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3. Obstacles to the roles and standards for the Integrated Public Service Inspection System

The Integrated Public Service Inspection has problems regarding structure, staff, processes, and

support that prevent it from fulfilling its role and achieving inspection standards.

Structure

An integrated inspection system remains out of reach because of the inspection structure’s three

levels: the Prime Minister’s Office, ministerial inspection, and departmental inspection. The three levels

of inspection are divided so they cannot actually lead to linkage and integration in the Integrated Public

Service Inspection system.

The Official Inspection Bureau, an agency under the Prime Minister’s Office, is supposed to be

directly responsible for the Integrated Public Service Inspection system, but the bureau also has other
duties assigned to it by the prime minister. Staff of the bureau handle many tasks including providing

support for monitoring and follow - up of regional practices, support for the Good Governance

Committee, and support for the Government Sector Audit and Evaluation subcommittee. Moreover, the
office has to carry out additional missions, mostly related to policy works as assigned by the prime

minister or a deputy prime minister, which are outside the bureau’s main duties and increase its workload.

This affects the bureau’s efficiency in performance of its main responsibilities and routine work.

Staff

The key people in the inspection system are the inspectors general and the supporting staff. The

researchers found that some inspectors general came to their positions without the purpose of performing

an inspection role. This had an adverse effect on the motivation and competency of inspectors general, as
well as the value and significance of inspection. Moreover, there are still no sufficiently specific

competencies for inspectors general, nor are there standards for conducting inspections. Inspections now

depend on individual inspectors’ knowledge, skill, and experience. Even though the system has an
inspection guideline, it is just a brief framework, and it is not a standardized requirement. The guideline

should be universalized, analyzed, and formally prescribed.

In terms of support staff, entry to the position of support officer still requires no specified

qualifications and there are no work standards for the position. The rules for work are unfavorable to

personal development and experience. Furthermore, under Office of the Civil Service Commission

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