The government has rolled out a series of mandatory in-service training programmes for public service officers across all cadres, in a move aimed at enhancing skills, ethics and efficiency within the public sector.
The programme will be a compulsory requirement for career progression, with officers expected to complete specific modules at designated stages in their careers.
In a letter dated May 13, 2025, Public Service Commission CEO Paul Famba said the decision was acknowledged by the Cabinet sitting on January 21, 2025.
“The Cabinet directed that the prioritised in-service training programs, including the Strategic Leadership Development Programme (SLDP), Senior Management Course (SMC), Supervisory Skills Development Course (SSDC), and the Induction Course, be made mandatory for all staff in the Public Service,” Famba said.
Following the Cabinet’s directives, the PSC wrote the letter, guiding that all mandatory in-service programmes for all serving officers be observed as per the requirements of the various career guidelines.
This is including SLDP course for officers seeking promotion to posts above Job Group 'P' (CSG’7), the four-week SMC course for promotion to Job Group 'N'('CSG 8') and the two-week SSDC for promotion to Job Group 'L' ('CSG9').
“Masters degree will remain a requirement for all Director positions or all positions graded at CSG 5 and above,” Famba added.
He directed that any officer who has moved to a higher grade without having undertaken the requisite training for that grade shall be given a moratorium of two years from May 13, 2025, to comply.
He noted that the PSC in a 2020 circular suspended the SLDP and Masters degree as parameters for promotion of public officers to senior positions.
Famba said the government acknowledged a noticeable skill and competency gap among officers at all levels, which negatively impacted service delivery.
This had been further exacerbated by the suspension of the mandatory in-service training programmes.
In the cited circular of March 11, 2020, it stated that the Commission had noted that some of the requirements for promotion may not have been facilitating acquisition of the envisaged skills, competencies and other attributes required at the higher levels.
The Commission appreciates the need for competency based programs for facilitating performance, productivity and a more citizen centric Service.
In this regard, the Commission has commissioned a study to evaluate the relevance and suitability of existing promotion courses in equipping Public Servants with the necessary skills, competencies and attributes.
Undertaking a transformation agenda, the Commission replaced Schemes of Service with Career Progression Guidelines including the requirements of the SLDP and Masters Degree as parameters for promotion of public officers to senior positions.
“In the meantime, promotion of public officers will be based on requisite experience and individual performance,” the 2020 circular read.
“However, a Masters degree will remain a requirement for all Director Positions or all positions graded at CSG 5 and above”.
