- Evaluation Plan:
- 2005-2009, Turkmenistan
- Evaluation Type:
- Outcome
- Planned End Date:
- 05/2007
- Completion Date:
- 12/2007
- Status:
- Completed
- Management Response:
- Yes
- Evaluation Budget(US $):
- --
Infotuk Outcome Evaluation
| Document | Type | Language | Size | Status | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 UNDPTKM_tor_outcome_evaluation_Infotuk_fin (JUL 10).doc |
tor | Posted | 712 | ||
 Final report on ICT evaluation.pdf |
report | Posted | 1897 | ||
| |
summary | Posted | 388 |
| Title | Infotuk Outcome Evaluation | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Project Number: | |||||||||
| Evaluation Plan: | 2005-2009, Turkmenistan | ||||||||
| Evaluation Type: | Outcome | ||||||||
| Status: | Completed | ||||||||
| Completion Date: | 12/2007 | ||||||||
| Planned End Date: | 05/2007 | ||||||||
| Management Response: | Yes | ||||||||
| Focus Area: |
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| Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017) |
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| Evaluation Budget(US $): | -- | ||||||||
| Joint Programme: | No | ||||||||
| Joint Evaluation: | No | ||||||||
| Evaluation Team members: |
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| GEF Evaluation: | No | ||||||||
| Key Stakeholders: | |||||||||
| Countries: | TURKMENISTAN |
| Lessons | |
|---|---|
| Findings |
| Recommendations | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Evaluation recommendation 1. UNDP should confirm its willingness to continue support ICTD in education, subject to agreement on what UNDP support would cover |
| 2 | Evaluation recommendation 2. Rather than prepare a new Infotuk 3 project, the current Infotuk 2 should be extended by two years, to delivery more fully against its existing outputs and to prepare a national action plan for using ICT in education |
| 3 | Evaluation recommendation 3. A seasoned UNV specialist in ICT should be internationally recruited with specific responsibility to help prepare a national action plan for ICT in education and to help build national awareness of the potential for ICTD to accelerate Turkmenistan's development |
| 4 | Evaluation recommendation 4. As a part of building national awareness and to practice what it preaches, Infotuk should quickly put online and professionally manage its own web site |
| 5 | Evaluation recommendation 5. Infotuk work on educational portal should only continue in the extended project if the portal, as already developed is officially approved by the Ministry of education and put online by 31 December 2007 |
| 6 | Evaluation recommendation 6. Infotuk project Board should approve a strategy for handling over the public computing centres to either the Ministry of education or to a local NGO/private entity. Those centres without internet access should be handed over by 30 June 2008. Centres with Internet should introduce user charges in graduated steps so that they are fully self funding |
| 7 | Evaluation recommendation 7. Infotuk's provision of Internet to schools should only be extended to schools posing a more difficult challenge such as those in remote rural areas when politically, technically and economically feasible with UNDP's resources |
| 8 | Evaluation recommendation 8: the Ministry of education should properly remunerate the teachers responsible for managing the 20 school computing centres; Infotuk should create an intranet between the 10 schools in Mary and the 10 schools in Ashgabat. |
| 9 | Evaluation recommendation 9. The ICDL should be used to test and certify competency in computing skills both for the public computing centres and for teachers and students in the 20 schools with Internet |
| 10 | Evaluation recommendation 10. Membership of the Project Board should be elevated to include the Deputy Resident Representative from UNDP and a Director from the Government |
| 11 | Evaluation recommendation 11. One of the Infotuk's two senior staff posts should be abolished; One Infotuk support post should be reinstated |
| 12 | Evaluation recommendation 12 The national professionals of the project should be encouraged to upgrade their own computing skills in specific areas |
| 13 | Evaluation recommendation 13 Realistic annual targets, logically derived from the expected outcome and outputs should be set for each output at the beginning of each year by project management and progress monitored again these targets by both project management and UNDP; There should be more frank recognition and statement of constraints in project progress reports |
| 14 | Evaluation recommendation 14: On behalf of the development community, the UN Resident Coordinator should formally request that restrictions on access to officials and data be lifted as soon as possible |
| 15 | Evaluation recommendation 15. The UN should initiate more open and systemic dialogue between partners by inviting them to discuss the potential and need for periodic exchanges and if agreed, to designate a focal point(s) ro regularly convene and support such meetings |
1. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 1. UNDP should confirm its willingness to continue support ICTD in education, subject to agreement on what UNDP support would cover
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
To discuss the UNDP's support initiatives in ICTD education with the management and inform the Government on further plans
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1 Discussion with Resident Representative and Deputy Resident Representative to continue UNDP's support ICT in education
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/01 | Completed | Agreed | |
| 1.2 Relevant Note Verbale to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2010/05/12] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/01 | Completed | Agreed |
2. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 2. Rather than prepare a new Infotuk 3 project, the current Infotuk 2 should be extended by two years, to delivery more fully against its existing outputs and to prepare a national action plan for using ICT in education
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Propose the Government to extend the project for another 2 years focusing on existing outputs and developemnt of a national action plan on ICT in education
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1 Note Verbale to the MFA requesting two years extension of Infotuk and suggestion to add a new output
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/02 | Completed | Sent | |
| 2.2 Agreement received from the MFA
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
MFA | 2008/03 | Completed | Received in March 2008 |
3. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 3. A seasoned UNV specialist in ICT should be internationally recruited with specific responsibility to help prepare a national action plan for ICT in education and to help build national awareness of the potential for ICTD to accelerate Turkmenistan's development
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
To develop TOR for an international UNV and communicate with UNV Bonn on recruitment issues
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Draft Terms of Reference for UNV
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/04 | Completed | ||
| 3.2 Contact UNV Bonn
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | No due date | No deadline established | Due to limited funding the request was not operationalized. |
4. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 4. As a part of building national awareness and to practice what it preaches, Infotuk should quickly put online and professionally manage its own web site
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Desing, launch and manage the project's website
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 Design Web site
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Infotuk Web Master | 2008/06 | Completed | ||
| 4.2 Launch website
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk and UN communication specialist | 2008/07 | Completed | www.infotuk.net |
5. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 5. Infotuk work on educational portal should only continue in the extended project if the portal, as already developed is officially approved by the Ministry of education and put online by 31 December 2007
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Get official approval of the portal and put it online
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.1 Transfer the portal to the Ministry of education
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Infotuk staff | 2008/01 | Completed |
6. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 6. Infotuk project Board should approve a strategy for handling over the public computing centres to either the Ministry of education or to a local NGO/private entity. Those centres without internet access should be handed over by 30 June 2008. Centres with Internet should introduce user charges in graduated steps so that they are fully self funding
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Get the local centers connected to internet and explore the ways for their self-funding
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 Connect all local centres to Internet
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Infotuk staff | 2008/06 | Completed | Completed in August 2008 | |
| 6.2 Survey among users on their readiness to pay for service
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Infotuk staff | 2008/12 | Completed | Survey data collected | |
| 6.3 Analysis of options for user charges
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
2008/12 | Completed | Requires the registration as a legal entity and receiving license for commercial activity which is beyond the project scope |
7. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 7. Infotuk's provision of Internet to schools should only be extended to schools posing a more difficult challenge such as those in remote rural areas when politically, technically and economically feasible with UNDP's resources
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Identify rural schools for internet connection, work on technical solutions for connecting the schools to the internet
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.1 Prepare technical options for connecting some rural schools to Internet
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Infotuk staff | 2008/05 | Completed | ||
| 7.2 Identify rural schools (field visits, consultations
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
InfoTuk staff | 2008/06 | Completed | ||
| 7.3 Request a dial up account from local telecom
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
InfoTuk staff | 2008/06 | Completed | Lengthy bureaucratic procedure | |
| 7.4 Connect one rural school to Internet using the only possible option - dial up
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
InfoTuk staff | 2008/09 | Completed | Very poor speed of connection because of the outdated telephone line |
8. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 8: the Ministry of education should properly remunerate the teachers responsible for managing the 20 school computing centres; Infotuk should create an intranet between the 10 schools in Mary and the 10 schools in Ashgabat.
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
To discuss with Ministry the potentials for remuneration of ICT trainers. Create an intranet link between the schools involved in the project in Mary and Ashgabat
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 Discuss with the Ministry the possibility for remuneration to school centres managers
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
Programme officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/01 | Completed | The MoE was unable to afford, therefore it was dropped | |
| 8.3 Request government financial support for lease of E1 link
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/02 | Completed | Though formal requests for E1 link lease was sent to the Ministry of Communication and Vice Prime Minister throughout the whole year the request was not satisfied | |
| 8.2 Restore Internet in Mary schools:
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
Infotuk staff, Programme office responsible for Infotuk | No due date | No deadline established | ||
| 8.4 Create intranet among the schools
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
Infotuk staff - Network administrator | No due date | No deadline established | Absence of connection prevents implementation of this activity |
9. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 9. The ICDL should be used to test and certify competency in computing skills both for the public computing centres and for teachers and students in the 20 schools with Internet
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Analyze possibility and requirements for ICDL application and certification
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.1 Analyze possibility and requirements for ICDL certification
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Infotuk Staff - Web master | 2008/02 | Completed | ||
| 9.2 There is no accredited certification centre in Turkmenistan and to open such a centre within the project is not expedient as it is beyond of the project scope and available funding
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
No due date | No deadline established | Dropped |
10. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 10. Membership of the Project Board should be elevated to include the Deputy Resident Representative from UNDP and a Director from the Government
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Include DRR and a Director from the Government into the Project Board
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.1 Deputy Resident Representative chairs all Board meetings
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Project Board | 2008/12 | Completed | All quarterly meetings | |
| 10.2 Implementation of the second part of the recommendation was not feasible as the MoE assigned one focal point to work with all UN Agencies
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2011/12/29] |
No due date | No deadline established | Dropped |
11. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 11. One of the Infotuk's two senior staff posts should be abolished; One Infotuk support post should be reinstated
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Revise project staff structure and terms of references
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.1 Reconfigure the project staffing structure
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Programme Officer responsible for Infotuk | 2008/06 | Completed | ||
| 11.2 Convert project manager post into project administrator
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Programme Officer | 2008/03 | Completed | ||
| 11.3 Expand responsibility of chief technical advisor
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Programme Officer | 2009/03 | Completed | ||
| 11.4 Revise terms of reference for all staff
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Programme Officer | 2008/02 | Completed |
12. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 12 The national professionals of the project should be encouraged to upgrade their own computing skills in specific areas
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Support the staff with training opportunities
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12.1 Find and fund relevant training/workshop opportunities for project staff members
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Infotuk staff and Programme officer | 2008/12 | Completed | Time frame: throughout the project duration. For 2008 project staff attended three workshops/study tours abroad |
13. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 13 Realistic annual targets, logically derived from the expected outcome and outputs should be set for each output at the beginning of each year by project management and progress monitored again these targets by both project management and UNDP; There should be more frank recognition and statement of constraints in project progress reports
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Better management in terms of setting realistic targets and outputs, better monitoring the progress towards the outcomes
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13.1 Annual work plan and subsequent quarterly plans contain concrete targets and deliverables
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Programme Officer | No due date | No deadline established | Time frame: January, quarterly. | |
| 13.2 Issues and constraints are openly discussed at project board meetings
[Added: 2009/02/16] [Last Updated: 2009/02/17] |
Project Board | No due date | No deadline established | Time frame: At least quarterly |
14. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 14: On behalf of the development community, the UN Resident Coordinator should formally request that restrictions on access to officials and data be lifted as soon as possible
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Use all potential opportunities to inform the Government on the necessity for lifting the restrictions on access the officials and data
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14.1 This request is repeated at all meetings of the UN Resident Representative with senior government officials
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
RR, Programme Officer | No due date | No deadline established | Timeframe: throughout the year. |
15. Recommendation: Evaluation recommendation 15. The UN should initiate more open and systemic dialogue between partners by inviting them to discuss the potential and need for periodic exchanges and if agreed, to designate a focal point(s) ro regularly convene and support such meetings
Management Response: [Added: 2009/02/16]
Initiate more open and systemic dialogue between partners for ICT development
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15.1 Arrange meetings with relevant partners regularly
[Added: 2009/02/16] |
Programme Officer | No due date | No deadline established | At least quarterly, meetings held with UNICEF, UNESCO (every visit of UNESCO staff) Supreme Coouncil on Science and Technologies |