UNIVERSITY OF DODOMA
COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT STUDY
FIELD: HAI DISTRICT COUNCIL-PLANNING DEPARTMENT
SEPT/OCT 2009
ABDALLAH, Seleman
BA (PPM&CD)
INTRODUCTION
On completion of the FIRST year Bachelors Degree program, the students are expected to be competent in the application of knowledge and skills in relation to development planning and project concepts through field attachment to ensure that students are interacting with other development planners, decision makers, projects facilitators at the end of second semester of the first academic year, in the period of one month that is thirty days for field work between Sept 20 to October 22, I as my among decision, I choose Hai District council as my field station.
This study is attempted to get experience in relationship to Planning, Projects and related study as my study field by linking knowledge and activities performed by Hai District Council particularly in Planning department and Community Development department.
The department is among the department which is crucial under the District council of Hai ,it deals with the coordinating other department in planning and budgeting preparation and reporting, also coordinating projects both Development and Recurrent of the District, Department prepare Strategic planning for 3 years, Action planning/actual planning together with Budget ie.Cash Flow plan, together with that it supervise the Monitoring and Evaluation of the planned and implemented projects then prepare Report to present to Regional and Central Government.
Together with this report there are various soft copies study for History of Planning particular application for O&ODs in Tanzania, Monitoring and Evaluation, Report Forms for Action and Strategic plan as well as Budgeting and also Project studies
BACKGROUND
Project, Planning Management & Community Development is the course under the Department of Development study of College of Social Science in University of Dodoma.Its was established to us for the first in 2009 us as our first intake. It deals with study concerning general study of Project management, Planning management and Community Development study .As other normality of university student after the completion of each year of study there is the field succeeded with report.
The report contain the over view of what I studied within this Department of Planning that with the relation with what I have studied like Analysis study before planning,SWOT Analysis,O&ODs,Budgeting, Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting
General Objective
The general objective of this study is to get experience in relation ship to Project planning by linking knowledge and activities perfumed by Hai District Council particularly in Planning and Community Development departments while specific objectives are as follows;
• To put in action knowledge of different development processes through functions performing by Hai District.
• To ensure that Project planning skills that the student has, is related to specialized field.
• To ensure that student is able to perform Planning, Projects activities which are relevant to Regional Development Planning and Community Development.
• To ensure that student has capacity to link theories lent in class with practices.
Following the work schedule and log book, the first week of this field attachment includes the student arrival of field station and get the thoroughly orientation to different activities performed by Hai District and other departments, Receive a notification letter and send to first year PPM&CD under course coordinator Development Studies department.
Under this Report there are brief Description of Planning spheres of Hai District Department
PLANNING START-ANALYSIS STUDY
This is done by the use of SWOT analysis approach SWOT is a strategic planning tool, usually used as part of doing an environmental scan, that help identify external factors that need to be planned for, and internal factors (i.e. strengths and weaknesses) that need to be planned for in determining where a organization should be going in the future.
More specifically, the process involves identifying STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, and THREATS (which is what the letters SWOT stand for).
The SWOT analysis can be done as part of strategic planning, but it can also be done independently of the larger process as a standalone.
By capitalizing on one’s strengths, and minimizing or correcting one’s weaknesses, a company is better able to take advantage of opportunities as they emerge, and cope with threats before they become dangerous. Then they start planning by implementation of O&OD (Opportunity and Obstacle to Development )There is inclusion of District short Profile.
IMPLEMENTATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT IN HAI DISTRICT COUNCIL
1.0 INTRODUCTION:
Hai District is among the five Districts that form Kilimanjaro Region. It has an area of 2,169 Sq. Kilometers. Out of this, 100,000 hectares (46.1%) area suitable for agriculture, 75,000 hectares (26.3%) is pasture land, 31,000 hectares (14.3%) is forest land and 28,900 hectares (13.3%) is rocks and water bodies. The average population density is 120 people per square kilometer and the size of household is about 4.5. The has a population of 238,317 of which 116,937 are males ands 121,280 are females.
1.1 District Boundaries
Hai District is bordered by
Moshi district in the east
Arumeru (Arusha Region) in the west
Simanjiro (Manyara Region) in the South
Monduli (Arusha Region) in the North
-The district lies South of Equator, between 20 50’ and 30 29’ South, 300 30’ and 370 18’ East.
1.2: Agro Ecological Zones:
The District is divided into three ecological zones namely:
(i) Upper zone
It lies above 1666 meters above sea level. It receives rainfall ranging from 1250 mm and 1750 mm per annum in two seasons, i.e the long rains and the short rains.
(ii) Middle zone:
It lies between 900 meters and 1666 meters above sea level. It receives rainfall ranging from 750 mm and 1250 mm per annum in two seasons.
(iii) Lowland Zone:
This zone lies below 900 meters above sea level. It receives rainfall ranging from 500mm and 700mm per annum.
It receives only one season of rainfall, the long rains which starts from February to June.
1.3: Administrative structure:
Hai District is administratively divided into four divisions, 14 Wards, 80 Villages, 11 Streets, 346 hamlets and 58,056 households.
1.4 District Economy
The main economic activity in Hai district is agriculture.
Over 80 % of the district population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. The main cash crop is coffee, cultivated by small scale farmers on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro and on estates. Wheat and barley are cultivated in West Kilimanjaro farms for processing into beer and flour. The main food crops include maize, beans, paddy and sunflower in the lowlands, and bananas which is the staple in the middle and upper zones. Irish potatoes are cultivated in west Kilimanjaro.
Dairy cattle are kept under zero grazing system in the middle and upper zones by smallholders. Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu are kept under extensive system in the lowlands mainly for beef production.
2.0 Social Services
2.1 Education Sector
There are 125 nursery schools, of which 69 are owned by government and 56 by private institutions. The district has 149 Primary Schools with 56,534 pupils. There are 24 Secondary Schools. Among these 15 are owned by government.
The district is implementing two educational programs. These are Primary Education Improvement Program and District Based Support to Primary Education.
2.2.Health Sector
The district has 2 hospitals, 4 health centers and 64 dispensaries. Among these 1 hospital, 3 health centers and 27 dispensaries are owned by the government while 1 hospital, 1 health center and 37 dispensaries are owned by private institutions.
There is community participation in delivery of health services through District Health Board and Health Committees at ward and village levels.
2.3 Water Services
Hai district has 14 gravity water schemes serving 197,568 people which is 76 % of the total population. The schemes are rehabilitated and also funded by the German government through KfW in collaboration with Tanzania government and water users. Also it has 4 registered Water Boards which are fully self operating.
HISTORY OF PLANNING OF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN TANZANIA
The history of community participation in planning and implementation of development programs can be viewed in four phases:
The first phase was between the year 1961 and 1966. Tanzania aimed to promote the life of its people, and the mission was mobilization of the community to work hard (uhuru na kazi), and that was the beginning of involving people in the planning and implementation of development programs.
Phase two was the period between 1967 and 1972. Planning of community development was based on the Arusha declaration vision which was “Socialism and Self Reliance”. This aimed at giving the community more power in making decision on their development. In this period the Communal villages (vijiji vya ujamaa) were established.
Local Governments were abolished in 1972, and instead the Regional Administrations were established. Under this system village governments were established and given the powers of involving the community in planning their development. At Regional and District levels the Regional Development Committees and District Development Committees were established.
The third phase was 1980s. In this phase various economic policies were implemented and these had a negative impact on the Arusha declaration. These policies were National Economic Structural Programs and Structural Adjustment Program 1983 – 1985.
These were government’s attempts to revive the country’s economy. The Rolling Plan and Forward Budget of 1993/94 – 1998/1999 indicated the government’s decision to sustain development and emphasis on community participation in the development process.
Although the emphasis on implementation of Rolling Plan and Forward Budget was bottom up planning the real situation was it was top down like in the previous phases. Also the development programs were not sustainable as they relied on external aid, lacked community contribution in terms of resources and there was no good governance.
The fourth phase was period beginning in year 2000. In this phase planning in the previous phases was reviewed and improvements were made. The government prepared the National Development Vision year 2025. Its objective is to co-ordinate is to channel efforts, ideas and national resources in key sectors to bring about successful implementation of development goals to cope up with international economic competitions. Medium Term Plan is a government strategy to identify its internal and external economic strength to implement development goals stated in the National Development Vision 2025. Despite the fact that this program aims at bottom up approach it lacks a link between village and district levels.
To address this shortcoming the government has come up with a new approach in planning. This is by using the “Opportunities and Obstacles to development” whose strategies is enable the community to utilize the available resources to address the obstacle to development. Opportunities and Obstacles to development implements the National Development Vision 2025.
Opportunities and Obstacles to Development (O & OD)
This approach makes the community to participate actively in the process of planning development programs. It uses participatory tools to identify opportunities and obstacles within and outside that community.
Then the community finds the best ways of overcoming obstacles and prioritizing their development programs aimed at implementing the National Development Vision 2025 as a general policy guide hence to be the basis of implementation of the poverty eradication strategy.
This approach has been selected among others because of the following reasons:
(i) It is an approach which starts by identifying development opportunities existing within the communities thus changing their attitudes to self reliance which is different from other approached which begin by identifying problems.
(ii) This approach focuses on the National Development Vision 2025. It enables the community to come up with short and long term development programs towards poverty eradication.
(iii) This approach uses the existing government system at all levels starting from village to national level. This approach has been prepared to give decision making power to the community according to the constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania and local government reform program. The government believes that the spirit of community to participate fully in development programs, to join efforts and available resources builds transparency and accountability when it participates in planning, decision making, implementation and taking ownership of the outcomes.
Advantages of O & O.D:
It is easy for the community to own planning process as it uses few and easily understood participatory tools.
It promotes transparency and accountability at all levels
It reduces dependency
It is an appropriate way to eradicate poverty
The National Development Vision 2025 has the following goals:
4. Good standards of living for all Tanzanians.
This goal has the following Specific objectives:
Food self sufficiency and reliability of its availability
Provision of Primary education to all
Gender balance in all social, economic and political affairs
Availability of primary health services
Availability of maternity services to all
To reduce infant mortality rates, pre-natal and post-natal deaths
Availability of clean and safe drinking water to all
To raise the average life expectancy
Eradication of absolute poverty
(ii) Good governance and rule of law
Specific objectives are:
Good ethics and to value our tradition
Good conduct respect of rule of law
Eradication of corruption and all other evils
Educated community with confidence and learning from experiences
(iv) Strong economy which can resist competition
Specific objectives are:
To establish various sources of production and industrial based economy
Stable and balanced economy with low rates of inflation
Economic growth of 8 % or more per year
To put in place enough infrastructure to fulfill f the requirements for implementation of the National Development Vision 2025 in all sectors
To have competence in participation and competing in international markets
To be able to reduce environmental degradation and conserve natural resources
THE PROCESS OF PREPARATION OF COMMUNITY ACTION PLAN
BY USING O & O.D. APPROACH
The preparation of Community action plan by using O & OD approach involves the community at every step. It starts by conducting the first village meeting to launch the process of development of a community action plan for the village. This meeting is supposed to be attended by all residents of the village. In this meeting the purposes of the process to prepare a community action plan are explained. Also in this meeting the following tasks are undertaken:
• Selection of facilitators among the community members
• Formation of focus groups based on representation of hamlets, gender and age groups
• Development of a timetable to be followed during the process
• Drawing the village resource map
• Data collection
• To obtain the list of households’ heads
In the process of preparation of the community action plan the focus groups, representative of village elders, youths, gender, wealth categories, disabled etc. fully participate in the identification of the obstacles to development, proposing appropriate solutions, ranking them and eventually come up with a community action plan.
Community action plans are prepared focusing on the goals stated in the National Development Vision 2025 making use of different date collected during the process.
Data Collection:
1. Secondary data
These are collected from village registers, files, professional reports, research, institutions etc.
2. Environmental data
The focus group for map drawing, representative of age groups, gender and hamlets collect environmental data using the following participatory tools:
• Village Resource Map
The focus group draws village map showing resources available in the village and obstacles hindering effective use of the resources.
• Transect walk
The focus group makes a transect walk to confirm the opportunities and obstacles to development shown on the village resource map.
• Periodic data
The elders focus group (males and females) collects the periodic data using the following participatory tools:
• Village Historical Events
This is listing of the key historic events which occurred, their causes, and how the community reacted to overcome them
• Seasonal Calendar
A focus group explains when the main seasons occur e.g. long rains, short rains, dry season. It explains when various activities are carried out by the community during the year for example agricultural activities. It also explains the seasonal occurrence of human and animal diseases.
4. Social Data
Institutional Analysis
The youth group (males and females) lists the institutions within and outside the community, and the services rendered, relationship between institutions, relationship between institution and the community and importance of the institution to the community.
Wealth Distribution by Gender
The focus group mention the common resource owned by many households in the community, explaining whether it is the husband or wife owns the resource, contributes labor, decides on the use of the resource.
In the end the focus group identifies the gap, causes and suggests solutions.
Daily Calendar by gender
The elders focus group ( males and females) discuss the daily activities by men, women, children ( both sexes) from when they wake up to when they go to sleep. In the end the focus group identifies who works more hours, reasons, and proposes solutions.
Wealth Ranking
This starts at hamlet level and eventually results are summarized to village data. The hamlet/sub village meetings formulate indicators for richness, middle richness and poor. Each hamlet selects four assessors based on gender and knowing thoroughly all the heads of the households. The assessors rank the households into the following groups:
• The poor households
• The moderate household
• The rich households
After wealth ranking focus groups which will prepare the based on the wealth groups, hamlets, gender and age groups are formed to prepare the Community Action Plan using the data collected and the National Development Vision 2025 goals.
The Community Action Plan proposal is submitted to the village council meeting for the purpose of prioritization, costs and prepare implementation plan. The village council submits the Community Action Plan proposal to Ward Development Committee to get technical advice and identify programs that can be implemented in more than one village. Later the Community Action Plan is submitted to the Village assembly for approval.
IMPLEMENTATION OF DEVELOPMENT PLANNING BY USING OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES TO DEVELOPMENT APPROACH IN HAI DISTRICT-Case study
Hai District was selected to be one of the pilot Districts in the implementation development planning using opportunities and obstacles to development The O & O.D approach was prepared by the Presidents Office Regional Administration and Local Governments (PORALG) and sponsored by UNICEF.
Planning of Development Programs in Hai District before O & OD:
Before the Introduction of O&OD the District received ward development programs which were compiled with departmental programs to come up with district development program.
The “Ward development programs” aimed at community participation and implementation was done by using local resources and assistance from outside.
The Ward Development planning process:
Village Councils identifies priority projects to be implemented in a the period of one year and submit to the Ward Development Committee for appraisal.
The Ward Executive Officer compiles projects from Villages to get a Ward Development program. These are submitted to District Executive Director’s Office.
The District Planning Officer then presents the programmes from all Wards to the Council Management Team (CMT) so that Departmental programs are compiled with Ward programs to form District Development Programs.
Most of the development programs prepared using this approach concerned construction and rehabilitation.
Example of Planning process by using O & OD-
Training of District Facilitators
A total of 16 District staff and 14 representatives of non governmental institutions attended the training on facilitation skills. Theoretical training took 6 days followed by 11 days of practice in the field. The output of the field work was Community Action Plans for five villages.
Training of Ward Facilitators:
Facilitators at the District and National level participated in training of Ward facilitators. Thirteen wards and all of the Villages in these wards participated. The participants were extension officers ward and village executive officers. The theoretical part took six and 11 days of practical training. After the training the district and ward facilitators went to the remaining villages and came up with Community Action Plans for 76 villages.
Planning process at Village level:
The process took 12 in each village as follows:
Day One:
Preparatory visit was conducted by district facilitators to discuss with village council. Extension officers, influential people in the community and representatives of NGOs were invited to the meeting. The purpose of the meeting was:
Self introduction between District facilitators and Village leaders
To explain the aim of the visit
To agree on the timetable to be followed the process of development planning using O & O.D.
To arrange for the completion of forms on listing of heads of households.
Day two:
Village Assembly with the following activities:
Launching of the process of development planning using O& O.D.
Data Collection
Selection facilitators among the Community
Formulation of focus groups
Drawing of village map.
Day three – day five:
Activities conducted were data collection and analysis by using the following participatory tools:
Transact walk
Wealth Ranking
Historical events
Institutional Analysis
Seasonal calendar
Gender daily activities
Village sources of income
Gender resource map.
Day six – Day eight:
Focus groups prepared Community Action Plan proposal basing on data collected during the process the National Development Vision 2025 goals. See Annex “D”
Day 9:
The focus groups compiled the Community Action Plan.
Day 10
The Community Action Plan was presented to the village council
for the purpose of
Priority setting
Budgeting
Preparation of implementation plan See Annex “B”
Day 11:
Ward Development committee
Ward Development Committee meeting was conducted for the purpose of:
Technical advice
For coordination
Day 12:
Village assembly.
This was conducted to
Receive and approve the Community Action Plan (CAP)
To incorporate the technical advice given in the Ward Development Committee meeting in their CAP
Thereafter the Village Executive Officer submitted the CAP to the District Executive Director with minutes of the village assembly.
Preparation of District Development Plan:
The Community Action Plans from 76 village were compiled.
Each Department prepared annual development plan based on the community priorities and district development strategies prepared under district reform program.
The outcome of Exercise:
The district has 258 facilitators, 16 at district level, 14 at Ward level and 228 at community level.
The community prepared Community Action Plans for all 76 villages..
The community accepted this approach and it is willing to use it.
The district has compiled a development program for 76 villages which can be used by donors.
Monitoring and Evaluation:
After 6 months the district facilitators in collaboration with Presidents Office Regional Administration and Local Governments reviewed the implementation of village development programs. This was done in January
Objective:
To get information on the implementation of the village development programs and problems encountered
To ensure that the communities implemented their program successfully
The results from Exercise:
42 Villages out of 76 villages produced the implementation reports. The report shows that some activities in the plans been implemented such as Roads/Rehabilitation of classrooms and desks making etc.
During the implementation of the plan, it comes easy, because the mechanism gives the chance to the community to become aware, knowledgeable in their plans.
Problems encountered:
The cost needs from outside is still not responding the community plans.
Due to the inadequate of Village income, it was difficult to meet the objectives.
The problem of poverty in the community makes difficult the individual to contribute to their development as planned .
The communities were still waiting the feedback from other development partners like district, central GVT and others.
Still there are some projects which are coming directives from the top, e.g. PADEP.
There are no correlations of plans between community plans and National budget.
Strategies:
In the meeting of receiving the report, where by councilors, Divisional secretaries/Wards and Departmental leaders, it was declared: -
Each Village should submit the implementation report to the WDC.
O & OD was insisted to be permanent agenda in all WDC/Village Council meetings.
Facilitators at Ward/Village level were given the responsibilities of making follow ups of community plans.
Evaluation on ability in self esteem
This exercise done at hamlet level and its results ordinate and combined to be of village. The hamlets meetings analyzed, translate the richest and indicate its rich, middle wealth and poverty. After indicating indicators, the hamlets selects 4 representatives (indicators givers) gender who knows better residents and get households with: -
Poor condition (poverty)
Middle (moderate) state
Better/good state
See the Annex “A” attached.
After the exercise of wealth evaluation completed, selected groups, grouped depending on the representation of hamlets, gender age, wealth and village council members in order to discuss the National Development vision 2025.
Data collected by using mentioned tools up there, then used to moderate discussions in groups ensuring the National Development vision 2025 and prepare the proposal of programme prepared by selected groups which then submitted in village council for priority setting, cost and prepare of the 3 year planning. Village Council then sends the proposal of programme to the Ward Development Committee (WDC) for technical advice and identification of Ward projects.
After the proposal from Ward level with the technical advices, Village Council then submits to Village Assembly/Ward which legally is the power to approve the programmed.
The programme prepared by basing on the National Development Vision 2025 and being passed by Village Assembly/Ward, then known as “Opportunities and Obstacles for Development (O & OD) of the Village.
Preparation of District plan:
After the Villages submits their plans, the District Planning Office combined the Village plans to get one book from all 76 Villages. Each department prepared a one year planning from community priorities and strategic plan prepared under the Local Government Reform which are started implemented and being the (District Plan).
The outcome of Exercise:
District has 16 Facilitators, 14 from Ward level and 228 from community.
The community were able to prepare their plans from all 76 villages.
To raise morale of community to participate in their development activities from the early stage as it was in before independence.
The community accepted this system, thus they asked why it was started the past days? This argument shows that this mechanism is appropriate to community in their efforts on development.
The District is using the District plan integrated from all Villages so as to consult Donors (in outside) to identify appropriate areas with great need or problem they can assist.
Before having O & OD, Donors were using to select areas which has no big problem, either by being influenced with climate or a certain environment.
Follow ups and Evaluation:
In this 6 months period, after the Village planning, the exercise of evaluation and implementation plans were done.
Objective:
To get/know the implementation report
See what kind of problems appeared.
Provide the process of making sure that the community can not stack in the implementation of the Programme.
The results from Exercise:
42 Villages produced the implementation of the Programme in their community capacity, also those projects were underway during the planning process such as Roads/Rehabilitation of classrooms and desks making etc.
During the implementation of the plan, it comes easy, because the mechanism gives the chance to the community to become aware, knowledgeable in their plans.
Problems encountered:
The cost needs from outside were still not reached the community.
Due to the inadequate of Village income, it was hard to meet the objectives.
Poverty problem makes the community fail to contribute fully the expected projects.
The communities were still waiting the feedback from the District for matters issues related to District, Central Government and Donors.
Still the approach of Top down is existing.
There are no correlations of plans of the community and Government budget.
Strategies:
In the meeting of receiving the report, where by councilors, Divisional secretaries/Wards and Departmental leaders, it was declared: -
Each Village should submit the implementation report to the WDC.
O & OD was insisted to be permanent agenda in all WDC/Village Council meetings.
Facilitators at Ward/Village level were given the responsibilities of making follow ups of Village plans.
Community Planning Based on O & OD:
The Application of National Development Vision 2025 in O & OD enabled the villages to come out with the Community Plans which covers all aspects of life i.e. Economics, Social and Political e.g.
Economic: Increasing Production and Strategies of Poverty Reduction.
Social Services: Education, Health, Water and Gender Balance.
Political: Good Governance Corruption and Good ethics.
In group discussion Facilitators were given skills to enable to community come out with deep solutions and strategies e.g.
Education:
Instead of ending up with solution such as construction and rehabilitation of classrooms, the Community were able to come up with Increase of level of performance.
Improve of pupil/ book ratio
Improve School Environment such as introduction of school meal etc.
Health:
Instead of ending up with construction and Rehabilitation of heath facilities, the Community were able to come out with solutions such as
- Boiling of water
- Vaccination
- Improving Nutritional Status and Environmental Sanitation etc.
Economics:
Instead of ending of general issues e.g. road buildings and maintenance, the community were able to come up with strategies of increasing household income.
REMARKS:
Because the Community participating in all planning process i.e. Preparation, Implementation and Evaluation, therefore this System is sustainable.
Plan of Action
ANNEX “A”
VILLAGE ………………………………………………….
HAMLET ……………………………………………
A TABLE OF WEALTH RANKING BY HOUSEHOLDS …………………………………………………..
NO
Name of Household leader MALE FEMALE WIDOW WIDOWER OLD AGE
ORPHANS DISABLED
ASSESSORS TOTAL RANK
MALE FEMALE MALE FEMALE MALE FEMALE
1 2 3 4
ANNEX “B”
THREE YEAR PLAN …………… VILLAGE……………………………………
OBJECTIVE: ……………………………
PRIORITY NO OBJECTIVE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE ACTIVITY YEAr
ANNEX “D”
Villave Opportunities and Obstacles for Development Community action plan year ……………..
Village …………………………………………………..
Ward …………………………………………………….
District………………………………………………….
Region ………………………………………………………….
Goal …………………………………………………………………………………………………
Objective ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Specific objectives Opportunity Obstacles Causes Solution Implementation stages Responsible Require-ments Costs implementation indicators
Total Village others 1 2 3
ACTION PLAN
Second Let me briefly explain on preparation of Physical and Financial Action plan for both Development and Recurrent budget for the financial year 2009/10-2011/12 .An Action Plan is a simple list of all of the tasks that you need to carry out to achieve an objective, which it focuses on the achievement of a single goal. To draw up an Action Plan, simply list the tasks that you need to carry out to achieve your goal, in the order that you need to complete them. This is very simple, but is still very useful!
Under the Governmental accuracy this is produced with the support of soft ware called PlanRep2, prepared by local government and financial ministry so as to have a similar Action plan to achieve the desire ends. This also take in part in compilation of overall Action Plan and other assigned table work included under Strategic Plan. This Action Plan is prepared together with Budget in: Quarterly, Midyear and Annual Progress Reports.
Wherever you want to achieve something significant, draw up an Action Plan. This helps you think about what you need to do to achieve that thing, so that you can get help where you need it and monitor your progress. . The Action plan has the special format as it will be shown in attachments form below,
ACTION PLAN DEPARTMENT OF…………….FOR THE FIRST QUARTER (JULY-SEPT 2009/2010)
S/N NAME OF ACTIVITY/PROJECT OBJECTIVE ACTIVITY ACTIVITY/WORK
TO BE DONE IMPLEMENTATION
PERIOD PERSON CONSERNED
1
2
3
STRATEGIC PLAN
After the over view of Action plan is the explanation contributing on preparation of the draft of Hai District Strategic Plan (SP) for its department which are Agriculture, Livestock and Cooperative, Health, Education, Land, Natural resource and Environment Departments and also take in part on collection of activities performed to other departments and compilation of overall Hai District Strategic Plan draft. Preparation of Strategic Plan at Local Government Authority level involves villages and street as corporate bodies It use information from O&OD process. Planning at this level is more participatory involving wide range of stakeholders and the community. O&OD is a main tool used in the process of planning and budgeting
Strategic Plan is going concomitant with MKUKUTA, District objectives, Ruling party Manifesto and is a process which allows the district or institutions to know where they are and what they suppose to accomplish at the future, if they are going on time anticipated and accepted by whole stake holders, how to achieve their goal, to predict the desire ends and to see to what extent they achieve their goals. Strategic planning serves a variety of purposes in organization, including to:
1. Clearly define the purpose of the organization and to establish realistic goals and objectives consistent with that mission in a defined time frame within the organization’s capacity for implementation.
2. Communicate those goals and objectives to the organization’s constituents.
3. Develop a sense of ownership of the plan.
4. Ensure the most effective use is made of the organization’s resources by focusing the resources on the key priorities.
5. Provide a base from which progress can be measured and establish a mechanism for informed change when needed.
6. Bring together of everyone’s best and most reasoned efforts have important value in building a consensus about where an organization is going.
Other reasons include that strategic planning:
7. Provides clearer focus of organization, producing more efficiency and effectiveness
8. Bridges staff and board of directors (in the case of corporations)
9. Builds strong teams in the board and the staff (in the case of corporations)
10. Provides the glue that keeps the board together (in the case of corporations)
11.Produces great satisfaction among planners around a common vision
12. Increases productivity from increased efficiency and effectiveness
13. Solves major problems
The scheduling for the strategic planning process depends on the nature and needs of the organization and the its immediate external environment. For example, planning should be carried out frequently in an organization whose products and services are in an industry that is changing rapidly . In this situation, planning might be carried out once or even twice a year and done in a very comprehensive and detailed fashion (that is, with attention to mission, vision, values, environmental scan, issues, goals, strategies, objectives, responsibilities, time lines, budgets, etc). On the other hand, if the organization has been around for many years and is in a fairly stable marketplace, then planning might be carried out once a year and only certain parts of the planning process, for example, action planning (objectives, responsibilities, time lines, budgets, etc) is updated each year. Consider the following guidelines:
1. Strategic planning should be done when an organization is just getting started. (The strategic plan is usually part of an overall business plan, along with a marketing plan, financial plan and operational/management plan.)
2. Strategic planning should also be done in preparation for a new major venture, for example, developing a new department, division, major new product or line of products, etc.
3. Strategic planning should also be conducted at least once a year in order to be ready for the coming fiscal year (the financial management of an organization is usually based on a year-to-year, or fiscal year, basis). In this case, strategic planning should be conducted in time to identify the organizational goals to be achieved at least over the coming fiscal year, resources needed to achieve those goals, and funded needed to obtain the resources. These funds are included in budget planning for the coming fiscal year. However, not all phases of strategic planning need be fully completed each year. The full strategic planning process should be conducted at least once every three years. As noted above, these activities should be conducted every year if the organization is experiencing tremendous change.
4. Each year, action plans should be updated.
5. Note that, during implementation of the plan, the progress of the implementation should be reviewed at least on a quarterly basis by the board. Again, the frequency of review depends on the extent of the rate of change in and around the organization.
Strategic planning should be conducted by a planning team. Consider the following guidelines when developing the team.
(Note that reference to boards of directors is in regard to organizations that are corporations.)
1. The chief executive and board chair should be included in the planning group, and should drive development and implementation of the plan.
2. Establish clear guidelines for membership, for example, those directly involved in planning, those who will provide key information to the process, those who will review the plan document, those who will authorize the document, etc.
3. A primary responsibility of a board of directors is strategic planning to effectively lead the organization. Therefore, insist that the board be strongly involved in planning, often including assigning a planning committee (often, the same as the executive committee).
4. Ask if the board membership is representative of the organization’s clientele and community, and if they are not, the organization may want to involve more representation in planning. If the board chair or chief executive balks at including more of the board members in planning, then the chief executive and/or board chair needs to seriously consider how serious the organization is about strategic planning!
5. Always include in the group, at least one person who ultimately has authority to make strategic decisions, for example, to select which goals will be achieved and how.
6. Ensure that as many stakeholders as possible are involved in the planning process.
7. Involve at least those who are responsible for composing and implementing the plan.
8. Involve someone to administrate the process, including arranging meetings, helping to record key information, helping with flipcharts, monitoring status of prework, etc.
9. Consider having the above administrator record the major steps in the planning process to help the organization conduct its own planning when the plan is next updated.
You may want to consider using a facilitator from outside of your organization if:
1. Your organization has not conducted strategic planning before.
2. For a variety of reasons, previous strategic planning was not deemed to be successful.
3. There appears to be a wide range of ideas and/or concerns among organization members about strategic planning and current organizational issues to be addressed in the plan.
4. There is no one in the organization whom members feel has sufficient facilitation skills.
5. No one in the organization feels committed to facilitating strategic planning for the organization.
6. Leaders believe that an inside facilitator will either inhibit participation from others or will not have the opportunity to fully participate in planning themselves.
7. Leaders want an objective voice, i.e., someone who is not likely to have strong predispositions about the organization’s strategic issues and ideas.
A frequent complaint about the strategic planning process is that it produces a document that ends up collecting dust on a shelf – the organization ignores the precious information depicted in the document.
The following guidelines will help ensure that the plan is implemented.
(Note that reference to boards of directors is in regard to organizations that are corporations.
1. When conducting the planning process, involve the people who will be responsible for implementing the plan. Use a cross-functional team (representatives from each of the major organization’s products or service) to ensure the plan is realistic and collaborative.
2. Ensure the plan is realistic. Continue asking planning participants “Is this realistic? Can you really do this?”
3. Organize the overall strategic plan into smaller action plans, often including an action plan (or work plan) for each committee on the board.
4. In the overall planning document, specify who is doing what and by when (action plans are often referenced in the implementation section of the overall strategic plan). Some organizations may elect to include the action plans in a separate document from the strategic plan, which would include only the mission, vision, values, key issues and goals, and strategies. This approach carries some risk that the board will lose focus on the action plans.
5. In an implementation section in the plan, specify and clarify the plan’s implementation roles and responsibilities. Be sure to detail particularly the first 90 days of the implementation of the plan. Build in regular reviews of status of the implementation of the plan.
6. Translate the strategic plan’s actions into job descriptions and personnel performance reviews.
7. Communicate the role of follow-ups to the plan. If people know the action plans will be regularly reviewed, implementers tend to do their jobs before they’re checked on.
8. Be sure to document and distribute the plan, including inviting review input from all.
9. Be sure that one internal person has ultimate responsibility that the plan is enacted in a timely fashion.
10. The chief executive’s support of the plan is a major driver to the plan’s implementation. Integrate the plan’s goals and objectives into the chief executive’s performance reviews.
11. Place huge emphasis on feedback to the board’s executive committee from the planning participants.
Consider all or some of the following to ensure the plan is implemented.
12. Have designated rotating “checkers” to verify, e.g., every quarter, if each implementer completed their assigned tasks.
13. Have pairs of people be responsible for tasks. Have each partner commit to helping the other to finish the other’s tasks on time.
Also from the case study they conduct stakeholder meeting for reviewing draft of Hai District Strategic Plan (SP) 2009/10- 2011/12 then the draft will reviewing with councilors after that it remain as Hai District Strategic Plan.
Monitoring&Evaluation.
Monitoring is the systematic measurement and tracking of program activities and results. Monitoring refers to the ongoing assessment of the program’s progress in implementation and in achieving its stated goals and objectives. It incrementally tracks program progress as it is implemented.
Evaluation refers to the use of social research methods to systematically investigate a program’s effectiveness. Monitoring assess what is being done, whereas evaluation assesses what has been achieved or what impact has been made. M&E systems need to be as simple as possible while still able to answer the program’s questions as well as respond to global requirements.
Monitoring, Evaluation& Capacity Building From case study
Then from the support from District Social Welfare Officer I received information study concerning their Monitoring and Evaluation as well as Capacity building from Orphans centre and Most Vulnerable Children (MVC) center , To inspect them and to see if the owners of centers they are familiar with rules and regulation for running day care centers. Monitoring methods will be very project specific.
There is no general formula to monitoring. It can be described as a three step process.
• Checking honest implementation of the project.
• Looking at process indicators.
• Looking at status (impact study). Project monitoring mechanism includes the following components:
• Project visits by volunteers or donors.
• Project reports – financial and non-financial.
• Evaluation by Fellows or independent agencies.
•
The Heads of Departments and Councilors of different wards, participating on making Evaluation of village development projects Monitored by Local Government Authority (LGA). The aims were to evaluate if the funds released for the project and the value of the project match or has been used according to identified priorities. Example of village development projects evaluated are; Rehabilitate Kia dispensary, activity of finishing Mtakuja dip dam, to evaluate Bomang’ombe Kikavu chini road, to evaluate Kikavu chini furrow and source of its water and construction of Kwasadala to Longoi road
Also monitoring and evaluation is conducted under Council Monitoring and Evaluation Team (CMET) or Monitoring and Evaluation Technical Team
Monitoring and Evaluation Team Technical part
technical team comprising of officials from all departments who will be trained on all key aspects of M&E and reporting and on top of the training they will be equipped with facilitation skills.
Among other things the team will be responsible for supporting preparations of District Consultative Committee (DCC) meetings – the technical part of it.
Formulation of CMET
The idea of CMET communicated to the district authorities – obtain blessing
Each department was supposed to select an official who will be in the team – ensure participation of beneficiaries.
The names from all departments were then required to be presented at the Council Management Team (CMT) for endorsement – as buy in process.
Criteria for selection
1. Key person in the department who is normally involved in planning, budgeting and preparing reports
2. Someone who will be able and willing to support others in building their skills
Approach
• The team will be oriented on the roles and responsibilities
• The team will participate in modelling the roles and responsibilities in relation to the existing structures and systems at LGAs
• PMORSALG will prepare generic and tentative Terms of Reference – TOR).
• The district will contextualize the proposed generic TOR based on the needs of the districts. Once it is agreed then the agreed TOR will be endorsed by Council Management Team (CMT).
• Each CMET will prepare a work plan which will be used to address the endorsed TOR.
• Based on the work-plan each district will identify areas in which they can request support from various partners according to the comparative advantage of those partners. Some of the partners are PMO-RALG, MOFEA, Development partners such as UNICEF, UNDP, UNFPA and ILO.
Expected outcome
Availability of quality and sustainable technical support in the learning district in areas of planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting of development activities.
Quality products in terms of strategic plans, MTEF, monitoring and reporting targets
Documentation process for better practices which could be used in other districts
Harmonization of reporting process which will enable to meet at least minimum reporting requirements of all stakeholders who support development activities in the districts.
Reduce reporting pressure to districts and leave more time for the district to work on other pressing needs in the districts.
Make maximum utilization of the existing structures and limited resources in supporting development activities in the districts.
These methods should be planned during preparation of result framework and M&E plan
1. Cost Benefit Analysis
2. Impact assessment
3. Outcome Evaluation
4. Process Evaluation
5. Reviews
Cost benefit analysis
• Ask whether an intervention was worth it
• It involves identifying the incremental monitory benefits that arise from interventions (i.e. were caused by intervention) and then calculating its present discounted value
• Difficult to undertake when services do not have well-established markets
Impact Assessment
Are intended to determine whether an outcome (effect or change) was caused by an intervention
To do so alternative explanations for the outcome must be eliminated, that is was B an impact of A or was B caused (or influenced) by A?. This type of questions is implied by most programme or project evaluations which assume the design of the programme caused by specific results to ensue
Outcome Evaluations
• Aim to measure (quantity) outcome and their trends rather than attribute a trend to an intervention
• The issue of cause and effect is either ignored or assumed to have occurred
• Depending on availability of information, and cost of collecting information, assessment of outcome can be done (amongst others)
• Comparing indicators values before and after (without attributing the change). In this case there are needs to be baseline values
• Comparing targeted indicators values to actual indicator values
Process Evaluation
• Government institutions should assess, on regular basis, whether standards are being met and rules and regulations are being followed
• These process assessment are generally referred to as compliance inspections
• The basis of the inspection is collection of supporting “evidence” which is used to establish compliance
• Evidence typically consists either of records and documents or physical verifications and observation, e.g. Was dispensary which was claimed to be constructed through a block grant actually built?
• Where possible, compliance inspection should have counterpart outcome evaluation
• Accounting audits investigate whether accounting rules or procedures are being adhered to
• While “value for money” audits look at the efficiency of expenditure (for example was there waste?)
Reviews
• Methodologically, reviews often include informal interviews or focus group discussion that aim at to understand peoples opinions, to get their assessments of problems or areas of weakness, and t find out what they recommend
• Review may summarize or re-interpret monitoring information or make use of “expert” opinion
• A good review is participatory, focuses on learning lessons and attempt to incorporate the lessons learned into future action
Progress Report
This concern on writing a progress report on either/all quarters at the middle or end of the financial year in Planning, management and Accounting committee. These reports are:
Reports related to Operational Plans:
• Institutions ie.District are required to prepare Action Plans and Cash Flow Plans to be used by management to monitor progress in the implementation of their planned activities as stipulated in their respective MTEF.
• Cash flow Plans should be submitted to MoFEA(Ministry of Finance) with Action Plans as supporting documentation and those for RSs (Regional Secretary) and LGAs(Local Government Authority) should be sent to PMO – RALG(Prime Minister Office-Regional Administration & Local Government)
• The required Forms which have been revised are contained in the Medium Term Strategic Planning and Budgeting Manual (MTSPBM).
These forms are:
Action Plan for Recurrent Budget;
Action Plan for Development Budget;
Annual Cash flow Plan for Recurrent Budget; and
Annual Cash flow Plan for Development Budget.
NB; Their Attachment are at the Latest page
Reports related to Performance:
Each MDA, Regional Secretariat and LGA is required to report on performance.
There are three types of performance reports
(a) Cumulative Quarterly Reports on targets and expenditure
(b) Annual Performance Report on targets and outcome monitoring and
© A three year outcome evaluation report against Strategic Plan objectives and outcomes
These performance reports have to be produced using standard forms provided in the MTSPBM.
o Cumulative Quarterly MTEF Target Monitoring Form;
o Quarterly Cumulative Milestone (Priority) Monitoring Form;
o Outcome Indicator Monitoring Form;
o Quarterly Cumulative Financial Overview Form; and
o Quarterly Cumulative Financial Detailed Form.
Annual Performance Reports and 3- Year Outcome reports will be made available to the respective Parliamentary Committees and to the public, either on institution’s web site or other media to enhance transparency and access to information.
Bellow are the Government particular District Reporting tool/Forms
Their covering Area and Purpouse
Reporting Tools
Abbreviation used Name Area covering Purpose
PBF-4.1 Summary of Strategic Plan (Internal) 14A) Planning Provides summary of the core elements of strategic plan
PBF-4.2 Result Framework (Form 7) Planning Provide information on objective and code, indicators selected, targets and methods of data collection
PBF-5.1 Three year MTEF target value (Recurrent expenditure) Budget and MTEF Provide target values on yearly/annually basis
PBF-5.2 Current year MTEF target value (Development expenditure) Budget and MTEF Provide target values on yearly basis
PBF-6.1 (a) Action Plan for recurrent budget for Financial Year (for MDAs, Regions and Councils) Operational Planning/Action plan for recurrent budget Capture information on cash flow plan for recurrent budget on annual basis
PBF-6.1 (b) Action Plan for development budget for Financial Year (for MDAs, Regions and Councils) Operational Planning/Action plan for development budget Capture information on cash flow plan for development budget on annual basis
PBF-6.2 (a) Annual cash flow plan for recurrent budget for financial year Operational Planning/Action plan for recurrent budget Capture information on cash flow plan for recurrent budget on annual basis
PBF-6.2 (b) Annual cash flow plan for development budget for financial year Operational Planning/Action plan for development budget Capture information on cash flow plan for development budget on annual basis
MEF-7.1 Cumulative Quarterly MTEF Target Monitoring Performance Reporting Monitoring and Evaluation Captures the cumulative achievements of physical targets against the plan as well as actual expenditure against planned budget
MEF-7.2 Quarterly cumulative milestone (priority) monitoring Performance Reporting Monitoring and Evaluation Captures the implementation of the Milestone on quarterly basis
MEF-7.4(a) Quarterly cumulative financial overview Performance Reporting Monitoring and Evaluation Provides actual cumulative expenditure/revenue and funds released against total budget on quarterly basis
MEF-7.4(b) Quarterly cumulative financial detailed form Performance Reporting Monitoring and Evaluation Captures cumulative financial information relating to development expenditure/revenue, non tax revenue and other sources of funds as well as funds released against total budget on quarterly basis
MEF-7.3 Outcome indicator monitoring form Performance Reporting Monitoring and Evaluation It provides an overall performance achievement of an institution indicating whether is meeting its planned objectives , i.e. whether achieving the envisioned results or outcomes documented in Strategic Plan
DIAGRAMATICAL PRESENTATION OF PLANNING CIRLE
AT DISTRICT LEVEL
At Districts level which was my field study on planning they followed the above planning circle. They start by conduct of Analysis by using SWOT (Stength, Weakness, Opportunity& Threats) Analysis, then involve in conduct of O&Ods as explained above which help to prepare SP (Strategic Plan) and AP(Action Plan),AP is prepared together with Budget the Implementation follows
After that Monitoring and Evaluation team take place to conduct Monitoring and Evaluation, here after the preparation of Reports follows in relation with the review of the prepared Strategic Plan and analysis of opportunities (as show in diagram bellow) if there is success in implementation of Plan.
Conclusion
Generally, the theories that the student leant in class is valid and applicable in real world due to the fact that planning activities undertaken by Hai District Council especially in planning department plays the big contribution to student in getting experience. The student obtained experiences through participating and involving in different planning activities, observation, and asking questions concern planning issues. Activities performed by Hai District Council particularly in planning department are; strategic plan, monitoring and evaluation, action plan for both development and recurrent budget and compilation of different reports include village development projects.
Although there are some different activity examples, LAAc, , issues concern OVCs(Orphans Vulnerable Children) and MVCs (Most Vulnerable Children) study concerning PPA,Propasal writing,Govermental work management,etc, together it plays the big roles to student (ABDALLAH,Seleman) in achieving the desire ends.
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THIS IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SELEMAN ABDALLAH +255 712/787 008 227/+255 754 371 115. kakasule@yahoo.com/ kakasele@hotmail.com
