Utilization Of Monitoring And Evaluation Systems, Organizational Culture, Leadership And Performance Of Educational Building Infrastructural Projects In Bungoma County, Kenya

Abstract

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) are at the center of sound governance arrangements globally, regionally, nationally and locally as well. They are necessary for the achievement of evidence-based policy making, budget decisions, management, and accountability. However, there is limited focus on utilization of M&E systems and performance of educational building infrastructural projects in Bungoma County. The purpose of this study was to examine utilization of monitoring and evaluation systems, organizational culture, leadership and performance of educational building infrastructural projects. To achieve this purpose, the study endeavored to determine the influence of data dissemination and use, assess the influence of M&E work plan , examine the influence of routine programme monitoring, examine the influence of combined M&E systems on performance of educational building infrastructural projects in Bungoma County. It also sought to assess how organizational culture and leadership moderate the relationship between utilization of M&E systems and performance of educational building infrastructural projects. The study was guided by pragmatism paradigm and used descriptive survey research design. The target population consisted of 20 implementation committee members at the county level, 126 NG-CDF implementation committee members, 6 implementation committee members from the national ministry of education making the target population of 152.The sample size consisted of 110 respondents sampled by sampling each of the targeted strata. The study used questionnaires and interview schedules as research instruments. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analyzed. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis. While qualitative data was analyzed by reviewing data and mentally processing it for themes exhibited. The research findings were that the performance of educational building infrastructural projects positively correlates with data dissemination and use (r = 0.166, p< 0.05), M & E work plan (r = 0.137, p< 0.05) and routine program monitoring (r = 0.856, p< 0.05). The data dissemination and use (F = 1.94, p > 0.05) and M & E work plan (F = 2.38, p > 0.05) do not determine the performance of the projects while routine program monitoring (F = 320.41, p < 0.05) significantly determines (R2 = 0.7334) the performance of the projects with an effect size (β3= 0.856, p < 0.05). Overall, the M & E systems combined is a significant determinant of the performance of the projects (F = 99.35, p < 0.05) with about 75% (R2 = 0.7488) variance in the performance of the projects. The relationship between the M & E systems and performance of infrastructural projects is moderated by organizational culture (F = 4.10, p < 0.05) and leadership (F = 6.50, p < 0.05). The findings therefore fail to reject the H01 and H02: while rejecting the H03, H04, H05 and H06 and concluded that data dissemination and use has no influence, M&E work plan has negative influence, while Routine programme monitoring and combined M&E systems influence performance of educational building infrastructural projects. Further, both organizational culture and leadership moderate the relationship between utilization of M&E systems and performance of educational projects. Based on the findings, the study recommends that, Data dissemination and use and M&E work plans to be emphasized to enhance performance of building infrastructural projects while Routine programme monitoring should be a priority component in any M&E system. It is suggested that further research be done in the area of assessment of utilization of M&E frame work, Data base at local and national level and Human capacity for M&E and performance of building infrastructural projects.