Training - How important is it to serve the public

Priscilla Welikala

In the Daily News of July 31, 2009, the President “asserted that the Government’s people-centric policies in line with the Mahinda Chinthanaya policy framework would never be sacrificed in order to gain financial or other advantages. He further stated the importance of the public, State sector and private sector employees committing themselves to become active stakeholders of the country’s development process”.

This was stated when the President addressed a gathering of newly appointed graduate teachers for the Western Province. We are aware of the important role a teacher plays in the development of children. It is not only education and preparing them to get through examinations, but a more equally important role is how much they contribute to the development of their personalities to become contributing citizens of a country.

Conscious effort

The Mahinda Chinthanaya is a very important and meaningful policy declaration where prime importance is given to the individual, family and community and through this to the country as a whole. Hence it is the duty of all serving the public, whether State or private to serve with commitment and make a conscious

effort to contribute to achieving the set goals of the Government.

One very important way of effecting some positive change in those who serve the public is through Training. Training is both learning and unlearning. What we have learnt years ago, and various methods or practices we have followed may need to change to become more relevant with the changes that take place from time to time.

People’s potentials

Change is the most constant thing that happens in the world today and it happens within people and in the environment. For instance, if we look at our own country many are the changes that are taking place.

Having suppressed a reign of terror that devastated a country for over thirty years, concerted efforts are made by the present Government to develop the country. Development means not only infrastructure development, but it means the development of people, which means enhancing the potentials of people to become more enthusiastic and contributing citizens of this country. For this, those who serve the public must be both efficient and effective, keeping in mind that they have been given jobs to serve the public, and the public in turn must be satisfied with the service.

For instance the President publicly declared that there are no minorities in this country. All citizens of the country to whatever ethnic group they may belong to are Sri Lankans. This must be followed through by all of us and it will definitely lead to reviving within this country a feeling of togetherness and pride. As a nation we have much to be proud of but still quite a number of people do not believe so.

Aesthetic activities

There are remnants of ‘colonialism’ still existing and this very often retards the development of people as they are not treated with dignity. However there is a wave of nationalism and a feeling for the country being revived. In addition to the various developmental activities that are taking place in the country, feelings are highlighted through songs and other aesthetic activities. These can help to inculcate pro nationalistic feelings and develop positive attitudes towards ones own country.

Hence these revived feelings about the country should be with those who serve the public too, for their interactions with the people must be such that they are able to revive the enthusiasm of the general public too to change their paradigms to look at our country with hope and one with vast possibilities, instead of continuing to look across the seas for greener pastures as we have done for centuries. Hence the process of learning and unlearning must take place within each one of us and all training programs must give an important place in the training schedules to this area of ‘new thinking’.

Training gives knowledge and skills and helps to develop positive attitudes in workers to enhance their capacities to execute their job functions better. Training is done after identifying training needs of the prospective trainees and there are various ways this is done.

A Training need is a lack of knowledge and skills or a change in attitude that should be brought about in workers by educational techniques to make them more efficient, effective and relevant in keeping with the changes taking place in society.

Hence it is very important to meet the needs of the trainees, and in doing this, the Trainers have a very important role to play in effecting the necessary changes to provide a better service to the public. Training could be conducted as pre-service Training, In-service Training or on the job training. In addition there can be other staff development programs that could be held depending on the needs of workers.

Pre-Service training

This helps the newly recruited staff to get an orientation to their place of work, familiarize with important rules and regulations and also get to know the staff and the working atmosphere.

This can set a more conducive climate to commence working. This is done in many ways and the main objective is to make the new recruits welcomed and to make them feel that they have an important role to play in meeting the goals and objectives of the organization.

In-Service training

This is training given to the workers from time to time to enhance their job competencies. This is done after identifying their training needs. Each individual may have their special needs and in addition the supervisors may be able to identify certain areas where the workers need to improve.

It may be in the area of knowledge, skills or even attitudes. The trainers who become part of this training group have a very special role in conducting this training program. The relationship, trust and confidence the trainee builds with the Trainer helps in identifying specific training needs, as individuals or as a group and this enables the trainer to meet these needs. It is through these individual or group activities that you get the opportunity to enhance their job competencies.

In the process of training it is important to give due attention to self development of workers and give them due recognition so that they will develop confidence to actively participate in discussions.

This is really important as very often some workers do not get an opportunity to express their opinion regarding work done by them as they are expected to follow orders only. This is why Training programs should adopt participatory methodologies where active participation of trainees is ensured. It is very important to keep in mind that each trainee in the group is unique and the objective of training is to enhance their competencies as a group or individually depending on their needs.

Job training

This very often is done by Trainers as a follow up activity after Training. The workers who are at work are observed by trainers, and through individual or group sessions any shortcomings are pin pointed and alternative ways are suggested or modeled by trainers.

Follow up of trainees after training sessions are very important as the Trainers get an opportunity to meet the Supervisors and this can be an opportunity to familiarize them with the training followed by the trainees. This is important as the support of the Supervisor is very important for all workers.

Training is important for all at what ever level they may work.

At this point in time with the new changes that are taking place, it is very important to effect a paradigm shift to look at things in a positive way as Sri Lankans and become a part of the development process in the country as mentioned by the President.

This change within each one of us will definitely contribute to building a New Sri Lanka and it must be said that “ If we want we can” and this process of learning and unlearning through Training will help to serve the public better.