PROGRAMME PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION 2(1+1)

Lesson 10 : Abilities of Planners

Skill at enquiry

This ability at enquiry requires the skills of:

1. Identifying the problems
   Enquiry usually begins with a specific problem that causes people to feel that something needs to be done. Wherever a situation causes people to be disturbed, there is need for enquiry i.e. enquiry at individual level, family level or community level.

2. Identifying focal points of concern
   This step requires facts that will pin point the true nature of a problem, its scope and importance. It also involves careful scrutiny of attitudes, beliefs, values, habits, prejudices etc.

3. Determining alternative solutions
   In this step, ideas about plans of action must be developed that offer possible solutions to the problems.

4. Evaluating possible solutions and making decisions about them
   This involves evaluating different plan of action for a particular problem and projecting consequences of each course of action and a decision to select one plan of action, which is most likely to succeed.

This competency helps the extension worker to be effective in helping people analyse their problem and work out useful solutions to them. Skill at enquiry is not only basic to planning, but also to guidance.