LAUNCH OF THE MONITORING AND EVALUATION COURSE

With the European Union’s N$ 108 million financial and technical assistance towards developing this course, NIPAM together with the National Planning Commission (NPC) launched the monitoring and evaluation short course on 13 November 2020.

NIPAM Vice-Chairperson, Dr. Nashilongo Shivute said, as an institution mandated to transform the public sector, NIPAM is determined to build a public sector human capital that is competent and skilled in their mandate of ensuring Namibia becomes an industrialised nation by 2030. The development of the course was prompted by the identified need to have a practical course talking to the realities in the professional conduct of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) augmented by a balanced theoretical framework to result in a course addressing the needs of our M&E Practitioners. This course is an outcome of the collaboration and spirit of working together between NIPAM, NPC, and the European Union.

NPC Executive Director,

Ms. Welhencia Uiras, said the course is expected to generate awareness, knowledge, and understanding of Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) theories, practices and instruments and to enhance the current M&E practices across the country and to establish the standardisation of M&E terminologies, approaches, systems and reporting requirements as per integrated National performance Framework.

“Our officials will also be equipped with skills on how to apply M&E tools to their specific workplace interventions. It is, therefore, my hope and belief that this course will serve as a catalyst for producing experts in the field of monitoring and evaluation which is crucial for the implementation of our development programs culminating into the realisation of our goals”.

According to NPC the country is known for producing wonderful plans as well as contributing greatly to the formulation of Regional and Global plans including long-term Plan Vision 2030, the Harambee Prosperity Plan, and Regional as well as Global Development Agendas such as the Africa Agenda 63 as well as the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Meanwhile, European Union Delegation Head of Cooperation, Achim Schaffert said with the financial support of about N$ 108 million into the programme for strengthening M&E capacities, all relevant stakeholders will be able to better assess the progress towards the achievement of the expected results. The training will also allow policymakers to take decisions based on evidence, to better understand which processes work best and to identify SMART objectives.