By Adonis Byemelwa
The Public Service Recruitment Secretariat has unveiled a groundbreaking plan to fill 11,015 teaching positions across Tanzania's councils. Signed by the Acting Secretary of the President’s Office, Public Service Recruitment Secretariat, on behalf of the Regional Secretariats and Local Government Authorities, this announcement marks a significant move to tackle the country's severe teacher shortage.
Released on July 20, 2024, the announcement outlines a strategic initiative to not only address the pressing need for educators but also to enhance the quality of education nationwide. The Secretariat's Public Relations Officer, Baraka Samson, confirmed the application process is now open, following the recent completion of applications for 9,483 healthcare sector positions.
Public Service Recruitment Secretariat's Public Relations Officer, Baraka Samson, confirmed the opening of applications following the deadline for healthcare sector job applications. On July 7, 2024, the Secretariat invited Tanzanians with the requisite qualifications to apply for 9,483 positions in the healthcare sector, with the application window closing on July 20, 2024.
The latest announcement, referenced as JA/9.259/01/B/14, details that 2,851 of the newly advertised positions will be for Grade IIIA teachers.
These positions are distributed as follows: Njombe (62), Mtwara (153), Dodoma (85), Shinyanga (115), Songwe (101), Iringa (56), Manyara (78), Tabora (116), Singida (110), Tanga (113), Kagera (133), Katavi (99), Rukwa (76), Simiyu (120), Mara (173), Geita (90), Ruvuma (140), Kigoma (129), Dar es Salaam (19), Pwani (68), Arusha (116), Mwanza (134), Morogoro (129), Kilimanjaro (124), Mbeya (217), and Lindi (95).
The majority of these positions are intended for early childhood, primary, and secondary school teachers, with a significant number allocated to mathematics and science subjects. Furthermore, positions for vocational education teachers have been made available in certain councils, coinciding with the implementation of the 2023 Education and Vocational Training Policy.
Applicants for these positions must be Tanzanian citizens under 45 years of age, except for those already employed in government positions. Retired public servants are not eligible unless they have explicit permission from the Chief Secretary.
Requests must be submitted electronically by August 2, 2024. This recruitment drive comes as Tanzania faces a dire teacher shortage, with a deficit of 271,025 teachers from early education to secondary schools, according to the President’s Office of Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG).
Deputy Minister of PO-RALG, Zainab Katimba, reported that between 2020/21 and 2022/23, the government hired 29,879 teachers, including 16,598 for primary schools and 13,281 for secondary schools.
Despite these efforts, the National Treasury’s statistics (2022) reveal the government spends approximately Sh700 billion monthly on wages, up from Sh 600 billion in 2017. This increase in the wage bill, without corresponding salary increments, raises questions about the criteria for employment and the influence of political and bureaucratic networks.
Recent employment announcements by PO-RALG have sparked concerns among graduates. For instance, teachers who completed their training in 2016 have struggled to secure jobs, while those who graduated in 2021 are celebrating new positions. This disparity raises questions about the fairness and transparency of the hiring process, with allegations of corruption and favoritism.
As of March 2022, the demand for primary school teachers was 274,549, based on a ratio of one teacher per 60 students. However, only 173,591 teachers were available, leaving a shortfall of 100,958, which is 36.77% of the requirement.
For special needs education in primary schools, 3,631 teachers were needed, but only 1,517 were available, resulting in a 59.02% deficit. In secondary schools, the demand was 159,443 teachers, with a shortfall of 74,743, or 46.87%.
Given the ongoing teacher shortage, the government faces a critical choice: maintain high academic standards to ensure a cadre of well-trained, competent educators, or relax these standards to fill vacancies with partially trained personnel. The latter could jeopardize the quality of education.
Renowned African scholars such as Dr. Thomas Mkandawire and Prof. Adebayo Olukoshi emphasize the importance of rigorous employment criteria and robust economic policies to ensure sustainable development.
Mkandawire’s studies on employment patterns in Africa highlight the need for transparent and merit-based hiring practices, while Olukoshi’s work on economic governance underlines the impact of equitable employment on national stability and growth.
Election season is fast approaching, and employment opportunities are turning into political scorecards. Politicians are eager to showcase their commitment to pressing issues. The recent announcement of 11,015 teaching positions by the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat isn't just about addressing the urgent need for teachers. It's a strategic move to boost political standing by demonstrating tangible progress in education and employment.
Balancing the sheer number of hires with the quality of education remains a critical challenge. The stakes are high, as the future of Tanzania’s education system depends on placing capable and well-trained teachers in classrooms.
Renowned African scholars like Dr. Thomas Mkandawire and Prof. Adebayo Olukoshi have long emphasized the importance of merit-based hiring and strong economic policies to ensure sustainable development.
Mkandawire’s research on employment patterns in Africa highlights the necessity of transparent hiring practices. Similarly, Olukoshi’s work on economic governance underlines the significance of equitable employment for national stability and growth.
This recruitment drive is not just a response to the teacher shortage; it's a pivotal moment to steer the education system towards excellence while reinforcing political commitments ahead of the elections.