Project Proposal for Liberia CIVIL SERVICE CAPABILITY … · 2012. 5. 14. · Project Proposal for...

Project Proposal for Liberia

CIVIL SERVICE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT

Prepared by:

E. Othello Gongar Sophie Mends-Cole Williams, Ed.D.

In collaboration withTHE MITCHELL GROUP INC

1816, 11TH street NW WASHINGTON DC, 20001

January 2006

This document is the sole property of the authors and collaborators. It should not be copied in part or its entirety without the written consent of its owners.

Table of Content

I. Background and Context………………………..3 II.Project Description………………………………9 III. Implementation………………………………….11 IV. Conclusion………………………………………18 V.Appendix………………………………………...19

Gongar and Williams, Civil Service Capability Development, January 2006

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CIVIL SERVICE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT

I. Background and Context

A. Introduction On the eve of a new era in the history of Liberia there is increased realization that the

nation must not only reconstitute systems to insure security and dispense justice, but must

meet the unprecedented demand for improved public service delivery. Public servants

who are committed to the values of transformation, good governance, and equipped with

new skills, knowledge, and ideas are urgently required. These public servants must be

able to identify and seek solutions to problems relating to food security, governance,

social justice, shelter, health, education and sanitation. In addition, they must be able

to operate with a new paradigm for public-private relationship and carry an ideal of

public service to their constituents. They must understand and respect: the link between

community and government and the importance of rural development to the health of

the country. Decision makers at the top of agencies must also be trained to discern and

manage essential functions, set priorities and inculcate a culture of transparency in all of

their systems. Leaders must learn to manage the countries considerable resources with an

understanding of modern business practices, eschewing corruption and nepotism.

For more than 15 years, there has been no functioning Civil Service System. The hiatus

and the advent of a new government offer an opportunity to introduce Civil Service

Reforms which might not have been possible in a system in which vested interests were

well organized against change. By introducing the principles of a merit based personnel


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system that shields civil servants from arbitrary and discriminatory treatment, provides

protection to the public by minimizing patronage and corruption, promotes fairness, and

facilitate the efficient delivery of services the new Government serves notice that it will

not conduct “Business as Usual”.

.

To reform and revitalize a long dormant civil service, capacity development should be

addressed at three levels, individual, institutional, and societal/public.

The individual level: Establish continuous education to improve the civil servants’

essential skills and “emotional intelligence” increase performance and creativity;

sharpen problem solving skills; and improve ability to positively face conflict and

accept challenges.

The Institutional level: Assess the needs of existing institutions with a focus on

the use of indigenous expertise (local and in the Diaspora) to work on policy

support and organizational effectiveness.

The Societal level: Develop an interactive public administration system that

provides proscribed methods to respond to the public it serves.

The ultimate goal of a reform of the Liberian civil service would be to provide security

and the rule of law, which, in turn will allow for the ability to improve the quality

of service delivery to the population and to enhance the capacity of the Government

functions. Civil Service Reforms therefore implies developing the civil service to fulfill

its mandate that include: recruitment and promotion, training, and performance appraisal.

The reform process would harness national pride and enhance the development of a

clear sense of direction and commitment. It would enable agencies in the public sector to

establish clear mission objectives that are the outcomes of shared visions. It also implies

beginning the Capacity Building process at the individual level.

The new civil service would require new approaches to how training is provided and

administered. For a post conflict nation whose professionals have been displaced, it

would require enticing those professionals displaced internally and externally to assist in

the mentoring of a new breed of public servants. These professionals have the ability to


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identify local talents and skills, and can help restore confidence in local institutions lost

during the 14-year period of the civil war.

There is substantial empirical data that investment in the building of the human capacity

of an institution leads to:

A paradigm shift in the mindsets of individuals – a shift from institutional

mediocrity to institutionalized advancement, and professional development.

This would support a change of the orientation of the Liberian public service from

barely existing to becoming a professional cadre.

Improvement in the quality, relevance and accessibility of data and services.

Maximization of information exchange and directing talents toward development

and operational problems.

Development of guidelines and standard operating procedures to maximize

job performance, harness skills and resources to promote organizational

development, and diminish operational problems amongst relevant public sectors

and community stakeholders.

In a post-conflict situation, timeliness is critical to consolidating a peaceful and stable

environment. Thus training in priority sectors must begin immediately while assessment

and planning begins. A pivotal point in this effort will be the development and

implementation of a series of core in-service training programs conducted at the work

place, in the first instance, and in the second instance at a central location like the Liberia

Institute of Public Administration or the Department of Continuing Education of the

University of Liberia, and Cuttington University coupled with specialized technical skills

training. The goal is to create an authentic environment and an aura of worth that will

attract talented individual with the required skills or the ability to acquire them, necessary

to grow Liberia’s socio-economic, cultural and human development. Initial emphasis

should be given to creating an environment to attract skilled human capital, through

national policies with international arrangements that facilitate the return to service of

highly trained and skilled professionals at home and in the Diaspora.


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B. Country Background The demographic profile of Liberia contained in the Joint Needs Assessment Report

conducted by the National Transitional Government of Liberia in collaboration with

the World Bank and the United Nations Development Program showed a population

estimate of about 2.9 million people, with a 50%/50% rural urban ratio, an average

annual growth rate of 2.4 percent; under unemployment of 85%; and an average annual

per person income of $99 - $118 with about 80% of the population living on less

than one United States dollar a day. The 14 years of civil war has destroyed the basic

social and productive infrastructures of the country and is responsible for massive

displacement of the population. The net result has been incalculable suffering, dissolution

and displacement of the country’s work force, undermining of the competence and

accountability of the society, enhancement of a culture of patronage, and promotion of a

dependency syndrome.

After 14 years of war, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement with the backing of the

international community was reached on August 18, 2003 in Accra, Ghana. The

agreement heralded in a new power sharing National Transitional Government of

Liberia backed by one of the largest Peace Keeping Forces authorized by the United

Nations Security Council. In an atmosphere of renewed hope, the United Nations and

the World Bank undertook an assessment of the recovery and reconstruction needs of

Liberia during the two-year transitional period. The findings of the assessment resulted

in the Consolidated Appeal Process for Liberia that covered an array of humanitarian

needs. The appeal brought more resources to bear on some of the pressing problems

in the Liberian economy. It also increased the role of International Non-Governmental

Organizations in the delivery of services. While this was very useful in helping to address

short-term needs, it did not and has not helped to build long-term capacity or systems.

In the second year (the Government had a two year term) of the National Transitional

Government of Liberia, the international community moved to address the issues of

corruption, transparency, and lack of accountability pervasive in the public service. They


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negotiated and signed the Governance and Economic Management Assistance Program

(GEMAP) aimed at achieving the following results.

Securing the Resource Base

Improving Budgetary Control and Processes

Improving Procurement and Concession Processes and Practices

Supporting Key Institutions (The Central Bank);

Establishing a Process to Control Corruption; and

Supporting On-going Capacity Building Initiatives. Although the GEMAP is a crucial step in the right direction, it is still too early to tell if

these efforts will meet their aims. Suffice it to say that there exist very large capacity and

capability gaps that need to be bridged immediately. Out of this abyss of destruction, loss

of hope, and human sufferings, must come vision, comprehensive strategies, policies, and

a well defined mission for the development of the human and social capital required to

restore and improve service delivery, peace, good governance and the rule of law on one

hand; and alleviate poverty, disease, and ignorance on the other. The civil service is at the

center of this exercise whether government is an enabler, a provider, and or manager of

services that are contracted out.

C. Context of the Project

All evidence relating to the ability of the Liberian Government to deliver or enable the

delivery of services to the masses of its citizen point to the need for the development of

the human resource capability in all sectors of the Public Service. The evidence further

shows the existence of an entrenched poor work culture characterized by lateness,

absenteeism, low productivity, inefficient customer service, lack of initiatives, corruption,

sexual favors, nepotism, and cronyism. The situation is aggravated by marginal

remuneration and delays associated with the payment of the already low salaries. An

inferior information base within each sector and the absence of a system for the sharing

of available information often leads to weak project implementation and management;

and a history of mismatching skills with available jobs/tasks. The massive exodus or

displacement of trained manpower from all sectors of the Liberian economy during the


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conflict exacerbated the situation of an already impoverished civil service system.

Despite this grim scenario, development of the institutional capacity and capability

of the Civil Service of the Government of Liberia was not one of the major policies

of the Interim Government of National Unity and not one of the main features of the

Consolidated Appeal Process. As a consequence, expatriate’s staffs hired by Non-

governmental Organizations (NGO) under direct contract with bilateral and multilateral

donors are providing most of the services included in interventions financed by funds

generated from the Appeal Process. Additionally, interventions included in specific

packages for health, education, agriculture and other areas did not specifically target the

human resource needs of these key sectors. The net result is a marginally functioning

civil service that is not a full participant in the on-going service delivery process, yet it

is this system that will ultimately need to provide the services once international interest

dissipates. This dearth of capacity and capability hinders and will continue to frustrate

the Government’s ability to analyze, develop, implement, monitor, evaluate, and improve

the performance of development projects financed either by the government of Liberia or

the donor community until the Government of Liberia develops congruence between the

structure of the Civil Service and its objectives. The implication of all of this is that a new

government must usher in programs that support mentoring, training and education of the

Civil Service to facilitate:

Development of achievable, viable, measurable, enforceable, and sustainable

standards of performance and service;

Development of a merit-based system that matches professional development,

integrity and ethical standards with professional advancement and salary; and

Enhancement of the value placed on Government service, and the creation of a

civil service (frontline representation of the new government) that serves as a role

model of Liberia’s workforce.

Since the massive displacement and exodus of trained professionals from the country

caused by the civil war, there has been no significant national effort directed at clearly

defining and implementing training policies and programs. Although some of the donors


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have gradually begun to organize short-term in-service training for sector specific

services, several factors still inhibit a focus on the development of the work force

required to begin serious development activities. Among these would be:

A national policy that requires donors working within a given sector to work in

collaboration with the sector to ensure sustainability and ownership;

Support for sectoral change and transformational processes through the

facilitation of appropriate change management techniques - the challenge here is

to forego short-term benefits for long-term gains;

Development of policies that guarantee efficient recruitment with promotion and

incentive built into the system;

Explicit definition of goals and performance standards; and

Consistent enforcement of personnel and organizational accountability. Development is about people. Therefore in the promotion of development, those who are

in the forefront of service delivery must be fully involved in the process. The implication

is that to sustain the series of activities programmed for GEMAP, an effective and

efficient Civil Service with a pool of competent public servants is a sine quo non. To

achieve this, a well designed and articulated program for the training and mentoring of

the civil servants must be developed and implemented.

Experience shows that in post civil war countries like Liberia, in-service training

programs are based on supply rather than demand. This approach is driven by

uncoordinated donor assistance, a situation that prevails in Liberia. In the absence

of a well-defined and articulated training policy and a clearly stated policy for the

coordination of donors, it will be difficult to sustain the activities now being undertaken

by donors and the long term commitment of civil servants to these activities. Given

Liberia’s current transitional problems, new approaches to in-service training must be

designed. The new systems must lead to the development of skills that link training to

workforce needs and career development. This would mean developing an innovative

and complimentary capability development program that emphasizes “hard” technical

skills as well as “soft” people oriented skills to meet the needs of institutions for capacity

building. This is the context within which the project is conceived.


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II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

A. Goals and Objectives The goal of the proposed Project is to provide a range of civil service capability

development interventions that improves performance and raises levels of service

delivery, thereby resulting in capacity building. Capacity building for the purpose

of this Project is defined as the appropriate combination of people, institutions

and practices that facilitates the setting and achievement of development goals.

With adequate capacity, people and institutions set agenda that engenders development.

The assumption here is that for the effective working of the other components of the

combination (institutions, practices and resources), the people must have the skills that

are most relevant to development. Accordingly, emphasis will be placed on the provision

of the right mix of skills required to facilitate the delivery of efficient and effective

services to the Liberian people.

The Project would provide “hard” and “soft” skills training that would enable civil

servants to develop and promote strategic public sector changes. It will facilitate the

beginning of the reform process of Liberian Civil Service first and foremost through the

development of the human resources. Through a series of short-term activities and pilot

operations designed to build on each other, in-service programs for sector ministries will

be implemented. The interventions would be advisory, mentoring and training to:

Develop the capability of public servants by improving skills sets, values, and

prestige;

Support the development of quantifiable achievements in work ethics, behavioral

patterns, goals setting and setting of performance standards;

Participation in development of sectors goals that show improvement in

professional integrity, ethical standards matched by a new system of remuneration

and benefits.


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Clarify the link of the individual sectors to overall ministry goals and national

development.

Accordingly, the objectives of the Project will be to:

Design, organize, and implement soft skills in-service training that would be

applied throughout the system, focusing on designated levels of public servants:

Assistant Ministers. Directors, Professionals and Paraprofessionals;

In collaboration with an existing institution, design and implement courses that

would be geared towards the enhancement of sector knowledge for middle

level managers and professionals responsible for conceptualization, design,

implementation, monitoring and evaluation of development projects.

Facilitate the attraction of sector specialists who would serve as advisors and

coaches to professionals whose skills are being improved. The emphasis would

be reversal of the brain drain (brain gain) with a focus on recruiting Liberian

professionals in the Diaspora and others at home that have been marginalized by

the civil war and the many Interim Governments.

Develop performance management standards with appropriate benchmarks

quality standards, performance tracking mechanisms, and procedures for standard

oversight.

Facilitate the transformation of each participating agency through the creation of

a culture that encourages risks, develops and promotes change, values motivation

and integrity, and appreciates diversity;

Identify the “hard” (technical) skills needs of civil servants in priority sectors of

government and the appropriate training sources that can provide the necessary

training to upgrade performance and create career advancement opportunities.

III. Implementation of the ProjectThe project would be based in the Liberian Institute for Public Administration. A core

team of Specialists from allied disciplines assisted by short-term consultants will focus


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multiple disciplines around problems definition and solution to revitalize the Civil

Service. They will simultaneously facilitate the revival of the Institute so that it begins

to participate in the reconstruction of Liberia, i.e. training and re-training of the human

resources needed to lay the groundwork for socio-economic development and poverty

alleviation; conduct training needs assessment of the sector agencies; and develop and

implement the training required to address the identified needs in collaboration with

counterparts at LIPA, the Civil Service Agency and the sector ministries/agencies. An

essential goal of Technical Assistance is to make the Institute a center of excellence

capable of providing the training and support services needed by the public sector. Short-

term sector specific specialists will be required to provide coaching/mentoring and other

well-defined assistance to the sectors.

A. The Human Resource Requirement:The core Technical Assistance team will consist of: a Workforce Development

Specialist, an Organizational Psychologist, Sector Specialists (brief periods), Human

Resource Specialist, Instructional Coordinators, and Trainers. The specialists will

collectively facilitate the development of: achievable, viable, measurable, enforceable,

and sustainable standards of performance and service; and a merit based system that

provides for performance based incentives, ethical standards and integrity; and creation

of a service that is a role model for Liberia’s workforce. Specifically the specialists will:

Workforce Development Specialist (Duration 3 Years): The Specialist

will help: develop strategies and programs that will support change and

transformational processes through appropriate change management

techniques; re-establish links between the civil service and the missions

of the sector agencies, i.e. explicit definition of goals and performance

standards; restore community confidence in the ability of the public

service to deliver, help align economic trends with the education and

social service aspects of overall workforce development, i.e. focus on

the concept of the dignity of honest labor and accountability: develop

strategies and programs to support the delivery of the training and


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coaching programs, lead the efforts to rebuild governance and leadership

structures. As principal advisor to the Director of the Liberian Institute

of Public Administration, he will emphasis the need for consistent

enforcement of personnel and organizational accountability.

The Organizational Psychologist (Duration 3 years): Facilitate the

application of the principles of his profession to the work place with the

view of enhancing productivity, efficiency, quality, and improving the

work atmosphere. In the light of Liberia recent history, he will develop

programs and exercises that will help de-traumatize the work force and the

society, establishing rapport between the deliverer of services and those

for whom the services are meant, respect for authority rather than fear, and

respect for public property.

Human Resource Management Specialist (Duration: 3 years): the

Specialist will help the Civil Service Agency and sector ministries

develop or redefine procedures regarding compensations, benefits and

performance management systems. He will enable the development of

the information base regarding employment policies, job duties, working

conditions, sexual harassment, wages, and opportunities for promotion.

He will assist in developing procedures that will deal with difficult issues

such as: refereeing disputes, crisis management, firing employees, and

administering disciplinary actions. He will also help develop systems

for conducting new employee orientation workshops that would foster

positive attitude and develop good work ethics. He will be the principal

advisor/coach to directors of personnel in all of the sector agencies.

Training Coordinator (3 years): Plan and develop onsite training

programs for trainers, employees and administrators of specific sector

ministries, train trainers in the use of new materials, approaches and

technology, lead in the introduction of new content, innovation or different

organizational structures, develop effective ways to use technology to

enhance production and service delivery, and introduce and monitor

the introduction of new technology, computers and the internets in the


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performance of he functions of the civil service. The coordinator will

also develop and review all instructional materials in collaboration with

the other specialists and make recommendations for purchase and or

procurement. He/She will monitor materials ordered and the ways they

are used by trainers and employees. He/She will also identify short-term

specialists in computer technology, or other institutional technologist as

may be needed for the implementation of the project.

Management Informational Specialist (Duration: 6 months): This

specialist will assist in the assessment of he needs for the establishment of

a data management system within the priority sector ministries. H e will

oversee the development of the system for LIPA and thereafter, facilitate

the introduction of data systems in the ministries.

Trainers (Duration, 3 years): The trainers will all be experienced human

resources professionals who had been involved in the hiring process,

design and implementation of workplace ethics, resource allocation

decisions, compensation analysis (pay scales and bonus structures),

designing and implementing benefits packages, conflict resolution,

development of job descriptions, compliance with laws affecting

employees at the work place, and safety and health issues. They will

provide training to civil servants in specific skills, watch them use these

skills, and have them repeat specific procedures until they meet the

competency standards required.

B. ApproachThe major challenges facing post civil war Liberia include fostering national integration

and identity; developing human capital; reshaping or refocusing national institutions;

and creating the required mechanisms for poverty reduction and wealth enhancement.

Through the Personnel Divisions of the sector agencies (pilots will be selected) the skills

requirements of the technical professional cadres of the agencies will be assessed. Special


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programs in the soft/technical skills will be designed and implemented.

The “Soft” Skills (sometimes called Emotional Intelligence): These skills

provide a leadership wake-up call, and enable people to handle themselves

at work and relate efficiently to the public they serve. Through the Personnel

Divisions of the sector ministries, specific courses based on the results of a needs

assessments to be conducted with focus on:

Introduction to the service or Induction: Liberia is on the verge of

emerging from a 14- year catastrophe. Reports developed by the bilateral

and multilateral agencies operating in the country speak of the complete

absence of an effective public service. It is not clear whether employees of

the various agencies are up to date with and fully understand the mission

of their agencies or whether such mission statements are available for

the guidance of the employees. This would include handbook of rules

and procedures for the service and in the case of teachers, the national

curriculum by levels, exams, syllabuses, etc. It would therefore be

necessary to conduct in-house induction courses across ministries that

would signal the dawn of a new era and feature basic information public

servants would need to understand, in order to participate, and contribute

meaningfully to the creation and promotion of this new era. Such courses

would cover topics such as: health (physical and mental) and safety,

information (introduction to computer technology) confidentiality and

security, legislation, (those relating to the agency at which the public

servant works), customer service, and work ethics. These induction

courses will be designed for all levels of the public service with specific

emphasis on the administrative and support staff.

Management Training: Soft skills for professionals and middle level

managers (Assistant Minister, Directors, area specific Professionals) will

focus on a balanced learning approach. The courses will cover:

a. Leadership and Teamwork: Styles and approaches that are

effective in the workplace of the 21st century, facilitation of


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needs assessment, identifying leaders strength and weaknesses,

understanding the mechanisms that facilitate the building and

working of teams, promotion of the concept of coexistence,

collaboration for high performance, coaching and supervisory

skills.

b. Facilitation of Team Work: Providing guidance in team

building from inception that leads to collective identification

of problems and problem solving, decision-making and

strengthening of the ability to positively face conflict and

accept challenges.

c. Performance Management: Highlighting of the techniques

for day-to-day management, formal performance evaluation

reviews, methods for the linking of rewards and recognition

with quality performance and connecting performance to

continuing education. The course enables management to

make teams aware of what is expected. The watchword: Smart

Objectives, Constructive Feedback, Continuing Education and

Improved Performance.

d. Coaching for Performance: Facilitating development of

approaches to peer coaching and review of drafts, providing

guidance for good coaching and adjustment of behavior to suit

individual and situation. The expected result: sound planning

increased productivity and performance enhancement.

e. Problem Solving: Highlighting negative and positive

behaviors and mindset and assisting individuals and teams

during the process. The focus is on ensuring that the cause of

the problem is understood and that actions taken ensure that it

will not reoccur. It emphasizes process, creativity and solution.

The Technical Skills: The Institute of Public Administration with support

from the Technical Assistance and its support institutions will develop and


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implement sector specific short term courses of four, eight, and twelve weeks.

These courses will be needs based and sector specific. They will focus on

among others: management, analysis, evaluation and monitoring, policy review,

an HIV/- AIDS capacity development course for government planners, and

computer application. It will also assist with the establishment of a Management

Information System that would promote resource exchange and sharing.

C. Methodology

Training in the Soft Skills for all categories of the civil service will be conducted for pre

-determined periods at the work place. A detailed curriculum would be developed for

each course to be offered. Developing a successful solution starts with understanding

the problems and requirements. With this knowledge, prepackaged modules covering

specific courses (see above) will be customized to produce the most effective results

within the framework of the Liberian society. Training will be hands on and will

involve course work, case studies and the review of best practices. The case studies and

examples will focus on the Liberian, African, and other relevant experiences.

The duration of the courses will range from an intensive two weeks Management

Training course to a four weeks intensive Management Information Systems

course. About 250 Assistant Ministers, Directors, Professionals, Para-Professionals,

Administrative Assistants, and Office Assistants, from the Ministries of Education,

Agriculture, Health and Public Works respectively will be expected to initially take

advantage of the training offered. Other participants in smaller quantities are expected

to come from the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs and the Civil Service

Agency. At the end of each training cycle, certificates of attendance and proficiency will

be awarded. These certificates would constitute basis for classification and/or serve as

indices for promotion and/or remuneration within the agency.

The Technical Skills training will cover area specific subjects. These will be specialized

training to enhance the performance of area specialists. It will cover such areas as


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Hospital Management, Hospital Administration, Education Project Management,

Agriculture Project Management, Project Evaluation and Appraisal, and Train-the-

Trainer. These courses will be either administered within the facilities of LIPA or

contracted to local institutions of higher learning. and would run from four to twelve

weeks. The curriculum would be based on prepackaged modules that would be acquired

and modified to include the Liberian experience. At the end of each training cycle,

the training institution and its collaborators will award certificates of attendance and

proficiency to all those who successfully attend and complete the course.

Both components of the Project would be coordinated from the same base. They will be

programmed to begin in a sequential manner allowing for the creation of an environment

conducive to training policy development and implementation, and the attracting and

retaining of skilled and experienced human capital from within the country, the Diaspora,

the region, and from institutions in other parts of the World with comparative advantage

in the capacity building and civil service reform. The intent is to direct efforts to the

building and strengthening of local institutions and facilitating full use of endogenous

capacities.

Through the use of highly skilled Diaspora consultants, coaching services would be

offered to the technocrats in the Public services. These coaches would provide on the job

training to civil servants involved in strategic planning, goals setting, mission statement

development, decentralization planning, and overall administrative reform. The coaches

would ensure that their efforts are results-based and focused on change management,

accountability, and thinking and acting to effect positive outcomes. The coaches/advisors

would seek to create an atmosphere in which public servants would seek to promote

a change oriented, reform mindset through motivation and implementation of skills

building programs.

D. Project Management: The Project will be housed in the offices of the Liberian Institute for Public Affairs,


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(LIPA). The head of the Institute will have responsibility for the daily operations of the

Project. He/She will be advised by the Principal Investigator, (Chief of Party) of the

technical team. An Inter-ministerial Steering Committee chaired by the Deputy Minister

for Policy and Planning of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Affairs would manage

the proposed project. Its membership would include the Director General Liberian

Institute for Public Administration (C0-Chairman) the Deputy Ministers for Planning and

Development of the sector ministries involved with the project, the Director General of

the National Civil Service Agency (Co-Chairman), the Director of Continuing Education

of the University of Liberia, and Deputies of institutions covered by the project. The

committee would have oversight and advisory responsibilities and would be the liaison

between the project and the Donor agency or agencies financing the various components

of the project. It would be responsible for all national policy issues and would advise the

Minister of Planning and Economic Affairs on all project activities.

The Deputy Ministers and Deputy heads of autonomous institutions implementing

interventions financed by the project would be directly responsible for the components

within their agencies and would report all progress and problems to the Inter-Ministerial

Steering Committee. Training Units based in the Personnel Divisions of the

participating ministries would constitute the frontline staff for project implementation.

The head of the division would have primary responsibility for monitoring the training of

all Directors, Professionals, and Paraprofessionals. The responsibility for monitoring the

training for all senior mangers would be vested in the Deputy Minister for Planning and

Development.

The Project Steering Committee will, under a mandate from the President of Liberia,

ensure the full attendance of all for whom training is required. Enforceable guidelines

detailing number of hours of attendance required, coaching and mentoring sessions,

permissible absences and or excuses and evaluation procedure for certification will

be developed. Targeted professionals and administrators in the public service will be

mandated to attend the courses. Enforcement of the mandate will be one of the primary

responsibilities of the Steering Committee. The Committee will also be responsible for all


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the activities of the team of consultants (Liberians and other nationals) collaborating with

the sector ministries and agencies for the implementation of the project.

Reporting: The Chief of party of the team will submit quarterly reports to the Steering

Committee detailing progress in project implementation to the quarterly meetings of

the Committee. The report will cover successes and problems encountered in project

implementation along with recommendations for solution of the problems. The report

will also cover the present status of project implementation and prospectus for achieving

project overall goals at the end of the project.

E. Duration and Work Plan

The first phase of the Project would cover a three-year span. Extension of the period of

the project would depend on several factors: the pace at which the training progresses;

collaboration of the sector Ministries and agencies; the size of the civil service; the

development, acceptance and institutionalization of the concept of Continuing Education;

the priority accorded the building of institutional capacity and staff capability by the

Liberian Government; and the availability of resources both from the Government of

Liberia and the donor community.

Accordingly, a work plan will be formulated during the development of the project that

would provide details of the first three years activities summarized as follows:

1 to 6 months: Needs Assessment and Planning At the same time, undertaking

targeted training in priority sectors in order to (1) boost skills needed

immediately and, (2) inform the planning process.

3 to 12 months: Training of Ministers, Professionals and Trainers;

6 to 36 months: Training of all other civil servants, evaluation, preparation of

future and other documentation including Project Completion Report.

F. Monitoring

The Mitchell Group, Inc in conjunction with the funding agency and the Government


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of Liberia, would monitor project activities in all of the agencies participating in

the proposed Project on a regular basis to determine the shape and focus of all sub-

components and to determine the directions of future interventions. Quality control will

be the hallmark of the process. Three types of indicators would be constantly monitored:

Inputs: The focus is on quantifiable items: number of participants by categories

of employees attending the training workshops; number of instructional modules

required for each session; etc;

Output: Number and category of civil servants trained, number of specialists

recruited and assigned, and policies developed; and

Impact: Improvement of performance; improved attendance; improved service

delivery.

Other complimentary and beneficiary assessments will be carried out to measure

program structure, procedure, delivery mechanism and reaction from the civil servants

participating in the course and, ultimately, the people who should benefit from their

enhanced performance. Additionally, outcome measures would be monitored by ad-

hoc studies, and review on a regular basis of project related data. Monitoring indicators

for quality control and project effectiveness would be developed and used to facilitate

adherence to the aims and objectives of the project. A beneficiary assessment, and follow

up tracer study would be developed to observe the graduates of the program, evaluate

the effectiveness of the program and its impact on service delivery (customer satisfaction

feedback). External evaluation of the project to determine its technical and financial

soundness would be commissioned at the end of the project.

IV. Conclusion

This proposal for Civil Service Capability Development is being presented to the

government of Liberia with the intent of working in collaboration with its leadership

in seeking funding for implementation. Additional information pertaining to

resources requirement, training content and syllabuses, and project management will


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be forthcoming once government has recognized and accepted the feasibility of the

project. The proposal will be shared with key decision makers in the new government

and dialogue generated to help move the concept forward. The need for civil servant

capability development in post civil war Liberia is readily appreciated. However, this

need for human resource development must now be given top priority as a fundamental

aspect of infrastructure reconstruction and the institutions capacity building.

V. Appendix

Contact InformationE. Othello Gongar

Telephone # 410-344-1112

Email: [email protected]

Sophie Mends-Cole Williams

Telephone # 804-241-1294


Jenkins Cooper

The Mitchell Group, Inc.

Telephone #202-745-1919 x.27



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Project Proposal for Liberia CIVIL SERVICE CAPABILITY … · 2012. 5. 14. · Project Proposal for...

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