Staff exodus at Education, Health

Jo-Maré Duddy – Just under 6 000 people left the civil service in 2016/17, while about 2 600 were appointed, bringing the total number of staff employed by government to 73 542.In addition, 1 706 people were employed by regional councils.More than 11 500 positions, or nearly 14% of total approved posts, were vacant, according to the latest annual report of the Public Service Commission (PSC) tabled in Parliament last week. At regional councils, 382 or 18% of posts were vacant.The PSC said it was concerned that service delivery would be “negatively affected” if approved posts were not filled. The reasons for vacancies mentioned in the report vary from unbudgeted posts and lack of suitable candidates to control measures to reduce the wage bill and lack of office space.According to the latest budget documents, total personnel expenditure in 2016/17 was about N$26.75 billion, an increase of nearly 11.5% or N$2.8 billion compared to the previous year.The bulk of civil servants – about 74% - in 2016/17 were employed by the ministries of education, arts and culture, as well as health and social services. A total of 42 543 people worked for the education ministry, while 11 894 were employed by health and social services. Staff turnoverAccording to the report, education had 2 220 vacancies and health 1 244. The education ministry had the biggest staff turnover in the entire civil service during the year under review, with 4 227 employees – mostly women – leaving. A total of 1 066 civil servants – also mainly women – left the health and social services ministry. In contrast, 874 appointments were made at education and 1 033 at health.About 71% of the civil service’s entire turnover was employees of education who left, followed by nearly 18% of health. About 39% of all appointments were made at health and around a third at education.The report cites the reasons for the staff turnover as “resignations, search for greener pastures, end of contract, ill health and retirements, death, discharge and early retirement”.According to the report, the most understaffed ministry in 2016/17 was safety and security, with only 44% of posts filled. Other entities with a high staff vacancy were poverty eradication and social welfare (48%), national assembly (46%), mines and energy (43%), as well as labour, industrial relations and employment creation.The report highlights the huge sums of money that had to be paid out at leave gratuity during the period under review. Civil servants, teachers excluded, are entitled to 18 days leave per year cycle. “It seems that this provision is not being adhered to and as a result, offices, ministries and agencies paid huge amounts of money for accrued vacation leave on the termination of staff members’ services.”The biggest culprit was the ministry of education, arts and culture where about N$180 million had to be paid to 1 103 people in total.During the year under review, the PSC recommended the appointment of 349 foreigners on contract, while 198 were recommended for additional employment.

Staff exodus at Education, Health

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