Abia State Government to Employ 2,500 Teachers and Launch Education Initiatives
The Abia State Government has announced its commitment to addressing the shortage of teachers and improving the quality of education in the state. This was revealed by the Commissioner for Basic Education, Mr. Goodluck Ubochi, during a press conference on Tuesday in Umuahia, following the State Executive Council meeting.
Mr. Ubochi disclosed that the government plans to recruit 2,500 teachers to fill critical staffing gaps in primary and secondary schools across the state. This initiative, he said, is aimed at ensuring adequate staffing to deliver quality education.
“We are embarking on massive employment of teachers to cover the gap that has been bothering us in the system. There is no way you can talk about quality education without teachers,” Ubochi said.
The Commissioner also announced that applications would be processed online to ensure transparency and accessibility. Details about the application process will be made public by Friday.
“It is not going to be a process where you bring your application to the ministry or to anybody. We are going to have a platform where you will do it online. Let people keep their ears to the ground between now and Friday,” he stated.
In addition to addressing teacher shortages, the government has established a task force named “Education Marshalls” to enforce its Free and Compulsory Basic Education programme.
According to Ubochi, the task force will ensure that all school-age children are in school during school hours. Any child found loitering will be taken to the nearest school, with their parents or guardians contacted to address the situation.
“We don’t need to have any child of school age outside the school environment during school hours. The Education Marshalls will ensure this. Children found loitering will not be embarrassed but guided to the nearest school,” he explained.
The Abia State Government is also set to launch a Mathematics Clinic for Junior and Senior Secondary School 3 (JSS3 and SS3) students. The clinic will run daily from 7:00 am to 7:45 am before regular school activities begin.
“This programme is designed to strengthen the confidence and competence of students in Mathematics, a subject that remains a major challenge for many students. We will have seasoned teachers leading the sessions,” Ubochi said.
In addition to the Mathematics Clinic, the government has extended school hours from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm to focus on critical subjects, including Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English, for JSS3 and SS3 students.
“Our aim is to prepare students to excel in their examinations independently, without relying on external assistance,” Ubochi noted.
These initiatives reflect the Abia State Government’s dedication to improving education standards, enhancing students’ performance in critical subjects, and ensuring no child is left out of school. The Commissioner reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving these goals and expressed confidence in the cooperation of school principals and other stakeholders to drive these programs effectively.
