GES Closed the Recruitment Portal When 40,000 Applications Were Received – Haruna Iddrisu
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has indicated that the teacher recruitment exercise recorded an overwhelming response, with more than 40,000 applicants competing for just 7,000 available teaching positions.
Speaking on the sidelines of the eLearning Africa programme, he explained that although there is a clear shortage of teachers across the country, financial clearance was granted for the recruitment of just 7,000 personnel. He assured that the selection process will be strictly merit-based, with priority given to the most qualified candidates.
The recruitment portal has since been closed to prevent undue pressure on the system and to ensure a smooth and efficient processing of applications.
According to the Minister, the education sector has the capacity to absorb up to 50,000 teachers if adequate resources were available. However, current financial constraints have made this impracticable. He noted that the Ministry of Education secured approval from the Ministry of Finance specifically for the recruitment of 7,000 teachers, which was subsequently advertised in an open and transparent manner.
He further indicated that once the number of applications reached 40,000, the portal was closed to maintain order and efficiency in the recruitment process. He reaffirmed that a rigorous and objective assessment will be conducted to select the most suitable 7,000 candidates, assuring applicants of fairness, transparency, and due diligence throughout the process.