The Sunday Mail
PUBLIC SERVICE ENGAGEMENT FORUM
The Public Service Commission has been rolling out its Strategic Plan for the period 2021-2025 amidst zeal, excitement and much anticipation among stakeholders on what this plan means for the economy at large and for Zimbabwean citizens.
“This is one of the first generation of strategic plans following the Transitional Stabilisation Plan (TSP) which the Second Republic ran from 2018 to 2020,” said Dr Vincent Hungwe, Chairperson of the Public Service Commission.
Dr Hungwe made these remarks while speaking at a roll-out workshop for the Strategic Plan, recently.
Following the success of the TSP which sought to stabilise economic fundamentals including fiscal consolidation, external sector balance and exchange rate stability, His Excellency the President of our Republic, Cde ED Mnangagwa, in October 2020, launched the National Development Strategy 1, (NDS 1) to run from 2021 to 2025. The NDS1 is set to steer the development and capacitation of key national institutions, which will create the enabling environment critical for transformative economic growth.
The PSC Strategic Plan 2021-2025, developed to complement, feed into and contribute to NDS1, is a product of wide consultations and collective effort within the structures of the Commission itself as well as with input from other key organs of the Government and development partners.
Main Thrust
Themed: “Accelerating Public Sector Transformation”, the main thrust of the Strategic Plan is to usher in public sector reform. This is meant to re-engineer and re-position the public service, which had been sluggish and under-performing in the past, into a vibrant, re-energised force of high performance system operating on improved efficiency and effectiveness.
The main emphasis of this thrust is on results-based performance, which is mostly focused on outputs, outcomes and impacts.
“We have to move away from (simply) chasing processes, spending money and mobilising inputs but without focusing on outputs, outcomes and impacts of our work. We should be performance and results-oriented,market facing and business friendly,” Dr Hungwe said.
Also key in this Strategic Plan is the ushering in of culture change which is expected to be driven by well capacitated, suitably placed and deployed cadres of high professional, patriotic, ethical standards needed to propel the strategy into life.
“The (transformative) trajectory we are pursuing needs cadres who are innovative, patriotic, dedicated, loyal, inspired by servant leadership, ready to serve and elevate the public interest, prepared to subsume private interests in pursuit of a higher calling to serve the nation,” said Dr Vincent Hungwe.
Strategic Pillars
The PSC Strategic Plan 2021-2025 is underpinned by ten pillars.
These are 1. Organisation Design and Management; 2. Remuneration (Pay and Benefit) Reform; 3. Talent and Reward Management; 4. Capacity Development — Skills Development and Management; 5. Risk Management & Governance; 6. Advocacy, Communication and Change Management; 7. Culture Change; 8. Institutional Restructuring; 9. Monitoring, Evaluation and Leaning; and 10. ICT and Modernisation.
Organisation Design and Management
This pillar tackles the review and alignment of strategic purposes of line ministries with national development imperatives, putting in place the appropriate structures and skills for line ministries so they can effectively perform their functions, as well as ensuring that appropriate technologies and operating systems are in place.
Remuneration (Pay
and Benefits) Reform
This pillar is about the development and management of a competitive, equitable and sustainable remuneration system that compares favourably with best practices elsewhere. The development and provision of non-monetary benefits to complement monetary benefits in efforts to ease the financial well-being of civil servants will also be tackled under this pillar.
So too will the establishment and management of a sustainable national medical and pension system.
Talent and Reward Management
This is the pillar that focuses on the attraction, recruitment and employment of staff as well as how to keep them in their jobs, also including promotions and development of their skills. The development of performance appraisal systems, reward and remedial measures and sanctions to track employee performance and motivate talent development and progression also fall under this pillar.
Capacity Development — Skills Development and Management
This pillar will see to the development of a national framework to enhance skills, knowledge and competencies. This will be achieved mainly through the transformation of the public service training institutions into an integrated Public Service Academy that offers training in public administration and management in pursuit of sustainable development.
Risk Management and Governance
Under this pillar will be the development and maintenance of systems to guard against risks and disasters by planning and undertaking safe systems and procedures that are protective and preventative of damage and loss.
Advocacy, Communication and Change Management
This pillar will see to the advocacy and communication of key messages, image building and branding of necessary elements and items as well as the design and carrying out of a change management process that generates stakeholder support (buy-in).
Culture Change
This pillar focuses on the establishment of the institutional, advocacy, communication and change management system and roadmap to inculcate a new culture in the Public Service.
Institutional Restructuring
Under this pillar is the reviewing and aligning of the focus and purpose of the Commission with national development objectives to transform Zimbabwe into an upper middle-income economy and society by 2030.
Monitoring, Evaluation
and Learning
This is the pillar that will assess the efficiency and effectiveness of programmes and policies in the Public Service. Verification of reported programme outcomes will also be under this pillar.
ICT and Modernisation
This pillar focuses on the improved utilisation of Information and Communication Technologies. Accessibility and availability of ICT equipment and infrastructure will also be dealt with under this pillar, so will the promotion of digital Government services.
Strategy Roll-Out
The Public Service Commission is currently conducting virtual Strategic Plan dissemination workshops which are starting at head office and will be cascaded to the provinces and districts. Such a roll-out is expected to ensure that there is inclusivity and participation of staff and other stakeholders across the board.
“I implore all of us to take ownership of the Strategic Plan,” said PSC Secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe, in a call to management and staff of the Commission at a roll-out workshop.
This article is part of a series of articles by the Public Service Commission aimed at engaging with and updating the public on matters of public interest that fall within its mandate. For comments, enquiries and questions, please write to [email protected]. For more on the PSC and its programmes, visit www.psc.gov.zw or follow on Facebook Zimbabwe Public Service Commission or Twitter @Public Service Commission Zimbabwe
