LESOTHO PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Transcription

1 LESOTHO PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY 1. PREAMBLE The Government of Lesotho supports training and development for all classes and levels of public officers in its employ. This Training and Development Policy is intended to provide general guidelines in the management and administration of Training and Development for Public Officers to ensure cost-effectiveness in the development, utilization and retention of human resources in the public sector in accordance with national priorities. 2. POLICY STATEMENT It is the policy of the Government of Lesotho to invest in people s skills, knowledge and attitudes through a systematic training and development approach which will create a highly skilled human resource base, and stimulate a culture of productivity, efficiency, effectiveness, professionalism and accountability in the delivery of services to the public. 3. DEFINITION OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT The Lesotho Government views training and development as a concerted, deliberate and continuous efforts to enhance the productivity of public officers through the acquisition of skills and knowledge to perform current and future jobs to acceptable standards, while at the same time, gaining personal fulfillment. 4. ELIGIBILITY All Public officers are eligible for training and development in accordance with the Public Service Regulations and this policy. In deciding on any training and development for a public officer, the needs of the Government of Lesotho shall take precedence.

2 5. OBJECTIVES 2 The following have been identified as objectives of the Training and Development Policy: (a) (b) To provide and maintain clear guidelines that promote consistent Management decisions in the administration of training and development. To facilitate systematic training and development activities within the Public Service; (c) To facilitate co-ordination of training efforts in order to eliminate waste of resources; (d) To strike a balance between skills development and academic training in the work-place and (e) To facilitate the identification of career development paths. 6. IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES OF THE POLICY (a) NATIONAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES All Training and Development in the Public service shall be guided by the national training and development priorities as outlined in the national policy on the strategic development, utilisation and retention of human resources in Lesotho. (b) TRAINING NEEDS ASSESSMENT. All line Ministries shall undertake Training Needs Assessment for all their departments, sections, and units within the Ministry in order to determine their priorities and to prepare their training and development plans. These plans shall in turn be in line with National priorities. (c) ANNUAL MINISTERIAL TRAINING PLANS On the basis of the Training Needs Assessment line Ministries shall prepare training plans for submission to the Ministry of the Public Service at the beginning of each financial year.

3 (d) APPLICATION FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 3 When a decision is made on the type of training and development an officer should follow, the needs of both the organization and the officer will have to be taken into account, provided organisational needs will always take precedence. 7. TYPES OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Needs-based training and development shall be given priority. Types of training and development programmes shall include the following: (a) INDUCTION PROGRAMMES (i) In-House Induction. All new staff shall undergo suitable training within the first two weeks of their arrival in their offices, aimed at settling them in. The training may cover both core and functional areas and shall be arranged by their respective Ministries. All new staff shall undergo appropriate induction programme in the first month of their arrival to acquaint them with the functions of their offices and the ministry as a whole. This programme shall be designed by the Ministry in order to settle in the new staff. (ii) Formal Induction. New staff shall be sent to the Lesotho Institute of Public Administration and Management (LIPAM) for formal introduction to the purpose of the Lesotho Civil Service, its structures, rules, operations and scope within six (6) months of their joining the public service.

4 4 (b) ON-THE-JOB TRAINING This type of training is provided to ensure that an officer acquires skills while on the job. Departmental Heads may provide the following types of On-the-Job Training: (i) ROTATION Departmental Heads (as defined in the Public Service Act 1995) may post officers to different sections of the Ministry, in order to enable them to learn about the specific jobs of the sections with a view to broadening their knowledge and experience, for a maximum period of four (4) months. (ii) IN-HOUSE-TRAINING Departmental Heads (as defined in the Public Service Act 1995) may provide periodic in-house training sessions to address particular problems or concerns of the organization. Consultants may be invited to serve as facilitators. (iii) ATTACHMENT An officer may be attached to an outside organization or Ministry to acquire experience and gain insight into the workings of a similar organization for a specified period. (iv) EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES Where possible exchange programmes may be arranged between institutions or agencies at local, regional and international levels.

5 5 (v) STUDY TOURS Public officers may be allowed to undertake study visits to internal or external agencies to learn and observe their modus operandi as well as exchange experiences, ideas and skills. (c) FORMAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT Training and Development is classified into two main categories, short term and long term: (i) Short Term. Refers to functional training and development offered for a period that does not exceed six (6) months and is for short courses. a. In terms of the relevant Public Service Regulations, a public officer earns his/her full salary during short-term training. b. Where subsistence or living allowance has not been provided by the host Government or sponsoring body the Government of Lesotho pays the public officer 10% of the per diem payable to the country of study for the duration of the training period. c. Where living allowance is provided the public officer is not entitled to the 10% or any other form of allowance. d. For probable out of pocket expenses, the public officer may apply for an accountable tour imprest to cover incidental out of pocket expenses. (ii) Long Term. Refers to training intended for acquisition of academic and professional qualifications for effectiveness in job performance. As this training is longer than six months, study leave is required.

6 6 (d) PART-TIME TRAINING This refers to approved training and development undertaken by public officers whilst remaining in full-time employment with Government. This training may involve periodic block release of officers from work for a cumulative maximum period of eight (8) weeks for every year of study. 8. TRAINING GUIDELINES (iii) STUDY LEAVE Application for study leave should be submitted to Ministry of the Public Service with all relevant documentation at least 3 months before training is due to start Conditions under which an employee will be granted study leave (a) The employee shall qualify for study leave after successfully serving a period of twenty four months; (b) The Ministry shall nominate the employee for studies relevant to his/her duties in accordance with the annual training plan; (c) Employees who are aged 45 years and above, shall be granted study leave only if they are pursuing postgraduate studies and provided that they will be able to serve their bonding agreement.

7 7 2. BONDING 2.1 Before an employee can be granted study leave he/she will be required, together with his/her guarantor, to sign a bonding agreement, binding him/her to serve the Government for periods as stipulated in the bonding agreement An employee may be granted another study leave while still serving the bond. However, he/she shall have to sign another bonding contract so that when the previous bond lapses he/she starts the new bonding period afresh If an employee either resigns or deserts from the Government before the bonding period has expired, the following conditions shall apply: i. He/She shall have to repay salaries paid to him/her during the study period; ii. If she/he deserts the civil service and cannot be traced, the guarantor shall be liable to pay the money owed to the Lesotho Government as per conditions in (i). iii. If the above conditions are not met, legal action will be instituted against the officer and the guarantor. 3.0 EMOLUMENTS DURING STUDY PERIOD 3.1 An employee who is granted study leave will be paid salary and dependants allowance as follows:

8 8 (a) Full salary for the first six months of training and (b) Dependant s allowance at half salary for the remainder of the training period. 3.2 ANNUAL LEAVE An officer who is on study leave will not earn any leave. However, on completion of training he/she will be granted ten (10) working days leave to settle down. 9.0 FUNDING FOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT (a) GOVERNMENT FUNDING It shall be the responsibility of the Government of Lesotho through National Manpower Development Secretariat to fund long-term training where applicable. (b) DONOR FUNDED COURSES In the case whereby there is donor funding, Ministries shall nominate suitable candidates for courses offered and funded by agencies, organizations, or sister ministries in other countries. This shall be done in consultation with the Ministry of the Public Service.

9 10. EVALUATION AND MONITORING OF TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY 9 (a) MINISTERIAL TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT REPORTS Upon completion of a training course, every officer shall write a report on, inter alia, how he/she has benefited from it and how the organization will benefit and make recommendations as necessary. The reports shall then be compiled into Ministerial Training Activity Report by each line Ministry for onward transmission to the Ministry of the Public Service for evaluation. (b) MONITORING Line Ministries shall solicit half yearly progress reports from academic institutions to monitor officers individual performance. These reports shall then be submitted to the Ministry of the Public Service. (c) EVALUATION OF TRAINING Every training programme arranged for officers shall be followed by end-of-course evaluation to be conducted by respective departmental heads. Its impact will be assessed based on the individual s performance within six months of such a training programme. 11. TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT RECORDS Ministries and departments shall maintain a training profile of its officers, which shall be updated as and when officers acquire additional qualifications. This profile shall be submitted half yearly to the Ministry of the Public Service for maintenance of a database of public service expertise.

10 12. SKILLS TRANSFER 10 (a) At all times ministries and departments shall ensure that every expatriate employee is assigned local counterparts as a means to facilitate transfer of skills within the duration of the expatriate s contract. Quarterly reviews shall be held to monitor progress regarding skills transfer. (b) Officers who are about to retire shall also be assigned counterparts to mentor and to facilitate skills transfer. 13. INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITATION All training including, inter alia, academic, vocational, technical and professional, done locally and externally, shall be conducted by institutions duly accredited by the Government of Lesotho accreditation authority. It shall, therefore, be in the interest of all stakeholders to adhere strictly to the provisions of this policy, which shall be reviewed from time to time as necessary.

11 THE LESOTHO PUBLIC SERVICE TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY AND BONDING AGREEMENT GUIDELINES 1. Ministerial goals/objectives and the National Training and Development Priorities shall guide all Training and Development of public officers in the Public Service as stipulated in the Lesotho Public Service Training and Development Policy. 2. All ministries and departments shall undertake the Training Needs Assessment in order to determine their priorities and prepare the training and development plans that should be submitted together with the training needs assessment reports to the Department of Training and Development (DT&D) in the Ministry of the Public Service at the beginning of every fiscal year. It is important that ministries and departments stick to their plans. 3. The Department of Training and Development (DT&D) will receive and scrutinize all applications for longterm and short-term training and development to ensure that the training to be undertaken is in line with their training needs assessment reports and training plans. 4. Applications for long-term training (study leave) will be submitted to the Honourable Minister responsible for the Public Service for approval through the Principal Secretary, Ministry of the Public Service three (3) months in advance. 5. It is a responsibility of the Human Resources Unit in the ministries and departments to advise applicants on training issues and requirements. 6. No public officer shall be granted National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) scholarship prior to

12 2 signing of the bonding agreement and receipt of official study leave approval from the Ministry of the Public Service. 7. Upon approval of study leave, the Ministry of the Public Service will inform successful applicant in writing, through his/her respective ministry/department for signing of the bonding agreement. 8. The successful applicant will sign together with his/her guarantor (i.e. next of kin or a lawyer) a bonding agreement at the Department of Training and Development (DT&D) in the Ministry of the Public Service binding him/her to serve the Government for a given period depending on the duration of study as stipulated in the bonding agreement. 9. After signing the bonding agreement, the Ministry of the Public Service will again inform the successful applicant through his/her respective ministry/department of the authority to proceed on long-term training. 10. All officers on unauthorized study leave should be recalled as per MPS Circular Notice No.15 of It is the responsibility of the Human Resources Officers to ensure that officers have completed their studies pay monies owed to the Government of Lesotho during their training. Deductions of these should be made through the National Treasury. 12. All the pertinent issues are stipulated in detail in the bonding agreement and all applicants are advised to observe them. ]

13 3 13. The Ministry of the Public Service will monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Training and Development policy and the bonding agreement on regular basis. 14. For monitoring purposes, the Ministry of the Public Service through the Department of Training and Development will require submission of progress reports on performance of officers on study leave from the ministries and departments yearly.