NSC 504

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES
COURSE CODE: NSC 504
COURSE TITLE: MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF

HEALTH PROGRAMME AND SERVICES
COURSE
GUIDE
NSC504 - MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF HEALTH

PROGRAMME AND SERVICES
Course Team Dr E. M. Joseph-Shehu (Course Developer/Writer) - NOUN

Dr E. M. Joseph - Shehu (Course Coordinator) –NOUN
Dr Oluwayemisi Olagunju (Reviewer) – OAU, Ile-Ife
NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

NSC 504 COURSE GUIDE
© 2020 by NOUN Press

National Open University of Nigeria
Headquarters
University Village
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Lagos Office
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e-mail: centralinfo@nou.edu.ng
URL: www.nou.edu.ng
Printed 2020
ISBN: 978-978-970-154-4
Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,

in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the
publisher.
COURSE GUIDE
COURSE CODE: NSC 504
COURSE TITLE: Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programme and Services
COURSE UNITS: 3 Credit Units
YEAR: 5
SEMESTER: Second Semester
PRE-REQUISITE COURSES: All courses in the BNSC degree programme in the year
100 to 500 first semester
CON-CURRENT COURSES: NSC 502, NSC 506, NSC 508, NSC 512
SESSION: 2019/2020 COURSE WEBSITE: www.noun.edu.ng
COURSE WRITERS
Dr. Elizabeth M. Joseph-Shehu, Faculty of Health Sciences, NOUN, Abuja
COURSE EDITORS:
COURSE COORDINATOR: Dr. E. M. Joseph-Shehu
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Table of Contents
COURSE GUIDE ................................................................................................................. i
Table of Contents................................................................................................................. ii
General Introduction ...................................................................................................... vii
Course Overview ........................................................................................................... viii
Course Aim ................................................................................................................... viii
Course Objectives ......................................................................................................... viii
Doing the Course............................................................................................................. ix
Course Requirements and Expectations ........................................................................... x
Reference Materials ....................................................................................................... xii
MODULE ONE:OVERVIEW OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION HEALTH
PROGRAMME AND SERVICES ................................................................................... 1
Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 1
Unit 1 Monitoring of Health Programme and Services ............................................ 2
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 2
2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................... 3
3.0 Main contents ......................................................................................................... 3
3.1 Monitoring ............................................................................................................. 3
3.2 Purpose of Monitoring ........................................................................................... 4
3.3 Monitoring Process ................................................................................................ 4
3.4 Levels of Monitoring ............................................................................................. 5
3.5 Domains of information required in a monitoring system ..................................... 7
4.0 Conclusion ............................................................................................................. 8
5.0 Summary ................................................................................................................ 8
6.0 Online Discussion and Assignment ....................................................................... 9
7.0 References/ Further reading ................................................................................... 9
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Unit 2 Overview of Evaluation of Health Programme and Services .......................... 10
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 10
2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................. 11
3.0 Main Contents ...................................................................................................... 11
3.1 Evaluation ............................................................................................................ 11
3.2 Uses of Evaluation ............................................................................................... 12
3.3 Drawback to Evaluations ..................................................................................... 13
3.4 Types of Evaluation ............................................................................................. 13
4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 20
5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 20
6.0 Online Discussion and Assignment ..................................................................... 21
7.0 References / Further reading ................................................................................ 21
MODULE TWO: CONDUCTING MONITORING AND EVALUATION ............ 22
Objectives .......................................................................................................................... 22
Unit 1 Guide for Conducting Effective Monitoring and Evaluation ....................... 23
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 23
2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................. 24
3.0 Main Contents ...................................................................................................... 24
3.1 Principles of Effective Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programme and
Services .......................................................................................................................... 24
3.2 Important of Monitoring and Evaluation .............................................................. 26
3.3 Tools for Monitoring and Evaluation.................................................................... 27
3.4 Types of Monitoring and Evaluation .................................................................... 28
3.5 Resources for Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................... 32
4.0 Conclusion................................................................................................................ 35
5.0 Summary .................................................................................................................. 35
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6.0 Online Discussion and Assignment ....................................................................... 35
7.0 References / Further reading ............................................................................ 36
Unit 2 Designing Monitoring and Evaluation System ........................................... 37
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 37
2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................. 37
3.0 Main Contents ...................................................................................................... 38
3.1 The Steps in Designing a Monitoring and Evaluation System ............................ 38
3.2 Monitoring and Evaluation Plan .......................................................................... 40
3.3 Important of M&E Plan ....................................................................................... 41
3.4 Features of M&E Plan ......................................................................................... 41
3.5 Components of an M&E Plan .............................................................................. 42
3.6 How to organize M&E Plan ................................................................................. 46
4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 46
5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 46
Unit 3 Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks.................................................... 47
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 48
2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................. 48
3.0 Main contents ....................................................................................................... 49
3.1 Monitoring and Evaluation Frameworks ............................................................. 49
3.2 Common Types of M&E Frameworks ................................................................ 49
4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 62
5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 62
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Unit 4 Indicators ........................................................................................................ 64
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 64
2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................. 65
3.0 Main Contents ...................................................................................................... 65
3.1 Steps in Developing Appropriate Indicators for a Project/ Programme .............. 65
3.2 Types of Indicators............................................................................................... 67
3.4 Characteristics of Indicators ................................................................................ 70
3.5 Challenges to Selecting Indicators ....................................................................... 75
4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 78
5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 79
7.0 References /Further reading ................................................................................. 79
Unit 5 Data Source in Monitoring and Evaluation ................................................. 80
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 80
3.0 Main Contents ...................................................................................................... 81
3.1 Data Source .......................................................................................................... 81
3.2 Types of Data Sources ......................................................................................... 81
3.3 Data Collection .................................................................................................... 83
3.4 Data Quality ......................................................................................................... 83
3.5 Data Use ............................................................................................................... 84
4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 85
5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 85
7.0 References/ Further reading ................................................................................. 86
Unit 6 Field Visits, Reports and Evaluation Findings .................................................. 87
1.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................... 87
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2.0 Objectives............................................................................................................. 87
3.0 Main Contents ...................................................................................................... 88
3.1 Field Visits ........................................................................................................... 88
3.2 Annual Project Report (APR) .............................................................................. 89
3.3 Content, Format and Preparation of the APR ...................................................... 89
3.4 Use of the APR .................................................................................................... 91
3.5 Guidance for Monitoring and Evaluation Report Writing ................................... 92
4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 93
5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 93
7.0 References/ Further reading ................................................................................. 94
vi
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Hello,
It’s great to have you register for NSC 504- Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Health
Programme and Services. The principles of Monitoring and evaluation are applied to
everyone. It can be applied by an individual to run a home and in any work settings.
Monitoring and Evaluation is an integral part of programming for quality service delivery
as professional practice demands that nurses use evidence through appropriate data
collection method, analysis, and use of such data to inform decision making relating to
health care service delivery and programme at all levels of care. Your knowledge on
Health Statistics, Introduction to Health Economics, and Research Methods in Nursing in
your 400 level will help you understand the course better.
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of Health Programme and Services is a three (3)
credits unit course for the students in the Bachelor of Nursing Science degree
programme. The course is made up of two (2) modules with eight (8) study units. It is
important that you register for the course at the beginning of the Semester. This course
will build your capacity to be able to apply the knowledge of data collection and
transformation to inform decision making in the process of monitoring and tracking of
services and programme that are provided by nurses. The concept of monitoring and
evaluation are explored, use of appropriate tool for assessment and the process of
developing a monitoring and evaluation plan is also covered. Learners are expected to
learn through case studies and practical experiences of monitoring of services and
programme provided by nurses. This Course Guide will give you essential information
about the course to help you plan to do well in the course. It is important that you read,
master and utilize the information in the course guide.
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COURSE OVERVIEW
Monitoring and evaluation “of health services is an important course in nursing because
as nurses you need to assess each of your activities, programme or services. For health
intervention programme to be successful, health professionals have to apply the
principles of M&E. Monitoring and evaluation empowers the recipient of health services
and health workers to make informed decision on interventions, and performance; and
promote collaboration, transparency, accountability, and sustainability. When you read or
hear that the prevalence of low birth weight in a country is 20% or the percentage of
married women of reproductive age in a rural area using a modern contraceptive method
rose from 52% to 73%, these types of statistics and other similar information result from
“monitoring and evaluation” or “M&E” efforts. The course is a practical and training
course, it will require you to do more” of practical sections.
COURSE AIM
The aim of this course is to update your knowledge and skills in basics programme
monitoring and evaluation in the context of population, health, nutrition and some
existing control programme.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this course, learners should be able to:

• describe common terms
• discuss the importance of M&E in programme management.
• identify the scope of M&E;
• differentiate between monitoring functions and evaluation functions;
• describe the functions of an M&E plan;
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• identify the main components of an M&E plan;
• identify and differentiate between conceptual frameworks, results frameworks

and logic models;
• describe how frameworks are used for M&E planning;
• identify criteria for the selection of indicators;
• describe how indicators are linked to frameworks;
• identify types of data sources; and
• describe how information can be used for decision-making.

DELIVERY MODE
The course “will be delivered adopting the blended learning mode, 70% of online
interactive sessions and 30% of face-to-face during laboratory sessions. You are expected
to register for this course online before you can have access to all the materials and have
access to the class sessions online. You will have hard and soft copies of course
materials, you will also have online interactive sessions, face-to-face sessions with
instructors during practical sessions in the laboratory. The interactive online activities
will be available to you on the course link on the Website of NOUN. There are activities
and assignments online for every unit every week. It is important that you visit the course
sites weekly and do all assignments to meet deadlines and to contribute to the discussion
forum. You will be expected to read every module along with all assigned readings to
prepare you to have meaningful contributions to all sessions and” to complete all
activities.
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
NSC 506: Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programme and Services (2-1-0)
3 UNITS
Monitoring and Evaluation is an integral part of programming for quality service delivery
and professional practice demands that nurses use evidence through appropriate data
collection method, analysis and use of such data to inform decision making relating to
health care service delivery and programme at all levels of care. This course builds
capacity of the learners to be able to apply the knowledge of data collection and
transformation to inform decision making in the process of monitoring and tracking of
services and programme that are provided by nurses. The concept of monitoring and
evaluation are explored, use of appropriate tool for assessment and the process of
developing a monitoring and evaluation plan is also covered. Learners are expected to
learn through case studies and practical experiences of monitoring of services and
programme provided by nurses.
COURSE MODE – BLENDED

70% online class sessions; 30% practical of face-to-face working with preceptors. To
participate in online sessions, you will need to register for the course as indicated by the
School of Health Science Website.
NUMBER AND PLACES OF MEETING (ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE)
The details of these will be provided to you at the time of commencement of this course
DISCUSSION FORUM
There will be an online discussion forum. The topics for discussion will be posted to the
Learning Management System and you will need to contribute meaningfully. It is
mandatory that you participate in every discussion every week. Your participation links
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you, your face, your ideas and views to that of every member of the class and earns you
some mark.
COURSE EVALUATION
This will be done through group review, written assessment of learning during clinical
posting; teacher-learner joint review of clinical posting. Students’ evaluation: The
students will be assessed and evaluated based on the following criteria.
In-Course Examination:
In line with the university’s regulation, in-course examination will come up in the middle
of the semester. This would come in the form of three (3) compulsory Tutor Marked
Assignment (TMA’s); with Group Assignments/projects contributing to 20%. Case
studies will constitute 10% of the total mark for the course
Final Examination: The final written examination will come up at the end of the
semester comprising essay and objective questions covering all the contents covered in
the course. The final examination will amount to 60% of the total grade for the course.
GRADING CRITERIA
The total of 100% for this course shall be made up as follows:
Continuous Assessment - 30%
End of Course Examination - 70%
GRADING SCALE
A = 70-100
B = 60 - 69
C= 50 - 59
F = < 49
GRADE POLICY
A= 70% and above
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B= 60-69
C= 50-59.
EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE NEEDED TO ASSESS THE COURSE

Students will be expected to have the following tools:
1. A computer (laptop or desktop or a Tablet)
2. Internet access, preferably broadband rather than dial-up access
3. MS Office software – Word PROCESSOR, PowerPoint, Spreadsheet
4. Browser – Preferably Internet Explorer, Moxilla Firefox, Goggle Chrome
5. Adobe Acrobat Reader 8
REFERENCE MATERIALS
Frankel, N., & Gage, A. (2007). M&E fundamentals: A self-guided minicourse. United
States Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, DC. http://www.
cpc. unc. edu/measure/publications/pdf/ms-07-20. pdf.
Family Health International (FHI) (2011). Core Module1: Monitoring HIV/AIDS
Programme: A Facilitator’s Training Guide. USAID Resource for Prevention, Care and
Treatment.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2002). Handbook for
Monitoring and Evaluation. 1st edition. Switzerland
Mokua, C., & Kimutai, G. (2019). Monitoring and Evaluation Systems and Performance of
Public Private Partnership Projects in Nairobi City County, Kenya. International Journal
of Current Aspects, 3(VI), 124-148.
School of Geography and Environment (2014). A step by step guide to monitoring and
evaluation. Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Oxford. Retrieved
from:
xii
(http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/monitoringandevaluation.html)
Accessed: December 2019
Umhlaba Development Services (2017). Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation Using
the Logical Framework Approach. Retrieved from:
http://eeas.europa.eu/archives/delegations/ethiopia/documents/eu_ethiopia/ressources/m_
e_manual_en.pdf. Accessed: January 02, 2020
xiii
MAIN
COURSE
MODULE 1 OVERVIEW OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF

HEALTH PROGRAMME AND SERVICES
Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are essential management tools to assess health
programme and services. It helps to ensure that health activities are implemented as
planned and to assess whether desired results are being achieved. Monitoring progress
and evaluating outcomes of health care services are important to improve the
performance of those responsible for implementing the services. The process of M&E
show whether a service or programme is accomplishing its goals. It identifies programme
weakness and strength, if there are areas that need revision, and aspect of the service or
programme that meet or exceed expectations. Monitoring and evaluation can sometimes
seem like an unaffordable luxury, an administrative burden, or an unwelcome instrument
of external oversight. But if used well, M&E can become a powerful tool for social and”
political change.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, learners should be able to:
• Describe the concept of Monitoring and Evaluation of health programme and
services
• Identify situations that calls for Monitoring and Evaluation
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UNIT 1 MONITORING OF HEALTH PROGRAMME AND SERVICES
CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Monitoring
3.1.2 Purpose of monitoring
3.1.3 Monitoring process
3.1.4 Levels of Monitoring
3.1.5 Domains of information required in a monitoring system
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
6.0 ONLINE DISCUSSION AND ASSIGNMENT
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER” READING
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Monitoring is a continuing function that uses the systematic collection of data on

specified indicators to inform management and the main stakeholders of the extent of
progress and achievement of results in the use of allocated funds. Monitoring of a
programme or an intervention involves the collection of routine data that measure
progress toward achieving programme objectives. It involves counting what is being
done, and routinely looking at the quality of the services. It is used to track changes in
programme performance over time. The purpose of monitoring is to permit stakeholders
to make informed decisions regarding the effectiveness of programme and the efficient
use of resources. It is an ongoing, continuous process; that requires the collection of data
2
at multiple points throughout the programme cycle, including at the beginning to provide
a baseline; and can be used to determine if activities need adjustment during the
intervention” to improve desired outcomes.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, learner should be able to:

• describe “monitoring of health programme and services
• identify the purpose of monitoring
• describe monitoring process
• discuss the levels of monitoring
• discuss information requires in a” monitoring system
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Monitoring
Monitoring and Planning “goes together, one of the reasons for monitoring a project /
programme / intervention / service is to ensure that programme are implemented as
planned. The plan should specify what needs to be done, who is going to do it, and when
it is to be done. Inadequacy in planning will result in inadequacy in monitoring.
Monitoring is sometimes referred to as process evaluation i.e the ongoing assessment of
the programme progress. This is because it focuses on the step by step implementation of
the process and asks key questions:
• To what extent are planned activities actually realized?

• What programme are provided, to whom, when, how often, for how long, and
in what context?
3
• How well has the programme been implemented?
• How much does implementation vary from site to site?
• What is the quality of the programme provided?
• Did the programme benefit the intended people? At what cost?
• Is the programme making progress toward achieving our objectives?
• Is the programme consistent with each design or implementation plan?
• Is the programme directed toward the specified” target group?
3.1.2 Purpose of Monitoring
i. It helps in setting norms of performance

ii. It helps in measuring the level of performance
iii. It helps in comparing performance level with standards or norms
iv. It helps in identifying deviations and explain the reasons for the deviation for
taking necessary corrective action
3.1.3 Monitoring Process
Monitoring process is a continuous cycle that involves constant feedback. There are four
steps in monitoring process:
i. Collecting and Analyzing Data: the first step in the monitoring process is
measuring, recording, collecting data with emphasis on specific indicators, and
analyzing data on actual implementation of the programme
ii. Detecting Deviations from Plans: following data analysis, any deviations from
the plan is identified and communicated to the programme managers
iii. Diagnosing Causes for Deviations: the programme manager detects the causes of
the deviation after analysis
4
iv. Taking Corrective Action: corrective actions are plan taking to get rid of the
“deviation” and implementations of these plans to achieve the desired goal(s), then
the cycle begins again
3.1.4 Levels of Monitoring
i. Managers at the Top Level: They have to develop health plans based on
objectives, goals, devise strategy and allocate necessary resources
ii. Managers at the Middle Level: They are more concerned with whether they are
getting desired output from the inputs that are being utilized
iii. Managers at the Operational Level: They have to supervise actual operations and
to ensure that planned activities are being carried out as per schedule
These managers are classified in a hierarchy of authority, and perform different tasks. In
many organizations, the number of managers in every level resembles a pyramid. There
are responsibilities for each level;
Top-level Managers
These are board of directors, president, vice-president, and CEO. These managers are
responsible for controlling and overseeing the entire organization. They develop goals,
strategic plans, company policies, and make decisions on the direction of the business.
They have a significant role in the mobilization of outside resources. Top-level managers
are accountable to the shareholders and general public.
5
Middle-level Managers
These are General managers, branch managers, and department. They are accountable to
the top management for their department’s function.
Middle-level managers devote more time to organizational and directional functions than
top-level managers. Their roles can be emphasized as:
i. Executing organizational plans in conformance with the company’s policies and
the objectives of the top management;
ii. Defining and discussing information and policies from top management to lower
management; and most importantly
iii. Inspiring and providing guidance to low-level managers towards better

performance.
Some of their functions are as follows:
i. Designing and implementing effective group and intergroup work and information
systems;
ii. Defining and monitoring group-level performance indicators;
iii. Diagnosing and resolving problems within and among work groups;
iv. Designing and implementing reward systems supporting cooperative behavior.
Low-level Managers
These are supervisors, section leads, and foremen. These managers focus on controlling
and directing.
Low-level managers usually have the responsibility of:
6
i. Assigning employees tasks;
ii. Guiding and supervising employees on day-to-day activities;
iii. Ensuring the quality and quantity of production;
iv. Making recommendations and suggestions; and
v. Up channeling employee problems.
Also referred to as first-level managers, low-level managers are role models for
employees. These managers provide:
i. Basic supervision;
ii. Motivation;
iii. Career planning;
iv. Performance feedback; and
v. Staff supervision.
3.1.5 Domains of Information Required in a Monitoring System
1. Inputs—Resources going into conducting and carrying out the project or programme.
These could include staff, finance, materials, and time.
2. Process—Set of activities in which programme resources (human and financial) are
used to achieve the results expected from the programme (e.g., number of workshops or
number of training sessions).
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3. Outputs—Immediate results obtained by the programme through the execution of
activities (e.g., number of commodities distributed, number of staffs trained, number of
people reached, or the number of people served).
Examples of situations that calls for monitoring:
A country director wants to know how many sex workers have been reached by your
programme this year. This is monitoring because it is concerned with counting the
number of something (sex workers reached).
A country director is interested in finding out if the post-abortion care provided in

public clinics meets national standards of quality. This is also monitoring because it
requires” tracking something (quality of care).
4.0 CONCLUSION
Monitoring is the “day-to-day management task of collecting and reviewing information

that reveals how an operation is proceeding and what aspects of it, if any, need
correcting. It should be conducted at every stage of the programme, with data collected,
analyzed and used on a continuous basis.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, you have learnt:
• The definition of monitoring;

• The purpose of monitoring;
• Monitoring process
• Levels of monitoring
• Domains of information required in a monitoring system
8
1. Cite two examples of situations that calls for monitoring

2. Describe “monitoring of health programme in the Primary health Care where you
had your community postings and services
3. Highlight the process you will take in monitoring the vaccination for covid-19 in
your ward.
6.1.1 SELF ASSESSMENT
1. Why do you think Monitoring is important for nursing programme? Describe your
nursing roles at the different levels of monitoring?
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
Frankel, N., & Gage, A. (2007). M&E fundamentals: A self-guided minicourse. United
States Agency for International Development (USAID), Washington, DC.
http://www. cpc. unc. edu/measure/publications/pdf/ms-07-20. pdf.
Programme: A Facilitator’s Training Guide. USAID Resource for
Prevention, Care and Treatment.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2002).
Handbook for Monitoring and Evaluation. 1st edition. Switzerland
School of Geography and Environment (2014). A step by step guide to monitoring
and evaluation. Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of
Oxford. Retrieved from:
(http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/monitoringandev
aluation.html)
Management Level; a hierarchical View available on:
9
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-business/chapter/types-of-
management/
Unit 2 Overview of Evaluation of Health Programme and Services
CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Evaluation
3.1.2 Uses of evaluation
3.1.3 Drawback to evaluation
3.1.4 Types of evaluation
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Evaluation is the “systematic and objective assessment of an on-going or completed

operation, programme or policy, its design, implementation and results. The aim is to
determine the relevance and fulfilment of objectives, as well as efficiency, effectiveness,
impact (overall Goal) and sustainability. An evaluation should provide information that is
credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of lessons into management decision-
making.
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2.0 OBJECTIVES

• Describe the evaluation of health programme and services
• Discuss uses of evaluation
• Discuss drawbacks to evaluation of health programme and services
• Describe types of evaluation
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Evaluation
Evaluation is a systematic way of learning from experience and using the lessons learnt to
improve current activities and promote better planning by careful selection of alternatives
for future action. It measures how well the programme activities have met expected
objectives and /or the extent to which changes in outcomes can be attributed to the
programme or intervention. Evaluation is also the use of social research methods to
systematically investigate a programme effectiveness. It is a fundamental exercise to help
decision-makers understand how and to what extent, a programme is responsible for
particular measured results. The difference in the outcome of interest between having or
not having the programme or intervention is” known as it’s “impact,” and measuring this
difference and is commonly referred to as “Impact Evaluation.”
Evaluations require a well-planned “study design, data collection at the start of a

programme (to provide a baseline) and again at the end, rather than at repeated intervals
during programme implementation and a control or comparison group in order to
measure whether the changes in outcomes can be attributed to the programme.
Evaluation Questions
The following questions when addressed will make for effective evaluation;
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1. What outcomes are observed?
2. What do the outcomes mean?
3. Does the programme make a difference?
Here are some of the questions that could be answered with a process evaluation when
implementing an initiative to address a syphilis outbreak among men who have sex
with men (MSM):
1. How did Disease Intervention Specialists (DIS) and STD programme management
collaborate with community-based organizations (CBOs) or other partners to reach
MSM who engage in high-risk behaviours?
2. How many CBO “outreach workers received STD training?
3. What activities did these partners implement to address the problem?
4. When were these activities conducted?
5. Where were these activities conducted?
6. Was the target population reached?
7. What were the problems encountered in reaching the target population?
3.1.2 Uses of Evaluation
1. To assess the changes in the target group (e.g., changes in risk behaviour)
2. To assess the extent to which objectives have been met. It is the process of determining
the effectiveness of a programme or a project.
3. To review the implementation of the programme and/or services provided by health
programme so as to identify problems and recommend necessary revisions of the
programme.
4. To assess progress towards desired health status at national or state levels and identify
reasons for the gap, if any
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5. Evaluation contribute towards better health planning
6. To document results achieved by a project funded by donor agencies
7. To know whether desired health outcomes are being achieved and identify remedial
measures
8. To improve health programme and the health infrastructure
9. Allocation of resources in current and future programme
10. To track the outcomes and impacts of programme or projects at the larger population
level, as opposed to the programme or project level:
a. Outcomes—Short-term or intermediate results obtained by the programme
through the execution of activities
b. Impact—Long-term effects (e.g., changes in health status). This can be through
special studies with wide district, regional, or national” coverage.
11. To render health activities more relevant, more efficient and more effective
3.1.3 Drawback to Evaluations
1. Rigorous study “design that includes a comparison or control group

2. Finding a way to measure the effects of your project or programme separate from other
projects and programme in the same target group or geographic area
3. Insufficient staff (who can coordinate and guide evaluation design and implementation,
including when evaluation is conducted by an external body)
4. Lack of skill in evaluation design, data collection methods (both quantitative and
qualitative), analysis, write-up, and dissemination
5. Insufficient financial resources (NGOs face a multitude of pressing priorities and may
not be able to spare or raise the extra money needed).
3.1.4 Types of Evaluation
Formative Evaluation evaluates a programme during development in order to make

early improvements. It also helps to refine or improve a programme. It ensures that a
13
programme or programme activity is feasible, appropriate, and acceptable before it is
fully implemented. It is usually conducted when a new programme or activity is being
developed or when an existing one is being adapted or modified.
Formative Evaluation is used:
1. When starting a new programme
2. To assist in the early phases of programme development
3. for behavior change projects and community engaged projects
Examples of Formative Evaluation:
1. How well is the programme being delivered?

2. What strategies can we use to improve this programme?
Summative Evaluation: Provides information on programme effectiveness and is

conducted after the completion of the programme design
Uses of Summative Evaluation:
1. To help decide whether to continue, end, or expand a programme
Examples of Summative Evaluation:
1. Should funding continue for this programme?

2. Should service expand to other after-school programme in the community?
Process / Implementation Evaluation determines whether programme activities have

been implemented as intended. Results of a process evaluation will strengthen your
ability to report on your programme and use information to improve future activities. It
14
allows you to track programme information related to Who, What, When and Where
questions:
1. To whom did you direct programme efforts?
Example:
a. What types and how many target population members received STD services?
2. What has your programme done?
Examples:
a. Did the programme staff distribute the STD screening protocols to clinics?
b. Did medical staff counsel, screen, and appropriately treat clinic patients for STDs?
c. How many professional development workshops were provided for disease
intervention specialists (DIS) on protocols for interviewing clients and conducting
case management?
d. Did the programme staff collaborate with the stakeholders or other partners in
designing a screening programme?
3. When did your programme activities take place?
Example:
a. How many days after interviewing index cases were contacts treated
prophylactically?
4. Where did your programme activities take place?
Example:
a. Where was outreach conducted to reach the target population(s)?
5. What are the barriers / facilitators to implementation of programme activities?
Outcome / Effectiveness evaluation measures programme effects in the target
population by assessing the progress in the outcomes or outcome objectives that the
programme” is to achieve.
15
Outcome evaluation “reflects the intended changes in the programme /service /project
target population (knowledge, awareness, attitudes, skills, and behaviour) as well as
potential changes in programme policies that you hope to achieve.
Some questions that can be addressed with an outcome evaluation include:
1. Were medical providers who received intensive STD training more likely to effectively
counsel, screen and treat patients than those who did not?
2. Did the implementation of STD counselling in community-based organizations result
in changes in knowledge, attitudes, and skills among the members of the target
population?
3. Did the programme have any unintended (beneficial or adverse) effects on the target
population(s)?
4. Do the benefits of the STD activity justify a continued allocation of resources?
Some of the questions you could address with an outcome evaluation in addressing a
syphilis outbreak in the MSM community are:
5. As a result of the syphilis initiative, was there any change in the awareness of the
syphilis outbreak among MSM who engage in high-risk behaviours?
6. Was there any change in attitudes toward condom use among MSM who engage in
high-risk behaviours?
7. Was there any change in intention to use condoms among MSM who engage in high-
risk behaviours?
8. Was there any change in syphilis incidence rates among MSM who engage in high-risk
behaviours?
9. Did the benefits of the activity justify continued allocation of resources?
16
Impact Evaluation assesses programme effectiveness in achieving its ultimate goals. It
Focuses on long-term sustained changes as a result of programme activities, both positive
and negative or intended and” unintended
Uses of Impact Evaluation
1. To influence policy
2. To see impact in longitudinal studies with comparison groups
Examples of Impact Evaluation
1. What changes in your programme participants’ behaviours are attributable to your

programme?
2. What effects would programme participants miss out on without this programme?
17
Types of Evaluation (and when to use them)
Evaluation Types When to use What it shows Why it is useful
Formative • During the • Whether the • It allows for
Evaluation development of a proposed modifications to be
Evaluability new programme. programme made to the plan
Assessment • When an existing elements are likely before full
Needs Assessment programme is being to be needed, implementation
modified or is being understood, and begins.
used in a new accepted by the • Maximizes the
setting or with a population you likelihood that the
new population. want to reach. programme will
• The extent to succeed.
which an evaluation
is possible, based
on the goals and
objectives.
Process Evaluation • As soon as • How well the • Provides an early
Programme programme programme is warning for any
Monitoring implementation working. problems that may
begins. • The extent to occur.
• During operation which the • Allows
of an existing programme is being programme to
programme. implemented as monitor how well
designed. their programme
18
• Whether the plans and activities
programme is are working.
accessible an
acceptable to its
target population.
Outcome • After the • The degree to • Tells whether the
Evaluation programme has which the programme is being
Objectives-Based made contact with programme is effective in meeting
Evaluation at least one person having an effect on its objectives.
or group in the the target
target population. population’s
behaviours.
Economic • At the beginning • What resources • Provides
Evaluation: Cost of a programme. are being used in a programme
Analysis, Cost- • During the programme and managers and
Effectiveness operation of an their costs (direct funders a way to
Evaluation, Cost- existing and indirect) assess cost relative
Benefit Analysis, programme. compared to to effects. “How
Cost-Utility outcomes? much bang for your
Analysis buck.”
Impact Evaluation • During the • The degree to • Provides evidence
operation of an which the for use in policy
existing programme programme meets and funding
at appropriate its ultimate goal on decisions.
intervals. • At the an overall rate of
STD transmission
19
end of a (how much has
programme. programme X
decreased the
morbidity of an
STD beyond the
study population).
Examples of situations that calls for evaluation:

The National Council of Population and Development wants to know if the
programme being carried out in province A are reducing unintended pregnancy
among adolescents in that province. This is evaluation because it is concerned with
the impact of particular programme.
4.0 CONCLUSION
Evaluation is the use of social research methods to systematically investigate a

programme effectiveness. It requires study design and a control or comparison group
which involves and measurements over time special studies. Evaluations are usually
conducted at the end of any programme. However, they should be planned for at the start
because they rely on data collected throughout the programme, with baseline data being
especially important.
5.0 Summary
In this unit, you have learnt:

• Definition of evaluation
• Uses of evaluation
• Types of evaluation
20
Cite two examples of situations that calls for monitoring

1. Give five (5) different definitions of evaluation.
2. Highlight the benefits of evaluation to any programme targeting reduction of
infant mortality rate in your State.
3. Which of the types of evaluation will you recommend for an ongoing programme.
4. Highlights the types and uses of evaluation.
5. Describe the challenges to evaluation of two health programme / services at the
health care setting where you work.
Frankel N & Gage A (2007). M&E Fundamentals: A Self-Guided Minicourse. U.S.

Agency for International Development (USAID)
Programme: A Facilitator’s Training Guide. USAID Resource for Prevention,
Care and Treatment.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (2002). Handbook
for Monitoring and Evaluation. 1st edition. Switzerland
and evaluation. Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Oxford.
Retrieved from:
(http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/monitoringandevaluatio
n.html)
21
MODULE TWO: CONDUCTING MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Monitoring and “evaluation (M&E) are important management tools to track the progress
of services and facilitate decision-making process. It is an essential component of any
intervention, project, or programme. It provides organizers, government officials,
development managers, and civil society with better means for learning from past
experience, improving service delivery, planning and allocating resources, and
demonstrating results as part of accountability to key stakeholders. It is a process of
measuring, recording, collecting and analyzing data on actual implementation of the
programme and communicating it to the programme managers so that any deviation from
the planned operations are detected, diagnosis for causes of deviation is carried out and
suitable corrective actions are taken. M&E is a continuous process that occurs throughout
the life of a programme. For a programme or service to be most effective, M&E should
be planned at the design stage of a programme, with the time, money and personnel that
will be required calculated and allocated in advance.
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this module learners should be able to:
• Describe the importance of monitoring and evaluation
• Describe resources needed for monitoring and evaluation
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation of a health service in an identified health
institution.
22
UNIT 1: GUIDE FOR CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE MONITORING AND
EVALUATION
CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Principles of Effective Monitoring and Evaluation
3.1.2 Importance of Monitoring and Evaluation
3.1.3 Tools of Monitoring and Evaluation
3.1.4 Types of Monitoring and Evaluation
3.1.5 Resources for Monitoring and Evaluation
3.1.6 Domains of information required in a monitoring system
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Monitoring and evaluation is an important tool in achieving greater accountability in the

use of resources, achievement of results and making a clear decision regarding health
programme, project or services. This unit will introduce you to basic steps and principles
guiding monitoring and evaluation.
23
2.0 OBJECTIVES

• Describe the principles of effective monitoring and evaluation
• Identify the importance of monitoring and evaluation
• Discuss the tools of monitoring and evaluation
• Describe the resources for monitoring and evaluation
• Describe the types of monitoring and evaluation
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Principles of Effective Monitoring and Evaluation of Health Programme and

Services
Right Indicators: Well formulated indicators are the basis for clear and comprehensive
monitoring. There is a need for specific, measurable, qualitative, and quantitative data.
Reporting on progress towards indicators should go beyond limitations which indicators
sometimes contain. It should provide the monitoring body and the public with all
information they might look for in the context of each indicator.
Adequate and Timely Report: All “the officers responsible for the implementation of a
certain action should be responsible for reporting on progress. Officers at each level
should ideally report at least twice a year to ensure public scrutiny of progress. Any
paper-based reporting requires templates. For ease of following the numerous activities, a
system of enumeration of objectives and activities is recommended in action plans, and
the same enumeration should be followed in the reports. Information from other sources
should serve to complement and countercheck the data submitted by state bodies. Reports
should contain quantitative data on the overall level of implementation, combined with a
matrix on the quantitative and qualitative status of each action.
24
Usage of Information Technology Tools: IT-solutions facilitate structured input, render
paperwork obsolete, provide data in real-time, and allow for easy public reporting.
Ideally, the monitoring body is connected through a web application with all reporting
entities. Whenever an online reporting system is not available, offline software can
support the aggregation and analysis of all institutional reports. As an alternative, reports
should still be in electronic format sent by email to be consolidated into one table, or such
tables could be shared online.
Incentives for Reporting: Incentives should be available to facilitate reporting. This

includes clear institutional and individual responsibility for reporting; clear instructions;
high-level endorsement; public availability of progress reports; IT-support; and the
possibility of on-site audits by the monitoring group.
Monitoring Bodies: Monitoring bodies – if a collegial body – should comprise of a

diversity of stakeholders, including civil society, or – if an agency – ensure input from
various stakeholders; should meet at least as often as is the frequency of reporting; should
have political weight by its location or level of members; should employ staff with
relevant expertise, and should promote its work to the public.
Public Access: Public access to progress reports can increase pressure and demand for
change. It provides a strong incentive for public bodies to comply with benchmarks
contained in indicators. It furthermore allows the public at large to scrutinise how the
programme/services meet its goals. Public access means putting all progress reports
online in machine-readable format to allow for keyword search or for migrating part of
the data for further analysis by civil society organisations. This is also true for”
evaluation reports.
Participation of Civil Society Inclusion “of civil society in monitoring and evaluating
strategies ensures ownership of the process by a large societal basis. Civil society
25
representatives should be included in any monitoring/coordination commission and its
working groups (e.g. for on-site audits), should have access to progress reports, and the
monitoring/coordination commission as well as implementing state bodies should take
their comments on the implementation of the programme/services
Coordination: Monitoring is not just taking note of progress reports; monitoring bodies
also have to steer activities into the right direction. To this end, the monitoring /
coordination team and implementing state bodies (depending on the programme) have to
show leadership; communicate; review compliance with timelines; allocate resources,
and update parts of an action plan in need of review or re-design. Coordination of
activities has to reach out to the regional and local levels to ensure inclusion of all
stakeholders and flow of information between all levels of government.
Ensuring Compliance: Accessibility of progress reports to the public creates a healthy

competition between public entities. Implementation bodies should apply result-oriented
management with their staff to facilitate achieving objectives. In addition, it is
indispensable for monitoring bodies to not only react to the progress made but explain
from the beginning to each agency and staff their particular role and responsibility and
point out the benefit of doing so. The possibility of on-site audits by the monitoring body
provides an additional incentive for implementing entities to comply with the action plan.
Evaluations: It is necessary to review the overall success of the programme / services at
least once during its timespan. The evaluation should be transparent and result in
recommendations on updating the existing programme strategies or on designing” a
follow-up one.
3.1.2 Importance of Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and evaluation help programme implementers;
26
1. to make informed decisions regarding programme operations and service
delivery based on objective evidence
2. to ensure the most effective and efficient use of resources
3. to objectively assess the extent to which the programme is having or has had
the desired impact, in what areas it is effective, and where corrections need to
be considered
4. to meet organizational reporting and other requirements and convince donors that
their investments have been worthwhile or that alternative approaches should be
considered.
3.1.3 Tools for Monitoring and Evaluation
Tools are central to quantitative data collection because quantitative methods rely on
structured, standardized instruments like questionnaires. Tools (such as open-ended
questionnaires or checklists) are often also used in qualitative data collection as a way to
guide a relatively standardized implementation of a qualitative method. Tools may be
used or administered by programme staff or may be self-administered (meaning that the
programme participant or client fills in the answers on the tool). If tools are to be self-
administered, there should be procedures in place to collect the data from clients who are
illiterate. Space, privacy, and confidentiality should be observed.
Some common quantitative M&E tools include:
1. Sign-in (registration) logs
2. Registration (enrollment, intake) forms; checklists
3. Programme activity forms
4. Logs and tally sheets
5. Patient charts
27
6. Structured” questionnaires
Examples of Qualitative M&E Tools include;
1. Focus group discussion guide
2. Direct observation checklist
3. In-depth interview guide
3.1.4 Types of Monitoring and Evaluation
Formative Assessments and Research (concept and design)

The Formative “Needs Assessment should be conducted during the planning (or re-
planning) stage of a prevention programme to identify programme needs and resolve
issues before a programme is widely implemented. This is the point where flexibility is
greatest and programme sponsors have more freedom to make decisions about how to
proceed with implementation. During a Formative Needs Assessment, the following
issues are explored: a) Identifying the need for interventions
b) Defining realistic goals and objectives for interventions
c) Identifying feasible programme strategies
d) Setting programme targets
The Formative Needs Assessment can be used as an exploratory tool and to help project
managers adjust objectives to changing situations. It is also used to identify unacceptable
or ineffective intervention approaches, designs, and concepts.
Methods of Conducting a Formative Needs Assessment
1. Reviews of existing information
2. Focus group discussions
3. Participant observations
4. Short surveys with structured questionnaires
28
Questions for Formative Assessment
1. Is an intervention needed?
2. Who needs the intervention?
3. How should the intervention be carried out?
Limitation of Formative Need Assessment
The main limitation of a Formative Needs Assessment is its inability to be generalized to
other projects.
Monitoring (Monitoring inputs, Processes, and Outputs; assessing service quality)
Monitoring is the “routine process of data collection and measurement of progress toward
programme objectives. There are three main domains of information required in a
monitoring system:
1. Inputs—Resources going into conducting and carrying out the project or programme.
These could include staff, finance, materials, and time.
2. Process—Set of activities in which programme resources (human and financial) are
used to achieve the results expected from the programme (e.g., number of workshops or
number of training sessions).
3. Outputs—Immediate results obtained by the programme through the execution of
activities (e.g., number of commodities distributed, number of staff trained, number of
people reached, or the number of people served).
Monitoring addresses the following questions:

1. To what extent are planned activities actually realized? Are we making progress
toward achieving our objectives?
2. What services are provided, to whom, when, how often, for how long, and in what
context?
3. How well are the services provided?
29
4. What is the quality of the services provided?
5. What is the cost per unit service?
Monitoring also assesses the extent to which a programme or project:

1. Is undertaken consistently with each design or implementation plan
2. Is directed toward the specified target group
Questions Answered by Monitoring
1. To what extent are planned activities actually realized?
Evaluation (assessing outcome and Impact)

Evaluation is the use of social research methods to systematically investigate a
programme’s effectiveness. Evaluation is used for the following:
1. To assess the changes in the target group (e.g., changes in risk behaviour)
2. To assess the extent to which objectives have been met. It is the process of determining
the effectiveness of a programme” or a project.
3. To track the outcomes “and impacts of programme or projects at the larger population
level, as opposed to the programme or project level:
• Outcomes—Short-term or intermediate results obtained by the programme through the
execution of activities
• Impact—Long-term effects (e.g., changes in health status). This can be through special
studies with wide district, regional, or national coverage.
Conducting evaluations is very challenging for several reasons:

1. Rigorous study design that includes a comparison or control group 2. Finding a way to
measure the effects of your project or programme separate from other projects and
30
programme in the same target group or geographic area 3. Insufficient staff (who can
coordinate and guide evaluation design and implementation, including when evaluation is
conducted by an external body)
4. Lack of skill in evaluation design, data collection methods (both quantitative and
qualitative), analysis, write-up, and dissemination 5. Insufficient financial resources
(NGOs face a multitude of pressing priorities and may not be able to spare or raise the
extra money needed) Outcome and impact evaluation is intimately connected to process
monitoring. Process information can help the evaluator understand how and why
interventions have achieved their effects and, perhaps, what specifically is making the
difference. Examining outcome and impact indicators without assessing programme
implementation might lead to erroneous conclusions about the effectiveness of the
interventions.
Questions Answered by Evaluation

Evaluations are conducted to find out what has happened as a result of a project or
programme or a set of projects and programme.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (including sustainability issues)

Cost-effectiveness helps “managers and planners make decisions about the use of their
budgets and funding. With this information, decision-makers can make choices about
how to allocate their funds and decide whether or not the funds are being spent
appropriately and whether they should be re-allocated. This entails combining the results
of monitoring data and cost data.
31
Questions Answered by Evaluation
1. Should programme priorities be changed or expanded? •
2. To what extent should resources be re-allocated?
Questions Answered by the Different Types of Monitoring and Evaluation:
1. Is an intervention needed?
2. Who needs the intervention?
3. How should the intervention be carried out?
4. To what extent are planned activities actually realized?
9. Should programme priorities be changed or expanded?
10. To what extent should resources be reallocated?
3.1.5 Resources for Monitoring and Evaluation
Inadequate resources lead to poor quality monitoring and evaluation. To ensure effective
and quality monitoring and evaluation, it is critical to set aside adequate financial and
human resources at the planning stage. The required financial and human resources for
monitoring and evaluation should be considered within the overall costs of delivering the
agreed results and not as additional costs.
Financial Resources for monitoring and evaluation should be estimated realistically at
the time of planning for monitoring and evaluation. While it is critical to plan for
monitoring and evaluation together, resources for each function should be separate. In
practice, each project should have two separate budget lines for its monitoring and
evaluation agreed in advance with partners. This will help UNDP and its partners be
32
more realistic in budgeting. It will also reduce the risk of running out of resources for
evaluation, which often takes place towards the end of implementation. Monitoring and
evaluation costs associated with projects can be identified relatively easily and be
charged directly” to the respective project budgets with prior “agreement among partners
through inclusion in the project budget or Annual Work Plan (AWP) signed by partners.
Sourcing and securing financial resources for monitoring and evaluation of outcomes or
programme can pose additional challenges, as there is not one project where these costs
can be directly charged. The most commonly observed financing mechanism is to draw
resources together from relevant projects. Some additional possibilities include:
1. Create a separate monitoring and evaluation fund, facility or project associated

with an outcome or a programme to which all the constituent projects would 91
contribute through transfer of some project funds. This facility could be located in
the same entity that manages the outcome or programme.
2. Mobilize funds from partners directly for an outcome or programme monitoring
and evaluation facility.
3. Allocate required funds annually for each outcome on the basis of planned costs of
monitoring and evaluation from the overall programme budget to the facility or
fund.
It is important that partners consider the resources needed for monitoring and evaluation
and agree on a practical arrangement to finance the associated activities. Such
arrangements should be documented at the beginning of the programme to enable
partners to transfer necessary funds in accordance with their procedures, which could
take considerable time and effort.
33
Human Resources are critical for effective monitoring and evaluation, even after
securing adequate financial resources. For high-quality monitoring and evaluation, there
should be:
Dedicated Staff Time—For effective monitoring and evaluation, staff should be
dedicated for the function. The practices of deployment of personnel for monitoring vary
among organizations. Some UNDP country offices have established monitoring and
evaluation units with specific terms of references (ToRs), dedicated skilled staff, work
plans and other resources.
Skilled Personnel—Staff entrusted with monitoring should have required technical
expertise in the area. A number of UNDP country offices” have a dedicated monitoring
and evaluation “specialist. Where necessary, skill levels should be augmented to meet the
needs and with ongoing investments in developing such capacity within the office as
necessary. Each monitoring and evaluation entity that functions at different levels, for
example at the project, programme or outcome level, should have a clear ToR outlining
its role and responsibilities. In general, these responsibilities should include:
1. Setting up systematic monitoring frameworks and developing an evaluation plan

2. Meeting regularly with key partners and stakeholders to assess progress towards
achieving the results
3. Conducting joint field monitoring and evaluation missions to assess achievements
and constraints
4. Identifying any lessons or good practices
5. Reflecting on how well the results being achieved are addressing gender and the
interests and rights of marginalized and vulnerable groups in the society
6. Identifying additional capacity development needs among stakeholders and
partners
34
7. Reporting regularly to the lead individuals or agencies for the particular result
areas and seeking opportunities to influence policy and decision-making processes
8. Ensuring the quality of monitoring and evaluation work and providing guidance as
needed
9. Assessing the relevance of the M&E framework on a regular basis based on
emerging development priorities and changing context
4.0 Conclusion
M&E is the process by which data are collected and analyzed in order to provide
information to policymakers and others for use in programme” planning and project
management
5.0 Summary
In this unit you have learnt:
• The principles of M&E

• Important of M&E
• Tools required for M&E
• Resources required for M&E
6.0 Online Discussion and Assignment
1. Discuss resources needed for monitoring and evaluation

2. Describe the principles of monitoring and evaluation

Enumerate the principles of Monitoring and Evaluation
35

Programme: A Facilitator’s Training Guide. USAID Resource for Prevention,
Care and Treatment.
Regional anti-corruption initiative (2019). Ten Principles of Effective Monitoring and
Evaluation of the Implementation of National Anti-corruption Strategies and
Action Plans. Retrieved from: http://rai-see.org/wp-
content/uploads/2015/05/Ten_Principles_of_Effective_Monitoring_and_Evaluatio
n1.pdf. Accessed: January 24, 2020
Ten Principles of Effective Monitoring and Evaluation (2015) available on https://rai-
see.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Ten_Principles_of_Effective_Monitoring_and
Evaluation1.pdf
36
Unit 2 DESIGNING MONITORING AND EVALUATION
SYSTEM
CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Steps in designing monitoring and evaluation system
3.1.2 Monitoring and evaluation plan
3.1.3 Important of monitoring and evaluation plan
3.1.4 Features of monitoring and evaluation plan
3.1.5 Components of monitoring and evaluation plan
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Designing a monitoring “and evaluation system depend on what you are trying to monitor
and evaluate. Monitoring and evaluation is important not only help organizations reflect
and understand past performance but serve as a guide for constructive changes during the
period of implementation
2.0 OBJECTIVES

• Describe the steps in designing monitoring and evaluation system
37
• Describe M&E plan and what it entails
• Identify the important and features of M&E plan
• Discuss the components” of M&E plan
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 The Steps in Designing a Monitoring and Evaluation System
1. Identify who will be involved in the design, implementation, and reporting.

Engaging stakeholders helps ensure their perspectives are understood and
feedback is incorporated.
2. Clarify scope, purpose, intended use, audience, and budget for evaluation.
3. Develop the questions to answer what you want to learn as a result of your work.
4. Select indicators. Indicators are meant to provide a clear means of measuring
achievement, to help assess the performance, or to reflect changes. They can be
either quantitative and/or qualitative. A process indicator is information that
focuses on how a programme is implemented.
5. Determine the data collection methods. Examples of methods are document
reviews, questionnaires, surveys, and interviews.
6. Analyze and synthesize the information you obtain. Review the information
obtained to see if there are patterns or trends that emerge from the process.
7. Interpret these findings, provide feedback, and make recommendations. The
process of analyzing data and understanding findings should provide you with
recommendations about how to strengthen your work, as well as any mid-term
adjustments you may need to make.
8. Communicate your findings and insights to stakeholders and decide how to use the
results to strengthen your” organization’s efforts.
38
Table 2.1. Summary of Steps in Designing a Monitoring and Evaluation System
Step To-do-list
Check the Review and revise (and if necessary, prepare) a logical
operation’s design framework Ensure that objectives for Goal (impact), Purpose
(outcome), Outputs and Assumptions are clearly stated and
measurable.
Ensure that indicators are adequately specified with quantity,
quality and time.
Assess capacity for Identify what human and financial resources are available to
monitoring and Assess training requirements for all monitoring staff, both from
evaluation the International Federation and National Societies and
counterpart bodies. Specify training requirements
Plan for data Check existing information sources for reliability and accuracy,
collection and to determine what data is already available. Decide what
analysis additional information should be collected, for baseline
purposes, for monitoring and for evaluation.
Set a timeframe and schedule for data collection and processing
and agree on responsibilities.
Prepare the Summarise agreed information needs, data collection,
monitoring and information use, reporting and presentation in a monitoring and
evaluation plan and evaluation plan.
budget Summarise capacity building and support requirements.
39
Cost all monitoring and evaluation activities and identify
funding sources.
Plan for reporting Design the reporting system, specifying formats for reports.
and feedback Devise a system of feedback and decision-making
for management.
3.1.2 Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
This is the “fundamental document that details a programme’s objectives, the

interventions developed to achieve these objectives and describes the procedures that will
be implemented to determine whether or not the objectives are met. Every project or
intervention should have an M&E plan and it should be created during the design phase
of a programme. This document shows how the expected results of a programme relate to
its goals and objectives, describes the data needed and how these data will be collected
and analyzed, how this information will be used, the resources that will be needed, and
how the programme will be accountable to stakeholders. M&E plan should be considered
a living document and revised whenever a programme is modified, or new information is
needed. M&E plan can be organized in different ways and included in the plan are:
1. the underlying assumptions on which the achievement of programme goals

depend;
2. the anticipated relationships between activities, outputs, and outcomes;
3. well-defined conceptual measures and definitions, along with baseline

values;
4. the monitoring schedule;
40
5. a list of data sources to be used;
6. cost estimates for the M&E activities;
7. a list of the partnerships and collaborations that will help achieve the desired
results; and
8. a plan for the dissemination and utilization of the” information gained.

3.1.3 Importance of M&E Plan
1. state how a “programme will measure its achievements and therefore provide
accountability;
2. document consensus and provide transparency;
3. guide the implementation of M&E activities in a standardized and coordinated

way; and
4. preserve institutional” memory.

3.1.4 Features of M&E Plan
1. M&E plans should “serve the information needs of the intended users in practical
ways. These users can range from those assessing national programme
performance at the highest central levels to those allocating resources at the
district or local level.
2. M&E plans should convey technically accurate information and should be realistic,
prudent, diplomatic and frugal.
3. The activities described in M&E plans should be conducted legally, ethically, and
with regard to those involved in and affected by them
41
3.1.5 Components of an M&E Plan
The components of an M&E plan include:
1. Introduction
2. Programme description and framework
3. Detailed description of the plan indicators
4. Data collection plan
5. Plan for monitoring
6. Plan for evaluation
7. Plan for the utilization of the information gained
8. Mechanism for updating the plan
Introduction
The introduction to the M&E plan should include:
1. information about the purpose of the programme, the specific M&E activities
that are needed and why they are” important; and
2. a development history “that provides information about the motivations of the

internal and external stakeholders and the extent of their interest, commitment and
participation.
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The programme description should include:
a. The problem statement that identifies the specific problem to be

addressed. This concise statement provides information about the
situation that needs changing, who it affects, its causes, its magnitude
and its impact on society;
b. The programme goal and objectives:
i. a programme’s goal is a broad statement about the desired long-term

outcome of the programme. For example, improvement in the
reproductive health of adolescents or a reduction in unwanted
pregnancies in X population would be goals
ii. objectives are statements of desired specific and measurable

programme results. The objectives should be “SMART,” an
acronym that stands for:
a. Specific: Is the desired outcome clearly specified?
b. Measurable: Can the achievement of the objective be quantified and

measured?
c. Appropriate: Is the objective appropriately related to the programme’s

goal?
d. Realistic: Can the objective realistically be achieved with the available

resources?
e. Timely: In what time period will the objective be achieved?
Examples of objectives would be; to reduce the total fertility rate to 4.0 births by year X
or to increase contraceptive prevalence over the life of the programme
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Descriptions of the specific interventions to be implemented and their duration,
geographic scope and” target population;
The list of “resources needed, including financial, human, and those related to the
infrastructure (office space, equipment and supplies);
The conceptual framework, which is a graphical depiction of the factors thought to

influence the problem of interest and how these factors relate to each other; and the
logical framework or results framework that links the goal and objectives to the
interventions.
Indicators are clues, signs or markers that measure one aspect of a programme and show
how close a programme is to its desired path and outcomes. It is one of the most critical
steps in designing an M&E system because they are used to monitor programme
implementation and achievement of the goals and objectives. They are used to provide
benchmarks for demonstrating the achievements of a programme.
Data sources are sources of information used to collect the data needed to calculate the
indicators.
i. The data collection plan should include diagrams depicting the systems used for
data collection, processing, analysis and reporting. The strength of these systems
determines the validity of the information obtained.
ii. Potential errors in data collection, or in the data themselves, must be carefully
considered when determining the usefulness of data sources.
Monitoring Plan describes specific programme components that will be monitored, such
as provider performance or the utilization of resources; how this monitoring will be
conducted; and the indicators that will be used to measure results. Because monitoring is
concerned with the status of ongoing activities, output indicators, also known as process
44
indicators, are used. For example, these indicators might be the following: How many
children visit a child health clinic in one month? How many of these children are
vaccinated during these visits?
Evaluation Plan: This provides the specific research design and methodological
approaches to be used to identify whether changes in outcomes can be attributed to the
programme. For instance, if a programme wants to test whether quality of patient care
can be improved by training providers, the evaluation plan would identify a research
design that could be used to measure the impact of such an intervention.
One way this could be investigated would be through a quasi-experimental design in

which providers in one facility are given a pretest, followed by the training and a posttest.
For comparison purposes, a similar group of providers from another facility would be
given the same pretest and posttest, without the intervening training. Then the test results
would be compared to determine the impact of the training.
Plan for the utilization of the information gained: this involves how the information
gathered will be disseminated and use. This should be defined at the planning stage of
the project and described in the M&E plan. This will help ensure that findings from
M&E efforts are not wasted because they are not shared. The various users of this
information should be clearly defined, and the reports should be written with specific
audiences in mind. Dissemination channels can include written reports, press releases
and stories in the mass media, and speaking events.
Mechanism for updating the plan: The capacities needed to implement the efforts
described in the M&E plan should be included in the document. A mechanism for
reviewing and updating the M&E plan should also be included. This is because changes
in the programme can and will affect the original plans for both monitoring and
evaluation.
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3.1.6 How to organize M&E plan
1. the underlying assumptions on “which the achievement of programme goals

depend;
2. the anticipated relationships between activities, outputs, and outcomes;
3. well-defined conceptual measures and definitions, along with baseline

values;
4. the monitoring schedule;
5. a list of data sources to be used;
6. cost estimates for the M&E activities;
7. a list of the partnerships and collaborations that will help achieve the desired
results; and
8. a plan for the dissemination and utilization of the” information gained.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The activities described in M&E plans should be conducted legally, ethically, and with
regard to those involved in and affected by them.
5.0 SUMMARY
• Steps in designing monitoring and evaluation system

• Monitoring and evaluation plan and all it entails
46
Discuss the components of M&E plan
You have been nominated to coordinate the M&E plan for the family Planning service at
your PHC, highlight how you will doe this

Programme: A Facilitator’s Training Guide. USAID Resource for Prevention, Care
and Treatment.
UNIT 3 MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORKS

CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Evaluation
3.1.2 Common types of monitoring and evaluation
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
47
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Monitoring and evaluation take place at multiple stages of a programme. At each stage,
we gather different information that comes together to demonstrate how the project has
been conducted and what has occurred as a result. It is important to identify at the outset
how we will gather the information for each level of evaluation. It is also important to
keep in mind that some of these stages overlap and can, in different situations, represent
different levels. For example, outcome-level data on risk behaviours of target groups can
be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a programme or set of programme without
associating the changes with any single programme. The need for an M&E framework
applies for both programme and projects within a programme. Therefore, both
programme and projects should develop M&E frameworks in their planning stages. The
project-level M&E framework should cascade from the programme level M&E
framework and could contain more detailed information on monitoring and evaluation
tasks that apply specifically” to respective projects.
2.0 OBJECTIVES

• Describe types of M&E frameworks
• Formulate statements for the five essential components of logic models
48
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Monitoring and evaluation frameworks
Frameworks are key “elements of M&E plans that depict the components of a project and
the sequence of steps needed to achieve the desired outcomes. They help increase
understanding of the programme’s goals and objectives, define the relationships between
factors key to implementation, and delineate the internal and external elements that could
affect its success. They are crucial for understanding and analyzing how a programme is
supposed to work. There is no one perfect framework and no single framework is
appropriate for all situations.
3.1.2 Common Types of M&E frameworks
Conceptual Framework
A conceptual framework, sometimes called a “research framework,” is useful for

identifying and illustrating the factors and relationships that influence the outcome of a
programme or intervention.
Conceptual frameworks are typically shown as diagrams illustrating causal linkages

between the key components of a programme and the outcomes of interest. Example of a
conceptual framework is shown below, the programme, in addition to other donors, is
supplying health services, in order to increase service utilization, with the ultimate
outcome of improved health. By identifying the variables that factor into programme
performance and depicting the ways that they interact, the results that can reasonably be
expected from programme activities are outlined. Clarifying this process permits
programme designers to develop valid measures for evaluating the success of the
outcomes and also guides the identification of appropriate” indicators.
49
Individual &
household
characteristics
Service Healthy Healthy

Health service utilization practice outcome
supply
Community
factors
Other donors,
NGOs,
Programme
Government
Another example “of a conceptual framework, the Mosley-Chen Framework, is

commonly used in the study of child survival. In this framework, socio-economic
determinants” act through the following five “proximate” or biological determinants to
impact child health.
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Socio-economic determinant
Maternal factors Environmental Nutrient Injury

contamination deficiency
Healthy Sick
Prevention
Treatment Growth Mortality

Personal illness
faltering
control
The above conceptual framework is the Mosley-Chen Framework, it’s commonly used in
the study of child survival. In this framework, socio-economic determinants act through
the following five “proximate” or biological “determinants to impact child health.
• maternal factors (age, parity, birth interval)

• environmental contamination (air, food, water, soil, insect vectors)
• nutrient deficiency (calories, proteins, vitamins, minerals)
• injury (accidental or intentional)
• personal illness control (preventive measures and” medical treatment)
Results Framework
Results/logical frameworks are sometimes called “strategic frameworks,” diagram the

direct causal relationships between the incremental results of the key activities all the
way up to the overall objective and goal of the intervention. This clarifies the points in an
intervention at which results can be monitored and evaluated.
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As can be seen in this “example, results frameworks include an” overall goal, a Strategic
Objective (SO) and Intermediate Results (IRs).
• An SO is an outcome that is the most ambitious result that can be achieved and
for which the organization is willing to be held responsible.
• An IR is a discrete result or outcome that is necessary to” achieve an SO.
Goal: improved health status &/or decreased

fertility
Strategic objective: improved use of health/FP services &/or appropriate practice
IR2: Quality
IR1: Access/Availability
IR2.1: Provider performance

IR1.1: Commodities or facilities
IR1.2: Equity
IR2.2: Training/Supervision
IR2.3: Information system
Notice that the “goal and strategic objective appear at the top of the framework.
Before achieving this broader strategic objective, a set of “lower-level” intermediate
results must first be reached. Under each IR are subordinate intermediate results, or
sub-IRs that relate directly to the intermediate results. For example, under IR1, you
will see IR1.1 and IR 1.2. IR1.1 and IR 1.2 are sub-IRs.
Here is a portion of the same results framework with the information filled in. For
example, as you can see under IR2, the information system, training and supervision of
clinicians, and provider performance are factors that lead to improved quality of health
services. Notice that IRs and sub-IRs need to be measurable; in other words, indicators
can be developed for them and data can be collected to” calculate them.
52
Logical Framework or Logframe Matrix
Logframe hierarchy Performance Means of Assumptions &
indicators verification risks
Goal Higher (Impact) Indicators The programme (Goal-to-Super-
objective to which (increasingly evaluation system Goal) Risks
this operation, standardised) to regarding strategic
along with others, is measure impact.
intended to programme
contribute. performance.
Purpose The (Outcomes) People, events, (Purpose-to-Goal)
outcome of an Measures that processes, sources Risk regarding
operation. The describe the of data for programme level
change in accomplishment of organising the impact
beneficiary the Purpose. The operation’s
behaviour, systems value, benefit and evaluation system.
or institutional return on the
performance investment.
because of the
combined output
strategy and key
assumptions.
Outputs The actual Output indicators People, events, (Output-to-
deliverables. What that measure the processes, sources Purpose) Risks
the operation can be goods & services of data – regarding design
held accountable finally delivered by supervision & effectiveness.
for producing the operation. monitoring system
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for validating the
operation’s design.
Activities The main Inputs/Resources People, events, (Activity-to-
activity clusters that Budget by activity. processes, sources Output) Risks
must be undertaken Monetary, physical of data –monitoring regarding
in order to & human resources system for implementation &
accomplish the required to produce validating efficiency
Outputs. the outputs. implementation
progress
Logic model
A logic model sometimes “called an “M&E framework,” provides a streamlined linear
interpretation of a project’s planned use of resources and its desired ends.
Logic models have five essential components:
Inputs – Inputs are essentially the resources or things that must be put in or invested in
order for activities to take place. Inputs are also part of the results chain. Inputs include
the time of staff, stakeholders and volunteers; money; consultants; equipment;
technology; and materials. The general tendency is to use money as the main input, as it
covers the cost of consultants, staff, materials, and so forth. However, in the early stages
of planning, effort should be spent on identifying the various resources needed before
converting them into monetary terms. The guidance above should” help to prepare the
first column (‘results’) in “the results framework. for example, technical assistance,
computers, condoms or training
Processes – these are the activities carried out to achieve the programme’s objectives.
Activities describe the actions that are needed to obtain the stated outputs. They are the
coordination, technical assistance and training tasks organized and executed by project
personnel. In a result-based management (RBM) context, carrying out or completing a
54
programme or project activity does not constitute a development result. Activities relate
to the processes involved in generating tangible goods and services or outputs, which in
turn contribute to outcomes and impacts.
Formulating the Activities / Processes
In formulating activities, the following questions should be addressed:
1. What actions are needed in order to obtain the output?

2. Will the combined number of actions ensure that the output is produced?
3. What resources (inputs) are necessary to undertake these activities?
4. It is important to bear in mind:
Note that:
a. Activities usually provide quantitative information and they may indicate

periodicity of the action and more than one activity is needed to achieve an output.
b. Activities generally start with a verb and describe an activity or action
Outputs – the immediate results achieved at the programme level through the execution
of activities. Outputs are short-term development results produced by project and non-
project activities. They must be achieved with the resources provided and within the
timeframe specified (usually less than five years).
Formulating the Output Statement
Since outputs are “the most immediate results of programme or project activities, they are
usually within the greatest control of the government, sponsors or the project. Outputs
must be deliverable within the respective programme cycle and more than one output is
needed to obtain an outcome.
55
Questions to address when formulating outputs statement
1. What kind of policies, guidelines, agreements, products and services do we need

in order to achieve a given outcome?
2. Are they attainable and within our direct control?
3. Do these outputs reflect an appropriate strategy for attaining the outcome? Is there
a proper cause and effect relationship?
4. Do we need any additional outputs to mitigate potential risks that may prevent us
from reaching the outcome?
5. Is the output SMART—specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-
bound?
Outcomes – Outcomes are actual or intended changes in development conditions that

interventions are seeking to support. Outcomes describe the intended changes in
development conditions that result from the interventions of governments and other
stakeholders, including international development agencies such as UNDP. They are
medium-term development results created through the delivery of outputs and the
contributions of various partners and non-partners. Outcomes provide a clear vision of
what has changed or will change globally or in a particular region, country or
community within a period of time. They normally relate to changes in institutional
performance or behaviour among individuals or groups. Outcomes cannot normally
be achieved by only one agency and are not under the direct control of a project
manager. Since outcomes occupy the middle ground between outputs and impact, it is
possible to define outcomes with differing levels” of ambition. For this reason, some
documents may refer to “immediate, intermediate and longer-term outcomes, or short-
medium and long-term outcomes.
56
Formulating the Outcome Statement
1. An outcome statement should ideally use a verb expressed in the past tense, such
as ‘improved’, ‘strengthened’ or ‘increased’, in relation to a global, regional,
national or local process or institution.
2. An outcome should not be stated as “UNDP support provided to Y” or “technical
advice provided in support of Z,” but should specify the result of UNDP efforts
and that of other stakeholders for the people of that country.
3. An outcome statement should avoid phrases such as “to assist/support/develop/
monitor/identify/follow up/prepare X or Y.”
4. Similarly, an outcome should not describe how it will be achieved and should
avoid phrases such as “improved through” or “supported by means of.”
5. An outcome should be measurable using indicators. It is important that the
formulation of the outcome statement takes into account the need to measure
progress in relation to the outcome and to verify when it has been achieved. The
outcome should, therefore, be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-
bound (SMART).
6. An outcome statement should ideally communicate a change in institutional or
individual behaviour or quality of life” for people—however modest that change
maybe
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SMART Outcomes and Impacts
S Specific: Impacts and outcomes and outputs must use change language—they
must describe a specific future condition
M Measurable: Results, whether quantitative or qualitative, must have measurable
indicators, making it possible to assess whether they were achieved or not
A Achievable: Results must be within the capacity of the partners to achieve
R Relevant: Results must make a contribution to selected priorities of the national
development framework
T Time-bound: Results are never open-ended—there is an expected date of
accomplishment
The following illustrate different levels of outcomes:
1. Policy, legal “and regulatory framework reformed to substantially expand

connectivity to information and communication technologies (short to medium
term)
2. Increased access of the poor to financial products and services in rural
communities (medium to long term)
3. Reduction in the level of domestic violence against women in five provinces by
2014 (medium to long term)
4. Increased volume of regional and sub-regional trade by 2015 (medium to long
term)
Impacts – the long-term “effects, or end results, of the programme, for example,
changes in health status (in this context, the term “impact” refers to the health status
or conditions that the programme is intended ultimately to influence [mortality,
morbidity, fertility, etc.], as measured by appropriate indicators; measuring “impact”
58
in this way, however, should be distinguished from impact evaluation, which is a
specific type of evaluation activity that focuses on examining how much of an
observed change in outcomes or “impact” can be attributed to the programme).
Formulating Impact Statement
Impacts are actual or intended changes in human development as measured by people’s

well-being. Impacts generally capture changes in people’s lives. The completion of
activities tells us little about changes in development conditions or in the lives of people.
It is the results of these activities that are significant. Impact refers to”” the ‘big picture’
changes being sought “and represents the underlying goal of development work. In the
process of planning, it is important to frame planned interventions or outputs within a
context of their desired impact. Without a clear vision of what the programme or project
hopes to achieve, it is difficult to clearly define results. An impact statement explains
why the work is important and can inspire people to work toward a future to which their
activities contribute. Similar to outcomes, an impact statement should ideally use a verb
expressed in the past tense, such as ‘improved’, ‘strengthened’, ‘increased’, ‘reversed’ or
‘reduced’. They are used in relation to the global, regional, national or local social,
economic and political conditions in which people live. Impacts are normally formulated
to communicate substantial and direct changes in these conditions over the long term—
such as reduction in poverty and improvements in people’s health and welfare,
environmental conditions or governance. The MDG and other international, regional and
national indicators are generally used to track progress at the impact level.
In other words, inputs (or resources) are used in processes (or activities) which produce
immediate intermediate results (or outputs), ultimately leading to longer-term or broader
results (or outcomes) and impacts.
59
The example above presents a straightforward view of a project designed to reduce
population morbidity by increasing the number of clients served by trained health-
care providers. As you can see, it does not try to account for all factors that may be
influencing operations and results as a conceptual framework would, but instead
focuses specifically on the project’s activities and impacts. This narrow focus assists
programme managers and M&E planners as they clarify the direct relationships
between elements of particular interest within a particular programme” effort.
In summary:
Input – Develop clinical training curriculum
Process – Conduct training events
Output – Practitioners trained in new clinical techniques
Outcome – Increased in clients served by newly trained providers
Impact – Declining morbidity levels in target population
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INPUT
Financial VCT protocol Human resources HIV test Kits

resources
PROCESES
Provide HIV testing

Provide pre-test Provide post-test
counseling counseling
OUTPUTS
People learn their HIV status
OUTCOMES
Client develop personalized HIV risk reduction strategies
Risky behaviours decreased
IMPACTS
HIV transmission rates decreases
HIV incidence decreases
HIV morbidity & mortality decreases
61
This is a small portion from a logic model for an HIV voluntary counselling and
testing (VCT) programme.
It is important “to remember that, within a programme, several activities can have their
own inputs and outputs. Collectively the outputs of the activities contribute to the
programme outcomes and impacts. In some cases, the output of one programme activity
could be an input for another activity. For example, if an activity is to develop guidelines,
the output of that activity is the guidelines, which can then be an input (VCT protocols)
in this overall logic model for VCT-service” delivery.
4.0 CONCLUSION
Using frameworks is “one way to develop a clearer understanding of the goals and
objectives of a project, with an emphasis on identifying measurable objectives, both
short-term and long-term. Frameworks, such as the three types discussed in this course,
also help define the relationships between factors key to the implementation and success
of a project, both internal and external to the programme context. This design process
deepens the understanding of managers, implementers, and other partners in many
practical ways, including serving as the foundation for selecting appropriate, useful M&E
indicators.
5.0 SUMMARY

The different types of M&E frameworks
1. Describe the common types of monitoring and evaluation frameworks

2. Formulate an outcome, input and impact statement
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Identify the five (5) components of M& E framework
Frankel N & Gage A (2007). M&E Fundamentals: A Self-Guided Minicourse.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
63
UNIT 4 INDICATORS
CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Steps in developing appropriate indicators for a project/programme
3.1.2 Types of indicators
3.1.3 Importance of indicators
3.1.4 Characteristics of indicators
3.1.5 Challenges to selecting indicators
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
An indicator is a “variable that measures one aspect of a programme or project that is

directly related to the programme’s objectives. Let’s take a moment to go over each piece
of this definition. An indicator is a variable whose value changes from the baseline level
at the time the programme began to a new value after the programme and its activities
have made their impact felt. At that point, the variable, or indicator, is calculated again.
Secondly, an indicator is a measurement. It measures the value of the change in
meaningful units that can be compared to past and future units. This is usually expressed
64
as a percentage or a number. Finally, an indicator focuses on a single aspect of a
programme or project. This aspect may be an input, an output or an overarching
objective, but it should be narrowly defined in a way that captures this one aspect as
precisely as possible. A reasonable guideline recommends one or two indicators per
result, at least one indicator for each activity, but no more than 10-15 indicators per area
of significant programme” focus.
2.0 OBJECTIVES

• Describe indicators and its different types
• Discuss steps in developing appropriate indicators for a project/programme
• Describe the importance of indicators
• Discuss challenges to select indicators
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Steps in developing appropriate indicators for a project/programme
1. Involve your programme stakeholders in indicator development. Bring stakeholders

together to identify meaningful indicators. This will help ensure the buy-in for your
evaluation findings. Consider consulting existing literature and other relevant resources
to assist with identifying indicators.
2. Review evaluation questions and use your logic model as a template to develop
indicators. Link process indicators to your logic model outputs, Link outcome indicators
to your logic model outcomes.
3. Review indicators to ensure they are specific, observable, and measurable
65
Example: “The proportion of gonorrhoea cases among women 14–19 years of age
interviewed within 7 days from the date of specimen collection”
Specific: “gonorrhoea cases among women 14–19 years of age” Observable:
“interviewed within 7 days from the date of specimen collection”
Measurable: “proportion of gonorrhoea cases”
4. Include baseline data for inputs and outcomes if you are trying to measure change.
For example, increased adherence of clinical staff to STD guidelines from time period 1
to time period 2.
5. Determine whether the indicators;
i. Provide useful information that can measure processes and outcomes and answer
evaluation questions • Are feasible in terms of data availability” and timely data
collection
ii. Are adequate to capture “the information you need. You may need to develop
more than one indicator but avoid creating too many indicators because they can
detract from the evaluation’s goals.
Guidelines for Selecting Indicators
1. Select indicators requiring data that can realistically be collected with the
resources available.
2. Select at least one or two indicators (ideally, from different data sources) per
key activity or result.
3. Select at least one indicator for each core activity (e.g., training event, social
marketing message, etc.).
4. Select no more than 8-10 indicators per area of significant programme focus.
5. Use a mix of data collection sources whenever possible.
Examples of Indicators
Percentage of clinic personnel who have completed a particular training workshop
66
Number of radio programme about family planning aired in the past year
Percentage of clinics that experienced a stockout of condoms at any point during a given
time period
3.1.2 Types of Indicators
Indicators can be either be quantitative or qualitative.
Quantitative indicators are statistical measures that are numeric and are presented as any
of the following:
1. Percentages.
2. Number
3. Rate (example: birth rate—births per 1,000 population)
4. Ratio (example: sex ratio—number of males per number of females)
Qualitative indicators are descriptive observations and can be used to supplement the
numbers and percentages provided by quantitative indicators. They complement
quantitative indicators by adding a richness of information about the context” in which
the programme has been “operating. Qualitative indicators reflect people’s judgements,
opinions, perceptions and attitudes towards a given situation or subject. They can include
changes in sensitivity, satisfaction, influence, awareness, understanding, attitudes,
quality, perception, dialogue or sense of well-being.
Qualitative indicators measure results in terms of:
1. Compliance with…
2. Quality of…
3. Extent of…
4. Level of …
Examples include “availability of a clear, strategic organizational mission statement” and
“existence of a multi-year procurement plan for each product offered.”
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3.1.3 Importance of Indicators
Indicators provide M&E information crucial for decision-making at every level and stage
of programme implementation.
• Indicators of programme inputs measure the specific resources that go into

carrying out a project or programme (for example, amount of funds allocated
to the health sector annually).
• Indicators of outputs measure the immediate results obtained by the

programme (for example, number of multivitamins distributed or number of
staff trained).
• Indicators of outcomes measure whether the outcome changed in the desired

direction and whether this change signifies programme “success” (for example,
contraceptive prevalence rate or percentage of children 12-23 months who
received DTP3 immunization by 12 months of age).
Metrics
A metric is an important part of what comprises an indicator. The precise calculation or
formula on which the indicator is based. Calculation of the metric establishes the
indicator’s objective value at a point in time. Even if the” factor itself is subjective or
qualitative, like the “attitudes of a target population, the indicator metric calculates its
value at a given time objectively.
For example, an indicator might measure the percentage of urban facilities that score 85-
100% on a quality of care checklist. Note that because this indicator calls for a
percentage, a fraction is required to calculate it. Possible metrics for this indicator are:
i. numerator, or top number of the fraction: number of urban facilities scoring

85-100% on a quality of care checklist; and
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ii. denominator, or bottom number of the fraction: total number of urban facilities
checked and scored.
Clarifying Indicators
In many cases, indicators need to be accompanied by clarifications of the terms used. For
instance, let’s look at the indicator: number of antenatal care (ANC) provides trained.
If such an indicator were used by a programme, definitions would need to be included.

For example, providers would need to be defined, perhaps as any clinician providing
direct clinical services to clients seeking ANC at a public health facility. For the purposes
of this indicator then, providers would not include clinicians working in private facilities.
Trained would also need to be defined, perhaps as those staff who attended every day of a
five-day training course and passed the final exam with a score of at least 85%.
Another indicator for this programme could be the percentage of facilities with a provider
trained in ANC.
In this example, because the indicator is a proportion or fraction, a numerator and a

denominator are needed to calculate it.
The numerator would be the number of public facilities with a provider who attended
the full five days of the ANC training and scored at least 85% on the final exam. Note
that the numerator must still specify that the facilities are public and that the providers
must have attended all five days and passed the exam” in order to be counted. This
information need not be “included in the indicator itself as long as it is in the
definitions that accompany it.
The denominator would be the total number of public facilities offering ANC services.
This requires that this number be obtainable. If it is not known and it is not possible to
gather such information, this percentage cannot be calculated.
69
In this example, it is also necessary to know at which facility each trained provider
works. This information could be obtained at the time of the training. If it is not, all
facilities would have to be asked if they have any providers who attended the training.
3.1.4 Characteristics of Indicators
A good indicator should:
1. Produce the same results when used repeatedly to measure the same condition
or event;
2. Measure only the condition or event it is intended to measure;
3. Reflect changes in the state or condition over time;
4. Represent reasonable measurement costs; and
5. Be defined in clear and unambiguous” terms.
70
Linking indicators to results frameworks
Let’s use this generic “results framework for a family-planning programme to

demonstrate how indicators are linked to frameworks. For this programme, the strategic
objective (SO) is to increase the use of family-planning services. There are two
intermediate results (IRs) feeding into this objective.
i. Under the IR of increasing availability of quality services, there are three sub-
intermediate results (sub-IRs): services increased, practitioners’ skills and
knowledge increased, and sustainable effective management.
ii. Under the other IR (increasing demand for services), the only sub-IR listed is to
improve customer knowledge of” family planning.
71
In order to “develop indicators for this framework, the activities to be undertaken by the
programme must first be recognized.
This portion of the results framework shows what activities are planned in order for the
programme to achieve IR1 and its sub-IRs. These activities are:
a. Provision of support and supplies to community-based distributors

b. Expanding family-planning services to additional clinics
c. Clinical training for providers
d. The development of a checklist to monitor the quality of care
e. Management Training for Supervisors
72
Note that some of these activities can affect several of the sub-IRs.
Next, indicators “that measure these activities would be identified. Here you can see the
indicators that are linked to the IR and sub-IR1. Other indicators would be linked to the
other sub-IRs.
Although it is important to avoid assigning so many indicators that their measurement

becomes unachievable, it is risky to rely on a single indicator to measure the significant
effects of a project. If the data for that one indicator became unavailable for some reason,
it would be difficult to document a significant impact on that result. Therefore, some
diversification of indicators tends to” strengthen M&E plans.
linking indicators to logic models
73
INPUT
Human and financial resources
development of training materials
PROCESS
Conduct one FP training workshop
in each district for providers
Indicator: Number of
OUTPUT providers who have
Providers trained in updated FP completed clinical
training
service provision
Indicator: percentage of
providers scoring 85-100
OUTCOME on practitioners’ skills and
1. Practitioners’ skills and knowledge knowledge checklist
increased. 2. Availability of quality FP
services increased Indicator: Number of
facilities providing FP
services
IMPACT
Decrease in unintended and
mistimed pregnancies
This example “depicts how indicators are related to logic models. Here is a logic model
for the same activity that was just depicted in the results framework.
Three indicators are linked with this activity:
i. Number of providers who have completed clinical training is linked to the

output of having trained providers. This indicator can provide information about
whether the programme is meeting its targets for training providers.
ii. Percentage of providers scoring 85-100 on the practitioners’ skills and
knowledge checklist relates to the intended outcome of improving the
knowledge and skills of practitioners.
74
iii. Number of facilities providing family planning services links to the intended
outcome of increasing the availability of services. The assumption is that
increasing the skills and knowledge of more providers will result in more
facilities being able to” offer services.
3.1.5 Challenges to Selecting Indicators
1. Choosing an indicator that the programme activities cannot affect
For instance, imagine “a programme that planned to train health-care providers in AIDS
prevention and treatment services in an effort to expand access to these services. The
authors of the M&E plan selected the UNAIDS indicator the proportion of health-care
facilities with adequate conditions to provide care. However, many elements can affect
this indicator, such as supervision, availability of supplies and equipment, and the
drafting of appropriate treatment protocols. None of these factors would be addressed by
the planned training programme. In using this global indicator, the planners overlooked
the fact that it did not accurately reflect their programme activities.
Better indicators would be the number of clinicians trained or the number of facilities
with a trained provider.
2. Choosing an indicator that is too vague
For example, imagine a radio campaign aimed at dispelling specific myths about
HIV/AIDS transmission. Although the goal of the campaign is ultimately to increase
knowledge about HIV/AIDS, the indicator percentage of the population with knowledge
about HIV/AIDS does not specify the exact area of knowledge in question.
A better indicator would be one that measured precisely the objective of the campaign:
percentage of the population not believing myths X and Y about HIV/AIDS transmission.
75
3. Selecting an indicator that relies on unavailable data
For instance, a programme working on drug-supply issues selected an indicator that

stated percentage of days per quarter that service delivery points have stockouts of drugs.
However, information on stockouts may not be collected often” enough to provide this
information.
A better indicator “would be the percentage of service delivery points that experienced a
stockout of drugs at some time during the last quarter. Population-level data may also be
unavailable or difficult to collect
4. Selecting an indicator that does not accurately represent the desired outcome
Examples 1:
For instance, if an IR states expanded access to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for

pregnant women to prevent mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV, what would
an appropriate indicator be?
Would the indicator percentage of women on ARVs who are pregnant be appropriate?
Answer:
No, this would not be an appropriate indicator because it tells us how many women are
pregnant out of all women on ARVs, rather than how many HIV-positive pregnant
women are on ARVs.
In other words, the numerator for this indicator is the number of women on ARVs who
are pregnant, and the denominator is the number of women who are on ARVs. Let’s say
that there were 100 pregnant women on ARVs and a total of 400 women on ARVs. The
percentage would be 100/400, which simplifies to 1/4 or 25%.
76
If the denominator increased, that is, if more non-pregnant women received treatment for
HIV but the number of pregnant women receiving treatment stayed the same, the
indicator would decrease. For instance, if 1000 women were on ARVs, the percentage
would become 100/1000, which simplifies to 1/10 or 10%. The indicator would reflect
this change, but this change is irrelevant to the desired outcome of the programme, which
is increasing the number of pregnant women on ARVs.
Similarly, if the indicator increased, for instance, if the percentage of women on ARVs
who were pregnant out of all women on ARVs went from 25% to 50%, this may be
because more pregnant women received ARV treatment (the desired outcome) but” it
also could be because fewer non-pregnant “women were on ARVs, which would not be
related to the desired outcome of the programme. Because it is not clear which change
occurred, this would not be a good indicator to use.
Example 2:
Would the indicator percentage of people on ARVs who are pregnant women be
appropriate?
Answer:
No, this also would not be an appropriate indicator.
Here the numerator is the number of pregnant women on ARVs (let’s say it is 100 again),
and the denominator is the total number of people on ARVs, including all men and
women and children receiving treatment (let’s say it’s 5,000). In other words, this
indicator would tell us, of all the people on ARVs, the percentage who are pregnant
women is 100/5000 or 1/50 or 2%.
If this indicator increased over time, say from 2% to 20%, it could be because more
pregnant women were receiving ARV treatment (1000/5000, the desired effect of the
77
programme) but it could also be because fewer people overall were receiving this
treatment (100/500) and the number of pregnant women receiving treatment did not
actually change.
Similarly, if the indicator decreased, it might be because more people overall were
receiving treatment, because fewer women were HIV-positive or because there were
fewer pregnant women. So the information provided by this indicator would be difficult
or impossible to interpret accurately.
Example 3:
Let’s try one more example: Would the indicator percentage of HIV-positive pregnant
women who are on ARVs be appropriate?
Answer:
Yes, this indicator “would provide the needed information.
Here the numerator is the number of HIV-positive pregnant women who are on ARVs,
and the denominator is the total number of HIV-positive pregnant women.
With this indicator, interpretation is not complicated by factors unrelated to the IR, such
as a decrease in HIV prevalence among pregnant women or the number of non-pregnant
women receiving ARVs.
4.0 CONCLUSION
Indicators should be consistent with international standards and other reporting

requirements. Examples of internationally recognized standardized indicators include
those developed by UNAIDS and those included in the UNDP Millennium Development
Goals. Indicators should be independent, meaning that they are non-directional and can
vary in any direction. For instance, an indicator should measure the number of clients
78
receiving counselling rather than an increase in the number of clients receiving
counselling. Similarly, the contraceptive prevalence rate should be measured, rather than
the decrease in contraceptive prevalence.
5.0 SUMMARY
Indicator values should be easy to interpret and explain, timely, precise, valid and
reliable. They should also be comparable across relevant population groups, geography,
and other programme factors.
1. Explain challenges to selecting indicators.

2. Mention a programme and state an indicator for the” programme/project/service
1. Discuss steps in developing appropriate indicators for a project/programme

79
aluation.html)
UNIT 5 DATA SOURCES IN MONITORING AND EVALUATION
CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Data Source
3.1.2 Types of Data
3.1.3 Data Collection
3.1.4 Data Quality
3.1.5 Data Use
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The analytical “process and data used for planning provides initial opportunities and
insights to discern future monitoring and evaluation requirements in comparison to
existing data sources and quality. This unit discusses data source, data quality and data
use
2.0 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this learner should be able to:
80
• Describe data source and types of data sources
• Identify situations that calls for monitoring and” evaluation
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Data Sources
Data sources are the resources used to obtain data for M&E activities. There are several
levels from which data can come, including client, programme, service environment,
population, and geographic levels. Regardless of level, data are commonly divided into
two general categories: routine and non routine.
3.1.2 Types of Data Sources
Routine Data Sources provide data that are collected on a continuous basis, such as
information that clinics collect on the patients utilizing their services. Although these data
are collected continuously, processing them and reporting on them usually occur only
periodically, for instance, aggregated monthly and reported quarterly.
1. Examples of routine data are:

i. Vital registration records
ii. Clinical service statistics
iii. Demographic surveillance
2. Data collection from routine sources is useful because it can provide information on
a timely basis. For instance, it can be used effectively to detect and correct problems
in service delivery.
3. However, it can be difficult to obtain accurate estimates of catchment areas or

target populations through this method, and the quality of the data may be poor
because of inaccurate record keeping or incomplete reporting.
81
Non-routine data sources provide data that are collected on a periodic basis, usually
annually or less frequently.
1. Examples of non-routine data sources are:
i. Household surveys such as DHS

ii. National censuses
iii. Facility” surveys
2. Depending on “the source, nonroutine data can avoid the problem of incorrectly
estimating the target population when calculating coverage indicators. This is particularly
the case with representative population-based surveys, such as a Demographic Health
Survey (DHS).
3. Non-routine data have two main limitations: collecting them is often expensive, and
this collection is done on an irregular basis. In order to make informed programme
decisions, programme managers usually need to receive data at more frequent intervals
than non-routine data can accommodate.
Data from different sources can be used to calculate the same indicator, although changes
to the metric may be necessary. This illustration depicts one way that routine and non-
routine data can be used together to provide for an effective M&E system.
For example, when calculating the coverage rate for the first dose of a diphtheria-tetanus-
pertussis (DTP) vaccine:
If population-based survey data are used, the definition could be the proportion of
children age 12-23 months who were immunized with the first dose of DTP vaccine
before age 12 months.
i. numerator: Number of children age 12-23 months who were immunized with
the first dose of DTP vaccine before age 12 months
ii. denominator: Total number of children age 12-23 months surveyed
82
If a routine data source is used, such as service statistics (e.g. clinic records, outreach
records, etc.), the definition could be proportion of infants 0-11 months of age in a
specified calendar year who were immunized with the first dose of DTP vaccine in that
calendar year.
i. numerator: Number immunized by age 12 months with the first dose of DTP
vaccine in a given year
ii. denominator: Total number of surviving infants less” than 12 months of age in the
same year
3.1.3 Data Collection
The M&E plan should include a data collection plan that summarizes information about
the data sources needed to monitor and/or evaluate the programme. The plan should
include information for each data source, such as:
1. the timing and frequency of collection;

2. the person or agency responsible for the collection;
3. the information needed for the indicators; and
4. any additional information that will be obtained from the source.
3.1.4 Data Quality
Throughout the data collection process, it is essential that data quality be monitored and
maintained. It is important to consider data quality when determining the usefulness of
various data sources; the data collected are most useful when they are of the highest
quality.
It is important to use the highest quality data that are obtainable, but this often requires a
trade-off with what is feasible to obtain. The highest quality data are usually obtained
83
through the triangulation of data from several sources. It is also important to remember
that behavioural and motivational factors on the part of the people collecting and
analysing the data can affect data quality.
Some types of errors or biases common in data collection include:
1. Sampling bias: occurs when the sample taken to represent the population of
interest is not a representative sample;
2. Non-sampling error: all other kinds of mismeasurement, such as courtesy bias,
incomplete records, incorrect questionnaires, interviewer errors, or non-
response rates; and
3. Subjective measurement: occurs when the data are influenced by the measurer.
Some data quality issues to consider are:
a. Coverage: Will the data cover all of the elements of interest?

b. Completeness: Is “there a complete set of data for each element of interest?
c. Accuracy: Have the instruments been tested to ensure validity and reliability of
the data?
d. Frequency: Are the data collected as frequently as needed?
e. Reporting Schedule: Do the available data reflect the time periods of interest?
f. Accessibility: Are the data needed collectable or retrievable?
g. Power: Is the sample size big enough to provide a stable estimate or detect
change?
3.1.5 Data Use
The term data refers to raw, unprocessed information while information, or strategic
information, usually refers to processed data or data presented in some sort of context.
84
Collecting data is only meaningful and worthwhile if it is subsequently used for
evidence-based decision-making. Useful information are based on quality data, and be
communicated effectively to policymakers and other interested stakeholders.
M&E data need to be manageable, timely, reliable, and specific to the activities in
question. Also, the results need to be well understood. The key to effective data use
involves linking the data to the decisions that need to be made and to those making these
decisions. The decision-maker needs to be aware of relevant information in order to make
informed decisions.
For example, if sales data from a programme to provide insecticide-treated bed nets show
that the programme is successfully increasing bed net distribution, the decision-maker
may decide to maintain the programme. Alternatively, the data may prompt the
implementation of a new distribution system and could spur additional research to test the
effectiveness of this new strategy compared to the existing one. When decision-makers
understand the kinds of information that can be used to inform decisions and improve
results, they are more likely to seek out and use the information.
4.0 CONCLUSION
It is important to collect only the data that is intended to be used as performance

information is a management tool— and there is no need to collect information that
managers are not going to use. “As a rule of thumb, it is advisable to only collect baseline
information that relates directly to the performance questions and indicators that have
been identified. Do not spend time collecting other information”
5.0 SUMMARY
• Data source
85
• Data collection
• Data quality
• Data use
6.0 EVALUATIONS
6.1.1 ONLINE DISCUSSION AND ASSIGNMENT
List and discuss data collection tools for the different types of data source. Comment on
at least two previous responses from your colleague
Do a critical evaluation of the data collected from patient at first contact/ admission,
highlight five (5) reasons for each data collected. Provide optional source of the data you
collect and Justify which better way to enhance the quality of the data.

Programme: A Facilitator’s Training Guide. USAID Resource for Prevention, Care
and Treatment.
School of Geography and Environment (2014). A step by step guide to monitoring and
86
evaluation. Higher Education Innovation Fund at the University of Oxford.
Retrieved from:
(http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/monitoringandevaluatio
n.html)
UNIT 6 FIELD VISITS, REPORTS AND EVALUATION FINDINGS

CONTENTS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
2.0 OBJECTIVES
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Field visits
3.1.2 Annual Project Report (APR)
3.1.3 Content, format and preparation of the APR
3.1.4 Use of the APR
3.1.5 Guidance for monitoring and evaluation report writing
4.0 CONCLUSION
5.0 SUMMARY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Regular corporate “reporting and evaluation findings and recommendations, it provides
guidance and makes decisions on subsequent strategic programme planning.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
At the end of this unit, learners should be able to:

• Describe field visit and the purpose of field visit in monitoring and evaluation
• Discuss Annual Project Report
87
3.0 MAIN CONTENTS
3.1.1 Field Visits
Field visits are essential for any field-based project. Field visits should be planned well
in order to be of maximum use. The following considerations may help plan an effective
field visit.
i. What is the purpose of the visit in terms of monitoring? Field visits serve the
“purpose of validation. They validate the results reported by programme and
projects. They are of particular importance to large, key programme and projects
that are essential for outcomes. They involve an assessment of progress, results
and problems and may also include visits to the project management or
directorate.
ii. Timing—A field visit may take place at any time of the year. If undertaken in the
first half of the year, just after the annual review, it may be oriented towards the
validation of results. If undertaken in the latter part of the year, the field visit
should provide the latest information on progress towards annual and outcome
review processes. The reports of field visits should be action-oriented and brief,
submitted within a week of return to the office to the members of the respective
Project Board, Programme Board and the Outcome Group for consideration and
appropriated action if required.
iii. Who should participate and be involved? —Visits are increasingly joint
monitoring efforts of several partners working on a cluster of programme and
projects targeting an outcome or result. Joint visits also support ownership of the
results. A team of staff from one or more partners may make visits to projects that
are contributing to one particular outcome or in a specific geographical area
addressing a specific development condition, for example, displaced persons, post-
88
natural disaster or a vulnerable community. Such joint efforts are often an efficient
way to obtain a comprehensive overview of progress. In planning such visits, it is
important to focus on what specific issues are to be addressed and to ensure that
relevant national partners and beneficiaries would be available, involved and
participate as required.
iv. Dialogue and consultations—The emphasis should be on observing and
ascertaining credible information on progress being made towards the attainment
of results—outputs and outcomes—as well as their quality” and sustainability.
Those undertaking “the field visit should discern other initiatives, for example,
soft assistance or gaps in strategy that may need to be addressed. Field visits
should not be used for lengthy discussions on detailed implementation issues.
Such issues, if raised during field visits, may be noted for discussion with relevant
partners who can resolve them.
3.1.2 Annual Project Report (APR)
The APR is a self-assessment by the project management that serves as the basis for
assessing the performance of programme and projects in terms of their contributions to
intended outcomes through outputs. The APR should provide an accurate update on
project results, identify major constraints and propose future directions. As a self-
assessment report by project management to the country office, it can be used to spur
dialogue with partners.
3.1.3 Content, format and preparation of the APR
The APR is a report from the project to other stakeholders through the board or steering
committee. APRs should be objective and may reflect views not agreed to by all
stakeholders. The APR should be brief and contain the basic minimum elements required
89
for the assessment of results, major problems and proposed actions. These elements
include:
i. An analysis of project performance over the reporting period, including outputs

produced and, where possible, information on the status of the outcome
ii. Constraints in progress towards results, that is, issues, risks and reasons behind the
constraints
iii. Lessons learned and indications of how these will be incorporated
iv. Clear recommendations for the future approach to addressing the main challenges
Beyond the minimum content, additional elements may be added as required by the
project management or other partners. In the spirit of the principles of harmonization and
simplification, the partners should agree on harmonized reporting” formats (to the extent
possible) to eliminate “multiple reports and minimize work. From a monitoring
perspective, it is critical for the APR to flow from the annual work plan (AWP) and for it
to serve the objectives of the overall M&E framework and hence the achievement of the
planned results.
The project management is responsible for preparing and circulating the APR. The APR
is prepared by project staff with specific attention to outputs and is considered by donors,
other partners and stakeholders. Since project staff members are often experts in their
fields, monitoring at the project level may also entail some expert assessment of the
status of progress towards the achievement of the outcome. The person responsible for
project assurance should review and make observations on the validity, reliability and
quality of monitoring data collected and compiled by the project.
90
3.1.4 Use of the APR
The APR is part of oversight and monitoring of projects and a key building block of the
annual review. Normally, it also feeds into the annual reporting by donor partners on the
results that they support. Once the APR has been prepared and distributed, the next step
is to hold consultations, which may take place at the project board or steering committee,
or through written observations from partners. Depending on its content and approach,
the APR can be used for the following:
1. Performance Assessment—When using mechanisms such as outcome boards, groups

or steering committees to review project performance, the APR may provide a basis for
consensus-building and joint decision making on recommendations for future courses of
action. Key elements of the APR are fed into higher levels of reviews, for example, the
United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) annual review, sectoral
reviews and reviews of national development results and plans. The APR should be used
as a basis for feedback on project performance.
2. Learning—The APR should provide information on what went right or what went
wrong, and the factors contributing to success or failure. This should feed into the annual
review, learning and practitioners’ networks, repositories of knowledge” and evaluations.
It is recommended “that the APR of the final year of the project include specific sections
on lessons learned and planning for sustainability (exit strategy). APRs may address the
main lessons learned in terms of best and worst practices, the likelihood of success, and
recommendations for follow-up actions where necessary.
APRs may also be used to share results and problems. with beneficiaries, partners and
stakeholders and to solicit their feedback.
91
3. Decision making—The partners may use the APR for planning future actions and
implementation strategies, tracking progress in achieving outputs, approaching ‘soft
assistance’, and developing partnerships and alliances. The APR allows the project board,
steering committee and partners to seek solutions to the major constraints to the
achievement of the planned results. As a result of this consultative process, necessary
modifications could be made to the overall project design and to the corresponding
overall results frameworks in the planning documents.
3.1.5 Guidance for Monitoring and Evaluation Report Writing
1. Be as short as possible, consistent with the amount of information to be presented.

2. Focus on results being achieved as defined in the framework or defined in the
objectives and link the use of resources allocated to their delivery and use.
3. Be clear on who your audience is and ensure that the information is meaningful and
useful to the intended reader.
4. Write in plain language that can be understood by the target audience.
5. Ensure timely submission of progress reports. Even if incomplete in certain aspects or
component coverage, it is better to circulate key results in other areas rather than wait for
the complete picture.
6. Provide a brief summary (1 page) at the beginning.
7. Be consistent in your use of terminology, definitions and descriptions of partners,
activities” and places.
8. Present complex “data with the help of figures, summary tables, maps, photographs,
and graphs.
9. Only highlight the most significant key points or words (using bold, italics or other
stresses).
10. Include references for sources and authorities.
92
11. Include a table of contents for reports over 5 pages in length
4.0 Conclusion
The most common tools and events used for systematic monitoring, data gathering and
reporting applicable to projects used by partners are AWPs, field visits and Annual
Project Reports (APRs). Monitoring of outcomes typically requires a different mix of
tools than those traditionally used at the project level. Instruments such as project visits
or bilateral meetings may be insufficient because the scope of a given project is too
narrow or the range of partners involved is too limited. Instead, more useful tools may
include reviews by outcome groups, analyses and surveys.
5.0 SUMMARY
• Field visit
• Annual project report
Discuss data collection tools for the different types of data source
Write a comprehensive essay on the importance of field visit to M&E
93

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NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

FACULTY OF HEALTH SCIENCES

COURSE CODE: NSC 504

COURSE TITLE: MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF

NSC504 - MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF HEALTH

Course Team Dr E. M. Joseph-Shehu (Course Developer/Writer) - NOUN

NATIONAL OPEN UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA

© 2020 by NOUN Press

Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,

3.5 Guidance for Monitoring and Evaluation Report Writing ................................... 92

4.0 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 93

5.0 Summary .............................................................................................................. 93

6.0 Online Discussion and Assignment ..................................................................... 93

7.0 References/ Further reading ................................................................................. 94

At the completion of this course, learners should be able to:

• differentiate between monitoring functions and evaluation functions;

• describe the functions of an M&E plan;

• identify and differentiate between conceptual frameworks, results frameworks

• describe how frameworks are used for M&E planning;

• identify criteria for the selection of indicators;

• describe how indicators are linked to frameworks;

• identify types of data sources; and

• describe how information can be used for decision-making.

COURSE MODE – BLENDED

EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE NEEDED TO ASSESS THE COURSE

MODULE 1 OVERVIEW OF MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF

Monitoring is a continuing function that uses the systematic collection of data on

At the end of this unit, learner should be able to:

3.0 MAIN CONTENTS

• To what extent are planned activities actually realized?

i. It helps in setting norms of performance

3.1.4 Levels of Monitoring

iii. Inspiring and providing guidance to low-level managers towards better

Some of their functions are as follows:

ii. Defining and monitoring group-level performance indicators;

iv. Designing and implementing reward systems supporting cooperative behavior.

Low-level managers usually have the responsibility of:

ii. Guiding and supervising employees on day-to-day activities;

iii. Ensuring the quality and quantity of production;

iv. Making recommendations and suggestions; and

v. Up channeling employee problems.

iii. Career planning;

iv. Performance feedback; and

3.1.5 Domains of Information Required in a Monitoring System

A country director is interested in finding out if the post-abortion care provided in

Monitoring is the “day-to-day management task of collecting and reviewing information

In this unit, you have learnt:

• The definition of monitoring;

1. Cite two examples of situations that calls for monitoring

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING

Unit 2 Overview of Evaluation of Health Programme and Services

Evaluation is the “systematic and objective assessment of an on-going or completed

At the end of this unit, learner should be able to:

Evaluations require a well-planned “study design, data collection at the start of a

2. How many CBO “outreach workers received STD training?

3. What activities did these partners implement to address the problem?

4. When were these activities conducted?

5. Where were these activities conducted?

6. Was the target population reached?

7. What were the problems encountered in reaching the target population?