PEFA Fundamentals: Assessing Public Financial Management

Are you seeking to understand how governments manage public funds and how their performance is measured? The Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability (PEFA) framework is the global standard for assessing the strengths and weaknesses of public financial management systems. This course provides a comprehensive, step-by-step introduction to the PEFA methodology. You will move from foundational concepts of public finance to a confident understanding of the PEFA indicators and assessment process. By the end, you will be able to read and interpret a PEFA report, understand its implications, and recognize how it informs policy dialogue and reform efforts. What you'll learn: - Understand the core principles and structure of the modern PEFA framework. - Learn to interpret the key performance indicators used to measure budget reliability, transparency, and control. - Analyze the seven pillars of public financial management (PFM) as defined by PEFA. - Explore the complete PEFA assessment cycle, from planning and fieldwork to reporting and follow-up. - Grasp how PEFA is applied at both national and sub-national levels to promote good governance. - Apply key concepts through written exercises designed to solidify your understanding of PFM evaluation. The course begins with the fundamentals of public financial management before delving into the specific pillars and indicators of the PEFA framework. You will then progress through the practical stages of conducting an assessment and using its findings. This course is designed for beginners. It is ideal for public sector employees, students of public policy or economics, development practitioners, and anyone interested in government transparency and accountability. No prior experience in public finance is required. Start building your expertise in public financial accountability today.