The Cross River State House of Assembly has summoned senior officials in the state’s education sector over the non-implementation of teachers’ promotions.
The lawmakers stated that the delay has continued to erode morale and compromise the quality of teaching in public schools.
Those to appear before the Assembly include the Commissioner for Education, the Accountant General, the Auditor General and heads of agencies under the education cluster. The invitation followed a motion moved by the Member representing Bakassi State Constituency, Hon. Eyo Bassey Edet, during plenary in Calabar.
Edet, while presenting the motion, lamented that many teachers had remained on the same grade level for years, while others who had been promoted had yet to receive the financial benefits of their elevation.
He described the situation as both unfair and inconsistent with the government’s stated commitment to workers’ welfare.
“Teachers play an indispensable role in shaping our society. Yet, across the state, several of them have not been promoted for years, and those who have been promoted are still on outdated salary structures. The selective implementation of approvals has dampened morale, and it is affecting educational outcomes,” he said.
The lawmaker emphasised that education remains the foundation of sustainable development and urged the House to intervene to restore confidence among teachers, many of whom, he noted, are already discouraged.
Other members who contributed to the debate supported the motion, insisting that transparency and accountability must guide the management of personnel matters in the education sector. They argued that prompt implementation of promotions would rekindle motivation among teachers and signal government’s readiness to reposition the sector.
The legislators acknowledged that the issue did not begin under the current administration, but attributed the lingering delays to alleged bureaucratic misconduct and corruption within the system. They called for sanctions against officials found to have frustrated due process.
Following deliberations, the Assembly resolved to interface with the affected agencies to work out an immediate and lasting solution that would ensure that teachers receive the benefits due to them.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, reaffirmed the Assembly’s commitment to prioritising issues affecting the education sector. He assured that the House would continue to exercise legislative oversight to guarantee compliance with promotion and service implementation policies.
In other news. the Cross River State Government has taken its student reorientation campaign to public secondary schools, warning against rising cases of drug abuse, social vices and career confusion among teenagers.
The campaign began with an educational orientation summit held at Government Secondary School, Barracks Road, Calabar, with the theme: “From Distractions to Distinctions.”
Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Orientation, Afufu Anthony, stated that the initiative was initiated following Governor Bassey Otu’s directive to ensure that character formation and moral awareness begin early.
He noted that similar enlightenment engagements had already been conducted in tertiary institutions across the state.
Anthony said the outreach seeks “to reformat poor orientation and install a better mindset,” stressing that unchecked exposure to peer pressure, drug use and misguided behavioural influences could derail students from academic excellence.
