Own internal assessors for Dubai govt depts
A total of 237 employees representing over 29 government bodies on Thursday graduated in a programme offered by the Dubai Government Excellence Programme (DGEP) which is taking a quantum leap in assessing outstanding government performance.
Clearing 13 intensive courses over the period from May 2010 to June 2011, the graduates have had their skills and experience honed to autonomously boost excellence in the government of Dubai. The honourees have now become internal assessors for excellent performance in their respective departments.
Abdulla Al Shaibani, Secretary-General of the Dubai Executive Council and Chairman of the DGEP, said the 13 intensive courses, five days each, on ‘Internal Assessor of Government Excellence’ are meant to attain and enhance excellence among all Dubai government employees.
“The 237 successful internal assessors have become able to independently spotlight the strengths and weaknesses in their departments in view of international excellence benchmarks.”
Al Shaibani said the DGEP adopts the latest global initiatives and modules in government management in a bid to develop the performance of the government sector in the emirate.
Ahmed Al Nuseirat, Coordinator-General of the DGEP, told Khaleej Times that the training workshops organised as part of the 13 courses helped these graduates to be internal assessors in government departments and would qualify them to become external assessors in the future.
“The new system further assists government bodies to map their internal development activities for corporate excellence that span the 70,000 to 80,000 employees of the Dubai government. It also improves integration and communication among all government sections, units and departments.”
The internal assessment for government excellence is based on four main sections: forming and empowering a team, planning and implementing the process of assessment, laying down a development and enhancement plan, carrying out and following up the development plan. “The self-assessment system involves a series of regular and planned review of all practices, processes and results accomplished by the government departments concerned in line with the Dubai Government Excellence Programme.”
Dr Zeyad Elkahlout, Quality and Excellence Advisor, DGEP, said the training workshops held in Arabic have helped the graduates to practically and instantly recognise and use a variety of self-assessment techniques on existing samples derived from Dubai government facts and terms. “They also had a chance to exchange information, experience and skills on excellent performance modules.”
The training scheme shed light on the concepts of excellence, internal assessors’ skills, benchmarks and modules of excellent government performance, assessment methodology and procedures, field visits, assessment reports, as well as development techniques.
Samah Alnuaimi, projects manager and certified assessor of the DGEP, said the employees are now being smoothly assessed by evaluators from their own departments due to the courses. “Over 29 departments of the Dubai government have been internally assessed, and the next step is the federal government.”
(KHALEEJ TIMES)
