Ex-post Evaluation

1. Background of the Project

Morocco's northern and western regions face the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and to the South lies the Sahara Desert. On this account, the ratio of marine transportation in international trade has been high, and the Government of Morocco has concentrated on reinforcing Moroccan vessels and promotion of native seamen.
The Higher Institute for Marine Studies (ISEM) in Casablanca was established in 1978 as a training organization to train high-level officers for the maritime sector in Morocco. Coping with STCW (International convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch-keeping for Seafarers) convention ratification, the Government has aimed at strengthening the contents of seamen's training and education at ISEM to meet the standards of STCW. For that reason, the Government of Morocco requested a project-type technical cooperation from Japan in August 1993 in order to improve the contents of training at ISEM to comply with international standards.

2. Project Overview:

The project was a five-year Project-type Technical Cooperation (April 1, 1996 – March 31, 2001). It targeted the Higher Institute for Maritime Studies, located in Casablanca, in order to improve the training levels in the field of seamen's education in compliance with international training standards.

(1) Overall Goal:

To contribute to the development of the Moroccan maritime sector in general through the supply of better qualified personnel.

(2) Project Purpose:

To improve training levels in the field of Seamen' Education (Marine Navigation and Engineering) at the Higher Institute for Maritime Studies, in compliance with international training standards.

(3) Outputs:

• A clear policy on the future training, including preparation for the revision of STCW Convention, is to be laid.
• Training curriculum is to reflect technological innovation both in practice and theory.
• Sufficient practical training of students is to be provided.
• Sufficient upgrading training is to be provided.
• Instructors are to have proper specializations and better teaching abilities.
• Training related to the Global Marine Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) is to be undertaken.
• Appropriate machinery and equipment for the training courses are to be secured.

(4) Inputs

Japanese side:

Moroccan's side:

3-1 Summary of Evaluation Results

(1) Impact

The ex-post evaluation confirms a number of positive changes, which have occurred after the completion of the Japanese five-year type-technical cooperation project until now, either in the field of Moroccan Maritime Sector in general, and at The Higher Institute for Maritime Studies in particular. The direct and indirect impacts of the Project are forecasted through the following achievements:

The contribution of the project consisted in the revision of the training curricula. Moroccan professors at the Higher Institute for Maritime Studies have acquired capabilities to revise their own training programs. They have learned the usage of training tools and materials and training methods. Curricula, teaching manuals and textbooks are revised each year, and theories and practices, including marine training are carried out in conformity with international training standards.

The Project has enabled the Institute to apply independently the knowledge and skills in the area of navigation and engineering. As a result of the reinforcement of the technical training, the Institute has been supplying highly qualified maritime personnel and many re-educating officers coming from Moroccan maritime companies. After the completion of the project, the Institute continues to organize training sessions for the benefit of officers from Moroccan maritime companies in order to update their maritime knowledge and skills in compliance with international standards. The number of officers benefiting from re-educating training sessions at the ISEM increased sevenfold, going up from 294 beneficiaries in 2000-2001 to 2086 in 2002-2003.

Also, as a direct impact of the Project, a Third Country Training Course for African countries has been planned and executed 4 times during January 2001 to December 2003. It continues to spread the outputs of the Project to surrounding countries (Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Senegal, Cameroon, etc.)

Besides, The ISEM, one of the most important higher maritime training institutions in the region (Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa) that provides classes in French, succeeded in attracting in recent years an increasing number of African students. According to the Institute data, the number of African students progressed, increasing from 10.78% (1993-1997 class) to 16.57% (2000-2002 class).

It has to be noted that the project made it possible for Morocco to be registered since December 6 2000 on The White List of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

(2) Sustainability

The educational content of the teacher's manuals are revised on a yearly basis and validated by the internal Council of the ISEM. And the Third Country Training Courses were organized for the African countries, In each course, ISEM accepted nearly 20 participants every year. And about 15% of the total cost is covered by ISEM.

ISEM teaching personnel participated in seminars organized at the Institute, and several teachers benefited from a number of training courses abroad from 2001 to 2003. In order to improve its institutional capacities, the ISEM recruited three new professional staff (2 maritime law and economic science) in the last three years. The ISEM was certified on April 24, 2002, ISO standard 9002, Ed.94 and plans to start shifting to the new standard of ISO 9001, Ed.2000.

The budget of the Institute is secured by the government because of its strategic importance for maritime studies in Morocco; the supervising ministry allocates an annual subsidy of 1 million DH for investment and 6 million DH for the functioning. To reinforce the financial basis, the ISEM contracted the conventions with the ports authorities of Senegal, Togo, Congo-Brazzaville etc. The sustainability of the ISEM is forecasted through the above mentioned achievements.

On the other hand, the equipment related budget allocated to ISEM has been decreased through 2001-2003, this kind of budget may fluctuate depending on the real needs, and ISEM is authorized to move funds from one budget line to another when needs are expressed, and when allocated funds are not used, the surplus is used the following year. Therefore, according to ISEM, there are no budgetary problem with regard to the equipment.

For further development of the ISEM, it is required continuously to re-organize or diversify the training program, in cooperation with other relevant organizations, responding to the change of international maritime regulations or new techniques such as automatic navigation system. Japanese Senior Volunteers are dispatched to the ISEM in order to contribute to the further development,, and it is expected for ISEM to reinforce the technical and training operational capacity through the activities of the Volunteers.

3-2 Factors promoting sustainability and impact

(1) Factors concerning to Planning:

1) The revision and improvement of the training curricula, the promotion of the levels of the maritime technical personnel in compliance with The International Standards has given Morocco the opportunity to be placed on the White List of International Maritime Organization. This fact expresses the appropriateness of the Project planning.

(2) Factors concerning to Implementation Process

1) After the completion of the Project, the ISEM has maintained and reinforced technical training courses, and expanded the re-training sessions for seamen coming from maritime companies. Many African countries , especially Mautritanians and Senegalese show their interest in training at the ISEM.

2) The ISEM diversifies its communication channels by drawing up a leaflet in Arabic and French, a newsletter and to relaunch its new website.

3-3 Factors inhibiting sustainability and impact

(2) Factors concerning to Planning

None

(3) Factors concerning to Implementation Process

1) The equipment related budget allocated to ISEM has been decreased through 2001-2003 from 881100DH to 494000DH, there might be a concern about the budgetary deficiency for the necessary equipment for the training. However, according to ISEM, this kind of budget may fluctuate depending on the real needs, and ISEM is allowed by the Department of Finance and Privatisation to move funds from one budget line to another when needs are expressed, and when allocated funds are not used, the surplus is used the following year. Therefore there are no budgetary problem with regard to the equipment.

2) Weakness of the monitoring system for maintaining and improving the skills of the ISEM graduates.

3) Absence of specific research funds for the purpose of up-grading the training program in compliance with the change of maritime transportation sector.

3-4 Conclusion:

The various parties involved in the project implementation (ISEM, supervising ministry, merchant marine, maritime companies) have positively appreciated the results registered and their impacts on the ISEM, on the qualification of mariners, and the maritime sector in general. The project was a moment of pivotal transition in the life of the ISEM. The relevance of the project objectives, its approach and its implementation modes deserve to be underlined. The skills of the teaching staff who benefited from training sessions in Japan have been reinforced. The ISEM is today better fit to ensure training of mariners in adequate technical conditions. The tripartite training in favor of African nationals constitutes an asset for the ISEM, enabling it to hold an advantageous position and to meet a growing need for a quality maritime training in favor of neighboring countries (Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa). The communication and exchanges with other national and international partners is expected to be carried on and materialized with the aim of fostering the dynamic activities. And the Institute is expected to define further actions, such as measures for raising funds.

3-5 Recommendations:

(1) It is recommended that, according to the new navigation conditions or system, the continuous adjustment of the training curricula, to increase the share of practical activities for the reinforcement of the skills of the students. In this respect, it is needed to reinforce the monitoring system of the graduates.

(2) The re-organization of training courses and diversification of them are to be continuously accomplished in order to meet in a better way the demand of the maritime sector. In this respect, it is desirable to better utilize the experiences and competence of the Japanese Senior Volunteers.

(3) It is also recommended that the ISEM should consolidate the partnership with the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, especially in terms of permanent exchange of information, strengthen technical and financial partnership with the various partners of Moroccan maritime companies.

(4) For further development, The Institute should promote research activities in the maritime field in cooperation with similar institutions and organizations.

3-6 Lessons Learned

It is important to make further actions for building up of the asset and define the plan of action that will enable to ensure better the project consolidation phase at the medium and long terms.

3-7 Follow-up Situation

None