Influence Of Monitoring and Evaluation Practices On Performance of Educational Projects among The Selected Non-Governmental Organizations in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya

Abstract

A major obstacle for NGO-funded educational initiatives in Kenya is the limited access to quality educational resources, along with insufficient strategic planning and funding, as well as inadequate infrastructure. Even with efforts to provide education to marginalized communities, many schools still lack essential facilities, such as classrooms, textbooks, and effective teaching materials. This research explored the effects of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices on the performance of educational projects conducted by NGOs in Kakuma refugee camp. It selected four primary M&E-related goals in order to; assessed the influence of M&E planning, M&E technical expertise, management participation and stakeholder involvement on education project. Informed by systems management theory, program theory, and stakeholder theory, the research utilized a descriptive survey design that focused on NGOs under UNHCR that support educational initiatives in Kakuma refugee camp. It targeted 117 staff working with Kakuma refugee camp, and deployed census technique to select all the chosen participants. A pilot study was carried out to validate the questionnaires, which included both closed-ended and open-ended questions. Utilizing statistical methods such frequency distribution tables and Cronbach's alpha to evaluate reliability, data analysis was carried out using SPSS. From the study, M&E planning had a positive significant influence on educational project performance (Beta=0.140, P<0, 05), this means that M&E planning remains one of the vital aspect of monitoring and evaluation as it is key is development of projects. The outcome also shows that M&E technical expertise had a negative influence on the performance of educational project among NGOs in Kakuma,

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(Beta = 0.460, P>0.05), this means that M&E technical expertise was not a common the key factors of monitoring and Evaluation. Results also revealed that management participation had a positive and a significant influence on educational project performance, (Beta= 0.201, P< 0.05), this indicated that, this reveals that for educational project to be successful it was a requirement to ensure the management took part wholly in in the process of project development to achieve the ethos of monitoring and evaluations. Results also showed that stakeholder involvement had a positive and significant influence on educational project performance among the NGOs in Kakuma, (Beta=0.603, P<0.05), this indicated that stakeholder involvement through community participation, NGO partnership and Engagement of government authorities was vital to ensure that educational project succeed. The study emphasized how important thorough M&E planning, technical know-how, management involvement, and stakeholder engagement are to project success. Even though there were notable correlations and favorable opinions, there is still room for growth, especially in terms of increasing community involvement and ongoing efforts at reform. To maximize project results within the camp, it is advised to give priority to addressing these areas.