Ghost teachers earn sh11b
Nov 12, 2007
GOVERNEMNT loses sh11b on ghost teachers annually, according to an efficiency study commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe
GOVERNEMNT loses sh11b on ghost teachers annually, according to an efficiency study commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The ministry received sh720b as the sector budget. Out of this, the primary teachers wage bill is sh342b, of which 4% goes to ‘ghosts’ according to the report.
It cites fraud and weak payroll systems as the main causes.
“Weak payroll information systems and fraud are two possible reasons for the appearance of ghosts, who are normally identified during payroll clean-up exercises in which every teacher on the payroll is verified.â€
The study on the efficiency of public education was carried out by Donald Winkler, a World Bank consultant and Lars Sondergaard, an education policy consultant.
During the education sector review this month, officials from the Ministry of Education said the district authorities were also responsible for keeping ghost teachers on the payroll.
“Head teachers are tasked to cancel the names of all teachers who are out of service. But in spite of this, the names are maintained on the payroll. The chief administrative officers have not done enough to eliminate ghost teachers,†a source said.
There are about 128,371 primary school teachers on the Government payroll. The Ministry of Education wants the ban on teacher recruitment lifted to cater for the increased number of pupils.
The report also pointed out that at least one-third of the expenditure on primary education is not used or used inefficiently.
It reckons that the Government loses sh60b due to teachers’ absence. A total of 19% of the teachers were found absent without justified reasons.
“Absenteeism varies by teacher rank with 27% of head teachers, 16% of senior teachers, and 14% of junior teachers being absent,†the report stated.
“This means that only 80% of the resources that reach the classroom in turn reach the student.
“An additional sh52b is lost as a result of student absenteeism,†the report further noted.
“If one adds this to other leakages between the central government and the pupil, the losses are in the order of sh125b, or 37% of the Government primary education expenditure.â€
The Ministry of Education should monitor absenteeism and take measures to reduce the vice, the report said.
On secondary education, the study recommends that the salaries of secondary school head-teachers be reduced in order to free resources to take in more students under the USE scheme.
It also suggests that the salary scales of teachers and headmasters, who are newly-recruited to the public service, be reduced to check on unit costs.
GOVERNEMNT loses sh11b on ghost teachers annually, according to an efficiency study commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sports.
The ministry received sh720b as the sector budget. Out of this, the primary teachers wage bill is sh342b, of which 4% goes to ‘ghosts’ according to the report.
It cites fraud and weak payroll systems as the main causes.
“Weak payroll information systems and fraud are two possible reasons for the appearance of ghosts, who are normally identified during payroll clean-up exercises in which every teacher on the payroll is verified.â€
The study on the efficiency of public education was carried out by Donald Winkler, a World Bank consultant and Lars Sondergaard, an education policy consultant.
During the education sector review this month, officials from the Ministry of Education said the district authorities were also responsible for keeping ghost teachers on the payroll.
“Head teachers are tasked to cancel the names of all teachers who are out of service. But in spite of this, the names are maintained on the payroll. The chief administrative officers have not done enough to eliminate ghost teachers,†a source said.
There are about 128,371 primary school teachers on the Government payroll. The Ministry of Education wants the ban on teacher recruitment lifted to cater for the increased number of pupils.
The report also pointed out that at least one-third of the expenditure on primary education is not used or used inefficiently.
It reckons that the Government loses sh60b due to teachers’ absence. A total of 19% of the teachers were found absent without justified reasons.
“Absenteeism varies by teacher rank with 27% of head teachers, 16% of senior teachers, and 14% of junior teachers being absent,†the report stated.
“This means that only 80% of the resources that reach the classroom in turn reach the student.
“An additional sh52b is lost as a result of student absenteeism,†the report further noted.
“If one adds this to other leakages between the central government and the pupil, the losses are in the order of sh125b, or 37% of the Government primary education expenditure.â€
The Ministry of Education should monitor absenteeism and take measures to reduce the vice, the report said.
On secondary education, the study recommends that the salaries of secondary school head-teachers be reduced in order to free resources to take in more students under the USE scheme.
It also suggests that the salary scales of teachers and headmasters, who are newly-recruited to the public service, be reduced to check on unit costs.