13,000 Teachers’ Exam Result Out, Today …As RSG Dispels Banana Farm Explosion Rumour

L-R:President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke and Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja on Wednesday

Anxiety and apprehension have gripped the more than 45,000
applicants who last Wednesday sat for the recruitment examination for the
13,000 teachers jobs in Rivers State, as the Ministry of Education gets set to
release results of the examination, today.

Speaking to The Tide in an interview yesterday, Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Education, Richard Ofuru said that the result would be
released either today or on Monday.

Ofuru said the ministry had concluded the marking of the
papers, and would not want to be put under any pressure by the applicants,
hence the decision to release the results immediately.

He stated that the ministry had tried to spread the
placements fairly equally across the 23 Local Government Areas of the state, ,
stressing that while some candidates may be employed for scoring 80 per cent in
one local government, another may be given the same consideration after scoring
60 per cent depending on the number of applicants from such local governments.

Ofuru stated that the ministry strived to avoid favouring
any particular applicant over the other while putting merit and excellence
above other factors in selecting the teachers for the schools.

He stated that the state government conducted the selection
examination for those to be employed as teachers to ensure that the best
qualified persons emerged from the process.

The Permanent Secretary told The Tide at the Holy Rosary
Secondary Schools, one of the centres in Port Harcourt, Wednesday, during the
examination that apart from having teachers with integrity and high quality
intellectual base, the selection process would enhance the standard of
education in the state.

Ofuru said, Governor Amaechi considers everybody as his
candidate therefore, the selection examination was meant to treat everybody
equally and give them a level playing ground.

‘With the examination, nobody will say that this Politician
or this Commissioner brought list. Everybody is put on the field. Write the
examination, if you pass, you go for the oral examination, he said.

On why the candidates were asked to return the question
papers and post cards along with their answer scripts, Ofuru said it was to
ensure proper standard.

He disclosed that conducting another examination was
dependant on the performance of the candidates.

According to him, “ there are over 45,000 candidates writing
this examination and for only 13,000 positions which no government in this
country has ever done. But then, 13,000 out of over 45,000; how do you get the
number you want?

Commenting on the sudden change of centres, he explained
that they changed centres because of locations, and added that they insisted
the centres should only be in Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt Local Government
Areas for easy coordination and conveniences for candidates.

The examination was conducted in 87 centres. The candidates
were tested on verbal and numerical aptitude and ICT/current affairs.

Meanwhile, some of the applicants who wrote the examination
Wednesday in Port Harcourt expressed satisfaction over the unique employment
examination conducted by the Rivers State Ministry of Education.

At the Airforce Secondary School, Rumuomasi, one of the
candidates, Miss Rita Ogah expressed satisfaction with the organisation of the
examination. She told The Tide that although, she expected questions on current
affairs there were drills on mathematics and other subjects, adding that for
lack of time, she could not answer all the questions.

He explained that the system of the  examination was unique as it discouraged
malpractice while commending the Rivers State Ministry of Education for the
initiative.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has debunked reports
of a purported bomb explosion at the Banana Plantation in Tai, in the State.

Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Mr David
Iyofor in a press statement yesterday, said the report was untrue as no life
was lost.

We must state categorically that there was no bomb explosion
at or within the perimeters of the banana farm plantation, Iyofor said, adding,
“ We are aware that some sort of device went off but this was some reasonable
distance away from our plantation and certainly not within the perimeters of
the banana farm.

“ He urged journalists to always cross-check and
double-check whatever information they have before going to press, and assured
all and sundry that Rivers State remains safe, conducive and open for
business’’.

Dissociating themselves from the development, some
traditional rulers from the area  pledged
support to government projects in the area.

The 2000-hectare farm, according to Governor Amaechi, is
aimed at diversifying the state’s economy and provide employment to the people
of the state.

Meanwhile, spokesman for the Rivers Police Command, Mr Ben
Ugwuegbulam, yesterday told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the command had swept
and secured the banana farm, adding that unknown persons might have planted the
IED to scare workers from the plantation, there was no casualty and that the
incident occurred last Wednesday.

Vivian-Peace Nwinaene & Eunice Kayode