Contrary to the perception that government has lifted the ban on recruitment of employees in the public sector, especially teachers for public schools, a circular from the Ghana Education Service (GES) states otherwise.
The GES however, explained that the indefinite ban on new recruitment, re-engagement, biometric registration and others, was to help carry out proper staff auditing.
According to the GES, some heads of educational institutions had connived with personnel from the Accountant-General’s Office and financial institutions to siphon state funds into their pockets. They do so by faking appointment letters for newly-recruited teachers.
In some instances, it was alleged, registered numbers of some teachers who have died are sold to some people who are not teachers. This enables such people to withdraw salaries as practicing teachers.
The Deputy Director-General of Education, Stephen Adu has on that note, cautioned Directors of Education who were indulging in all manner of corrupt practices to desist from that.
In circular dated February 4, 2016 and copied to all Metro, Municipal and District Directors of Education in the Western Region, Mr Adu warned Directors of Education and their Human Resource Officers who were alleged to be taking money from people with the intention of facilitating their recruitment into GES, to desist from it immediately.
Speaking to DAILY GUIDE, Okae Boafo, Western Regional Public Relations Officer of GES explained that there is the need to caution people from indulging in untoward acts.
According to him, the statement from the Deputy Director General of Education did not mean GES staff have been caught taking money from people, but rather to put GES employees on their toes and to prevent them from conceiving such ideas.
Meanwhile, some teachers have appealed to the government to consider lifting the embargo on recruitment and the transfer of teachers as it was having severe consequences on some schools.
Government has placed a ban on the recruitment of employees in the public sector as part of measures to stabilize the economy and effectively manage the public wage bill. One sector which had largely been affected by the embargo is education.
The embargo has over the years increased the rate of unemployment in the country.
Critics of government have accused it of imposing the freeze on employment as a directive from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
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