Nepal : a mid-term assessment of the development training project (367-0152)

External evaluation covers the period 8/85-12/88. Thus far, 35% of a targeted 426 participants have returned or are in training. The goal of providing 25% of training months to women has been met, while the private sector has received 8% of a projected 10% of training months. Training evaluation at this point is limited primarily to the short-term/technical training component, since graduate study programs are still in progress. Of the returned short-term participants, 75% have made concrete use of training. Those interviewed displayed confidence and were seeking opportunities to change their work processes. With project funding, two local organizations - the Business and Professional Women's Club and the Management Association of Nepal - have also provided useful private sector training for limited numbers. The project is well administered and documented, although participant monitoring and follow-up activities have not yet been implemented and serious problems exist in ensuring adequate training courses. Increasing numbers of trainees are placed in Asian institutions about which too little is known. For example, a person sent to study small business enterprise may find himself studying large corporate structures. To improve training relevancy, it is recommended that the project: (1) increase communications with third country institutions, (2) develop more specific statements of training objectives and work expectations of graduates, and (3) integrate graduates of third country institutions into participant orientation. The project is also constrained by unrealistic targets regarding location of training (e.g, 291 participants are to be trained in India and 930 in Nepal). It is recommended that the geographical targets be eliminated and that quality and relevance of training be emphasized. To reduce workload, it is recommended that a single training plan for the remainder of the project be designed. The Ministry of Finance (MOF) is reluctant to change from an annual to a multi-year plan, however, due to the uncertainty of future project funding. The project should also concentrate on training personnel in fewer agencies and only in those most critical to development.