EVALUATION OF CRA (ADMINISTRATIVE RATIONALIZATION COUNCIL) ADMINISTRATION

PROJ SEEKS TO PROVIDE MORE EFFICIENT PUBLIC EDUC SYSTEM TO RURAL AREAS,DECENTRALIZING CERTAIN ADMINISTRATIVE AND PEDAGOGICAL SERVICES & DECISION-MAKING TO THE DISTRICT & LOCAL LEVELS. EVALUATOR MET WITH PERSONNEL & FIELD STAFFS OF CRA,MEC,USAID & THE AGENCY FOR EDUC DVLP(PROVIDER OF TECH ASSISTANCE); VISITED 2 DISTRICT-LEVEL INTEGRATED DISTRICT ADMIN SERVICE CENTERS(SIDA"S). DESPITE GOOD ADMINISTRATION AND A STRONG ORGANIZATIONAL AND MGMT PLANNING CAPABILITY,CRA IS HAMPERED BY DELAYS AND IMPEDIMENTS TO THE REFORMS PROPOSED IN PROJS. IMPORANT TOOLS ARE NOT YET OPERATIONAL: MEC REJECTED INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION DESIGN FOR DISTRICTS EDUC DVLP CENTERS(CEDEDS) AND CONTRACTS FOR THEIR CONSTRUCTION HAVE NOT BEEN LET;TEXTBOOK PRODUCTION HAS NOT YET BEGUN;MOST PERSONNEL FUNCTIONS ARE NOT YET DECENTRALIZED. CRA HAS INCURRED ALIENATION WITHIN MEC & SUFFERS FROM ADVERSE PUBLIS IMAGE, DUE PARTICULARLY TO INEFFICIENCY & UNDERUTILIZATION ON LARGE SIDA STAFFS WHICH ARE NOT ENTIRELY FUNCTIONAL. EVALUATOR NOTES THAT CRS CLEARLY NEEDS VISIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO ESTABLISH CREDIBILITY. PROGRESS IN CEDED DVLP AND IN TEXTBOOK PRODUCTION IS ANTICIPATED,BUT EVALUATOR CAUTIONS AGAINST OVEROPTIMISM. UP TO 10 UNDERUTILIZED POSITIONS COULD BE CUT IN LARGE SIDA"S BUT DISMANTLING WOULD NOT COUNTERPRODUCTIVE TO EVENTUAL DECENTRALIZREFORM GOAL;EVAL RECOMMENDS ONLY PAYROLL STAFF BE CUT DUE TO PROGRESS IN AUTOMATION. CRA"S INATTENTION TO FISCAL DETAILS HAS RESULTED IN AUDIT PROBLEMS. THOUGH OUTSTANDING IN INFO MGMT PLANNING,CRA HAS INCURRED IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA. EVALUATOR RECOMMENDS TECH ASSISTANCE IN AFOREMENTIONED TWO AREAS;CRA CONTROL AGENT AND DISBURSEMENT AUTHORITY FOR LOAN FUNDS;DVLP OF CRA PUBLIC INFO PROGRAM TO AMPLIFY POSITIVE STEPS TAKEN;AND STRENGHTENING OF MEC PLANNING DEPT FOR EVENTUAL TAKEOVER OF CRA FUNCTIONS.