Globally, there is still a large number of people without access to safe drinking water; a known health risk. In rural areas of countries like Peru, when potable water systems are built the responsibility for maintaining these systems is given to volunteer water committees. Despite its prevalence as a management model, there is a consensus that community management alone cannot ensure sustainable water service. Therefore, the overall goal of this research is to assess the sustainability of community-managed water systems in rural areas of the department of Amazonas, Peru. Specifically, this research examines two mechanisms that have been shown to improve the sustainability of rural water systems: 1) monitoring for asset management and service delivery, and 2) provision of long-term external support. In Amazonas, three sustainability assessment tools have been used recently to monitor the service level and management of water systems. These assessment tools are: the Rural Water and Sanitation Information System (SIASAR, in Spanish), Tracers in Rural Water and Sanitation (Trazadores, in Spanish), and the Diagnostic Survey for Water Supply and Sanitation (Diagnostico, in Spanish). The three tools were assessed using a question mapping technique as well as a sustainability assessment tool evaluation matrix. This analysis identified the SIASAR assessment tool to be the most appropriate for ensuring sustainability of rural water supply systems. This research also used the data collected with the SIASAR and Trazadores assessment tools to assess the state of community-managed rural water systems in Amazonas. The analysis showed that 81% of systems in the SIASAR analysis and 58% of systems in the Trazadores analysis have deficiencies that are beyond the ability of the water committee to overcome. In recent years, the Peruvian government has prioritized the creation of an office in each district dedicated to providing external technical support to local water committees. This office, called the Área Técnica Municipal de Agua y Saneamiento (ATM), is charged with formalizing and training water committees which are given the name, Juntas Administradoras de los Servicios de Saneamiento (JASS). In order to examine the provision of long-term external support provided by the ATM to the JASS, field research was conducted in six districts in Amazonas. Valuable anecdotal evidence was provided by the field research that helped to form recommendations for strengthening the capacity of the ATM office at the local municipal level. The results of this research demonstrate that currently a large number of community-managed rural water systems in Amazonas are not sustainable but that the prioritization of monitoring and external support is an encouraging sign. If these mechanisms continue to be prioritized then it is highly likely that water systems throughout Amazonas and Peru will become more sustainable, bringing benefits to millions of Peruvians in rural areas.

There is limited research on the use of results-based management (RBM) in schools, therefore this study focussed on developing a sustainable and effective RBM model. The objectives of the study were to identify the obstacles encountered in implementing RBM in primary and secondary schools in the Goromonzi District, identify and describe the steps taken in developing and sustaining an effective RBM model, and to develop a sustainable and effective RBM model suitable for both Zimbabwean primary and secondary schools. A qualitative research method was used since the researcher’s interest was to gain insight into and understanding of school heads’ and teachers’ perceptions, concerns and experiences in their real world conditions when implementing RBM. The study covered ten purposely selected schools in the Goromonzi District. Semi-structured individual and focus group interviews were conducted with the school heads and teachers. To enhance the validity of the findings, this study adhered to ethical principles and techniques. The following salient findings that emerged from the study were that the school heads and teachers had a negative perception of IRBM because a top-down approach was used when it was introduced and the system was not customised since it was merely “imported” from a developed country whose context was different from the Zimbabwean socio-political and economic environment. There was also a serious dearth of financial resources to support the system and this affected the quality of RBM training negatively. The lack of funding also led to the non-payment of incentives for the staff with regard to implementing RBM. It was also indicated that the senior Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education officials showed a lack of commitment and support for RBM. To address the implementation challenges it was indicated that resources had to be mobilised to ensure the capacitation of school heads and teachers and also for incentivising them. Incentivising staff is critical for the successful implementation of RBM. It was also noted that there was a need to develop a results culture in schools and train school heads in change management. It was concluded that a home grown RBM model that was context sensitive to the Zimbabwean situation was required. As envisaged, the study resulted in the development of the three phased Zimbabwe results-based management practical model (ZRBMPM). The first phase addresses RBM implementing challenges and the second phase focusses on incentivising staff to promote the effective implementation of results management. The last phase entails the production of the results. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Monitoring and evaluation is multidisciplinary. It is interpreted differently and is instituted to achieve different outcomes. In South Africa, monitoring and evaluation is fairly new and as such extensive research on it is required. It enjoys immense legislative support and is implemented by multiple role players as a reform initiative to safeguard the use of limited resources, improve transparency, enforce accountability, and ensure that there is value for money and to improve service delivery to satisfy the needs of the society. Using a quantitative research method in which a research questionnaire was administered to a representative sample of respondents that were selected from the study area, the findings of this study reveals both the areas of effective and ineffective implementation of monitoring and evaluation. Effective implementation is verified by the findings through which the respondents report that monitoring and evaluation processes are clearly outlined, respondents have the expertise to implement monitoring and evaluation, monitoring and evaluation as a critical management tool complements other functions, improves service delivery, enforces accountability, promotes transparency, strengthens internal management processes and improves capacity. Adherence by the department to its financial reporting obligations to oversight institutions using the prescribed procedures is helpful and does not distract it from achieving its objectives. Contrarily, the findings also reveal areas of ineffective implementation, namely, majorities of respondents are not regularly trained on monitoring and evaluation, there is lack of accountability, support and failure by senior managers to prioritise monitoring and evaluation, the monitoring and evaluation directorate is inappropriately located and insufficiently resourced, progress in the implementation of the recommendations that are made in quarterly performance reports is not tracked and there is lack of evidence to support achieved targets. / Centre for Public Administration and Management / M.P.A. (Public Administration and Management)