The Federal Government has unveiled its intention to recruit 3,500 teaching personnel across Federal Unity Colleges nationwide.
Dr. Yusuf Sununu, the Honorable Minister of State for
Education, made this announcement during a two-day National Stakeholders’ Forum
on Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event
convened education stakeholders to deliberate on the challenges confronting
secondary education in the country.
The forum's theme is ”Revitalizing Senior Secondary
Education in Nigeria for Global Competitiveness.”
Sununu indicated that the hiring of these educators would
substantially enhance the caliber of education.
“I assure you that the Ministry is collaborating with the
Office of the Head of Service, the Federal Civil Service Commission, and other
relevant government organs to recruit 3,500 teaching staff for our federal
government colleges nationwide.
“This will enhance the quality of education. Additionally,
the Ministry has organised extensive training and retraining for all staff in
schools.”
Sununu highlighted that the ministry has successfully
trained over 1,000 personnel in the application of technology in education
through its dedicated research resource center.
Furthermore, he mentioned the establishment of more than 53
vocational skills acquisition centers, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s
renewed hope agenda, to address the skill requirements of young individuals.
Additionally, approval has been granted for the construction
of 50 additional model schools nationwide, aiming to enhance the teaching and
learning experience.
“The ability to revitalise the senior secondary education
sub-sector to meet global demands requires key actions that optimise the
system.
“Today marks a significant step in our journey to enhance
the quality of education for our young learners.
“Senior secondary education is a critical phase, shaping the
future of our learners and, by extension, our nation.
“This explains our efforts in ensuring that our education
system is robust, dynamic, and capable of meeting global standards,” he said.
In his capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Rep. Tajudeen Abbas advocated for a comprehensive revision of the senior
secondary curriculum to ensure its alignment with global competitiveness
standards.
Mr. Abbas, represented by Rep. Mark Usani, Chairman of the
House Committee on Basic Education and Services, outlined the obstacles
encountered in senior secondary education. These challenges encompass a
scarcity of qualified educators, insufficient funding, and inadequate
infrastructure.
Dr. Iyela Ajayi, Executive Secretary of the National Senior
Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC), underscored the imperative for
stakeholders to assume ownership of the national policy governing senior
secondary education and its accompanying implementation guidelines.
“The federal government alone cannot succeed in
repositioning senior secondary education.
“We must mobilise all relevant stakeholders, including state
governments, NGOs, development partners, educationalists, and those concerned
about education.
“We need to bring them together to brainstorm, identify
problems, and provide solutions.”
The event marked the introduction of several crucial
documents, including the National Policy on Senior Secondary Education in
Nigeria, its Implementation Guidelines for 2024, and the NSSEC Strategic Plan
(NSSECSP) for the period 2024–2027.
Additional documents launched were the Manual for Monitoring
and Evaluation of Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria for 2024 and Training
Manuals for Teachers of English Language and Mathematics in Senior Secondary
Schools in Nigeria.