Ex-post Evaluation

1.1 Background of the Project

The Vocational and Technical Training Center (CFPT/Senegal-Japan) has been created in Dakar in 1984, fruit of the co-operation of the Government of Japan with Senegal. It formed traditionally to the patent of technician in the fields of electrical engineering, electro mechanics, electrical engineering and automobile mechanics.

It is within this framework that was set up in 1999 the Project of High-level Technician Patent. Demanded by the Government of Senegal following a diagnosis emphasizing, for the local economy, strong needs of intermediate technicians, the Project profited from the co-operation of Japan. It initially related to two dies: Data-processing and Networks, on the one hand, Automatics, on the other hand. In 2005, with the favour of an extension, a third die BTS was opened, in Electro mechanics

1.2 Project Overview

The BTS Project deals with human resources development in Senegal. It specifically targets the under-sector of the vocational training and aims to be a framework of accompaniment of Senegalese industry.

(1) Overall Goal

The general objective of the Project is to contribute to the development of human resources of good quality in Senegal, in the trades of industry in particular.

(2) Project Purpose

More specifically, the Project aims at promoting in the CFPT/Senegal-Japan capacities of training of High-level technicians in the key fields of Data processing and networks, Automatic, and Electro mechanics (considering the extension phase).

(3) Outputs

a) Buildings for teaching activities and school life were built in the CFPT

b) Equipment and materials of training were provided

c) Technology transfers were carried out by Japanese experts with the profit of Senegalese trainers (formation in Japan and long-term framing in Senegal)

d) Training schemes in BTS were conceived by the Japanese experts, the local trainers, the technicians of the Ministry and the personnel of industry

e) Five promotions of BTS representing 154 Senegaleses and Africans were formed between 1999 and 2006, the first promotion of BTS Electro mechanics being still trained at the time of the evaluation

(4) Inputs (as of the Project's termination)

Japanese side:

Senegalese side :

3.1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact

The Project produced two types of impacts, on the CFPT and on the external environment. The impacts on the Center exist on five levels:

The Project contributed to increase the technological capacities of the Center. The stock of the equipment significantly increased with acquisitions under the BTS. Its quality also increased since more modern machines were bought, locating the Center in the forefront as regards technical support of formation.

The Project impacted the personnel of the Center, which increased in manpower and improved in quality. The teachers, in particular, profited from stays of formation in Japan and a long-term proximity framing in Senegal, thanks to the presence in the Center of a team of Japanese experts.

The Project impacted the infrastructures of the Center by the construction of functional teaching buildings with workshops, specialized rooms, laboratories, amphitheatre, rooms of professors, residence, etc.

The Project has boosted the financial capacities of the Center. With the favour of the opening of the BTS, the Government increased its contribution in the budget of the Center. The BTS also made it possible for the Center to develop paying services, as BTS evening courses, which consolidate its internal resources.

The Project improved the institutional capacities of the Center. The opening of the BTS enables it to increase its notoriety and to improve its reputation of unit providing technical training. Thus it could sign a convention of partnership with the Trade-union of Industry and Mining Professionals.

The impact of the Project on the external environment results in the arrival of its graduates on the labour market. Since 2002, each year, a promotion of about thirty high-level technicians leaves the Center in the fields of Data processing and Automatics. The companies reserve a good reception with these graduates who generally find work if they do not prefer to continue higher studies, often abroad. From investigations made by the appraiser, it arises that nearly forty companies and administrations in Senegal employ today BTS technicians graduated from the Center.

On the external environment still, the BTS made it possible for the Center to impel a dynamics of quality in the under-sector of the vocational training. It receives, for example, external students sent by their school to pass the state diploma.

(2) Sustainability

The durability of the Project is based first on a good execution. Very functional buildings were built, by Senegal initially, by the Japanese co-operation thereafter. Equipment of high standard was also installed. Finally, adequate programs were elaborate in a participative and opened way, and technology transfers carried out to the profit of the trainers. To maintain these acquirements of great quality, the CFPT has three key levers:

• Maintenance and renewal of the equipment and infrastructures of the Project
• Continued teacher training and adaptation of the curricula to the evolutions of technology and needs of companies
• Availability of financial resources in quality and quantity

Renewal and maintenance of the equipment

If the infrastructures and equipment of the Project are still in excellent state, for their future renewal the Center does not have other possibility than only relying on the Government and on the Japanese partner. On the other hand, it has relatively adequate means in terms of quantity and stability to face the main part of the needs for current maintenance, with the reserve that certain spare parts are rather expensive and not available on the Senegalese market. The strategy of maintenance, in addition, needs to be systematized and anchored better in the behaviours.

Continuous training and adaptation of the programs

The authorities of the Center count on requesting Japanese experts, according to the needs, to proceed recycling the teachers. The regional seminars animated by the Center also make it possible for the trainers to confront their acquirements and improve them mutually.

Being the continued adaptation of the curricula, the interfaces that the Center tied with the professional environment enable it to be informed in due time on the changes of the needs and to inflect its contents of formation consequently. Light refittings are regularly made by trainers themselves. Concerning heavy programs revisions, the procedures of validation by the supervision are more favourable. Presidential decree is no more needed. A ministerial decision is now sufficient to ratify new programs in the under-sector of vocational training and technical teaching.

Availability of Financial resources

The Center has two sources of financing for its operation: contribution of the Government of Senegal and its internal resources. These two types of resources show a good stability over the period 1999-2005. The resources generated by the Center at its different points of services (i.e. evening courses, restoration, lodging, etc) tend to exceed the contribution of the Government. This is favourable with the reinforcement of the autonomy of the CFPT.

3-2. Factors that have promoted Project

The first factor of success, from a chronological point of view, is undoubtedly that the Project was articulated on a demand approach. The Senegalese part having broken with the approach by the offer, had carried out a series of studies and consultations which revealed the existence of needs of high-level technicians in the industrial sector.

There is also the existence of the Center as a hosting medium which has already a know-how in formations of a lower level than that of BTS, but in identical or related fields. This facilitated without question the success of the Project.

The Project was also supported by the quality of the engagement of the two co-operating parts: Japan installed equipment of good standard and process at technology transfers, before building highly functional buildings in the extension phase; Senegal built the first buildings, took in charge the teachers salaries and other running expanses of the Project.

Lastly, the fact all actors in the relevant sectors were associated in the pedagogical concept of the Project contributed to its success. These partners are, in particular: Japanese experts, the Senegalese team, technicians of the Ministry in charge of the Vocational Training and professionals of industry. Representatives of industrial sector take part even in the evaluation of the graduates through the juries of terminal training examinations.

3-3 Factors that have inhibited Project

A major problem the Center is confronted with, and which touches the Project as well, resides in the restrictive policies of the Government as regards recruitment. The requests of trainers addressed to the supervision remain dissatisfied.

A second factor of embarrassment lies in the maintenance, without any change, of the before BTS organisational scheme of the Center. This situation does not let enough flexibility and autonomy in the administration of the BTS, sometimes involving difficulties in the timetables.

On the pedagogical level, the gearing down of competences between Senegalese trainers is not systematized. The Japanese experts having not formed all on the same modules, it was awaited that each trainer share with his colleagues the specific transfers of competences he benefited from. This sharing process is not formalized.

One can also fear that problems of maintenance arise in the future, with the imminent departure of the last Japanese expert. In certain dies, the trainers concentrate on their tasks of teaching, with the detriment of the maintenance which should have specialized personnel.

Lastly, the follow-up of the graduates remains a weak point of the Center, which however has just recruited a new agent who is committed to this activity extended to the management of relations with the companies.

3-4. Conclusion

BTS Project made it possible to install short technical dies delivering profiles which Senegalese industry does need. That is definitely perceptible through the very favourable rate of insertion of the graduates, in a national environment where the unemployment of young people is however endemic. The Project made it possible to reinforce the institutional, material, human and financial capacities of the CFPT, which gained of visibility and in good reputation.

The bases of a strategy of perpetuation of this inheritance exist in the Center, through in particular the maintenance of the equipment, the continuation of the reinforcement of the teachers competences, the continuous adaptation of programs with the needs and the evolution of technologies, the existence of stable financial resources which, for the majority, come from the activities of the Center.

It is true that maintenance must be consolidated within the framework of a global strategy. The organisational diagram could also, in forms to be specified by internal negotiation, be refitted of kind to give more autonomy to the BTS.

3-5. Recommendations

In order to improve the performances of the Project, in terms of impact and durability in particular, what is following should be undertaken :

1.Reinforcement of the strategy of maintenance with recruitment of a personnel exclusively in charge of this activity, or time lightening for trainers who would make more maintenance, or external subcontracting of this function (this last option being able to be rather expensive however)

2.Implementation, if possible, of an internal policy of recruitment of trainers, to reduce the effects of the dependence on the supervision which is experiencing severe constraints in this matter

3.Systematization and formalization of the gearing, between Senegalese trainers, of the competences acquired near the Japanese experts

4.Readjustment of the organizational diagram of kind to confer certain autonomy on the BTS, with increase in the teaching responsibilities for the sections (in designing the timetables, for instance).

5.Increase the visibility of the Center in the industrial policy of the Government: it could be a subcontractor in the formation shutter of the regional industrial poles that the Ministry for Industry is on the point of launching, to be started with region of Thiès, Ziguinchor and Saint Louis (budget 2007).

3-6. Lessons Learned

The Project shows the advantage of being well articulated on a demand approach, contrary to what was often done as regards technical teaching and vocational training. This approach keeps on nourishing itself of the good interface that exists between the Center and the professional environment which sends representatives in the examination juries, after having duly taken part in the development of the programs. This bond with the company is invaluable and must be safeguarded and amplified.

The dynamics of technology transfer appeared also powerful and invaluable. It will have made it possible to acclimatize, to the level of the local personnel, very good competences. Here also, the link with the technical partner should be maintained at least for a certain time within the framework of short-term stays for Japanese experts.

3-7. Follow-up situation

A mechanism of follow-up of the performances of the Project, beyond, of the Center, could be installed, in the form of equipment and programs auditing, which could intervene every five years as from the closing date of the Project. This mechanism would make it possible to alert in time the Japanese and Senegalese parts on all difficulties of coming, so that the good solutions can early be considered.