WATCH THE VIDEO HERE The Kwara State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) has invited 9,459 applicants to participate in the Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the ongoing teachers’ recruitment process. The TESCOM Chairman, Malam Bello Taoheed, made this known in a statement issued in Ilorin on Monday. Taoheed explained that these applicants successfully completed the online application process and met the initial selection criteria. According to him, the test is scheduled to take place on Saturday. “A total of 9,459 have been invited. They are those who completed the application process, that is, those who completed the application form and submitted it online. “They have Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), Bachelor of Science (Education) or B.Sc.(Ed.), or Bachelor of Arts or B.A. Ed., or a Bachelor’s degree in relevant subjects with Education qualifications,” he stated. Taoheed disclosed that a total of 26,349 candidates initially began the application process, but not all were able to complete it. He explained that the system automatically screened out applicants who exceeded the age limit or lacked relevant degrees. “A total of 11,617 completed the application process, but only 9,459 have been shortlisted for the CBT, owing to different yardsticks set on the system,” he noted. Naijaonpoint reported that Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq approved the recruitment of 2,100 new staff for the state’s senior secondary schools, including 1,800 teachers, 100 non-teaching staff, and 200 security guards. The Chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Malam Bello Abubakar, noted that the recruitment exercise would prioritize teachers for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects alongside Arts and Commercial subjects. Additionally, he confirmed that applicants without the listed qualifications would not be invited for the subsequent tests. The screening process aims to bridge the human resource gap in rural schools across the state. The state government has also mandated that shortlisted applicants undergo drug tests to align with its efforts to combat drug abuse and protect students. The TESCOM Chairman provided a breakdown of the shortlisted candidates by origin, subject area, and gender distribution. “A total of 8,319 (or 87.95 per cent) of the shortlisted applicants are Kwarans, while the remaining 1,140, who make up 12.05 per cent, are non-indigenes. “Of the 9,459 invited for the CBT, 4,332 applied to teach STEM subjects. “A total of 4,709 (49.78 per cent) of the CBT candidates are male, while the females constitute 50.22 per cent, or 4,750, of the candidates. “Forty of the shortlisted applicants are persons living with disabilities (PLWD), and the authorities will accord them special care at the CBT centres,” he added. “Forty of the shortlisted applicants are persons living with disabilities (PLWD), and the authorities will accord them special care at the CBT centres,” he added. Taoheed advised the shortlisted candidates to log in to the TESCOM portal and select their preferred CBT test centres. “It is after this that they will be assigned the time of their examination. “They should print their examination slip from the portal and take same to their centre,” he stated.