MONITORING AND EVALUATION AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN KENYA: THE CASE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IMPLEMENTING EDUCATION PROJECTS IN NAIROBI COUNTY
MONITORING AND EVALUATION AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN KENYA: THE CASE OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS IMPLEMENTING EDUCATION PROJECTS IN NAIROBI COUNTY
Chege Francis Macharia - A student pursuing Degree of Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management of the University of Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Omondi Bowa - Senior Lecturer, Department of Open and Distance Learning (ODeL) of the University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to assess the extent to which the use of skills and experience of the M&E team influences performance of development projects, to examine how suitability of approaches to monitoring and evaluation adopted influences performance of development projects. The study employed a descriptive survey design that involved two methods of data collection namely questionnaire and key informant interview. The study population consisted of 156 officers implementing education projects in Nairobi County of which 112 respondents were sampled and information was collected from 90 respondents which was a response rate of 80.4% using questionnaires. Five key informants were also interviewed using interview guide. Qualitative data was examined by narrative analysis to come up with themes as per the study objectives. Quantitative data was analyzed and presented using descriptive and inferential statistics. Simple linear regression was used to test individual relationships between the dependent variable and independent variables and multiple linear regression to test the influence of the independent variables on the dependent variable. The results established that the strength of the M&E team was a useful predictor of project performance with a p-value=0.000 and 19.4% of the changes in project performance could be explained by the strength of the M&E team. Suitability of M&E approaches adopted was a useful predictor of project performance with a p-value=0.010 and 7.3% of the changes in project performance could be explained by the strength of the M&E team. The researcher concluded that monitoring and evaluation has a relationship with performance of development projects with the strength of the M&E team, suitability of the approach to M&E adopted. It was therefore recommended that the M&E team and all staff should keep on sharpening their skills and be abreast with the current trends and approaches to M&E. Management needs to fully embrace and support M&E team to conduct their work and fund the function adequately for the team to perform their duties effectively which this study has found influences project performance and hence achievement of results.
