Strengthening the State Civil Service’s preparations for SCORE
When it comes to the economic transformation of the country, having the right policies in place is fundamental in ensuring the effectiveness of the development process. Often Government officers are the main driving force and the crucial decision-makers of policies that produce great impact.
One of the Government’s recent efforts to strengthen the State Civil Service – particularly in terms of skills in policy formation and implementation – is by enrolling eligible officers in the Master of Policy Sciences programme.
“We have to push the State towards achieving a ‘developed nation’ status and this Master of Policy Sciences should enhance the quality of the civil service,” said Chief Minister YAB Pehin Sri Haji Abdul Taib Mahmud when launching the programme in September, this year.
Back in 1998, Centre for Modern Management (CMM) collaborated with Australia’s Curtin University of Technology to produce the first batch of graduates from the original Master of Policy Sciences programme, with a total enrolment of 22 government officials. This year Curtin University chose its Sarawak campus to launch their new Masters programme, which was specifically designed for locals. It is the first of its kind in Sarawak, where content and case study of the course are based on related cases in Sarawak.
The current Masters Programme started on September 10th, 2011, with a total enrolment of 23 students from various Government departments. This programme consists of 12 modules, which students will need to complete within two years or six semesters.
Classes are conducted over weekends, at CMM in Kuching. Students will need to present their thesis paper based on the actual case or requirements of each respective department.
To ensure the success of Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE), civil servants will need to equip themselves with the right skills and knowledge in order to effectively carry out their responsibilities. Government officers, who are enrolled in the programme, will gain diversified knowledge – from organisational management to public sector marketing and economics, and an introduction to research methods, as well.
Classes such as Human Resource Management (International) provides civil servants with the opportunity to explore issues related to human resource management needs of international and multi-national enterprises. It also explores aspects of international human resource management activities such as staffing the organisation, employee development, appraisals, compensation, and the processes of expatriating and repatriating staff.
Other courses like Public Sector Marketing provide officers with theoretical and conceptual frameworks to develop a social marketing programme. This will help them to better understand the various means, which public sector organisations employ to bring about satisfaction through the benefits and values of the products and services that it offers to its stakeholders.
In terms of the milestones, which the State has embarked on to fulfil the needs and requirements of SCORE, courses such as this are essential in preparing the civil service for the challenges, which its officers will be facing in the future.
