Influence of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems on Performance of Projects in Non-Governmental Organizations: A Case of Education Projects in Mombasa County, Kenya

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of monitoring and evaluation systems on performance of projects in non-governmental organizations: A case of education projects in Mombasa County. To achieve this purpose the study assessed how organizational structures and human capacity for monitoring and evaluation influence project performance in non-governmental organizations in Mombasa County. Also, the study examined how a project monitoring and evaluation plan and work planning for monitoring and evaluation activities influence project performance in Non-Governmental Organizations in Mombasa County.Methodology: A descriptive research design was used in this study and structured questionnaires were used to collect the study data. The study population constituted of project officers, managers, and monitoring and evaluation staff in the twenty-two registered non-governmental organizations operating in Education sector in Mombasa County. According to NGOs statistics in published Annual NGO report of 2018/2019, a registered NGO had an average of 10 employees stationed in Kenya. Therefore, the approximate number of project staff in Education sector is approximately 220. Yamane (1967) formula was applied in determination of sample size, with 1% margin of error. Based on the formula, total of 69 participants were required. The participants were voluntary sampled into the study sample though self-administering of online based questionnaire. Prior data collection, a sample of fifteen individuals working in education sector was considered in piloting of the research instruments. To adjust for incidences of non-response rate in voluntary sampling, an additional 30 participants were considered giving a cumulatively sample size of 99 participants. In this study a total of 15 project staff implementing projects in Education sector were considered for piloting. A reliability analysis of pilot data yielded a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.890 implying a high level of internal consistency. Data was collected from sampled seventy respondents from ten non-governmental organizations while observing standard ethical and health guidelines. Collected data was downloaded from kobo-collect online platform and exported to Excel and SPSS for further processing. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated and used to interpret the nature of relationship between the predictor variables and the dependent variable.Results: The study established that the performance of projects in education sector significantly and positively correlated with organizational structures for M&E (r=0.639, p<0.05), human resource capacity for M&E (r=0.412, p<0.05) and project M&E plan (r=0.273, p<0.05). However, the performance of projects in education sector was found to have a weak positive correlation with     M&E work plan where (r=0.015, p>0.05). A regression model of the predictors against the performance of projects in education sector yielded R-square value of 74.1 % leading to a conclusion that the four components under study influence project performance in education sector.Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: The study recommends that the management of NGOs with technical support of focal M&E staff put in place mechanisms to further strengthen their existing systems for M&E. Also, further research can be explored on how M&E work plan influences project performance while considering adoption mixed methods approach in order to understand the justification for underlying relationships.