EDUCATION MANAGEMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT : PROJECT EVALUATION SUMMARY (OCT 4-27, 1977); MEMORANDUM : ACTIONS TAKEN OR RECOMMENDED ON EDUCATION MANAGEMENT PROJECT.

EVALUATOR STUDIED RELEVANT PROJ DOCUMENTATION & CONDUCTED ON-SITE INTERVIEWS OF DIRECTORS & PERSONNEL OF THE MEC"S ADMINISTRATIVE RATIONALIZATION COUNCIL (CRA) AND THE ACADEMY FOR EDUC DVLP (AED),CONTRACTED TO PROVIDE TECH ASSISTANCE. EVALUATOR VISITED 3 REGIONAL INTEGRATED DISTRICT ADMIN SERVICE CENTERS (SIDA"S) AND THE MEC PRINT-SHOP FACILITY. PROJ CONTINUES TO MOVE SLOWLY,ACCORDING TO EVALUATOR,LAGRELY DUE TO COMPLEX & GLARINGLY SLOW MEC DECISION-MAKING APPARATUS. WITH PLANNING MOSTLY COMPLETED, SIDA"SSHOULD BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED TO DELIVER SERVICES AND IN-SERVICE TRAINING TO TEACHERS; THE ORURO SIDA PROVIDES A GOOD MODEL. OF CRITICAL CONCERN IS THE CONTINUING DELAY IN THE CONTRACTING OF TEXTBOOK PRODUCTION AND OF CONSTRUCTION OF 8 DISTRICT EDUC DVLP CENTERS(CEDED"S). THE CONSEJO NACIONAL DE EDIFICACIONES ESCOLARES(CONES),WHICH ABANDONED THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF CEDED"S,SHOULD BE REINTEGRATED INTO THE PROJ. VISIBLE PROGRESS IN TERMS OF BUILDINGS & TEXTBOOKS IS VITALLY NECESSARY TO ALLAY RURAL SUSPICIONS OF GRAFT & CORRUPTION. EVALAUTOR RECOMMENDS IMMEDIATE MEC DELEGATION OF PROJ CONTROL & DISBURSEMENT AUTHORITY TO CRA DIRECTOR;MEC PURCHASE OF MINI-COMPUTERS INSTEAD OF PLANNED LARGE COMPUTER;UPGRADING OF COMMUNICATION & INFO FUNCTIONS;BETTER UTILIZATION OF PARTICIPANT TRAINEES;AND REALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR INCREASED IN-COUNTRY TRAINING. MISSION REVIEW BASED ON PES RECOMMENDS DEADLINE DATES FOR CONTRACTING OF 5(OF 8) LOAN-FUNDED CEDED"S(6/30/78);MEC EQUIPMENT CONTRACT FOR ROTARY PRESS(5/15/78);AND PRIVATE TEXTBOOK PRODUCTION CONTRACTS(6/30/78). IF DATES NOT MET,THEN AID FUNDS TO BE DEOBLIGATED. MISSION RECOMMENDS BUDGET ALLOCATION FOR TRAINING,EXPEDITIOUS PROCUREMENT OF MINI-COMPUTERS FOR CRA INFO/MGMT SYSTEM,AND AMENDING OF GRANT TO REDUCE LONG-TERM,INCREASE SHORT-TERM ASSISTANCE.