29 Jul 2013

Directorate of Public Service Management Director, Mr Carter Morupisi has urged public servants to be time conscious and adhere to good work ethics.

Mr Morupisi was speaking at a meeting called by President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama to appreciate challenges faced by public servants in the Okavango Sub-district last week. Mr Morupisi who expressed disappointment at some employees who arrived late at the meeting said time keeping was vital.

“You have proved to me that you are not time conscious and that is a reflection of what is happing in your respective offices”, he added. He urged public servants to stop the habit of late coming noting that service delivery should also be done timely and effectively. Mr Morupisi said they should work on their response time as the public expectation needed to be satisfied.

He encouraged civil servants to be disciplined and strive to be excellent in their service delivery. On other issues, he urged employees to understand their rights and differentiate politics from their office duties. He said those interested in politics should resign in the public service and join politics, adding that civil servants should guard against politicians who would like to win their hearts by encouraging petty things.

Earlier on, employees of the Ministry of Education and Skills Development appreciated efforts done by the ministry to improve some of the working conditions. They appreciated the introduction of information and technology services in schools, incentives for teachers in remote areas such as provision of 19kg cylinders, renovation of classrooms and staff houses.

Employees also indicated that the management structure had been improved. They commended the director of education in the Ngamiland District for transparency and considering teachers’ welfare as a priority.

They said some challenges that hindered performance were lack of electricity in some schools, delay in payment of claims and some structures which they said showed defects within a period of time after completion. They also said there was need for an administration block at Mohembo Primary School

Responding to their concerns, Mr Morupisi said the government had resolved that where there was electricity all government departments should be connected. Regarding payment of level of operation, the Minister of Education and Skills and Development, Dr Pelonomi Venson-Motoi informed them that the ministry had not been able to pay all the affected employees by the end of July 2013.

She said they had 26 000 teachers and the payments were delayed by the lengthy process of verifying submissions from schools and regions against the payroll.

She said the ministry has apologised for any inconvenience caused and assured them that some of the affected teachers will all be paid.  ENDS