Ex-post Evaluation

1-1. Background of the Project

Paraguay has set as a goal the training of technicians at national level at the Paraguayan Telecommunications Institute (IPT), which is the forming entity for the National Telecommunications Administration (ANTELCO) in order to face the modernization of the area and having as its goal the "Improvement of the quantity and quality of human resources in the telecommunications and electronic engineering area, through the strengthening of the telecommunications sector" based on the "National Plan for the Social and Economic Development" elaborated in 1977.

However, since the IPT did not have sufficient human resources, equipment, installations, and buildings for the training of these technicians, in 1989 the government of Paraguay requested Japan the non-reimbursable financial cooperation.

Based on said request, the government of Japan determined the accomplishment of a non-reimbursable financial cooperation and a project type technical cooperation, and by means of said determination, JICA, in November of 1990, sent a previous studies mission for the technical project type technical cooperation, in a parallel way to the study for the non-reimbursable financial cooperation, with which, the confirmation of the request content and analysis of the cooperation plan is performed, and in July of 1991, a long term study delegation was sent to analyze the content of the detailed execution plan. Based on these results, in February 27, 1992 the signature of the Register of Deliberations (R/D) was carried out with the study team for the execution, and since January 1 of the same year, the 5 years long project type technical cooperation was initiated. (In the final evaluation study, after 5 years, it was determined that "The transfer of technology is not sufficient for a part of the training courses due to the delay in the delivery of the training equipment", for that reason, a 2 years extension was performed).

1-2. Project Overview

(1) Overall Goal

The telecommunications service for the public in Paraguay was improved by means of the training of telecommunications technicians who can take care of the digital technologies.

(2) Project Purpose

Students are trained as technicians (engineers and technicians) who can take care of digital techniques, by means of the accomplishment of training courses that can take care of digital technologies.

(3) Outputs

1. Instructors appointed in the necessary number have enough orientation capability, and an orientation and training system is conformed (curriculum, texts, didactical materials, among others)
2. The necessary buildings and didactical materials for the training are prepared.
   The training courses are performed in the proper way.

(4) Inputs

Japanese Side

Paraguay Side:

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Result

The following score was scaled of one to five.

(1) Impact (average 3.23 points)

1. Social-economical impact: 3.33 points
   After the project execution, the proportion of digital lines users has increased. On the other hand, the service to users from the part of ANTELCO has increased (digital commutation, transmission, wireless, among others).
   Most of the participants of the training courses in the present project are officials of ANTELCO, but observing the evolution of the telecommunications sector in general, it can be noticed in the decade of the '90 it can be noted that regarding the investments and the telecommunications sector growth, the growth and investment of the private sector overcame the one administered by ANTELCO, for that reason, in a general form, it can be concluded that the impact of the project was low.
   Besides, it is considered that the increase of ANTELCO's service rate is a negative factor in the social and economic aspect.
2. Impact on the technical aspect of telecommunications: 3.25 points
   The Negative aspect: The physical level investment is low, and its budgetary execution level is low. In budgetary issues, it was deemed that it has worsen after its transfer to the School of Engineering of the National University of Asuncion.
   The positive aspect: The introduction of new technologies through the physical investment was possible thanks to trained human resources.
3. Impact on service users: 1.75 points
   It is considered that this point is the weakest one among the impact points. This is because the users are not aware of an improvement of the technical service offered by ANTELCO, COPACO (The Paraguayan Communications Company) improved by the project.
   The above mentioned problem is due to the low level of administrative efficiency of ANTELCO, and it was not improved with the project execution. (Ex. The introduction of a new telephone line requires a considerable lapse).
   The project was not able to change the conscience on the trust on the service by the part of the users.
4. The advantage and disadvantage of the transfer of ANTELCO's ITP to the School of Engineering of the National University of Asuncion (April, 2002), by the privatization of ANTELCO (COPACO): 33.83 points.
   Advantage
   As the University of Asuncion is an educational entity, it is more advantageous from the point of view of formation and training of human resources. On the other hand, some of the courses carried out by the ITP can be incorporated as a apart of the engineering courses, for this reason, it is more efficient.
   Disadvantage
   With the transfer to the School of Engineering of the National University, COPACO's budget related to IPT administration was reduced, however, this had as consequence the increase of the administrative burden (budget) for the School of Engineering of the National University, whose characteristic has been the lack of budget funds.
   On the other hand, with the transference to the School of Engineering of the National University, the revision of training courses rate was performed, and there is a trend to lower the quality and to increase the cost of the courses in comparison to the time administered by ANTELCO and COPACO.
5. (Negative aspects of the impact: 4.00 points)
   Basically, there are no negative impacts.
   According to the work condition survey of the graduated, it is relatively good, the ITP is the only entity that trains technicians in the area of telecommunications, there is no escape of technicians abroad, and the demand of area technicians within the country is satisfactory.

(2) Sustainability (Average 3.15 points)

1. (Policy 2.0 points) Despite the privatized COPACO has the monopoly of the market, the promotion and competence policies in the telecommunications area of the current present government are insufficient, and the low level of investment of the private sector can be mentioned as a negative aspect.
   As a positive aspect, the annual increase of the national budget in the area of telecommunications can be mentioned. The COPACO, CONATEL budget between 1990 to 2000 has increased 28% in comparison to previous years.
2. Coordination with other entities 3.3 points) As it was recently transferred to the School of engineering of the National University, the coordination with CITEC (former IPT) and other entities is little. However, an agreement has been signed with COPACO, and it is also foreseen the signature of an agreement with ANDE and CONATEL (The National Committee of Communications), therefore, the coordination is gradually conforming.
   On the other side, new instructors are being incorporating actively (analysis of systems, languages, optical fiber courses)
3. (The capability of the instructors 5 points) The capability of instructors can be said that is relatively good. In the case of hiring of new instructors, it is fixed as condition for the graduated from special schools in the area of electronics or as communications or electronics technicians, and that they may have an experience of more than 5 years, for that reason it is considered that the instructors level is high.
4. (The condition of students and graduated 3.8 points) The graduated (telecommunications area) occupation index is relatively high, and it can be mentioned as a positive aspect the fact that they are aware of the cooperation of JICA.
   On the other side, the work position of the graduated in their respective places, is relatively high, being 68% operator technicians, 22% chief of related dependencies, and the rest in works related to administration and technical management.
   However, the aspirants level is low, and only 1/3 of those who enter have more than an university level, for that reason, as a negative aspect, we can mention the limitation regarding the habilitation of training courses oriented to applications.
5. (Budget 2 points) Regarding the budgetary conditions of CITEC (former ITP), it could be said that it is not the desirable one, taking into account that it should depend exclusively on the Nations's National Budget of Expenses and its low level of execution (the execution rate for 2000 is of 22% and 46% for 2003).
6. (The maintenance of equipment and infrastructures 2.5 points) Due to the influence of the budgetary conditions mentioned in the above item, it is considered that the expectative regarding the equipment and infrastructures maintenance sustainability is low (investments related to equipment has a decreasing trend since the year 1997) 12% of the equipment owned by is in bad conditions and CITEC technicians mention that most of equipment are obsolete and insufficient for the performance of courses. On the other hand, it is necessary to update the inputs to be used in the courses.

3-2 Factors that have promoted project

(1) In regard to the plan's content

* There has been an increase in the quality of services offered to the users by the COPACO thanks to the performance of the transfer of technology that may take care of the digitalization, foreseeing the digitalization of the telecommunication.

* The Project's trained human resources remained at the COPACO's higher positions, and the they are carrying out the updating of the C.V.'s pursuant to the change of the period after the end of the project.

(2) In regard to the execution process

Despite the change of transfer of the IPT to the National University of Asunción due to the privatization of the ANTELCO, in regard to the performance of training courses, they are trying to assure the sustain-ability of the CITEC, maintaining the high level of the instructors to be hired at the CITEC (formerly, IPT) and signing cooperation agreements with customer companies, such as COPACO, ANDE (National Administration of Energy), CONATEL, among others.

3-3 Problems and factors that were notorious

(1) In regard to the plan's content

Since, at the planning stage, there was not sufficient consideration for the variation of the structure of the telecommunications market, such as the privatization of ANTELCO, drastic spreading of cellular telephones, there are certain aspects, within the CITEC courses, that do not agree with the needs of sector.

(2) In regard to the execution process

The instable condition of the CITEC FIUNA (The School of Engineering of the National University of Asuncion) budget, fears that negative effects can arise in the sustainability of the project.

3-4 Conclusion

3-5 Recommendations

(1) Recommendations to the receiver government and executer entity

• To put a clear role of the CITEC within the national program or plan in the area of telecommunications.
• To analyze the strengthening of the basis to enter the CITEC, by means of the promotion of the supply of other services (digital commutation, transmission, radio, among others) and the increase of the quantity of students.
• The sustainability of CITEC should be assured by maintaining the cooperation links with international and national entities.

(2) Recommendation for JICA

• Like in other countries, in Paraguay, the privatization of public works is becoming a strong current of politics, for that reason, for a conformation of projects it should be taken into account the roles of the public and private sectors.

3-6 Lessons Learned

1. Before the execution of a project, it is necessary to consider and analyze in a sufficient way, the changes of the conditions of the environment as the great political changes such of the COPACO's privatization, the growth of the private sector, among others, and at the same time, it is necessary to foresee courses in a flexible way taking into account the structural change of the subject areas.
2. It is necessary that the projects of human resources that have as a goal the training of human resources, be planned by taking into account the balance with equipment. Otherwise, there could be a sub-valuation in the level of the achievements, and that the opportunities cannot be taken.

3-7 Follow-up Situations

1. There was a request to repair equipment considering as a subject to all the areas as a post assistance project for the H15 Fiscal Year (for equipment), however, they intend to perform the focus of the areas by considering this study and the opinion of the senior volunteers (taking into account that there are old equipment whose production of spare parts was discontinued, and if all the areas are taken as subject, there will be problems regarding its cost).
2. There are 4 senior volunteers working at the CITEC. (TV programs, digital radio, digital transmission, group coordinator). (Remittance period: April of H16 to April of H18).