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Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo
The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Edo State chapter, has called on Governor Monday Okpebholo to increase the number of teachers slated for recruitment in the first phase from 500 to 1,000.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Emmanuel Paddy Iyamu, announced on Wednesday that the state government had approved the employment of 500 teachers as part of efforts to address the staffing needs in public schools.
While commending the initiative, the NUT Chairman, Bernard Ajobiewe, argued that the number fell short of expectations, given the governor’s campaign promise to recruit 5,000 teachers statewide.
“While we appreciate the governor’s gesture, the number for the first tranche is too low,” Ajobiewe said. “The governor promised us 5,000 teachers, so the 500 approved cannot adequately address the shortage. Increasing the number to at least 1,000 would ensure most schools benefit, even if it’s just one or two new teachers per school.”
He highlighted the dire need for additional teaching staff, noting that many schools in the state have struggled with severe staff shortages for years.
“It won’t be good if some schools get new teachers while others remain without, as all schools are currently suffering from a lack of adequate staff. We appreciate the governor for taking these steps as they will alleviate the challenges in our schools. However, we urge him to scale up the recruitment,” Ajobiewe added.
The NUT Chairman also compared Edo’s teaching workforce to other states, emphasising the need for improvement.
“Some states have about 35,000 teachers, while we have only about 7,000 in Edo. This disparity must be addressed to ensure quality education for our children,” he stated.
The union expressed optimism that Okpebholo would reconsider and adjust the recruitment numbers to better meet the needs of public schools across the state.
