Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...
Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...
Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...
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Stefan Leiderer et al.<br />
interviewed had received training, but felt insufficiently prepared to actually<br />
produce and submit ABB budgets on time. The quality of capacity development<br />
measures is furthermore compromised by the fact that many capacitybuilding<br />
measures are primarily aimed at training individuals instead of<br />
building sustainable capacity of public institutions. In addition, training content<br />
is sometimes poorly adapted to practical working situations most civil<br />
servants face.<br />
The same applies to elected councillors, who frequently have low levels of<br />
academic attainments and cannot provide policy direction. Training programmes<br />
<strong>for</strong> elected assembly members on PFM issues are thus often inadequate<br />
(GFA 2005, 33).<br />
The described shortcomings in professional training and capacity development<br />
<strong>for</strong> key PFM processes and tools complicate the implementation of<br />
re<strong>for</strong>ms, new policies, and innovative PFM tools.<br />
Long and unpredictable recruitment process<br />
Not only is the recruitment process of senior staff both in central and local<br />
government institutions in Malawi not strictly based on merit criteria, but it is<br />
also often long and unpredictable. Although there are plans to decentralise<br />
some of the recruitment procedures, 27 the recruitment system is still very<br />
centralised and bureaucratic. Central government entities hire key executive<br />
staff <strong>for</strong> local government. Different service commissions are in charge of<br />
recruiting candidates <strong>for</strong> vacancies. Lower level staff are employed directly at<br />
the local entities, <strong>for</strong> example, district secretariats.<br />
Many interview partners, especially at district level, claim that they do not<br />
know when key positions are going to be filled. The mechanisms and progress<br />
of ongoing recruitment processes do not seem to be well communicated<br />
and transparent to local staff and assembly members. The lack of communication<br />
combined with the limited supply of qualified candidates <strong>for</strong> key administrative<br />
functions on the labour market, leads to uncertainty regarding<br />
human resource planning. It also makes the distribution of tasks and respon-<br />
27 It remains to be seen whether this still holds true in view of recent institutional changes, in<br />
particular with regard to the role of district commissioners having been made controlling<br />
officers.<br />
94 German Development <strong>Institut</strong>e