Selecting public officers: Academic results not the only factor
Changes at the Public Service Commission
No guaranteed path to the top
5 outstanding candidates were awarded the President's Scholarships on 15 August 2012.
The Straits Times
05 May 2013
Selecting public officers: Academic results not the only factor
We thank political correspondent Jessica Cheam for her comments and agree that the selection of scholarship recipients and leaders should not be based on a narrow definition of success ("A vision for a society of equals"; last Sunday).
When we select public officers, we consider a broad range of indicators and factors to find a good fit for service, so academic achievement is but one factor.
For instance, in awarding Public Service Commission scholarships, we assess the candidates' fit for a public service career based on whole-person qualities, which include their character, integrity and commitment to serve the public.
All deserving candidates, regardless of their school, family or economic backgrounds, will be awarded a scholarship if they are found suitable.
Similarly, in selecting candidates for appointment in the Public Service, qualities such as leadership, teamwork, project management, customer orientation and technical know-how are considered in relation to the nature of work and the positions they apply for.
Likewise, once the officers are hired, they are assessed and promoted based on their job performance and potential to contribute. Academic qualifications do not figure in the appraisal process. They are evaluated holistically not just on their intellectual qualities, but also on their ability to understand, listen to and connect with people.
All deserving officers who have proven themselves in their careers will be considered for leadership and key positions in the service.
In a selection process, it is inevitable that there will be disappointed applicants. This said, we will continue to improve our processes and cast our net wide to reach out to and consider candidates from different backgrounds for our positions and awards, and assess them fairly based on relevant skills and attributes.
In this pursuit, we will keep in mind our fundamental aim of having a merit-based selection and appointment process, one that can help us find the most suitable people for the different jobs in the Public Service.
James Wong
Secretary
Public Service Commission
CHANGES AT THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
The President will appoint Ms Euleen Goh Yiu Kiang (吴幼娟) as a Member of the Public Service Commission (PSC) with effect from 1 April 2021, for a five-year term in the first instance.
Ms Goh, 65, is the non-executive Chairperson of SATS Ltd and is also the non-executive Director, Deputy Chair and Senior Independent Director of Royal Dutch Shell plc. She also currently serves as a non-executive Director of DBS Group Holdings & DBS Bank, and a non-executive board member of Singapore Health Services Pte Ltd. Ms Goh’s other appointments include Trustee of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs Endowment Fund and non-executive Chairman of Singapore Institute of Management Group Ltd.
A Chartered Accountant with professional qualifications in banking and taxation, Ms Goh has held various senior management positions in Standard Chartered Bank and was the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore from 2001 to 2006, during which she drove the Bank’s corporate governance and strategic agenda in Singapore. Ms Goh has also held non-executive appointments on various boards including Aviva plc, MediaCorp Pte Ltd, Singapore Airlines Ltd, Singapore Exchange Ltd, CapitaLand Limited and Temasek Trustees Pte Ltd. She was previously the non-executive Chairperson of the Singapore International Foundation, Chairperson of International Enterprise Singapore and the Accounting Standards Council, Singapore.
Ms Goh was conferred the Public Service Medal (PBM) in 2005 and Public Service Star (BBM) in 2012.
On the new appointment, Chairman PSC Lee Tzu Yang said, “I warmly welcome Euleen to the Commission. Her extensive experience from executive and non-executive roles across various industries will complement the PSC in its efforts to strengthen diversity in talent attraction for the Public Service.” On her appointment, Ms Goh said: “The Commission has a crucial role in shaping and promoting the public service and its leadership and I am honoured to serve alongside the distinguished panel.”
The PSC also saw two other changes. Mr Philip Jeyaretnam, 57, has stepped down from the PSC after serving 11 years. Professor Tan Ser Kiat (陈思杰), 75, has retired after serving 8 years on the PSC.
The Straits Times
08 December 2012
No guaranteed path to the top
We thank Mr Harvey Neo ("Repercussions of meritocracy: Prized scholarships bear examination"; Wednesday), Mr Bryan Chow ("Meritocracy's about, well, merit"; yesterday) and Mr Ong Soon Leong ("Enough scholarships for deserving students"; yesterday).
We agree fully that success is not defined by winning a prestigious government scholarship.
The Public Service Commission (PSC) looks for people with the passion to serve Singapore, not those who want a scholarship just to get another award.
It assesses applicants based on whole-person qualities, and looks beyond grades and co-curricular achievements.
It looks for people with the character, commitment and capability to contribute to the public service.
Scholarship recipients have to serve out a bond in the public sector, and not all students find this an attractive prospect, given the many competing opportunities in the private sector.
For those keen to join the public sector, we would like to highlight that a PSC scholarship is but one of many routes. There are many other opportunities to join the public service, including after graduation and in mid-career.
Career advancement in the public service is not based on academic achievements.
All officers are rigorously assessed based on their performance and potential before they are promoted. Our scholarship holders know that potential alone, without performance, will not get them far.
Through this merit-based system, able and promising non-scholarship holders have joined the Management Associates Programme and the Administrative Service, and others have risen to top positions in the specialist services.
In summary, scholarship holders have no guaranteed path to the top.
They must demonstrate both potential and performance in actual work.
And officers who did not start as PSC scholarship holders but have performed well have equal opportunities to advance and develop themselves, often through scholarships in mid-career.
Basic to all this is the principle of meritocracy, which gives all Singaporeans equal opportunities to realise their potential and advance in life.
James Wong
Secretary
Public Service Commission
Five outstanding candidates were awarded the President's Scholarships on 15 August 2012 at the Istana. They were Mr Adil Hakeem Bin Mohamad Rafee, Mr Huang Jinghao Jarret, Mr Shaun Lim Yung Shen, Mr Moses Soh Juen Wei Huei Quan, and Ms Tee Ren Ling Alicia.
