EduWatch questions MoE over 2023 govt recruitment freeze

Africa Education Watch after Minister for Finance announced a ban on employment for civil servants effective 2023 has asked the Ministry of Education to explain whether the education sector is excluded from the recruitment freeze.

In a televised presentation of the 2023 Budget, Mr Ken Ofori Atta also announced a reduction of expenditure on appointments, including salary freezes, together with suspension of certain allowances like housing, utilities & clothing.

“There will be a hiring freeze for civil and public servants from 2023. A reduction of expenditure on appointments, including salary freezes, together with suspension of certain allowances like housing, utilities & clothing,” he stated.

The freeze in recruitment in the public sector the Finance Minister said is one of the various government initiatives roll out to turn the economy around and lessen the severe economic hardship that Ghanaians are currently going through.

But, Education think tank – Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) reacting to the 2023 Education budget has said the freeze on public-sector employment is likely to affect teacher deployment in rural schools negatively.

In a statement on the next year’s budget, EduWatch said “bearing in mind that the majority of newly recruited teachers are posted to rural and underserved districts, this is likely to affect teacher deployment in rural schools negatively.”

The Education Policy Research and Advocacy Organization continued that “on the freezing of public sector recruitment in 2023, the Ministry of Education must explain whether there are some exemptions for the education sector.”

The Africa Education Watch has also asked the Ministry in charge of Education (MoE) in the country to announce stop-gap measures to augment existing and anticipated teacher deficits in rural schools in the 2023 academic year.