Chapter IX - Monitoring and Evaluation

Chapter IX - Monitoring and Evaluation

What is a stethoscope to a doctor is monitoring for adult education programme to the programme manager, which reflects the health of the programme and its bottlenecks. The systems of information and data bases and its reliability alone can reveal its health and bottlenecks so as to introduce concurrent correctives. Evaluation looks at the learning as well as larger outcomes and impacts of the programme.

In respect of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of adult learning and education programmes, the Belém Framework, acknowledged the need for valid and reliable quantitative and qualitative data to inform policy-making in adult learning and education, and resolved to adopt measures to: (a) Develop a set of comparable indicators for literacy as a continuum and for adult education; (b) Regularly collect and analyze data and information on participation and learning progress in adult education programmes, disaggregated by gender and other factors, to evaluate change over time and to share good practice; (c) Elaborating the criteria to assess the learning outcomes of adults at various levels; (d) Produce a national progress report for CONFINTEA VI Mid-Term Review, coinciding with the EFA and MDG timeline of 2015; (e) Support South-South cooperation in the areas of adult literacy, adult education and lifelong learning; and (f) Monitor collaboration in adult education across disciplines and across sectors such as agriculture, health and employment (Jagmohan Singh Raju, 2011[2]); UNESCO, 2009: 6). The Belem Framework also called upon UNESCO and its structures to undertake certain monitoring and evaluation and other tasks at the international levels.

LIFE recognizes that its effectiveness will be assessed by the outcomes, including the learning outcomes and impacts, at the country level, and holds that effective monitoring and evaluation in each country and timely incorporation of lessons learnt will be critical for its success. It proposes that: (a) Viable systems to monitor and evaluate LIFE progress will be set up both at national and international levels. (b) Evaluation will be based upon a set of objectively verifiable indicators and sources. M&E will be conducted throughout the LIFE in-country implementation (including lower level, e.g. at district and programme level), annually, during mid-way, and at the end of the programme. (c) LIFE will assist countries in monitoring and evaluating the performance of their programmes through technical support and in tracking the progress and evaluating the impacts of countries’ literacy programmes and activities. (d) LIFE aims to enhance the general monitoring and evaluation culture for literacy in each country, by building of operational monitoring information systems to inform policies and enhance the performance and effectiveness of literacy programmes. (e) It would be a three-pronged approach: the development of reliable methods for assessing literacy; establishment of management information systems for literacy; and Sample longitudinal studies on completed learners to assess the impact of literacy. (g) Evaluation of LIFE at the international level by UNESCO and its structures (UNESCO, 2006: 37-38).

M&E in Adult Education in India: Emerging Perspectives

Monitoring and Evaluation are two sides of the same coin, and evaluation uses the monitoring information. In earlier evaluations, importance was given to quantitative aspects rather than qualitative ones, and in evaluation of learning outcomes, the focus used to be on the literacy proficiency rather than qualitative dimensions of improvement, empowerment, self-confidence, self-esteem, etc (S. Nayanatara, 2011). Even in the literacy assessment, it is now being emphasized that it should be non-incursive, promoting courage and boosting self-confidence (S.S. Jena, 2011). There should be complete freedom to learners in choosing pace, place and time as per their convenience, and assessment results should be shared with the learners and other stakeholders.

The literacy proficiency under Saakshar Bharat Programme is assessed through periodical Literacy Assessment Tests, organised by the SLMAs and Lok Shiksha Samitis at District, Block and GP levels, which is jointly certified by NIOS and NLMA. Those who attended the earlier literacy programmes as well as the school dropouts could also take this Literacy Assessment Test, the details of which are available in the NIOS website (Gautam Bose, 2011).

With respect to M&E of adult learning and education programmes, there is the unmistakable approach in the Saakshar Bharat Programme that monitoring is important for improving programme implementation. The current system under the Saakshar Bharat Programme is the web based planning and MIS. Its core features are the web based data bases at different levels. It has 24x7 accessibility of information, and it also affords regular data updation. The MIS relates to physical and financial monitoring at all levels. It shows the physical and financial monitoring at all levels, the learning progress of each individual learner and the performance monitoring of VTs and Preraks/Coordinators.

The current MIS is on public domain which helps to disseminate information to citizens and stakeholders. The MIS also includes fund flow system which helps to keep track effective fund utilization, and also in accurate depiction of income and expenditure, which is the touchstone of integrity in expenditure. The MIS has details of the composition of Lok Shiksha Samitis at different levels as well as about Coordinators and Preraks, profiles of GPs and the household survey data.