Monitoring and Evaluation in the Public Sector

Course Overview

Monitoring and evaluation done well tells you whether your work is making a difference. Done poorly, it produces reports full of numbers that nobody trusts and that never change anything. This course covers theory of change, indicator design, data collection, evaluation design, data quality, and — critically — how to use findings to actually improve programmes.

Target Audience

M&E officers, programme managers, planning staff, senior managers

Learning Objectives

On completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Distinguish the accountability and learning functions of M&E and explain why both matter
2. Construct a results chain linking inputs to impact for a specific programme
3. Develop SMART indicators that reflect genuine programme performance
4. Select appropriate data collection methods for different evaluation questions
5. Design an M&E framework including indicators, data sources, and review cycles
6. Apply basic evaluation design principles to assess programme effectiveness
7. Communicate M&E findings in formats appropriate for different audiences