Government is preparing a comprehensive review of public service job categories and grading structures as part of broader reforms aimed at modernising the civil service, improving staff retention and digitising recruitment processes.
The reforms were discussed during a stakeholder engagement between the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT), where concerns were raised about the loss of skilled professionals due to outdated grading structures.
Deputy Executive Director in the Department of Public Service Management Joyce Mukubi confirmed that an advanced Cabinet submission has been prepared for a review of public service job categories.
MICT Executive Director Linda Aipinge-Nakale during the meeting, raised concerns that specialised positions such as sound technicians, photographers, graphic designers, videographers and information officers remain graded at levels nine and eleven despite growing technical demands and market competition.
The planned review is expected to assess whether existing job categories and salary grades remain aligned with the skills requirements of a modern public service.
The reforms will also extend to the recruitment process, with the Public Service Commission looking to digitise government hiring systems.
The commission is exploring the automation of recruitment processes to improve efficiency, transparency and fairness in the appointment of public servants.
Currently, applications for government vacancies are processed manually and require the physical submission of documents.
Under the proposed system, applicants would be able to submit applications electronically, reducing administrative delays and improving access to employment opportunities.
The commission is also considering the automation of internal human resource functions, including leave applications and other administrative processes.
The move forms part of broader efforts to modernise human resource management across government institutions.
The reforms come as Namibia’s public service continues to expand.
According to the commission, the public service workforce increased to 118,936 employees as at 31 December 2025, up from approximately 107,000 civil servants catered for under the public wage bill in 2024.
The engagement between the PSC and MICT also addressed employee wellness programmes and compliance with statutory obligations involving the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF), the Social Security Commission and the Public Service Employees Medical Aid Scheme (PSEMAS).
Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus further called for urgent structural reforms to enable government to recruit cybersecurity specialists as digital threats become increasingly sophisticated.
She said closer collaboration between the Public Service Commission and government ministries is essential to building a public service that is responsive to citizens’ needs and fit for purpose.
