It is true that Rwanda has been doing great if we consider efforts put in managing for accountability in all activity sectors. Referring to the car dashboard illustration, the effectiveness of the evaluation system should be viewed through the wholistic perspective of the M&E system. In fact, either monitoring or evaluation aims at the same thing: ensuring the effective and efficient attainment of the goals/objectives/mission.
The evaluation can complement, confirm or contradict the results of the monitoring. Being more systematic and rigorous, the evaluation can provide more credible explanations and clarity [in the eyes of stakeholders] that, for different reasons, cannot be provided by the monitoring itself. Therefore, if evaluation system fails as a component of the M&E system, the whole system has already failed.
In absence of a national M&E system, the country misuses financial resources and misses learning opportunities. If there were a national evaluation system, this would limit the number evaluations to the ones that are really worthwhile. It would also put in place a national strategy for learning from the evaluation reports to inform future program designs and policies.
Moreover, my research work has realized up to four challenges that current M&E systems are facing following the fact that they have not yet taken advantage of big data in time the world has embarked on a digital era characterized by the availability of information growing at exponential rates: the inaccurate performance measures, inability to make reliable predictions to inform future planning and new program designs, delayed implementation of corrective actions recommended by the evaluation undertakings, and the inability of some users to understand and use monitoring and evaluation reports. [It may be strange to many but I can provide more insights on this if need be]. In this regard, I would also like to highlight that Rwanda has developed and adopted a National Data Revolution Policy in 2017 which provides that big data analytics should be used in monitoring the development progress and insightful research activities, etc. The key take-away is that to boost the Monitoring as well as the Evaluation functions, there is need for national commitment to install well functioning systems and to build capacities; otherwise, the issues of national accountability and ownership will persist.
Finally, there is need to take advantage of the commitment and willingness of Rwanda Government and M&E society to check again the completeness of the national MEL guidelines [developed last year and for which we provided inputs] and enforce it. Then we will be done.
RE: How do we move forward on Evaluation Systems in the Agriculture Sector?
Dear All,
It is true that Rwanda has been doing great if we consider efforts put in managing for accountability in all activity sectors. Referring to the car dashboard illustration, the effectiveness of the evaluation system should be viewed through the wholistic perspective of the M&E system. In fact, either monitoring or evaluation aims at the same thing: ensuring the effective and efficient attainment of the goals/objectives/mission.
The evaluation can complement, confirm or contradict the results of the monitoring. Being more systematic and rigorous, the evaluation can provide more credible explanations and clarity [in the eyes of stakeholders] that, for different reasons, cannot be provided by the monitoring itself. Therefore, if evaluation system fails as a component of the M&E system, the whole system has already failed.
A well-crafted (effective) M&E system should:
In absence of a national M&E system, the country misuses financial resources and misses learning opportunities. If there were a national evaluation system, this would limit the number evaluations to the ones that are really worthwhile. It would also put in place a national strategy for learning from the evaluation reports to inform future program designs and policies.
Moreover, my research work has realized up to four challenges that current M&E systems are facing following the fact that they have not yet taken advantage of big data in time the world has embarked on a digital era characterized by the availability of information growing at exponential rates: the inaccurate performance measures, inability to make reliable predictions to inform future planning and new program designs, delayed implementation of corrective actions recommended by the evaluation undertakings, and the inability of some users to understand and use monitoring and evaluation reports. [It may be strange to many but I can provide more insights on this if need be]. In this regard, I would also like to highlight that Rwanda has developed and adopted a National Data Revolution Policy in 2017 which provides that big data analytics should be used in monitoring the development progress and insightful research activities, etc. The key take-away is that to boost the Monitoring as well as the Evaluation functions, there is need for national commitment to install well functioning systems and to build capacities; otherwise, the issues of national accountability and ownership will persist.
Finally, there is need to take advantage of the commitment and willingness of Rwanda Government and M&E society to check again the completeness of the national MEL guidelines [developed last year and for which we provided inputs] and enforce it. Then we will be done.
Best,
Janvier