5, 665 Unqualified Teachers In Primary, Secondary Schools Uncovered In Niger State

By Damilare Adeleye

The Niger State Government has unravelled no fewer than 5, 665 unqualified teachers in primary and secondary schools across the state.

This was contained in a report by the chairman of the technical committee on the teachers’ headcount, Labaran Garba, which was presented to the state governor, Abubakar Sani Bello.

According to the report, out of that total number of 24, 061 teachers in 3, 135 primary schools, 4, 703 teachers were discovered to be unqualified.

It added that 962 teachers out of 6, 870 teachers in 498 secondary schools in the state were also unqualified.

Garba noted that 1, 276 local government education administrative staff members were with teaching qualifications.

The committee suggested that the teachers’ headcount be conducted every three years to enable effective and efficient educational planning in the state.

Meanwhile, Governor Sani Bello assured the qualified teachers of due attention but said the unqualified ones should be taken out of the system or be given an option to go back to school and acquire the necessary qualifications.

He admitted that teachers were suffering due to poor working conditions and pledged to give them the necessary support to motivate them.

“The number of unqualified teachers is high – over 4,000. We should take them out but we can also give them the option to be trained and come back,” he said.

The governor also commended the committee for a good job, and also directed the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, to immediately constitute an implementation committee on the recommendations of headcount committee.