Kadunna State governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, on Thursday, released some of the test papers of teachers in the state and asked parents if they would allow such teachers to teach their children.
The teachers had embarked on protest on Wednesday, destroying vehicles and vandalising offices of government, over the move by the governor to sack some of the teachers that performed badly in the examinations conducted for them by the state government.
On Wednesday, president, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, led the teachers and other workers in Kaduna State in the protest, demanding the recall of teachers sacked by the government.
Earlier, president of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr Michael Alogba, had also berated the state government over the sack, while demanding that affected teachers should be retrained by the government.
But on Thursday, Governor el-Rufai released in batches on his twitter handle, some of the papers used by the teachers in the test.
The teachers were tested in English Language, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Current Affairs, among others.
Speaking on the latest sack, the governor said “many times, the decisions we take offer us no political advantages in a polity long accustomed to the false allure of populism. But we do what is necessary, not minding the direct impact on us.”
While displaying some of the examination sheets, he said: “Here are some of the primary 4 competency test scripts conducted for primary school teachers in Kaduna State. The future of our children must never be politicised.”
In another post on his twitter handle, Governor el-Rufai said: “Here are some of the primary 4 competency test scripts conducted for primary school teachers in Kaduna State. Would you allow someone like this teach your child?”
He lamented that the affected teachers were meant to teach pupils Mathematics and English Language.
“We are putting these out in the court of public opinion for Nigerians to make their verdict. Here are some of the primary 4 competency test scripts conducted for primary school teachers in Kaduna State,” he said in another tweet.
el-Rufai said he had given opportunity to teachers that were sacked to reapply, adding that the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) had continued to receive application forms from prospective teachers.
“As at close of work yesterday, the State Universal Basic Education Board received in total, 18,550 applications from prospective teachers. Recruitment is still on.
“Issuance of temporary appointment letters to successful applicants to commence on 25/01/2018,” he tweeted.
The governor said no amount of protests would deter the government from recruiting qualified teachers, while giving disengaged teachers the entitlements specified in their terms of service.
According to him, teachers who had served from one to five years would have their appointments terminated while those who served for five years and above would be retired compulsorily.
Supporting the stand of Governor el-Rufai, Aisha Yesufu, one of the coordinators of #BringBackOurGirls, on her twitter handle, @AishaYesufu, said “the right thing is mostly never understood by those whom it is done for. Stay firm on reforming the educational system. If NUT goes on strike and you need volunteers before new teachers are recruited, I volunteer my time until qualified teachers are employed.”
I can only assume that most of the parents whose kids are in school in that state are illiterates as well,if not so they should be advocating and challenging the state government for keeping the so called illiterates teachers to destroy the future of their children.Anyone still wandering about the backwardness in the North of Nigeria,here are one of the answers
ReplyDeleteWhy will the north developed?
ReplyDeleteFor once you speak.
DeleteFor once you speak.
DeleteEL-Rufai this is a right step in the right direction.How can a teacher who do not know ABCD be made to teach children and people are supporting such teachers.Gone are the days of ignorance,there should be no sentiment over this,the future of our children is at stake.A blind teacher as far as am concerned these teachers are blind and they even don't know that they are blind,therefore they should not be made to teach our children,so that those children would not be blind as well.Those days we went to public schools because there were no private schools as it is today and we knew the caliber of our teachers then,but today because of money and sentiment all sort of people are employed as teachers,they take anybody that can pay them how much they want to collect before giving you appointment as a teacher,this is what had been happening in public schools in Kaduna state.Those people who are qualified to teach in Kaduna public schools were not given appointment as teachers simply because they not from Kaduna state or they could not afford to pay the amount of money those in charge of teachers recruitment are asking for.This is too bad for a state like Kaduna and tomorrow they will be saying we are backward in education,who made it so,Kaduna state themselves.NUT kaduna state should not support such issues as gross incompetence on the part of the teachers seeing the examination scripts.The starting point should be let the intending teachers be tested even before they are employed.They should be made to write test and at the same time be tested practically by taking them to the classroom to demonstrate their skills in teaching before they are employed.You don't just go around to pick both Dick and Harry and you say they are teachers simply because they can afford to give you the amount of money you are asking them to give before you give them appointment as teachers.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is just the begining for Nigerians and our Leaders, how many of the teachers that wrote this test went through TTC,(Teacher's Training Colleges, Colleges of Education ,Universities and Study Education Foundation( Administartion and Planning, Gand C and offer a one particular course as a teaching course?) See this country is a full of mess, it is in this country that that I see where someone who is unable to get admission in any University will be ask to MANAGE EDUCATION because he or her has no choice again, it is a pity, I weep for Nigeria
ReplyDeleteWithout micing words this is the right step in right direction. . This is not peculiar to kaduna state though. .Other state are guilty too, the government too can't absolve itself. Hpw were the teachers employed on the first place? Its time to declare emergency in education sector..infact all sectors of our economy...
ReplyDeleteHow on earth would an SSCE holder be teaching in the public schools?,who and who amongst the teachers and the examiners or the government should we blame? The examiners couldnt even spelt SSCE correctly,also check LGA too.
ReplyDelete