Evaluation : Liberia rural development training at Cuttington University College Rural Development Institute

Evaluation covers the period 8/77-3/81 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with project staff by a joint USAID/L, Government of Liberia (GOL), and Protestant Episcopal Church (PEC) team. The PEC has been outstanding in developing theRural Development Institute (RDI) at Cuttington University College (CUC), including facilties for 200 students and a curriculum for a 2-yr program. When fully operational, RDI will graduate 75-90 students per year; the first class of 61 graduated 12/80. The one major problem -- the lack of money to operate -- was not identified until A.I.D. funds were nearly depleted, reflecting poor project management and monitoring by PEC or A.I.D. The following recommendations were made: (1) A.I.D. should provide emergency funding to RDI for the 1981 school year and then phase out assistance over the next 2 yrs. (2) PEC will assume a greater share of RDI recurrent costs through 1983 and be fully responsible for RDI operations in 1984, requiring greater GOL assistance, increased tuition and fees, expanded PEC support, and other donor assistance. (3) Future A.I.D./PEC agreements should identify amount and type of support pledged. (4) USAID/L should monitor project implementation and expenditures of A.I.D. funds. (5) RDI should undertake no further major construction or renovation. (6) Every effort should be made to recruit and train permanent Liberian faculty members. (7) In 1983, a major evaluation should be made of the RDI curriculum and the preparedness of RDI graduates for field work. (8) Procedures should be developed to enroll Ministry of Agriculture employees in RDI and to place them after graduation. (9) Observational and practical fieldwork in villages should be included in the training design. (10) Use of RDI facilities for in-service training for special project and government employees should be expanded. (11) RDI should attempt to cut the cost of CUC services and locate a recurrent basis for paying these costs other than A.I.D. funds. (12) An outside audit of the farm operations should be made before the end of 1981.