ISLAMABAD, Aug 4: A high-level meeting here on Saturday decided to change the recruitment system for heads of public sector organisations so transparency could be ensured in the bodies.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf presided over the meeting, which was attended by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, chief ministers, chairman of the National Reconstruction Bureau, chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission, rector of the National School of Public Policy and other senior officials.

The meeting decided to improve professional skills of government servants.

It was the second meeting of the Steering Committee of the National Commission for Government Reforms, which approved measures for strengthening the training system of government servants.

The steering committee is the highest forum for approving recommendations of the commission, which was established in April 2006 under former State Bank governor Dr Ishrat Hussain to improve governance at the national level.

The commission approved a proposal to revise the recruitment system of candidates having job-specific qualifications. It approved a centralised system of training for government servants by the establishment division.

To bring about transparency and ensure institutionalised selection of appropriately qualified chief executives for public sector organisations, the steering committee decided that the recruitments would be made on recommendations of relevant research committees, said an official announcement after the meeting.

For improving educational infrastructure and ensuring quality education at the local level, the committee approved establishment of district education boards and separation of teaching and management cadres. It was decided that provincial governments would delegate powers of recruitment, posting and transfer of teachers to district governments. The committee also approved the creation of an endowment fund for grant of merit based scholarships to talented and deserving students of private schools.