If
you were appointed a district governor in
Afghanistan, how would you tackle security
challenges?
For that matter, how would you
provide equal rights for women in a deeply
conservative society? And how would you implement
government policies in an area where there is not
much trust or support for government?
Those are the types of questions currently
being posed to hundreds of job candidates as
Afghanistan tests out revamped hiring procedures
for civil-service positions.
The effort is
part of the country's larger effort to fight
corruption, and is aimed at changing a firmly
entrenched culture of favoritism when filling
government positions ranging from lofty
gubernatorial
posts to more modest
secretarial roles.
Whereas the
well-connected, or those willing to pay bribes,
often got the inside track to gaining employment
in such positions, the emphasis now is to hire
based on merit.
The organization tasked
with overseeing the new procedures, Afghanistan's
Independent Administrative Reforms and Civil
Service Commission (IACSC), says it has taken
every precaution to ensure there will be no room
for fraud.
Steps taken include an
evaluation process under which tests are graded
with the applicants' names kept anonymous to leave
no room for favoritism.
The results are to
be released within days, and applicants are given
the right to appeal - or even take legal action -
if they are dissatisfied with the testing and
interview processes.
Finally, outside
advisers from various government and private
entities are brought in to monitor every stage -
from the short-listing of candidates, to the
written tests, to personal interviews.
Removing bias Since the new
system was launched last month, the IACSC says it
has received nearly 2,000 applications from
candidates looking to become deputy provincial
governors, district governors, or administrative
positions in various central or provincial
departments.
In the case of the 11 deputy
provincial governorships, and 100 district
governorships advertized, the IACSC organized two
separate tests to select the best candidates.
Azizullah Ariyafar, department head at the
IACSC, says some 300 candidates - shortlisted
based on educational background and job experience
- took part in each test.
"In written
tests, candidates answered six questions relevant
to the jobs they had applied for - including on
strategy and planning and other managerial
issues," Ariyafar says. "The questions were
prepared literally an hour before the tests
began."
According to Ariyafar, job
applicants' ethnic backgrounds and political
affiliations play no role in the selection
process.
For those who successfully pass
the written tests, the next and final stage is a
personal job interview. Successful applicants are
hired immediately after the interview.
Kabir Ahmad Rahil traveled to Kabul from
his village of Dawlatshahi in the northern Parwan
Province in hopes of landing a job as a district
governor.
Unemployed for the past three
months, the 50-year-old father of eight says he
first found out about the tests through
advertisements broadcast on national television
and radio for the past several months.
"God willing, I will successfully pass the
test and get the job I applied for," Rahil says.
"I am confident."
Written and reported
by Farangis Najibullah, with additional
reporting by RFE/RL Radio Free Afghanistan's
Zarif Nazar.
Copyright (c)
2012, RFE/RL Inc. Reprinted with the permission of
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut
Ave NW, Washington DC 20036
(To view the
original article, please click here.)
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
