Contractual teachers unhappy

After the publication of the disputed list last year, the second phase of recruitment is underway, with same protests.

Since the beginning of the rainy season, but just as expected, it is time again for contractural teachers, including parent-teachers. Even those who have a degree are required to teach toddlers in kindergarten and elementary school for lack of recruitment to the civil service or in private schools, but are employed in public institutions and paid by parent associations of students.

They are in the thousands, especially in rural areas, where lack of teachers is acute. To address the problem, the government obtained the Global Partnership for Education, under the supervision of the World Bank, with support from UNICEF and UNESCO, among others, the mobilization of more than FCFA 26.5 billion for the recruitment of 9,000 PTA teachers.

The operation exclusively targeting rural areas should take place over three years, with an enrollment of about 3,000 professionals per year. As in the past, with the different operations of recruitment and contracting of temporary teachers (Ivac), things do not happen without protest.

The problem is that the initial criteria are clear, but not always respected. Under the three-year operation in progress, only the PTA teachers were concerned, particularly for the first two waves (2014 and 2015).

Also, they had to have been registered in advance in a rural school, where they actually teach. Finally, their diplomas were dated 2012 at the latest.

Yet last year, after the list of 3060 recruits was published at the end of the count of more than 15,000 candidates, complaints have blended everywhere: "Too many 2013 graduates in the list whereas thousands have not been retained. "

"Some teachers absent at the census are found overwhelmingly on the lists, while they teach nowhere in the villages." In short, the masters of parents, especially older in office, reported having been ignored for the benefit of young teachers of cities. The sound of chalk was heard by donors who have imposed a grooming list.

For the second wave (2015), since May 3 until 30 of this month parents teachers are invited to submit their candidature files in delegations, for the recruitment of 2970 teachers.

At the same time, problems or rather fears are heard: "It is not normal that we accept graduates of 2013. In other cases, it is again an open door to the corruption" thinks a Director of a school.

Facing him, a colleague said that "the administration should have simply picked among PTA teachers identified in schools where the need is greatest and invite them to build a case later." Otherwise, thinks our source, there will never be transparency.