From now on, govt officers to get training as per rank, duty

The government is going to implement rank and responsibility-based training for its employees and make it mandatory for government officers to attend their recommended training.

In the past, deputy secretaries, senior secretaries, and joint secretaries used to join equal training programmes.

Additionally, government employees will have the chance to pursue higher education including Master's, MPhil, and PhD programs both at home and abroad.

Last July, the Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification regarding the "Public Administration Training and Higher Education Policy-2023".

Md Sahiduliah, additional secretary from the Ministry of Public Administration's Career Planning and Training Division, said the policy includes various topics aligned with the country's socioeconomic progress and incorporates online training and education courses in response to the Covid pandemic.

"The new policy aims to enhance productivity through skill development and create a favourable environment for achieving the government's development goals," he said.

"Now, it is allowed to pursue a Master's degree abroad, previous multiple master's degrees instead. However, as per employment rules, there is an option to comply with multiple master's at home," the additional secretary also said. 

Training precondition for promotion

Cadre officers must undergo training for their promotion.  Deputy Secretaries must attend a 10-week Advanced Course on Administration and Development (ACAD), including a 10-day overseas training. Other cadre or service-level officers may also be included in this training if deemed necessary.

Joint Secretaries are required to attend an 8-week Senior Staff Course (SSC) for further promotion, while additional secretaries will participate in policy planning and management courses. All civil service cadres and non-cadre employees must attend the relevant job training. Failure to participate without a valid reason will result in departmental action.

Training mandatory for jobs permanent

To ensure permanent employment, employees must successfully complete training within two years of joining. Failure to do so without a valid reason may result in dismissal. If a cadre employee fails basic training, they will have one more chance to attend.

General basic training lasts six months, while special basic training for non-cadre recruits takes a minimum of two months and is tailored to local administration and rural communities.

Areas prioritised for training

Special importance will be given to training in 26 areas, which should be seriously considered in the development of training programmes by the ministries.

Subjects of training include the origin and basic structures of the state, Liberation war, and history of Bangladesh, development aspirations and state plans, Literature and culture, Good governance, Administrative and financial management, Human resource development and management, Public service development, Supervision and inspection, evaluation, and research, International relations, Development economics, Information and communication technology, and blue economy.

"Each ministry will open a separate department for training," Md Shahidullah said, adding that demands for training from ministries have been collected. The areas of training have been set based on their demands.

Higher study during service tenure

An officer will be allowed to pursue Master's and PhD degrees only once. Three years for a Master's or MPhil degree and five years for PhD. A government officer is eligible for five years of deputation with a salary.

A government employee is allowed to attend a Master's course only once on deputation or study leave. Similarly, pursuing only MPhil or PhD degrees can also happen once during their service tenure. The maximum duration for participation in a diploma course is limited to 12 months.

If an employee decides to pursue higher education abroad, they are required to complete the course within the timeframe specified in the offer letter. In unavoidable situations, extensions may be granted, but they are subject to specific limits: up to six months for Master's courses, up to one year for MPhil and PhD courses, and up to three months for diploma courses. 

Additional Secretary Md Sahidullah said the final decision on higher education subjects will consider both the government's requirements and the officer's preferences.

"Upon completing the education, the employee will be promoted accordingly, with a focus on applying the newly acquired knowledge to practical use in their role," he added.

Policy Dialogue 

The Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre (BPATC) or BCS Administration Academy plans to conduct at least one annual Policy Dialogue. This event will be open to government, private, and government-related international organisations.

No funding will be accepted from private entities or individuals to avoid conflicts of interest. However, participation in these events is allowed if funded by international inter-state organisations, research institutes, or universities and based on invitations.