Monrovia consolidated school system : an impact assessment

Ex post impact assessment covers the period 1962-72 and is based on document review and interviews with Government of Liberia (GOL) and other project personnel and participants. Project targets were partially met. Two new elementary schools were constructed (vs. a target of 11) and a junior and a junior/senior high school were built (vs. a target of 2 junior high schools). In addition, a central office building and a warehouse and maintenance building were erected to accomodate the school system's administrative unit. An inservice training program was inaugurated to develop better teaching methods, especially in mathematics and science; vocational training was provided to students in various skills; and Master's degree training was offered to 80 Liberians in elementary and secondary school teaching and supervision. Curriculum improvement activities were also carried out. Improved administrative policies and practices were introduced regarding personnel, maintenance and custodial services, and student personnel services. The project's policy, organizational, and socioeconomic impact and its impact on women, were all positive. However, the project failed to achieve a principal objective - the administrative decentralization of effective school supervision and control - an idea imposed on the GOL by USAID/L. Further, the impact of the project council was limited because the politicians dominating it had little interest in the project. Also, the vocational education program was misconceived from the beginning, and the project failed to make a major economic impact, largely because money spent was on noncapital outlays. Lessons learned are that: project objectives were unclear; specific targets were too ambitious; the pre-existing sociopolitical environment was not sufficiently considered; long-term operational costs were not given sufficient attention; the schools built were too modern and expensive; institution building took longer than anticipated; and the GOL was not adequately involved in project design.