Govt Approves Reduced Civil Servant Quota For 2022

Source: Vientiane Times

The government has approved the number of new civil servants to be hired this year, with the new quota set at 1,300.

This number is down from the quota of 1,600 new civil servants approved in 2021 and the figure of 2,000 allocated in 2020.

The new, slimmed down quota was published in a Prime Minister’s directive issued on March 17 and reflects the number of civil servants to be given positions at the central and local levels of government before July 1.

The Prime Minister’s directive assigned the Ministry of Home Affairs to coordinate the allocation of new civil servants to line ministries and government bodies.

A total of 350 civil servants will be given positions at the Ministry of Education and Sports, with 340 spots assigned specifically for teachers, while 335 people will be assigned jobs at the Ministry of Health.

These two ministries have been allocated more staff than other sectors.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will receive 35 new staff, the Ministry of Finance will get 25, and the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism will be given 22 new employees, with the remainder to be given posts in other ministries and the provinces.

Authorities will carry out checks on the management of civil servants at each ministry, to ensure that an appropriate number of staff are assigned to the sectors most in need.

The Ministry of Home Affairs was instructed to work with the officials concerned to define the needs of each sector of government, based on a new, streamlined structure as stipulated by new government guidelines.

The government has called on all departments from the central to local levels to review all of the positions currently held, identifying those that are necessary and those that are not.

The overarching objective is for government departments to be staffed with officials who are fully employed and can multi-task.

The government is attempting to restructure state organisations and increase officials’ responsibilities, saying that if one person can do more and better work it reduces state expenditure.

In 2019, 1,500 new civil servants were recruited, 2,000 in 2020, and 1,600 in 2021.

According to the Prime Minister’s directive issued on March 17, the recruitment of new civil servants must take place in an equitable and open manner.

Applicants for government positions must pass a civil service examination based on a department’s vacancies and particular needs, and be prepared to be assigned to a remote area.

Volunteers cannot become a fully-fledged civil servant without passing the exam.