OUR NEEDS. PERHAPS AS PART OF DONOR EFFORTS TO SUPPORT LOCAL CAPACITY WITHIN THE REGION, THE DONOR PARTNERS MAY LOOK AT CREATING DEVELOPMENT NETWORKS – NEW COMPUTER ON-LINE NETWORKS AND PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITIES THAT SHARE EXPERTISE AND INFORMATION.

F CONCLUDING REMARKS

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I WISH TO CONCLUDE BY SAYING THAT THE TASK AHEAD OF US IN INSTITUTING AN M&E FRAMEWORK FOR THE REGION REGARDING EFA AND OTHER SIMILAR PROJECTS WILL BE A CHALLENGING TASK. THERE IS NO CORRECT PATH OR APPROACH. GETTING THERE TAKES COMMITMENT, EFFORT, TIME AND RESOURCES. AT THE SAME TIME, ONE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BEAR IN MIND THAT THERE ARE ALSO COSTS TO NOT INSTITUTING SUCH SYSTEMS AND NOT RESPONDING TO INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDER CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AND RESULTS.

WE ALL WILL DEFINITELY OPT FOR AN APPROACH THAT PROVIDES OUR COUNTRY AND OUR PEOPLE WITH THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS THAT CAN BE DERIVED FROM THIS EXERCISE. THIS CONFERENCE WILL PROVIDE US WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE AND LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, NO DOUBT.

IN CONCLUSION, I ONCE AGAIN, WISH YOU AN ENJOYABLE STAY HERE IN FIJI AND WITH THOSE FEW WORDS, I WISH ALL PARTICIPANTS WELL AND HAVE GREAT PLEASURE IN DECLARING OPEN THIS CONFERENCE ON IMPROVING HARMONIZATION AND MONITORING & EVALUATION FOR BETTER EDUCATION RESULTS.

THANK YOU AND VINAKA VAKALEVU!



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