Jigawa is 32,000 short of teachers, NUT raises alarm

The Chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Jigawa State, Abdulkadir Yunusa, on Thursday, said the state has a shortfall of 32,000 classroom teachers.

Mr Yunusa said the massive retirement of teachers without prerequisite replacement, limited opportunities for professional development, and several other challenges are endangering the profession in the state.

He stated this during an interview with reporters at the NUT secretariate in Dutse, the state capital, as part of the event to mark the 2023 World Teachers’ Day.

He said between 2015 and now, about 14,000 teachers retired from service but only 1,700 teachers were given permanent appointments despite the increasing numbers of enrollment and the building of more classrooms.

“By now, we have over 30,000 teachers gaps. We have 3,486 post-basic and basic levels schools. In the previous administration, only 1,700 teachers were recruited and over 14,000 teachers have retired from 2015 to date.

“Grade two teachers who were recruited and started teaching in the years 1985, 1986, 1987, and 1988 who are the major workforce in Jigawa state (in the teaching profession) and have all now retired.

“We have so many schools that have only one, or two teachers. Other senior secondary schools don’t even have a teacher, we have almost 200 schools that have one teacher, each.

“If you want to have a balance we have to recruit over 32,000 teachers in Jigawa state, Mr Yunusa said.

Efforts are being made to bridge the gap

The state governor, Umar Namadi, had on Tuesday, issued letters of employment to 1,000 graduates employed under the J-Teach scheme (casual teachers) under the state’s Ministry for Higher Education and Information Technology.

The governor said the employment of the 1,000 teachers was part of his administration’s efforts to address the teachers gap in the state.

He urged the newly engaged teachers to work hard to prove their worth, adding that their recruitment was purely based on qualification and merit and the confirmation of their permanent appointment would be based on merit and commitment shown during the probation period.

“You will be part of the history of the revitalisation of education in Jigawa State. Each one of you will be posted to his community to help impact knowledge to the younger generation.

“You are going to teach your brothers and sisters, you must be fair to them, and be dedicated. Remember when you were also in secondary school, whatever you don’t want a particular teacher to do for you, please don’t do it to these students,” the governor told the newly recruited teachers at the Ahmadu Bello Hall, in Dutse.

He said the J-Teach scheme is a temporary arrangement, assuring that teachers will soon be given permanent appointment letters if they show commitment to their work.

We need permanent, professional teachers not casual – NUT

The NUT chairman, Mr Yunusa commended the governor for the dedication and commitment shown in the recruitment of 1, 000 additional casual teachers to address the teachers gap in the state a few months after he assumed office.

He, however, said the teachers’ union frowned on the casualisation of teaching in the educational sector because of its likely negative impact.

He said with the newly hired teachers, the state now has 5,500 casual teachers under its J-Teach Scheme including the 4,500 engaged by the previous administration.

“We (NUT) are not happy because the 1,000 teachers are not recruited permanent and pensionable but we are happy because the government has hinted that he is going to give them permanent and pensionable appointments in subsequent. We know him, he keeps his word.

“In the last administration, the government recruited 4,500 at the basic levels, now making 5,500 J-Teach teachers in Jigawa state. The recruited teachers will not fill the existing gaps in the educational system, especially in the schools.

“These figures cannot solve our problems. We need a permanent and pensionable appointment of teachers in the state.

“Teaching comes with modalities. There are many models of teaching and innovation in the teaching line, but the level of your education doesn’t qualify you to be a teacher, teachers need constant upgrades and orientation on how to teach in the classrooms,” Mr Yunusa said while appealing to the government to prioritise teachers’ recruitment and development.