The Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development has launched a new training initiative aimed at strengthening how the public sector tracks performance and uses data to make decisions, as part of a broader push to build results-based management capacity across Government.
The effort is being led by the Ministry’s National Transformation Unit (NTU), which is spearheading work to build the knowledge, skills and competencies public officers need for effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and evidence-informed decision-making. Officials say the initiative also ties into the Ministry’s wider responsibility for managing national statistics and data in support of the country’s overall development.
As the first step, the NTU delivered Phase I of its M&E Capacity Development Programme through a workshop titled “M&E 101: Understanding M&E for the Public Sector — A Primer for Getting Started with M&E for Public Officers.” The session was held for selected units and departments within the Ministry itself, forming part of a longer-term strategy to embed M&E practices more broadly across Government.
The programme was delivered by a panel of specialists from the NTU: Camille Spencer, Programme Director for M&E; Lisa Goonai-Nanan, Senior M&E Specialist; and Andrew Spencer, Programme Coordinator for Implementation.
The training targets public officers working in planning, programme implementation, reporting, policy development and programme support, areas where exposure to formal M&E practice can make a difference. Through practical examples, group discussion and hands-on exercises, participants were walked through core M&E concepts and tools used to assess performance, measure results and support ongoing improvement in government programmes and policy.
Organisers say participants should now have a firmer grasp of M&E fundamentals, including performance measurement, indicators, data collection, and how evidence can be used to guide planning, decision-making and accountability. The broader goal, according to the NTU, is to build a culture across the public sector where performance tracking and evidence-based learning become standard practice.
Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Kennedy Swaratsingh said monitoring and evaluation remains a priority for both the Ministry and the wider government, describing it as the source of data-driven evidence needed to guide public spending, ensure citizens’ needs are being met, and keep policy aligned with the country’s development goals across the economy, environment and human resources.
The NTU has already begun planning Phase II of the programme, which will extend the training to other Ministries, Departments and Agencies as part of a broader effort, driven through the Ministry of Planning to strengthen institutional capacity for monitoring, evaluation and results management across the public sector.