Minister of Home Affairs Pham Thi Thanh Tra: Millions of civil servants and public employees will have less burden of certificates

Study hard, take the test hard

The public and the civil servants and public employees (especially teachers) are very excited and especially support the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs to reduce 17 training certificates according to civil servant rank standards and 87 training certificates according to civil servant professional title standards. Why did the Ministry boldly make such a bold proposal, Minister?

Recently, the press has reflected many "cries" from civil servants about the difficulties and inadequacies of the regulations on the use of certificates of training in professional title standards and other training certificates for civil servants, especially for teachers at public training institutions when taking exams for promotion and appointment to professional title ranks of civil servants.

Based on the practical requirements of innovation in management and use, especially innovation in the content and form of training and fostering of civil servants and public employees, the Prime Minister has requested the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate with specialized management ministries to synthesize and review all regulations on certificates for civil servants and public employees.

Through the synthesis and general assessment of ministries, branches and public opinion, the Ministry of Home Affairs found that there are some limitations and shortcomings. For example, there is overlap and duplication in the content and training programs for teachers as prescribed by the Ministry of Education and Training.

Regarding this, recently, the Ministry of Education and Training has reviewed and proposed amending regulations on training certificates for teachers in the direction of reducing administrative procedures, improving the quality of the team and not creating pressure on teachers.

The review and proposal to reduce training certificates is carried out for all majors. For the civil servant sector, the proposal to reduce more is because the requirements for the nature of professional activities between professional titles in the same major are similar.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Home Affairs proposed to reduce 17 training certificates according to civil servant rank standards and 87 training certificates according to civil servant professional title standards.

When the Ministry reported these proposals to the Prime Minister, what feedback did the Ministry receive from the head of the Government as well as the opinions of Government members?

The Prime Minister's viewpoint in education and training is to "study for real, take real exams, and have real talent"; officials and civil servants must work effectively, fight formalism, avoid showing off, and not be complacent or complacent. Therefore, the head of the Government is very interested in this content and requested the Ministry to review and boldly make proposals.

However, synthesizing and reviewing all types of certificates for civil servants and public employees in the entire system is a large amount of work, requiring carefulness and objectivity in analysis, evaluation, and judgment to make recommendations.

In fact, recently, a number of ministries and branches have also reviewed and proposed to reduce specialized certificates such as: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development issued Circular No. 18/2020, which does not stipulate foreign language and information technology certificates. The Ministry of Information and Communications is also seeking opinions to amend regulations on content, form of examination and promotion for editors and reporters...

Our Ministry of Home Affairs is also developing a Circular regulating the standards, conditions, content and form of examination or promotion of professional titles of specialized Archives officers, also in the direction of reducing many certificates.

We believe that with the truly close and decisive direction of the head of the Government for the common goal of building and improving the quality of civil servants and public employees, and the proposals of the Ministry of Home Affairs all stemming from practical requirements, the Ministries and branches will actively support.

This person, that person's feelings are inevitable.

Talking about eliminating and reducing certificates is a long story that touches the interests of many parties. So in the process of reviewing to make this proposal, did the ministry encounter any difficulties or barriers, Minister?

The Ministry of Home Affairs did not encounter any difficulties or barriers in making proposals, and even received attention and encouragement from leaders, especially the Prime Minister.

As for the benefits, frankly speaking, it affects the revenue of training and education institutions that issue degrees and certificates. Therefore, it is inevitable that some people have different opinions.

But this is an issue that directly affects millions of people and is related to the way of managing and using the staff and civil servants. Therefore, we must be determined to cut down on inappropriate certificates, to reduce the "burden" on civil servants and public employees on the one hand; and to innovate the way of managing and using the staff and civil servants to be more practical and scientific on the other hand.

However, I think there is no need to worry too much if these units change and transform themselves, aiming at the quality and needs of those being trained and educated.

In other words, learners will not be required to study for certificates, but training and education institutions must find out for themselves what kind of officials, civil servants, and public employees agencies and organizations need to meet their requirements; what knowledge and skills do officials, civil servants, and public employees need to meet the requirements of their job positions.

In my opinion, training institutions must have a form of service provision, build appropriate training programs. Learning and granting certificates must be the personal needs of each employee to meet the requirements of their work. Only then will it be suitable for a socialist-oriented market economy, in accordance with the law of supply and demand.

Because this is a sensitive issue, many opinions believe that if certificates can be eliminated or reduced as proposed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, this will not only be a breakthrough in administrative procedure reform but also an important change in the method of managing and using the team of cadres and civil servants. What does the Minister think about this opinion?

Since taking on the position of Minister, I have always been conscious of inheriting and promoting the achievements of previous generations. What other Ministers have done well, I will continue to preserve and promote, what is being done unfinished, I will continue to carry out, and new tasks that arise, I will strive to complete.

Promoting administrative procedure reform and reducing procedures for diplomas and certificates is a common task of ministries, branches and localities.

However, with the responsibility of being the standing agency of the Government on administrative reform and performing the task of state management of cadres, civil servants and public employees, the Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to research and propose to the Government and the Prime Minister breakthrough solutions on mechanisms and methods of management and use of cadres, civil servants and public employees.

These tasks aim at a common goal of building a team of cadres, civil servants and public employees with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige to meet the requirements of tasks in the new situation.

It must be affirmed that reducing some types of certificates does not mean reducing the requirements for improving the capacity and qualifications of the team, but rather requires innovation in the content, programs, and forms of training and fostering for civil servants and public employees to be more substantial, directly serving the work, and meeting the requirements of the job position.

This does not mean that training and development for civil servants and public employees will no longer be carried out.

Therefore, the problem here is that public service units assigned to train and foster civil servants and public employees of ministries and branches need to promptly innovate the method of organizing training courses, fostering and improving the quality of the teaching staff to meet the requirements in the new situation.