The Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers has urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to raise the first teacher recruitment target from 500 to 1,000.
In an attempt to solve the staffing shortage in public schools, the state government authorized the hiring of 500 teachers, according to a statement made on Wednesday by Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, Commissioner for Education.
Although praising the effort, NUT Chairman Bernard Ajobiewe contended that the figure was below expectations because the governor had pledged during the campaign to hire 5,000 teachers throughout the state.
“While we appreciate the governor’s gesture, the number for the first tranche is too low,” Ajobiewe said. “The governor promised us 5,000 teachers, so the 500 approved cannot adequately address the shortage. Increasing the number to at least 1,000 would ensure most schools benefit, even if it’s just one or two new teachers per school.”
He highlighted the dire need for more teaching staff, noting that many schools in the state have struggled with severe staff shortages for years.
“It won’t be good if some schools get new teachers while others remain without, as all schools are currently suffering from a lack of adequate staff. We appreciate the governor for taking these steps as they will alleviate the challenges in our schools. However, we urge him to scale up the recruitment,” Ajobiewe added.
The NUT Chairman also compared Edo’s teaching workforce to other states, emphasising the need for improvement.
“Some states have about 35,000 teachers, while we have only about 7,000 in Edo. This disparity must be addressed to ensure quality education for our children,” he stated.
The union expressed optimism that Okpebholo would reconsider and adjust the recruitment numbers to better meet the needs of public schools across the state.
