NUT kicks as Kaduna government sacks 2,357 teachers for failing competency test

Kaduna State Universal Basic Education Board (KADSUBEB) has dismissed 2,357 teachers who failed its recently conducted competency test.

Its spokesperson, Mrs. Hauwa Mohammed, in a statement in Kaduna, yesterday, said the Board conducted a competency test for over 30,000 teachers in December 2021.

She said 2,192 primary school teachers, including the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Mr. Audu Amba, have been dismissed for refusing to sit for the test.

She said some 165 of the 27,662 teachers that sat for the test were also sacked for poor performances.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Kaduna government 2018 sacked 21,780 teachers who failed a competency test and replaced them with 25,000 others recruited through vigorous processes.

In December 2021, the Board also sacked 233 teachers over alleged possession of fake certificates.

“Following the state government’s resolution for continued assessment of teachers to ensure better delivery of learning outcomes for pupils, KADSUBEB conducted another competency test for the teachers in December 2021.

“The services of teachers who scored below 40 per cent are no longer required and their appointments have been terminated from the Public Service for their poor performances.

“Teachers who scored 75 per cent and above were recognised as those who passed the test and qualified for attending courses in leadership and school management,” she said.

BUT reacting, Mr. Ibrahim Dalhatu, State Chairman, NUT, dismissed the competency test and sacking of the affected teachers as “illegal”.

Dalhatu said the union had secured a court order restraining the Board from conducting the test, adding that it went ahead without recourse to the rule of law.

He recalled that the union had asked the teachers not to write the examination after learning that the plan was to sack them.

He said: “We warned that any teacher who participates in the illegal examination would not be protected by the union if victimised, but some of the teachers went ahead to write the examination out of fear.

“We are not against the conduct of the competency test if due process is followed. But it should not be used as the basis for sacking teachers.

“The competency test should be used to determine teachers’ capacity gap and tailor specific training programmes to improve their capacities.”

When contacted, NUT National President said he was aware of the development, adding that the National Executive Council of the union would sit on Wednesday to come up with a position.