…..as Institute seeks partnership with FUOYE, NBTE Accreditation
As part of its relentless propulsion to provide contemporary capacity-building training programs, by re-skilling and re-stooling efforts in human capital development, the Ondo State Government, through Public Service Training Institute (PSTI) has launched the commencement of intensive, innovative, and integral management courses for its executive members to fast drive best workforce practices in the state.
The Flag-off ceremony of the Institute’s newly introduced programmes was held at PSTI, Ilara-Mokin on Thursday July 28, 2022.
The two programmes being launched are Executive Management Course for Education Managers (for Education Officers & Teachers); and Executive Management Course in Public Sector Management (for other public servants).
Speaking at the event, the Ondo State Head of Service, Pastor John Adeniran Adeyemo, disclosed that the current downturn in the productivity index across Nigeria today suggested that training and re-training are necessary to fill identified knowledge gaps within public service so that they can level up with the best practices globally.
“There is a saying that, you must perspire to aspire otherwise you will expire. For us not to expire as civil servants, we must continue to improve ourselves on the daily basis.”
He acknowledged the programme as being essential because it is coming up at a time when the public sector needs a lot of revamping to make it align with the ongoing reform in the state as well as comply with global best practices.
“You will recall that early in the year, Mr. Governor hosted a retreat for political office holders as well as accounting officers in Owo, Ondo State and one of the focal points of that retreat was how to develop the capacities of the public servants and that of the personnel of Ondo State Public Service Training Institute, Ilara-Mokin.
“There was a government circular on the need for Officers to acquire additional qualifications before they can move beyond grade level 13, government however reconsidered its stand to provide leeway for workers to continue to earn their preferment as and when due by Introducing flexible training programs through the PSTI.”
Mr. Adeyemo added that education advancement and preferment was a dream of every progressive-minded person in any establishment and for this reason, he urged the people to endeavor to put all hands on deck to ensure a smooth sail of the programmes.
He stressed the need for trainees to put knowledge acquired to use in their various workplaces to promote competencies and productivity within the state public service.
The Permanent Secretary/Director-General of the Public Service Training Institute, (PSTI) Prophet Ekpobomini Baptist Jide also disclosed that the PSTI as a training Institute was conceived and patterned after the Lagos Business School (LBS), Centre for Management Development (CMD), Ghana Institute of Management & Public Administration (GIMPA) and other notable training Institutes across the globe with the agenda to equip the top hierarchy of the state public service with the needed capacity and certification that will upscale their performance as well as preferment on the job.
“The two programmes we are presenting today are to provide intervention in terms of additional qualifications and provide a rejigging in the knowledge base, competencies, and productivities of public servants in the state.
“Considering the current situation in the tertiary institutions today, our amiable Head of Service gave his nod to the programmes to ease the quest of public servants in search of additional qualifications through the Nigeria Universities where there are no smooth academic calendars.
“The programmes are therefore tailored towards the needs of officers at management levels and beyond, having considered the identified knowledge gaps within the public service of Ondo State. The programme will run in two batches per year for six months each.”
While appreciating the State Government for its huge investment in PSTI, the DG revealed that the institute is currently seeking accreditations with the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), for Diploma programmes and the Centre for Management Development (CMD), for Management and Executive training.
“Actions are also on top gear to firm up a partnership through a memorandum of understanding with the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE). We believe that with the existing facilities in PSTI, the accreditation process upon completion, and the various affiliation processes, we are on course to bring about national quality and recognition to the Institute and the state at large.
“I, therefore, want us to see ourselves as stakeholders in the PSTI project, such that through our valuable contribution, training, and retraining, we will together establish an institutional framework that will drive the PSTI for the betterment of all of us as well as the entire workforce of the state. I am quite sure that the impact of this programme on the participants will be more than the reason for the conceptualization of the programme.
He expressed his profound gratitude to the Governor of Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu SAN, and the Head of Service, Pastor John Adeniran Adeyemo for their gracious approval of the programmes.
The Management of the Ondo State Public Service Training Institute, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), and other renowned stakeholders graced the occasion.
