CHALLENGES IN PRACTICING MONITORING AND EVALUATION: THE CASE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT WATER PROJECTS IN MKURANGA, TANZANIA SALUM MAIMULA A DESSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF THE OPEN UNIVERSITY OF TANZANIA 2017 ii CERTIFICATION The undersigned certifies that he has read and hereby recommends for acceptance by the Open University of Tanzania a dissertation entitled: “Challenges in Practicing Monitoring and Evaluation: The Case of Local Government Water Projects in Mkuranga, Tanzania” in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Monitoring and Evaluation of the Open University of Tanzania. Felician Mutasa Supervisor …………………………….…… Date iii COPYRIGHT No part of this dissertation may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the author or the Open University of Tanzania in that behalf. iv DECLARATION I, Salum Maimula, do hereby declare that this is my own original work, except where stated otherwise, and that the same work has not been submitted for an academic award to any University or Institution of Higher Learning. Signature ………………………………… Date v DEDICATION I dedicate this research project to my wife Sarah and children‟s Alesha, Talekh and Siah and for their support and inspiration during my study period.
vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I acknowledge the invaluable and significant support and contribution from the Local Government especially Mkuranga District council for their support during my research work. I am grateful to Dr. Felician Mutasa for his invaluable advice, intellectual guidance, supervision and inspiration throughout the whole thesis writing process. I sincerely appreciate and thank the administration staff at Open University of Tanzania, for the support throughout my study period.
I am also grateful to my colleagues in the Master‟s Programme in Monitoring and Evaluation for their invaluable support and contribution during the preparation of this dissertation work. Their constructive comments have always been a motivating factor in improving my work. Lastly, I offer my regards and blessings to all members of my family especially my Wife Sarah and children‟s Siah, Talekh and Alesha for encouragement as well as accepting my absence at home during the whole period of my studies. Since it is not easy to mention everyone individually, I take this opportunity to thank all people who, in one way or another, kindly assisted me to fulfill objectives of this study.
I also thank all of those who will choose to use this dissertation for reference and find it useful. vii ABSTRACT This dissertation study Challenges in Practicing Monitoring and Evaluation: The Case of Local Government Water Projects in Mkuranga, Tanzania”. Specifically the study identify the challenges faced by water projects in Monitoring and Evaluation practice at Mkuranga District, it also examine the nexus between M&E and performance for water supply project at Mkuranga. This aims to identify the best approaches in improving M&E practices applied in water project at Mkuranga.
A total of 32 respondents were drawn from different levels, which included the officials in District water department and other department staff, Both Quantitative data obtained through prepared questionnaires and Qualitative data from Interviews done district officials. Questionnaires and Interviews, have been used as data collection tools, data analysis was done through a special programme known as Statistical package for social Science (SPSS) and Microsoft excel, 2007 Findings of this study showed that, the current M&E practices applied in water projects in Mkuranga District are, field visit, Project Reports, and no any other extra M&E practices identified, out of four M&E tools identified was poor, this was due to the challenges facing the M&E practice, “The challenges in practicing M&E including Political influence, weak management team in M&E practice, and lack of technical staffs; staffs are Unqualified and untrained”. It is recommended that the use of best approaches to improve M&E systems includes Capacity building and Training programmes and data management, Practice of M&E planning and improving M&E information sharing on project execution, the change of National policies and set enough budgets for M&E. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATION.
vii LIST OF TABLES. xiv LIST OF FIGURES. xvi LIST OF APPENDICES. xvii LIST OF ABRREVAITIONS AND ACRONYMS.
xviii CHAPTER ONE .2 Background of the Study .3 Statement of the Research Problem .4 Objectives of the Study .6 Significance of the Study .7 Scope of the Study .8 Organization of the Study. 9 ix CHAPTER TWO .4 Sustainability Dimensions for Water Projects .5 Monitoring and Evaluation in Water Projects .6 Development of Monitoring and Evaluation .7 Relationship between M&E and Sustainability .8 Importance of Monitoring and Evaluation in Project Performance .3 Theoretical Literature Review .3 The Participatory Theory .4 The Theory of Change .2 Monitoring and Evaluation in Project Management .3 The Need for Monitoring & Evaluation in Project Management .5 Criteria for Project Evaluation .6 List of Projects a Local Government Can Execute .7 Project Monitoring in Local Government .1 Challenges for Project Monitoring and Evaluation in Local Government .2 Disparities & Complementary Features of Monitoring & Evaluation .1 Empirical Studies in the World.2 Empirical Studies on Sub-Saharan Africa .3 Empirical Studies in Tanzania .5 The Research Gap .3 Research Design and Strategies .1 Area of the Research Study .4 Sampling Techniques and Procedures .1 Simple Random Technique .2 Non-probability Sampling .6 Variables and Measuring Procedures .7 Methods of Data Collection .8 Data Collection Techniques .9 Reliability and Validity of the Data .10 Data Processing and Analysis. 46 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS .3 The Challenges Faced by Water Projects in Monitoring and Evaluation Practice at Mkuranga District .1 The Current Monitoring and Evaluation Practices Applied in Water Projects.2 Current M&E Information Provides to Program Managers/Officers to Assist in Decision-Making and Planning .3 M&E Implemented Produces Useful Management Report .5 M&E Plans Are there Indicators that are Clearly Linked to the Objectives of the Program/Project .2 Challenges in M&E Practice on Water Project Execution .4 The Nexus Between Project M&E and Project Performance for Water Supply Project at Mkuranga District .1 Project Performance Depend on M&E .2 Bad Approach of M&E Influence Project Performance .3 Poor Management in M&E Influence Project Performance .4 The Roles and Responsibilities of Staff in M &E Clearly Defined and Documented .5 District Regularly Analyze Reports in order to Assess Achievements and Challenges .6 District has Documented Lessons Learned on Project Execution .7 District Provide M&E Training for Program and M&E Staff .8 Information Recorded at Spot when and where an Activity is Implemented .9 System that Assists Staff in Capturing, Managing and Analyzing Program Data .10 Properly Documented Data Question was Posed to the Respondents .5 The best Approaches in Improving M&E Practices Applied in Water Project at Mkuranga District .1 Proposed best Approaches in Improving Monitoring and Evaluation Practices Applied in Water Projects in Mkuranga District .6 Discussion of the Findings. 70 SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.2 Summary of Findings.3 Summary of the Findings .1 Challenges on M&E Practices Facing in Executing Water Projects .4 Is M&E Practice Influence Performance in Water Projects? .5 Proposed best Approaches in Improving M&E Practices in Executing Water Projects in Mkuranga District .1 To the Government .2 Limitation of the Study .3 Recommendation for Further Research.
83 xiv LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1: Major Disparities of Monitoring and Evaluation .2: Difference levels for Monitoring and Evaluation (Fowler 1997, 164) .1: Shows the Sample Size for the Study in Mkuranga District .3: M&E Information Provided to Program Managers/Officers to Assist in Decision-Making and Planning .4: M&E Implemented Produces Useful Management Report .5: M&E Plans are there Indicators that are Clearly Linked to the Objectives of the Program/Project .6: Challenges in M&E Practice on Water Project Execution.7: Project Performance Depend on M&E .8: Bad Approach of M&E Influence Project Performance .9: Poor Management in M&E Influence Project Performance .10: The Roles and Responsibilities of Staff in M &E Clearly Defined and Documented .11: District Regularly Analyze Reports in order to Assess Achievements and Challenges .12: District has Documented Lessons Learned on Project Execution .13: District Provide M&E Training for Program and M&E Staff? .14: Information Recorded at Spot when and where an Activity is Implemented .15: System that Assists Staff in Capturing, Managing and Analyzing Program Data .16: Properly Documented Data Question was Posed to the Respondents. 59 xvi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Conceptual Framework for Monitoring and Evaluation .1: Map of Mkuranga District .1: Proposed best Approaches in Improving Monitoring and Evaluation Practices Applied in Water Projects in Mkuranga District. 60 xvii LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix I: Questionnaires for the Staff in District Department. 83 Appendix II: Interview.
86 xviii LIST OF ABRREVAITIONS AND ACRONYMS LGAs Local Government Authorities PA Participatory Approach CSOs Civil Society Organizations DAWASCO Dar es Salaam Water and Sewerage Corporation DBSA Development Bank of Southern Africa GRT Gruppo per Le Relazioni Transculturali LFA Logical Framework Approach MCA Millennium Challenge Account M&E Monitoring and Evaluation. MIS Management Information System MoWI Ministry of water and Irrigation MPP Micro Project Performance NGOs Non-Governmental Organizations PMO-RALG Prime Minister‟s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government PMM Project Maintenance Management PRA Participatory Rural(Rapid) Appraisal POM Project Operation Management ROAR Result Oriented Annual Report RWSSP Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Programme. SRF Strategic Result Framework SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences xix UNDP United Nations Development Program me URT United Republic of Tanzania USAID United States Agency for International Development VRCWSP Volta Region Community Water Supply Program WSDP Water Sector Development Program WSPR Water Sector Performance Report PR Project Report 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction This chapter presents a brief introduction and historical background of the study, statement of the problem, research objectives, and significance of the study, scope of the study, limitations, and definition of the key operational terms.2 Background of the Study Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are essential components of results based management (Rist, Boily & Martin, 2011). Results-based management involves deliberately gathering empirical evidence in order to know the extent to which intended results are being achieved so that modifications to the design and delivery of activities can be made to improve and account for performance in achieving intended outcome (Mayne, 2007).
The increased level of emphasis given to results (outcomes), as opposed to activities and output has also brought some major changes in the focus, approach and application of monitoring and evaluation systems. Whereby as focus of management changes from activities to results. Focus of M&E also changes from the traditional M&E system, which focuses on assessing inputs and implementation process (progress monitoring) to results-based M&E system, which emphasizes assessment of the contributions of interventions to development outcomes (Gebremedhin et al, 2010). Building and sustaining a result based monitoring and evaluation system is admittedly not an easy task for it requires continuous commitment, champions, time, 2 effort, and resources.
In addition, it may take several attempts before the system can be tailored to suit a given governmental or organizational policy, program, or project; but it is doable (Kusek, 2004). According to UNDP (2009), monitoring focuses on the implementation process and asks the key question how well is the program being implemented while evaluation analyses the implementation process. Evaluation measures how well program activities have met objectives, examines extent to which outcomes can be attributed to project objectives and describes quality and effectiveness of program by documenting impact on participants and community. Monitoring generates periodic reports throughout the program cycle, focuses on project outputs for monitoring progress and making appropriate corrections, highlights areas for improvement for staff and tracks financial costs against budget (UNDP, 2009).
The monitoring and evaluation (M&E) function particularly the role it plays on performance of Public Organization Projects in Tanzania. The Government of Tanzania is currently finalizing Phase II of its second generation Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty and growth for poverty reduction high on the country‟s 3 development agenda.