The Department of Policy Planning Research and Statistics through its Director, Mrs. Theresa Obiageli Mbonu has set the pace in Performance Management as a strategy for accountability and improvement of service delivery by initiating awards for the staff of the department who have displaced uncommon feat in the discharge of their duties. This is the first of its kind in recent times in the Education Secretariat. In spite of its being one of the newest departments in the Education secretariat, DPPR&S has challenged other departments and boards to emulate the noble act of recognizing and rewarding high performing staff as a motivation for them to move higher and for other staff to aspire towards winning such awards. Other deserving members of the Secretariat -The Secretary for Education, Senator Isa Maina, the retired DAF, Mrs. Nneka Ugochukwu and the current acting DAF, Mallam A. Gatawa, were also recognized and given awards for their role in facilitating delivery of education services in the FCT.

In his Keynote address presented by the Provost FCT College of Education, Dr. Mohammed Gambo Hamza, the Secretary for Education, Senator Isa Maina reiterated the importance of rewarding hard work and innovation within the civil service for it is one of the few ways of encouraging the workforce to put in their best and encouraging others to work harder. He encouraged other departments to emulate the department of PPR&S by putting in place their own motivation and reward system so as to ensure some measures of efficiency and dedication to duty within the workforce. This he said, because he has come to realized that many workers do not go the extra mile in the discharge of their duties. He further noted that these hard working staff in the system are usually not recognized and certainly not rewarded; rather they get scorned, derided by their fellow workers who are not dedicated to duty. He emphasized that it was time to change to that culture in order to put in place a more rewarding and motivating one that would benefit the organization, better. He congratulated and commended the Director of the DPPR&S for organizing the event and expressed his desire to witness similar events in the other departments.

Earlier in her welcome speech the Director, DPPR&S, Mrs. Theresa O. Mbonu welcomed all dignitaries at the occasion and expressed her delight that the day was a memorable one in the life of the department that is barely five years old. She said the occasion was organized to reward some staff of the department that have done well in the performance of their duties and other ad hoc assignments, as well as recognize other personalities in the Education sector of the FCT that had contributed in making things easy for the department to carry out its functions. The occasion was also used to send forth Mrs. Irene Mbakwe the retired Deputy Director in charge of Policy and Planning in the DPPR&S.

The Director drew the attention of the Secretary for Education to the fact that the idea of awards for the staff was drawn from the concept of Performance management system which was one of the outstanding of the course content of the Public Service training for directors and other staff of the FCT at Kubwa, in 2017. The training which was approved and organized at the instance of the Hon. Minister of FCT, Muhammad Musa Bello was a very rewarding experience according to the director. It therefore became very critical that DPPR&S pilots the organizational management strategy in order to decide on its scalability to other departments and boards under the Education Secretariat. According to the Director, the exercise was aimed at sustained motivation of the high achieving staff; and identification of staff that are struggling for further support so that they may key into the culture of excellence.

She used the opportunity to solicit the Secretary for Education to approve for the Education Secretariat Management to undertake a one or two – day retreat out of their work environment to have a closer look at the concept of Performance Management System and how it could help to enhance productivity in education through a culture of excellence. While commending the awardees and the retired deputy director for their outstanding performance in their duties, the Director noted generally, all staff of the department have done well and with the support of the leadership of the Secretariat the department will continue to improve on education sector level policies, plans, research and the entire Education Management Information System (EMIS) for FCT.

In attendance were the members of the management staff of the Education Secretariat. The Secretary for Education was represented by the provost FCT College of Education Zuba. Management staff in attendance and other dignitaries at the occasion include: The provost FCT College of Education Zuba, Dr. Mohammed Gambo Hamza, Mr. J.J. Garba, Director Higher Education, Alhaji Maikasuwa, Director Mass Education, Ag. Director ERC, Mrs. Christy Ibrahim, Director Science & Technology, and Mr. Ayuba Didan, Director Quality Assurance. Others in attendance were Deputy Director, Special needs, representative of Director Scholarship board and Dr. Mrs. Makoju, the Secretariat Consultant on Sector plan. The management team and staff of the DPPRS were all present at the occasion.

Members of the Education Secretariat Management team eulogized the assiduous and hard work of the Director, DPPR&S, Mrs Theresa O. Mbonu. She was commended for her numerous contributions to the Secretariat in the management meetings. Commenting, the Director, Mass Education, Alh. Maikasuwa, stressed the importance of rewards even in small matters, stating that commendations in form of gifts will serve as a reminder for the staff not to relent but to work harder. Director Higher Education, Mr. J.J. Garba, commended the Mrs. T.O. Mbonu for being assiduous, hardworking, setting the pace and always giving direction in crucial issues. Mrs. Christy Ibrahim, Director Science & Technology, also commended the Director for the initiative of the awards. Dr. Makoju in her own message commended the initiative and Department for setting the pace. She called on all awardees not to relent but to create room for improvement.

The Director of DPPR&S, Mrs. T.O. Mbonu stated that selection of the awardees were based on:
•     Performance on officers’ schedules of duties
•      Adherence to Civil Service Rules, and
•      Head of Divisions / Units report of their staff according to given criteria.

She also stated that the awards were in different categories as follows:
i.    Selection by the H.O.Ds /Units rated from 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions respectively for the Best DPPR&S Award.
ii.      Consolation prizes for officers identified by the heads of divisions and units but who could not make it to the top three positions.
iii.      iii. The Director’s Award to other outstanding staff that were not in the heads of divisions and units list but who distinguished themselves consistently in identifiable positive work behaviours, which included: (a) Best HOD/Unit award (b) Best in cleanliness and preservation of work tools (c) Best in prompt response to duty and assignments and (d) Best staff in record keeping and reporting of departmental / unit quarterly reports.

The Departmental Special awards: (a) The Secretary for Education Senator Isa Maina (b) The former DAF Mrs. Nneka Ugochukwu (c) the current Ag. DAF of Mallam A. Gatawa

The staffs given the awards included:

Outstanding DPPRS staff
1st Position- Best DPPR&S Staff of the year- Mrs. Ebere Amoke
2nd Position tied – Mrs. Victoria Dokwadanyi and Mr. Stephen O. Oyelola
3rd Position – Mr. Umaru Bala

Consolation prizes for Best DPPR&S Staff Award:
i. Mr. Adeyi Abraham
ii. Mr. Musa Paul Nyigyeyi
iii. Mall. Haruna Maiwada
iv. Mr. Emmanuel Chigozie Nwachukwu

Director’s awards:
i. Best HOD/Unit award - Mrs. Sylvia Yissa (Partnership in Education)
ii. Best in cleanliness and careful use of work tools – Mr. Samuel Osung (EMIS & Research Division)
iii. Best in prompt response to duty – Mr. Yahaya Abubakar Muhammed
iv. Best in record keeping and Reporting of divisional/Unit activities- Hajiya Aderibigbe Kudirat

The head of Admin, DPPR&S made the presentation on behalf of the Department to the retired DD of policy & planning Division, while other members of the Division also presented gifts to her, individuals likewise presented their personal gifts to her along with the Division’s gift for their retired HOD.

In her remarks Mrs. Sylvia Yissa, who was called upon to make a response on behalf of all recipients of awards at the occasion commended the Director DPPR&S for setting the pace by initiating the awards. She also appreciated her for awards, saying the director is always at work, pushing, moving staff to be up and doing. She also stated that the acknowledgment to the awardees entail more work and dedication to keep up with the pace.

Mallam Isa Adamu Paiko the Deputy Director in charge of Monitoring and Evaluation, DPPR&S gave the vote of thanks in which he appreciated the Management team of the Education secretariat, and all staff of the Department of Policy, planning , Research & Statistics for their honouring the invitation to the event. He commended the recipients of the awards and urged other staff to emulate them.

Reported by Musa Paul N.