Massified Induction Programme: SA Management Development Institute proposals

Meeting report

SA Management Development Institute (SAMDI): Training Proposals
Dr Mark Orkin, Director-General, SAMDI noted that the presentation and discussion would focus on the implementation of the Public Service Commission (PSC) mandate, which stated that training should be provided to assist with performance at the different government departments. SAMDI was to be the major service provider. Considerations must be given to how best to improve skills and development, and the funding. The training would need to address directly what the public expected and needed from civil servants. He noted that the presentation would deal with the strategic plans, which were to include the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA).

Mr Solomon Mogaladi, Director, SAMDI, noted that the Massified Induction Programme (MIP) derived from the mandate from the Executive to expose new public servants to the core values of public service delivery, Batho Pele and development. This would inculcate the ethos of service, stimulate pride in working for the public services, establish generic and functional skills and create an awareness of the challenges of the developmental state.  The massified programme would deliver more interactive programmes and utilise more multimedia structures. There was already limited intervention in training, but departments needed to adopt something to improve the institutionalisation of all government departments and the public service.

The annual target for training was 100,000 per annum, which was the estimated number of new public servants, across all levels from 1 to 16. Separate induction would be held for those in Senior Management Service (SMS) salary levels 13 to 16. Different methodologies would be used for training. There would be around 90 induction training sessions per week to cope with new structures. The focus would be on Kwazulu Natal (KZN), where 6 000 inductions needed to be implemented.

The presentation also highlighted the importance of a partnership model for training, which would include he departments of Education and Health and Defence. It would also include private sector outsourced training, and provincial academies. SAMDI also acknowledged that the trainers would have to get an eight-day training session, which would thus equip them in different avenues of the public service. This would be comprised of a compulsory generic training programme with intensive assessment criteria so that the trainers developed would be competent. Only suitably qualified trainers would be licensed.

Illustrations of the training manuals were given. The training would include visual stimulation, and the target audience would be encouraged to give feedback.  and the re-designs of the manuals concerned levels 1-5 whereas the previous manuals where provided by UNISA experts in which 80% of adult training was encouraged by visual stimulation.

The MIP project team of ten people had been appointed to support national departments and provinces. The induction manuals were completed in October 2007 and the pilot training had been completed by December 2007. 447 out of the 500 trainers had been trained. Implementation teams were established in all provinces, under the supervision of the Offices of the Premier. Training had commenced in all provinces and was expected to be at full speed, training 25 000 per quarter, by April 2009. Monitoring and evaluation was done in terms of instruments developed by SAMDI, feedback would be received from trainees and reports would be produced quarterly.

The implementation of the training would depend on effective core administration, especially in the provinces, and the availability of adequate financial resources, especially for printing. The training would need to be endorsed and supported by the provinces. There had been workshops held with provinces and national departments to get support and buy-in, a Directive was issued by the Minister in March 2008 and there had been communication with all departments.

Discussion
Mr B Mthembu (ANC) stated that there was a well thought-out management plan and its stipulations could help counter other challenges. He did however ask for clarification with regard to the target groups at level 1-16 and 13-16, and whether these would be dealt with separately. He asked also about the budgeting, and asked if there would be a distinction between the senior and top level managers.

Ms M Matsomela (ANC) asked about the mass induction programme and the reorientation programme, and how these two would be handled to ensure that people remained focused.

Ms T Tshivase (ANC) stated that she had a problem with regard to the monitoring and the methods that would be used.

Mr S Tsenoli (ANC) asked about what needed to be done to ensure that people would work together and that all the stipulations suggested by SAMDI would be effective. He also pointed out that all discrepancies were down to the leadership of any institution and organisation and therefore the people at top and senior level management would also have to be trained to ensure that there was a conducive and progressive working relationship.

Ms Mxakato-Diseko; Commissioner, Public Service Commission (PSC), stated that the training of the trainers would require there to be a specific criteria selection to see who would participate. She also stated that SAMDI should technically appropriate funds towards common development. The DPSA required that different departments must follow the same procedures. There would have to be acceptance that public servants be trained and would be able to cope with the issues. The funding issue was also a problem, in that in the context of a single public service, funding should already have been achieved in order to ensure particular results.

Dr Orkin said that there had been continuous progress and he was pleased that the questions had been raised as they focused on those areas where improvements needed to be made. SAMDI was

He stated the SAMDI was focussing on the management conditions. Two thirds of the 100 000 people trained were at a junior level, as this was where most of the training had been placed so far. The induction of SMS senior management staff had proved to work well in that there was an interim plan, whose further details would be provided only next year. This training involved two weeks of training and action learning. The provinces of Mpumalanga and Free State have already agreed to collaborate with SAMDI. There would be seminars and intellectual benchmarking and further details would be provided in the future.

With regard to reorientation and induction programmes, he said that there were around 100 000 inductions and about 300 000 reorientations for those already in the public service. The departmental structures would still be used, and DPSA would still be used to help train and have control over the HR departments.

It was also brought to light that the PSC had a vision of a larger role for the development and training. SAMDI pointed out that they could not afford to spend long periods such as six months training people, but the core agreement was that there must be a concerted effort to strive for a better equipped civil service. Political impulses ought to encourage the State to invest more money into this training initiative.

Ms Colette Clarke, Deputy Director General: Human Resources Management and Development, DPSA, added that it was important for the debate to extend around decentralised frameworks in terms of recruitment, training and competence

Commissioner Mxakato-Diseko added that it would be inappropriate for the public service not to do evaluations, this being mandatory for senior mangers. She stated that it was necessary to have a paradigm of how the training of officials would be done. This must be supported by political policy and money from the treasury.

The Chairperson stated that there would be another meeting with SAMDI on 28 May to consider the full report and budget. A few changes might be effected to the proposals.

The meeting was adjourned.