UPGRADATION OF TRAINING SYSTEM FOR CIVIL SERVANTS SCHEME

UPGRADATION OF TRAINING SYSTEM FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

SCHEME OF PRESENTATION • Raison detre for up gradation • Existing system of training • A bird’s eye-view of erstwhile system • Achievements in training due to up gradation • Induction and training systems in Singapore, Malaysia, India and Thailand • Some pressing questions • The road ahead

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Address to the civil officers, Government House, Peshawar 14 th April, 1948 “Do your duty as servants to the people and the state, fearlessly and honestly. Service is the backbone of the state” – “Try to create an atmosphere and work in such a spirit that everybody gets a fair deal, and justice is done to everybody. ”

President Pervez Musharaf Address to the 82 nd NMC, 2004 Staff College, Lahore “The bureaucracy at large is considered wake blockers rather than facilitators. There is rampant corruption and nepotism and there is hardly any merit. ” “There was not enough focus on the training of civil servants other than the basic training at the academy. Subsequently there were training institutions but they were lacking focus. ”

The statements of Quaid and the President highlight two problems: 1. The most important duty of a civil servant is the delivery of service to the people and the performance of this duty requires improvement 2. Since there is no merit, therefore there is the prevalence of incompetence

AN IMPORTANT QUESTION Will the up-gradation of training improve the professional competence of civil servants and the standard of delivery of services to the people in Pakistan?

Systematic analysis of the question requires answering two relevant questions 1. Has training really improved? 2. Even if the training does improve, will it improve the professional competence and service delivery? Answering first question will require comparing the existing system with the new system Answering second question will require evaluating if inadequate training is the main cause of bureaucracy’s underperformance

COMPONENTS OF EXISTING TRAINING SYSTEM • Permanent • Temporary/Training courses offered off and on

PERMANENT • National Management Course/National Defence Course • Senior Management Course • Mid Career Management Course • Common Training Program

TEMPORARY • Executive Leadership Development Program • Professional Development Program • Other local and foreign trainings

NATIONAL MANAGEMENT COURSE Important Features • Promotion related course for BS – 20 • Conducted at the National Management • • Wing of the National Management College in Lahore 50 participants on the average 22 weeks duration Three terms Syndicate work Cont….

• • • IRP GRP Case studies Three simulation exercises Departmental presentations Current issues presentation Analysis paper Synopsis Peer rating Interviews with faculty Inland foreign study tours

STUDIES/MODULES • Statecraft & Public Policy • International Relations • Economics & Finance for Policy Makers • Socio-Cultural Dynamics of Pakistan, Human Development & Public Management • Leadership, Strategic Governance • Research Methodology • Study Tours Management &

SENIOR MANAGEMENT COURSE Important Features: • Promotion related course for BS – 19 • Conducted at the Senior Management Wing of the National Management College in Lahore • 90 participants on the average • 20 weeks duration • No foreign study tour

STUDIES/MODULES • • International Relations Social, Cultural, Political & Demographic Diversity & Its Impact on Public Policy Economics & Finance for public policy Strategists Statecraft and Governance Leadership and Strategic Management Research Field Tours

MID CAREER MANAGEMENT COURSE Important Features: • • • Newly introduced Promotion related course for BS – 18 Conducted simultaneously at all the three NIMs i. e. Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar

COMMON TRAINING PORGRAM Important features: • For newly inducted probationary officers • Conducted at the Civil Services Academy, Walton Campus • 9 – 10 months duration • 175 – 200 participants

STUDIES/MODULES • • • National Issues Of Pakistan Contemporary Issues And Islam Govt. Functioning In Pakistan Office Management & Procedures Economics & Public Finance Public Administration & Management Syndicate Research & Book Reviews Community Service Field Work

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Important features: • World Bank funded capacity building project • For BS – 21 and BS – 20 officers • Tailor-made program for Pakistan conducted by the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University • 5 weeks duration

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM Important features: • World Bank funded capacity building project • For BS – 17, BS - 18 and BS – 19 officers • For master level studies mainly of 1 year duration in selected universities of the world in selected areas

ERSTWHILE SYSTEM OF TRAINING • National Management Course at Staff College and National Defense Course at National Defence University • Advanced Course in Public Sector Management at NIPAs • Common Training Program • Capacity Building Training • Other Local and Foreign Trainings

COMPARISON OF EXISTING SYSTEM WITH THE ERSWHILE SYSTEM Comparison suggest Achievements/Improvements Two types of achievements/improvements 1. Training related 2. Infrastructure and physical assets

TRAINING RELATED Improvement in training is evident because: • Syllabi of NMC, SMC and CTP were totally revamped to include new features and a completely new syllabus for MCMC is devised • Introduction of a new course for BS – 18 officers i. e. MCMC • Increase in number of participants in NMC from 25 to more than 50 Contd…

• • • Improvement in the standard of faculty Uniformity of training imparted Coordination among various courses and contents of each course complement the other Better pay and perquisites package for the employees More than 500 officers benefited from the PDP More than 250 officers benefited from the ELDP

INFRASTRUCTURE AND PHYSICAL ASSESTS • Construction and renovation of class rooms in NMW and SMW • New library in NMW • Sports gymnasium under construction in NMW • Renovation of all hostels in NMW • Procurement of IT equipment for NMW and SMW • Construction of new NIM complex Quetta Contd…

INFRASTRUCTURE AND PHYSICAL ASSESTS • Construction and renovation of Auditorium and other infrastructure at NIM Peshawar • Construction of a new hostel at CSA • Construction and renovation at NIM Karachi • Purchase of new vehicles for NSPP and its various units

ANSWERING SECOND QUESTION Even if the training does improve, will it improve the professional competence and service delivery? To answer this question, the strategy is to compare Pakistan’s training system with some other countries to see: 1. Where do we stand? & 2. To establish some co-relation between service delivery and training

SALIENT FEATURES OF INDUCTION & TRAINING SYSTEMS OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN • India • Malaysia • Singapore • Thailand

INDUCTION AND TRAINING SYSTEM OF INDIA • Induction like Pakistan, through a combined competitive examination • Almost the same structure as in Pakistan • All inductees go for a common training • On successful completion go for specialized training in the academies of their allocated departments • Training afterwards continues but in an unstructured manner

TRAINING SYSTEM OF MALAYSIA Two types of services a. b. • • The Administrative Diplomatic Service Domestic Services (Includes all other services) Separate but simultaneous examinations for all Choices to be filled by every candidate him/herself Examination schedules advertised through papers Total 8 tiers Contd…

TRAINING SYSTEM OF MALAYSIA • ADS officers undergo six months training at INTAN • During training every officer is interviewed for suitability • In case of failure to satisfy, allocated to domestic services • Domestic services officers undergo only specialized training in institutes of allocated ministries/departments Contd…

TRAINING SYSTEM OF MALAYSIA • Mandatory three training courses of 3 -5 days duration at INTAN during the entire service • In addition, promotion related exams preceded by training of usually a week for first six tiers • Only training of a week for promotion but no exam for the senior most two tiers

TRAINING SYSTEM IN SINGAPORE • No combined competitive examination • Inductions are primarily made through advertisements for vacant posts by respective ministries/departments • The second method is “informal referral” • The third method is through Public Service Commission (PSC) Contd…

INDUCTION THROUGH PSC • It hunts the talent • It offers scholarship to promising undergraduate students on the basis of their performance • Getting scholarship means getting job • The students in return submit a bond to serve in civil service on completion of studies Contd…

TRAINING SYSTEM IN SINGAPORE • No elaborate system rather continuous assessment of every officer • There is a requirement of completing 21 days training in a year but all depends on departmental head • After induction, a week of orientation training • Then a supervisor is assigned to guide and coach • In some departments, a “mentor” is appointed for six months in addition to the supervisor • In some cases, a “buddy” is appointed

TRAINING SYSTEM OF THAILAND • Civil Service Commission does not conduct exam annually but on monthly basis • Total 11 levels • Minimum educational requirement includes either a bachelors degree or a first class honors or a masters degree • The holder of first class honors degree does not have to appear in the exam but simple bachelors and masters have to. • But masters degree holder is inducted into level 4 and the honors in level 3

TRAINING SYSTEM OF THAILAND • Candidates tested in English, Thai and an • • Analytical test Qualified candidates are referred to the concerned departments Departments continuously keep notifying vacancies Successful candidates have to go through the selection process of the department Unsuccessful candidates stand a chance next time Contd…

TRAINING SYSTEM OF THAILAND • • No Central system of training • Training depends upon budget and the head of the department Every ministry/ department imparts through its human resource department

COMPARISON OF TRAINING SYSTEMS • Pakistan has and had the most elaborate system of training • Singapore perhaps has the least elaborate BUT • Pakistan is at the bottom of various development indices and Singapore at the top CONCLUSION “SERVICE DELIVERY AND COMPETENCE DO NOT DEPEND UPON TRAINING ONLY”

COMPARISON OF CIVIL SERVICES • Paid and looked after very well • Prestige of civil servants exists • Monitoring against corrupt practices as • • • well as performance Job specific training In INTAN, the posting is considered as an appreciation of performance – Best officers are posted Institution of civil service is strong (Recruitment, postings, transfers etc)

• • • SHORTCOMINGS OF EXISTING SYSTEM Too general NMC/NDC – Utility doubtful Plans to replicate at SMC level BS-19 / Equivalent ranks in army, navy and air force The spirit behind the CSA training has been completely overlooked Deals with only federal government employees and not provincial who are probably more in number

AREAS OF CONCERN IN PAKISTAN • No security of service • Institution of civil service is very weak • None of the quota is observed e. g. 10% of defence forces, quota in secretariat, quota in foreign postings other than FSP, quota in promotions etc. • High political interference e. g. Police Order, 2002 • Coupled with above, discriminatory salaries e. g. consultants, MP – I, private/corporate inductees, employees in various projects hired at exorbitant packages • No career planning

SOME PRESSING QUESTIONS • Did we carry out some research to ascertain our priorities? • Did we bother to look at our national financial condition? • Were we really sincere in improving the standard of service delivery to the people? • Did we really want and expect to improve the professional competence of our civil servants?

THE ROAD AHEAD Probably we need to rethink our strategy keeping in view our aim, national financial condition and priorities. Only then will we be able to achieve what we want in the most efficient manner.

THANKS Q&A