Primary Education Survey Evaluation Report Somalia - Somali - JNA

PES Evaluation Report, 2008
a coordination body to assist education development. It might be possible to form a subgroup of this
coordination body to that would act as an EMIS committee to supervise the development of an
EMIS/Planning unit in lieu of a functioning ministry. This unit would eventually fit into the Ministry
when it emerges. The obvious threat to sustainability with this model is the willingness of the new
ministry to accept the unit members as employees.
Alternatively, there may exist a local NGO that is capable of managing the process and would be capable
to overseeing the development of the EMIS/Planning unit. This process would have a higher risk of
failure when the time came to hand over the unit to a ministry structure since the employees would see
themselves as employees of the NGO and not the ministry
In addition to these challenges is the issue of location of the technical assistance. Currently International
staff are forbidden to enter the Central South Zone due to the lack of security in the area. While this
situation persists, it will be impossible to develop the EMIS/Planning unit as in the other two zones. If
this is the case it would be preferable to use the current PES structures and procedures until the security
situation improves. It is difficult to develop capacity in a ministry if there is no functioning Ministry.
Advice from UNICEF officers in CSZ is for this option of continuing with current PES procedures until
such time a greater stability returns to the Zone and a functioning Ministry emerges.
An issue that will emerge as a possible constraint without careful planning is the issue of coordination
across the three zones as ownership is developed within the zones and local issue are addressed. There is
a likelihood that the data collection forms of the three zones will begin to diverge as each zone begins to
exercise greater control over the process. If this happens it may become difficult to bring the three data
bases together into a single Somalia data base. It will be necessary to use procedures such as those that
currently exist to ensure the future harmonisation of the three data bases.
Recommendations
a. That the UNICEF Planning and EMIS technical assistance be integrated closely with an EMIS
and Planning Directorate.
b. That MoEs identify suitable qualified focal points and the necessary support staff to undertake the
duties associated with EMIS development.
c. That the appointed staff be adequately supervised to ensure the achievement of set goals and
targets
d. That the conceptual framework is accepted as an aspirational model for an EMIS for the
component Zones of Somalia.
e. That the current PES and its associated Access Data Base is referred to as the initial component
parts of an EMIS. That the current “EMIS tools” be referred to as School records.
f. That the EMIS focal point and the EMIS technical assistance develop a ‘ROLLING’ transition
plan for the development of components of the EMIS and the shift of responsibility to the MoEs
g. That the rolling transition plan incorporates changes in data collection, data cleaning and
validation, and changes in reporting recommended in this evaluation
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