Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Approval for Training and Development Activities – 2019

This SOP, titled "Approval for Training and Development Activities – 2019," is issued by the Director General of the Customs Authority and applies to all areas of the Customs Authority. The objectives of this SOP are to provide clear instructions on who is responsible for applying the provisions, processes to be followed, use of approved standard templates, and minimizing opportunities for procedural abuse or malfeasance. The SOP applies to employees across all levels working at the Customs Authority and comes into effect the day after it has been signed by the Director General. The National Director of Administration and Internal Resources (DNARI) is the owner of this procedure and is responsible for its implementation and standardized application. The DNARI is also responsible for ensuring that all officers have access to a written copy of this SOP, receive appropriate training in its content, and take corrective measures if the provisions are not followed strictly. The SOP outlines the steps to be followed when an external training provider sends an invitation for Customs to nominate employees to participate in a training and development activity. The process involves forwarding the invitation to the National Director of DNARI for consideration and processing, assessing the request and employee eligibility, nominating employees who meet the course requirements, and notifying the Ministry of Finance (MoF) Public Financial Management Capacity Building Centre (PFMCBC) of the nomination. The PFMCBC reviews all documentation related to the T&D activity and conducts screening to assess employee language skills, qualifications, experience, and may require the employee to undertake tests to ensure candidates meet the minimum language and other specific eligibility requirements necessary for the T&D activity. The Customs Training Department informs the training provider of the final decision and confirms who are the approved employees attending the T&D course. The SOP also outlines the steps to be followed when a Customs employee self-nominates to attend a T&D activity. The employee is responsible for completing a Professional Development Plan (PDP) and submitting it to the Training Department of DNARI. The employee must also complete a T&D request form and submit it to their manager for consideration and approval. The SOP requires that all necessary documentation, such as T&D request forms, passport biodata information, and certificates of prior learning, be completed and submitted to the Training Department. The MoF Treasury reviews the request from the Customs Training Department regarding the associated costs to ensure it is in accordance with MoF payment rules and requirements. If all documentation is complete, the MoF Treasury processes the payment, and the Customs employee attends the T&D activity. Upon completion of the T&D activity, the employee must submit a course completion certificate to the Customs Training Department for filing in the employee's training folder. The Training Department may also request the employee to complete a report on the T&D activity and/or make a presentation to other Customs employees on the T&D activity. It is the responsibility of the Customs employee to keep their Employee Professional Development Plan (PDP) current.