Oyo government uncovers over 10,000 dormant teachers

About 10,000 workers in Oyo state have been found to be dormant after a verification exercise carried out by the state government.The majority of affected workers were primary school teachers under the state Universal Basic Education Board.

The state government said the result of the exercise showed that at the primary school level, the present pupil-teacher ratio is 14 to 1, as against the ideal 30 pupils to a teacher.

Addressing reporters on the exercise, the state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joseph Olowofela described the situation as retrogressive and unacceptable.

By the discovery, Olowofela said there was no going back on restructuring of schools in the state.

He said: “Over all in Oyo state presently, we have realised that if we are to go by optimal ratio of 30 pupils to a teacher, then over 10,000 teachers would have to be moved to other productive sectors of the economy. There are schools with no pupils at all, yet teachers are assigned to such schools. In most of the schools visited, we found cases of three teachers per class handling 20 pupils.”

The commissioner however allayed workers fears over retrenchment saying the present administration was out to restore efficiency to the system.