The complaints and suffering of teachers of the Rivers State Federal Teachers Scheme, (FTS), in the various primary schools across the 23 local government areas of the state have assumed an alarming dimension hence the need to draw the attention of the appropriate authorities.
We appreciate the laudable effort and reformation of the education sector by the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, on assumption of office in 2007, viz: building of model primary and secondary schools, equipping of science and ICT laboratories of schools, good learning/teaching environment, regular payment of teachers’ salaries, regular promotions and payment of outstanding counterpart fund in order to access federal government intervention funds from Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, as well as the abolition of school fees to enable children of the less privileged to be literate.
In spite of these positive and visible projects, there still remains a dearth of manpower in our primary, junior and senior secondary schools. Though there are many unemployed but trained teachers across the state, government has consistently failed to engage them. Following this, some applicants decided to take up underemployment in private firms/schools.
It was against this backdrop that the federal government in 2006 intervened with the emergence of this lofty programme: ‘Federal Teachers Scheme’, FTS, which all states in the federation adopted. The programme aimed at (i) filling the existing vacancies in the school system (ii) reducing unemployment and preparing participants for new teaching techniques to ensure effective and efficient delivery as professionals. The participants were engaged to teach pupils from UBE 1-9, and this was achieved through series of workshops.
From the foregoing, it is clear that the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, between the federal government and state UBE Boards on behalf of the teachers was that, the casual teachers be employed permanently taking into account their experience, input in the system and close supervision by the UBE Boards and federal coordinators. This MOU was a huge success in all the states but Rivers – The Treasure Base of the Nation. What a shame! Some persons alleged that it failed because of political reasons while others attributed it to negligence or red tapism
It was observed that shortly after the programme gained ground in the state, the state government embarked on teachers’ recruitment. However, the FTS teachers were excluded from the recruitment. Even the promise made by the former Chairman of the Board, Rev Fr. Pius Kii, to confirm the teachers’ appointments after the programme was unfulfilled. This has left the teachers in a helpless state and caused severe anguish to them.
They lost their precious time and money, especially the meager monthly allowance of N5,000 for one year, amounting to  N60,000 per teacher due for payment when there was a change of government in 2007/2008. The attitude of the state government to the FTS teachers is quite inhuman, disappointing and to say the least despicable.
To end the ugly plight of the FTS teachers in Rivers State, I hereby adduce the following solutions: (i) The FTS teachers should be recruited along the 13,000 teachers in order to remedy the breached MOU. Moreover they are only 500 in number. (ii) Since they are both trained teachers and the state indigenes, who are already in the field, they only need confirmation as staff. It is unthinkable and unfair to engage in fresh staff recruitment without considering the existing casual staff within. (iii) Failure to employ the FTS teachers in place of the non-professional teachers is a misplaced priority, gross insensitivity and to say the least very disappointing and demoralizing.
Furthermore, and (iv): Senior public servants – permanent secretaries, directors and general managers – should advise the political class on the desirability or otherwise of some of the directives they issue. (v) Recruitment of FTS teachers will boost the scorecard of our education-friendly governor. Finally, the teaching profession is dominated by women and we are proud that a woman is the Education Commissioner (Dame Barr. Alice Lawrence Nemi). Therefore, we plead with her to give justice to the FTS teachers in the state.
The time has come for the FTS teachers in Rivers State that have shown diligence, perseverance and commitment to their duties to smile home with good packages. For what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.
I pray that our leaders will listen to the voice of reason and show mercy and justice to these wailing teachers that are primarily concerned with the raising of our future leaders.