Monitoring and Evaluation of Training Programmes in the South African Police Service: Case Study of the Northern Cape Province ()
1. Introduction
The introductions of The White Paper on the Transformation of the Public Service (1995), White Paper on New Employment Policy (1995), and the White Paper on Public Service Training and Education (1997) were among the significant public service transformations that were linked to training and development. At the core of this legislation and reforms, was the transformation agenda from the pre- to the post-1994 era of the public service, which involved, inter alia, viewing the public as the client, being sensitive to the needs of the client, accountability and transparency. These were national reforms, but they have implementation implications for the South African Police Service.
The SAPS derives its training and development mandate from among others, the SAPS strategic plan 2020-2022 interalia with DPSA Revised Public Service HRD Strategic Framework Vision 2030, which mandates training providers in the country to provide training, monitor and provide leadership in relation to the implementation of the DPSA Strategic Framework for HRD Vision 2030 and other Human Resource Development related policies. The mandate from the Strategic Framework for HRD Vision 2030 serves as a mandate from the national to the provincial government. The role of monitoring, evaluating and building the capacity of the state was raised in the Medium-term Strategic Framework 2019-2024 (MTSF) Outcome 5, which was focused on building a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path, and the MTSF Outcome 12 that was concentrated on the promotion of an efficient, effective and development-oriented public service.
The SAPS has the mandate to ensure that it increases the number of skilled personnel to meet future requirements and challenges by providing training to its employees continuously. In the SAPS, the capacity of employees is also developed through training provided by both internal and external service providers. There are various training programmes in the SAPS that employees attend to gain the skills necessary to perform their respective tasks. The study sampled four training and development programmes, namely, Effective Management Principles for Junior Managers, Public Sector Administration Skills, Crime Prevention level 1 and Victim Empowerment Program, all of which were analyzed to reach conclusions on the outcomes of training programmes offered by the SAPS.
1.1. Conceptualising Training, Monitoring, Evaluation and Monitor and Evaluation Systems
Training: Erasmus et al. (2010: p. 2) viewed training as the systematic process adopted by the employer to modify the knowledge, skills and behaviour to achieve the objective of the organisation. Training is focused on the tasks that employees perform guided by the job descriptions, and its main purpose among others is to serve as a deliberate intervention to improve performance in the organisation. Training develops, cultivates, boosts morale, improves performance, improves the organisation image and increases productivity, but more importantly, it is futile, ineffective and useless if an opportunity to apply what has been learned is non-existent.
Monitoring: The Republic of South Africa (2007a: p. 1) defined monitoring as the ongoing process of data collection, analysis and reporting on the inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes and impacts. The M&E practitioners engage in the process of monitoring to receive regular feedback, which enables progress reporting on the implementation of government interventions. The process of monitoring considers external factors and supports effective management in organisations. Monitoring and Evaluation concepts are inter-related but separate concepts. Monitoring serves at times as the basis for evaluation.
Evaluation: Evaluation as defined in the study is the systematic assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the design, and the results of the implementation process of the ongoing or completed project. Lucen (2015: pp. 13-14) further stated that the evaluation process aims to evaluate the indicators or the design against the work done. The evaluation is focused on the results emanating from the implementation of the key-performance information concepts known as the inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impact.
Monitoring and Evaluation system: A monitoring and Evaluation system can be defined as the set standards of the organisation, including structures, management processes, strategies reporting and lines of accountability, plans information systems, and indicators that enable government institutions to perform M&E functions with efficacy. The system should be embedded in the existing policy framework that guides budgeting, planning and reporting, as stated in The Republic of South Africa (2007a: p. 4). All the government accounting officers are required by law to establish an M&E system for their institution.
It was evident in the definitions that the practice of the M&E concept is legally binding to any state organization. Division HRD in the police has the statutory obligation to monitor and evaluate the inputs, processes, outputs, outcomes and impact of the training and development intervention. The researchers noted that the M&E concept or its institutionalisation does not operate in isolation. It should be embedded within the broader legislative domain. The study has chosen to discuss legislative mandates that highlight the significance of the M&E concept and its institutionalisation in training and development initiatives.
1.2. Legislative Framework of the Monitoring and Evaluation Concept
It was stated earlier that the concept of M&E is a statutory obligation for the public service, and it operates in cooperation with other legislation. In this section, the research discusses the legislative mandate that relates to the M&E concept within the context of training and development in the police and public service. The following legislative mandates informed the discussion.
Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (1996)
The study was focused on the Republic of South Africa (1996: p. 15) Chapter 2, Section 29, subsection (1) that positions education, adult basic education and further education as the basic right. Chapter 10, Section 195, sub-section (1) of the Republic of South Africa (1996: p. 115) stipulates that career-development practices and good human resources should be cultivated to maximize human potential. This Constitutional value is specific to ETD practitioners and is among others, among eight values and principles in Chapter 10 of the Constitution that govern public administration, including ETD practitioners. Proper management of government funds, as stated in the Republic of South Africa (1996: p. 129), Chapter 13 Section 215 sub-section (1), focuses on the promotion of transparency, accountability and efficacy in the economy and debt financial management in the public sector. The task of ensuring transparency and expenditure control is assigned to Treasury in terms of Section 216 of the Constitution. It should be noted, that the recent developments in government took place including the establishment of the DPME in the Presidency. The task of managing performance has moved to every government institution of performance management structures, systems and processes that are aligned to the Republic of South Africa (2007a). Based on the argument presented above, ETD, as well as M&E practitioners, should uphold the Constitution by ensuring that performance management, that is aligned to the Constitutional mandates.
South African Police Service Act (68 of 1995)
South African Police Service falls within the ambit of the public sector, but the South African Police Service Act (68 of 1995) governs some employees, whereas the Public Service Act (103 of 1994) governs others. The South African Police Service Act employees and Public Service Act employees (Naidoo, 2011: p. 18) enact the distinction between the two due to the nature of duties that are performed. As stated in Chapter 1, the study will focus on the South African Police Act employees. The South African Police Service Act (68 of 1995) regulates that the minister may make regulations concerning training appointments, promotion and transfer of members. Chapter 8 of the Act stipulates that the minister can further regulate the attendance of members to training courses. It also states that the National Commissioner shall determine the training that the members or employees of the SAPS shall undergo.
White Paper on Transforming Public Service Delivery (1997)
There are eight Batho Pele Principles practiced in the public service. The Batho Pele Principles emanate from the Republic of South Africa (1997), which are as follows: Consultation, Service Standards, Access, Courtesy and Information, Dealing with Complaints, Value-for-Money, as well as Openness and Transparency. The core of the Republic of South Africa (1997) is to transform the public service and places the citizens at the centre of planning and decision making. Division HRD took the initiative to add three more principles, which are as follows: Service Delivery Impact, Leadership and Strategic Direction, as well as Encouraging Innovation and Reward Excellence. These eleven (11) Batho Pele Principles are noted, but for the study, the focus is on the following principles: Consultation, Service Standards, Value-for-Money and Service Delivery Impact.
1) Consultation
Proper consultation should take place when monitoring or evaluating the outcomes of training programmes, which translate to surveys, one-on-one interviews, suggestion boxes, mass training outcome meetings, as well as other research activities that should be adopted to ensure that proper consultation takes place in the public service.
2) Service standards
The SAPS needs to encourage, maintain and promote high standards of work ethics. Division HRD is expected to produce high-quality work and lead the improvement of data management standards for the provincial line departments, as per the Republic of South Africa (2012: pp. 1-2). The Republic of South Africa (2007b: pp. 1-2) emphasizes clear standards of performance information and regular audits. The study noted that when the performance standards or targets are clear and understood, they can be easily monitored and evaluated. In the study, this would mean clear evaluation systems and processes related to measuring the outcome of training programmes offered by Division HRD.
3) Value-for-Money
It was stated earlier that one of the aspects of evaluation is to determine whether the decisions or the theories adopted by the government for a particular intervention yielded the anticipated results. In essence, the evaluation process in the M&E concept could assist to determine value-for-money, and monitoring can assist to check whether the intervention is geared towards the direction of achieving value-for-money. The Republic of South Africa (2007a: p. 4) focuses on embedding budgetary internal monetary systems, inter alia, internal systems with M&E policies, systems and processes to understand the value-for-money approach.
4) Service delivery impact
The principle is relevant to the study as it is concerned with public service making an impact in the communities they serve by adhering to the principles of Batho Pele, as raised in the Batho Pele Principle handbook (The Republic of South Africa, 2009: p. 19). The study aimed to determine the outcomes of the training programmes offered by the Division HRD as guided by the M&E Framework. It was indicated earlier in the study that the findings of the outcomes may serve as the basis for impact evaluation.
Policy Framework for the Government-Wide Monitoring and Evaluation system (1994)
Monitoring and Evaluation System Since 1994, the government has improved the services that are provided to the people dramatically, but there is a need for government to improve the quality of its services. The challenge facing the government is to increase the level of efficacy in the public sector. Monitoring and Evaluation policies, systems and processes are viewed as mechanisms that can contribute to the increase of efficacy in the interventions that are implemented by the state. The Government-wide M&E system (GWM&ES) has an individual, institutional and outcomes-based performance management system, as argued in The Republic of South Africa (2007c: p. 23). The Policy Framework for the Government-wide M&E system of 2007 gives guidance on how performance efficacy should be managed. Performance management is one of the three data terrains that the government draws from for monitoring and evaluation. Each terrain has a policy that determines what is required for the terrain to be fully functional. The programme for performance information is guided by the Framework for Managing Programme Performance Information of 2007, which aims to clarify the standards expected, provide audit support, define roles and responsibilities, and promote accountability as outlined in the Republic of South Africa (2007a: p. 8). The Republic of South Africa (2007b: p. 2) looks into the GWM&ES as the plans of the government to bridge the gap in the information needed in planning for service delivery, intervention reviews and analysis of the policy success.
Human Resource Development Strategic Framework Vision 2030
The Republic of South Africa (2008), commonly known as the Strategic Framework for HRD Vision 2030, uses the Annual Implementation Plans, Quarterly Implementation Plan reports, Mid-Term HRD Implementation Reports and HRD Annual Monitoring and Evaluation Report templates as the M&E tools concerning planning, budgeting and reporting of training provided by the public service. Further, the Republic of South Africa (2008: p. 81) requires the provincial academies to support, trainings, and provide M&E leadership to the HRD implementation agenda in the Province. This arrangement is in keeping with the Strategic Framework for HRD Vision 2030. The importance of HRD demands a response that has a sense of urgency. It demands a comprehensive and determined response from the government. However, the scope and importance of the HRD project extended beyond the government (Republic of South Africa, 2011a).
National Development Plan, 2030 Relating to Capacity and skills Development
In Chapter 13, the National Development Plan (NDP) raises unevenness of capacity and skills deficit in the state as amongst the major stifling challenges in the provision of services at a local, provincial and national level. Chapter 9 of the NDP views continuous development professionally, lifelong learning, innovation and knowledge production as vital elements in building state capacity, and in dealing with the public sector skills deficit. Chapter 12 of the NDP states that people living in SA should feel safe and have no fear of crime. They should have confidence in the criminal justice system to effectively apprehend and prosecute criminals who violate individual and community safety. The study notes Chapter 13 of the NDP that embeds M&E systems into the NDP by highlighting the importance of improving oversight, instilling compliance, as well as strengthening responsibility and accountability as crucial elements in building the capacity of the state. Further, Chapter 13 states that the public servants have the responsibility to administer resources in the best interest of society. The resources should be managed with efficacy, transparency and accountability. The Office of the Public Service Commission (PSC) is the appointed institution to exercise the M&E role of state institutions, as stated in The Republic of South Africa (2011b: pp. 408-412).
Skills Development Act (97 of 1998)
The Skills Development Act (97 of 1998) is one of the important pieces of legislation concerning skills development. The Act forms part of the National Skills Development Strategy, which aims at addressing social and economic problems in South Africa. Mohlala (2011: p. 38) states that the development of skills through training and development has been the most important tool for improving both individual and institutional competitiveness. Skills development and training in the South African context should be addressed against the social, political, and economic background where reconstruction and development still occupy the highest status on the national agenda. The author further states that the Skills Development Act (97 of 1998) was introduced because of the realisation that the economy was being constrained by the shortage of a skilled workforce and the political imperative to redress the unfair discrimination in training and development in employment opportunities. The country was facing an increase in unemployment, as the labour market did not hire sufficiently equipped and trained human resource. Furthermore, employers did not provide sufficient training.
The purpose of the Skills Development Act (97 of 1998), is to develop the skills of the South African workforce. The Act further stipulates the following reasons:
● To improve the quality of life of workers, their prospects of work and labour mobility;
● To improve productivity in the workplace and competitiveness of the employers;
● To promote self-employment and to increase the levels of investment in education
● and training in the labour market;
● To encourage employees to use the workplace as an active learning environment;
● To provide employees with opportunities to acquire new skills;
● To encourage workers to participate in learnership and other training programmes.
The rationale for the Skills Development Act (97 of 1998) is to provide an institutional framework to devise and implement national, sector and workplace strategies, to develop and improve the skills of the South African workplace. The special focus of the act is to improve the employment prospects of the previously disadvantaged persons through education and training (Van Dyk et al., 2001: p. 36).
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) 58 of 1995
SAQA was formulated to ensure the development and implementation of NQF, which contributes to the full development of each learner and the social and economic development at large (Meyer, 2007: p. 28). SAQA has the responsibility to monitor SETAs accreditation processes of learning programmes. SAQA is also responsible for the establishment of the NQF and national standards bodies to set training standards, which ensure the progression and portability (which means that a qualification earned in a workplace training environment has value in the formal system and vice versa). It is responsible to monitor the implementation of standards, certifying national qualifications, and credits and approving secondary accreditation of providers and assessors (Mohlala, 2011: p. 48). The main functions of SAQA are to:
● Oversee the implementation of the NQF by a multi-year rolling strategic plan, budget and implementation framework;
● Recommend level descriptors to the minister after considering proposals by each Quality Council (QC);
● Recommend a policy framework to the minister for the development, registration and publication of qualifications in each sector, and recommend a policy framework to the minister for assessment, recognition of prior learning and credit accumulation and transfer, after considering proposals by each QC;
● Register a qualification recommended by a QC if it meets the approved criteria;
● Recommend a policy framework to the minister for recognising a professional body and registering a professional designation for this act, after consultation with the statutory and non-statutory bodies of expert practitioners in occupational fields and after considering proposals by each;
● Recognise a professional body and register its professional designation if the approved criteria have been met;
● With respect to records of education and training, maintain a national learner’s records database comprising registers of national qualification, national standards, learner achievements, professional bodies, professional designations and associated information;
● Provide an evaluation and advisory service to foreign qualifications (Bellis, 2001: p. 11).
It is necessary to bear in mind that SAQA provides necessary mechanisms through which learning programmes can be evaluated for their suitability to meet set national standards and norms as discussed above (Mohlala, 2011: p. 49). The SAPS attempts to improve service delivery such as arrests and investigation of crimes. Therefore, learning programmes must offer to be need-based and relevant to these circumstances.
National Qualifications Framework Act (NQF) 67 of 1998
The NQF is a framework that provides a vision and structure for the construction of a national qualification system. It is a national effort of integrating education and training into a unified structure of recognised qualifications. The national Qualification framework act 67 of 995 aims to:
● provide for the South African Qualification Authority;
● to provide for Quality Councils;
● to provide for transitional arrangements;
● to repeal the South African Qualification Authority Act 1995; and
● to provide for matters connected therewith.
All qualifications and competencies are registered with the NQF according to their field of learning and level of progression (Botha et al., 2007: p. 15). Erasmus et al. (2010: p. 70) stipulated the benefits of NQF as follows:
● It is a consistent approach to education and training with an emphasis on meeting quality standards and practices.
● There will be scope for industry, the professions and formal education to set their own standards with an emphasis on national qualification.
● In the process, training and nationally based qualifications will be available.
● Learning will be able to take place on the job, at tertiary institutions, secondary schools and in private training establishments.
● The training industry will be better equipped to compete in the international market and overseas workers will be able to have their qualifications assessed for equivalence against South African qualifications registered with the NQF.
● Detailed and credible reporting of individual attainment will be available to all stakeholders.
The NQF is regulated by a principle that encourages the registration of diverse skills and knowledge. The South African NQF is divided into manageable levels, intended to award registered learners national accreditation based on their knowledge and skills. Several qualifications fit in this framework and are classified according to their demand in the market and SAQA is responsible for overseeing the implementation and development of the NQF levels. This makes it imperative to understand them in the context of development (Masilela, 2012: p. 28).
1.3. Problem Statement
In Division HRD in the police, there is little evidence to demonstrate that an empirical study has been conducted to monitor and evaluate the National Qualification Framework (NQF), aligned training and development programmes guided by the Policy Framework for the Government-wide Monitoring and Evaluation System of 2007. Division HRD provides NQF and non-NQF-aligned training programmes the research focuses on both NQF-aligned courses and non-NQF-aligned courses because of the possibility provided by these training programmes. Chisholm (2007: p. 297) argues that the National Qualification Framework intends to integrate the world of training and education using a comprehensive qualification framework. The alignment of training programmes to the M&E policy gave impetus for the study of this caliber to be conducted, and as the commencement to deal with matters raised by both policies regarding monitoring and evaluation of training. The research was informed by all of the above developments, and other reasons sourced from literature. The need to conduct a scientific study on the monitoring and evaluation processes of training and development programmes provided by Division HRD is inevitable.
1.4. Research Questions
According to Flick & Bauer (2004: p. 103), the research question is often the steering inquiry that emphasises the focus of the study from a comprehensive perspective. The main question that guided the study was: What were the outcomes of the T&D programmes provided by Division HRD in the police?
1.5. Research Objectives
The objective of the research is formulated by stating the problem and providing the angle from which the research will be conducted. Maree and Van der Westhuizen (2011: p. 28) state that “the rationale stands as a statement of how a researcher developed an interest in a particular topic or area of research”.
● To establish the validity of the process used by Division HRD to determine training needs;
● How efficient and effective are M&E policies, systems and tools employed by the Division HRD during and after training;
● To establish the M&E policies, systems, processes and tools used to determine the effects of training that can be linked to the training provided by Division HRD (training impact).
1.6. Scope of the Study
This study is not limited to analyzing topic-relevant secondary sources that have already been published.
1.7. Justification of the Study
The process of monitoring and evaluation of training programmes would ensure that the services rendered by Division HRD are of high quality and where there are gaps there could be recommendations to deal with those gaps. This stance is viewed by the study to be the start of responding to the problem identified. The Republic of South Africa (2012: p. 1) stated the significance of producing M&E work of high quality to influence decision-makers in policy formulation, refinement and alignment.
A similar pattern has been followed by the study that the findings would be communicated to Division HRD to make decisions based on the empirical data. If the training programmes are found to yield the positive M&E outcomes, they may be continued or more funds may be allocated to the training programmes, and if the training programmes do not produce the desired outcomes, they may be discontinued or be modified as stated in The Republic of South Africa (2007a: p. 3). The argument made above is strengthened by Ehlers and Lazenby (2010: p. 29), who stated that “…if you can’t measure something it’s not worth doing it.
In pursuit of the study to determine the impact of training programmes that were provided by Division HRD was equally important for the research to be guided by the scientific framework. The Policy Framework for the Government-wide Monitoring and Evaluation System was chosen by the study to be the guiding framework for the training impact determination process. The Republic of South Africa (2007a: pp. 2-4) states that “it is a statutory requirement that the accounting officer of a department, or the chief executive officer of a public entity, is required to establish a Monitoring and Evaluation System for the institution”.
2. Methodology
Bazeley (2009) defined analyst triangulation as a method of effectively inspecting selective perceptions using different analysts or analysis techniques. The study used qualitative or quantitative approaches. The triangular approach included the usage of two or more methods to conduct research. The concept of triangulation originates from land and surveying techniques, the military, as well as navigation strategies that refer to the determination of a single point in space with the convergence of measurements taken from two other distinct points (Arksey & Knight, 1999). These research techniques allowed for the validation of data through cross verification from two or other sources. Triangulation allows for the mixture of different or other methods of research to study the same phenomena. This research technique is used to combine multiple observers, theories, methods and empirical material to deal with intrinsic biasness and challenges that come from using a single research method technique, a single observer and single theory studies.
This study followed a pragmatic approach. According to Bazeley (2009), the pragmatic approach encompasses the usage of any of the research methods, procedures and techniques that appears to be the best-suited research approach to deal with the research problem. It practices the approach using qualitative or quantitative approaches. The pragmatic approach diagnoses the limitations of qualitative and quantitative approaches and argues that by using both approaches. The pragmatic approach assists to complement the study. The linkages between M&E and research have been stated in the preceding paragraphs, and based on such linkages, the pragmatic approach was viewed as the best enabler for the creation of M&E tools to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of the SAPS HRD programmes offered to provincial departments. The data collated using qualitative and quantitative approaches was analyzed as evidence to inform research findings and recommendations.
2.1. Research Population, Sample Size, and Procedure
The interview questions were focused on training provided by Division HRD. Provincial managers, Cluster Commanders, HRDC managers, Station commanders, immediate supervisor and trainees in the Northern Cape participated in the study. The researchers selected them because they were well informed about the researchers’ area of interest and therefore were deemed the best choice to provide the information needed to address the aim of the study. One of the advantages in utilizing case studies is the examination of the information is frequently led inside the setting of its utilization (Zainal, 2007), that is, inside the circumstance in which the action happens. The case study method empowers a researcher to nearly look at the information inside a particular setting. As a rule, a contextual analysis strategy chooses a little land region or an extremely set number of people as the subjects of study.
The seven (7) categories of respondents were part of the study based on the role they play in the planning and execution of policing duties. Ninety-two (92) have been sampled as part of the study. The study randomly sampled twelve (12) participants for one-on-one interviews and eighty (80) respondents 80 respondents who participated in the questionnaires, which amount to a total of 92 respondents (interviews and survey combined).
The respondents for surveys covered all the categories (Trainees, managers, cluster commanders, station commanders, immediate supervisors, and trainees. The research followed one of the probability sampling strategies. According to Salkind (2012: p. 96), simple random sampling (probability sampling strategy chosen by the research) gives the population an equal and independent chance.
2.2. Data Collection
The interviews conducted followed a structured and at times unstructured face-to-face, open-ended question interviews format. The study used field notes, audiotapes and observations as part of the qualitative data collection methods. The survey questionnaires followed a closed-questions structured approach to collecting data. The research was open to utilise the secondary data to triangulate it with the interviews or questionnaires data (primary data). The pragmatic approach and triangulation of the primary and the secondary data collection tools were properly designed to ensure that the study exhaustively comprehensively unearths the phenomenon (Moyo, 2017: pp. 285-286).
2.3. Data Analysis
The research ensured that the data was to be kept safe at all times, the data was coded, transcripts locked in cabinets after the survey and interviews were concluded, and confidentiality was to be maintained upon request of the interviewee or the respondent. The responses are therefore analyzed through a method of thematic analysis and coding of the verbatim transcripts. Coding involves identifying the themes that resonate/repeat in the answers. Thereafter, a thorough analysis of every interview transcript was conducted to collate thematic data following the pre-identified themes.
The quantitative research analysis was done through the use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0. The research planned to test the reliability of the instrument through the use of Cronbach’s Alpha value regarded the reliability co-efficient score of 0.70 as acceptable. The factor analysis was used as the data reduction technique utilising Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO). This technique was used to test for structure detection and testing of variances with Bartlett’s Test of Sphericity for hypothesis testing. It was important for the dimensions to meet the criteria.
2.4. Ethical Considerations
This study complied with research ethics regarding sensitive issues such as anonymity, confidentiality, and transparency of stakeholders. Importantly, the researcher first sought the authority to gather data from three key institutions of law enforcement (within the SAPS), which was duly granted. The researcher also received clearance from the Ethics Sub-Committee of the Faculty of Arts, Nelson Mandela University. All the participants were informed of the reason for the study and their prerogative to withdraw from the study at any time; all participants willingly signed the voluntary undertaking to participate in the study.
3. Key Findings and Discussions
A large number of the sample was focused on the trainee category as it played a critical role in the quest for the study to determine the outcomes of training provided by Division HRD. In essence, the trainee is the only respondent in the study that can exhibit change or no change in the work behaviour that can be associated with training attended. The other categories’ role was to monitor and evaluate the change using M&E policies, tools and systems. The sample had aimed at a maximum of 92 participants (12 for interviews and 80 for the survey). A total of 83 respondents participated, which gave the total of 71 respondents for the survey and 12 for the interviews, resulting in a 90% response rate.
Section B: Determination of the training needs
The study observed the following patterns: some statements show (significantly) higher levels of agreement, while other levels of agreement are lower (but still greater than levels of disagreement). In statement B1, the sum 60.4% of trainees agreed (45.3 % agreed and 15.1 strongly agreed) to have requested the training programmes, trainees at 34.7% agreed and 4.1% strongly agreed to have researched training before attending it, as presented in statement B2. In statement B3, a total of sixty-three percent (63%) of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that the training was requested on their behalf. Statement B4 revealed 58% of the trainees that agreed that the T&D programmes were requested through the skills audit process. The study noted statement B5 of 45.3% trained that agreed to utilize. Statement B6 found respondents at 68.8% awareness of their departments’ TNI system, and B7 was at 69.2% in terms of the trainees’ satisfaction with the provincial department’s TNI system. Statement B8 showed 36.7% of respondents that were aware of the skills audit process. In statement B 9, the figure was 62.2% of trainees that disagreed to have attended a meeting in their departments on skills audit system. Statement B10 recorded 60.4 % of uncertainty, disagreement and strong disagreement on the trainees being satisfied with the skills audit system. Another angle of Training Needs Extrapolation (TNE) within the TND discourse was introduced by management in the interview. The term referred to the extrapolation of TND data from the Workplace Skills Plans (WSPs), Annual Training Reports (ATRs) and consultation with the department. This process (TNE) culminated in the provision of training programmes using the data sourced from these processes. Statements B8, B9, and B10 reflect the low percentages of awareness, participation and satisfaction in the PPSTA TND system. This can be understood by the research as low level of awareness of the skills audit needs.
Section C: Monitoring and evaluation systems during and after training
The statements in Section C were focused on the theme: of monitoring and monitoring and evaluation during and after training, and the results showed (significantly) higher levels of agreement, with low levels of uncertainty and disagreement. The theme was aimed to ascertain whether subsequent to the need identification process there were integrated M&E systems that takes place during and after the training programme. The survey revealed the following findings.
In statement C1, a total of 87.16% of trainees agreed and strongly agreed to have written all the assessments during the training sessions. The finding was viewed as Division HRD having strong monitoring systems during training. Statement C2 reveals that a total of 74.6%, of the trainees wrote their Portfolios of Evidence (PoEs), which can be understood as the high rate of completion of summative assessments. In statement C3, there was a 71% totality of agreements and strong agreements with the statement that trainees submitted their PoEs. The study noted that close to 30% of the trainees were either uncertain or did not submit their PoEs after training. The study noted statements C2 and C3 to reflect strongly after training evaluation systems at beyond 70% response in terms of completion of summative assessments, including PoEs.
In statement C4, 88.2% of the trainees were prompted by the relevance of the course attended to their work to finish the assessments. The statement of the relevance of courses offered by the Division HRD to the trainees’ work is viewed as a stimulus for trainees to complete their assessments.
In statement C5, a total of 95% of trainees agreed and strongly agreed to have filled out the evaluation form. The evaluation form serves as the evaluation to assist Division HRD trainers, managers and cluster commanders and station commanders to evaluate the extent to which the course has contributed to the trainees’ skills and capacity development.
Section D: Training impact (outcomes)
In this theme, there was a generally high level of agreement with the statements among the respondent, except for disagreements in D5, D11 and D12. Statement D1 reflects a high number of trainees (66%) that agreed and strongly agreed to have written an evaluation report after the training. In D2, a total of 51% of trainees were in agreement and strong agreement to have had a meeting with their immediate supervisor after the training, while 49% disagree or were uncertain whether the meeting took place. Availability of the processes and systems followed to measure and ensure the outcomes of training was at 51%. The study noted with concern that almost half of the trainees did not get a chance to sit down and evaluate the course with their immediate supervisor. This may affect the transfer of learning in the planning processes. In the interviews conducted, it was significantly noted that there was no mention of M&E SOPS with regards to this matter. In statement D3, a total of 67% in total of respondents agreed and other trainees strongly agreed to have partially implemented what they have learned. Statement D4 responses reflected that 60.4 of participants agreed to have fully implemented what they have learned from the course attended.
Sixty percent of trainees have fully implemented what they have learned. These responses were interpreted as follows: 60% of trainees have transferred to some extent the learning obtained from the four programmes to their workplaces, while other trainees at close to 40% were uncertain or disagreed with the statement. It can be concluded that 60% of trainees implement the training at the workplace.
A sum of 76.5% in statement D5 of respondents was in disagreement with the statement that they had not fully implemented what had been learned. Statement D6 reveals that the majority (86%) of respondents were found to agree or strongly agree with the statement of training has made a positive impact (which will be understood as positive outcomes guided by the M&E framework of 2007) on their professional lives, while D7 statement attests that 73.3% of the respondents viewed the training attended had a positive impact (outcomes) at a sub directorate level. In category D8, the statement reveals that 63.4% of respondents had a positive impact (outcome) emanating from attending one of the four PPSTA courses.
In D11, the respondents disagreed at more than 70% that the training attended made no impact (positive outcomes). Statement D12 showed that 73.5% of the respondents disagreed with the statement about not being awarded an opportunity to implement what they had learned. In statement D13, 96% of the participants agreed that they could recommend the courses to a colleague.
Notwithstanding some gaps and differing views, overall the training programmes have proven to have a generally positive outcome on the trainees. The study noted that the impact (outcomes) of training had a greater training impact on the trainee as an individual as compared to the higher structures (sub-directorate, directorate branch and department level). The training impact (outcomes) theme had answered the fourth research question namely, what change has the training made to the organisation? The change confirmed by the statistical data is largely attributed to the courses offered by Division HRD. In the interview with one of the employees that attended the Public Service Administrative Skills (PSAS) programme, the interviewee linked doing well in the interviews, attaining a higher post and a better understanding of public service legislation deemed significant aspects in attending the PSAS training programme.
4. Recommendations
The findings proved that the training programmes conducted by Division HRD had generally yielded positive outcomes. These positive outcomes were largely due to the trainees’ professional work, and the training impact decreases its influence in the higher structures of the departments. These findings signified that there was value for money in the training programmes provided by the Division HRD. On the other hand, the researcher was able to respond to research questions and address the research objectives. The existence of policy, systems and processes at times were found to be at a minimal level, which allowed the study to monitor and evaluate the overall level of effectiveness of the training programmes offered b Division HRD.
The existence of an approved Policy Framework for the Government-wide M&E System of 2007, the draft M&E policy, valid and existing systems and processes and embedded in the Public Service Act using Monitoring and Evaluation tools like the PDP (for data collection) were found to be in existence, but weak on during training monitoring systems in the Division HRD. There was a strong evaluation of training processes and systems found in the Division HRD. The existence of weak after evaluation processes and systems in provincial departments informed the study to monitor and evaluate the outcomes of training programmes. On the other hand, the existence of the policies, processes and systems proved the alternate hypothesis correct that embedded M&E policies and systems in training and development programmes culminate in the efficacy of evaluating the outcome of training programmes. The existence of M&E policies, systems and processes in the Division HRD and provincial departments assisted the research to measure the outcomes of the training programmes, and was found as the necessary guide to address areas of concern and fulfill the mission of the efficacy of training and development initiatives. Through this study, the possibility of conducting a longitudinal study as a future study on impact assessment is put forward. The data obtained during the outcomes assessment study could serve as the basis for an impact assessment research to probe this area of return on investment of the depth of knowledge, skills and capacity development of trainees and identify the gaps that warrant deeper attention by provincial departments in general.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, the police play a pivotal role in the maintenance of law and order in any nation. Their task is crucial. A small portion of abuse of office can cost lives and this is the reason as to why every nation has a code of ethics that govern the conduct of individual police officers.