II. Practical Paradoxes and Problems

4. The Development of Parliamentary Training

Training is of crucial importance in institutional development in general, and regarding parliament in particular.

Since continuous training, at all levels, is required in economic institutions so as to increase their capacities in profit making, these institutions tend to allocate special budgets for research and development. Parliaments also have to lend focus to the training process for five major reasons:

First: Continuous training in its variety of scopes and levels represents parliament’s window to what is happening in the modern world, and a means to benefit from the various experiences of development in world parliaments.
The competition between items on parliaments’ agendas is increasing because parliaments’ activities are becoming more numerous and tackling more varied issues. This renders the training to develop the capacities of elements of parliamentary action (MPs, technical staff and their assistants) very necessary to cope with new demands and enhance parliamentary performance in general.

Second: Parliament, because of its nature and definition is an institution with a complicated organizational structure. It includes the permanent standing committees, the special and Ad-Hoc committees, the technical, research and information directories, the departments for financial and administrative affairs, the sections dealing with MPs and the needs they require from the supporting apparatus. Added to this is the relation with the executive power, on the one hand, and the electoral districts and citizens, on the other. All this requires an organizational structure and a team of assistants with a diversity of capacities and skills. The system of recruitment and personnel policies meanwhile, does not take into account the personal and qualitative differences between the members of staff while recruitment, assessment and incentives’ policies are being laid down. They are treated as a homogeneous group, and their training takes into account the levels of their jobs in the hierarchy scheme and an attempt is made to improve their output on the basis of the nature of their jobs. They are rehabilitated and rechannelled in the positions most appropriate to their capacities.

Third: It is common for parliament staff to shift positions between directorates, committees and the various sectors during the period of their work. This follows many criteria, sometimes objective and at other times political. Consequently, continuous training is necessary which is in line with these shifts of tasks within parliament.

Fourth: MPs represent a non-homogeneous group. They are an active group with a variety of capacities, interests, intellectual and political allegiances. They do not sit in their seats for long periods of time nor do they remain in their positions for extended periods, while work in the technical apparatus of parliament is characterized by continuity and relative professionalism. MPs, therefore, require the technical know-how and assistance which is in line with the mobile nature of their jobs. This does not apply to the administrative, bureaucratic and economic institutions of parliaments where staff members and directors remain for longer periods in their jobs.

Fifth: The required skills of the technical team assisting MPs, and the expected abilities of the MPs themselves in improving their legislative and political monitoring performance, are both characterized by fast change and continuous development in some parts of the world. The MPs of today, and the technical apparatuses helping them, are expected to deal with a multiplicity of new and complicated issues which were not on the agenda few years ago. Among these are economic blocs formation, giant monopoly organizations, monetary and stock markets and commodities, cloning and genetic engineering, the society of information and transfer of technology, international agreements, new strategies and the New World Order, parliamentary diplomacy and the political roles of MPs and others. All this requires increased attention towards enhancing training in parliamentary action.

This matter gains importance due to the absence of parliamentary experience centers (houses) in the Arab World and the scarcity of consultative and policy-oriented research available to MPs in these domains and the sensitivity of dealing with extra parliamentary experience centers (houses) for understandable but not necessarily acceptable reasons.

In Jordan, the New Jordan Center faced the issue of political sensitivity when it attempted to become a center (house) of experience to the Jordanian Parliament. “The idea of having a particular specialized unit conducting parliamentary studies did not find enough encouragement from MPs who were cautious regarding its political implications, and the fear that it may become an outside “kitchen” preparing the action of parliament. The government may look at such a center (house) with caution just as it may consider it as a center of power. In addition some MPs refused to deal with such centers, and the general secretariat of parliament was opposed to the idea of cooperating or relying on centers for parliamentary studies, or experience (houses), in assisting MPs, parliamentary committees and the technical staff of parliament”.(xv)

These givens are similar to the experiences of other bodies in Egypt, and maybe to a lesser extent in Lebanon (xvi). Hence workshops, symposia of dialogue and observation-study tours become more important locally and internationally.

It should be noted that the majority of training programs for those working in Arab parliaments were divided into two types. The first, are those which coordinate with the parliament (may exist within parliament’s buildings in under its direct or indirect supervision) and those which exist outside parliament (as an initiative from some (experience houses) or other training institutions, local or international, or through a special funding from non-governmental organizations or international bodies interested in parliamentary life in the Arab World).

In general, the preparation and implementation of the training programs in the first case i.e in coordination with parliament staff, is usually more successful and less complicated, and less subject to technical and organizational problems, in comparison to the second type of programs. This is partly due to the political sensitivity of parliament or the technical apparatus in it about dealing with institutions which lie outside the official framework of parliament itself. It is also due to the subjects of the training programs prepared by these non-parliamentary bodies, which may not agree with the priorities of the parliamentary action in question, and the political circumstances in the country and the internal balances within the parliament. Through reviewing three training experiences achieved in coordination with the parliaments of Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon, it should be noted that the assessments of these programs were in general positive, and that the difficulties they experienced were of a technical and organizational nature. They are much less acute than when programs were suggested or implemented by bodies or organizations not directly linked to parliament.

In Egypt, a training program for those working in the People’s Council and Consultative Council (the two houses of parliament) was undertaken by Cairo University’s Economics and Political Sciences Department in coordination with the general secretariat of both councils. This training program emphasized three major venues which were the group of programs for improving and directing the leadership level of those working in top administrative positions in the two councils. They included discussion symposia or seminars on some political and economic issues or issues pertaining to administration, strategic planning, communication and the improvement of human resources. Second, the venue of parliamentary researchers which emphasized legal, economic and political issues and the legislative process as well as the preparation of research reports and the development of the regulations of parliamentary committees. Third, the venue of workers in administrative units and the officials of the library. These programs tended to be in most instances of a theoretical nature, and did not motivate those participating in them via monetary incentives or promises of grants to pursue specialization for those who excelled. The staff even found difficulty in securing full time commitment for these programs (xvii).

In Jordan, a training program was prepared in coordination with the general secretariat of the Jordanian National Council (Parliament) and the Institute of Administration. The participants were the staff of the directorate of research and studies in parliament, which was created in 1992. The program focused on developing the capacities of scientific thinking, the skills of conducting research and the use of the scientific method in preparing research and parliamentary studies.

The training proved quite useful particularly for participants who had been away from academic life and scientific research for a long time, and since their graduation years ago. It was also useful for the new staff of parliament.

It managed to combine the theoretical (lectures and discussions) with the practical (applied studies based on what had been learnt from the real world). From an assessment point of view, the most important lessons learnt in this program were the following: The importance of publicizing and spreading news about these training programs among staff to motivate them to participate, the necessity to prepare accurate studies regarding the training needs of parliamentary staff, the need to link the training programs to the real activities of the staff, the emphasis on the practical elements in the training program, the suggestion of enabling the staff and the technical secretariat to participate in the preparation and implementation of the training program, thus exerting more efforts to convince the higher administrative management of the importance of training programs, and the encouragement of those trained to use what they have learnt. In addition it was suggested that academic specialization of staff should be made less disparate in order to create a more homogeneous staff groups and to decrease the huge differences in ages of the staff members and consequently their experiences. They also urged their employees to allow the full time staff to pursue training programs and to make more use of experienced research centers and “houses of experience” from outside parliament to prepare and coordinate these programs and to provide for continued financial support for them (xiii). In Lebanon, the International Management and Training Institute has been cooperating with the Lebanese Parliament since 1995 in applied training programs for the heads of directories, sections, reporters and parliamentary researchers.

During 1995 - 1999 this institute initiated and applied 10 training activities aiming at the introduction of new concepts for dialogue and exchange within a democratic framework and the enhancement of trainees skills in time management, organization of work, preparation of files as well as leadership and the improvement in methods of management in parliament.

The assessment of this experience reveals that it had a considerable success. The trainees were satisfied and MPs and parliament leadership looked at it positively. The negative aspect concentrated on resistance on the part of some trainees to change the methods of work they were used to, and the difficulties in the administrative climate surrounding them. Moreover, political considerations tend to have some influence in recruitment and promotion in the parliament’s administration. To this is added the absence of a clear policy of reward and punishment regarding the staff. Furthermore, there are economic and financial difficulties due to the special conditions through which Lebanon is passing, because of the war, on the one hand, and the stumbling difficulties to which parliamentary and administrative actions are subjected to during this period, on the other. (xix)

Based on the above mentioned experiences it is possible to propose a number of major determining criteria to initiate and implement programs for institutional development and the improvement in Arab parliaments staff skills as follows:
1. That the training is based on a plan and that the training plan should be adapted to the requirements of parliamentary work, in terms of timing, the types of trainees, the scopes and areas of the training programs. They should also be under the direct supervision of the parliament’s general secretariat and should result in an overall scientific assessment of the trainees performance.
2. The realization that training is a continuous process to improve the skills of trainees in the various areas of parliamentary action, and within the framework of the trainees jobs in particular. The aim is to elevate the level of competence in work performance. This is why the training plan should be cumulative, complementing itself, and subject to assessment (on monthly basis for example). This is called quality assessment administration.
3. The training plan should help in the creation of a group of trainees within parliament, who could themselves conduct the training process later on, in what is called the training of trainers (TOT).
4. The agreement that training is a major element in enhancing the use of information technology, computer systems and the information era; consequently, the inclusion of specialized training programs in information technology (using the computer, the Internet, E-mail) as well as designing training programs whose aims are to develop analytical skills by the use of these techniques.(like browsing through the computer, statistical analyses, data base etc…).
5. Choosing the organizations for the implementation of training programs from the “houses” of national experience, and the international bodies, when necessary, in addition to conducting the training locally with recourse to external training in the case of dire need, and after the approval of parliament. The training programs should be conducted in parliament itself or the implementing units, and should be conducted according to the work requirements within parliament and the nature of the programs themselves.
Examples of these organizations are universities, national research centers such as schools of law, economics and political sciences, documentation departments in libraries and the “houses” of national experience in the Arab world and abroad such as the Arab Parliamentary Center for Training or the Congress Research Center in the U.S. and others.
6. It is suggested, in this regard, that the training plan be divided into the following sectors based on jobs, objective and complementary tracks and not necessarily in line with the administrative framework of the parliament’s general secretariat.

1. The Sector of Committees, which includes the workers in standing committees i.e. homogenous standing committees linked to one another (such as the economic group including economic and financial affairs, planning and budget, foreign trade, industry and technology….or the legislative and political group including legislative and constitutional affairs, local government and municipalities… or the foreign affairs and international affairs group etc…)
2. The Sector of Sessions, which includes those working in the administration of schedules, agenda, controls, the press and issues pertaining to members.
3. The Sector of Research and Information, which includes those working in libraries, research directories, computer centers (excluding technical specialized staff).
4. The Sector of Administrative and Technical Matters, which includes the staff of the technical committees of parliament leadership, directors and the secretary general and his assistants, the financial and administrative departments, the directorate of statistics, archives, documentation, services and maintenance.

These include interrelated venues which are:

• The area of “Legal and Parliamentary Knowledge” which is a primary venue for all staff (who need this knowledge). It includes training and general educational programs in the knowledge of the constitution, the law, the internal regulation list and the mechanisms of parliamentary action, and that of the work of the state and the government apparatuses and modern parliamentary life. Among the training issues tackled by this venue is : the interpretation of the constitution and of laws linked to parliamentary political and party life, the organization of the various powers in the country, the internal regulation list of parliament, the organizational framework and the internal order of action based on it, the legislative process within parliamentary action, the monitoring role of parliament in monetary affairs, the role of parliament in producing general policies in the light of modern development of parliament’s role, the administrative apparatus of the state (The ministries, official bodies, locals, central apparatus).
• The area of Improving the Action of Committees, which includes central training subjects such as : the role of committees in parliamentary action, the role of parliamentary committees in the legislative process, the types of parliamentary committees in contemporary world parliaments and their functions, the role of committees in supporting the work of members, the management of committee actions, the improvement in capacities of those working in parliamentary committees, the preparation of parliamentary reports and research for those working in committees, the use of the library and modern information technology techniques in the work of parliamentary committees.
• The area of Skills in Legislative Drafting. This is related to the basis of legislation, the legislative systems in the Arab world and some foreign countries, the relation between general policies and legislation, the language of legislation, the technical principles of formulating legislation, the paradoxes or problems in the technical and legal formulation of legislations: practical cases, the use of databases in the legislative process, the construction of legislative databases on computers, the role of the legislative/legal committee in legislation and formulation, the role of the legal directorate in the follow-up of the implementation of legislation, the organization and management of the legal apparatus in parliaments, the preparation of introductory, and explanatory briefings regarding legislation, the role of parliamentary committees in the initiation of legislation with emphasis on applied cases of legislation, such as financial and tax legislation, and labor and social and ecology legislation.
• The area of Technological skill and its Related Basic Linguistic Knowledge, which is a major venue for all those working in parliament. It aims at the eradication of computer illiteracy and strengthening the ability to use modern information technology. It includes training programs in the use of personal computers, the Internet and the ability to use the computer word program. In addition, it trains in the use of the English language with emphasis on parliamentary terminology and language, plus the use of other foreign languages based on parliament’s needs. Among the most important training subjects in this venue are: the use of the personal computer, the use of the internal parliamentary network, writing and printing on the computer, the use of foreign languages and the legal and parliamentary technology.
• The area of Research, Administrative and Specialized Technical Skills, this is an advanced complementary venue for specialized people. It includes three types of programs: “The Programs for Research and Analysis and the Preparation of Report”, in the area of preparation of parliamentary research, the preparation of parliamentary committees reports. It also includes the analysis and assessment of public policies, the response to requests for parliamentary information through electronic sources (using the Internet in parliamentary research), the preparation of working papers in international conferences.
  Among the training subjects in this area are: the methods of research and scientific thinking, the preparation of research and the writing of parliamentary reports, the analysis of legislative documents, the analysis and assessment of public policies, the use of the library and information systems in parliamentary research and studies, the methods of field work and statistical and quantitative analysis in parliamentary studies, the preparation and discussion and assessment of the budget, planning and follow-up, the content analysis of parliamentary controls, the preparation of public policy reports and recommendations from a parliamentary point of view, and the organization of administrations of modern parliaments.
• The area of the Administration Specialized in Communication, Time and Quality Management, Strategic Planning, the Development of Leaderships and Parliamentary Action. These programs are directed towards middle and upper management. They take the form of workshops, discussion groups and deal with the following subjects: the growth of human resources and the preparation of leaderships, creative thinking, the management of collective action, strategic planning and follow-up of performance, the policies of economic reform and complementary development, information and communication technologies.
• The area of Analysis of the Budget and Economic Policies, which emphasizes the use of modern methods of research and information technology in economic and financial analysis. Among the training programs here are: the technical methods of preparing the budget, the parliamentary reports regarding the budget, the assessment and review of the final accounts and the reports of the monitoring and accountability apparatuses, the use of imitation techniques in the preparation and presentation of the budget, the sectoral planning, the use of follow-up on performance measures.
• The area of Programs to Develop the Library; among the most important areas of training for parliamentary library staff is the training in the use of computers, the English language, marketing and information service, the modern library techniques, specialized sources, the Internet, indexing and references, classification, electronic dissemination, increasing holdings, exclusions, assessment selectively and storage, analysis of subjects, indices and summaries, follow-up of the needs of users, participation and organization of international and local conferences.