By Nasratu Kargbo
Sierra Leone Teachers Union’s (SLTU) Deputy Secretary General Alieu Deen Conteh has raised concern over the proposed online recruitment of teachers by the Teaching Service Commission (TSC), saying it would affect applicants. Speaking to Politico on Monday 22nd November 2021, Conteh said those in remote areas will have a hard time accessing internet cafes and might end up spending equivalent a month’s salary just to get the process done.
He explained that a person in communities with no online facilities would have to travel elsewhere to access the facility, and the process might be done several times, requiring the individual to do repeated follow-ups.
According to Conteh, they have in an engagement with stakeholders, expressed reservations about the online recruitment, and recommended TSC combines both online and manual system as of now so applicants could have a choice. He said full online recruitment can be introduced later.
Public Relations Officer at TSC, Jammie Victory Sankoh told Politico that they are aware of the challenges and that as a commission they will establish resource centers in every district. He said these centers will be equipped with all the needed facilities and ICT personnel to guide them through the process.
She disclosed that they will be launching the online teachers’ recruitment to the public and the commission together with Directorate of Science Technology and Innovation would then ensure the teachers are trained on how to go about the whole process. She said videos will be made available to serve as guide for applicants.
“The hardware installations in the resource centers for all the sixteen districts, and the recruitment of ICT personnel are already done. All we are waiting for is for the resource centers to be networked, thereafter we do launching for the resource centers”, she revealed.
She explained that one of the reasons for the introduction of the online recruitment is to prevent delay, with each applicant having five different forms to be signed by different individuals in the school, Ministry, local council, TSC offices in the district and the headquarters in Freetown. “Imagine if you had one thousand teachers to recruit and each of them has five forms to be signed, meaning each individual who’s to sign has five thousand forms to sign,” Sankoh said.
The PRO said they have been working with DSTI, to ensure they develop the online portal and intending teachers can log in and fill the forms online, those who are to sign the forms for verification can also do same.
She further explained that DSTI has done the first demonstration of the portal to the commission and assured finalization of the digital application process by 2022.
Copyright © Politico Online 24/11/21
