NEARLY 4,000 new employees have been appointed across Bahrain’s public sector since the start of 2023, the government has revealed, as MPs pressed for clearer pathways for university graduates seeking government jobs.
In a detailed parliamentary reply, the Civil Service Commission (CSC) said 3,884 appointments had been made in ministries, government bodies and institutions, with Bahrainis accounting for 95 per cent of the total. The disclosure came in response to a question by MP Mohsin Al Asbool, conveyed to Parliament by Parliament and Shura Council Affairs Minister Ghanim Al Buainain, who is politically responsible for the CSC.
According to the government’s figures, 2,850 of the new hires were made in the medical and health sector, education sector and higher education institutions, with 93pc of those recruits being Bahraini nationals.
Mr Al Buainain said the figures demonstrated a sustained effort to prioritise citizens while meeting essential service needs.
“Recruitment in the civil service is based on actual demand and institutional need, in accordance with approved organisational structures, job ceilings and budgets,” he said.
Mr Al Asbool had sought clarification on the government’s current and future plans to integrate graduates from a wide range of disciplines, including medicine, pharmacy, medical laboratories, physical education, history, Islamic studies, English, sociology, social work and commercial, industrial and engineering specialisations. The MP highlighted growing concern among graduates that academic qualifications are not always matched by clear employment opportunities, particularly outside high-demand sectors.
In response, Mr Al Buainain stressed that the Civil Service Commission does not operate a blanket employment policy, but instead co-ordinates national workforce planning across government entities.
“Aligning education outputs with the requirements of the public sector labour market is a shared national responsibility,” he said.
Each government entity, he explained, is responsible for identifying future jobs and the academic qualifications needed, based on its strategic objectives.
The minister revealed that the commission regularly provides labour market studies to the Education Ministry, forming the basis of the annual government scholarship plan.
“This ensures that higher education outputs are aligned as closely as possible with the real needs of government entities,” he said.
Beyond new appointments, the minister said the commission is placing increasing emphasis on training, upskilling and internal mobility.
Government entities are required to advertise vacancies internally first through the ‘Government Employee’ application and the commission’s Shawagher system, following a Cabinet decision aimed at retaining expertise within the public sector.
“This approach allows employees to progress while enabling institutions to make better use of existing competencies,” Mr Al Buainain said.
The minister stressed that all appointments are governed by a job evaluation and classification system, with clearly defined qualifications, interview procedures and selection criteria.
No appointment, he said, can be made without an approved vacancy and allocated budget.
Mr Al Buainain also noted that government health institutions operate under special employment regulations, covering appointment, promotion, salaries and incentives, reflecting the specialised nature of medical professions.
Mr Al Asbool said the hiring figures were significant but insisted that graduate employment planning must remain under parliamentary scrutiny.
“Nearly 4,000 appointments is an important indicator, but the challenge remains ensuring that graduates understand where opportunities exist and how national planning translates into real jobs,” he said.
With youth employment and workforce planning high on the political agenda, MPs are expected to seek greater disclosure of future hiring needs, particularly for emerging and oversupplied academic disciplines.
The topic is scheduled as an addition to today’s Parliament session schedule.
mohammed@gdnmedia.
&uuid=(email))