The State Department for Public Service Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Higher Educations Loans Board (HELB) on the management of the Training Revolving Fund (TRF) for public officers.
Speaking at the event, Public Service Principal Secretary (PS) Amos Gathecha said that Training and Development are two sides of the same coin as they go hand in hand.
“When an employee is provided with the kind of training that is necessary for their growth, it will eventually lead to their overall development which will finally reflect in their job performance,” he said.
The PS noted that the civil servants Training Revolving Fund aims at complementing the other sources of funding, as part of the efforts by the Government of Kenya to assist Public Servants to access funds at subsidized interest rates for training in order to enhance knowledge and skills considered critical for performance improvement.
“The employer should always aim at having a holistic approach towards the development of the employee and should not only be concerned about the output that is received from them,” Gathecha advised.
“The impact of good and effective continuous and comprehensive training programs is quite powerful, and when the training programs are aptly designed and timely provided, they will prove to be fruitful not only for the employees but also for the organization,” he added.
The PS reiterated that TRF was established to provide funding to public officers who wished to sponsor themselves under personal development initiative to supplement high demand for training and achievement of national goals.
“The Fund was put under the management and administration of HELB and Officers could borrow the money for training at subsidized interest rate of 4% per annum,” Gathecha disclosed.
He revealed that under the new MOU, the loan facility is open to all public servants interested in studying short term courses in critical areas, career enhancement programs lasting more than three months, diploma, postgraduate diploma/degree and doctorate degree training in technical or professional areas.
At the same time, Higher Education Loans Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Charles Ringera assured the PS that HELB will continue doing the same to ensure TRF grows in leaps and bounds.
“It’s an honor for HELB to be recognized by the Government as the center of financing skills development to public officers; a function we do on behalf of the Government with passion, energy and military precision,” said Ringera.
He hoped that all public officers will take advantage of the fund to build skills, competencies and attitudes in their respective areas.
By Mike Mulinge and Edwin Mang’eni
