Why we halted recruitment for 10,000 teachers – Imo govt

Imo state government has said that shabby and overzealous arrangements by Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB) was responsible for halting the examinations for the recruitment of 10,000 primary school teachers in the state.

The state commissioner for Education in Imo State, Prof Johncliff Nwadike, who stated this in an interview with Nigerian Tribune in Owerri, explained that the examination had to be halted to endure transparency and due process.

The state government had in May hinted that Governor Hope Uzodimma administration will soon employ at least 10,000 primary school teachers and extend the same to post-primary schools.

Two months after the announcement, the state basic education board gave notice of examination for the prospective teachers with about N4000 per applicant.

However, the process was halted following complaints in several quarters.

According to the state commissioner for education, Prof Nwadike the initial announcement did not have the approval of the ministry nor that of the governor and therefore could not have stood.

He regretted that the meetings and processes already laid down to ensure a hitch-free exercise were not concluded before the Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (IMSUBEB) went on air to announce the examination.

He said: “It was IMSUBEB, that appeared to be independent of the state and the ministry, that made the announcement for the examination without any approval from any authority, both the Ministry of Education and the Governor Sen. Hope Uzodinma”

Prof. Nwadike added that the shabby arrangement went to the extent that even some of the computer centres, where the examinations would have taken place, were not in existence while some people were posted outside their local government areas.

The commissioner disclosed that there was no approval from any authority, both the ministry and the Governor himself, adding that “nobody can say how they(IMSUBEB) arrived at the N3,500 and N4,000 charges imposed on the applicants).

He assured that the whole process to ensure smooth conduct of the examination is on and on course, adding that when all modalities were concluded, a convenient date would be fixed for the examinations.

He appealed to the applicants to be patient and bear with the situation while assuring them that an appropriate date would be fixed for the examination.