Ebonyi State government has employed a total of 1,936 new teachers for primary and secondary schools to ensure qualitative and standardised educational system.
The special assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mr Leo Ekene Oketa, who made the disclosure in Abakaliki, said the strategic employment is a commendable and forward-looking policy that signals both vision and commitment to human capital development.
“You will recall that at the start of his administration, the Governor split the Ministry of Education into two segments – one focusing on primary and secondary education, and the other on tertiary education.
“This demonstrates an intelligent recognition that each tier of education faces unique challenges and demands specialised attention. This structural innovation allows for more targeted policymaking, improved resource allocation, and more effective monitoring.
“In a significant implementation of the policy on primary and secondary education, the Governor employed 1,936 teachers – 1,000 to senior secondary schools and 936 to Ebonyi State Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), for primary and junior secondary schools.
“In doing so, Governor Nwifuru has tackled one of the most pressing problems in the state’s education system which is shortage of teachers. A functioning education system depends on the presence of qualified, motivated teachers.
Without teachers in the classroom, infrastructure and curricula become irrelevant.
“This step alone is a major stride in improving the quality of teaching and learning.”
He stated that the chairman of Ebonyi State Secondary Education Board, Chief Mrs. Lilian Nwankwo has assured that the Secondary Education Board will commence inspection and monitoring of these teachers that have been posted to schools to ensure they remain in their duty posts.
“Recruitment alone is not enough. The value lies in the performance and dedication of those recruited. Monitoring will ensure that the teachers are not only present but are delivering quality education. This accountability structure will build a culture of professionalism and result-driven teaching.
“These teachers will be trained adequately. The Governor’s commitment to training and retraining of teachers reflects a modern understanding of education as a dynamic field. Global education standards evolve, so as the capacity of teachers.
“Continuous professional development is critical if Ebonyi’s schools are to meet national benchmarks and compete globally. This focus on training ensures that teachers remain updated in pedagogy, subject knowledge, and technology used in the classroom.”
He enumerated some of the short and long term benefits of the employment exercise to include, reduction in teacher-student ratio, job creation, improved morale in schools, human capital development, sustainable development and attractive investment.
“With more teachers in the system, class sizes will shrink, allowing for more personalized attention to students and better learning outcomes. The employment of nearly 2,000 teachers injects income into local communities, promoting economic development and stability.
“Schools previously struggling with understaffing now have relief, improving both student and teacher morale.”