For discussion FCR(95-96)59
on 27 October 1995
ITEM FOR FINANCE COMMITTEE
HEAD 143 - GOVERNMENT SECRETARIAT: CIVIL SERVICE BRANCH
Subhead 700 General other non-recurrent
Members are invited to approve a commitment of $112,790,000 for the procurement of microcomputer hardware and Chinese word processing software, and for the provision of related training for some general grades staff.
Governments policy drive to promote the wider use of Chinese throughout the civil service cannot be taken forward without provision of appropriate equipment and training to its staff.
2. The Secretary for the Civil Service (SCS) proposes to create a commitment of $112,790,000 for the procurement of microcomputer hardware and Chinese word processing (CWP) software, and for the provision of related training for some general grades staff to facilitate the wider use of Chinese in the civil service.
3. SCS has been taking proactive and practical steps to promote the wider use of Chinese in day-to-day work throughout the civil service. A corollary to this initiative is an increase in the demand for secretarial and technical support, mainly in terms of CWP services and facilities. To meet this increase in demand and as one of the measures to promote the wider use of Chinese throughout thecivil service, SCS proposes to equip the following general grades staff, who assume a major role in document preparation and processing, with appropriate CWP equipment and training -
- Secretarial grades staff
Hitherto, CWP services are mainly provided by Calligraphists, whereas the secretarial staff perform English word processing duties. This demarcation is historical. With the development of a biliterate (in English and Chinese) civil service and more Chinese being used, it is impracticable to continue with such a restrictive demarcation. For better utilisation of staff resources, the existing secretarial staff will be encouraged and equipped to provide CWP services. Moreover, CWP duties will also be included in the guides to appointment of the secretarial grades. The secretarial staff would be expected eventually to take over the day-to-day CWP duties from Calligraphists, who would be deployed on more intensive CWP services and specialised jobs.
- Clerical grades staff
The clerical staff will supplement the provision of CWP services under certain circumstances where they are in small offices without secretarial staff, or are required to input Chinese data to computers in performing clerical duties, or are required to deal with ad hoc/urgent CWP jobs; or where a job includes both clerical and typing work.
- Executive grade staff
The executive grade staff will be involved extensively in the drafting and preparation of documents in Chinese. They should also be properly equipped to carry out CWP functions.
4. As regards the CWP equipment, based on a survey of departmental requirements for Chinese computing equipment for general grades staff, SCS estimates that a total of 4 100 full sets of microcomputer hardware and CWP software, at a total cost of $98,630,000, will be required within a three-year period from 1996-97 to 1998-99.
5. As regards training, SCS proposes to provide a total of 13 000 training places, at an estimated cost of $12,660,000, for the above general grades staff from 1996-97 to 1998-99 in order to meet operational needs. The estimated number of training places, broken down by grades, to be provided under the project is set out at the Enclosure. The Civil Service Branch (CSB) and the Information Technology Services Department (ITSD) will make arrangements to synchronise the procurement programme with training in CWP skills to ensure that the new equipment will be put to effective use.
6. The estimated capital cost of the proposal is $112,790,000 at money-of-the-day prices, made up as follows -
|
1996-97
$'000
|
1997-98
$'000
|
1998-99
$'000
|
Total
$'000
|
|
(a) Microcomputer hardware and CWP software
|
49,315
|
29,589
|
19,726
|
98,630
|
|
(b) Contingency
|
500
|
500
|
500
|
1,500
|
|
(c) CWP training
|
3,720
|
4,140
|
4,800
|
12,660
|
|
Total
|
53,535
|
34,229
|
25,026
|
112,790 |
7. The ITSD will require one Systems Manager, two Analysts/Programmers I and two Analysts/Programmers II to implement the project while CSB will require one Senior Executive Officer to support the implementation during the three-year period. The estimated total cost of the staff resources required by CSB and ITSD is $2,880,000 and $8,280,000 respectively at 1995-96 salary level, made up as follows -
|
1996-97
$'000
|
1997-98
$'000
|
1998-99
$'000
|
Total
$'000
|
|
(a) CSB
|
960
|
960
|
960
|
2,880
|
|
(b) ITSD
|
2,760
|
2,760
|
2,760
|
8,280
|
|
Total
|
3,720
|
3,720
|
3,720
|
11,160 |
8. Subject to Members approval of the project, we shall include provision for the staff resources in the 1996-97 draft Estimates.
9. SCS has separately put up proposals, among others, for hiving off the Chinese Language Division from the Office of the Chief Secretary to become an independent agency, to be retitled the Official Languages Agency (OLA), with effect from 1 April 1996 and creation of a supernumerary Principal Executive Officer (PEO)(D1) post to head a special task force on promoting the greater use of Chinese in the civil service. The new OLA will be responsible for all matters related to language practices, including implementation of the project proposed in this paper. The hiving-off proposal has been scheduled for discussion at the Establishment Subcommittee meeting on 2 November 1995. To reflect the responsibilities of the new OLA, SCS proposes to transfer the project and hence the commitment of $112,790,000 from Head 143 Government Secretariat : Civil Service Branch to a new head of expenditure for the OLA with effect from 1 April 1996. Subject to Members approval of the proposal in this paper and the proposal on the new OLA, we shall reflect the changes in the 1996-97 draft Estimates.
10. The PEO for the special task force will also oversee the implementation of the project proposed in this paper.
11. A Working Group on the Use of Chinese in the Civil Service chaired by SCS was set up in March 1995 to map out a proactive strategy to build up a biliterate and trilingual (in English, Cantonese and Putonghua) civil service. The Working Group recommended, among other things, a greater day-to-day use of Chinese in the following areas -
- Appraisal reports of junior staff
- Valedictory letters to junior staff
- Recruitment interviews for junior staff
- Staff magazines and newsletters
- Simple departmental circulars and internal circulars to local officers
- Correspondence within departments where all officers are bilingual
- Agenda and notes of internal meetings attended by local officers
- Replies to Chinese letters received from the public
- Speeches at ceremonies and public functions, pamphlets, reports and other areas of work as appropriate
12. To facilitate preparation of documents in Chinese on a wider scale, the Civil Service Training Centre (CSTC) and other departments have provided departmental staff with training on CWP. So far, over 2 000 officers were trained. An extra 1 070 and 1 340 officers will receive training organised by CSTC in 1995-96 and 1996-97 respectively. Other departments will also continue to provide such training in the years ahead.
Civil Service Branch
October 1995
Enclosure to FCR(95-96)59
|
Year
|
General grades staff
|
Number of officers to be trained under the project
|
|
1996-97
|
Secretarial 1
Clerical2
Executive3
Sub-total
|
1 800
2 000
600
4 400
|
|
1997-98
|
Secretarial 1
Clerical 2
Executive 3
Sub-total
|
1 700
2 000
600
4 300
|
|
1998-99
|
Secretarial 1
Clerical 2
Executive 3
Sub-total
| 1 700
2 000
600
4 300
|
|
Total
|
|
13 000 |
Notes :
1 Including Personal Secretary, Supervisor of Typing Services and Typist grades staff.
2 Including Clerical Assistant and Clerical Officer grades staff.
3 Including all Executive Officers.
Last Updated on 2 December 1998
