Nearly 20,000 applicants have applied to pass the tests which would allow them to take up the role of prison surveillance assistant. Selor, the federal organisation responsible for public sector recruitment revealed this on Thursday. “The exams are already scheduled to take place in the week commencing June 20th,” stated Selor's spokeswoman Aurélie Damster.
The Minister of Justice Koen Geens (Flemish Christian Democrats) concluded an agreement on Monday with four of the six prison sector trade unions with a view to finding a solution to the strikes. These have been a source of trouble for the prisons for more than a month now. As part of this agreement, which has, however, not yet been signed by the GCPS (the General Confederation for Public Services) and the CCTU (the Confederation of Christian Trade Unions), the prison sector members of which are still on strike, Mr Geens has committed to hiring 386 new prison wardens between now and halfway through 2017.
A promise which he seems to have kept, since the examinations are already due to take place, as we've said, during the week commencing June 20th. At this stage, Selor is stating 19,865 individuals have expressed their interest in the examination.
To a large extent, this figure is explained by the fact that "the vacancies for the post of prison surveillance assistance have been on online, on Selor's website for a very long time. This is unlike other posts which may stay online for a few weeks.” This was Aurélie Damster's comment. She says that there are already enough applicants to make up the necessary recruitment reserve.
Moreover, no examinations permitting successful candidates to take up the role of prison warden, had been organised for nearly three years.
Chistopher Vincent (Source: Belga)
