Vehicle maintenance training

Final PES covers the period 7/80-7/84 and is based on document review, site visits, and interviews with the contractor and Egyptian participants. The VMTC has made significant progress since the mid-term evaluation - administrators and instructors have been trained, a curriculum has been established, equipment was cleared through customs, shops and classrooms have been equipped, and administrative and instructional procedures have been developed. Eighty-five workers have been trained in twelve different trades. The bus companies report that the training quality is good, although they sought more training and at different levels. However, the VMTC is operating significantly under capacity. Much of the equipment was underutilized and the number of trainees remains well below the center"s capacity of approximately 200 trainees at any one time. Ultimately, achievement of the original project purpose will depend on whether the GSLT makes effective use of the VMTC"s potential to provide training - a potential which surpasses the original training targets. GSLT commitment to the VMTC is suspect, however, perhaps because the project addressed not a development but a political issue (resulting from problems associated with Commodity Import Program-financed buses). Because increased funding cannot create such a commitment in the GSLT, it is recommended that the project not be extended. Lessons learned are that: (1) the commitment of direct and indirect Government of Egypt implementing agencies is critical to project success; (2) the time-consuming nature of creating a new institution should be considered when establishing project targets; (3) given the importance of good host country management to project success, USAID should do everything possible to attract and retain good managers; (4) politically motivated projects often experience problems during implementation; and (5) a mid-term evaluation can help improve project implementation. (Near East Evaluation Abstract, modified)