In a bid to improve the quality of education in Borno, the state government has released N783 million for the training of 781 primary school teachers who have not benefited from the N30,000 minimum wage.
The training programme, flagged off at the College of Education in Bama, is designed to enhance the competency of teachers who failed to meet the 2019 verification and 2022 competency tests.
According to the Borno Deputy Governor, Dr Umar Kadafur, the program is part of the government’s broader commitment to improving education in the state.
He noted that a total of 1,949 teachers from 27 local government areas have already undergone training in the first phase of the program, with a substantial sum of N1 billion allocated for the training of 2,730 teachers.
The training programme, which will last for three months, will cover 1,884 teachers through a sandwich program and 846 teachers through a full-time NCE programme.
Participants will receive a monthly stipend of N30,000 in addition to their regular salaries. Those enrolled in the full-time NCE program will attain automatic in-service status.
The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Wakilbe commended Governor Zulum and all stakeholders for repositioning the education sector. He noted that the challenges facing basic education in the state have reached critical levels, particularly following the cessation of direct absorption of primary school teachers from their teachers’ colleges.
Wakilbe explained that decisive measures have been taken to address these challenges, including the authorization of the Ministry of Education to reassign untrained personnel from Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) to alternative roles, freeing up positions for qualified individuals.
He also noted that plans are underway for further education and development programs through the Institute of Education at Borno State University (BOSU) for eligible personnel.
The Executive Chairman of Borno State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Bulama Kagu, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Hyelni Mshelia, lauded Governor Zulum for lifting the embargo on promotions across the civil service, including teachers.
He noted that Borno SUBEB has taken decisive steps to implement this executive order, including the constitution of an ad-hoc committee to screen and verify submissions from the LGEAs.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Dr Kyari Umar Kyari El-Kanemi, the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Borno chapter, Comrade Zali Garba, and the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Yusuf Inuwa, cautioned against politicizing the issue of education and commended the government’s efforts to improve the quality of teaching in the state.
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