Training Programmes
Need For Improvement

By Khilendra Basnyat

TODAY, many people have realised that development cannot gain momentum without imparting appropriate training to those involved in development activities. The reason is that training helps administration for better productivity, organisational stability, motivation and prevention of accident and damages. In addition, it develops interest, responsiveness, cooperation and other qualities to be inherent among employees engaged in various development programmes.

Need

No training programme can be run in vacuum. A training programme is generally conducted to fulfil what is lacking and to improve the existing situation. However, before launching any training programme, training need assessment is of paramount importance because it identifies a gap between knowledge, skills and attitudes of participants.

Many make mistakes while conducting training programmes. Some organise training programmes without assessing the training needs and others conduct such programmes without proper need assessment. Actually, a proper need identification process of training is the one, which runs in the sequential and logical basis.

Since training programmes are of various types, their methodologies vary accordingly. However it should be noted that there is no single best methodology of training. The appropriate methodology depends on the type of training, its size, scope and content. However, a training programme may include more than one methodology.

The impact of training does not depend on the number of methods used but on their appropriateness. Therefore, the selection of an appropriate methodology is of immense importance of making any training effective.

Although there are several methods of training, lecture method has been still in vogue in many countries. However, one of the most effective methods of imparting training to low level trainees is an audio-visual aid method because in this method a trainer can communicate the relevant message by means of films, television, audiocassettes and pictures. One of the advantages of this method is that audio-visuals can be re-shown and the important points can be re-emphasised as and when dictated by necessity.

It is not possible to get intended results from training if the participants are not rightly chosen. The problem of nominating right persons to the right training can be solved if the pre-training exercises are properly carried out by the concerned training centre. In this respect, the concerned training centres should publish training, schedule a few months before a training programme is conducted.
Today, imparting training has been in vogue in our country too. Both governmental and non-governmental agencies have earmarked some budget for it. However, it has been futule to spend on training because it has not yielded attitudinal change.

The history of the public sector training in Nepal is not old. The realising for modernisation and capability building in the public administrative system was sought only after the political change of 1951.

There are many training centre now which conduct a variety of training programmes. These programmes hold significance only when they help speed up the pace of development.

If the training programmes are not in conformity with the need of the country, it is futile to conduct such programmes. In order to find out whether or not the training programmes have met the needs of the country, it is essential to carry out an assessment of efficiency and effectiveness of these programmes. Thereafter improvements should be made according to necessity.

A training programme cannot be as effective as expected if it is conducted in isolation. In fact, the quality of training can be enhanced if there is an exchange of ideas among the concerned authorities of training centres.

Many ex-trainees argue that after receiving training, they have no chance to work in the same job in the same place for considerable time. Consequently, knowledge and skills gained by them have not been properly utilised to bring about improvement in the working situation. The concerned authorities should pay heed to these facts. Otherwise the very purpose of giving and receiving training will be futile.

Importance

Training is neither a panacea for all ills nor a waste of time. The importance of a training should not be examined only from the perspective of direct and immediate returns because training is a slow and continuous process, and the emerging development challenges call for more meaningful and quantitative training. However, before training begins to make meaningful contribution to the development process, timely improvements are necessary.

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