Primary Education Survey Evaluation Report Somalia - Somali - JNA

PES Evaluation Report, 2008
• Validating data collection and data cleaning;
• Data entry processes;
• Data analysis;
• Report generation;
• The design of future data needs, and;
• The integration of various data collection strategies currently undertaken.
These components should be addressed as capacity and resources are developed. It would not be
appropriate for capacity in all these areas to be developed simultaneously. An immediate focus should be
placed on improving data collection processes to ensure greater accuracy, and shifting data entry
responsibility to Zones over a two to three year period.
The issue of data entry is clearly the next phase in developing ownership of the PES. The issue caused
much comment from Ministry officials. One observed:
Further
The Process of data entry has to be owned by ministry. The computers are available, but
human resources are the problem. People are available but need some support. UNICEF
will have to pay for the EMIS counterpart.
Those who enter data are not Somali and therefore they do not know local language and
conditions. Need to involve local people in data entry. Can they enter once and the
Nairobi people enter once. Then compare. Do this to build experience. Even take Somali
data entry people to Nairobi for the process.
It was mentioned above that data collecting, processing and analysis skills are emerging in Puntland.
However, this is not consistent across the three Zones. Some capacity building in the area of data entry
and accessing data has been attempted; computers have been supplied and staff to undertake the tasks
have been identified. However, there are constraints in the system that are preventing the transition of
responsibility from UNICEF to the MoEs. Both the education literature and the change literature will
indicate that a brief workshop on a complex set of skills is not enough to build capacity for people to
operate independently in a new and challenging area. In addition to the training component, the skills
need to be practiced in a supportive environment. While experience and support has been provided for in
the area of data collection it has not been provided in the other component areas of EMIS development.
This is essential if capacity is to be developed. With the current double entry data system the opportunity
exists to develop capacity in the area of data entry, without substantial risk to the project. The MoE data
entry staff could be used to enter the data once and the Nairobi data entry staff enter it the second time.
This would be followed by the usual comparison check and corrections. The precise location of the data
entry function would need to be decided, but the process would provide data entry staff with experience
in a supportive environment. As capacity is demonstrated, responsibility for both data entry tasks should
be shifted to Zones.
3.2 Recommendations
a. That the responsibility for transferring of EMIS components to MoEs are considered one at a time
as capacity and resources are developed. In this way a smooth transition from the centrally
managed survey to a decentralised EMIS can be achieved.
b. That responsibility for data entry be shifted to Zones over a two to three year period.
c. That initially MoE data entry staff be used to enter the data once and that the Nairobi data entry
staff enter it the second time.
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