Capacity Development: Measure it, Do it Further questions, comments? Write for materials visit

Presentation style Q&A first Presentation with more Q&A Notes 1.Try to secure electronic version of this presentation – Lots of additional literature and checklists in clickable icons throughout. 2.All files included here are also included in the EdData II web site, (may need to register to access materials). 3.Kenya used throughout as “case study.”

Do we need to be concerned about capacity? In 7 first FTI countries, 3 policies per country were studied: 21 policies, approx. Only some 40% had been accomplished, mostly for lack of capacity Most countries’ plans for FTI did not do a formal capacity analysis Most bilateral donors (USAID incl) do not formally assess capacity before starting projects FTI / EFA recognition that money alone won’t solve problem: four gaps: financial, capacity, policy, and data

Decentralization, happening for both political and educational reasons, complicates the capacity issue FTI has launched a capacity-building plan Thus, issue of capacity-building is being taken more seriously and is likely to receive much more funding Capacity building not an academic issue Do we need to be concerned about capacity?

Types of capacity issues Broad capacity issues –Policy-making Technical Consensus–reaching Donor handling –Planning –Execution Actual educational implementation

Types of capacity issues (cont’d) Actual educational implementation (List of main areas below, not exhaustive. For exhaustive list see clickable icon.) Access –Low-cost construction –Site selection –Teacher numbers Quality (see below)

Types of capacity issues (cont’d) Quality –Failure to specify clear standards but achievable standards (current: abstract yet over-ambitious) –Failure to train teachers to standard –Failure to supervise and monitor teacher attendance and teaching –Problems coordinating and providing high quality pre-service and in-service training (esp. the latter) Decentralization can help but also complicates

Ways to assess capacity Against what research shows is effective/needed Against national plans/ambitions –What does it take to implement nation’s ambitions? –Assess national plans, example Kenya –Against norms and regulations, if accountability exists Self-report in plenary sessions of, say, district officers: polling

Ways to assess capacity Assess locally below district level (schools, circuits, etc.) Assessment: self report vs. measured capacity –Measured capacity vs. actual delivery Example: Kenya district capacity assessment –All levels: National, region, province, district, zone, division, and school Census, not sample Not self-report of leaders only Assess direct performance benchmarks (reported by actors on each other)

Ways to assess capacity Census or sample: what are issues? –Sample: assumes everyone has same problems or that they vary quite systemically –Census: tailor-fit (But why bother if cannot tailor-fit.)

Basic choices in building capacity Your own, or the country’s? –Do it yourself or influence how the country does it? –Model and replicate? Centrally funded? Locally (district, or province) funded via an ear-mark or ring-fence? Or locally funded out of general funds? If the latter, how to assure it does take place? If centrally funded, does it need to be centrally provided?

Basic choices in building capacity How to determine which type of capacity? –Everyone gets exactly the same support? –Everyone gets different support based on a centrally-driven needs assessment? –Everyone just gets to choose what they need? Who provides? –The Ministry itself? –Ministry appoints providers and sends them down? –Ministry certifies universities and/or NGOs or consulting firms to provide, but then districts choose? –Ministry does not do any prior certification but establishes a “consumer satisfaction” system –Donors’ role: provide fund, choose providers?

Other general tips, suggestions On “company time?” –That’s the way we do it –Improver? Illegal? –Don’t withdraw from job, but pay? Back to issue of “how vocational vs. how general/professional?” How tied to job description, to policy, to accountabilities? How certified? Tied to job progression?

Summary What three points to remember? –Local capacity matters more than money –Capacity is more than training but includes training –Training works only if linked to real accountability to use the knowledge

Relation to other talks in this course Sector assessment –Assess capacity Policy reform –Capacity building tied to policies, “job descriptions” created by new policies Decentralization –Some capacities naturally fostered by decentralization, others not: focus on latter

Group exercise – if time allows Suppose we end up with a design whereby: –Each district or province is told the areas where it is weakest, against a nationally-standardized list –Each district or province is given money it must spend on improving those areas –But they are allowed to choose the providers

Group exercise – if time allows Please discuss –Should the central government certify the providers? –What would be the basis for certifying the providers? –How important is it that the functions themselves be normed before certification can proceed? (For example, that there be norms for financial management before financial management training is offered.) –And, what can you do if the norms are not ready? –Would you actually test the providers? –What role would a “consumer feedback” system play?