After Assembly attack, Fubara recalls 1,000 teachers

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, on Tuesday, approved the recall of 1,000 teachers recruited in 2023 for public schools across the state.

This was disclosed in a public announcement issued on Tuesday by the Chairman of Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board, Sam Ogeh.

Ogeh said the governor directed the revalidation of the 1,000 teachers recruited in 2023 to fill the manpower gap in the schools.

The decision comes a day after the Martin Amawhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly harshly criticised Fubara over poor conditions of learning in the state’s public schools.

Ogeh said, “In fulfilment of his promise to bridge the manpower gap in public schools across Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has approved the appointment of new teachers across the state.

“As part of this initiative, His Excellency has directed the revalidation of the 1000 teachers recruited in 2023.

“To this end, all the affected teachers are required to report to the Rivers State Universal Basic Education Board for the revalidation exercise.”

The statement said the revalidation would hold on Wednesday at the RSUBEB State Office, Elechi Beach in Port Harcourt.

Assembly, while deliberating on a report submitted to it by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Aforji Igwe, accused the executive arm of paying lip service to the education sector in the state.

They also mentioned the government’s refusal to employ more teachers.

Igwe had led a visit to the Township State School 1 and 2, along Moscow Road in Port Harcourt, where he decried the decaying infrastructure there before reporting back to the House.

Contributing, Speaker of the Assembly, Amaewhule, argued that the immediate past Administrator of the State, Rear Admiral Ibok Ete-Ibas (retd.), left behind about N600 billion before his exit and wondered why such funds could not be channelled to fix the dilapidated school infrastructure.

The Speaker further noted inadequate teachers in schools, giving an example of a teacher tutoring two different classes in the same classroom, apart from schools not having toilets, and others not having electricity.

However, Fubara responded that the decaying school infrastructure predates his administration.

Fubara noted that the six-month emergency rule imposed in the state also affected the pace of rectification work.

Promising to prioritise the recruitment of teachers and doctors, the governor said he would not give in to any call for employment on political grounds or patronage.