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{
    "id": 15418,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/15418/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 411,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Otieno",
    "speaker_title": "The Minister of State for Public Service",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Mr. Speaker, Sir, I beg to move that The Kenya School of Government Bill, Bill No.30 of 2011, be now read a Second Time. Training and capacity building activities in the Public Service can be looked at in a number of ways throughout our history since Independence. In the first place, the Government adopted the Kenyanization policy at Independence and embarked at placing Kenyans in key positions within the Public Service. The implementation of this policy necessitated the recruitment of additional qualified Kenyans. It also called for accelerated training and staff promotion to replace the leaving colonial administrators. In the 1970s, therefore, the policy focus changed from administration and management to alleviation of poverty and provision of basic needs. Training focus in the Public Service then changed and emphasis was more on training for stimulating development. In the 1980s, there was need to address the challenge of limited access to higher education and training. This policy saw several public training institutions converted into universities, colleges and campuses. By the 1990s, the beginning of the public sector reforms necessitated reforms and capacity building being a major theme in the training objectives. Training was to be demand driven as opposed to being supply driven. During this period, the former District Development Institutes were converted, improved and refurbished to acceptable levels and renamed Government Training Institutes. However, due to inadequate funding and facilities, the institutes were only able to offer training for junior and middle level managers in the public service. Since the year 2000, public sector reforms have focused on among other things, initiating performance improvement measures to enhance service delivery. These measures have resulted in the introduction of Result Based Management, Tools of Performance Contracting and Performance Appraisal. To translate the above initiatives to results for Kenyans, a coordinated approach to training leaders to spearhead these reforms has been a priority within Government. Although the Government’s efforts to train and build the capacities in public service are evident, there still exist gaps that have not adequately been addressed. It is worth noting that since Independence, there has been limited focus of training at top policy and political levels in the public service. For example, there is no systematic induction and training programmes targeting the higher levels decision makers at the Ministry from the level of Assistant Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives of State corporations and other agencies of Government. Further, the current management development institutes; the Kenya Institute of Administration, the Government training institutes in Mombasa, Embu, Matuga and Baringo, together with sector specific training institutions, place emphasis on training for career based skills development programmes. Consequently, the Public Service continues to experience training gaps in policy development, leadership, management and in public service values and ethics. To address these gaps, the Public Service, though on a limited scale, continues to train its staff oversees which is not only very expensive but also unsustainable. Besides, oversees training does not adequately address the country’s specific needs and trainings."
}