Friday, March 29, 2024

I don’t mind political consequences of sacking 21,780 teachers – Kaduna gov

Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has admitted that political consequences await him after carrying out his plans to lay off 21,780 teachers from the state public education sector. The teachers had reportedly failed the competency test his administration conducted last year.
He, however, vowed not to recall the sacked teachers, notwithstanding protests by labour unions.
Teachers under the Nigeria Union of Teachers and the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state have embarked on an indefinite strike, while calling on the governor to recall the teachers he retrenched.
But the governor claimed that employment into the civil service in Kaduna, especially in the education sector, had been seriously politicised, saying that his administration would not relent in its pledge to revamp the state’s education.
“What we (his administration) met in Kaduna State educational sector is a sham,” he said.
El-Rufai said he decided not to obey the order of the National Industrial Court because the sack of the teachers and the recruitment processes of new 25,000 teachers had been done before the court order was sought.
The governor made these disclosures through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Samuel Arunwa, while speaking on a programme monitored by our correspondent in Osogbo.
El-Rufai further revealed that his administration had sacked 4,000 teachers for lack of competence to teach pupils in the state, stressing that though his actions might have negative political consequences for his future political ambition, he would not compromise the future of the state for political benefits.
The governor claimed that majority of the citizens of the state supported his plan to sack the teachers.
Explaining the circumstances that led to the decision to sack the teachers, he said, “In 2014 and 2015, we campaigned vigorously across the nooks and crannies of Kaduna State and part of the promises we made to the people of Kaduna included reviving the education sector in the state. 
“We made it very clear that we would stop the politicisation of the education sector, meaning that only qualified teachers will teach in our schools, improve the sector by providing teaching tools, being in a conducive atmosphere and, so far, this is what we are doing.  
“So, this strike proposed by the Nigeria Union of Teachers is illegal and not justifiable. Kaduna State governor is an employer of teachers and has the right to decide what he wants for the public schools. There are people that have been beneficiaries of the old order, where everything was done contrary to the expectations of our people and to the standard of education. We have yet to receive reports from our education administrators across the state. So, for now, there is nothing like education crisis in Kaduna State.
He added, “In the entire Kaduna State, we don’t have up to 30 female indigenous medical doctors. The maternal mortality rate in our state will be a bad one if we don’t take action from now. What we met in Kaduna State education sector is a sham. We are not witch hunting or fighting anyone. Whosoever that will teach in our primary schools must have the capacity and possess all that is required for one to be a teacher.
“If there must be employment opportunity in Kaduna State, it must be on merit. So, we are more concerned about the future of over two million pupils in Kaduna State. We have a situation where political thugs have been employed to teach in our schools; we have a situation where primary school leavers have been employed to teach in our schools. We can’t continue with that, primary education is the foundation. When you come up with reform, beneficiaries of the old order will try to taint the credibility of the government. What we are doing is not a new thing. It is what we inherited.”
He said in 2007/2008, the state had the Education Support Programme, where teachers who didn’t have the NCE basic teaching requirements were expected to get that within five years, adding that the ultimatum had expired.
He noted, “For five years, it elapsed and many of them did not have technical education. When we came in 2016, the five years had elapsed and we added two years to it. In 2010, over 4,000 teachers were weeded out of the service. Sacking teachers is not a political suicide. We have taken an oath to do the right thing. So, are you now saying for political expediency, we should not do the right thing?
“We will not comprise the future of our people. We know it has political consequences, but we will do the right thing, no matter how it is. Majority of our people are aware that what we are doing is a paradigm shift; it’s opening of another chapter in the life of our people and they are with this administration. What we are doing is justifiable and the only thing to take us to greatness. What we are doing is the only thing that will connect us with the rest of Nigeria and the rest of the world.”

Popular Articles