it's a response to the st article dated april 14 2007.
-----
ST April 14, 2007
Promotion in Civil Service based on merit
I REFER to the letter, 'Is promotion in Civil Service based on
tenure?' (ST, April 11), by Ms Elsie Tan Hwee Lian.
To be promoted, a civil servant has to show potential to handle a
bigger job. A person with a high potential can expect to progress
more quickly, provided he is also a consistently good
performer.
An officer who does not show the potential to take on greater
responsibilities will not be promoted, even if he has many years of
service. Promotion is based on merit and not automatic, according
to his years of service.
Ms Tan also noted that there are officers who continue to perform
the same job after promotion. Unlike the private sector, civil
servants are paid according to their salary grade and not by job
appointment.
It is not unusual to have officers doing higher-level jobs while
still in a lower grade. This is to stretch and test them. They will
be promoted to the grade commensurate with the job size only when
they are able to handle the higher job competently.
All Civil Service salary schemes have a performance-bonus
component. Those who do well will be paid performance bonuses, with
the better ones getting a higher quantum. Those who just meet the
job requirements or under-perform will not get any performance
bonus.
Most of our graduate schemes have a variable merit-increment
system, where the annual increments are linked to
performance.
In short, the appraisal system ensures that officers receive
salaries that are commensurate with their contributions, abilities
and potential.
Ong Toon Hui (Ms)
Director, Leadership Development
Public Service Division
Prime Minister's Office