Monitoring and evaluating programmes are challenging for all non-profit organisations and, with KET, it is no different. We are reliant on data for the reporting from ECD facilities who face various challenges on this front – one being limited access to technology and free internet.
This is why we created a simple M&E plan that complements our Theory of Change which includes minimal indicators that can be systematically and effectively monitored across a 30% sample of the facilities we support.
KET has strict monthly evaluation, monitoring, and reporting protocols which both support the improvement and expansion of operational execution and measure the impact of programmes and services implementation. The Salesforce for NPOs supports real-time onsite data capturing and programme monitoring by the KET Preschool Area Leads (PALs), thereby streamlining administration processes.
Ultimately, we measure the achievement of our aims by assessing the school readiness of the 6-year-old children participating in the facilities we support. This is done by using the Early Learning Measurement (ELOM) assessment. ELOM tools effectively assess various developmental outcomes in young children and offer insights into the quality of early learning environments, both at home and in programme settings. Developed in South Africa, these tools are easy to use and have undergone extensive testing with thousands of children to ensure their psychometric validity and standardisation. They are designed to accommodate diverse socio-economic backgrounds and are accessible in all 11 official languages of South Africa.
KET is a proud partner of Datadrive, the originator of the ELOM tool, training ELOM assessors in the Garden Route area in support of the ECD sector. Please visit our Principals’ and Practitioners’ Information page for updates on ELOM testing and reporting.
At the end of 2022, ELOM findings from a sampled group of children showed that children in the Knysna area who received an ECD service at facilities supported by KET were scoring higher than the national average of children of similar age in the same socio-economic group in three of the five assessed development domains.
We believe in openness and transparency with regards to our financial income and the detailed spend of donors’ funding. Our financial statements are available for review by donors and the public on request and are open to enquiry during our AGM.