Strengthening Monitoring & Evaluation Capability of IMED

Effective implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of development projects are cornerstones of national socio-economic progress. Recognizing this, the Government of Bangladesh designed the ‘Strengthening Monitoring & Evaluation Capability of the IMED (SMECI)’ project to enhance the capacity of the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) under the Ministry of Planning.

Under this vital project, Management and Training International (MTI) Ltd. was contracted by IMED to organize and manage a comprehensive 28-day international training program. From January 7 to February 3, 2018, a team of 10 officials, led by a deputy chief, traveled to the Philippines for an intensive course on advanced Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) methodologies.

The primary goal was to equip participants with the essential competencies to establish, manage, and operate robust M&E systems for development projects. The curriculum was meticulously structured to cover both theoretical foundations and practical applications. Key class sessions included:

• Managing Development Projects – Practices and Issues
• Planning Development Projects
• Overview of Project Monitoring & Evaluation
• Establishing a Project M&E System at the Project Start-up Phase
• Progress Monitoring and Project Evaluation

This academic framework provided the officials with a deep understanding of key M&E tools, techniques, and procedural requirements for effective project oversight.

To complement the classroom learning, the program featured an extensive series of field visits to prominent government and research institutions in the Philippines. These visits provided invaluable insights into real-world M&E systems in action. The delegation visited the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), the Departments of Education, Agriculture, and Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Manila. Further immersive experiences included trips to the NEDA Regional Office – Region IV-A (Calabarzon), the world-renowned International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and the University of the Philippines at Los Baños.

MTI Ltd.'s end-to-end management ensured a seamless integration of academic training and practical exposure, resulting in a highly effective capacity-building experience. This initiative successfully enhanced the M&E capabilities of IMED's personnel, directly contributing to the goal of ensuring efficient and transparent public project management in Bangladesh.