Corporate Services

 

The Department of Corporate Services provides support services and advice to the Permanent Secretary on issues related to financial planning and management, human resources management and office management in line Departments falling under the Ministry. It tries to ensure the most effective and efficient use of human and financial resources

The Department co-ordinates activities of a corporate nature in carrying out policy directives from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, and the Ministry itself.

The Department is organised into five branches, namely Finance (Ministry), Support Services, Human Resources, Financial Services (Directorate for Educational Services and Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education) and Procurement and Administration.

FINANCE (MINISTRY)

The Ministry’s Finance Section provides support services on financial issues to the Ministry, line Departments and entities.

It prepares the Ministry’s Business Plans and advises the Permanent Secretary on the Business Plans submitted by Government Entities for Budget purposes.

The Finance Section manages the funds in the Ministry’s Recurrent Vote, including subventions to Government entities, and processes payments related to Capital expenditure. It liaises, as necessary, amongst others, with the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, and the National Audit Office.

The Ministry’s Registry handles correspondence from the public, government ministries and departments, and government entities. It also opens and records files movements and is responsible for the circulation of circulars and notices.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Support Services includes the administration of the Students’ Maintenance Grants Section and the Travel Abroad Unit.

The Students’ Maintenance Grants Section issues swipe cards and regularly remunerates students entitled to a Maintenance Grant at the Junior College, the University of Malta, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), Church and Private Schools’ Sixth Forms and Higher Secondary Schools in Malta and Gozo.

The Travel Abroad Unit is responsible for the preparation of documents related to travel abroad by delegates from the Ministry and the follow-up procedures on the return of the delegates, including the presentation of relative documentation to the Treasury and the submission of claims for reimbursements to the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, for expenditure incurred in respect of travel related to the EU Commission and Council.

FINANCIAL SERVICES BRANCH

The Financial Services Branch provides support services on financial matters to the Directorate for Educational Services and the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education, including outstations and schools.

The Branch has the role of a financial controller and is responsible for the preparation of the Business and Financial Plans and the Annual Estimates. It evaluates the three-year plans submitted by the Directorates and Departments and submits a holistic document consistent with Government’s agenda and policies for senior management consideration in preparation for discussion with the Ministry of Finance, the Economy and Investment, in preparation for the Estimates.

The Branch is divided into the Accounts Section and the Efficiency and Strategic Operations Planning Unit (ESOPU).

The Accounts Section is responsible for the following activities:

	payment for goods and services procured by the Directorate for Educational Services and the Directorate for Quality in Standards;
	payment of mid-day break and transport allowances;
	issue of imprest funds to schools for Materials and Supplies and Repair and Upkeep;
	reimbursements for the use by members of staff of own transport on official duty;
	Petty Cash and Cash point.

ESOPU is responsible for the:

	monitoring of capital expenditure;
	issue of capital imprest funds to schools;
	reconciliation of the School Councils’ Funds;
	drafting, compilation and issue of departmental calls for quotations and tenders related to capital expenditure;
	sick leave verification;
	compilation of statistical data.

HUMAN RESOURCES BRANCH

The Human Resources Branch provides services to the Ministry, the Directorate for Educational Services and the Directorate for Quality and Standards in Education. The Branch is made up of the Records Section, the Resourcing Section, the Employee Relations Section and the Discipline Section.

The Records Section maintains updated personnel records of employees. To this end, it maintains databases connected with the various seniority lists and staff in receipt of allowances and co-ordinates the maintenance of the Human Resources Information Management System Database (HRIMS). The Records Section carries out the required procedure concerning increments, confirmations, allowances, resignations, superannuations and pensions. It also processes appointments and registers the recruitment of new employees.

The Resourcing Section is responsible for the preparation of the weekly and monthly employment returns. It also processes progressions of departmental and industrial grades in terms of the various collective agreements and ensures that Performance Management Programmes (PMP) are drawn up in respect of all employees in the clerical, executive and administrative grades. The Section refers newly employed personnel for a medical examination.

The Employee Relations Section maintains records of sick leave and vacation leave availed of by employees. Data is recorded on the HRIMS database. Records of vacation and sick leave are also maintained manually on the card system. The Employee Relations Section also processes and administers requests for special leave, including maternity and parental leave, unpaid leave, responsibility leave, pre-retirement leave, reduced hours, sports leave, cultural leave, vocational leave, unpaid study leave and other types of special leave.

The Discipline Section administers and processes all disciplinary cases in terms of the Public Service Commission (Disciplinary Procedure) Regulations, 1999.

The Human Resources Branch liaises with the Staff Development Organisation for the provision of training and development of clerical and industrial staff at Head Office and in schools.

In addition, the Branch circulates all MPO/OPM Circulars to schools, sections and units by e-mail. Recruitment exercises are also undertaken for clerical, technical and industrial staff.

PROCUREMENT AND ADMINISTRTION

The Procurement and Administration Branch is made up of the Procurement, Inventories, Minor Staff, Stores, Transport and Registry Sections and the Electronic Servicing Unit.

The Procurement Section is responsible for the preparation of tenders, the procurement and distribution of textbooks to State schools, the drawing up of Local Purchase Orders and provision of uniforms to messengers and cleaners.

The Inventories Section is in charge of Head Office inventory lists and the monitoring of inventories in State schools and other outstations, as well as the recording of transfers and asset write-offs.

The Minor Staff Section is responsible for the deployment of minor staff at Head Office, outstations and State schools and the deployment of watchmen in schools. It monitors performance and attendance of minor staff.

The Stores Section procures and issues stationery and cleaning materials, distributes uniforms to messengers, and distributes textbooks and other educational publications to State schools.

The Transport Section manages the transport pool at Head Office and provides transport for State schools activities. It is also responsible for the maintenance of government-owned cars.

The Registry handles letters and other correspondence received by the Directorates. It also manages and updates the docreg and mail databases.

The Electronic Servicing Unit carries out repairs of Hi-fi equipment, public address systems, Television sets and computer monitors in State schools.

The Assistant Director (Procurement and Administration) is also the Department of Corporate Services’ Data Protection Officer and the liaison officer with the Office of the Ombudsman.