Public service officers recognised for innovative ideas and projects

SINGAPORE - The project, called Learning Chinese Characters Through Movement, was one of three projects that won the Gold award for Most Innovative Project/Policy at a ceremony held on Thursday to recognise innovative ideas and projects by public officers and agencies.

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Here is the full statement from the Public Service Division (Prime Minister's Office):

Innovation Excellence in the Singapore Public Service

PS21 ExCEL Awards and Convention 2013

Today, the Singapore Public Service celebrated the good work of 31 teams and individual officers from various public agencies who best exemplified the spirit of innovation and continuous improvement over the past 12 months.

"Getting Ready for Tomorrow", the theme of this year's PS21 ExCEL Awards and Convention, illustrates the commitment of the Public Service to meet the current and evolving needs of citizens.

Mr Peter Ong, Head of Civil Service, presented the awards for "Most Innovative Project / Policy" to 11 winners including the top three projects - 1) Khoo Teck Puat Hospital's Ageingin- Place Programme; 2) Guangyang Primary School's Learning Chinese Through Movement; and 3) PUB's ABC Waters Project. "Project Tomorrow"

Mr Ong also launched "Project Tomorrow", an internal crowd-sourcing initiative to gather ideas from public officers on how to create a better tomorrow for Singapore and encourage officers to make it happen.

Currently, officers use the Staff Suggestion Scheme to suggest ways to do things better within their own agency. A new "Post 'n' Poll" mobile application will allow officers to give their suggestions on issues that matter to them, across the boundaries of their own agency.

For example, an officer may come across a small plot of land in his neighbourhood and suggest that it be converted into a community garden for the seniors living in that area.

Ideas shared on the "Post 'n' Poll" app will be made available on the government intranet, Cube, for other officers to comment, vote and improve on.

The Public Service will also take "Hackathons" out of the Information Technology domain into policy-making and solutioning for public services. These activities will gather public officers to brainstorm, co-create policies or generate prototypes. The "Hackathons" will take place from May 2014.

These initiatives are part of the Public Sector Transformation effort to be One Trusted Public Service with Citizens at the Centre.