FRAMEWORK FOR MONITORING AND EVALUATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANs (NDPs) IN ZAMBIA MINISTRY OF FINANCE MONITORING AND EVALUATION DEPARTMENT LUSAKA PRESENTATION MADE TO THE AFRICAN COMMUNITY OF PRACTISE (AfCoP) MEETING, DECEMBER, 2012 TUNIS, TUNISIA

OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION 1. Introduction 2. NDP M&E Framework 3. Current Status to support Results & Accountability 4. Conceptual layout of M&E in the national planning process  M&E Institutional Framework  M&E Results Chain 5. Review of the Performance of the M&E Framework 6. Enhancing the uptake of M&E results

INTRODUCTION Issues of results and accountability have been on the agenda in Zambia for a while:- ◦ In the 1980s this was expressed through project based M&E and produced “Islands of Success” ◦ During SAP period in the 1990s there was a shift to “Poverty Monitoring” with a focus on monitoring changes in welfare and well-being In 2005 National Planning was re-introduced and the importance of M & E was emphasized with a focus on attainment of results to assess the performance of the Plan. Since then, M&E has been growing and the following developments have taken place: ◦ M&E Unit was established in the MoF in 2003 ◦ Upgraded to a Department in 2008

M ONITORING AND E VALUATION IN THE P LANNING AND I MPLEMENTATION C YCLE The M&E system under MoF is contextualised in the NDP process. This is undertaken through coordinating monitoring national and sector plans and programmes; These articulate priorities at policy and programme level, which are implemented through annual budgets and the three year rolling financial plans (MTEF); Each sector reflects the details of implementation in their annual work-plans; Monitoring of programmes is integrated within sector plans through articulating indicators and targets against programmes in relation to overall objectives

NDP M ONITORING AND E VALUATION F RAMEWORK The Framework articulates the causality chain (inputs/outputs/outcomes/impact) whose realisation is demonstrated by performance indicators at each level. M&E of SNDP is increasingly anchoring on Results Based Management (RBM), an approach which promotes the tracking of progress against the set targets and objectives and using results for decision making. Results from national M&E processes such as Budget Execution monitoring, quarterly and annual reporting on national development plan implementation, and spot verification exercises are used for decision making, accountability and learning

CURRENT STATUS TO SUPPORT RESULTS & ACCOUNTABILITY  NDP monitoring framework in place - takes account of requirements to monitor programmes related to the new political economy and public policy (President’s Speech to Parliament, National Budget, Sector Strategic Plans, Sector Implementation Plans and budgets);  Sector monitoring and developing a stronger links to MPSAs – including assisting in the development of sector level information systems;  Regular reporting on performance for National Dev Plans – Annual Progress Report (APR), Perf Assessment Framework (PAF), Quarterly reports, Cabinet Monthly Monitoring Reports;  Budget monitoring and tracking; spot monitoring visits  Construction of an NDP monitoring database;  Support policy, programme and strategy relevant research and analysis; and  Decentralised monitoring of the National Development Plan

SNDP National Budget, President’s Speech to Parliament, Key development programmes, Cabinet Decisions (National, Provincial and District indicators aligned to the national strategic focus and sector priorities) Output Activities InputImpact Outcome RDP, MTR, LCMS APRs, Sector Reports and Statistical Bulletins, Cabinet Reports, Spot Monitoring Annual Work Plans Budget Correct, learn and reinforce through NDCC, SAGs, PDCCs and DDCCs Results with evidence Implementation All contained in Robust MIS and NDP Database

T HE M&E FRAMEWORK IN THE RESULTS CHAIN – AN EXAMPLE OF A WATER SANITATION PROJECT INPUT Labor, finances, ACTIVITY OUTPUT/OUTCOME IMPACT Improved health and sanitary conditions in target community 8

INITIATIVES TO ENHANCE M&E Current initiatives under the Monitoring and Evaluation Department aimed at enhancing monitoring and evaluation include: Hosting a local web-based platform (Knowledge Management Portal) that serves as a repository of information on studies on government policies and programmes ( The ZamCoP is gaining ground as a mechanism for posting pictures to support monitoring efforts being undertaken by civil society and the Ministry of Finance at sub-national level.

SPOT MONITORING AND SECTOR MONITORING ACTIVITIES Mufumbwe Boarding School: Staff House Mufumbwe Boarding School: Administration Block Source: Northwestern Province Spot Monitoring Report Civic Center Foundation Box Civic Center foundation box

COLOUR CODE ASSESSMENT CRITERIA Percent RangeColour CodesAssessment <65%REDPOOR Performance 65% - 85%YELLOWAVERAGE Performance >85%GREENGOOD Performance 1. Implementation Timeliness 2. Output Completion Performance Delay in DaysColour CodesAssessment > 14 Days DelayREDSerious Delay 1 – 14 Days DelayYELLOWAverage Delay <1 Day DelayGREENNo Delay

Q UARTERLY R EPORTING T EMPLATE - E XAMPLE

REPORTING FINDINGS IS NOT ENOUGH……. 13 Learning and Action

REVIEW OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE M&E FRAMEWORK What are some of the achievements? Advisory structures at national, provincial and district level have become more pronounced as consultative fora in national development plan M&E; Reporting of routine and occasional reports has been institutionalised:  NDP-Annual Progress/MDG  Performance Assessment Framework  Mid-Term Review  Cabinet Monthly Monitoring Reports

SECTOR LEVEL ACHIEVEMENTS – Cont’d What are some of the achievements?  Some sectors have made huge advances in their M and E systems – especially health, education and HIV/Aids ◦ Regular flow of information from de-concentrated levels of service delivery; ◦ Independent analysis of existing data; ◦ Functioning consultative bodies to discuss policy recommendations and implications from the data collection;  Internalized system of reporting within sectors by all departments has been initiated - aimed strengthening sector systems. This is currently being piloted in the Ministry of Finance.

CHALLENGES Some challenges encountered in the course of NDP monitoring include:  Lack of/underdeveloped MISs making data collection, collation, analysis and reporting difficult;  Un-timeliness of survey data adversely affected the monitoring of programme performance, such as the Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS), National Labour Force Survey;  Effective tracking of KPIs has been negatively affected by lack of baselines, missing/unrealistic targets;  Fragmentation of systems within and between Ministries;  Poor appreciation of M&E in sectors for their own internal use to provide evidence based decision making

GOVERNMENT-WIDE M&E FRAMEWORK

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