The Rivers State Government says that plans have been concluded to employ new teachers to boost the needed teaching manpower in public schools across the state.
The State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, disclosed this during the rescheduled Teachers Day Celebration in the state held at St. Andrews State Primary School, Mile One, Diobu, Port Harcourt, last Tuesday.
The governor, who was represented by the State Head of Service, Dr George Nwaeke, described the sacrifices made by teachers as monumental to the development of the society, adding that the teacher’s voice must be heard because of their roles and contributions to societal growth.
He stressed that the new teachers that will be recruited will be purely based on professionalism, adding that the era where names will be written and forwarded to the government for employment is over.
He explained that those to be employed will undergo series of interviews and examinations in order to get the best for the schools.
The governor, however, directed the two Boards: the Senior Secondary School (RSSSB) and the State Universal Basic Education Board (RSUBEB) to strengthen their supervision and monitoring policies that will adequately address the issues of laxity and inefficiency in public schools.
Fubara said his administration has done enough to enhance the welfare of teachers through the promotion and payments of arrears, extension of year of service by five years, as well as infrastructure development in the education sector.
“So you must reciprocate the gesture by putting your best and be passionate in what you are doing because very soon there is going to be mass exodus from the private schools to public schools with what we have put on ground. l am happy that one of our teachers was declared the best teacher in the country. This is the story we want to be hearing,” he said.
The governor thanked the teachers for their support to his administration and urged them to continue in that regard.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Education, Dr Ovy Chunedum Chukwuma, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Dr (Mrs) Azibaolanari, Uzoma-Nwogu, said that the theme of the celebration resonates with the state governor’s vision for the education sector in the state.
He disclosed that the state government has embarked on provision of infrastructure, including construction and reconstruction of infrastructure needs to improve the educational system in the state as well as initiating policies like free payment of SSCE examination fees among others.
He said the Ministry was committed to training and retraining of teachers with a view to enhance their professional skills and increase performance and service delivery.
Earlier in his own address, the State Chairman of the Nigeria union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Collins Ebokwa Echikpu, expressed teachers’ gratitude to the state governor for the implementation of the new minimum wage, promotion of teachers, completion of the union Secretariat and the approval of the five years service extension for professional teachers in the State.
The NUT state boss requested among other things, recruitment of more teachers, payment of imprest to principals and head teachers, payment of duty post and rural allowances to teachers as well as donation of buses to union.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor, Rivers State University (RSU), Prof Victor A. Akujuru in a lecture titled “Valuing teachers’ voices: A paradigm shift for a new social contract in education”, urged that teachers must be recognised by policy makers as partners in the decision making if the present disconnect between policy and classroom experience is to be avoided.
He also canvassed for inclusion of teachers in any education reforms to enhance national economic development.

By: Akujobi Amadi