The Department of Personnel Management (DPM) has engaged two consultants to review the functions of the Education Department and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock.
This is part of a four-year long-term exercise under the Public Sector Reform project that started in 2021 reviewing all government agency functions and policies.
DPM Secretary, Taies Sansan said, “The Functions Expenditure Review (FER) is a critical government reform conducted by DPM to know if agencies are performing their mandated functions, and if they have outlined their short and long-term plans to achieve the National Government’s 20-year Strategic Development Plan (SDP) and realise Vision 2050.”
Former head of Agriculture and Livestock Department, Jacob Taru will conduct the review for DAL, and former Education Secretary, Peter Baki will conduct the Education Department’s review.
These reviews commenced on 19 April and should be completed in four months’ time.
The Department of Agriculture and Livestock, National Forest Authority, Fisheries, Commerce and Industry, Eco-Tourism, DPM and Education were the selected government agencies that will be reviewed under the National Government’s Blue-Green economy in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Government’s Blue-Green economy is derived from the 20-year SDP, and highlights positive economic growth rate that the Country is making in monetary terms, and for Papua New Guineans to own the economy of up to 50 per cent by year 2030.
The renewable sector will be reviewed so that ill-defined situations are fixed by re-arranging and re-designing policies and short term-corporate plans to achieve the long-term goals.
Health and education sectors were selected as they are major service providers. The reviews will observe whether issues are being handled well and if they are being resolved through their corporate and long-term plans.
“DPM preferred Former-Departmental Heads to conduct reviews because they are well-versed with those organizations, and also to fulfil the NEC decision to have a Pool of Ex-Departmental Heads available for whatever activities that is tasked by the government for DPM to undertake,” Sansan said.
DPM is working closely with Planning and Monitoring Department to get these reviews completed.