Introduction to M&E

Purpose

To provide managers in the South African Public Sector with an introduction and overview of the key monitoring and evaluation initiatives currently underway in the South African government with a focus on using evidence to improve performance as well as the insights to critique and improve their own Departments’ Monitoring and Evaluation systems. Monitoring and Evaluation is seen as an integral part of planning, reviewing and reporting activities and therefore, managers should have some of these responsibilities.

Target Group

The course targets managers in the Public Sector who rely on Monitoring and Evaluation processes, or elements of such processes, within their Departments.

Minimum Requirements for Enrolment

Managers participating in this course are expected to be familiar with basic monitoring and evaluation concepts and principles. It is also assumed that managers are responsible for the management of the implementation of monitoring and evaluation, at different levels within the respective Departments and are engaging with the outcomes approach to Monitoring and Evaluation. Learning Outcomes By the end of this course participants should be able to:

Unit 1: Monitoring and Evaluation in the South African Government Context

• Analyse current policy & organizational documents relating to M&E;
• Demonstrate and understanding of the purpose of M&E with respect to policy, systems, programmes and institutional performance;
• Locate relevant Department’s M&E System within Government’s outcomes performance management system framework (this will also focus on the different levels of M&E);
• Review whether the required M&E system is in place within the relevant department.

Unit 2: Monitoring and Evaluation: Integral to the Planning System

• Demonstrate and understanding of programme theory of change.
• Implement effective programme planning.

Unit 3: Understanding and Analysing Evidence

• Identify possible sources of evidence;
• Elicit evidence using different methodologies;
• Analyse and use evidence. Unit 4: Purpose and Approaches to Evaluation
• Demonstrate an understanding when to undertake an evaluation and the type of evaluation that is appropriate for different purposes. Unit 5: Acting on Monitoring and Evaluation Information
• Demonstrate an understanding of the different uses of M&E evidence.

Unit 4: Purpose and Approaches to Evaluation.

Unit 5: Acting on Monitoring and Evaluation Information.

Accreditation

The course is not unit standard aligned. However the participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance on completion of the stipulated activities and the attendance of at least 90% of the class time.
Unit Standard ID

Assessment Approach

The course is not unit standard aligned. However the participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance on completion of the stipulated activities and the attendance of at least 90% of the class time.

Duration

This course is presented over three (3) working days.