Imagine browsing through your internet news feed and coming across a captivating article. It is about the presentation of certificates for advanced training focused on the evaluation of programs in the public sectors at the University of Kinshasa. This partnership between the Center for Research in Evaluative Studies of the University of Kinshasa (CREEUK) and renowned institutions such as the Center for Governance Studies of the University of Ottawa (CEG-UOttawa) and the Institute for Professional Development of the University of Ottawa (IDP-UOttawa) demonstrates the importance given to program evaluation in the public sector.
The objective of this online training was to enable participants to acquire the essential knowledge to understand, design and manage the process of program evaluation in the context of the public sector. For 4 months, students were trained in the basic concepts of results-based management, program evaluation and evaluative research. They also learned to identify the main steps in developing a program evaluation or evaluative research project, to master the research methods most commonly used in evaluative research methodology and to improve their skills in writing and communicating evaluation reports.
Professor Joël Lisenga, director of CREEUK, emphasizes the importance of program evaluation in the development of society. He finds that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has long suffered from a lack of evaluation in all public sectors, which has led to embezzlement and financial malfeasance. According to him, this training will enable institutions to move towards better management and effective governance.
The graduates of this first edition of the training are already planning to evaluate the Congolese government’s 145 Territories project. They understand the importance of evaluating the results and impact of projects to ensure their effectiveness and their benefit for the beneficiaries. They also plan to monitor project results and make improvements.
A total of 23 professionals from the public sector, university researchers, government employees and private consultants participated in this advanced training. Thanks to this initiative, the evaluation of programs in the public sectors in the DRC is on the way to improvement, which will contribute to better governance and a more balanced development of the country.
In a world where evaluation is essential to ensure the effectiveness of public programs, this training offers professionals in the DRC a valuable opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to optimize their projects and actions.. It will allow the DRC to take a step forward towards better management and efficient governance