NATIONAL SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT

NATIONAL SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT Celebrates 10th Anniversary

The National School of Government (NSG) turned 10 years old on 21 October 2023. The NSG came into existence following the proclamation by the President of the Republic of South Africa which made provision for the Public Administration Leadership and Management Academy (PALAMA) to be substituted by the NSG and for the NSG to remain a national department, under the political leadership of the Ministry for Public Service and Administration (MPSA).

In the 2013/2014 NSG Annual Report, then Minister for the Public Service and Administration (MPSA), the late Mr Collins Chabane said: “It is our firm view that this School will be the central pillar in professionalising the public service for higher productivity, be an engine of innovation in public service, and mobilise thought, best practice and optimal use of resources to ensure demonstrable return on investment”.

The NSG has scored several achievements in the past 10 years. The institution has delivered training reaching more than 526 000 participants, generating revenue from course fees of more than R1 billion. The past three years since 2020 have been a period of renewal and repositioning. The NSG adopted a five-year strategic plan in 2020, which has been implemented with good results, making the NSG the fastest growing school of government in the African continent. It has become a highly regarded Education, Training and Development (ETD) institution within the public sector, with a growing reputation as a platform for thought leadership and robust engagement and debates within government and academia.

The NSG continues to register good progress and impressive performance on its mandate. Since the commencement of the current strategic period from 2020/21, a total of 208 818 learners were trained. The 2022/23 Annual Report indicates that a total of 78 720 learners were trained against a pre-determined target of 40 460. This performance translates to an achievement of 195%. The NSG also continues to ensure good governance and financial management, with unqualified and clean audits being registered in consecutive years.

The NSG has also proven to be resilient during difficult times. Through innovation and agility, the School overcame the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic lockdown that was declared in March 2020 caused booking cancellations and a low uptake of courses. The NSG COVID-19 response plan prioritised digital and online learning interventions as well as the installation and application of digital tools such as MS Teams and Zoom.

The NSG saw an unprecedented number of online enrolments for eLearning courses. For the period April 2020 to December 2021, 123,000 learners enrolled for the eLearning courses.

Over the last three years alone, there has been eLearning enrolments of more than 194 000 learners. The work of the NSG has also been enhanced by the decision by the sixth administration to make building a capable, ethical and developmental state the number one priority amongst seven priorities outlined in the 2019-2024 Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF). The MTSF states that a capable, ethical and developmental state underpins all seven priorities of the MTSF and calls for a vision of strong leadership, a focus on people and improved implementation capability.

The President of the Republic outlined the role of the NSG in achieving these goals. In his weekly newsletter, from the Desk of the President in January 2020 as follows:

“A capable state starts with the people who work in it. Officials and managers must possess the right financial and technical skills and other expertise. We are committed to end the practice of poorly qualified individuals being parachuted into positions of authority through political patronage. There should be consequences for all those in the public service who do not do their work. Through the ongoing and focused training of civil servants, the National School of Government will be playing a greater role in providing guidance for career development.”

The NSG, led by the Minister for the Public Service and Administration, embarked on the 10th Year Anniversary milestone through a celebratory event to further enhance the NSG brand. The week long celebrations marked the key achievements of the NSG and also communicated the strategic direction of the NSG and its future positioning.