Imo Thomas -Umuahia.
The Government of Abia State has concluded a plan to recruit 2500 teachers for the basic and post-basic schools in Abia State.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, broke the cheering news on Tuesday at Government House Umuahia while briefing the press.
He said that arrangements have been concluded to employ 2,500 teachers across the state to fill vacancies already existing in the school system.
“The State Government has also concluded plans for massive employment of teachers in the state for both primary and secondary schools. This, of course,, is another pointer to how important this sector is to the governor,” Prince Kanu stated.
Prince Kanu equally announced that the government had commenced the full implementation of the out-of-school children policy, informing that school marshals have been appointed to work with the harmonized task force in the state to achieve the objective of the government in that regard.
He noted that having commenced compulsory free education for pupils and students of basic education, there was a need to ensure the out-of-school children policy was made effective.
The Information Commissioner also announced that the government had introduced mathematics clinics for students in examination classes of JSS 3 and SS3, which will be held on Tuesday and Thursday of every week between the hours of 7-7:45.00 am to fully realize the STEM policy of the present administration.
“The Abia state Ministry of Basic Education has fully commenced with the enforcement of the Out of School Children Policy initiative with the appointment of Education Marshalls.
“Also to strengthen its program for our schools the state government has introduced a Mathematics Clinic
that would run from Tuesdays through Thursdays to enhance the teaching of Mathematics.
“Mathematics we know is very basic to the realization of the STEM subjects. STEM subjects involve Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and Mathematics is the bedrock for the development of science and technology, ” Prince Kanu maintained.
Contributing, the Commissioner for Basic Education, Elder Goodluck Ubochi stressed the essence of quality education and said that it cannot be achieved without teachers.
“There is no way we can talk about quality education without teachers. In our schools, we don’t have a sufficient number of teachers to handle most of the subjects.
“Before now, there have been speculations all over the place about the employment of teachers. It is now, within the week we are going to make public the modalities. It is not going to be a process where you bring your application to the Ministry or to whoever. We are going to have a platform where we do it online.
According to Elder Ubochi, enforcement of the free and compulsory basic education policy of the state government is essential as education is pertinent to Dr. Alex Otti-led’s administration.
“To make this work, the Ministry established what we called ‘Education Marshalls’. They will work like a task force but not in the same modality.
“The essence of setting up this group is to move around during school hours, any child that is of school age seen around will be picked up, not to be beaten or embarrassed but be taken to the school nearest to him or her.
“But before he or she is taken to the school, we will use the child to locate the parents or guardians or whoever has been keeping the child and we will be able to find out why he is holding back the child from going to school,” Ubochi clarified.
He equally explained that the reason for the STEMS education program is that the government wants to build confidence in the external examination or certificate class students of JSS 3 and SS 3.
He said they would be resuming classes from 7,00 am before the normal school period commences and that they would be learning Mathematics from seasoned teachers in the morning and extend the closure time from 2pm to 4pm for other science subjects such as Biology and Physics, Chemistry, and English.
