THE RECENT freeze on employment in the public sector does not apply to teachers, says Minister of Education, Maxine Henry-Wilson.
According to Minister Henry-Wilson, teachers are not a part of the regular civil service, therefore the hold placed on new jobs would not affect them.
However, yesterday Ministry of Finance spokesman Cordell Braham said the freeze "is intended for all public sector workers" and that the teachers might have got an exemption.
The Finance Ministry had specifically said when it sought to clarify issues about the freeze, ordered on September 22, that exceptions could be made.
"If it becomes imperative for a vacancy to be filled, the approval of the Ministry of Finance and Planning must first be sought," it said in a press release.
In the case of the teachers, Mrs. Henry-Wilson said schools are not prohibited from hiring as they already have quotas for the number of teachers per student population. Therefore, in cases where vacancies exist, schools may fill the positions.
Since the Government made the announcement, many groups have sought clarification as to how the freeze will affect them, including the Jamaica Teachers Association, working through the Ministry of Education.
