Are the investments in performance monitoring and evaluation system paying off? A case study on Free State outcome based priorities 1: quality basic education management approach

[摘要] For over 15 years of democracy, South Africa has developed and adopted a series of policies which government strives to address divergent societal problems and at the same time enhance the wellbeing of all South Africans. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) was introduced in the Presidency to increase importance in management functions that are interactive and mutually supportive in government at all levels (The Presidency, 2010b). TheOutcome Based Approach is a strategy used to institutionalise the Performance Monitoring and Evaluation (PME) system, and it is the fundamental management control of ensuring that activities and processes on how things are done by government are completed in a way that leads to the attainment of its goals. In the Free State, the introduction and implementation of OBP approach began in 2011 following the guide to the Outcomes Approach from the Presidency that describes the governments PME system. This study sought to determine how the investments in Performance Monitoring and Evaluation System are paying off through implementation focused on the intergovernmental implications. The study investigated the improvement the OBP approach has had on intergovernmental implications rather than an individual focus by departments in quality basic education, and the changing behaviour and attitudes of participants in implementing the full delivery chain. Data for the study was collected using the exploratory design method to gain insight into a situation, and a grounded theory was applied to develop a hypothesis.The PME system is beneficial to government, as it improves how departments conduct the monitoring of their programmes. However, the approach needs additional support for more effective planning and monitoring of Outcome Based Priorities to take place, as well as further institutionalising the approach to all lines of work done in departments. There was also recognition that M&E was not fully implemented within the departments and the establishment of connections with managers amongst one another has managed to assist M&E managers to work together and communicate with one another. The main purpose was to identify the challenges in the PME system in order to find possible solutions observed from the OBP approach implementation.

[发布机构] University of the Free State