The Rivers State Government has approved the recruitment of 5,000 teachers into the state civil service as part of measures to address manpower gaps in public schools and improve learning outcomes across the state.

The approval was granted at the second Rivers State Executive Council meeting of 2026, presided over by Governor Siminalayi Fubara at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday.

The meeting was attended by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu.

Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Dr. Honor Sirawoo, said the recruitment was deliberately targeted at strengthening the education sector.

According to him, 3,000 of the teachers will be deployed to basic and primary schools, while 2,000 will be posted to post-primary institutions, in line with the administration’s resolve to improve service delivery at critical levels of learning.

Sirawoo disclosed that the latest exercise brings the total number of persons employed under the Fubara administration to about 9,500, underscoring the government’s commitment to workforce expansion in key sectors.

He recalled that previous recruitments under the administration included 2,000 health workers, 1,500 personnel for Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, and 1,000 staff for the Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

The permanent secretary stressed that the recruitment process would be strictly merit-based, assuring that only qualified and competent candidates would be engaged.

“While the administration is expanding the workforce, it remains committed to quiet and effective service delivery, rather than undue publicity, because these are services meant for the people of Rivers State,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Employment Generation and Economic Empowerment, Dr. Chisom Kenneth Gbali, described the council’s approval as a significant boost to his ministry, which would play a key role in implementing the policy.

Analysts say the decision is timely, particularly in the education sector, where teacher shortages have continued to affect teaching and learning in both urban and rural areas of the state.

Gbali added that his ministry would work closely with the Ministry of Education to ensure that the recruitment aligns with sectoral needs and that effective training and orientation programmes are put in place.

The state government has also assured the public of transparency throughout the recruitment process, insisting that appointments will be based strictly on qualifications, experience and merit.

With the exercise expected to commence in the coming weeks, residents have expressed hope that the initiative will not only strengthen service delivery but also create employment opportunities for thousands of youths, in line with the administration’s human capital development agenda.1 reply