CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL GOVERNANCE or to a professional examination or, finally, to registration on a list of suitable candidates for promotion on the basis of selection. Exceptional methods of promotion are based on merit and a report by the line manager. Promotions are also subject to prior recommendation by administrative commissions, with equal representation from the administration and the public service. 265. The right to training in the public service is acknowledged in respect of all public officials. An Inter-ministerial Training Committee was established in 2003, charged with defining training policy in the public sector, evaluating training activities initiated by public institutions and administrations, and ensuring that educational programmes and resources are appropriate. The number of public officials who have benefited from training, proficiency and retraining programmes rose from 380 000 in 2001 to 567 000 in 2003. 266. The system for evaluating public officials is governed by Decree 85-59 of 23 March 1985, which bases the assessment regime on a general assessment of the public official and a graded assessment by the line manager. This is done annually on the basis of a grade of 0 to 10 given by the authority concerned, on the recommendation of the line manager. The public official is assessed on ten graded components: physical aptitude; punctuality; service provision; care in executing work; rapidity of execution; professional knowledge; initiative; organisation; management and control. The grading schedule is communicated to the public official, who can make any comments that he or she deems appropriate, or may request an explanation. Periodic assessment of the public official is part of the professional promotion process. Apart from promotion, the assessment allows the official to progress from one scale to another, which is translated into financial gains. 267. Finally, the constitution of public officials enshrines a disciplinary regime that ascribes particular importance to the morality and good conduct of the official in carrying out his or her duties. When the latter falls short in the way the person deals with the administered, this may give rise to disciplinary sanction, especially third-degree sanctions, namely removal from office, downgrading and/or dismissal. In the case of a serious professional offence, which could lead to dismissal or criminal prosecution and does not allow the public official to remain in office, the person is immediately suspended. 268. The CSAR refers to 10 576 public officials who were the subject of dismissal for serious professional offences between 2000 and 2004. Of these, 7500 dismissals (71 per cent) were recorded in the three major service sectors: national education, health, and public security. During the same period, 22 115 persons were removed from office for abandoning their posts. Justification for these measures is given as the need to maintain the public service. Criminal prosecution was initiated with regard to public officials who had committed serious professional offences. In 2005, 37 such prosecutions were recorded. 92