The DAMTSI Handbook for Scouts Launched by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to Foster Integrity and Accountability Among Youth
In a significant effort to promote integrity and build responsible individuals, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bhutan launched The DAMTSI (Developing Accountable and Moral, Trustworthy, and Successful Individuals) Handbook for Scouts on June 14, 2023. The launch ceremony was attended by His Excellency Lyenpo and the Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD).
Simultaneously with the handbook, the ACC also released the National Integrity Assessment 2022 and unveiled the enhanced ACC website. These initiatives aim to foster transparent and accountable systems while nurturing a generation of upright citizens.
Developed in collaboration with the MoESD, The DAMTSI Handbook for Scouts complements the core values of the Scouting Program while instilling integrity, accountability, and transparency among the youth. The handbook includes engaging activities both within and beyond the school environment. The ACC envisions that this handbook will lead to long-term behavioral changes, empowering young individuals to make positive contributions to society and uphold the highest standards of integrity and discipline.
The ACC expressed its commitment to further collaborations with the MoESD to ensure a high level of integrity, discipline, and values among young people in the country.
Additionally, the National Integrity Assessment (NIA) 2022 revealed a good level of national integrity with a score of 8.01 on a scale of 0-10. The NIA is a longitudinal survey conducted in collaboration with the National Statistical Bureau, assessing the level of corruption and integrity in public agencies based on perceptions and experiences of both service users and providers.
Covering 12,641 respondents from 78 agencies across 12 different categories, the NIA 2022 selected services vulnerable to corruption and crucial to socio-economic development. The assessment incorporates analysis of complaints received by the ACC in the last fiscal year. The NIA is conducted every three years, and this edition is the fifth in the series.
A new component, the Parliamentarians Integrity Index, was introduced in the NIA 2022. To ensure consistency with previous publications, a separate integrity score excluding recent additions was calculated. The national integrity score has shown an upward trend since 2016, with scores of 7.95 in 2016, 8.01 in 2019, and 8.24 in 2022.
However, a thorough analysis of each NIA component reveals opportunities for improvement. The evaluation emphasizes the necessity of increased accountability, service delivery standards, a public service code of conduct, whistleblower protection, strengthened internal control systems, and promotion of ethics and integrity through e-learning and enhanced e-services.
The report also highlights the value of equal opportunities for employee development, improved parliamentary monitoring, media and civil society participation in legislative processes, and citizen engagement in parliamentary procedures. The ACC encourages agency-specific studies to assist organizations in enhancing their integrity and urges public agencies to consider the findings and institutionalize suitable mechanisms.
Finally, the ACC website has undergone enhancements to improve efficiency, visibility, accessibility, and usability. With these improvements, the website is expected to serve as an information hub, facilitate audience communication, increase website traffic, and improve accessibility. The improved website aims to strengthen the ACC's institutional performance, reputation, and promote integrity consciousness to combat corruption.
The launch of The DAMTSI Handbook for Scouts, the National Integrity Assessment 2022, and the enhanced ACC website marks significant strides in Bhutan's efforts to instill integrity, accountability, and responsible citizenship among its youth and build a transparent and corruption-free society.
In a significant effort to promote integrity and build responsible individuals, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bhutan launched The DAMTSI (Developing Accountable and Moral, Trustworthy, and Successful Individuals) Handbook for Scouts on June 14, 2023. The launch ceremony was attended by His Excellency Lyenpo and the Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD).
Simultaneously with the handbook, the ACC also released the National Integrity Assessment 2022 and unveiled the enhanced ACC website. These initiatives aim to foster transparent and accountable systems while nurturing a generation of upright citizens.
Developed in collaboration with the MoESD, The DAMTSI Handbook for Scouts complements the core values of the Scouting Program while instilling integrity, accountability, and transparency among the youth. The handbook includes engaging activities both within and beyond the school environment. The ACC envisions that this handbook will lead to long-term behavioral changes, empowering young individuals to make positive contributions to society and uphold the highest standards of integrity and discipline.
The ACC expressed its commitment to further collaborations with the MoESD to ensure a high level of integrity, discipline, and values among young people in the country.
Additionally, the National Integrity Assessment (NIA) 2022 revealed a good level of national integrity with a score of 8.01 on a scale of 0-10. The NIA is a longitudinal survey conducted in collaboration with the National Statistical Bureau, assessing the level of corruption and integrity in public agencies based on perceptions and experiences of both service users and providers.
Covering 12,641 respondents from 78 agencies across 12 different categories, the NIA 2022 selected services vulnerable to corruption and crucial to socio-economic development. The assessment incorporates analysis of complaints received by the ACC in the last fiscal year. The NIA is conducted every three years, and this edition is the fifth in the series.
A new component, the Parliamentarians Integrity Index, was introduced in the NIA 2022. To ensure consistency with previous publications, a separate integrity score excluding recent additions was calculated. The national integrity score has shown an upward trend since 2016, with scores of 7.95 in 2016, 8.01 in 2019, and 8.24 in 2022.
However, a thorough analysis of each NIA component reveals opportunities for improvement. The evaluation emphasizes the necessity of increased accountability, service delivery standards, a public service code of conduct, whistleblower protection, strengthened internal control systems, and promotion of ethics and integrity through e-learning and enhanced e-services.
The report also highlights the value of equal opportunities for employee development, improved parliamentary monitoring, media and civil society participation in legislative processes, and citizen engagement in parliamentary procedures. The ACC encourages agency-specific studies to assist organizations in enhancing their integrity and urges public agencies to consider the findings and institutionalize suitable mechanisms.
Finally, the ACC website has undergone enhancements to improve efficiency, visibility, accessibility, and usability. With these improvements, the website is expected to serve as an information hub, facilitate audience communication, increase website traffic, and improve accessibility. The improved website aims to strengthen the ACC's institutional performance, reputation, and promote integrity consciousness to combat corruption.
The launch of The DAMTSI Handbook for Scouts, the National Integrity Assessment 2022, and the enhanced ACC website marks significant strides in Bhutan's efforts to instill integrity, accountability, and responsible citizenship among its youth and build a transparent and corruption-free society.
