Kwara State government has explained why it disengaged 2, 414 teachers from the service of the State Universal Basic Education Board.
The teachers ’ disengagement was announced in a statement titled, ‘ Kwara govt takes stand on 2019 SUBEB workers, offsets pending seven months ’ salaries. New employment portal opens January. ’
The statement was signed by the Press Secretary , state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development , Mr Yakub Ali- Agan .
The statement indicted that the sacked teachers were recruited in the twilight of the administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
The teachers were employed to teach English, Mathematics , and science subjects in junior secondary schools in the state.
However, the state government said although it had earlier screened the teachers and cleared 1, 658 of them , it was later discovered that the majority of them were not qualified to teach.
The statement read , “ For instance, it was discovered that some of the 1, 658 [ teachers ] purportedly adjudged to be qualified did not , in fact they don’ t have the required teaching certificates .
“ It was discovered that the teachers were engaged for subjects not covered in the executive approval, underscoring the unwholesome and impeachable nature of the entire process .
“ Following from the above, the government has decided to start the employment process all over again in January 2021. The government will open a new application portal for all the 2, 414 and any other eligible persons to apply for SUBEB teaching jobs in relevant subjects to be advertised . This effectively nullifies the controversial employment process of 2018/2019. ”
The statement further explained that the decision to sack the teachers was built on justice and fairness to everyone, particularly taxpayers, and children , whose future depended on the quality of teaching they received at the elementary schools.
Meanwhile , the state governor , Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq , has directed the immediate payment of seven months ’ salaries earlier withheld from 594 SUBEB teachers since June 2020.
“ The salaries were paid on Thursday night on compassionate grounds as their employment status remains unofficial, ” a government statement said on Thursday.
