Public Servants and those intending to become one are required to attend and complete a Leadership and Governance course at the Somare Institute of Leadership and Governance (SILAG).
Michael Barobe, SILAG’s Chief Executive Officer announced this new arrangement during the institute’s recent graduation at the Northern Training Centre in Madang.
Thirty-two (32) public servants graduated with Certificate in Middle Management and Diploma in Public Administration respectively at a ceremony hosted by SILAG at the Madang Resort Hotel last week. Eighteen are pioneers in obtaining the Diploma in Public Administration program.
CEO Barobe said to have SILAG courses and programs compulsory and mandatory for public servants is part of the many reforms that SILAG is currently undertaking.
He pointed out that the government has embarked on this change to ensure people understand the government systems well before joining the public service.
SILAG is working in partnership with the provincial governments, districts and local level governments to help deliver these important trainings to the public servants. So far SILAG has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the East Sepik Provincial Government to this effect.
Similar trainings are being rolled out for departmental heads, provincial administrators and district administrators or chief executive officers.
Barobe stressed that the public service over the years has not been able to perform its roles and responsibilities to its full capacity due to the knowledge gap amongst officers.
The current batch of graduands included officers from the Madang Provincial Administration, the six district administrators in the province, the Madang Provincial Health Authority, Department of Works and Highways and the Police Department.
The officers completed 36 weeks of intensive training to adapt well into the public service. Barobe, challenged the graduating officers to be agents of change in their respective work places when they return to work and encouraged them to begin to value their work.
Meanwhile, Deputy Secretary, Policy and Reforms, Ellison Kalimet represented Secretary for Department of Personal Management Taies Sansan, at the graduation. He commended the graduands for successfully completing the trainings.