Govt to recruit 7,000 more teachers

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education will recruit at least 7 000 teachers ahead of schools opening for the first term of 2017.

This will improve the teacher-pupil ratio. The 7 000 new jobs have been created by high demand for Early Childhood Development provision, which specifically requires 5 800 teachers.Principal director (human resources, finance and training) in the Primary and Secondary Education Ministry Jacob Gonese, said the budget for the recruitment would be finalised soon.

Government froze recruitment as part of a staff rationalisation programme to cut the civil service wage bill, which chews over 90 percent of the National Budget.

Gonese said recruitment of teachers was in line with Government's plans to increase schools countrywide. Government is entering joint ventures with local and foreign investors to build more schools.