Final Project Evaluation: Eastern Equatoria Sustainable Education System (EE SES) Project & Basic Services for the Reintegration of Returnees (BSRR) in Maiwut County, Upper Nile State

Background:
The report referred to by this summary covers two projects evaluated simultaneously. The Eastern Equatoria Sustainable Education System (EE SES) Project was a three year project implemented by ADRA South Sudan in Budi and Kapoeta North as part of the wider Education for Women and Children (EWC) programme in Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia and Myanmar. In the final year of the project ADRA Norway received a grant from Norad for education in crisis areas. The Basic Services for the Reintegration of Returnees and the Host Community (BSRR) Project was a one year project implemented in Maiwut County in Upper Nile State. Both Eastern Equatoria and Upper Nile State had very high illiteracy rates as a result of the many years of war, neglect and destruction of the education system in South Sudan.

Objectives in Budi and Kapoeta North:
by the end of the project the following three results were to be achieved:
Result 1: 16,000 children of school age (grade 1 – 8) in Budi County have access to improved quality basic education and 5,500 in Kapoeta North County
Result 2: 32,000 people in Budi County have increased knowledge and understanding of HIV/AIDS and STDs;
Result 3: 14 education advocacy groups create awareness regarding the importance of girls’ education and education for all among the community in 6 payams (villages).

Objectives in Maiwut:
By the end of the project the following results were to be achieved:
Result 1: 144 PTA members received education support and advocacy training, and actively promote education, especially for girls.
Result 2: 34 teachers have successfully concluded the 3 annual INSERT sessions, 13 head teachers receive refresher courses, 22 country and payam education officers trained in education management.
Result 3: 13 hygiene and sanitation clubs implement sanitation and hygiene awareness activities on quarterly basis, 13 hand washing centres established.

Methodology:
Various data collection methodologies were used including review of project documents, focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and observation. A cluster sampling and systematic sampling method were used for the household data collection while judgmental sampling was used for key informant interviews and focus group discussions. The sample size identified for the evaluation in Budi and Kapoeta was 424 households. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel were used to aid in the analysis. The Maiwut project was a desk review due to ongoing conflict in the area at the time of evaluation.

Key findings:
The project contributed substantially to the quality of the education system in Budi, Kapoeta North and Maiwut Counties. Through teacher training, school contruction, PTA formation and various other activities the project improved the quality of education for over 22,000 students. Other key findings are listed here:
• Gross enrolment increased slightly, from 44% to 46%, but did not reach the target of 55%. There was a slight increase in girls’ enrolment, from 37% to 40%.
• 2370 school-aged children attend primary and secondary schools constructed by the programme, 1071 of these being girls.
• An increase in enrolment in both Budi and Kapoeta North by 143% and 100% respectively in project supported schools.
• 72 teachers have completed INSERT training (24 in Maiwut), out of  a total of 134 participants.
• 417 PTA members trained (143 in Maiwut), over a target of 397.
• 308 Advocacy groups trained (48 in Maiwut), over a target of 183.
• 55 hygiene and sanitation clubs established (13 in Maiwut) compared to a target of 57. 

Recommendations:
• The program design should be improved in order to address fundamental aspects of education quality including a holistic child friendly environment, child rights, School administration facilities, and active community participation.
• The PTAs, Payam education officers and even school administration seemed to lack the capacity to mobilize local and supplementary external resources. They should be trained on resource mobilization.
• The project should also design a retention strategy for those recruited in an initiative. Appropriate strategies should be in place for retaining INSERT students and members of the Advocacy groups, which are prone to dropout.
• In pursuit of quality education and change, the project should consider supporting one of the schools in the project area to be a Centre of Excellence as a benchmark for what is possible.

Comments from the organisation, if any:
ADRA Norway is aware of certain shortcomings in this project that have been addressed with ADRA South Sudan in the course of the programme, and will be more actively rectified in the coming programme period. ADRA South Sudan’s primary focus has been education coverage, but will now focus more on quality of education, with a model school approach. The results achieved in Maiwut are notable, considering the context and timeframe in which the project was undertaken.