Government discovers 4,703 unqualified primary school teachers in Niger

Niger State government has expressed concern over increasing number of unqualified primary school teachers in the state’s public schools.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, who expressed the concern while receiving the report of the committee on headcount of teachers in public primary schools, described the number as worrisome.

He said: “The number of unqualified teachers in the state is over 4,000. We should take them out, but they will be giving the option of being trained to become professional teachers.”

Bello, however, lauded the headcount committee for identifying 80 per cent qualified teachers, which he said was encouraging. He assured that necessary arrangements would be made to improve welfare of teachers to ensure quality education in public schools across the state.

The governor directed the secretary to the state government to set up an implementation committee, drawn from the Ministry of Education, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) on findings made by the committee.

He tasked the committee to carry out their functions without sentiments, saying attention should be given to areas where there are few schools, increase and position them close to communities.

Presenting the report, chairman of the technical committee on teachers’ headcount, Labaran Garba, explained that there are 3,135 primary schools across the state with a total of 24, 061 teachers, out of which 19, 358 are qualified, while 4,703 are unqualified.

Garba said one of the committee’s recommendations is to sustain teachers’ headcount every three years for effective and efficient educational planning in the state.