Tool 7.1: Recommendations: Considerations for external evaluations
© UNICEF/UNI332026/Minega
Introduction
The final review and evaluation of the ESP is a sectoral analysis to assess progress and provide recommendations for the preparation of the next plan. The final review looks back at the whole plan period, evaluating final results and impact, their relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. It also analyzes the reasons why certain results were achieved and not others. Lessons for possible policy revision and for preparing the next planning cycle may also come out of the final evaluation.
As mentioned in the narrative for Section 7, implementation evaluations may often be embedded within the Education Sector Analysis (ESA), helping to assess achievement and also determining some reasons why any desired results may not have been achieved. Additionally, if a Joint Education Sector Review was conducted, it may be useful to refer to this document to reflect on overall plan implementation.
Implementation evaluations may often be embedded in the Education Sector Analysis (ESA) to help to assess achievement, while also addressing the ‘why’s’ for any non-achievement. Discussing ESA results during the development of a new ESP is another opportunity to assess the challenges faced during implementation and what would have been done differently.
Objectives
The main objective of this tool is to provide guidance that is specific to the ECE subsector for the final external evaluation of the ESP, or alternatively, to inform the ESA and the developement of the forthcoming ESP.
When to Use this Tool
This tool can be used when there is an external evaluation that is part of the evaluation of the implementation of the education sector plan. This tool may also be used if there is an external evaluation specifically of the implementation of the ECE component in the ESP, or to inform mid-term reviews or the ESA.