Over 200,000 apply for 14,648 teaching positions in Tanzania

Dodoma. The minister of State in the President’s Office for Public Service and Good Governance, Mr George Simbachawene, has announced that 201,707 applicants have applied for the 14,648 teaching positions advertised across the country.

Mr Simbachawene made the announcement on Saturday, January 11, 2025, confirming that the teacher recruitment process will take place from January 14 to February 24, 2025. He mentioned that the recruitment will occur at centres located in the regions where the applicants reside.

Given the large number of applicants, Mr Simbachawene emphasised the importance of selecting qualified candidates to fill the advertised positions. Unlike in previous years, where teachers were directly assigned to specific workstations, candidates will now undergo interviews to ensure they meet the necessary qualifications before being placed in their roles.

"The positions announced for the teaching sector total 14,648, yet 201,707 individuals have applied through the Employment Portal. This reflects the high demand for these jobs, even though our current requirement remains as stated," said Mr Simbachawene.

The recruitment process will be conducted digitally for candidates assigned specific interview numbers at centres in their respective regions, which will help reduce travel costs.

He urged applicants to follow proper procedures when applying for government jobs and to be cautious of fraudsters who take advantage of job seekers.

"There are individuals who falsely claim to offer jobs, while others pretend to be officials from the President’s Office Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG), claiming they can help get people hired,” he warned. “Do not be deceived; the government recruitment process is transparent, and there are no shortcuts."

Mr Simbachawene also advised successful candidates to be prepared to work in any assigned region, rather than their preferred locations, as the recruitment aims to address the critical shortage of teachers nationwide.

Furthermore, he reminded applicants to bring their original academic certificates, birth certificates, and a form of identification, such as a national ID, voter ID, passport, or a letter from local government authorities.

For those with discrepancies in their names on academic certificates compared to their national IDs or birth certificates, he instructed them to provide an affidavit to confirm their identity.

To date, Mr Simbachawene revealed that the government has approved 155,008 vacancies across various sectors, including health and education, where interviews are currently taking place to select qualified candidates.

The online government recruitment system, which was officially launched in April 2024, allows applicants to attend interviews at designated centres in their regions, significantly reducing travel and accommodation costs compared to the previous system that prevented some candidates from attending interviews due to financial constraints.