Reform of public institutions

A reform drama that affects the interests of 30 million people is still in the prelude and adjustment stage after many years.

In the deadlock of reform, combing the reform process for many years and pursuing the current trend can sort out such a message: the reform direction of public institutions is increasingly returning to the true colors of "public service"; It is for more effective returns that its policy is so prudent. Once the time is ripe, it can be launched.

Outlook: Basic Social Functions of Public Institutions

Personnel system reform in public institutions: taking the lead in using "people" system to standardize.

The reform of public institutions, 30 million "business people" changed.

Profile picture: Dalian, Liaoning Province openly recruits national civil servants and government workers, and the registration site is extremely hot. Xinhua News Agency (photo by Lu)

The reform of public institutions should not only "break" its existing disadvantages, but also "establish" its public services.

According to Outlook News Weekly, the overall strategy of the reform of public institutions promoted by the Central Organization Establishment Committee and the Ministry of Personnel is still in the process of soliciting opinions, while some individual ideas such as personnel system are clear and have entered the stage of legalization. Recently, relevant departments have recently asked relevant institutions to speed up the reform of the income distribution system.

To return to public service properties.

Regardless of its title or nature, "system" is a unique product of China. Some experts attending international seminars often feel embarrassed about its translation.

Colleges and universities cover a wide range. By the end of 2005, there were 654.38+250,000 public institutions in China, covering education, science, culture, health, agriculture, forestry, water, radio and television, press and publication and other fields. , with more than 30.35 million employees.

"Institutions" were formed in the period of planned economy. In 1998, the Provisional Regulations on the Registration Management of Public Institutions was promulgated and implemented, which were defined as "social service organizations established by the state for social welfare" and "organized by state organs or other organizations using state-owned assets". Experts also translated it into "PublicServiceUnit" accordingly.

In fact, the concept of "public service organization" can't accommodate all the institutions now, but only represents its original intention. From the practical point of view, institutions generally include administrative law enforcement, public service, production and operation.

From the perspective of public service, it is "wrong team" to engage in administrative law enforcement and commercial services. The actual boundary between institutions and party and government organs and state-owned enterprises is not as clear as the regulations say. The management confusion caused by "no distinction between politics and business" and "no distinction between business and enterprise" has been repeatedly criticized.

For example, a scholar said that some government-owned institutions are the "second government", which is superior to enterprises and society and has a bigger temper than some government departments. Other institutions have actually become profit-oriented institutions, which are gradually drifting away from the purpose of "social welfare".

What should the organization change? Li Zeng, deputy director of the National Development and Reform Commission, summed up the "problems" of public institutions as: bloated and inefficient institutions, which have been difficult to meet the needs of China's current market economy and seriously restricted the coordinated development of economy and society.

However, the main bodies of public institutions are still those typical public service industries. According to statistics, employees in education, health and agricultural technology services account for 3/4 of the staff of public institutions, of which the education system accounts for about half.

There is an increasing demand for public services in today's society, and there is still much room for improvement in the services provided by these units. For example, in the list of the most dissatisfied industries in recent years, the education system and the medical and health system are in the forefront.

Resource sources affect basic attributes.

The reform of public institutions in the past two decades has always been centered on the expansion and contraction of financial sources. Under the principle of financial subsidy (full or difference) and self-care, income generation within the unit is often mixed with appropriation. The determination of the basic attribute of "public * * * service" also fluctuates with different financial resources, causing different social impressions.

Institutions consume about one-third of the national budget expenditure for a long time. According to some statistical studies, these resources are increasingly used by 30 million people themselves.

In the 1980s, in the reform of public institutions in science and technology, health and other industries, expanding autonomy became one of the core contents, including income right and distribution right. The other side of this trend is budget cuts.

In the three important documents on the reform of public institutions in the 1990s (the Reform Plan of Party and Government Organizations and Opinions on Implementing the Reform Plan of Party and Government Organizations issued by the Central Committee 1993 and the Opinions of the Central Organization Establishment Committee on Several Issues Concerning the Reform of Public Institutions issued by the Central Committee and the State Council 1996), the principle of "separation of political affairs" is straightforward.

The background of the reform in this period is that after the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China established the basic line of the socialist market economic system, public institutions began to explore a new management system corresponding to it.

Based on the course of many years, some researchers pointed out that in the past, the reform direction of public institutions was less and less like government agencies and more and more like enterprises, which was called "pushing to the market".

Because the power of public institutions lies with governments at all levels, under various forms of "responsibility system", the government often gives fixed funds only according to the amount determined in advance (mainly based on "head fee"), and all the savings or deficits of public institutions are solved by themselves.

At that time, schools, hospitals and other institutions were on an equal footing with enterprises and institutions transformed into enterprises in order to better generate income. The tried-and-true practice is to "generate income" in various names. Under the weak budget system, this "income-generating" income is basically "digested" internally.

Ge Yanfeng, a researcher at the State Council Development Research Center, believes that some institutions that mainly provide social welfare services have been over-marketized, over-decentralized and under-constrained.

This marketization is essentially a pseudo-marketization, especially in the case of resource monopoly. Its main content is that resource providers are increasingly turning from "state" to "society", and in this process, they are increasingly deviating from the basic attributes of "public service", thus causing various objections.

"Classification" of public institutions is in place

In recent years, under the background of building a service-oriented government, especially a harmonious society, the state has taken many "rectification" actions in education, medical care and other industries, showing its disapproval of the "pseudo-marketization" direction of public institutions. The reform of public institutions is increasingly returning to its standard: public service.

Fan Hengshan, director of the Comprehensive System Reform Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, once suggested that public institutions should be redefined as organizations that provide social services and public welfare services between the government and enterprises. Their basic characteristics are "non-government (not two governments), non-enterprise (not quasi-enterprise) and non-profit (not disguised profit)". He suggested that institutions should operate in the fields of "public affairs, public service, social mutual assistance and charitable assistance".

In fact, at the same time, the reform of public institutions put special emphasis on classification from the beginning. For example, in the above three important documents of the 1990s, there are classification guidance. Although there are different classifications in different periods and places, there is a core concept of "public welfare".

In the middle of last year, the "Pilot Program for Classification of Public Institutions and Related Reforms" (draft for comments) formulated by the Central Committee proposed that according to the social functions of existing public institutions, they should be divided into three categories: undertaking administrative functions, engaging in public welfare services and engaging in production and business activities. This classification is similar to the actual practice in Zhejiang and Shenzhen.

Classification is only the first step, and the next step is to decide whether to stay, undertake administrative functions and return to the administrative sequence, engage in production and business activities and turn into enterprises. There is only one left institution: public service.

The Pilot Program for Classification of Institutions and Related Reforms (Draft for Comment) also classifies institutions engaged in public welfare services into three categories: if it is impossible or inappropriate for the market to allocate resources, the required funds shall be guaranteed by the finance at the same level, and business activities shall not be carried out, and service fees shall not be charged; Resources can be partially allocated by the market, and the required funds are given by the finance in different ways to encourage social forces to invest; If resources can be allocated by the market, the funds will take care of themselves, and the government will give corresponding financial subsidies by purchasing services. Conditional to gradually transform into enterprises. In the future, such units will be mainly organized by social forces. Some researchers believe that the institutions that carry out auxiliary work for government agencies are not the same as those facing the public, and should be treated differently and divided into directly affiliated institutions and independent institutions.

Zhu, a professor at the National School of Administration, believes that the return of public institutions to public service means that the focus of the reform of public institutions is not the reduction of staff, but the reform of internal management and the effective supervision and performance evaluation system of public institutions to improve service efficiency, and the responsibility of the government during this period is to let most people in society, especially the socially disadvantaged groups, enjoy the benefits brought by social development through secondary distribution and government financial investment. Competition from private enterprises?

Whether from the original intention or the direction of reform, it has become a * * * knowledge for institutions to engage in "full-time" public services. However, there are still different opinions on whether public institutions need to "monopolize" the public service system.

In fact, in the process of reform of public institutions, the fields they operate are facing more and more competition from the private sector. The counterparts of non-state-owned institutions are called "private non-enterprise units" or non-profit organizations, and also engage in non-profit social services. The difference is that one is public and the other is private.

For example, in the field of education, although the growth of private schools and independent colleges is slow, they have been gradually recognized by policies and laws. The privatization reform of Suqian Hospital in Jiangsu Province was hotly debated by Tsinghua and Peking University last year.

Gao Shusheng, a researcher at China Insurance and Social Security Research Center of Peking University, believes that the imbalance between public and private public welfare institutions is a prominent problem in the development of social welfare in China. He said that no matter whether the institution is transformed into a non-profit organization or a profit-making organization, no matter whether it continues to adopt the public mode or the private mode, development is the first, its mission of promoting the development of social welfare undertakings cannot be changed, and the goal of promoting development through reform cannot be shaken.

As some commentators have pointed out, the failure of the previous "marketization" reform of education and medical care is not a real marketization fault. In the provision of public services, there is no contradiction between government-led and diversified provision including private institutions.

In the process of the reform of public institutions in Shenzhen, there is a way to reform the government to provide public services. Under the premise of not affecting the stable supply of public services, the government adopts the methods of "spending money on services" and "raising things without raising people" to organize production and supply in a market-oriented way, reduce the unit cost of public services and improve public services. Procurement targets are not limited to public institutions.

As early as 2000, the research group led by Cheng Siwei, vice chairman of the National People's Congress, proposed that the government should take the main responsibility of managing and operating pure public non-profit organizations, while quasi-public non-profit organizations should be mainly operated by non-governmental organizations.

Cheng Siwei said that a modern public finance system should be established and improved. Increase the government's investment in public services and financial transfer payments, and improve the efficiency of financial services. At the same time, reform the investment and financing system in the social field, relax market access, encourage and allow social capital investment, and form a diversified investment mechanism for social undertakings.

In contrast, the reports of two research groups from the State Council Development Research Center and Ministry of Science and Technology are cautious about non-profit organizations (non-governmental organizations), but they also propose to play a "complementary role".

The difficulty of reform lies in personnel.

Although Professor Zhu believes that the focus of the reform of public institutions is not to reduce staff, the problem of redundant staff is indeed the focus of long-term attention in the reform process. Compared with the overall classification of institutions and "correcting the name", it is easier to form * * * knowledge, and "the difficulty of reform is personnel".

According to the investigation of the research group in which Gao Shusheng participated, taking cultural institutions as an example, the first choice for personnel diversion is early retirement and internal leave (early retirement). Generally, people who are less than 5 years away from the legal retirement age or have worked for more than 30 years will retire early. Those who do not have the conditions for early retirement, but are older, will leave their posts early. Among them, early retirement is not stipulated in the guidance document issued by the State Council [2003]105, but many pilot units still make full use of this policy.

In addition, the highly respected personnel diversion method is called identity replacement. One is "termination", that is, "buy out the length of service", "take money and leave" from the relationship, and the other is "management", which changes from an indefinite term to a fixed term and "keeps people to get money", which belongs to the reform of the employment system.

Gao Shusheng believes that the cost of identity replacement is huge, and the economic compensation paid by the unit ranges from 30,000 to 50,000 per capita to hundreds of thousands. However, the risk of being replaced will be highlighted in the future social security, and the staff of public institutions have never participated in social insurance before. Take the most important endowment insurance as an example, the period of "deemed payment" may be counted from zero, and there is no hard and fast rule on which level of finance "pays the bill".

At present, there is no specific plan for endowment insurance of public institutions at the central level. The mainstream opinion is to integrate with enterprise pension insurance, but on the one hand, it will increase the "historical debt" of existing pension insurance, on the other hand, the pension benefits of "middle-aged people" and "newcomers" will be lower than before the transformation.

In addition, under the principle of "separation of government affairs", leading cadres in public institutions have more difficulties than ordinary employees, that is, it is not easy to cancel the administrative level.

Saw the other side of the river

In view of the complexity of public institutions, the large number of personnel, and most of them are professional and technical personnel and intellectuals regarded as the backbone, it is reasonable that the reform progress of public institutions is "slow". In addition, some experiences and lessons from previous reforms of government agencies and state-owned enterprises, such as the "simplification-expansion" cycle and social problems caused by laid-off workers, have made this reform quite cautious.

In several related topics at the beginning of this century, the evaluation of this reform progress includes "I don't even know where the other side of the river is", "I have no overall goal" and "piecemeal". In mid-2003, the "Decision on Perfecting the Socialist Market Economic System" adopted by the Central Committee called for "continuing to promote the reform of public institutions", focusing on the personnel system and the pension system.

However, although the plan has not yet been introduced, the related work is already being studied and piloted, although it is relatively slow. Through the progress of various supporting reforms, the curtain has been slowly opened.

It is reported that around 2004, the relevant departments of the central government systematically promoted the personnel system, social security, distribution system, organization establishment and management system of public institutions as a whole.

In terms of institutional setup, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Shandong and other places have studied and deployed in advance before the Central Committee compiled and issued the Pilot Program for Classification of Institutions and Related Reforms (draft for comments). In the draft plan, the Central Organizing Committee tentatively envisages that Zhejiang, Shanxi and Chongqing will be selected as pilot projects in the eastern, central and western regions respectively.

The "Trial Measures for the Management of Post Setting in Public Institutions" launched by the Ministry of Personnel last year, together with the "Regulations on Personnel Management in Public Institutions" to be reported to the State Council this year and more than a dozen supporting documents, will gradually form a sound management system, a sound employment mechanism and a complete legal system.

In June last year, the central government approved the wage system reform plan for government agencies and institutions, and the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Finance successively issued relevant plans and implementation measures for public institutions. Recently, they also demanded to speed up the progress, pay close attention to reform, and strive to honor the reform before the Spring Festival.

This reform is not simply a salary increase. In the system mode, it aims to establish a post performance salary system, widen the gap reasonably and mobilize everyone's enthusiasm. At the same time, the total performance pay will be linked to the unit's completion of social welfare objectives, tasks and assessments, so as to promote the continuous improvement of public welfare service capabilities and levels of institutions and avoid one-sided pursuit of economic benefits and neglect of social benefits.

Information from the top can reassure 30 million business people that in the context of a harmonious society, the reform of public institutions will not be regarded as "getting rid of the burden". With the strengthening of the public service system, the role of public institutions will become more prominent. Even the adjustment of interests will be carried out under the principle of paying more attention to social equity. (Text/"Looking at" News Weekly reporter Peng Guoyu)

Outlook: Basic Social Functions of Public Institutions

Institutions in China are widely distributed in the basic fields of public goods and services such as culture, education, health, infrastructure and social management. As units that provide basic public services to the whole society, they are the basic tools to realize and complete the government's public policies and shoulder the mission of implementing laws and policies. With the gradual establishment of the market economy system and the increasing social demand for public goods and services, institutions basically formed in the planned economy period can no longer meet the requirements of the new period and new stage.

According to the data, in recent years, among the five industries with the most dissatisfaction and serious corruption among the people, the education system and the medical system are on the list. This reflects from one side that public institutions have reached the point where they must be reformed, otherwise, the prestige of the party and the government will be damaged and the goal of building a harmonious socialist society will be difficult to achieve. How to correctly understand the basic social functions of public institutions in theory is the first problem to be solved in the process of public institutions reform. > > > detailed

Personnel system reform in public institutions: taking the lead in using "people" system to standardize.

In the next step, the personnel system reform of public institutions will continue to adhere to the pilot first and strengthen the implementation of the appointment system, while vigorously strengthening the system construction.

For a long time, the management of staff in public institutions in China has always followed the management model of party and government organs. In order to meet the requirements of establishing and perfecting the socialist market economic system, the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China proposed in 1992 that the personnel system of classified management should be gradually established and improved according to the different characteristics of organs, enterprises and institutions. According to the spirit of the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Ministry of Personnel launched a pilot reform of personnel system in public institutions, constantly exploring ways and accumulating experience. After 2000, with the full implementation of the employment system, the formal implementation of open recruitment and the gradual implementation of post management, the reform has gradually accelerated.

At present, the personnel system reform of public institutions is gradually deepening and will be standardized day by day. > > > detailed

The reform of public institutions, 30 million "business people" changed.

The Decision of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 16th CPC Central Committee clearly stated that the equalization of basic public services should be gradually realized. To achieve the above goals, institutions with 30 million professional technicians and intellectuals are the main force.

Pursuing the track of reform for many years and following the new requirements of building a socialist harmonious society for public services will help to clarify the main context and guiding principles of the reform of public institutions:

The purpose of the reform of public institutions is to adhere to the people-oriented principle, mobilize the enthusiasm of the broad masses of staff, enhance their own vitality, improve the effectiveness of public services, and promote the development of public services and social undertakings, rather than simply reducing staff and reducing financial burden. > > > detailed

Half of China's public institutions implement the personnel appointment system, and 59% of them sign contracts.

Information picture

Xinhuanet Beijing 65438+February 16 (Reporter Li Yajie) At present, 5 1% institutions in China have implemented the personnel employment system, and 59% of them have signed employment contracts. 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have implemented open recruitment of new employees in public institutions.

Reporter 16 was informed at the national meeting of directors of personnel departments held here that in 2006, the reform of personnel system and professional title system in public institutions in China continued to intensify, and new progress was made in the implementation of appointment system.

Zhang Bailin, Minister of Personnel, said: "2006 was an extraordinary year for the reform and development of personnel work. The personnel departments at all levels, under the leadership of Scientific Outlook on Development, focused on accelerating the implementation of the strategy of strengthening the country through talents and rejuvenating the country through science and education, paid close attention to the implementation of the civil service law and the reform of the wage and income distribution system of government agencies and institutions, made overall plans to promote all work, and successfully completed the annual tasks. "

Ministry of Personnel: China's public institutions fully implement the open recruitment system.

Website of the Ministry of Personnel: At the end of 2005, the Ministry of Personnel issued the Interim Provisions on Open Recruitment of Public Institutions by Order No.6 (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations"). Starting from June 65438+1 October1this year, all public institutions should conduct open recruitment. Why should public institutions fully implement the open recruitment system? What are the main contents and characteristics of the open recruitment system? The reporter made a special trip to visit Liu Baoying, Director of the Professional and Technical Personnel Management Department of the Ministry of Personnel.

The heads of eight ministries and commissions talk about the reform of public institutions

Xinhuanet: How can public institutions provide fairer, more convenient and more efficient public services through reform? At the "International Seminar on the Reform and Development of Non-profit Organizations" held in Beijing from September 25th to 26th, the heads of eight ministries and commissions, including the Office of the Central Organizing Committee, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Health, expounded their ideas from different angles.