The ad-hoc committee at the Policy Studies Institute (PSI) has finalized a comprehensive Public Civil Service Commission Reform Execution Plan to guide the implementation of the public sector reform agenda on July 19,2024 at the Capital Hotel. This plan, developed on the basis of extensive consultation and analysis, outlines a structured approach to ensure the effective and sustainable implementation of reforms at the Institute.
PSI is one of the pilot institutions selected to implement the first year of the reform. The ad hoc committee responsible for the reform process has completed the preparatory phase, which involves the three stages of the reform: preparatory, implementation, and innovation.
As part of the preparatory stage, the committee has developed a detailed plan for the nine pillars of the reform. This includes preparing a budget and key performance indicators (KPIs) for the execution of each of the nine pillars of the reform plan.
The nine pillars cover the various components of the reform that the institution will be implementing. By developing a comprehensive plan with budgets and KPIs for each pillar, the committee has laid the groundwork for the successful execution of the reform in the next phases.
The ad-hoc Committee at PSI Preparing the Reform Execution Plan
The Reform Execution Plan provides a clear roadmap setting out the key phases, timelines and responsibilities of the various actors involved in the reform process. It also provides a detailed framework for monitoring and evaluating reform progress, enabling data-driven decision-making and course corrections where necessary.
With the completion of this plan, PSI is ready to embark on the critical next phase of translating the reform vision into tangible change on the ground. The successful implementation of this plan will be critical to achieving the promised improvements in public service delivery, institutional efficiency and citizen-centeredness that are at the heart of the government's reform agenda.
The committee working on this reform plan at PSI explained that the civil service in our country has an institutional form at the central level with origins dating back to the turn of the century. The committee said that although the civil service was created over a century ago, it has not yet reached the level it should have in terms of its development and performance. Various efforts have been made at different times to improve the civil service in areas such as human resource efficiency, operational training, creativity, organization and technological modernization. However, these initiatives have not produced the expected results. Therefore, the government has now designed a policy direction and a reform program to solve the problems of the civil service in a sustainable manner. A policy paper has been drawn up that sets out the future course of the sector. A comprehensive national reform program has also been formulated.
The committee explained that the Civil Service Commission now has the task of implementing a strategic plan to realize this reform agenda. In parallel, a detailed implementation roadmap has been developed outlining the specific directions and measures to put policy into practice. This multi-pronged approach, encompassing policy direction, reform programs, strategic planning and implementation roadmaps, aims to finally address long-standing challenges and raise the civil service to the level it should have reached in the last century.
The committee detailed that our country, which is a large and diverse nation, has undertaken various civil service reforms over time. Under the Second National Economic Reform Program, a key objective is to ensure macroeconomic stability, improve the investment and business environment, increase sectoral productivity and enhance the overall competitiveness of the economy.
The committee explained that to strengthen the government's capacity to effectively implement this economic reform agenda, the Federal Public Service Commission has developed a comprehensive strategy document and implementation plan. This reform plan is divided into seven main pillars or focus areas.
The first pillar includes building the efficiency and capacity of the civil service to effectively implement the reforms given the unique circumstances of our country. This includes developing a certification program, improving leadership and institution building, and streamlining and modernizing government organizations.
The second pillar focuses on creating an efficient and accessible government service delivery system while ensuring diversity and inclusion within the civil service. The third pillar aims to implement an objective and integrated mission across the political and state administration.
The fourth pillar includes the development of a digital infrastructure for the civil service to facilitate the effective delivery and acceptance of government services and decisions. Finally, the skills framework and requirements for current civil service personnel will be thoroughly reviewed and reclassified as part of this reform process. Overall, this multi-faceted civil service reform program is designed to strengthen the government's ability to successfully implement the broader national economic transformation agenda.
Similarly, the Policy Studies Institute is in the process of developing long-term and medium-term strategic and implementation plans to fulfill its mandate. The Institute conducts extensive research on various socio-economic, democratic and governance issues to fulfill its mandate. Based on its research findings, it has made recommendations to the government. In addition, the Institute provides capacity building and advisory services to numerous governmental and non-governmental organizations and disseminates and shares its research findings.
The committee underlined that despite the Institute's excellent research findings in various areas, it faces various challenges and obstacles in fulfilling its tasks. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of competitive salaries and benefits, which makes it difficult to attract and retain qualified staff. The Institute also faces constraints in state budgets for research-related external costs and hiring leadership. To overcome these challenges, the Institute is exploring various funding opportunities, both domestically and abroad. It has also established relationships with research institutes and universities to collaborate in conducting studies, which has enabled it to achieve remarkable results.
By evaluating the strengths and experience gained in recent years, the Institute is working to create a more effective and efficient organization. The aim is to better meet the rapidly growing needs and service requirements of citizens and to compete with other idea-generating institutions at national and sub-regional level.
The committee echoed that to achieve this, the Institute is carrying out an institutional reform process based on the national framework for public service reform. The focus of this reform is primarily on the management and organization of the Institute. Key areas of reform include building a skilled workforce, promoting diversity and inclusion, developing free and independent service delivery mechanisms, introducing flexible and accessible approaches to service delivery, improving digital service capacity and strengthening active leadership and institutional development.
The committee also explained that the implementation of the institutional reform is divided into three phases: the preparation phase, the implementation phase and the confirmation/innovation phase. This phased approach is intended to ensure the successful and sustainable transformation of the institute.
The committee has just completed the first phase of the institutional reform that is the preparation phase, i.e. the development of the implementation plan. This phase involves identifying key tasks, setting the timetable, planning monitoring and evaluation, designating implementing agencies and ensuring the appropriateness and feasibility of the reform program through budgetary considerations. All these elements have been carefully elaborated and detailed in this plan. This plan will serve as a roadmap for translating policy directives into action and change on the ground.
The committee also noted that the focus of the reform is to modernize the Institute's human resource management, both in terms of culture and character, to better support the country's policy development tasks through the provision of effective services. It also added that this civil service reform initiative will be implemented in three distinct phases. In all three phases, the Federal Government through the Executive will be closely involved in monitoring and steering the reform program at each level.
The committee also said various institutional arrangements have been made to support the implementation of the civil service reform. A special structure for the implementation of the reform has been set up at the Institute for Policy Studies. This includes a steering committee at senior management level, headed by the Director General, to provide overall leadership and coordination. In addition, a six-member technical committee was formed to oversee and coordinate the actual work of change management.
During the preparatory phase, the specialist committee took on the main tasks of identifying the most important reform activities and drawing up a detailed work plan. In addition, seven specialized technical committees were set up to carry out specific technical tasks in connection with the reform. These committees will both draw on the expertise available within the Institute and align their work with the national objectives of the wider civil service reform program. The main tasks of these specialist committees have been clearly defined to ensure a structured and effective implementation approach.
The committee explained that this multi-level institutional structure, which includes both high-level strategic oversight and focused technical implementation teams, is designed to drive civil service reforms at the institutional level in a coherent and coordinated manner.
The committee underlined that according to the HIGER 2 program implemented by the federal government, one of the four main pillars is the reform of government service delivery. In accordance with the guidelines of the Civil Service Commission, a preliminary study was conducted to prepare for the implementation of this service delivery reform.
The program to implement the reform has been divided into three distinct phases to be implemented over a 36-month period. It is crucial that the implementation approach is aligned with the existing conditions and circumstances of the target institutions. To kick-start the process, a committee was formed involving the management and senior officials of the institutions concerned. This committee has taken the crucial first step of developing a detailed implementation plan.
The committee also noted that during the preparatory phase, the committee discussed and defined in detail the tasks to be carried out, the people responsible, the expected results, the timetable and the financial requirements. This comprehensive planning ensured that the implementation of the reform could be carried out effectively in accordance with the defined plan. The structured and detailed planning approach, involving key stakeholders and based on institutional realities, is a critical foundation for the successful implementation of the reform agenda for the delivery of government services.
In general, the completion of the reform implementation plan by the PSI is an important milestone in the government's efforts to transform the public sector. With this comprehensive roadmap, PSI can now bring together all relevant stakeholders - from ministries and agencies to frontline service providers - to work together towards achieving the reform goals. The coming months and years will be critical as PSI and its staff are mobilized to implement the various components of the plan. Sustained leadership, resource allocation and management support will be critical to ensure that the reforms take root and deliver the desired improvements in public service delivery, organizational efficiency and citizen satisfaction.