“We need to look carefully at what happens to academically excellent students and those who join public administration for a year-long internship programme as a first step towards a career in the public sector. In many cases, once their year of employment ends, they are left outside the system and unable to continue, even when they have performed very well. We must avoid an abrupt end to their employment, which could lead them to believe that they were excluded because they lacked personal connections or contacts,” Rama said.

The prime minister also highlighted the role of the “Merit Scale” in creating a more transparent system for recruiting and integrating staff into public administration.

He said artificial intelligence would support this process by enabling broader use of data to assess progress and enhance transparency.

“The ‘Merit Scale’ is another component of a new system in which artificial intelligence will serve as an ally, partner and support tool. It will enable us to enhance transparency and collect comprehensive data on processes, allowing us to accurately assess progress, improve access to information for those interested in joining public administration, and ensure that everyone has the guarantee that recruitment is based on merit,” Rama concluded.

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