2023 Winner of Silver Quill: Award of Excellence for Communication Training and Education by IABC Asia Pacific
CLIENT: Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE)
OBJECTIVE: Establish institutional communication mechanisms for MBHTE officials to enable them to disseminate compelling key messages tailored to resonate with their Bangsamoro constituents
DELIVERABLES: Institutional strengthening, communication planning, capacity building
RESULTS: 60.2% of participating MBHTE officials improved their knowledge, skills, and perceptions of how communication should be utilized
I. Challenge
How can government bodies facilitate structural changes and successfully launch a new organizational setup while navigating the unique sociocultural nuances of an entire region? Effective communication driven by stakeholder participation is key.
Merging the roles of several governmental bodies focused on education, the newly established government agency in 2019, the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) needed to distinguish itself from the national education department and gain support from the local communities. Success hinged on clearly communicating its initiatives to internal stakeholders, and empowering them with the skills to share its key messages externally.
To address this challenge, MBHTE partnered with Evident Integrated Marketing & PR under the Australian Government’s Education Pathways to Peace in Mindanao (PATHWAYS) program.
Together, we focused on building communication skills, establishing a robust communication framework, and tailoring messages that resonate with the diverse audiences within BARMM. This partnership aimed to ensure that the region’s educational progress was both understood and supported by its communities.
II. Solution
Our team implemented a multifaceted approach under the PATHWAYS program to address MBHTE’s unique communication challenges and establish internal communication systems to align its messaging with the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people, building a distinct and credible identity that differentiated the organization from its contemporaries.
While MBHTE was building these internal systems, Evident supported the team by collaborating with the Ministry’s staff and officials through their preferred communication channels and conducting stakeholder consultations for tailored training programs, particularly on strategic communication skills. We also implemented monitoring and evaluation processes to assess the impact and effectiveness of the communication strategies in place.
MBHTE participants also co-developed ten communication plans covering key areas of work of the Ministry such as institutional communications, branding, and inclusive education, among others.
Each plan integrated sustainability to ensure that the activities would be effectively implemented even after the project and to promote a sense of ownership and responsibility within the MBHTE.
The implementation of Evident’s communications support to the Ministry included:
- Meetings, interviews, and focus group discussions with program, and information and communication officers from central and division offices and with the MBHTE’s leadership (i.e., Office of the Minister, Director Generals).
- A review of communication materials to determine the effectiveness and relevance of their messages to the education stakeholders in the BARMM.
- A training needs assessment that surveyed the officers’ knowledge and experience in developing communication materials and implementing communication plans. Survey results were used to develop the training plan.
- A series of capacity-building training sessions for the relevant officers of MBHTE to improve their knowledge about communication and equip them with the skills to implement communication strategies and programs for the Ministry.
Results
Our collaboration with PATHWAYS supported the Ministry’s efforts to build and improve its communication systems, processes, and activities. The improvements were seen in the following key areas:
Institutional Strengthening
Capacity Building
Communication Campaign Planning
Surge Support and Advisory
During the training programs, 60.2% of participating MBHTE officials improved their knowledge, skills, and perceptions of how communication should be utilized within the context of MBHTE.
MBHTE Minister, Mohagher Iqbal, stressed the importance of strategic communications to their agency:
“Through strategic communications, the Ministry will be able to build public trust, which is critical in the long-term education reform process and delivery of vital education programs and services in the Bangsamoro region.”
Securing stakeholder buy-in, unifying fragmented efforts, conducting thorough research, and fostering strong working relationships are essential for government agencies to conceptualize and successfully execute a strategic communication plan. This project has ensured lasting impacts beyond its lifespan by integrating the acquired knowledge and skills into daily activities.
Want to learn more about effective stakeholder communications? Email us to learn more.
