Somalia — Improving Financial Planning and Management DFID

Somalia - Improving Financial Planning and Management DFID Department for International Development The World Bank ICGFM Miami Conference 2007 Presented by: Michael Parry (IMCL) Mohamed Barre (UNDP) Sam Lugumba (UFH) IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 1

Somalia Background Somalia in Brief § Population: § § Economy: § § Livestock, trade, agriculture Politics: § § 8 – 10 Million unstable over 16 years Tertiary institutions supported are in all zones of Somalia: § § § Somaliland Puntland South-Central – Mogadishu IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 2

Project Objective § The Capacity Building for Somali Planners Project (CBSP) aims to develop the capacity of financial planners, as a means of fostering economic growth in Somalia. IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 3

Background Project duration, August 2005 – September 2007 Local Implementation – Six Somali universities § § § § University of Hargeisa Amoud University East Africa University Mogadishu University Somali Institute of Management and administration Development (SIMAD) Puntland State University IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 4

Activities § Preparatory courses: Phase I [4 months] § § Main course (ODL) – 5 Units: Phase II [9 months] § § § Principles of Economics, Finance, Accounting, Basic Computer Skills and English language (face to face), Budgeting (online distance learning - ODL) Recording financial transactions, Information for management control Maintaining financial records Accounting for costs Public financial management Overseas training: Phase III [2 weeks] IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 5

The Partnership Team made up of multi-disciplined individuals Our Core Competencies: § A large pool of technical specialists and jurisdictional knowledge (e. g. cross border, accounting, financial management systems) § Project structure § sound, robust and sustainable in the longterm, with sufficient flexibility to cater for potential variability, over the project lifetime IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 6

Organisations Involved § Donor Organisations § UNDP, with funding assistance from § § § Local Universities § § World Bank DFID Six Somali based universities International Firms § § IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May University of Fort Hare 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 7

Role of the Donors § § § UNDP Project - funding assistance from World Bank & DFID Project Management Contracting the six Somali Institutions to run the course Coordination of Field Visits and Training of Trainers Upgrading of IT Facilities at Somali universities External Examination Invigilation and Logistical Support Distribution of Exam Papers to Somali Institutions IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 8

Role of the Somali Universities § § § § Registration of Students Face-to-face tutorial support to students IT facilities Review of custom developed course material Marking of mid-term assessments Up-loading midterm results to the website Invigilation of final IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami examinations 9

Role of International Management Consultants Limited (IMCL) § § § § Design of syllabus Purchase of pre-prepared course material Preparation of custom designed course material Training of Somali Tutors Design, build and maintenance of course website (together with external IT firm) Quality assurance during the design of mid-term assessments and final examinations Course coordination and management IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 10

Role of University of Fort Hare (UFH) § § § Training of Somali Tutors Preparation of custom designed course material Provison of ongoing remote support to Somali Tutors Design of mid-term assessments and final examinations Marking of final exams and course Certification Course Evaluation IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 11

ODL Learning Process 1. Selection criteria: § Employee [public or private], education and/or practical experience 2. Selection process: § Application, screening & tests 3. Course website developed: § § www. somaliodl. net Access given. IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami to student and tutors (User name 12

ODL Learning Process 4. Learning Material: § § § Study Text I-Learn online/offline study aid (Web and CDs) Online Query Board (Students and tutors) Tutorial Material and classes (Face-to-Face (F 2 F) and Online) Assessments: Weekly assignments uploaded Schedules: Text Study, midterm assessments, and final exams IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 13

ODL Learning Process 5. Re-Sit Exams: § One chance on payment 6. Certification: § University of Fort Hare, South Africa 7. External Training: § One/two weeks study tour in another African country for selected course graduates IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 14

Student Contributions § § Course is subsidized by the project Students pay monthly fee to their universities § § § Private sector $20 Public Sector $10 Purpose of charging is § § § Ownership Commitment Sustainability. IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 15

Anticipated Outputs / Impacts § § § 100 participants with Certificate in Financial Planning and Management Pool of competent financial managers for the government and private business Enhanced performance of participating civil servants Strengthened Somali human resource base Approximately 30 participants with exposure to financial management systems in other countries IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 16

Progress to date § § § § Six universities have internet [VSAT] Additional (face to face) support is provided 200 employees from public and private sector currently enrolled 20 tutors/lecturers are involved Low attrition rate to date Excellent first semester examination pass rate Global knowledge and information sharing Networking IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 17

Challenges § § § Inadequate human, financial and infrastructural capacity in the region emerged as being integral to the core challenges confronted by the public sector Political instability/uncertainty Integration and coordination of capacity IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 18

Challenges § § § § ODL concept is unknown in Somalia Limited technology Low bandwidth – limited speed Lack of qualified tutors Ability to tailor material to local PFM system Quality control Obtaining accreditation High cost of E-learning IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 19

Challenges § § Public Sector Skills & Expertise ODL vs traditional learning Capacity across government organs Changes in workforce demographics IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 20

Successes § § Strong feasibility study standards Communications Political Commitment Student Participation IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 21

Lessons Learned § Mixed mode learning benefits § § Development in conflict zone § § § Consortium Training of trainers and Students Professional developments opportunities § § Public and Private Networking of partners § § Taking exams at the same time at six locations Contributions from students § § Online, Face-to-face and Offline learning PFM, CAT, ACCA, CPA & Examination centers Motivation IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 22

Lessons Learned Ongoing communication between parties is key § § § Strong project champions – initial and ongoing Flexibility and simplicity Importance of establishing training and development centres Centralized information source Coordinated and accredited programs IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 23

Prospects § Local Institutions: § § § Skills Transfer Sustainability External Stakeholders: § § § Mobilization Networking & Relations Common Approach IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 24

Conclusions § § § Online Distance Learning is gaining international acceptance as a preferred mode of delivery for capacity building initiatives Efficiencies obtained and costs saved should compensate for the challenges experienced. Coordination and alignment of institutional support is key to the success of any capacity building exercise IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 25

Course Evaluation Model § 1. Climate 4. Results 2. a. Reaction Internal Drivers External Drivers § Continuous program evaluation process to measure the impact and value of the services rendered Model is based on the Donald Kirkpatrick Model of Evaluation Focus 3. Behaviour IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 2. b. Learning 2. c. Facilitatio n 26

Course Evaluation Model § This model seeks to evaluate support activities: § § § § effectiveness; gaining information on how to improve the support; informing decision making and interventions/solution design deciding whether to continue or discontinue support activities or programs; worth/value of support activities; assessing the impact in terms of relevance, practicality and customization of support interventions; IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami and 27 informing the Total Quality Management System of

Contacts UNDP-Somalia § Project Manager • § Mohamed Barre: mohamed. barre@undp. org Chief Technical Advisor • Mike Bicker: mike. bicker@undp. org IMCL & UFH § ODL Course Manager (IMCL) • § Chris Rowe: somaliodl@imcl. co. uk UFH Coordinator (UFH) • Samuel Lugumba: slugumba@pfsa. ufh. ac. za IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 28

Websites § Somali Universities § § § University of Hargeisa, http: //hargeisauniversity. net Amoud University, www. amouduniversity. net East Africa University, www. bosaso-university. net Mogadishu University, www. mogadishuuniversity. com SIMAD, http: //simadsom. org Puntland State University, www. puntlandstateuniversity. com IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 29

Websites § Donors § § World Bank, www. worldbank. org UNDP, www. so. undp. org DFID, www. dfid. org. uk Course Providers § § IMCL, www. imcl. co. uk University of Fort Hare, www. pfsa. ufh. ac. za IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 30

The End Questions? Comments! IMCL-UNDP-UFH - May 2007 @ ICGFM Miami 31