Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (Policy, Parliament, and Coordination), Dr Jim Yonazi, has underscored the need for public servants to embrace a culture of continuous learning as a means to enhance performance, efficiency, and accountability in the delivery of public services.
Speaking during the official opening of a training session on the Performance Evaluation and Planning Management Information System (PEPMIS), held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dodoma, Dr Yonazi said active participation in learning processes is essential for institutional effectiveness.
“We must shift our mindset. Learning should be seen not as a one-time event but as a lifestyle for anyone in public service,” said Dr Yonazi.
Quoting American statesman Benjamin Franklin, Dr Yonazi said: “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.”
He stressed the need to focus on involvement, arguing that genuine engagement in training initiatives is the foundation for meaningful and sustainable improvement in government performance.
He urged participants to utilise the PEPMIS training to not only gain technical skills but to also improve the way they plan, track, and evaluate their responsibilities.
“This is not just a system – it is a tool to enable us to reflect, measure and refine our work in line with service delivery goals,” he said.
Dr Yonazi noted that Tanzania’s broader public sector reforms hinge on the ability of its workforce to adapt, innovate, and apply new knowledge in ways that directly impact citizens.
“This training provides a platform for transformation. Let it be reflected in the quality of leadership, supervision, and accountability you bring to your institutions,” he said.
For his part, Mr Mutani Josephat Manyama, the national PEPMIS trainer from the President’s Office – Public Service Management and Good Governance, said the system is designed to strengthen performance appraisal processes in the public sector.
“This tool will allow leaders and supervisors to conduct accurate and evidence-based evaluations,” he explained.
“That will lead to improved decision-making, fair recognition of employee contributions, and ultimately a more results-driven public service.”he added
Mr Manyama added that by equipping public servants with the capacity to plan and evaluate their performance systematically, PEPMIS contributes to improved productivity, transparency, and service delivery across ministries, departments, and agencies.
The training is part of ongoing efforts to digitalise and modernise public service management systems, with the goal of aligning performance with national development priorities under the current administration.
Dr Yonazi also called on institutions to make internal learning a continuous process, urging leaders at all levels to champion a culture where knowledge acquisition is integrated into daily routines.
“The government places trust in its workforce,” he said. “We must reciprocate that trust through improved performance, guided by knowledge and responsibility.”
The PEPMIS system is expected to support better coordination, planning, and monitoring of work plans across government entities, reinforcing Tanzania’s commitment to building a responsive, transparent, and accountable public service.