1. Overview: Bhutan M & E system
Formulation of Five- year Plans (FYP)
Bhutan M &E System
Developments in the field of Evaluation in Bhutan
Way-forward
Bhutan’s planned socio-economic development takes place in the form of 5-Year Plans (5YP). Currently, it is the 11th 5-Year Plan from July 2013 till June 2018.
Once the 5YP is finalized by the Government and subsequently approved by the Parliament, the Plan is divided into five years. Accordingly, we will have five Annual Work Plans (AWP) supported by Annual Budget.
Once the AWP & Budget is approved by the Parliament, the annual socio-economic development activities are implemented by agencies. These activities are simultaneously being monitored on real time basis by various relevant agencies, thereby maintaining automatic check and balance on each other.
Evaluation culture has not really picked up as parallel to Monitoring.
However, we have independent constitutional oversight institutions in place that maintain necessary check and balance in the system.
My presentation will then end with the present scenario in respect to Evaluation, its culture and the efforts to promote Evaluation in our country.
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

2. 1. Development Planning and Monitoring Process
Long Term Development Goals –Maximization of GNH
NKRA’s
SKRA’s
KPIs
Key Interventions
Five Year planning
Government Issues Planning Guidelines
Alignment to national priorities
Ministries/Auto-Agencies/LGs prepare FYPs
Annual Work Planning & Budgeting
Alignment of AWPs and Budgets to FYP program outcomes
Preparation/Implementation of Annual Work Plans based on the Approved FYP
How is FYP prepared?
The overarching development goal is the maximization of GNH for the citizens. The GNHC issues Planning Guidelines to the agencies on preparation of a FYP. The agencies will align their plan proposals to the national priorities.
Subsequent to approval of FYP by the Parliament, the agencies will then prepare Annual Work Plans followed by Budget to execute these AWPs. These AWPs and Budget will be aligned with the anticipated program outcomes.
The AWPs and Budget, during its implementation phase only, shall have periodic monitoring and reporting requirements to be followed by the agencies. The Monitoring shall cover both the physical and financial progress reporting.
Plan
Monitoring & progress
Reporting
Physical and Financial Progress Reporting
Weekly/Quarterly/Bi-Annual/Annual Monitoring
Source: Gross National Happiness Commission

3. Information Support Systems
Planning and Implementation Stages
IT System Used
National Five Year Plan
Five Year planning
Annual Work Plans(AWPs) of Implementing Agencies
Annual Work Planning
Annual Budgeting
Annual Budgets of Implementing Agencies based on the AWPs
At various stages in the planning and monitoring continuum, we make use of different IT systems.
Formulation of overall 5FYPs is based on information provided by PLaMS, known as Planning and Monitoring Systems.
PLaMS also support during the AWPs and its implementation.
As regards preparation of Annual Budgeting, the Department of National Budget (DNB) uses MYRB system (Multi Year Rolling Budget).
DNB prepares and approves Annual Budget. But Department of Public Accounts (DPA) of Finance Ministry uses PEMS alongside PLaMS to make quarterly release of budget to the agencies.
Plan
Monitoring & progress
Reporting
Weekly/Quarterly/Bi-Annual/Annual Monitoring/MTR/TR
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Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

4. 2. National Monitoring & Evaluation System
National Monitoring & Evaluation System (NMES) Manual, 2006
GNHC – central coordinating agency for evaluations
No institutionalized evaluation systems
Evaluations taking place on case-by-case basis and more on donor’s requirement
Evaluation culture is quite a new concept in Bhutan although the Government had published a National Monitoring & Evaluation Systems Manual (NMEM) in 2006.
GNHC is the central coordinating agency for Monitoring and evaluations. Monitoring aspects have really picked up and even advanced than what the NMEM elaborates.
However, evaluation front has not progressed much. Except for donor-funded programmes, no evaluation as such by evaluation groups have been conducted for government programmes except the Mid-Term Review of 5FYP, in the middle of the 5 Year period, typically when 2 ½ years into 5YP.
For those donor-led evaluations of programs and projects, evaluations are mostly carried out with varying processes and standards.
Lack of understanding on the benefits of evaluation coupled with lack of technical knowledge on evaluation concepts and practices.
Overall, there is lack of clear institutionalized evaluation procedures in the country.
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

5. ……..National Monitoring & Evaluation Systems
National Monitoring & Evaluation Systems Manual, 2006
Draft National Evaluation Protocols and Guidelines, elaboration of the 2006 NMES Manual, aims at institutionalizing evaluation system in Bhutan
Draft National Evaluation Protocols and Guidelines, 2010 to be upgraded into a policy
Nonetheless, the NMES Manual 2006 has all the detail guidelines on Evaluation as well, starting from definition, purposes, etc. Evaluation criteria are also spelt there although improvements are necessary. NMES explains Evaluation as a periodic assessment of on-going or completed projects, programmes or policy actions. The aim is to determine the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of development interventions (five standard evaluation criteria).
Types of evaluations are categorized into three types depending on:
1. When they take place: Formative, Summative and Ex-post Evaluations.
2. Who conducts them: Internal, External and Joint Evaluations.
3. Where they focus: Project, Programme, Sector and Thematic Evaluations.
MTR and TR are normally taken up by the govt.
Evaluation process involves three main stages:
Stage 1. Planning for Evaluation
Stage 2. Designing and Conducting Evaluation
Stage 3. Using Evaluation Results.
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

6. 3. Latest developments (Public intervention)
Formation of Evaluation Association of Bhutan (EAB) – joint effort of GNHC and UNICEF, Bhutan Office
First meeting of members on 11 July 2013
Around 30 members already …and increasing!!
Membership representative of wide spectrum of the society
11 July Meeting: 5 working groups identified out of the existing members
Debate on Legal issues!!
Evaluation Association of Bhutan, tentative memberships from Government (GNHC, Government Ministries, Cabinet Secretariat, Royal Audit Authority, UNICEF, private consultancy firms, NGOs and MP)
Tuesday, December 04, 2018Tuesday, December 04, 2018
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

7. …….Emerging CSOs and NGOs
CSO Act 2007
NGOs under the purview of CSO Act 2007
Evaluation Association of Bhutan, 2013
CSO Act 2007, Chapter 2: Civil Society Organizations (“CSO”) shall refer to associations, societies, foundations, charitable trusts, not-for-profit organizations or other entities that are not part of Government and do not distribute any income or profits to their members, founders, donors, directors or trustees. CSOs do not include trade unions, political parties, cooperatives or religious organizations which are devoted primarily to religious worship.
Tuesday, December 04, 2018Tuesday, December 04, 2018
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

8. Conclusion Necessary framework and legal infrastructure in place
Capacity building in Evaluation
Institutionalize the evaluation system
Promote evaluation culture and networking
Create demand for high quality evaluation
Materialize VFM of our development activities which are mostly donor-funded
Tuesday, December 04, 2018Tuesday, December 04, 2018
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

9. 4. Way-forward: Parliamentarians Forum
Conduct mapping exercise to map out the status of national evaluation policies/ mechanisms/ guidelines at country level on a global scale
South Asia regional consultation with Parliamentarians to develop a model National Evaluation Policy and country work plans to establish the policy.
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

10. ….Way-forward: Parliamentarians Forum
Provision of technical support to country teams
Promote need for evaluation policies in different forums.
Advocacy support for the country teams to lobby legislation of the “draft national evaluation policy”
Work closely with Evaluation Association of Bhutan which has similar mandates
Identify concrete activities, programmes, etc. to begin Country level inauguration of EvalYear 2015
Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013

11. Thank You and TASHI Delek!
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Panel in SLEvA conference, 25 July 2013