MPs Kick Against First Class, Masters Degree Recruitment Standard For Research Assistants

The decision by the leadership of parliament to engage only first class and masters holders for employment as research assistants has angered some Members of Parliament (MP).

According to the legislators, the directive is discriminatory.

Graduates recommended by the MPs for engagement as research assistants were turned down because they didn’t meet the criteria.

Deputy Majority Whip, Mathew Nyindam, and Second Deputy Speaker, Alban Bagbin, disclosed the decision of the leadership to the house.

“There is a clear-cut standard that we are looking at so members who present people who were below the standard will not be considered,” he said.

Mr Nyindam urged MPs who submitted candidates below the set standard to resubmit new candidates.

For his part, Mr Bagbin advised the parliamentarians to take the recruitment issues seriously since the research assistants are permanently attached to them.

“They are not members or employees of the parliamentary service so depending on how long you stay here, that research assistant will also be part of the House subject to good behaviour," Mr Bagbin said.

But the MP for Lambussie Edward Dery Kaale is rejecting the directive saying the decision is discriminatory.

“With the issue of standard, we are setting a bad precedence…we are MPs and politicians for that matter, you are telling us that anyone who works in our office should have a first-class or Master degree, so the rest who do not have that should not work?” he quizzed.

Mr Dery Kaale said as politicians they do not consider qualifications before recruiting people to help them to campaign and come into power so the issue should be reconsidered.

Commenting on whether one’s performance on the job depends on one’s class or academic qualification the CEO of Axis Human Capital Limited, Dr Esi Ansah, said it is a two-sided issue.

“When you are looking for results, it may or may not come from the degree, so whatever qualification does not mean that the person has the skills.

“However, when you have a large pool to select from, you need to look out for the best so setting a standard becomes the filter to reduce the number. From there you look for those with the right combination that you need,” she told Joy News’ Emefa Apawu.

The Ashesi University lecturer said it is simplistic if the standard is limited to first-class or a Master’s degree because it does not guarantee performance on the job although it is a good filter.

Regarding discrimination, she said, "it is not everyone that makes it to the door who can be hired so setting the standard and raising the bar is not a bad thing."