This research study was prompted by problems observed with the Early Childhood
Development (ECD) programme in the Gauteng Department of Health viz; absence
of a clear ECD monitoring and reporting system; absence of reporting on ECD
programme performance outcomes; inequitable funding systems which may impact
on the outcomes produced at the numerous ECD sites and the lack of policy
guidelines on ECD.
The study was undertaken to analyse and describe the monitoring and evaluation
(M&E) system in place for the ECD programme and the institutional arrangements
designed to meet the objectives of M&E requirements according to government’s
policies and legislative frameworks.
The literature reviewed conceptualised M&E as the basis of further understanding
the key components of M&E and M&E systems as an important public management
tool used to demonstrate results. This was a case study research which followed a
qualitative research design with quantitative elements also referred to as a mixedmethod
approach to collect information for analysis. The primary data was collected
using semi-structured questionnaires which were administered through interviews.
The interviewees (programme managers) were purposively selected as key
informants for the study. The study found that the identified problems were largely
due to the absence of proper guidelines informing M&E of the ECD programme; the
absence of a standardised M&E system and processes for reporting on ECD
activities and the absence of quality assurance mechanisms for information. An
interesting finding was that ECD reporting occurs outside the GDOH’s reporting
system which is the District Health Information System (DHIS) mainly because the
M&E unit of GDOH is not optimally functional.
Based on findings from this study, the researcher recommends: ECD programmes to
incorporate a mandatory M&E component; designing universalised guidelines for
operations in ECD centres, standardising M&E tools and processes for ECD and
capacity building for ECD programme staff on M&E systems.