Improving efficiency of educational systems (IEES)

universities. External evaluation covered the period FY83-4/88. The project has been providing TA in eight countries -- Somalia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Nepal, Indonesia, Yemen, and Haiti - - with major successes in three areas: (1) identifying efficiency-related issues through sector assessments; (2) helping governments and Missions design new education projects; and (3) developing personal computer-based management information systems (MIS"s). However, the project has not lived up to expectations in certain other areas -- building in-country research capacity, synthesizing and disseminating project analysis and training tools, and encouraging the coordination of donor activities. This raises the question whether the project will have a sustainable impact on educational planning and administration. The consortium should make a careful assessment of its products. The voluminous progress reports are too time-consuming to produce and fail to address actual project effects, lessons learned, or implementation problems. Efforts should be made to produce substantive papers, analytical tools, training materials, and reports documenting the project"s actual effects in host countries. The audience of project publications and training materials should be broadened to include in-country policymakers, donors, and scholars. "knowledge networks" is also needed. There are also several management problems. The S&T Bureau"s Office of Education has delayed approval of Mission-proposed initiatives, and visits to in-country projects by S&T personnel have been infrequent. Morale among resident staff members is somewhat low; some reported that they felt inadequately prepared for project responsibilities and many complained of delays in salary and allowance payments. Also, there is a danger that add- on activities requested by the Missions may strain consortium resources and dilute the project"s basic focus. the long-term character of project assistance is applauded, its impact has been constrained by high turnover of staff in education ministries and also in A.I.D Missions. The evaluation team recommends that activities relating to MIS"s and microcomputer skills - one area in which technology transfer is clearly occurring -- be expanded.