Some theoretical and practical issues on quality control of civil servant input in Vietnam

Strict and scientific assessment of the quality of civil servant input is a step in the recruitment process, which is very important not only for selecting competent candidates for the civil service, but also contributes to the transparency of the civil servant recruitment process. The article suggests some theoretical and practical issues on the model of assessing the quality of civil servant input in Vietnam today.

Some theoretical and practical issues on assessing the quality of civil servant input in Vietnam
General issues on assessing the quality of civil servant input.

Civil servant input

Civil service is an activity of state power. Civil service is undertaken by many agencies, organizations and individuals, most of whom are civil servants. Thus, the activities of civil servants are activities serving the state, associated with state power, limited by the Constitution, laws and following a legal order prescribed by law, with a tightly organized nature(1). With this common characteristic, in order to undertake public service activities, civil servants must have certain qualities, capacities, qualifications, and skills, and at the same time, corresponding to their duties are certain rights and obligations along with other means (as prescribed by law) for civil servants to perform public duties and assigned tasks.

These qualities, capacities, qualifications, and skills can be divided into two groups: 1) Qualities, capacities, qualifications, and skills common to all types of civil servants, such as moral qualities, political qualities, capacity to work in a public service environment, training level at a certain level, general understanding of the public service, analytical skills, information processing skills, presentation skills, communication skills in public service, skills to draft state management documents; 2) Qualities, capacities, qualifications, and specialized skills corresponding to each job position, each position, and title, such as policy advisory capacity (for senior civil servants), decision-making capacity, skills in controlling the implementation of public duties, tasks of civil servants under management, financial and asset management skills (for leadership and management positions); capacity and skills to work in areas with a large number of ethnic minorities, remote areas, border areas, islands, or in other special public service environments.

Determining the requirements for civil servants is important, because in addition to recruitment needs and staffing quotas, this is one of the bases for recruiting civil servants to corresponding job positions. To enter the civil service, an individual must participate in civil service recruitment. Civil servant recruitment is considered in two senses: 1) in a narrow sense, this is a form to select qualified people who meet the standards to start joining the civil service, becoming civil servants. Forms of civil servant recruitment that have been and are being implemented in practice are civil servant recruitment exams and selection; 2) In a broad sense, civil servant recruitment also includes forms to select a person who is a civil servant but transfers to a new job position, such as examination for promotion, consideration for transfer of rank, appointment to rank, acceptance of civil servants (2).

Corresponding to the above two senses of civil servant recruitment, it is also possible to consider civil servant input in two approaches: first, civil servant input refers to those who register for recruitment to start becoming civil servants; Second, the civil servant input will include both those who register to become civil servants and those who are civil servants but register to transfer to another job position in the civil servant job position system or cases of receiving civil servants according to the provisions of law. Thus, civil servant input is understood as individuals (who meet the conditions and standards prescribed by law) who register to take on a job position in the civil servant position and title system.

Civil servant input quality assessment

Some theoretical and practical issues on assessing the quality of civil servant input in Vietnam
General issues on assessing the quality of civil servant input

Civil servant input

Civil servant input quality assessment

Although there are different ways of expressing it, the term "quality" is used to refer to the characteristics, attributes, and qualities of the subject that meet the requirements and needs of people and distinguish that subject from other subjects. From the general perception of quality, it can be seen that the quality of civil servant input is a special type of quality - the quality of human resources, associated with the characteristics, attributes, and qualities of each person. The quality of civil servant input has the following characteristics: individualization (uniqueness), expressed in the point that each individual is a separate subject, not duplicated, not like other individuals. Differences in physical strength, age, personality, education level, training, experience, skills, needs, strengths, interests... create both individuality and diversity in recruitment sources; there are many characteristics that are difficult to quantify (political qualities, ethics, personality, psychology, skills...); always changing (can be for the better or for the worse), depending on the surrounding environment, but directly and decisively depends on the individual himself; the quality of civil servant input aims to meet and serve the requirements and needs of the civil service.

Therefore, in addition to the general requirements of human resource quality, the quality of civil servant input especially emphasizes and prioritizes criteria and standards suitable for the public service environment.

With the above characteristics, it is necessary to review, check and evaluate the suitability of the qualities and abilities of civil servant candidates compared to the conditions, standards, requirements and needs of the job position to have a basis for the civil servant recruitment agency to decide whether to recruit that candidate or not. This activity can be identified as civil servant input quality assessment. Some researchers have summarized: "Input quality assessment of civil servants is the act of civil servant recruitment agencies or independent agencies and organizations to review, evaluate and officially recognize the level of response of civil servant candidates compared to the standards of job titles and positions to be recruited" (3).

The assessment of the quality of civil servant input not only helps the recruitment agency assess the level of response of candidates compared to the standards, conditions, requirements, and needs of the recruitment position, but also has many additional values such as candidates have more information in self-assessment, determining their own qualities and abilities compared to the standards, conditions, requirements, and needs of the recruitment position, thereby making appropriate adjustments, continuing to improve their personal qualities and abilities (if they continue to wish to join the civil service). At the same time, educational, training, and fostering institutions have more basis to assess their products (learners) and thereby adjust training activities to meet the needs of the civil service; the state and society have more information about the current status of human resource quality to make appropriate adjustments to human resource development policies.

Building a common competency framework for civil servants - a premise for operating the assessment of civil servant input quality

To assess the quality of civil servant input effectively In order to achieve this, it is necessary to have a common competency framework for civil servants as a basis for assessment. Each job position has its own conditions, standards, and requirements that are appropriate to the tasks and powers of that job position. However, those job positions all have common and unified points, which are: 1) Regarding the goal of public service: serving the Fatherland, serving the People, the State; 2) Using state power to perform public duties and tasks; 3) Complying with a process and procedure prescribed by law; 4) Being subject to the control of the State and society; 5) Not for profit.

These common and unified points create a common competency framework that is required in all job positions in the public service system that civil servants need to have.

The types of competency structures that are often mentioned include:

- Professional competency structure model: includes knowledge, skills, and attitudes. In which, knowledge is the understanding and knowledge of workers related to their profession. Knowledge is acquired through learning or experiences in life and professional activities. Each person's knowledge can also be formed through education and enlightenment of professional awareness. Skills are the proficiency in applying knowledge to professional practice and skills are acquired when people repeatedly perform certain operations and activities in performing work. Attitudes are viewpoints, perceptions, and expressions through behavior in the profession and with work. Attitudes can be formed early on the basis of viewpoints and philosophies of life (4).

- Capacity structure model according to source of formation: capacity includes innate capacity (natural ability and personal characteristics), capacity acquired through the learning process (knowledge, experience and skills acquired from the learning process)(5).

- Employee capacity structure model: capacity includes general capacity and technical capacity (also known as professional capacity or functional capacity). General capacity is the capacity that all employees in the organization must have equally. Technical capacity is the capacity required according to the technical and professional requirements of each job position(6).

- Operational capacity structure model (professional capacity): includes personal capacity; social capacity; professional capacity; methodological capacity. According to the structure of professional capacity, the capacity emphasized includes the intersection of personal capacity, social capacity, methodological capacity, and professional capacity. Core competencies are understood as the blending and combination of basic competencies used in the process of professional activities (7).

In Vietnam, the common view is that the competency structure includes 03 factors: knowledge, skills, and attitudes (8). A study on the competency framework of civil servants and its application to civil servant recruitment in Vietnam (9) has shown that the quality assessment of civil servant input is carried out on the basis of the competency framework required for civil servants. The common competency framework will be used for all civil servants from central to local levels, in different fields, professions, positions, and jobs. Regarding the content and structure of the competency framework, the common competency framework for civil servants includes: core competencies; professional competencies; and management competencies.

Building a common competency framework for civil servants is an inevitable requirement. Because, through the common competency framework, the state determines the basic and minimum competencies for civil servants to be able to complete their assigned duties and tasks. The common competency framework is the basis for determining the criteria for assessing the qualities and competencies of each candidate, contributing to ensuring that the recruitment process is carried out objectively, transparently, fairly, and selects the best candidate for the job position that needs to be recruited.

Model of civil servant input quality assessment

Research shows that, in general, there are two models of civil servant input quality assessment in countries (10). The first is the centralized civil servant input quality assessment model chaired by a focal agency on human resources. This agency is responsible for all recruitment stages: posting information, receiving registrations, creating questions, grading exams, and selecting candidates for subordinate units. The second is the decentralized civil servant input quality assessment model, which is direct recruitment or recruitment by job position. Agencies are completely autonomous; when there is a need, the agency will post information on vacant positions and decide on the form of the recruitment exam. In some countries, civil servant input quality assessment combines both the centralized and decentralized models (mixed model). Each model has certain advantages and limitations.

In Vietnam, civil servant recruitment is being implemented according to a decentralized model. The competent authority for civil servant management decides on the recruitment of civil servants or delegates the recruitment of civil servants to subordinates (11). Recruitment is carried out according to the following process: round 1 - general knowledge and capacity test; round 2 - specialized professional subject test (Article 8, Decree No. 138/2020/ND-CP regulating the recruitment, management and use of cadres and civil servants).

The recruitment process according to the current model has created conditions for agencies and organizations to proactively develop plans for civil servant recruitment according to each civil servant title and organize recruitment according to regulations. The application of technology in civil servant recruitment has contributed to ensuring objectivity, fairness, transparency, and minimizing negativity in recruitment. However, this model also faces some limitations, such as the lack of a common competency framework, so the determination of civil servant input standards is unclear, leading to the assessment of the quality of "input" not being objective and scientific. The criteria for selecting civil servants are not yet attached and have not yet accurately assessed the capacity of candidates. In organizing the implementation of the recruitment exam, the content of the exam, the way of making exam questions, and the form of the exam in each ministry, branch, and locality are different, not creating a minimum common ground in recruiting civil servants. The content and time of the exam are not enough to assess the capacity of candidates. Having many recruitment periods has increased the cost of recruiting civil servants and at the same time contains the potential for many risks. The development of a mechanism and model for assessing the quality of civil servant input has been determined in Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW dated May 19, 2018 of the 7th Central Conference, term XII on focusing on building a team of cadres at all levels, especially at the strategic level, with sufficient qualities, capacity and prestige, equal to the task of "Unifying the assessment of the quality of civil servant input so that localities, agencies and units can select and recruit according to requirements and tasks; at the same time, studying the decentralization of assessment according to specific fields and regions". Accordingly, the decentralization of assessment by specific field and by region and area can be applied to a number of specific job positions in the system of civil servant positions and titles (civil servants working in agencies and units of the People's Army who are not officers, professional soldiers, or defense workers; in agencies and units of the People's Public Security who are not officers, non-commissioned officers serving under the professional regime, or police workers; civil servants who are ethnic minorities).

On the other hand, when applying a unified assessment method with the following contents: unifying the common competency framework for job positions (except for specific positions) as a basis for developing criteria for assessing the qualities and abilities of candidates; unifying the agency/organization performing the task of assessing input quality; unifying the form of organizing input quality assessment; unifying the periodic assessment time (number of assessments/year); unifying the question bank/exam bank; Unify the management of information and input quality assessment data; the assessment results are shared for all recruitment positions (except for specific positions) so that candidates can use these assessment results to participate in the second round of recruitment.

This proposed model will solve the following problems: ensure the creation of a minimum level of civil servant quality in the civil service; evaluate the qualities and abilities of candidates more objectively, accurately, and fairly, helping recruitment agencies (round 2) select candidates suitable for the job positions that need to be recruited; minimize costs in the recruitment process and other risks; resolve the relationship between the general (round 1) and the specific (round 2), the common and the specific in the recruitment process.

In controlling the quality of civil servant input, it is necessary to have a common competency framework for civil servants as a basis for building a question bank/exam to serve the assessment of civil servant input quality; Build a question bank/exam that meets assessment requirements.

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Notes:

(1) Luong Thanh Cuong, Some theoretical issues on the legal system of public service and civil servants, Political Theory Publishing House, Hanoi, 2011, p.32.

(2),(11) Law on Cadres and Civil Servants 2008 (amended and supplemented in 2019).

(3),(10) Dang Xuan Hoan (head), Grassroots-level scientific topic: "Research on the model of assessing the quality of civil servant input in some countries in the world", chaired by the National Academy of Public Administration, accepted in 2020.

(4),(5),(6),(7),(9) Nguyen Thi Hong Hai (head), Grassroots-level scientific topic: "Research on the competency framework of civil servants and its application to civil servant recruitment in Vietnam", chaired by the National Academy of Public Administration, accepted in 2020.

(8) Regulation No. 89/QD-TW dated August 4, 2017 of the Central Executive Committee on Regulations on the framework of title standards, orientation of the framework of criteria for evaluating leaders and managers at all levels; Circular No. 02/TT-BNV dated June 11, 2021 of the Minister of Home Affairs stipulating codes, professional standards, skills and salary scales for civil servant ranks specializing in administration and civil servant ranks specializing in clerical work; a number of Decisions of the Minister of Home Affairs on promulgating training programs according to rank standards (for specialists, senior specialists, senior specialists; for leaders and managers at department level and equivalent, district level and equivalent, department level and equivalent, department level and equivalent).

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Luong Thanh Cuong - Deputy Director of the National Academy of Public Administration

Source: tcnn.vn