Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia
Thousands of school teachers sacked from the Abia State basic and secondary school system by previous administration have joined the race for the 2,500 vacant positions in the classrooms.
The state Governor, Alex Otti, had during his media interaction last Thursday ruled out the possibility of recalling the sacked teachers, saying that he wasn’t the person that gave them the boot.
However, he stated that the retrenched teachers were free to apply for fresh jobs in the ongoing recruitment of teachers to fill 2,500 teaching positions needed for now.
Apparently taking the cue from the governor, the sacked teachers have joined in sending an avalanche of applications that have flooded the desk of the recruitment committee.
The state Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, told journalists that no fewer than 17,000 teaching applications have so far been received and processed by the recruitment committee.
He said that shortlisted applicants would write computer-based test (CBT) after which the successful ones would thereafter be invited for oral interview before recruitment.
Kanu assured the applicants that the recruitment exercise would be transparent and only those that meet all the criteria would get the reaching appointments.
“What is key here is that in all these, the exercise will be merit based and transparent. There will be equal opportunity for everybody,” he said.
Though Abia State is targeting 2,500 teachers for recruitment in the first phase of the exercise, the state would eventually offer jobs to 5,500 teachers in the basic and secondary school levels of education.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi, stated this in a programme while throwing more light on the recruitment exercise.
He said that the ultimate goal was to ensure that Abia schools, irrespective of their locations, have sufficient teachers in all subjects, adding that the phased recruitment of teachers would be sustained until the target is met.
