Kaduna State Government on Sunday said it would introduce juicy incentives for teachers posted to public schools in rural areas of the state.
The state Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Ja’afaru Sani made the disclosure at a news conference in Kaduna.
According to him, the measure becomes necessary to retain qualified and professional teachers posted to rural areas.
“Currently, we have more teachers in urban areas than we have in rural areas because the salary package is the same and so whenever teachers are posted to rural schools they redeploy to urban centres.
“Gov Nasir El-Rufa’i has directed the ministry of education and other relevant stakeholders to come up with juicy incentives that will keep quality teachers in rural areas.”
Sani also said that plans are underway for upward review of teachers remuneration and introduction of other welfare packages to make the profession more attractive.
“We will also introduce a programme of identifying super teachers and motivate them to encourage excellence,” he added.
The difficulty in securing decent accommodation in rural areas has led to an over-concentration of teachers in urban centres. Ministry of Education will provide designs for construction of buildings with at least 6 flats for teachers and a bungalow for head-teachers in rural schools.
Sani said that the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would post the first batch of newly recruited teachers to primary schools early February.
“But I want to assure you that the state government will not shift its ground in entrenching quality and standard in teaching and learning in its schools.
“The El-Rufa’i led-administration strongly believe that only access to affordable and quality education would ensure social mobility for children of the poor.
“Only quality education will equip them with the needed skills to be creative, inventive and be part of the social movement towards development and self fulfilment,” Sani said.
The commissioner maintained that the state public schools would no longer be a dumping ground for anybody who require political patronage and would not compromise quality in the ongoing recruitment of 25,000 teachers.
On the second chance given to the 21,780 sacked primary school teachers, the commissioner said that the state has never exempted them from reapplying.
“No window was shut against any teacher who failed the June 2017 competency test.
“The Governor had asked the affected teachers from day one to reapply and about 12, 000 of them applied and are part of the more than 27,000 applicants shortlisted for oral interview scheduled for Jan. 24.
“Therefore, for those that did not apply, recruitment is an ongoing process in the public service. Once the first batch are recruited, SUBEB will identity teachers gap and will continue to recruit, “he said.
He thanked parents and other relevant stakeholders for supporting the government in its effort to reform the state education sector.
“Lets join hands in ensuring that that standard is maintained in our schools and no self or political interest stand on the way of providing quality education to our children,” the commissioner said.
We just hope all these are not only political statements. Though, I admire his courage to do the right thing despite all the noise.
We hope too.