The Minister of State in the President’s Office for Public Service Management and Good Governance, George Simbachawene, has announced that the government will meet with the Non-Employed Teachers Organization (NETO) to listen to their concerns. He also urged fellow ministers, including the Minister of Regional Administration and Local Government and the Minister of Education, to join him in the discussions. Simbachawene made these remarks today, March 3, 2025, while addressing public service leaders at the Mabeyo Complex in Dodoma.
“You have ten thousand job positions and two hundred thousand applicants—how is that possible? You can see how small the chance is for each person coming for the interview. This is what makes our youth complain, and that’s why you hear about NETO. These young people must be heard, and I said they should come and be listened to,” Simbachawene said.
On January 21, 2025, NETO issued a public statement in Dar es Salaam criticizing the government’s teacher recruitment process, which began on January 14, 2025. The organization called on the government to prioritize employment for graduates from as far back as 2015. The recruitment process attracted 201,707 applicants competing for only 14,648 available teaching positions. NETO also raised concerns about the process, citing issues with venue setup, overcrowding, the nature of the exams, and how the results were handled.
Following their press conference, Simbachawene stated that he was willing to meet with the group for consultations. However, the next day, several of NETO’s organizers were arrested by police, who claimed the group was operating as an unregistered organization. NETO has been organizing itself through eleven WhatsApp groups, with a membership of about 10,000 individuals.
READ MORE: Crackdown on Leaders of Non-Employed Teachers Organisation (NETO): Another Leader Arrested in Kibaha
Today, Simbachawene confirmed that the group has reorganized and is now prepared for a formal meeting. “I am grateful that they have agreed again, reorganized themselves, and I have approved that we meet next Monday. Let’s talk, consult, and we might find a solution because they are educated and understand the real situation of their country. They will have good ideas, and I tell you, this matter will be resolved by those young people providing us, the government, with insights so that we can see what to do for them,” he said.
In his remarks, Simbachawene defended the Public Service Recruitment Secretariat against criticism from NETO, arguing that bypassing the secretariat would be detrimental to the government.
