Back to Basics



Government revives mandatory public service training to improve service delivery

By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 – 28-07-2026 - Government has revived mandatory public service training and certification as part of efforts to strengthen professionalism, improve accountability and enhance service delivery across the public sector.

Secretary to the Cabinet Patrick Kangwa represented by Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Administration)  Dr. Oliver Kalabo at the stakeholder Engagement and Communication/Media Breakfast at the Southern Sun Hotel this morning that the move was aimed at rebuilding the public service training system, which had weakened over the years, resulting in declining standards and slower service delivery in some institutions.

Speaking during the Stakeholder Engagement and Communication Breakfast in Lusaka on Tuesday, Mr Kangwa said Government had restored the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA)'s statutory mandate and was systematically rebuilding the country's public service training architecture through a series of reforms.


Mr Kangwa said the restoration of mandatory public service training was critical because Zambia's public service had previously earned a reputation for discipline, competence and professionalism through structured induction, foundation training and mentorship programmes before officers were confirmed in service.

He said the gradual weakening of that system had left visible gaps in service delivery, prompting Government to undertake deliberate reforms aimed at restoring high professional standards across the public service.

Mr Kangwa said Government had introduced three key instruments to drive the reforms: the Zambia Public Service Change Management Framework, the Public Service Competence Development and Certification Strategy, and the Zambia Public Service Delivery Curriculum and Toolkit.

He said the frameworks were designed as self-paced learning programmes to strengthen discipline within the public service while re-establishing the link between training, probation, confirmation in service and career progression.

Mr Kangwa expressed Government's appreciation to cooperating partners, including GIZ, Delivery Associates and Zanga Metrics, for their technical, material and financial support, saying their contribution had been instrumental in strengthening institutional capacity and advancing the public service reform agenda.

He said the partnerships had supported key initiatives, including NIPA's benchmarking visit to the National Institute of Public Administration and Management in Namibia, which would help improve the quality of public service training in Zambia.

Mr Kangwa said NIPA had inducted more than 2,000 professionals over the past year, including immediate past Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and non-accounting staff from the Ministry of Education, reflecting the progress already made in rebuilding capacity within the public service.

He said with the General Election scheduled for August 13, 2026, similar induction and capacity-building programmes would be required to prepare the next cohort of public office bearers and senior public servants.

Mr Kangwa said Government expected greater accountability from all public service workers and looked forward to improved, efficient and citizen-centred service delivery as the training and certification programmes were rolled out across the public service.


He urged Government institutions, NIPA and cooperating partners to continue working together, saying transforming public service delivery required the collective efforts of all stakeholders to build a professional, competent, ethical and responsive public service that meets the needs of citizens and restores public confidence in State institutions.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bishops Decry DEC Summons

Image
ZCCB Warns Against Using State Institutions to Silence Church Leaders By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24  --- (3-01-2026) - The Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops (ZCCB) has condemned in the strongest terms the Drug Enforcement Commission’s (DEC) summons of Lusaka Archbishop Alick Banda, describing it as a brazen attempt to intimidate the Church and silence its voice on governance. ZCCB President Archbishop Ignatius Chama said in a statement that the Bishops stand in unwavering solidarity with Archbishop Banda, who is scheduled to appear before the Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit of the DEC on 5 January 2026.  The summons, delivered on 31 December 2025, comes amid a wave of public attacks and derogatory remarks against the Archbishop. The Bishops labelled the DEC action as unmistakably state-sponsored harassment, designed to punish Archbishop Banda for speaking truth to power and holding the government accountable.  Bishop Chama warned that weaponizing state institut...
Read more

Opposition Meets ECZ Over Voter Concerns

Image
Lungu says the Dialogue focused on transparency and voter registration ahead of 2026 polls. By Francis Maingaila Lusaka, Zambia24 -- (October 25, 2025) -- Leaders from the United Opposition Front (UOF) have met with the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) to discuss concerns surrounding voter registration and other electoral matters ahead of the 2026 general election. The meeting, held at the ECZ Headquarters in Lusaka, brought together opposition parties including The Zambia We Want, the Socialist Party, and the United Liberal Party among others. It was chaired by the ECZ Chairperson and attended by senior officials from the Commission. Speaking shortly after the meeting, Muhabi Lungu, Secretary General of The Zambia We Want, said the engagement was constructive and aimed at promoting transparency and mutual trust between the Commission and political parties.  “We met with the ECZ to share our concerns, particularly on voter registration, and to discuss how we can ensure the process ...
Read more

Consortium Challenges Health Bill

Image
Health groups reject reforms, warn against increased private sector influence in regulation, call for revisions to protect integrity of health regulation and demand meaningful consultation and representation By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia — (13/04/2026) A consortium of seven health professional associations representing over 86 percent of Zambia’s regulated health workforce has challenged the proposed Health Professions (Amendment) Bill No. 23 of 2026, rejecting the reforms and warning that they risk increasing private sector influence, undermining regulatory integrity and excluding practitioners from meaningful participation. Speaking during a joint media briefing, Clinical Officers’ Association of Zambia (COAZ) Secretary General Dr. Musonda Kamfwa said the consortium opposes the bill in its current form because it seeks to alter the governance structure of the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ) by reducing the role of health professionals while expanding non-practit...
Read more