“…22,953 applied for the Teaching Service Commission vacancies, 33,971 put in for the State Universal Basic Education jobs. The government plans to recruit 4,701 teachers for the two categories.”
The Kwara State government says 56,924 persons have applied for employment as teachers in its ongoing recruitment exercise.
According to the spokesperson of the education ministry, Yakub Aliagan, the government intends to recruit only 4,701 teachers.
While announcing that over 21,000 of the applicants have been screened out, Mr Aliagan disclosed the date for the Computer Based Tests to be taken by others.
“While a total of 22,953 applied for the Teaching Service Commission vacancies, 33,971 put in for the State Universal Basic Education jobs. The government plans to recruit a total of 4,701 teachers for the two categories,” the statement read.
“Of the 56,924 total applicants, 35,709 have/are been/being invited for the examination after thorough online verification. This examination will be the Computer Based Test (CBT).
“The remaining 21,215 applicants were not shortlisted for examination either for incomplete applications, incomplete results (not having credit passes in 5 subjects including English and Mathematics), or they applied for subject areas not advertised.
“All applicants are advised to visit the portals to know their status from tomorrow Friday 12th February 2021.
“The examination for applicants has been scheduled for between Monday 22 February, 2021 and Thursday 25 February, 2021. Those who succeed in the examination are to have their interviews between March 8 and March 20, 2021.
“Each applicant will get a text message to know the specifics of their examination and interview. The government urges all applicants to constantly visit the portals for updates on the process.
“Applicants invited for the examination are to print their examination slips which will contain their passport photograph, registration number, local government, barcode and other details for biometric exercise that will admit them into the examination hall.
“The CBT examination will take place in Sixteen (16) JAMB Accredited Centres across the three senatorial districts of the state. The CBT centres are spread across four examination towns: Ilorin, Lafiagi, Offa, and Malete.”
Background
The recruitment process is part of efforts to replace over 2,000 teachers sacked by the state government last December.
The affected teachers, 2, 414 of them, were employed in the last weeks of the administration of former governor Abdulfatah Ahmed in 2019.
The state Ministry of Education said the “Sunset teachers” were laid off because their employment contravened due process and advised those qualified among them to reapply during the new recruitment exercise.
The decision to lay them off was criticised by labour leaders and opposition politicians.
This newspaper also reported how some of the teachers stormed the governor’s office in Ilorin on Thursday to protest the recruitment of new teachers to fill their positions.
One of the protesters, Abubakar Salahudeen, said the new recruitment exercise was needless.
“The population of the people in Kwara State is not 1000. It is not 2000. The number of those that have registered for the recruitment is over 80, 000. Now, tell me what is the assurance that we sunset teachers, that 90 per cent of us is going to be re-engaged?”