This document summarizes findings from assisting the development of business plans for 15 new technical and vocational education and training (TVET) institutions in Afghanistan. Key findings include a significant performance gap between institutions in Kabul and the rest of the country, and that trust and periodic on-site visits are important for success. Recommendations are made to standardize business planning and monitoring and evaluation, create administrative capacities, strengthen teacher training, and facilitate business links. Implementation of the business plans should focus on these areas.

1. Assisting Business Plan Development:
Findings, Lessons Learnt, Outlook
GRANT No.: H834-AF
CfP Reference No.: P132742
Contract No.: DMTVET/C27
Afghanistan Second Skill Development Project (ASDP-II)
Consultancy Services for Developing Business Plan
Stefan Siewert, Team Leader
E-mail: Ssiewert@integration.org
January 28, 2015

2. Assisting Business Plan
• Development (15 new TVET institutions)
• Implementation (Winner of the first round)

3. Findings
• Significant performance gap Kabul – Rest
of the country
• Trust is a key success factor
• Periodic on-site visits and face-to-face
contacts are an unconditional must
• Administrative capacity is extremely poor
(up to 10 orthographic mistakes/page in
Dari); change capacity differ
• Steep acceleration of learning curve
during final weeks
• Most TVET schools:
– appreciation of business planning as a management
tool
– Momentum created for further change

4. Lessons learnt
Success factors are:
• Trust (Who is Integration?)
• Change and administrative
capacities
• One-day workshops
• Expectation management
(Time, organization,
milestones, evaluation)
• Involvement of stakeholders
(the more the better)

5. Recommendations
• Coordinate activities with DM
TVET/WB
• Evaluate and consider change and
administrative capacities
• Monthly workshops for appreciation:
progress reports and peer review
• Agree in written on individual Work
plans
• Create and update Internet presence in
English/Dari/Pashto (free of charge and
easy done)

6. Assisting Business Plan
Implementation
• Standardize Business Planning and M &E
• Create Administrative capacities
• Strenghten Teachers training Capacities
• Faciliate Capacity creation for Business Links

7. Assisting Business Plan
Implementation
• Standardize Business Planning
– Review format (not activities) of BP within 10 days
after winning the Grant
– Align M & E indicator to DM TVET requirements
– Monitor proactively (at least two on-site visits
each months)
– Each quarter:
• One sheet overview about BP implementation,
• in-depth analysis of all BP related activities

8. Assisting Business Plan
Implementation
Create Administrative capacities
– Harmonize all activities with DM TVET
– Encourage to enlarge capacities with Grant resources
(computer, internet, qualified staff)
– Give assistance (job and qualification requirements,
performance measurement, change management)
– Design and implement on-the-job trainings for staff
– Create and guide Community of Practice
• Monthly events for exchange of best experience
• Online presence (forum, Q&A, guidelines, etc.)
– Inform and coordinate with other donors

9. Assisting Business Plan
Implementation
Strengthen Teacher Training Capacities
Threat of market coordination failure as unmet
demand emerges of up to $30,000/months
Counterstrategies
• Identify and exploit existing strengths and
opportunities (TTTI, ATVI, other)
• Encourage the market entry of new training providers
• Strengthen cooperation and coordination between
Grant winners
• Identify and implement appropriate and transparent
procedures
• Cooperate closely with DM TVET for quality
management and daily supervision

10. Assisting Business Plan
Implementation
Facilitate Capacity Creation for Business Links
• Coordinate activities (job fairs, surveys, etc.)
• Create and implement blended and long-term
trainings for administrators and teachers
• On-the-job consultancy for performance
improvement
• Create online-presence for coordination and
problem-solving
– Forum, Calendar, Q & A, Best experience, Guidelines
and questionnaires, databases, links.

11. Thanks for your attention!