Friday, October 19, 2007 Editorials: Expenses for seminars, conferences
EARLY this week, the Department of Education (DepEd) ordered the cutting down of budgetary expenses on seminars, conferences and trainings.
The policy has been long in coming, not just in the DepEd but also in other government offices.
Government has spent millions of pesos annually for these activities, all for the purpose of supposedly enriching and upgrading the skills, intellectual quality, and competence of its workers.
But there is need to determine whether the results justify the cost.
Necessity
When a government agency prepares its annual budget, one activity that necessitates funding is personnel development.
A government worker needs to grow, too, not only in administrative skills but also in public service outlook.
It is important for workers in government to widen the reach of his or her creative vision, particularly on matters that demand a measure of dedication to one’s assigned tasks, compassion for the people and commitment to the public office.
These basic “virtues” desired from those who belong in the public service are not innate but acquired through seminars and trainings.
Cost analysis
But the cost for attaining these refinements is decidedly enormous and needs constant result evaluation and cost analysis.
Does the participants truly benefit from them? Is the expense-results equation in the government’s favor?
Answers to these questions are important to justify the yearly government expense on personnel development.
The regional director of DepEd Central Visayas said that he had submitted to the office of the education secretary suggestions “to reduce the high cost of DepEd officials’ participation in national events.”
He said there is always a national affair where the office has to send participants.
This does not only mean huge expenses but is also eating up class time, affecting student education.
Savings
Thus, there is soundness in setting up reasonable guidelines in allowing DepEd to undertake seminars and trainings for its key personnel, or in allowing its officials and staff to attend such gathering.
The secretary has directed DepEd units to recommend for approval only “those that directly promote the interest of the department.”
Indeed, think of how many millions of pesos could be saved this way.
