4.1.6 Phase 5: Monitoring and evaluation

The policy development process should include a clear plan for monitoring and evaluation, to help determine whether the implemented policy is achieving the intended objectives. Timely provision of sound information can improve a policy’s relevance, efficiency and effectiveness. Efforts to improve the use of information focus on making it more usable by policy-makers, particularly in the wake of calls for more ‘country-led monitoring and evaluation systems’ (UNICEF, 2009). Monitoring and evaluation should measure the policy’s effectiveness in addressing the problems originally identified, and determine whether the policy is bringing about the desired changes. The problems identified during monitoring and evaluation may require changes in policy design. However, the monitoring and evaluation process should not simply be summative and conducted at the end of the process. It should also include formative and continuous monitoring to adjust the policy as it is being implemented (see Chapter 5 [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]   for a more detailed discussion). The main aim of robust monitoring and evaluation of a teacher policy should be to enhance and improve the policy; as such, it should be framed within a continuous improvement approach.

4.1.5 Phase 4: implementation – communication and dissemination

4.2 Roles and responsibilities