TSC: I’ll not be fair to people, children of Nasarawa recruiting unqualified teachers, says Governor Sule

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has said he will not be fair to the state, people and children if he succumbs to the pressure to recruit unqualified teachers to be deployed to public secondary schools.

Governor Sule stated this while speaking as special guest during the flagging off of the third edition of the annual distribution of fertilizer to farmers organised by the Chief Whip of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Larry Ven Bawa (APC, Akwanga North) in Andaha, Akwanga Local Government Area on Monday.

According to the Governor, the only way his administration could leave Nasarawa State better is by ensuring that only qualified teachers are employed to teach the younger generations of the state.

While recounting what transpired during the botched teachers recruitment exercise, he disclosed that, contrary to earlier assumption that the sacked TSC chairman and members recruited over 3000 teachers without approval, recent discovery by the consultant hired to screen those already issued with employment letters revealed that over 4, 200 teachers were recruited.

He described the teachers recruitment saga as one of the most painful experiences in the six years of the life of his administration.

“Because we were told that our secondary schools require approximately 1000 teachers, and we gave approval to the TSC to go ahead and employ the 1000 teachers. In the process of employment, they employed about 1400 without them even knowing they have recruited more than the approved number.

“Then money started exchanging hands. Then they went to a little over 2000. And the price went up. And more money started exchanging hands. They went to 3000 without approval. They went to 3900. To cut the story short, I got so upset and dismissed every one of them. Then, we engaged a consultant to come and review the exercise.

“Because they lied to me that they have finished employing the 1000 and I started even paying the salaries of the 1000. Unknown to me, they were paying those salaries to a select few out of the 1000. The rest of the 2000 plus they didn’t pay them. Then, when the story became so loud, that was when we asked the consultant to retrieve all the available appointment letters. We ended up getting 4, 270 people that have been issued with letters of employment,” he stated.

A visibly disturbed Governor Sule said his administration can not run the state in such manner, recruiting over 4000 teachers when the available vacancy is only for 1000 teachers.

“We can’t run a state like this. We only needed 1000 teachers. And here are so many people calling me, pleading with me that we should try as much as possible to just employ the 4000. I don’t know how we will employ 4000 when we don’t have a place for 4000,” he said.

He explained that, through the consultant hired to screen the teachers, his administration has done everything possible to absorb as much as those who are truly qualified to teach, even giving further approval for additional 500 to raise the total number to be recruited to 1500.

The Governor described the outcome of the screening exercise as very alarming adding that despite lowering the pass mark from 60 to 50 percent, only 719 were able to scale through out of the 4, 270 that took part in the exercise.

He disclosed that with the pass mark initially at 60 percent, only 422 candidates were able to pass the three-step screening exercise meant to test their digital skills, oral and written competence.

“After the oral exam, only 700 and something qualified to be teachers in Nasarawa State. This is the situation that we find ourselves today. The reason why I am explaining this is because I am getting messages. Please these people are not employed. Just employ them. Just allow them. Whether they are qualified to be teachers or not qualified to be teachers, employ them. But, am I being fair to Nasarawa State, the people and children by just engaging people whether they are qualified or not? This is the problem,” he said.

Disclosing the decision of his administration on the matter, Governor Sule offered automatic employment to the 719 qualified teachers, while also announcing additional steps taken to augment the balance of the remaining 700 plus teachers to meet the 1,500 already approved to be recruited.

“We will engage another set of consultants to come and open another platform for all these people who couldn’t make it and for other people who probably qualify. We will not allow the TSC or any body within to do it. That way, the question of knowing somebody or somebody paying money will be eliminated. Because we just want qualified teachers, not people who have more money to give,” he said.

The Governor equally announced further steps taken to address the plight of those who have failed the screening exercise, particularly those already issued with letters of appointment and posted to schools.

“We are God fearing people. We will find a way to compensate them. We will look at all these over 4000 employed teachers, as painful as it is. We will set a certain amount that every one will get for the period the exercise lasted. Then they can reapply through another agency. They will be paid allowances for 8 months or 6 months as the case maybe,” he said.

He used the opportunity of the event to review the progress of work on the Akwanga underpass, dualization, as well as the Akwanga bypass, declaring plans by his administration to commission these projects in August this year.

Governor Sule said major work on the Akwanga underpass have been completed with only the beautification of the edifice remaining.

“I am looking forward to see, if the rains in July are not heavy, then we can try and finish it in August and also commission it in Auguat. That way, we can use the opportunity to finish the Akwanga byepass. We are waiting for rains to beat the byepass so that it would sink, and then we can do the finishing, and then they can lay the final asphalt. That way, we can be able to witness the commissioning of the two facilities and the dualization of Akwanga,” he added.
He further announced plans to undertake the construction of the road linking Wamba to Nasarawa Eggon.

“Just today, we also concluded discussions about the road from Wamba to Nasarawa Eggon and by the grace of God, we will take that road through Waya and by the time we do that, we are also looking at from Nasarawa Eggon to Arikya in order to give the people a sense of belonging,” he said.