Institutional Factors Affecting the Performance of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems in the Kenya Youth Employment Opportunities Project Funded by the Worldbank in Nairobi Kenya

Abstract

Monitoring is an ongoing collection and analysis of project performance while project evaluation entails periodic assessment of the project to check on the impacts, relevance and effectiveness. The process of monitoring and evaluation provides overall oversight roles and can be used as a tool for social and political change. Therefore, performance of Monitoring and evaluation is critical in the overall performance of project. The aim was to establish factors influencing the performance of monitoring and evaluation practices in the Kenya youth employment opportunities project (KYEOP).The study’s specific objectives were; To establish the effect of budgetary allocations on the effectiveness of MnE of Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project; To examine how technical expertise affects the effectiveness of MnE of the KYEOP; To establish the role of stakeholders participation on the effectiveness of MnE of the Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project and To assess the role of leadership on the effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation of the Kenya Youth Employment and Opportunities Project. The study was guided by three theories which comprise program theory, stakeholder theory of sustainability and resource allocation theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design to collect primary data from the sample population of 165 project staff and other project stakeholders. Collection of data was done by questionnaires as well as through interview guides. A pilot study was conducted to assess the reliability and effectiveness of data collection process. Before data collection the validity and reliability of the study tool was determined. Face, construct and content validity was assessed while Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the reliability of the study tool. The study sought to analyze the collected data using SPSS version 25. The study used quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods and the results was presented using percentage and frequency tables. The study established that th`ere is a significant relation`ship bet`ween budgetary allocations and per`formance of M‘n’E systems in the KYEOP project funded by the WorldBank in Nairobi Kenya (r=0.513, p=0.000) and that th`ere is a signi`ficant relation`ship bet`ween technical expertise and perf`ormance of mo`nitoring and evalu`ation systems in the KYEOP funded by the WorldBank in Nairobi Kenya (r=0.604; p=0.000). The study also established that that th`ere is a sign`ificant relatio`nship betw`een stake`holder participation and perf`ormance of moni`toring and eval`uation systems in the KYEOP funded by the WorldBank in Nairobi Kenya (r = 0.627; p=0.000) and that there is a sign`ificant relatio`nship bet`ween leadership and perf`ormance of mon`itoring and eva`luation systems in the KYEOP funded by the WorldBank in Nairobi Kenya (r=0.587; p=0.000). It was concluded that performance of MnE systems in the Kenya youth employment opportunities project funded by the WorldBank in Nairobi Kenya is significantly affected by budgetary allocations, technical expertise, stakeholders’ participation and leadership. This research recommended that there is need for project management at KYEOP to ensure that project budget provide a clear and adequate provision for M‘n’E events. The study also recommends that the project managers at KYEOP should work together with relevant stakeholders to develop a database of M&E system information, where the M&E employees can learn from previous experiences.